Find uplifting stories about heroes, innovations, and solutions
31 results for "pompeii"
Solar panels that look like ancient Roman tiles are now powering historic sites across Europe. From Pompeii's villas to Portugal's UNESCO-listed buildings, cities are proving heritage and sustainability can coexist beautifully.
Archaeologists in Pompeii have brought a 2,000-year-old banquet hall ceiling back to life using innovative restoration techniques. The frescoed vault depicting scenes of Greek gods survived Mount Vesuvius and now offers visitors a glimpse into Roman luxury.
Ancient vineyards are growing again among the ruins of Pompeii, bringing history back to life while funding site preservation. The first bottles from grapes grown inside the archaeological park will go on sale soon.
New technology is uncovering thousands of messages scratched into Pompeii's walls by everyday Romans, from enslaved women to bored soldiers. These spontaneous writings are giving historians a window into ordinary life nearly 2,000 years ago.
Scientists discovered marks on Pompeii's walls that may prove a legendary ancient repeating weapon actually existed. The mysterious "machine gun" catapult was described 2,300 years ago but never confirmed until now.
Modern scans revealed a 2,000-year-old medical kit hidden inside a Pompeii victim's plaster cast, finally identifying him as a Roman doctor. He died fleeing Mount Vesuvius with his surgical tools, coins, and a sophisticated locked case.
New imaging technology revealed a woman named Erato carved "Erato loves" into a Pompeii wall 2,000 years ago, part of 79 newly discovered inscriptions. The finding shows how ordinary ancient Romans communicated love, jokes, and daily life on public walls.
A luxury Roman villa buried by Mount Vesuvius for nearly 2,000 years is welcoming visitors again, revealing breathtaking frescoes that survived the ash. The Villa Poppaea near Pompeii is unveiling vivid peacock paintings and ancient decorations that look as fresh as the day they were painted.
Advanced imaging technology just uncovered romantic graffiti at Pompeii that millions of tourists have walked past for over 230 years. The ancient love messages offer an intimate glimpse into everyday life before Mount Vesuvius changed everything.
Archaeologists just uncovered stunning red frescoes at a Roman emperor's villa near Pompeii, and visitors can now tour the active dig site. The vibrant paintings, including a peacock preserved for nearly 2,000 years, reveal secrets about ancient Roman life.
%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Ftf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ffiler_public%2F5b%2Fc2%2F5bc22219-6374-4fbe-a242-dc668eb479b8%2Fskeleton.jpg)
A 2,000-year-old skeleton discovered outside Pompeii's gates perfectly matches an eyewitness account of the disaster written by Pliny the Younger. The man died holding a bowl over his head for protection and a lamp to light his escape through the darkness.
%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Ftf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ffiler_public%2F46%2Fd4%2F46d4a5d8-9864-46a7-8f84-91d0faf15849%2Fsacrario_sala-celeste-regio-ix-3-1200x801.jpeg)
Scientists just discovered that painting one tiny blue room in ancient Pompeii cost as much as six months of a soldier's pay. The vibrant walls reveal just how wealthy some homeowners were nearly 2,000 years ago.
Advanced imaging revealed a physician's complete medical toolkit preserved inside a plaster cast at Pompeii, offering a touching glimpse into an ancient healer's final moments. The doctor was fleeing Mount Vesuvius with his instruments, ready to rebuild his practice and help others.
Advanced scanning technology revealed a physician's medical kit inside a plaster cast at Pompeii, solving a 60-year mystery about a victim who fled with his instruments during the 79 AD eruption. The discovery shows how professionals carried their life's work even in humanity's darkest moments.
A victim of Mount Vesuvius discovered 65 years ago was finally identified as a doctor who carried his medical instruments while fleeing the eruption. New CT scans revealed surgical tools and coins hidden in a case clutched during his final moments.
Scientists used artificial intelligence to recreate the face of a man who died fleeing Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, holding a bowl over his head for protection. The groundbreaking project makes ancient history feel remarkably human.
A man fleeing Vesuvius in 79 AD held a ceramic mortar over his head to shield himself from falling ash and fire. Now, artificial intelligence has brought his desperate final act back to life.
Archaeologists found a man who faced Mount Vesuvius's eruption with a terracotta bowl over his head, a lamp in hand, and ten coins for a fresh start. The 2,000-year-old discovery confirms eyewitness accounts and reveals a heartbreaking final act of hope.
Archaeologists in Ireland have uncovered a complete Viking settlement that was mysteriously abandoned over a millennium ago, preserving an entire chapter of history untouched beneath farmland. The site at Woodstown is so extraordinary that Ireland rerouted a $226 million highway to protect it.
One year into his papacy, Pope Leo XIV is staying true to his founding mission of peace, even as global conflicts test his resolve. The Chicago-born pontiff spent his anniversary with communities in Pompeii and Naples, calling for spiritual renewal amid ongoing wars.
Showing 20 of 31