Archaeologists unearth ancient barn with steam room and plunge pool

Archaeologists have been excavating the site of a large villa occupied in the late Roman period

(Image credit: Historic England Archive)

published 1 December 2022

Archaeologists excavating the remains of a Roman villa in Rutland have found evidence of an early barn conversion, with underfloor heating and a sophisticated spa. The villa, dated to the third century AD, was discovered in 2020, along with a striking mosaic depicting scenes from The Iliad. Now the team have found a separate building, that was originally wood and later rebuilt in stone, and which was equipped with a steam room, a warm pool, and a cold plunge pool.

Dog reunited with family after 12 years

A border terrier that is thought to have been snatched by thieves 12 years ago has finally been reunited with her family. Missie was just over one when she vanished. Liz Eldridge spent years looking for her, driving to rescue centres all over the country before deciding the search was futile. Then, she was alerted to a post about a dog that looked like Missie – and decided to have one last try. The reunion was bittersweet: having been abused on a puppy farm, Missie was emaciated, fearful and no longer house-trained. But she has made big strides since going home. “She is the sweetest little dog,” Eldridge told The Times. “Everyone has an obligation to the dog you take on. When you take a dog on, it should be for life.”

The first drug to slow the onset of Alzheimer’s has been hailed as a major breakthrough in the treatment of the disease. Lecanemab attacks the clumps of amyloid beta protein that build up in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients – and which have long been thought to be a cause of the disease. In a trial, it seemed to slow the cognitive decline of patients with early-stage Alzheimer’s by a quarter. The impact was modest, and more trials are needed to confirm the effects, but the hope is that it will lead to treatments with more dramatic results.