6historical mysteries that scientists were able to solve in 2023. Get to know them
6historical mysteries that scientists were able to solve in 2023. Get to know them - Image from unsplash
During the year 2023, scientists were able to solve several mysteries related to previous historical archaeological discoveries, the secrets of which remained hidden for decades. These mysteries help discover the secrets of the past, the way of life and even the thinking of ancient humans.
Modern technologies helped solve the mysteries
Many modern technologies have helped scientists solve these mysteries and reveal their secrets, especially artificial intelligence techniques , which may open the door for these scientists to discover the secrets of ancient times.
Although there are still many scientific questions without answers and historical secrets that have not yet been revealed, scientists have, to this day, been able to solve many complex historical mysteries and unveil many secrets of humanity that appeared thousands of years ago.
Through these lines, we will explain to you 6 mysteries about human history that scientists were finally able to solve in 2023, after they had puzzled researchers for many years, according to what was monitored by CNN.
The most prominent mysteries solved by scientists during 2023
1- The Unidentified Skeleton: It was finally revealed this year that the 5,000-year-old skeleton that was discovered in 2008 in a cemetery near Seville, Spain, buried with a crystal dagger and other precious artifacts, was once an important person.
It was initially believed that the remains belonged to a young man, based on an analysis of the pelvic bone, which is the traditional method by which scientists determine the sex of human skeletal remains, but an analysis of the teeth revealed that the skeleton belonged to a female.
This discovery dispelled the idea that had prevailed for more than two decades that the structure belonged to a “hunter-man,” a belief that fueled many theories about early humans.
2- The secret of the strength of Roman concrete: Roman concrete has proven to last longer than its modern counterpart, which can deteriorate within decades. The Pantheon building in Rome, for example, which includes the largest unsupported dome in the world, has remained tall, despite the passage of hundreds of years since its construction.
Scientists explained that, during a study conducted in January 2023, they discovered the mysterious element that allowed the Romans to make their building materials extremely durable and build elaborate structures in difficult places such as sidewalks, sewers, and earthquake zones.
Scientists analyzed 2,000-year-old concrete samples taken from a city wall at the archaeological site of Perevernum in central Italy, which are similar in composition to other concrete found throughout the Roman Empire. They found that white pieces in the concrete, referred to as lime chips, gave the concrete the ability to... To re-heal cracks that form over time.
3- The true appearance of the Iceman: In 1991, the body of “Ötzi” the Iceman was found high in the Italian Alps, and his frozen remains are among the most closely studied archaeological discoveries in the world, as they reveal in unprecedented detail what life was like. 5300 years ago.
The contents of his stomach yielded information about what his last meal was and where he came from, while his weapons showed that he was right-handed, and his clothing provided a rare look at what the ancients wore.
But a new analysis of the DNA extracted from Ötzi's tank, conducted last August, revealed that his physical appearance was not what scientists initially thought, and after a recent study of Ötzi's genetic makeup, it was revealed that Ötzi (the Iceman) had skin. Dark-haired and dark-eyed, he was probably bald.
This appearance contrasts with the previous depiction of Ötzi, which depicted him as a pale-skinned man with a full head of hair and a beard.
4- The owner of the historic necklace: Earlier this year, scientists recovered ancient human DNA from a necklace made of deer bone that was discovered in Denisova Cave in Siberia.
Through this evidence, scientists were able to reveal that a woman who lived between 19,000 and 25,000 years ago was wearing it, and the woman belonged to a group known as the “Ancient North Eurasians,” which has a genetic connection to the first Americans.
The human DNA that was well preserved in this “deer bone necklace” helped discover that it belonged to a woman from that period of time.
5- Deciphering the Herculaneum Manuscripts: Some adventurers in the eighteenth century AD were able to discover the largest known library from classical antiquity, which contained manuscript documents of unknown meanings, which experts called the “Herculaneum Manuscripts.”
Since then, these documents remained a mystery, until a computer science student at the University of Nebraska, Luke Varitor, was able, with the help of artificial intelligence, to decipher a word written in ancient Greek on one of those black scrolls.
Variator won a $40,000 prize for deciphering the word "πορφυρας" or "porphyras," the Greek word for purple, and scientists hope to decipher the entire scroll using this technique.
6- Egyptian mummy mummification materials: Through the remains of utensils left in one of the mummification workshops, scientists were able to discover some of the materials and mixtures that the ancient Egyptians used to mummify the dead.
Through chemical analysis of the organic waste remaining in the vessels, scientists concluded that the ancient Egyptians used a wide range of materials to anoint the body after death, to reduce unpleasant odors and protect it from fungi, bacteria, and rot.
The materials identified included (vegetable oils such as juniper, cypress, and cedar, as well as resins from pistachio trees, animal fats, and beeswax). Scientists had previously known the names of the materials used in mummifying the dead from Egyptian texts, but they could only guess at the compositions.
The ingredients used were diverse and were sourced not only from Egypt but from much further afield, suggesting long-distance exchange of goods.
Source : websites