William Atkins
Sunday, 22 March 2009 21:53
Science -
Biology
Page 3 of 4
The carbon analysis of the bones provides evidence of their childhood diet. Burton states,
"’Heavy carbon means you were eating tropical grasses such as maize, found only in the New World, or millet in Africa, neither of which was consumed in Europe’ [at the time]”. [UW News]
Three of the skeletons showed that they originated in the Old World, while others came from the New World. Of one of the three persons originating from the Old World, Price declares,
"I would bet money this person was an African.” [UW News]
The article states that it is a well-known fact that Christopher Columbus had a personal slave.
The analysis of oxygen provides evidence of water consumption. The isotopic composition of water changes depending on latitude and proximity to large bodies of water.
Strontium determines where people lived as children. The element is found in soil and water and, thus, determines what plants and animals they ate as children.
The strontium analysis is not completed.
However, Price states,
"All of these sailors — their place of birth, their age — were recorded in Seville before they left on the second voyage…. One of the things we're hoping to do with the strontium is identify individuals." [UW News]
Page four concludes.
