King’s College excavate extensive medieval burial ground

An archeological dig at Croft Gardens has unearthed an extensive medieval burial ground. King’s College, who plan on building new graduate accommodation at the site, conducted an archeological investigation of the site with a team from Albion Archeology. 

They have found over 60 graves, dating mostly from from the early Anglo-Saxon period (c. 400–650 CE). 

The burials were furnished with “grave goods including bronze brooches, bead necklaces, glass flasks, weapons, and pottery.” This burial style is associated with the Roman period but radiocarbon dating of the remains is yet to confirm this. King’s hope that the carefully excavated graves “will provide detailed and rich information about dress, burial habits, and health and disease of the community.” 

Dr Caroline Goodson, King’s Fellow and University Senior Lecturer in Early Medieval History, said that “the excavation of this cemetery provides an outstanding opportunity to explore very early medieval Britain.”

New Cambridge festival will explore the University’s research

The University of Cambridge have announced that the brand new Cambridge Festival is set to take place between 26 March and 4 April this year. 

The Festival, which is replacing the Cambridge Science Festival and the Cambridge Festival of Ideas, will be completely free! It will have four themes: Society, Health, Environment and Explore. 

With over 350 events including panel discussions and film premieres, the topics of the Festival will aim to cover Cambridge research across these four themes. It will even offer activities that families can try in the comfort of their own home. 

Dr Lucinda Spokes, Head of Public Engagement, said that the festival team  are “excited to welcome people from around the world”, since the Festival’s online format will facilitate a wider reach.

Is social distancing enough? 

Recent research has suggested that social distancing measures are “inadequate” without good ventilation and protective face masks. 

Researchers from the University of Cambridge and Imperial College London have used mathematical models to quantify the role of ventilation in different indoor spaces. 

According to the researchers, in poorly ventilated areas, the accumulation of small droplets expelled through prolonged talking is more likely to spread the virus than through coughing.

In light of this finding, the researchers have developed a tool called Airborne.cam which will help people to “adapt their day-to-day activities and surroundings in order to suppress risk”, says co-author Savvas Gkantonas.

The tool is “now a requirement for any higher-risk spaces at the University”. 

The afterlife, Netflix and Cambridge University combine forces

Netflix researchers have reportedly searched the Cambridge University Library archives for their new series, Surviving Death. 

Netflix explored the archives of the Society for Psychical Research (SPR), which was founded in 1882 by scientists, philosophers and academics who wanted to investigate the idea of psychic activity scientifically. 

The SPR was a popular society with notable members such as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Their archives are extensive, containing items which the society believed to be evidence of psychic activity such as spirit photographs and seance ectoplasm. 

The Netflix series, which is currently streaming online, aims to explore the question of an afterlife with an unbiased stance.