Legends of young heroes fighting lions to the death appear in Roman records and artwork, but scant physical evidence of these beastly battles exists.
Perhaps, that is, until now.
A new study sheds light on the story of a young man, likely between the ages of 26 and 35, discovered with a fatal bite mark from a large animal.
His remains were buried between 1,825 and 1,725 years ago in what archaeologists believe to be a “gladiator graveyard” — hundreds of miles from Rome — in York, England.
The findings highlight the Roman Empire’s sweeping impact across Britain — lending direct evidence that Roman culture and lifestyle spread far beyond the Colosseum.
A long time ago
The human remains at the heart of the new study have puzzled researchers since the burial site was uncovered in 2010.
Scientists involved in the expedition, led by the York Archaeological Trust, suspected the divots in the man’s pelvis were the work of a carnivore.
But delving into the precise culprit showed the markings “were likely made by a lion, which confirms that the skeletons buried at the cemetery were gladiators, rather than soldiers or slaves, as initially thought,” said study coauthor Malin Holst of the University of York.
Here’s what the bone analysis revealed about the man and how the researchers determined what was behind the lethal bite markings.
Explorations
Watch chimpanzees sharing fermented fruit, which contains intoxicating traces of alcohol. The first-of-its kind footage could highlight how the closest living relatives to humans may partake in a boozy treat to strengthen bonds that’s similar to our social rites.
Fantastic creatures
What’s nearly as long as a bus, has teeth the size of bananas and has a scientific name that translates to “terror crocodile”?
Behold: Deinosuchus.
The roughly 26-foot-long creature of nightmares is believed to have lived between 82 million and 75 million years ago, dining on dinosaurs in the rivers and estuaries of North America.
While prior research on the giant reptile’s evolutionary background has put it in the same group as alligators and their ancient relatives, a new analysis of fossils and DNA suggests it belongs on a different branch of the crocodilian family tree.
That assessment boils down to one key trait: Deinosuchus had special glands and a tolerance for salt water, according to the study.
Once upon a planet
Further animating our understanding of the creatures that populated prehistoric Earth are trace fossils — or ancient animal tracks frozen in time.
Researching these fascinating rocks is like “trying to study ghosts,” said Conner Bennett, lead author of a study that described the story behind several trace fossils in the collection of Oregon’s John Day Fossil Beds National Monument.
The footprint fossils can pick up where bones leave off, confirming the presence of animals.
For example, one set of tracks estimated to be about 50 million years old tells the story of a small wading bird pausing near a lakeshore in central Oregon to search for food.
Without the footprints, the unprecedented evidence of birds in the ancient ecosystem may have been lost to time: Their fragile, hollow skeletons don’t hold up well.
Curiosities
Tucked away in one of the world’s largest collections of fossilized insects, the oldest recorded ant species nearly remained overlooked.
Anderson Lepeco, a researcher at the University of São Paulo’s Museum of Zoology in Brazil, spotted the “extraordinary” specimen as he was perusing some of the museum’s fossils.
That’s when he came across the hell ant, preserved in limestone. The critter was believed to have lived among dinosaurs some 113 million years ago — several millennia before previously found ants, according to new research.
“I was just shocked to see that weird projection in front of this (insect’s) head,” Lepeco said. “Other hell ants have been described with odd mandibles, but always as amber specimens.”
Mission critical
At wildlife conservancies in Africa, four-legged friends are invigorating efforts to combat poaching.
Professional dog trainers Darren Priddle and Jacqui Law of Carmarthen, Wales, spearhead the initiative, called Dogs4Wildlife. After they saw a picture of a poached African rhino on social media in 2015, they set out to use their expertise training animals to help combat illegal hunting.
“It was quite a horrific image. We sat down and we said, ‘OK, that’s really affected us,’” Priddle told CNN.
The duo has since sent 15 stalwart canines to five sub-Saharan African countries, including Shinga, a Belgian Malinois, and Murwi, a Dutch shepherd, who protect big game at Zimbabwe’s Imire Rhino and Wildlife Conservancy.
Take note
Check out these must-read science stories from the week:
— The head of the US National Science Foundation stepped down from his post as the agency grapples with the Trump administration’s demands.
— A Pakistani astronaut will become the first foreign national to enter China’s space station, Tiangong.
— Scientists spotted a 1940s Ford automobile inside the sunken USS Yorktown, a World War II aircraft carrier lost during the Battle of Midway.
Before you go, it’s time to look skyward: Saturday is the last day to catch a glimpse of the Lyrid meteor shower.
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