Archaeologists in Cyprus have uncovered a massive Late Roman wall at the ancient city of Amathous that may have formed part of a defensive system protecting the summit of the acropolis.

The structure, discovered on the site’s Western Terrace, offers new evidence of efforts to fortify one of the island’s most important ancient urban centers during the Late Roman period.

Details of the defensive wall

The wall reaches up to 2 meters (6.6 feet) in thickness and was built using large limestone ashlar blocks, smaller stones, and clay mortar. Excavation evidence shows that it underwent at least two construction phases, suggesting it remained an important feature of the acropolis over time.

Researchers also uncovered a floor surface associated with the wall, fallen architectural blocks, roof tiles, and mudbrick fragments from a collapsed structure. Together, the finds provide new insight into construction methods and defensive planning at Amathous during the final centuries of Roman rule.

The discoveries were made during the second excavation season of the French Archaeological Mission of Amathous, held from March 30 to April 24, 2026. The project is directed by Dr. Anna Cannavo and focuses on the Western Terrace of the Acropolis.

Expanded excavations reveal a substantial wall

The wall was first identified during excavations in 2025 following a geophysical survey conducted in 2024. During the 2026 season, archaeologists expanded Trench 1 and uncovered a much larger section of the structure.

The wall runs parallel to the natural edge of the terrace, with its southern section turning slightly toward the west. Its eastern face was constructed from large limestone ashlar blocks, while the interior was packed with smaller rough stones bonded with clay.

Researchers identified evidence for at least two building phases. The original wall measured about 135 centimeters (4.4 feet) in thickness. It was later strengthened by adding a second row of limestone blocks and filling the space between the two walls with stone rubble.

Foundations and associated floor date to the Late Roman period

A small trench excavated along the eastern side of the wall exposed its foundations and revealed a floor directly connected to the structure. Part of the floor was paved with reused roof tiles laid over a gravel bedding.

Excavation evidence indicates that both the wall and the floor date to the Late Roman period. East of the structure, archaeologists uncovered destruction deposits containing fallen ashlar blocks, roof tiles, and mudbrick fragments from the building’s upper portions.

Findings highlight the strategic importance of the Acropolis

A second excavation area, known as Trench 3, was opened at the northern end of the terrace. Although no architectural remains were found there, archaeologists recovered a rich collection of Iron Age artifacts, indicating earlier activity in the area.

Researchers believe the newly discovered wall formed part of a defensive system protecting the summit of the acropolis and the basilica that had replaced the sanctuary of Aphrodite, one of the most important religious centers in ancient Cyprus.

Future excavations will investigate the full extent of the fortification and determine whether the Late Roman remains were built over earlier structures, helping researchers better understand the long-term development of Amathous.

Researchers have developed an AI-designed vaccine that could protect against a broad range of coronaviruses, including future strains that have not yet emerged.

Scientists at the University of Cambridge say the project marks the first time an Artificial Intelligence-designed vaccine antigen has been tested in human volunteers. They believe the technology could eventually help protect against entire families of viruses rather than individual strains.

AI designs a vaccine for multiple coronavirus threats

Most vaccines are built using versions of viruses that are already circulating. As those viruses mutate, vaccines often need updating to remain effective. The new approach aims to overcome that challenge.

Researchers collected genetic information from a wide range of coronaviruses identified through surveillance programs that monitor viruses with pandemic potential. Artificial intelligence then analyzed the data and designed a “super-antigen,” a vaccine component intended to train the immune system to recognize many related coronaviruses at once.

Antigens are the parts of vaccines that teach the immune system what to attack. Researchers say the AI-designed antigen could potentially protect against current coronavirus variants as well as animal viruses that may one day spread to humans.

Professor Jonathan Heeney of the University of Cambridge described the research as a major shift in pandemic preparedness. He said the goal is to develop vaccines that protect against future threats rather than reacting after outbreaks occur.

Early human trials show encouraging results

The first human trial involved 39 volunteers and was designed to evaluate safety. Researchers reported no major safety concerns. A larger study involving about 200 participants is now underway to better understand how effectively the vaccine stimulates immune responses.

Scientists at the University of Cambridge say AI developed a vaccine’s ‘key component’ for the first time

The vaccine was engineered to work on all coronaviruses, but is in its early stages of work pic.twitter.com/YYt5SGDe5v

— Interesting AF (@interesting_aIl) June 5, 2026

Results published in the Journal of Infection showed that the vaccine generated a measurable, though modest, immune response. Despite the early-stage findings, researchers and independent experts say the technology shows significant promise.

Professor Saul Faust of the University of Southampton, who helped conduct some of the trials, said the approach has strong potential, particularly for rapidly changing viruses that can spark future pandemics.

Researchers expand the technology to other diseases

Researchers are already applying the technology to other diseases. Animal studies are underway on a universal influenza vaccine that could eliminate the need for yearly updates. Scientists are also developing vaccines targeting H5N1 bird flu and viral hemorrhagic fevers, including Ebola.

Professor Andy Pollard, director of the Oxford Vaccine Group, said the findings add to growing evidence that artificial intelligence could transform vaccine research. He noted that future AI systems may help predict how the immune system will respond to vaccine candidates, potentially accelerating development.

Experts see a new era for vaccine development

Professor Marian Knight, scientific director at the National Institute for Health and Care Research, called the trial an important step toward broader and longer-lasting protection against viral diseases.

UK Science Minister Patrick Vallance said the early results demonstrate how artificial intelligence and scientific research can work together to create new medical tools.

Researchers caution that much larger studies are needed before the vaccine can be widely used. However, they believe the technology could help the world prepare for future pandemics before they begin.

Anthropic, one of the world’s leading artificial intelligence companies, has called for a slowdown in the development of advanced AI systems, warning that humanity may be approaching a point where the technology becomes difficult to control.

The company behind the Claude chatbot said it would support a temporary pause in developing more powerful AI models if other leading developers agreed to do the same.

Anthropic argued that a slowdown could provide governments, researchers, and society with more time to understand and manage the risks associated with increasingly capable AI systems.

The warning comes as Anthropic continues to position itself as one of the industry’s strongest advocates for AI safety. The company has reportedly withheld public access to its most advanced AI system, known as Mythos, because of concerns that it could be misused for large-scale cyberattacks and other harmful activities.

Researchers warn of self-improving AI

In an essay published Thursday, Marina Favaro, head of Anthropic’s research division, and company president Jack Clark said AI may be approaching a critical milestone known as “recursive self-improvement.”

The concept refers to AI systems helping design and improve future generations of AI with decreasing human involvement. Researchers said such a development could rapidly accelerate technological progress but also introduce new challenges for oversight and control.

LATEST: Claude maker Anthropic is calling for a global pause in AI development, warning that models are approaching the ability to self-improve without human intervention. pic.twitter.com/7WM9jmDZjt

— Cointelegraph (@Cointelegraph) June 4, 2026

Favaro and Clark pointed to growing evidence that AI is already contributing to its own development. According to the company, employees now produce roughly eight times more code than they did between 2021 and 2025, largely because of AI-assisted software development. The researchers also said AI systems are becoming better at generating ideas, planning research, and supporting scientific work.

Anthropic Chief Executive Officer Dario Amodei has previously warned about the potential risks of advanced AI, estimating there is a 25% chance that the technology could lead to severe negative outcomes if it is not developed responsibly.

A global pause would be difficult

Despite advocating caution, Anthropic acknowledged that coordinating a worldwide slowdown would be extremely challenging.

The company said any meaningful pause would require cooperation among leading AI laboratories across multiple countries. It also noted that verifying compliance would be difficult because AI training runs can be conducted privately and are far less visible than traditional military infrastructure.

Anthropic compared the competition to develop advanced AI to an arms race, arguing that companies may feel pressure to move faster to avoid falling behind rivals.

Critics question the warnings

Not all experts agree with Anthropic’s assessment. Some researchers and industry observers argue that AI companies may be overstating the capabilities of current systems or emphasizing risks to encourage regulations that could disadvantage competitors.

The debate comes amid growing uncertainty in the AI sector. Shares of semiconductor company Broadcom recently fell sharply after disappointing investors with its sales outlook, triggering a broader decline among AI-related chipmakers and renewing concerns that enthusiasm surrounding artificial intelligence may have outpaced market realities.

As AI capabilities continue to advance, questions about safety, governance, and oversight are expected to remain central to the global conversation surrounding the technology.