News brief

New Roman ruins found in London. Work to give London yet another skyscraper has uncovered traces of the city’s origins almost 2,000 years ago. Archaeologists exploring the site of a planned 32-story office tower announced on Feb. 13 that they have unearthed the remains of a Roman basilica. What’s been uncovered are the foundations of a two-story building, almost as big as an Olympic swimming pool, constructed between 78 and 84 A.D., about three decades after Roman troops invaded Britain. It’s “one of the most significant discoveries” in years, says Sophie Jackson of the Museum of London Archaeology.