CNN published an article on Friday discussing the discoveries made from a new Pompeii investigation. Ancient DNA revealed more information about the identities of some of the perished, ultimately debunking prior postulations about these individuals.

Using DNA taken from fragmented skeletal remains, researchers found an adult holding a child, long thought to have been a mother, was actually a man unrelated to the child.

When a volcanic eruption buried the ancient city of Pompeii, the last desperate moments of its citizens were preserved in stone for centuries. Observers see stories in the plaster casts later made of their bodies,

The findings, which used DNA from the plaster casts of people who died in the Mt. Vesuvius eruption two millennia ago, challenge the traditional gender and familial assumptions about the Pompeiians.

The scientific data we provide do not always align with common assumptions,” said study co-author and professor David Reich.

All these years later, Pompeii remains a hot spot for tourists in Italy. The location sees 2.5 million visitors per year. The site has several areas to explore, including the Villa of the Mysteries. Even nowadays,