Researchers found evidence of lead pollution in the Aegean Sea dating back 5,200 years, indicating early human impact on the environment. This pollution marks shifts in economy and land use, especially during the Roman conquest when lead contamination spiked due to increased mining and deforestation. The study highlights how ancient societies affected both land and marine ecosystems.

https://scitechdaily.com/5200-year-old-lead-pollution-reveals-secrets-of-early-civilizations/

#archaeology

Ancient-genomics researchers have pinpointed the homelands of a nomadic tribe that transformed the culture and genetics of Europe and Asia, revealing a potential source for the Indo–European language family, spoken by nearly half of the world’s population. Genomes from more than 400 individuals suggest that the Yamnaya — Bronze Age herders from the grassy plains of present-day Russia and Ukraine — emerged along the northern shores of the Black Sea.

#archaeology #prehistory #languages #genetics