A skeleton from Roman-era England has bite marks consistent with those of a large cat like a lion, suggesting that this individual may have died as part of a gladiator show or execution, according to a study published April 23, 2025 in the open-access journal PLOS One by Tim Thompson from Maynooth University, Ireland, and colleagues.

The domestication of grapevine was a slow process in Italy, taking place over thousands of years, according to a study published April 23, 2025 in the open-access journal PLOS One by Mariano Ucchesu of the University of Montpellier, France and colleagues.

An investigation into Viking skeletons reveals a hidden story of violence, power, and the surprising differences between neighbouring Viking societies.

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A new study examines the acceleration of social-ecological changes in the first kingdom in Poland, the Piast dynasty, identifying the factors that contributed to its failure. Using new high-resolution pollen records, as well as historical and archaeological data, the study shows a period of rapid ecological change and wealth concentration, followed by a period of rewilding and the collapse of political structures. Using perspectives from complex systems theory, the authors argue that sustainable political systems require a balance between capital accumulation and social connectivity, and that a lack of social cohesion tipped the Piast state towards collapse.