News and views from the world of marine heritage and conservation
Female skeleton on Sweden ’ s Vasa wreck
Oil spill hits Philippine politics
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Protect Our Seas
News and views from the world of marine heritage and conservation
Ongoing DNA research at the Vasa Museum with Professor Marie Allen and Conservator Malin Sahls
Female skeleton on Sweden ’ s Vasa wreck
When human remains found on board the wreck of the Swedish warship Vasa were investigated , it was initially determined that the skeleton designated ‘ G ’ was a man . New research now shows that the skeleton is actually from a woman .
About 30 people died when Vasa sank on its maiden voyage in 1628 . Historians say that no-one knows who most of them were ; only one person is named in the written sources . When the ship was raised in 1961 , it was the scene of a comprehensive archaeological excavation in which numerous human bones were found on board and examined . “ Through osteological analysis it has been possible to discover a
great deal about these people , such as their age , height and medical history ,” said Dr Fred Hocker , director of research at the Vasa Museum , in Stockholm , Sweden . Osteologists recently suspected that G could be female , on the basis of the pelvis . “ We took new samples from bones for which we had specific questions . We have now analysed the samples , and we have been able to confirm that G was a woman , thanks to the new test .”
The result was confirmed thanks to an interlaboratory study with Dr Kimberly Andreaggi of the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System ’ s Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory in Delaware , USA . This organization recently established a new testing method for the analysis of many different genetic variants .
For the Vasa Museum , the results of the DNA analysis are an important puzzle piece in the museum ’ s research into the people on the ship . Dr Anna Maria Forssberg , historian and researcher at the museum , explains : “ We want to come as close to these people as we can . We have known that there were women on board Vasa when it sank , and now we have received confirmation that they are among the remains .”
Oil spill hits Philippine politics
Controversy surrounds the viability of diving in the Philippine resort enclave of Puerto Galera , after a major tanker spillage off a neighbouring island in February .
Bonz Dolor , the governor of Oriental
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