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Michelangelo's statue "David" is in danger of collapsing due to its weak ankles. Scientists have confirmed that cracks in the heels of the giant 5.17-metre-tall statue could make it crumble under its 5.5-ton weight. The cracks have become the statue's Achilles heel. Tests carried out by Italy's National Research Council and Florence University found a whole series of "micro-fractures" that have weakened David's ankles. A number of things have caused this. These include the poor quality of marble, the statue leaning at an angle for centuries and vibrations from traffic and museum visitors.

Michelangelo started David when he was 26 and spent three years making it. It portrays the biblical hero David, who killed the giant Goliath. The rulers of Florence commissioned the work. They wanted a symbol of the city's commercial and military strength. It was unveiled to the public in 1504. It stayed outside in the Piazza della Signoria for 350 years. It was moved indoors in 1873 to protect it from the weather. Art lovers have been calling for the statue to be moved to a purpose-built, earthquake proof museum to protect it from the vibrations from traffic and construction work.