The New Treasures of Pompeii

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By most accounts, it had been a fairly ordinary, quiet autumn morning for the people living in the towns around the Gulf of Naples in southern Italy. Then, around lunchtime, a massive eruption from Mount Vesuvius sent volcanic ash spewing in all directions – but especially towards Pompeii, where thousands of people lived. Many never escaped. The city was destroyed. This of course all happened nearly two thousand years ago, but centuries on we’re still finding out the secrets of Pompeii. In this episode of 5 Minutes On, the BBC's Science Editor, Rebecca Morelle, has been on a very special guided tour with the director of Pompeii, Gabriel Zuchtriegel, where a major new excavation is taking place. Image Credit: Getty images