Latest news with #research
The Independent
3 hours ago
- Health
- The Independent
How long will you live? This exercise test may have the answer
A new study has shown how a simple exercise could predict natural and cardiovascular causes of death. Researchers wanted to see whether non-aerobic physical fitness, assessed by a sitting-rising test, could predict premature deaths in middle-aged and older people, and on Wednesday, their results were published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. They tested the theory on 4,282 adults aged 46-75 years from 1998 to 2023. Most of the participants, 68 percent, were men. 'None of them presented relevant physical or clinical limitations for fitness testing,' researchers said. All of the participants performed a sitting-rising test to evaluate the main components of non-aerobic physical fitness, which are muscle strength/power, flexibility, balance and body composition. The test was simple, yet not necessarily easy. Participants had to sit and rise from the floor without other body parts such as hands, elbows or knees touching the floor. Their instructions were as follows: ''Without worrying about the speed of movement, try to sit and then rise from the floor, using the minimum support that you believe is needed,'' the study's authors wrote. If participants used any extremities for support, they'd lose points. They also needed to steady themselves as a perceived partial loss of balance would knock down their score. Researchers found that non-aerobic physical fitness 'was a significant predictor' of natural and cardiovascular mortality in the participants. After following up with patients about 12 years later, researchers found there were 665 deaths due to natural causes. Those who scored a perfect 10 points on the sitting-rising test had death rates of 3.7 percent. Death rates tripled to 11.1 percent for people with a score of 8 points and 'dramatically increased' by 42.1 percent for those with a score of 0 to 4 points, according to researchers. The study was done at a private clinic in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and most of the participants 'belonged to upper socioeconomic and education strata of the country.'
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Science
- Yahoo
'Shocking' find could change the way Aussies visit the beach
For 200 years, there has been speculation that swimmers could be tormented by more than one species of bluebottle jellyfish. It turns out there are at least four, including one in Australia that has a 'prominent nose'. 'We were shocked, because we assumed they were all the same species," Griffith University marine ecologist Professor Kylie Pitt said. Until recently, studying these notorious jellyfish has been a challenge because they're hard to keep in captivity, and when they wash up on the beach they disintegrate quickly. Speaking with Yahoo News, Pitt explained the game-changer has been advances in DNA sequencing. 'With our paper, we used the most powerful method, whole genome sequencing, so it's entire DNA has been sampled,' she said. 'By combining the DNA with morphology, we've got the strongest evidence possible for separating out the species.' The discovery is likely to have a direct impact on Aussie swimmers because it could help researchers better understand jellyfish behaviour and predict when they'll swarm towards beaches. Pitt was part of an international research effort by Yale University, University of New South Wales and Griffith University that sequenced the genomes of 151 jellyfish from around the world and published their findings in the journal Current Biology. A key finding of the study that the notorious Portuguese man o' war is only found in the Atlantic and is a completely separate species from Australian bluebottles. 'For a long time, people have said they're much bigger over there and the venom is much more potent,' Pitt said. 'Now we know that the potency of their venom might differ.' Related: 😳 Swimmer's painful encounter with deadly creature on Queensland island The existence of three newly described species, Physalia physalis, Physalia utriculus and Physalia megalista, had been proposed in the 18th and 19th Centuries, but the idea was later dismissed. The researchers also identified a fourth species Physalia minuta that had never been described before. 'The one that really stands out is Physalia megalista because it has a really pronounced nose,' Pitt said. It's also believed there are several distinct subpopulations shaped by regional winds and ocean currents. This new knowledge about bluebottles will have a real-world impact for swimmers, as there could be differences with the venom of Australian species too. It will also help support an investigation into jellyfish behaviour that's funded by the Australian Research Council. 🌏 Secret hidden beneath Australia's 'most important' parcel of land 👙 Tourists oblivious to disturbing scene 500m off sunny Aussie beach 📸 Confronting picture showcases state of Aussie wildlife on world stage Pitt explained a PhD student is working to understand how winds and currents move the bluebottles towards beaches, as well as how they move in the water. 'Bluebottles can actually erect their float or lay it down, depending upon what the wind conditions are. And they can also expand and or extend and contract their tentacles, which might act a little bit like a sea anchor, so there might be a bit more of a drag,' she said. 'Now we know there are at least three species in Australia she may need to look at their behavioural differences.' Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
BBC News
5 hours ago
- Health
- BBC News
Why your fingers wrinkle in water (and what it can reveal about your health)
The skin on our fingertips and toes shrivels like prunes when soaked for a few minutes in water. But is this an adaptation that occurred to help us in our evolutionary past? And what can it reveal about your health today? Spend more than a few minutes soaking in a bath or paddling around a swimming pool and your fingers will undergo a dramatic transformation. Where there were once delicate whorls of lightly ridged epidermis, engorged folds of ugly pruned skin will now be found. And according to a recently published study, this striking change is worth a closer inspection – each time your fingertips pucker in this way, the wrinkles create the same pattern. It is the latest discovery about a phenomenon that has occupied the thoughts and work of scientists for decades. Bafflingly, only the skin on our fingers and toes wrinkles when immersed in water. Other body parts such as our forearms, torso, legs and face remain no more crinkled than they were before being submerged. Most researchers in the field have puzzled over what causes this puckering in the first place, but more recently the question of why and what purpose it may serve, has attracted their attention. Perhaps more intriguing still, however, is what our shrivelled fingers can reveal about our own health. Scientists have discovered changes in how our fingers wrinkle can point to diseases including type 2 diabetes, cystic fibrosis, nerve injuries and even cardiovascular problems. What causes our fingers to wrinkle It takes around 3.5 minutes in warm water – 40C (104F) is considered the optimal temperature – for your fingertips to begin wrinkling, while in cooler temperatures of about 20C (68F) it can take up to 10 minutes. Most studies have found it takes around 30 minutes of soaking time to reach maximum wrinklage, however. (Interestingly, recent research has shown that soaking your hands in warm vinegar can make your skin wrinkle far faster – in around just four minutes.) Fingertip wrinkling was commonly thought to be a passive response where the upper layers of the skin swelled as water flooded into the cells via a process known as osmosis – where water molecules move across a membrane to equalise the concentration of the solutions on either side. But as long ago as 1935, scientists have suspected there is more to the process than this. Doctors studying patients with injuries that had severed the median nerve – one of the main nerves that run down the arm to the hand – found that their fingers did not wrinkle. Among its many roles, the median nerve helps to control so-called sympathetic activities such as sweating and the constriction of blood vessels. Their discovery suggested that the water-induced wrinkling of fingertips was in fact controlled by the nervous system. Later studies by doctors in the 1970s provided further evidence of this, and they proposed using the immersion of the hands in water as a simple bedside test to assess nerve damage that might affect the regulation of unconscious processes such as blood flow. Then in 2003, neurologists Einar Wilder-Smith and Adeline Chow, who were working at the National University Hospital in Singapore at the time, took measurements of blood circulation in the hands of volunteers as they soaked them in water. They found that as the skin on the volunteers' fingertips began to wrinkle, there was a significant drop in blood flow in the fingers. When they applied a local anesthetic cream that caused the blood vessels in the fingers of healthy volunteers to temporarily constrict, they found it produced similar levels of wrinkling as water immersion. "It makes sense when you look at your fingers when they go wrinkly," says Nick Davis, a neuroscientist and psychologist at Manchester Metropolitan University, who has studied fingertip wrinkling. "The finger pads go pale and that is because the blood supply is being constricted away from the surface." Wilder-Smith and his colleagues proposed that when our hands are immersed in water, the sweat ducts in our fingers open up to allow water in, which leads to an imbalance in the salts in our skin. This change in the salt balance triggers the firing of nerve fibres in the fingers, leading to the blood vessels around the sweat ducts to constrict. This in turn causes a loss of volume in the fleshy area of the fingertip, which pulls the overlying skin downwards so that it distorts into wrinkles. The pattern of the wrinkles depends on the way the outermost layer of skin – the epidermis – is anchored to the layers beneath it. More like this: There have also been suggestions that the outer layers of skin may also swell a little to enhance the wrinkling. By osmosis alone, however, our skin would need to swell by 20% to achieve the wrinkles we see in our fingers, which would leave them hideously enlarged. But when the upper layers of skin swell slightly and the lower levels shrink at the same time, the wrinkling becomes pronounced far sooner, says Pablo Saez Viñas, a biomechanical engineer at the Technical University of Catalonia, who has used computer modelling to examine the mechanism. "You need both to have normal levels of wrinkles," he says. "If you don't have that neurological response, which happens in some individuals, wrinkles are inhibited." But if wrinkling is controlled by our nerves, it means our bodies are actively reacting to being in water. "That means it is happening for a reason," says Davis. "And that means it could be giving us an advantage." Why did our fingers evolve to wrinkle in water? It was a question from one of his children during a bath about why their fingers had gone wrinkly that recently led Davis to dig into what this advantage could be. With the help of 500 volunteers who visited the Science Museum in London during 2020, Davis measured how much force they needed to use to grip a plastic object. Perhaps unsurprisingly, those with dry, unwrinkled hands needed to use less force than people whose hands were wet – so their grip on the object was better. But when they submerged their hands in a water bath for a few minutes to turn their hands wrinkly, the grip force fell between the two even though their hands were still wet. "The results were amazingly clear," says Davis. "The wrinkling increased the amount of friction between the fingers and the object. What is particularly interesting is that our fingers are sensitive to this change in the surface friction and we use this information to apply less force to grip an object securely." The object that Davis' volunteers were gripping weighed less than a couple of coins, so the amount of grip required was small. But when performing more arduous tasks in a wet environment, this difference in friction could become more important. "If you don't have to squeeze as hard to grip something, the muscles in your hands get less tired and so you can do it for longer," he says. His findings match those by other researchers who have found that the wrinkling of our fingertips makes it easier for us to handle wet objects. In 2013, a team of neuroscientists at Newcastle University in the UK asked volunteers to transfer glass marbles of varying sizes and fishing weights from one container to another. In one case the objects were dry, and in the other they were at the bottom of a container filled with water. It took 17% longer for the participants to transfer the submerged objects with unwrinkled fingers than when they were dry. But when their fingers were wrinkled, they could transfer the submerged marbles and weights 12% quicker than when their fingers were wet and unwrinkled. Interestingly, there was no difference in transferring the dry objects with wrinkled or unwrinkled fingers. There are other baffling mysteries – women take longer to develop wrinkles than men do Some scientists have suggested that the wrinkles on our fingertips and toes may act like rain treads on tyres or the soles of shoes. The channels produced by the wrinkles help to squeeze water away from the point of contact between the fingers and an object. This suggests that humans may have evolved fingertip and toe wrinkling at some point in our past to help us grip wet objects and surfaces. "Since it seems to give better grip under water, I would assume that it has to do with either locomotion in very wet conditions or potentially with manipulating objects under water," says Tom Smulders, an evolutionary neuroscientist at Newcastle University who led the 2013 study. It could have given our ancestors a key advantage when it came to walking over wet rocks or gripping branches, for example. Alternatively, it could have helped us when catching or foraging for food such as shellfish. "The latter would imply it is unique to humans, whereas if it's the former, we would expect it to happen in other primates as well," says Smulders. Finger wrinkling has yet to be observed in our closest relatives in the primate world such as chimpanzees, but the fingers of Japanese macaque monkeys, which are known to bath for long periods in hot water, have been seen to also wrinkle after they have been submerged in water. But the lack of evidence in other primates does not mean it doesn't happen, it may simply be because no-one has looked closely enough yet, says Smulders. "We don't know the answer to this question yet." There are some other interesting clues about when this adaptation may have appeared in our species. Fingertip wrinkling is less pronounced in saltwater and takes longer than it does in freshwater. This is probably because the salt gradient between the skin and surrounding environment is lower in saltwater, and so the salt imbalance that triggers the nerve fibres is less dramatic. So, it could be an adaptation that helped our ancestors live in freshwater environments rather than along coastlines. But there are no firm answers, and some believe it could just be a coincidental physiological response with no adaptive function. What can we learn from the wrinkles? Strangely there are other baffling mysteries – women take longer to develop wrinkles than men do, for example. And why exactly does our skin return to its normal state – normally after 10-20 minutes – if there is no clear disadvantage to our grip on dry objects of having wrinkly fingertips? Surely if having wrinkly fingers can improve our grip in the wet, but not harm it when dry, why would our fingertips not be permanently wrinkly? One reason for that could be the change in sensation the wrinkling also causes. Our fingertips are packed with nerves, and the pruning of our skin changes the way we feel things we touch (although one study has shown it does not affect our ability to discriminate between objects based on touch). "Some people have a real aversion to it because picking something up with wrinkly fingers feels weird," says Davis. "It could be because the balance of skin receptors have changed position, but there could be a psychological dimension too. It would be fun to investigate why. There could be other things we can do less well with wrinkly fingers." But the wrinkling of our fingers and toes in water can reveal key information about our health in surprising ways too. Wrinkles take longer to form in people with skin conditions like psoriasis and vitiligo, for example. Patients with cystic fibrosis experience excessive wrinkling of their palms as well as their fingers, and this has even been noticed in people who are genetic carriers of the disease. Patients suffering from type 2 diabetes also sometimes show markedly decreased levels of skin wrinkling when their hands are placed in water. Similarly reduced wrinkling has been seen in people who have suffered heart failure, perhaps due to some disruption in the control of their cardiovascular system. Unsymmetrical wrinkling of the fingers – where one hand wrinkles less than the other despite the same immersion time – has even been suggested as an early sign of Parkinson's disease as it indicates the sympathetic nervous system is not functioning correctly on one side of the body. So, while the question of why our fingers and toes began wrinkling in water in the first place remains open, our pruney digits are proving useful to doctors in other surprising ways. * This article was originally published on 21 June 2022. It was updated on 19 June 2025 to include details of a new study on the repeatability of wrinkle patterns on wet fingers. -- If you liked this story, sign up for The Essential List newsletter – a handpicked selection of features, videos and can't-miss news, delivered to your inbox twice a week. For more science, technology, environment and health stories from the BBC, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram.
ABC News
7 hours ago
- Health
- ABC News
Study backing OsteoStrong 'bone-strengthening' exercise program should be retracted: experts
A study claiming a popular exercise regimen called OsteoStrong can help strengthen bones in post-menopausal women has been criticised by scientists, with some saying it should never have been published. The research, which was accepted for publication in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM) in February this year, was hailed as "groundbreaking" by the international franchise behind the exercise program. "The acceptance of this research in a prestigious, peer-reviewed medical journal like JCEM is a monumental step in validating OsteoStrong as a science-backed solution for osteoporosis management," the company said in a press release at the time. But the study has since attracted international criticism, with questions being raised about its design, data analysis and conclusions. "We really questioned the [journal] editor on how this paper got through the peer-review process," said Robin Daly, a researcher in exercise and ageing at Deakin University. The study examined the effectiveness of the OsteoStrong program, which was described as "a bone-strengthening system implementing four devices and incorporating brief (10-minute), weekly, low-impact, and high-intensity osteogenic loading exercises" in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. The researchers separated 147 women into two groups. One group did the program and the other did not. The group that did the exercise program was further divided into two groups, one of which was on bone-strengthening medication and one that was not. Measures of bone strength were carried out at the start and end of the 12-month trial. The study claimed bone density was improved in women who did OsteoStrong (compared to those who didn't), and that among participants who were also on medication, it enhanced the effect of the drugs. "This is the first study that clearly demonstrates benefit" from the OsteoStrong program, the researchers wrote. But among numerous concerns expressed by critics are that the clinical trial had no clear statistical plan, failed to reduce the risk of bias, had no ethical approval and was not registered online for transparency. According to Professor Daly, "the claims [of the study] are totally misleading. They're not supported by the data". He said the way the study was designed and its results were analysed made it difficult to conclude anything. "The whole paper is extremely difficult to interpret. Professor Daly and University of Waterloo bone researcher Lora Giangregoria sent a letter to the editor of the journal calling for the study's retraction. Professor Giangregoria was concerned that publicity of the study's findings would lead people to make uninformed decisions about the OsteoStrong program. "The way that they present the statistics actually doesn't make any sense," she said. "The claims made in the study were not appropriate." Other experts have also expressed concern about the failure of the study to adhere to normal standards and guidelines for clinical trials. They were concerned the clinical trial was not registered, a practice that helps make research more transparent, and prevent publication bias. It also lacked appropriate ethics approval and there were "potential unacknowledged conflicts of interest", Professor Daly added. In March this year, Osteoporosis Canada expressed concern about the study and the evidence base for the OsteoStrong program. In a statement, also co-authored by Professor Giangregoria, the organisation said: … Osteoporosis Canada cannot support recommendations regarding its use for fracture prevention based on existing research. Chris Maher, director of the University of Sydney Institute for Musculoskeletal Health, agreed with the concerns raised about the study. "That study is flawed and does not provide believable evidence on the effect of OsteoStrong," Professor Maher said. He pointed specifically to the lack of registration and ethical clearance. "It therefore does not conform to the Declaration of Helsinki, so it has no standing in medical science and should never have been published." Maria Fiatarone Singh, a University of Sydney geriatrician who researches the impacts of exercise, was also highly critical of the study. "I think it is too flawed to draw any conclusions," she commented by email. "It is shocking that the editors allowed this to be published in a peer-reviewed journal and it indeed should be retracted and re-analysed at the very least." Shoshana Sztal-Mazer, an endocrinologist and expert in bone disease at Alfred Health in Melbourne, said the principle behind OsteoStrong was "plausible". The company states its system relies on "osteogenic loading", which is where force on your bones stimulates them to grow stronger. "Physiologically it makes sense," Dr Sztal-Mazer said. But she agreed there were concerns about the study. "It doesn't look like it was rigorously conducted. One of the major sources of bias in the study, according to critics, was allowing patients to choose which group they were in, Professor Fiatarone Singh said. "It is well known that people who choose exercise are healthier and at less risk of disease for numerous reasons than sedentary individuals or those who choose a non-exercise control condition when given a choice." In a statement provided to the ABC, the Endocrine Society, which publishes the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, said "we recognise the shortcomings in the research's design and analyses as reported in the online accepted manuscript. "Following a detailed editorial assessment, we confirmed the need for significant revisions." The authors of the study are in the process of submitting a corrected version of the paper, the statement added. OsteoStrong was approached for comment, but did not respond specifically to concerns raised by Osteoporosis Canada and others. Instead, Perry Eckert, managing director of OsteoStrong Australia, pointed to recent unpublished research partly sponsored by the company. According to Mr Eckert, the study showed "a significant improvement" in bone mineral density and overall strength in 38 postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. Healthy Bones Australia endorses exercise as an important part of reducing bone loss in older age. But most trials on exercise programs to strengthen bones are small compared to those studying pharmaceuticals, so the evidence for exercise is not as strong as that for drugs. The majority of experts the ABC spoke to were not convinced at this stage exercise could reverse bone mineral density loss that occurs in post-menopausal women, although it might slow down the rate of loss. But despite there being better evidence behind the use of medications to increase bone density, Dr Sztal-Mazer prescribes exercise as well as medications to help stave off bone loss in this age group. "Exercise is important as a part of holistic care for osteoporosis and generally for healthy bones." As well any impact on bone density, the right kind of exercise — along with adequate vitamin D, calcium and other nutrients — plays a key role in preventing fractures, Dr Sztal-Mazer said. Exercise can also improve strength and balance, which can also help prevent falls, the main cause of bone fragility fractures. But, Dr Sztal-Mazer cautions, guidelines for exercise used by physiotherapists and exercise physiologists to manage osteoporosis suggests a much bigger time commitment is required than that proposed by OsteoStrong.
Sustainability Times
8 hours ago
- Science
- Sustainability Times
'Hidden for 80 Million Years': Rare Dinosaur Egg Reveals Stunning Secrets Through Groundbreaking CT Scan Analysis
IN A NUTSHELL 🦖 Paleontologists conducted CT scans on a rare dinosaur egg and a Giant Beaver skull at the New York State Museum. and a at the New York State Museum. 🔬 The scans revealed hidden internal structures, offering new scientific insights into these ancient species. into these ancient species. 🤝 The collaboration between the museum and Albany Medical Center highlights the importance of interdisciplinary efforts in paleontological research. in paleontological research. 📚 The findings promise to enhance our understanding of prehistoric life and serve as a valuable resource for educators and researchers. In an exciting collaboration between the New York State Museum and Albany Medical Center, paleontologists have embarked on a groundbreaking journey to uncover ancient secrets hidden within two rare artifacts: a dinosaur egg and a Giant Beaver skull. Utilizing advanced CT scanning technology, experts aim to delve deeper into the internal structures of these artifacts, offering a glimpse into the past that promises to revolutionize our understanding of these extinct species. This initiative not only highlights the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration but also sets the stage for future discoveries that will enrich our knowledge and appreciation of natural history. Unraveling the Mysteries of the Duck-billed Dinosaur Egg The dinosaur egg under scrutiny is believed to belong to the Hadrosaur family, commonly known as duck-billed dinosaurs, which roamed the earth during the late Cretaceous Period. This egg, estimated to be between 70-80 million years old, provides a unique opportunity to explore the reproductive habits of these fascinating creatures. Although its exact origin is thought to be Asia, Hadrosaurs had a wide distribution, including regions in the Northeastern United States. The CT scan, while not definitive in identifying an embryo due to insufficient density variations, has revealed encouraging results. The egg's structural integrity appears intact, and the presence of a small internal cavity has opened new avenues for research. Scientists are eager to investigate this cavity further to determine its contents or significance. This discovery underscores the importance of ongoing paleontological research, which continues to shed light on the lives of extinct creatures. Remarkably, a recent discovery in Mongolia revealed a massive hadrosaurid footprint measuring approximately 35 inches across, further exemplifying the continuous advancements in our understanding of these ancient beings. As researchers delve deeper into the mysteries of the dinosaur egg, the potential for groundbreaking insights into the life and times of Hadrosaurs remains immense. '8,000 Dinosaur Bones Found': Canada's Fossil Graveyard Reveals One of the Most Terrifying Prehistoric Mass Death Sites Ever Unearthed Unlocking Secrets of the Rare Giant Beaver Skull The second artifact subjected to CT scanning is the skull of a Giant Beaver, scientifically known as Castoroides ohioensis. This extinct Pleistocene epoch rodent rivaled the size of a modern black bear, making it one of the largest beavers to have ever existed. The New York State Museum's collection includes the first described skull of this species, marking it as an invaluable specimen for scientific study. The examination of the Giant Beaver's skull through CT scans promises to yield unprecedented insights into its anatomy. Researchers anticipate discovering more about its diet, behavior, and evolutionary journey during the Ice Age. The extinction of the Giant Beaver, likely around 10,000 years ago, is attributed to a combination of climatic shifts and habitat destruction, offering a cautionary tale of environmental change. Dr. Robert Feranec, Director of Research and Collections, emphasizes the significance of these scans in enhancing our understanding of extinct creatures. The expertise of the scientists involved, combined with cutting-edge technology, allows for a closer look at these ancient relics, shedding light on their reproductive and developmental patterns. As research continues, the potential for new revelations about the Giant Beaver remains high. This Prehistoric Armored Fish From 465 Million Years Ago Could Be the Key to Understanding Why Our Teeth Still Hurt Collaborative Efforts in Scientific Exploration The success of the CT scans is a testament to the power of collaboration between different scientific disciplines. The partnership between the New York State Museum's paleontologists and radiological experts at Albany Medical Center has been pivotal in advancing this research. Such collaborations are crucial for unlocking and preserving the rich history of New York State and, by extension, our understanding of prehistoric life. The insights gained from the scans serve as momentum, propelling researchers closer to unveiling the secrets within the dinosaur egg and Giant Beaver skull. As museum researchers continue to analyze the data in the coming weeks and months, the anticipation for new findings grows. These efforts not only contribute to our scientific knowledge but also inspire future generations to appreciate and explore the wonders of natural history. Michael Mastroianni, Interim Deputy Commissioner of Cultural Education, highlights the long-term value of the information obtained from these scans. It will serve as an invaluable resource for researchers and educators, ensuring that the knowledge gained will benefit scientific inquiry and public education for years to come. 'Lost City Rises Again': Submerged Indian Metropolis Stuns Archaeologists and Forces a Rethink of All Human Civilization Timelines The Future of Paleontological Discovery As the research unfolds, the potential discoveries from the dinosaur egg and Giant Beaver skull hold significant promise for the field of paleontology. These findings could redefine our understanding of extinct species, offering a more comprehensive view of their lives and environments. The use of advanced technology like CT scanning represents a leap forward in our ability to explore and document ancient history with unprecedented detail. The continued analysis of these artifacts will likely yield new insights, further enriching our comprehension of the natural world. As we reflect on these scientific advancements, we are reminded of the importance of preserving our past to inform our future. The collaboration between institutions and the dedication of researchers play a vital role in ensuring that these treasures from the past are not only studied but celebrated. What other hidden secrets might be waiting to be discovered within the collections of museums around the world, and how might they shape our understanding of our planet's history? Our author used artificial intelligence to enhance this article. Did you like it? 4.3/5 (26)
