Moles used as archaeologists in Denmark
Moles might just be the unsung heroes of archaeology.
A team of moles previously unearthed Roman artifacts from an ancient fort in England, and the creatures' talents are helping archaeologists once again.
The Viborg Museum in northern Denmark is using moles to help look for a fort from the Middle Ages. Researchers from the museum analyze mole hills after the moles bring pottery fragments and other artifacts to the surface.
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"The closer we get to a building, the higher the content of items per liter we find," Jesper Hjermind of the Viborg Museum told The Copenhagen Post. "It's simple, but it works."
Hjermind even gave the moles' work an adorable name, "moleology."
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Meghan DeMaria is a staff writer at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked for USA Today and Marie Claire.