Is Toxic Water the Ancient Warning Sign That Predicted Pompeii’s Catastrophic Eruption?
In fact, researchers found cyclical patterns in the level of carbon isotopes that may reveal fluctuating levels of volcanic carbon dioxide in the city’s water supply leading up to the natural disaster.
While tragic, the eruption of Mount Vesuvius also preserved much of Pompeii as if in amber. Today, researchers can walk its streets, examine its mosaics — and even test its water supply.
After reading about the horrendous quality of Pompeii’s water supply, go inside the story of the Roman Empire’s Pax Romana period, an era of unprecedented peace and prosperity. Or, look through these photos of Pompeii’s vivid frescoes.














