Mount Vesuvius

Pompeii’s Ashes Are Recalibrating Earth’s Clock

Scientists have used the 79 CE eruption of Mount Vesuvius, which buried Pompeii, to sharpen one of geology’s most important dating tools. By comparing volcanic deposits and rock chemistry, researchers say they can now date ancient eruptions and Earth-history events more precisely, in some cases narrowing uncertainty to within decades rather than centuries. The advance matters far beyond archaeology, improving the timeline used to reconstruct climate shifts, volcanic hazards, and the pace of environmental change.