First Working Visit in Bucharest

Last week, the Re-Connect team reunited in Bucharest for our first working meeting and the project started to take shape. We began by sorting out the practical things: administrative details, financial planning, and outlining the roadmap for our first year. With this foundation in place, we’re confident that the months ahead will unfold smoothly.

With the groundwork set, we moved on to the first morpho-osteometric analyses, marking the first steps toward building a much larger dataset in the months to come. In this initial phase, our focus is on non-invasive analyses of the fossil material. Later on, we will move to collecting small samples of bone tissue, trying, as much as possible, to preserve the specimens close to their original form.

During this session, we began the osteometric measurements on Ursus spelaeus mandibles from the Romanian sites. The data we obtained will later be correlated with results from dental microwear analyses, stable isotopes, and radiocarbon dating, bringing together multiple lines of evidence to better understand the cave bear populations’ dynamics.

The visit wasn’t only about work, though. We also made time to explore the “Grigore Antipa” National Museum of Natural History and the National Geological Museum. These visits gave us room to talk about science, to exchange ideas, and reconnect as a team in spaces that naturally spark curiosity.

We wrapped up on a warm, relaxed note, feeling energized for what’s ahead and excited about the collaboration we’re building together. A great start, and we can’t wait to see what stories come next.

Have a wonderful week!

The Re-Connect Team