The article’s author, Livia Gershon, is a daily correspondent in Smithsonian magazine from Nashua, New Hampshire. The author also works as a freelance writer, and her works are featured in other publications like JSTOR Daily, HuffPost, Vice, Salon, and Good Men Project. The article’s publisher, the Smithsonian Magazine, is the official journal of a respected organization, the Smithsonian Institution. The Smithsonian Institution is a government-funded trust that presents a group of museums and research centers established to increase knowledge among the population.
The author argues that there is a possibility that due to changing climate, the landscape of Venice was different in Roman times. The author states that during recent research at the bottom of the Venetian lagoon in Italy, the researchers found remains of a road with a dock belonging to the Roman period. The author explains a scientific opinion that the lagoon served as a base for Roman settlement long before Venice was founded. With the use of new research technologies, scientists confirmed a theory that occurred during the 1980s.
As the primary source of evidence, the author uses other credible scientific works and results from the research itself. The source presents valuable insight on the topic as it features several valuable opinions from credible sources rather than one biased opinion. The author’s goal is to expand the knowledge of the population on the influence of climate change. Because the article features information about ongoing research and theories, it is impossible to authoritatively determine its accuracy, as the topic is not well covered online. However, comparing the article to other sources shows its advantages in using several credible opinions on the topic of the argument. The source is suitable for academic research because it provides a valuable source of commentary on the topic.