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Recent excavations and survey at the Roman and late antique city of Aeclanum provide important insights into developments across the fourth and fifth centuries CE at this site. Located in the inland region of Hirpinia, on the border of Apulia et Calabria and Campania, Aeclanum was insulated from some of the disasters that plagued the coastal regions in this period. It was, however, struck by two natural disasters: an earthquake in the mid-fourth century and the eruption of Vesuvius in 472 CE. Despite these events, new work suggests that the city remained a vital urban center even into the sixth century. In light of this new evidence, this article explores what the built remains, ceramics, and epigraphy reveal about the changing cityscape, economy, and society of Aeclanum. It further situates this evidence within its regional context to demonstrate how urban living was upheld, even in the face of significant environmental, religious, and administrative change. Our focus is on how human agency—of different forms—is manifest in the material evidence, and how this manifestation varies across available datasets and the networks between them. The availability of different datasets makes it a unique case study in this region and allows us to explore aspects of urban life in greater detail than is possible for many nearby cities. By using a pluralistic approach to material output, these examples reveal that, among some communities, circumstances and events long considered to be catastrophic to urban success were not as absolute as once thought.

This article examines the excavations and coin discoveries at Aeclanum, a Roman city in Italy, between the 4th and 6th centuries CE. The excavations reveal a vibrant city despite the impact of a major earthquake and volcanic eruption. The coins found span from the 3rd century BCE to the early 6th century CE, with a decline in weight and size during the late 5th century. The distribution of coins suggests a bustling commercial area in the city. Overall, the findings shed light on the economy and daily life in Aeclanum during this period.

On supercooling a liquid, the viscosity rises rapidly until at the glass transition it vitrifies into an amorphous solid accompanied by a steep drop in the heat capacity. Therefore, a pure homogeneous liquid is not expected to display more than one glass transition. Here we show that a family of single-component homogeneous molecular liquids, titanium tetraalkoxides, exhibit two calorimetric glass transitions of comparable magnitude, one of which is the conventional glass transition associated with dynamic arrest of the bulk liquid properties, while the other is associated with the freezing out of intramolecular degrees of freedom. Such intramolecular vitrification is likely to be found in molecules in which low-frequency terahertz intramolecular motion is coupled to the surrounding liquid. These results imply that intramolecular barrier-crossing processes, typically associated with chemical reactivity, do not necessarily follow the Arrhenius law but may freeze out at a finite temperature.

Chiral molecules, a cornerstone of chemical sciences with applications ranging from pharmaceuticals to molecular electronics, come in mirror-image pairs called enantiomers. However, their synthesis often requires complex control of their molecular geometry. We propose a strategy called “electromagnetic enantiomers” for inducing chirality in molecules located within engineered nanocavities using light, eliminating the need for intricate molecular design. This approach works by exploiting the strong coupling between a nonchiral molecule and a chiral mode within a nanocavity. We provide evidence for this strong coupling through angular emission patterns verified by numerical simulations and with complementary evidence provided by luminescence lifetime measurements. In simpler terms, our hypothesis suggests that chiral properties can be conveyed on to a molecule with a suitable chromophore by placing it within a specially designed chiral nanocavity that is significantly larger (hundreds of nanometers) than the molecule itself. To demonstrate this concept, we showcase an application in display technology, achieving efficient emission of circularly polarized light from a nonchiral molecule. The electromagnetic enantiomer concept offers a simpler approach to chiral control, potentially opening doors for asymmetric synthesis.

The eruption of A.D.79 has long dominated archaeological discourse on Vesuvius. Other eruptions, both earlier and later, have received less attention but are no less valuable from an archaeological point of view.1Those eruptions deposited distinctive volcanic materials often easily identifiable in the stratigraphic record, thereby providing dated termini ante quos, which can in turn offer a snapshot of life around the volcano in different periods. The eruption of A.D.79 provides just such an horizon for 1st-c. A.D.Campania; the earlier ‘Avellino pumices eruption’ does the same for the Bronze Age.2By tracking the volcanic deposits that can be tied to such events, the situation on the ground prior to the eruptions can be examined, as can the ways in which communities and landscapes reacted to, and recovered from, them.

Since 2010, a team from the Tunisian Institut National du Patrimoine and the University of Oxford1has been investigating Utica’s monumental centre, located at the tip of the promontory on which the city is built (fig. 1). The range and scale of architectural elements littering this area were remarked upon by most antiquarian investigators of the site. Nathan Davis, working at the site in 1858, noted that, despite the fact that it “had been ransacked for building materials”, this part of the city was covered with “marble and granite shafts, capitals, and cornices, of every order, size, and dimension”.2Alfred Daux even observed that local residents referred to the largest building of the zone as the “Dar Es Sultan” (Palace of the Sultan), such was its magnificence.3Aerial photographs commissioned by A. Lézine in the 1950s (fig. 2) show the area at the head of the promontory almost completely robbed out during and immediately after the Second World War, giving it a rather desolate aspect.

The article presents step-by-step instructions for carving a stylized wooden decoy duck.

The article offers step-by-step instructions for making a pair of elegant salad servers.

The article offers step-by-step instructions on how to carve a classic egg-and-dart moulding.

The article provides instructions on how to make a kneeler/stool combination for use when gardening. The legs are cut and shaped with either a bandsaw or a jigsaw. Then the legs are clamped together when shaping and smoothing. Spokeshaves are used to clean up the inside curves. A coarse abrasive wrapped around a foot/grip offcut is used to clean up the radiuses on the legs. Design considerations are discussed.

The article offers step-by-step instructions for making a workshop storage cabinet.

The article examines various clamps that are available for any woodworking projects and their specific uses. There are several clamps that one should buy whatever work is done. Some solid 150mm or 200mm G-cramps may be used for a start. Special clamps also abound for a specific clamping task. For example, Klemsia wooden clamps may be utilized for holding woodcarvings. Other clamps in the market include the dual-action panel clamps, mitre clamps, edging clamps, band clamps and framing clamps.

The article focuses on the tools, timbers and techniques needed in three-dimensional or "in the round" wood carving. A useful preparation for 3D carving is modeling. Removing the waste on small-scale carving is done with a bandsaw. Tips on the selection of carving tools and making carving holders are provided.

The article explains the concept of relief carving, the tools needed and the techniques. Relief carving refers to carved work carried out on the surface of a material or where the background is an integral part of the carving. Several types of relief carving include shallow, high, pierced, relief lettering and incised lettering. Tools for relief carving include a knife, a manufacturer's starter set of six gouges, a carver's mallet and a fine sharpening stone.

The article offers step-by-step instructions for making a Swiss-style decorative chip carving on a breadboard.

The article presents the author's illustration on how to make signs using routers on a piece of timber. First, plane or sand the surface of the timber to provide a smooth surface on which to lay out the lettering. Second, get someone to check one's spelling for the outdoor sign to save time. And finally, paint the carved letters with a color contrasting the wood.

The article offers step-by-step instructions for carving a Celtic pattern in wood. INSETS: TOOLS USED.;DESIGNING CELTIC PATTERNS..

The article offers tips on letter wood-carving. A steady hand, a good eye and a commitment to detail are the important assets that a good letter carver must have. Expert letter carver Ben Russel explains the delicate process of letter carving. He also offers tips on relief lettering and incised lettering. INSETS: Incised or relief?;Timber for letter carving.;Regrind for the best cut..

The article explains the techniques on how to carve coins in wood. A good reference image can be made by scanning or photocopying an actual coin. Careful tracing with carbon paper transfers the image to the timber. A less technical alternative is to use a photocopier with the facility to enlarge and print on A3 paper. INSETS: SMART ROUTING.;TRAMMEL ARM.;WOODCARVING COURSES.;NON-SLIP MATTING.

The article provides tips on carving a candle stand decorated with foliage, evocative of a bygone era in craftsmanship. It is not quite as complicated as it appears at first glance and the end result is a spectacular Christmas table centerpiece. Ideally, an individual must use a wood finish that emphasizes the carved detail. INSETS: TEMPLATES.;TOOL COLLECTION.;BUDGET WORK-HOLDING.;FOLDS AND EYES.

Provides tips on how to make a carved bowl using wood as the main material for the woodworking project. Materials and tools used; Special preparations; Sizes and dimension; Woodcarving and carpentry techniques used; Safety precaution in handling carving tools; Finishing.

Provides tips on how ideas for woodcarvings can be generated and developed, and how to transfer information from models and sketches to a carving. Importance of cardboard templates for items to carve several times; Usefulness of drawings in making patterns for carving; Efficacy of basic computer drawing programs to produce lettering and sign layouts.

Part V. Discusses advanced woodcarving techniques in the making of the relief-carved Indian hornbill. Cutting of the outline with a bandsaw or jigsaw; Carving around the edges with a scrap of plywood slipped underneath; Major waste removal or "roughing out"; Use of a deep gouge to rough out the head and neck;Use of a V-tool to cut around the perimeter of the eye; Finishing.

Provides tips on how to securely hold the work in the workbench. Suggestion of holding the boards firmly for relief carving; Advice for the use of some means of securing the work; Usefulness of adjustable clamping arms.

Provides tips for sharpening chisels and plane irons. Stages to sharpening a woodcarving gouge; Sharpening stones; Most common sharpening angles; Grinding and mechanical sharpening; Shaping the front of the cutting edge; Maintenance of the edge; Chisel sharpening techniques.

Presents tips for ivy leaf carving. Tools and materials needed; Stage-by-stage carving; Smoothing the background; Shaping surface; Finishing.

Part II. Suggests a basic kit for anyone starting woodcarving. Key features of the Sheffield List numbering system for gouges; Kit components such as gouges and abrasive tools, and sharpening equipment. INSET: BEN'S BASIC CARVING TOOL KIT..

Provides several carving tips and a list of suitable timbers for carving. Citation of best sources of timber; Considerations for storing timber; Characteristics to look for in a timber.

The article reports on the author's experience about receiving a commission for an ornate coat of arms to be presented to the College of Anaesthetics in Dublin, Ireland. The project presents unique challenges even for someone who has been running a specialist wood workshop. The first step was to translate the image of the coat of arms to a three-dimensional form using clay models. Next would be to enlarge the outline of each element and print out a full-size drawing from which to transfer the shapes to the timber. The materials and tools needed for the project are presented.

The article presents steps on how to make a wooden piggy bank. In making piggy, it involves carving two bowls, gluing them together and shaping the outside area. The author stressed that shaping of the outside area is quite simple provided that the concerned individual should follow a step-by-step sequence.

When prey species encounter the scent of a predator they must make a decision on how to respond. This may be either to ignore, flee, hide or alarm call. While many species are able to derive detailed information from the chemical cues associated with predator scent, for some the decision to respond is often made without being able to identify the actual location and intentions of the predator. Depending on the sociality and ecology of the species, it may pay to flee or to engage in predator inspection where knowledge is impure. We tested for this in two sympatric marsupial macropodids, the parma wallaby (Macropus parma) and the red-necked pademelon (Thylogale thetis), as little is known of how these species detect and respond to olfactory cues of predation risk. We observed that, when presented with a synthetic predator scent mimicking dog urine, the social forager, T. thetis, tended to spend more time close to the predator odour, while the solitary forager, M. parma, exhibited an aversive response. The results suggest that social and ecological constraints on the sensory modalities used in predator detection may influence how macropodids respond to olfactory predator cues.