3D X-Ray Used to Read Charred Vesuvius Scroll
When the Italian town of Herculaneum was destroyed by a blast from Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE, it left behind the only classical library still in existence—but in charred and matted scrolls so fragile that they cannot be safely unrolled. Enter 3-D X-ray technology, typically reserved for mammography, which a group of researchers recently used to see inside the scrolls without unrolling them. The team has reported making out some Greek letters using this X-ray technique, which is best at picking out minute differences in similar surfaces. Because some ink never penetrated the papyrus, the letters stand out in relief. More… Discuss
