Megic Lab

A new isoscape is out! Our latest study maps the strontium isotope distribution in South America with a focus on Southern Brazil.

This is the outcome of the project HABITS PRIN 2022, in collaboration with the University of Bologna.

🌱 We went on the ground in Southern Brazil to sample plants and map local bioavailable strontium signatures.

By feeding this new data alongside the available literature into machine learning models, we scaled up the results to reconstruct the strontium distribution across all of South America.

📊 A crucial new tool now open and available for both migration and environmental studies!

Momenti della Notte della Ricerca 2026 dove abbiamo presentato insieme al Laboratorio di Palinologia e Paleobotanica (LPP) di Unimore! Una mostra immersiva che vi aspetterà a Modena e Reggio Emilia la prossima primavera...stay tuned! 🌱🐴🧪🔬

Moments from European Researchers' Night 2026, we have presented together with the Laboratory of Palynology and Palaeobotany (LPP) of Unimore! An immersive exhibition that is waiting for you at Modena and Reggio Emilia next spring...stay tuned!🌱🔬🧪🐴

Congrats Maria!

📯 Introducing the Call 2 fellows in the Momentum MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme 📯

🏺 Maria De Falco works in the field of archeology and will start her fellowship at the Eötvös Loránd University Research Centre for The Humanities with the research project "PATHWAYS – Elite Life Histories and Object Biographies in Bronze Age Hungary Explored through Archaeometric and Isotope Analyses".

PATHWAYS investigates elite mobility and long-distance exchange in Bronze Age Hungary through isotope and archaeometric analyses of human remains and prestige grave goods (metals, ceramics, amber, and glass). By linking people and objects, the project addresses how mobility, material networks, and social inequality were interconnected in early European societies.

📌 Find out more about the Call 2 fellows and their research projects on the Momentum MSCA website: momentummsca.mta.hu/fellows2

🐑 New publication from MeGic Lab!

Our latest study explores herding strategies at Kafir Kala (Samarkand, Uzbekistan), a key site along the ancient Silk Roads.

Using stable isotope and ZooMS proteomic analyses, we uncovered distinct sheep and goat management practices and evidence of connections with non-local groups, revealing how animal husbandry reflected the region's dynamic role in trade and cultural exchange.

It was an honour to contribute to the event “Diritto al Nome, Diritto alla Memoria”, dedicated to the victims of the Fondotoce and Baveno massacres and to the role that scientific research can play in reconstructing past lives and identities.

Prof. Anna Cipriani presented the work carried out at MeGicLab, focusing on the contribution of isotope analyses to the investigation of unknown individuals and their life histories. The research was developed in collaboration with Prof. Cristina Cattaneo and the team of LABANOF (Laboratory of Forensic Anthropology and Odontology, University of Milan), combining forensic anthropology and geochemistry to provide new perspectives on historical events and unidentified victims.

A meaningful opportunity to reflect on how science can contribute to memory, identity, and the understanding of our shared past.
Thanks to the Associazione Casa della Resistenza for making this possible.

📚🐄 Our two new papers on Bronze Age animal management strategies in Italy are now published in Rivista di Scienze Preistoriche.

The studies focus on the sites of Solarolo, Montarice, Coppa Nevigata and Canale Anfora, combining Sr, C and O isotope analyses to investigate mobility and husbandry practices.

The results suggest more residential livestock management in lowland areas, while transhumance practices appear more common in the hilly regions of Central Italy. These patterns seem to reflect ecological constraints and environmental potential, together with economic and social dynamics.

This research represents the pilot phase of a broader project involving sites ranging from Pantelleria to the subalpine regions.

Animal Management Strategies in Bronze Age Italy. Integrating Isotopes, ZooMS, Bioarchaeology and Land Use Modelling The reconstruction of animal management practices is crucial for understanding prehistoric societies, their subsistence economies, and their relationships with the environment. Recent advances in biomolecular and biogeochemical research have provided

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.