Over 500 years of standing would have anyone's ankles in bits, and Michelangelo's statue of David is no different. Experts have expressed fears that micro-fractures on the ankles might cause him to topple at any strong vibrations.

Italy's ANSA news service reports that recent tests conducted on miniature plaster replicas revealed that nearby construction work or a minor earthquake (over 120 have been recorded in Florence) might be enough to see him hit the floor. 

The research cements long-established worries that David's angled pose and poor marble quality have his days numbered. 

Some of the damage is believed to have been done during David's 469 year stint outdoors in the Piazza della Signoria, where he stood at a perilous angle before being moved to the nearby Galleria dell'Accademia in 1873.