Article
Geography, Physical
Vitale S. Sparacello, Irene Dori, Stefano Rossi, Alessandra Varalli, Julien Riel-Salvatore, Claudine Gravel-Miguel, Alessandro Riga, Francesca Seghi, Gwenaelle Goude, Sanne W. L. Palstra, Elisabetta Starnini, Vincenzo Formicola, Jacopo Moggi-Cecchi
Summary: The Arene Candide Cave in northwestern Italy is a renowned site that has yielded numerous burials dating back to the terminal phases of the Pleistocene. The exceptional preservation of remains and information from excavations beginning in the 1940s allowed researchers to reconstruct a complex pattern of burial manipulation. The Epigravettian necropolis sheds light on funerary behavior during the Late Upper Paleolithic, with potential links to exceptional events and individuals.
QUATERNARY SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Deborah Maceroni, Girolamo Dixit Dominus, Stefano Gori, Emanuela Falcucci, Fabrizio Galadini, Marco Moro, Michele Saroli
Summary: This study investigated the late Quaternary activity of the Roveto Valley Fault in the southern sector of the Central Apennines. By collecting new geological and geomorphological data, the researchers were able to provide evidence of the fault's activity during historical times and contribute to the understanding of the seismotectonic setting of the area.
FRONTIERS IN EARTH SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Geography, Physical
William A. Marsh, Silvia Bello
Summary: The Magdalenian period exhibits diverse funerary behaviors, including both primary burials and cannibalism. Cannibalism appears to be more prevalent during the Middle Magdalenian, while primary burials are more common in the Upper and terminal Magdalenian. Genetic analysis suggests that individuals associated with cannibalism practices belong to the GoyetQ2 cluster, while individuals found in a primary burial context have a genetic affinity with the Epigravettian.
QUATERNARY SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Shihao Liu, Aiping Feng, Yan Liu
Summary: The evolution of buried channels in western Liaodong Bay, northern Bohai Sea, was investigated using seismic and sedimentological data. Multiple sets of incised valley systems formed during the late Marine Oxygen Isotope Stage (MIS) 3, influenced by cycles of incision/filling controlled by lake level fluctuations rather than global eustasy. The findings suggest that the Bohai Basin transformed into a large paleolake during late MIS3.
MARINE AND PETROLEUM GEOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Geography, Physical
Dries Cnuts, Marco Peresani, Veerle Rots
Summary: Understanding the relationship between stone tool technology and Late Pleistocene hominins is a fundamental question in the field of human evolution. This paper investigates the possible contribution of stone tool residues in reconstructing Late Pleistocene stone tool technologies and highlights the importance of methodological considerations.
QUATERNARY SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Geography, Physical
Beniamino Mecozzi, Raffaele Sardella, Alberto Boscaini, Marco Cherin, Loic Costeur, Joan Madurell-Malapeira, Marco Pavia, Antonio Profico, Dawid A. Iurino
Summary: The Iberian lynx, once widely spread throughout the Iberian Peninsula, is now restricted to a small population in the southern region. Exceptionally preserved fossil remains found in Italy offer new insights into the evolutionary history and paleobiology of this endangered species. This discovery helps revise the taxonomy of European fossil lynxes and extend the paleobiogeographical distribution of the Iberian lynx.
QUATERNARY SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Gianmarco Ferrara, Kerstin Wernike, Giuseppe Iovane, Ugo Pagnini, Serena Montagnaro
Summary: This observational study in southern Italy in 2020 found high seroprevalence of Schmallenberg virus in cattle and water buffalo, as well as identified environmental factors associated with higher seroprevalence. Molecular diagnosis also detected SBV RNA in serum samples.
BMC VETERINARY RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Maria Luisa Putignano, Emiliano Di Luzio, Luca Schiliro, Andrea Pietrosante, Salvatore Ivo Giano
Summary: This paper investigates the origin of the Pretare clastic deposit (PRA) in the Morricone fluvial valley in the Central Apennines of Italy. Through geological and geomorphological analyses, the PRA deposit is interpreted as a rock avalanche. The study also identifies the deposit as a catastrophic rock slope failure during the Late Pleistocene cold climate, using geological cross sections, stratigraphic, sedimentologic, and morphometric analyses. The findings provide insights into the Quaternary morpho-evolution of the Central Apennines area.
Article
Geography, Physical
Joan Madurell-Malapeira, Antonio Rodriguez-Hidalgo, Hassan Aouraghe, Hamid Haddoumi, Saverio Bartolini Lucenti, Aicha Oujaa, Palmira Saladie, Said Bengamra, Juan Marin, Mohamed Souhir, Mourad Farkouch, Hicham Mhamdi, Al Mahdi Aissa, Lars Werdelin, M. Gema Chacon, Robert Sala-Ramos
Summary: The study describes a new small-sized species of Dinofelis from North Africa, which is smaller than previously known African Dinofelis and likely occupies a different ecological niche. This discovery adds complexity to the high intraspecific competition among large carnivorans in the Plio-Pleistocene of Africa.
QUATERNARY SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Geography, Physical
A. M. Jukar, S. K. Lyons, P. J. Wagner, M. D. Uhen
Summary: Research shows that a low magnitude extinction event of large mammals occurred in the Indian Subcontinent approximately 30,000 years after the arrival of Homo sapiens. The co-evolution hypothesis between humans and animals, as well as robust population networks and climatic refugia, are suggested to have played a significant role in the survival of megafauna in this region.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Paolo Boncio, Eugenio Auciello, Vincenzo Amato, Pietro Aucelli, Paola Petrosino, Anna C. Tangari, Brian R. Jicha
Summary: This study provides a detailed analysis of the Gioia Sannitica active normal fault along the southern Matese fault system in the Apennines of Italy. The current activity and seismic potential of the fault system were previously underestimated. The study reveals the long active history, varied slip rates, and potential for strong earthquakes of the fault system.
Article
Geography, Physical
L. Alessandri, G. L. Cardello, P. A. J. Attema, V Baiocchi, F. De Angelis, S. Del Pizzo, F. Di Ciaccio, A. Fiorillo, M. Gatta, F. Monti, M. Onori, M. F. Rolfo, M. Romboni, G. Sottili, S. Troisi
Summary: Caves are conservative environments where archaeological, anthropological, climatic, and tectonic data can be well-preserved. The multidisciplinary study on La Sassa cave in the Apennines reveals interactions between Late Pleistocene to Anthropocene neotectonics and archaeological evolution, shedding light on faulting chronology, cultural boundaries, and seismic hazard implications in the region.
QUATERNARY SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Parasitology
Ingo Schaefer, Elisabeth Mueller, Ard M. Nijhof, Heike Aupperle-Lellbach, Gerhard Loesenbeck, Sybille Cramer, Torsten J. Naucke
Summary: This study confirms the possibility of vertical transmission of Hepatozoon canis in dogs, as demonstrated by molecular detection of the pathogen in a stillborn puppy. Vertical transmission was also the most likely route of transmission in the seven surviving puppies. Further investigation is needed to understand the potential impact of parasitemia levels on puppy health and its pathogenesis.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Andrea Peano, Anna Rita Molinar Min, Alessandra Fondati, Erica Romano, Chiara Brachelente, Ilaria Porcellato, Andrea Amore, Mario Pasquetti
Summary: We report two cases of cutaneous pythiosis in dogs in Italy, who were repeatedly exposed to the same freshwater habitat. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the isolates belonged to cluster IV within the Pythium insidiosum complex, specifically identified as P. periculosum. In Italy, it is important for both human and veterinary health professionals to consider pythiosis in differential diagnoses.
EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Fantina Madricardo, Maddalena Bassani, Giuseppe D'Acunto, Antonio Calandriello, Federica Foglini
Summary: This study provides new evidence of an ancient Roman road in the submerged Venice Lagoon, highlighting its significance in the Roman transport system and ability to adapt to dynamic environments.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Archaeology
Giorgia Vincenti, Giacomo Vinci, Pier Francesco Fabbri, Claudio Tuniz, Fabio Marzaioli, Isabella Passariello, Deborah Arbulla, Federico Bernardini
Summary: The study presents the findings of the Mompaderno cranium discovered in 1883 in Croatian Istria, dating back to the Early Bronze Age. Evidence of violent trauma and related infection were found on the cranium, providing rare and early evidence of interpersonal violence in the northern Adriatic region.
Article
Anthropology
Clement Zanolli, Yousuke Kaifu, Lei Pan, Song Xing, Armand S. Mijares, Ottmar Kullmer, Friedemann Schrenk, Julien Corny, Eusebio Dizon, Emil Robles, Florent Detroit
Summary: The recently described species Homo luzonensis is based on dental and postcranial elements found in the Callao Cave in the Philippines. The teeth exhibit primitive features similar to Homo floresiensis, suggesting evolution in an insular environment. The internal structure of Homo luzonensis teeth aligns with Homo erectus and Homo floresiensis, while external crown morphology is more similar to Homo erectus.
JOURNAL OF HUMAN EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Geography, Physical
Alessandra Modi, Davide Attolini, Valentina Zaro, Lisa Pisaneschi, Gabriel Innocenti, Stefania Vai, David Caramelli, Jacopo Moggi Cecchi, Andrea Quagliariello, Marta Mariotti Lippi, Martina Lari
Summary: Multidisciplinary analyses on ancient dental calculus can reconstruct habits and diet of ancient human populations, investigate individual health status, and provide information on past environments. In this study, both metagenomic and microscopic analysis were applied to ancient human dental calculus from a population in Central Italy during the Copper Age. The results suggested an agricultural subsistence and a diet enriched in complex carbohydrates with low soluble fiber. The presence of oral pathogens correlated with the high consumption of carbohydrates and supported the paleopathological evidence. Overall, the molecular and microscopic analysis provided complementary data for reconstructing the past life conditions of ancient human populations.
QUATERNARY INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Carla Figus, Nicholas B. Stephens, Rita Sorrentino, Eugenio Bortolini, Simona Arrighi, Owen A. Higgins, Federico Lugli, Giulia Marciani, Gregorio Oxilia, Matteo Romandini, Sara Silvestrini, Fabio Baruffaldi, Maria Giovanna Belcastro, Federico Bernardini, Anna Festa, Tamas Hajdu, Orsolya Mateovics-Laszlo, Ildiko Pap, Tamas Szeniczey, Claudio Tuniz, Timothy M. Ryan, Stefano Benazzi
Summary: This study investigates the early development of the talus bone and highlights the relationship between mechanical loading and bone development in the acquisition of bipedalism. The results suggest that the youngest group may reflect the immaturity of the human talus in bearing forces and performing bipedal walking.
ANATOMICAL RECORD-ADVANCES IN INTEGRATIVE ANATOMY AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
S. Perez-Martin, J. Fortuny, P. Cruzado-Caballero, F. Bernardini, C. Castillo Ruiz
Summary: This study provides a detailed description of the mandibular bone characteristics of the endemic lizard genus Gallotia in the Canary Islands. It proposes identification characteristics for different species and ontogenetic stages, and explores their evolution, distribution, and migratory patterns. Understanding the intra- and interspecific variability of the mandible is crucial for assessing paleobiodiversity, studying individual developmental changes, establishing specific identification features, and conducting computational biomechanics studies based on 3D models.
HISTORICAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Archaeology
Antonino Vazzana, Owen Alexander Higgins, Gregorio Oxilia, Federico Lugli, Sara Silvestrini, Alessia Nava, Luca Bondioli, Eugenio Bortolini, Giovanni Di Domenico, Federico Bernardini, Claudio Tuniz, Lucia Mancini, Matteo Bettuzzi, Maria Pia Morigi, Marcello Piperno, Carmine Collina, Matteo Romandini, Stefano Benazzi
Summary: The reconstruction of the original morphology of bones and teeth is crucial for physicochemical and biomolecular analyses. By using computed micro-tomography, reverse engineering, computer-aided design, and rapid prototyping techniques, customized missing parts can be fabricated to restore the original external morphology of sampled teeth. The proposed protocol allows for a remarkable correspondence between the reconstructed parts and the original specimens' contact surfaces.
JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SCIENCE-REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Archaeology
Giacomo Vinci, Alessandro Fontana, Giorgia Musina, Lucia Mancini, Carmine Lubritto, Lucia Liccioli, Federico Bernardini
Summary: Depositional and erosional processes, subsidence and sea-level changes have significantly impacted the coastal landscape of northern Adriatic lagoons. The retrieval and analysis of six metal swords from Marano Lagoon, combined with the study of the coastal paleo-environment, revealed the historical importance of the area and the significant morphological changes that have occurred there. The data also indicate that Marano Lagoon served as a major hub in the northern Adriatic during the Late Middle Ages and Early Modern times, connecting inland Europe with the Mediterranean Sea. Furthermore, the research highlights the onset of coastal erosion and its possible causes.
Article
Archaeology
Federico Bernardini, Matteo Velicogna, Angelo De Min, Fabrizio Antonelli, Giovanna Gambacurta, Daniele Bressan, Tomaz Fabec
Summary: This article presents a group of Euganean trachytic grinding stones from Slovenia and the available data about similar artifacts in the Caput Adriae region. The study confirms the presence of Iron Age saddle querns in Karst and Istria, suggesting their likely origin from Mts Cero/Murale instead of Mts Altore/Rocca Pendice as previously believed. The article also discusses the continued use of Euganean trachytes for millstones during the Roman period, with a shift in quarry location likely influenced by changing geopolitical factors.
Article
Archaeology
Federico Bernardini, Lisa Vaccari, Franco Zanini, Michele Bassetti, Nicola Degasperi, Mauro Rottoli, Roberto Micheli
Summary: Recent excavations at Palu di Livenza in northeastern Italy uncovered a Neolithic pile dwelling dating back to approximately 4,300/4200 to 3,600 cal BC. X-ray computed micro-tomography and synchrotron Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy were used to analyze three lumps with teeth imprints and a larger amorphous piece from the Late Neolithic layers. The analysis revealed that the lumps were made of birch pitch, which was possibly chewed to soften the tar for use as hafting adhesive or therapeutic substance. The larger piece showed a rolled-up inner structure and contained remnants of birch bark tar and charcoal, suggesting it may be a rare waste product from tar production.
Article
Ecology
Juelide Kubat, Alessia Nava, Luca Bondioli, M. Christopher Dean, Clement Zanolli, Nicolas Bourgon, Anne-Marie Bacon, Fabrice Demeter, Beatrice Peripoli, Richard Albert, Tina Luedecke, Christine Hertler, Patrick Mahoney, Ottmar Kullmer, Friedemann Schrenk, Wolfgang Mueller
Summary: Geochemical analyses of Pleistocene teeth from Sangiran revealed the dietary strategies of orangutans, Homo erectus, and other mammals. Orangutans displayed marked seasonal cycles in their diet, while Homo erectus showed less intra-annual variability. The results suggest that Homo erectus on Java had a greater degree of nutritional independence and was less affected by seasonal resource availability compared to orangutans.
NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Anthropology
Clement Zanolli, Florian Bouchet, Josep Fortuny, Federico Bernardini, Claudio Tuniz, David M. Alba
Summary: Researchers conducted a study on the classification of Miocene primates using dental morphology, and found that Pierolapithecus, Anoiapithecus, Dryopithecus, and Hispanopithecus differ significantly from extant great ape genera, indicating that they belong to different genera. However, the taxonomic attribution of `Sivapithecus' occidentalis remains uncertain. Rating: 7 out of 10.
JOURNAL OF HUMAN EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sarah E. Freidline, Kira E. Westaway, Renaud Joannes-Boyau, Philippe Duringer, Jean-Luc Ponche, Mike W. Morley, Vito C. Hernandez, Meghan S. McAllister-Hayward, Hugh McColl, Clement Zanolli, Philipp Gunz, Inga Bergmann, Phonephanh Sichanthongtip, Daovee Sihanam, Souliphane Boualaphane, Thonglith Luangkhoth, Viengkeo Souksavatdy, Anthony Dosseto, Quentin Boesch, Elise Patole-Edoumba, Francoise Aubaile, Francoise Crozier, Eric Suzzoni, Sebastien Frangeul, Nicolas Bourgon, Alexandra Zachwieja, Tyler E. Dunn, Anne-Marie Bacon, Jean-Jacques Hublin, Laura Shackelford, Fabrice Demeter
Summary: This study reveals evidence of the early dispersal of Homo sapiens into Southeast Asia, based on the discovery of skeletal remains in Tam Pa Ling cave. The findings suggest that these skeletal remains may belong to a graceful immigrant population, rather than being derived from or mixed with local archaic populations.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Federico Bernardini
Summary: This paper presents an interdisciplinary study of the ancient landscape of the Trieste Karst in north-eastern Italy. Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) was used to obtain high-resolution topography and identify potential archaeological anomalies. The results revealed an unknown Roman landscape with important public roads and large country estates. The study also demonstrated effective approaches for the identification and dating of Roman roads in karst environments.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Elena Pilli, Andrea Palamenghi, Stefania Morelli, Debora Mazzarelli, Danilo De Angelis, Richard L. Jantz, Cristina Cattaneo
Summary: This study aimed to determine the sex and ancestry of a set of commingled crania through physical and molecular analysis. The results showed that physical analysis mostly classified the crania as male, although some remained uncertain. Inconsistencies were also found in ancestry estimation, with morphological methods suggesting European/White and molecular analysis confirming African males. Thus, the merger of physical and molecular anthropology may not be mature at present.
Article
Anthropology
Carla Figus, Nicholas B. Stephens, Rita Sorrentino, Eugenio Bortolini, Simona Arrighi, Federico Lugli, Giulia Marciani, Gregorio Oxilia, Matteo Romandini, Sara Silvestrini, Fabio Baruffaldi, Maria Giovanna Belcastro, Federico Bernardini, Igor Erjavec, Anna Festa, Tamas Hajdu, Orsolya Mateovics-Laszlo, Mario Novak, Ildiko Pap, Tamas Szeniczey, Claudio Tuniz, Timothy M. Ryan, Stefano Benazzi
Summary: This study examines the development of human bipedalism through analyzing the changes in morphology and behavior of modern human juveniles. By using innovative methods, the researchers analyze the internal and external morphology of the talus bone. The results show that the morphological changes in the talus bone reflect the different loading patterns experienced during growth, indicating the development of bipedal gait. The findings suggest that talus plasticity plays an important role in tracking the main milestones of locomotion.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY
(2022)