CBS News
Archaeologists reconstruct face of 400-year-old “vampire” buried with iron sickle across her neck
Two years ago, archaeologists in Poland made a discovery at a gravesite they could only describe as “astonishing” — the remains of a woman with a sickle around her neck and a triangular padlock on her foot.
Found in an unmarked cemetery in the village of Pien, the 400-year-old woman was thought to be deemed a vampire and those who buried her placed the farming tool across her throat, according to ancient beliefs, to prevent her from returning from the dead.
A research team from the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun made the unique discovery in August 2022, and working with Swedish archaeologist Oscar Nilsson, the team used DNA, 3D printing and clay to reconstruct the face of Zosia, as she was called by locals.
“It’s really ironic, in a way,” Nilsson told the Reuters news agency. “These people burying her, they did everything they could in order to prevent her from coming back from the dead … we have done everything we can in order to bring her back to life.”
In a social media post, Nilsson said that, according to legend, Zosia was buried only with the padlock, but when the villagers began experiencing some unexplainable bad luck, they decided they needed to take further action.
“They opened her grave, found the padlock now open, and in great panic placed the sharp blade of a sickle over her neck,” Nilsson said. “In case she would arise.”
Nicolaus Copernicus University
This type of practice became common throughout Poland in the 17th century, as a response to a reported vampire epidemic.
Professor Dariusz Polinski, who led the research team from Nicolaus Copernicus University, said that in addition to practices with a sickle, sometimes corpses were burned, smashed with stones or had their heads and legs cut off. Just last month, archaeologists announced they had found the remains of a decapitated “vampire child” in Poland.
In an interview with CBS News in 2022, Polinski said the discovery of Zosia’s remains left him speechless.
“Such a discovery, especially here in Poland, is astonishing, especially now — centuries later,” he said. “Pure astonishment.”
Magdalena Zagrodzka, who was also on the research team that found Zosia, said the woman’s remains also had a silk headdress, which was woven with gold or silver thread. Zagrodzka said the cap is evidence of the high social status of the woman.
To reconstruct the woman’s face, Nilsson created a 3D-printed replica of the skull using information about the woman’s age, weight and other details to sculpt muscles and facial features, according to a video showing him at work.
“I’m used to reconstructing faces,” Nilsson said, “but in this case, also, I’m looking forward to giving her some human dignity back.”
contributed to this report.
The U.S. military has struck a number of Islamic State group camps in Syria this week, killing as many as 35 militants, U.S. Central Command said Wednesday.
The airstrikes in the desert of central Syria were done Monday evening and targeted multiple locations and senior leaders of the group. The attacks came on the heels of a number of joint operations with Iraqi forces that targeted IS militants in Iraq.
Wednesday’s announcement marked the continuation of a considerable uptick in attacks and raids against ISIS suspects in Syria and Iraq, according to CBS News senior national security correspondent Charlie D’Agata. Two U.S. service members were wounded in a separate joint raid in Iraq last week.
Pentagon officials have said that the Islamic State group remains a threat in the region, but it is no longer as powerful as it was 10 years ago when the militants swept across Iraq and Syria, taking control of large swaths of the two countries.
U.S. Central Command said the latest strikes in Syria will disrupt the group’s ability to plan, organize and conduct attacks against civilians and U.S. and allied forces in the region.
“CENTCOM, alongside allies and partners in the region, will continue to aggressively degrade ISIS operational capabilities to ensure its enduring defeat,” the military organization said in a statement posted on X.
CENTCOM said there were no indications of civilian casualties in the strikes.
CBS News
4 or more hours of daily screen time linked to more anxiety and depression in teens, data shows
Teens getting four or more hours of screen time each day are more likely to experience anxiety and depression, according to a new report from the National Center for Health Statistics.
In a brief shared by the agency Wednesday, data showed about half of teenagers aged 12 to 17 had 4 hour or more of daily screen time between July 2021 and December 2023. 22.8% had 3 hours of daily screen time, 17.8% had 2 hours, 6.1% had 1 hour, and only 3% had less than 1 hour.
For the brief, teenagers reported their own screen time use during a typical weekday, excluding time spent doing schoolwork, the authors noted.
During the same time frame, about 1 in 4 teens who reported 4 or more hours of daily screen time experienced anxiety (27.1%) or depression symptoms (25.9%) in the previous two weeks. Anxiety and depression symptoms reduced significantly for teens who had less than 4 hours of daily screen time, 12.3% and 9.5%, respectively.
“Studies like these show the true extent of how much time our children are spending on screens and the worrying consequences to their mental health and well-being,” Dr. Neha Chaudhary, psychiatrist at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School and Chief Medical Officer at Modern Health, told CBS News.
Chaudhary, who was not involved in preparing the report, said she’s seen firsthand the effects of technology on stress levels, anxiety and depression in children and parents she’s worked with.
And while there’s a growing body of research that shows correlation between social media and anxiety and depression, the reasons behind it are a bit more complex, she said.
“With online bullying, constant social comparison like missing out on things others have or are doing, regularly looking for validation, and effects on body image — it’s no wonder that more time spent on social media can be tied to anxiety and depression,” she said. “At the same time, people who are struggling with their mental health might be more likely to try to turn to social media in order to cope with their symptoms, hoping to find connection, validation or sometimes even a distraction.”
Even organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that teens be mindful of daily screen usage, but note “screen time” can include a range of content, including some that support social connection or creativity.
That’s why Chaudhary calls technologist the “double-edged sword” of our generation.
“While some might be able to find support and connection that helps them feel better as they are able to find communities that they otherwise may not have had access to— many end up feeling worse or just as bad,” she said. “The challenge for parents and children is how to balance it so we can reap the benefits without sacrificing our mental health.”
While screen times were mostly equal between boys and girls in the latest report, black teenagers and those living in metropolitan areas were more likely to have 4-plus hours of daily screen time than other groups.
“As technology and screens continue to develop, their influence on the lives of children changes, making it increasingly important to expand our understanding of the patterns of screen time use overall and among selected subgroups,” the authors wrote.
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