Scientists unlock a 'microbial Pompeii'
Sunday, February 23, 2014 - 13:00
in Paleontology & Archaeology
An international team of researchers have discovered a 'microbial Pompeii' preserved on the teeth of skeletons around 1,000 years old. The key to the discovery is the dental calculus (plaque) which preserves bacteria and microscopic particles of food on the surfaces of teeth, effectively creating a mineral tomb for microbiomes.