Megic Lab

We are pleased to share our latest paper:
“Stable strontium isotopes of Late Devonian conodonts from Kowala (Poland) reveal genus-level signatures”.

This study explores the potential of stable strontium isotopes (δ88Sr) to investigate the ecology of extinct conodonts.

The results highlight how Sr isotopes can be used as a new proxy to reconstruct food webs and ecological diversity in ancient marine ecosystems.

🔗 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2026.113755

📰🦣 Press highlights

Some press review on our recent study “Life histories of straight-tusked elephants from the Last Interglacial Neanderthal site of Neumark-Nord (~125 ka)”, published in Science Advances.

🗞️ We are proud to see this research gaining visibility beyond academia and contributing to a broader public discussion on prehistoric life.

📺🦣 Live on Geo!

A few moments from the live broadcast of Geo (Rai 3), featuring Elena Armaroli and our recent research on Pleistocene megafauna.
The episode offered a great opportunity to share with a wider audience the results of the study published in Science Advances, focusing on the life histories of straight-tusked elephants and their interaction with Neanderthals.

We are glad to see how scientific research can reach beyond academia and engage the public through initiatives like this.

📺🦣 MegicLab on TV – Science goes public!

We are proud to share that Elena Armaroli, one of our team members, will be featured on the National TV programme Geo (Rai 3) on 21 April at 17:40 to present our recent publication “Life histories of straight-tusked elephants from the Last Interglacial Neanderthal site of Neumark-Nord (~125 ka)”, published in Science Advances.

The study sheds new light on the life histories of Palaeolithic megafauna and their interaction with Neanderthal groups, highlighting the potential of interdisciplinary research in reconstructing past ecosystems and human–animal relationships.

Don’t miss it! 🎥

🔬🧬 “Milano ritrovata” – M4 and the science of the past

On 18 April 2026, Anna Cipriani, MegicLab (UNIMORE), contributed to the event “Milano ritrovata. I cantieri M4 tra tutela, ricerca e racconto”, hosted at the LABANOF in Milan.

During the meeting, dedicated to the discoveries from the M4 metro excavations, MegicLab presented its contribution through geochemical and isotopic analyses, providing new insights into the mobility and diet of individuals buried in ancient necropolises.

A valuable opportunity for discussion and interdisciplinary exchange, highlighting the role of archaeometry in understanding human history.

New paper out now!
Ecology and demographic structure of an extinct ibex population in late Upper Palaeolithic Italian Alps
https://rdcu.be/e96n5

Unimore svela il “diario segreto” degli elefanti preistorici: dai denti fossili nuove scoperte su caccia e mobilità nel Pleistocene Il Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Geologiche dell’Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia è protagonista di uno studio pubblicato su “Science Advances” che ri…

🦣 New research sheds light on prehistoric elephants and Neanderthal hunting strategies.

Published in Science Advances, our study, in collaboration with Goethe Uni, JGU, MPI Chem, LEIZA, Leiden Uni and UC Davis analyzes fossil teeth of Palaeoloxodon antiquus, the largest land mammal of prehistoric Europe. Using isotopic analyses and paleoproteomics, we reconstructed the mobility, diet, and s*x of animals that lived over 100,000 years ago.

Results show that some elephants traveled up to 300 km, and evidence from the Neumark-Nord site suggests Neanderthals practiced organized, cooperative hunting of these giant animals.

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adz0114

Paleontology

🔬 A new paper developed from the PhD research of one of our team members at Durham University investigates ceramic production and cultural change during the Copper Age (ca. 3800–2200 BC) in Southern Italy.

This work shows how combining context, ceramic typology, and technology can help reconstruct broader social and economic dynamics in prehistoric societies.

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0343599

New insights into deep-time biomolecular preservation! We show that endogenous amino acids can persist in mammalian tooth enamel for tens of millions of years, offering a robust archive for palaeobiological and evolutionary studies. Published in Communications Biology.