Digging Deep: How Science Unearths Puzzles from the Past

by Laura Scandiffio

Overview

Every archeological find adds to our understanding of the world, but sometimes a discovery is made that is so startling and different that it changes the way we view history. Digging Deep showcases the most exciting examples of these lost puzzle pieces and how recent advances in science brought them to light. From the new clues about life in the Stone Age gleaned from Ötzi the Ice Man, to new opinions about King Richard III’s villainous reputation deduced from the discovery of his long-lost tomb, Digging Deep is full of fascinating examples of how modern science has disrupted the status quo.

Sidebars and illustrations with easy-to-follow explanations of radio-carbon dating, DNA, and other scientific topics provide further reading to satisfy readers with an interest in STEM.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781773212395
Publisher:	Annick Press, Limited
Publication date:	04/09/2019
Pages:	116
Product dimensions:	7.50(w) x 9.30(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	1050L (what's this?)
Age Range:	10 - 15 Years

About the Author

Laura Scandiffio is the award-winning author of many nonfiction books for young readers, including People Who Said No; Outlaws, Spies, and Gangsters; and Fight to Learn. She lives in Toronto.

Table of Contents

Detectives of the Past [Introduction]

1. Ötzi the Iceman: Time Traveler from the Stone Age

2. Deadly Knowledge: Discovery of the Oldest Poison

3. Under the Jungle: Lost Cities of Cambodia

4. Lost Ships of the Arctic: The Hunt for HMS Erebus and Terror

5. Hidden Majesty: The Lost Grave of Richard III

6. Chauvet Cave: Where Art Began

Editorial Reviews

02/01/2019

Gr 6–9—Archaeology, a fascinating subject, is made more so in this slim, well-written volume that examines how advances in technology—including radiocarbon dating, DNA testing, forensics, and underwater exploration—have helped us learn more about impressive artifacts and reshaped theories about how our forebears lived. Six engaging chapters delve into archaeological discoveries from around the world and throughout time, from prehistory to several centuries ago. Scandiffio offers eye-opening information about Otzi the Iceman, the most ancient poison ever used, the "lost cities of Cambodia," two 19th-century ships buried under Arctic ice, the lost grave of Richard III, and the world's oldest-known cave paintings. Each chapter opens with a map highlighting the location of the find; provides colorful modern and contemporary photos, illustrations, numerous informative sidebars, and explanations of scientific terms; and includes a time line that places the discovery and its time period in clear historical context. Each chapter ends with an illuminating sidebar, "What we thought we knew…and what we know now," that discusses how science not only enhances archaeological knowledge and updates previously accepted notions but also clarifies that we have more in common with our ancestors, even very ancient ones, than we may have realized. VERDICT Recommended for school and large public-library collections; best for mature, strong readers. Useful in history and science units and across the general social studies curriculum.—Carol Goldman, formerly at Queens Library, NY

School Library Journal

2019-01-15

Exploring six different archaeological explorations, Scandiffio sheds new light on intriguing puzzles from the past.

A variety of explorations is used to highlight the use of remarkable new techniques for revealing the secrets of the past: Ötzi the Iceman; the use of poison in hunting by African hunters and gatherers; the lost city of Angkor in Cambodia; the search for Arctic explorer Sir John Franklin's lost ships, HMS Erebus and Terror; the unearthing of the grave of Richard III; and the discovery of Stone Age paintings in the French cave of Chauvet. Each new technique is carefully explained, from lidar (light detection and ranging), which reveals in remarkable detail the vast city of Angkor even though little remains of its mostly wooden construction, to the combined use of mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography to detect traces of plant-based poisons on Egyptian arrowheads. Each chapter begins with a brief, fictional narrative that describes the origin of the object of archaeological interest. Annoyingly, these tales are generally undated, although a few pages later, each chapter includes a timeline that does offer a date for the original event. Helpful text boxes, numerous illustrations, and maps for each chapter extend the narrative, and very good backmatter contributes to the all-around solid presentation.

Straightforward, fascinating, broad-ranging, and timely; this effort will fully engage budding archaeologists. (maps, bibliography, further reading, index) (Nonfiction. 10-16)

Kirkus Reviews