An ancient society, by some measures, may have been more advanced in tattooing than we are today. A recent CUHK-led study has revealed incredibly intricate tattoos, with details as fine as 0.1-0.2 mm, on 1,200-year-old mummified remains from Peru’s Chancay culture. Using laser-stimulated fluorescence technology – a technique originally developed to study dinosaur fossils – the research illuminates the artistic sophistication of this ancient civilisation.

For the past 150 years, vertebrate palaeontologists have focused on the study of bones of dinosaurs and other prehistoric life. There are a lot of gaps to be filled in understanding prehistoric ecology, and the lack of data has given rise to speculations and myths. At CUHK, Professor Michael Pittman, a leading scientist in the field of vertebrate palaeontology, has been using innovative technology to revolutionise our understanding of pre-historic life.