X-rays reveal Archimedes secrets

BBC News ^ | 2 August 2006 | Jonathan Fildes

[my_pointy_head_is_sharp]

X-rays reveal Archimedes secrets

By Jonathan Fildes
Science and technology reporter, BBC News

A series of hidden texts written by the ancient Greek mathematician Archimedes are being revealed by US scientists.

Until now, the pages have remained obscured by paintings and texts laid down on top of the original writings.

Using a non-destructive technique known as X-ray fluorescence, the researchers are able to peer through these later additions to read the underlying text.

[my_pointy_head_is_sharp]

How do I add this to the GGG list?

[texas booster]

All GGG pings run through SunkenCiv.

Good find.

[Brilliant]

So what does it say? "E=mc²?"

[sionnsar]

Geezer Geek ping.

This is a very low-volume ping list (typically days to weeks between pings).
FReepmail sionnsar if you want on or off this list.

[gcruse]

This recalls this:

A rocket was launched carrying a camera with black and white film. The exposed film was ejected after the camera took pix upper atmosphere pictures of space.

When the film was developed, it was found that camera had been stopped down too far. The negatives were so underexposed they couldn't be used.

NASA or whoever the agency was, gave the negatives to a scientist in Alabama telling her anything she could do would be better than the zero information they were getting from the film.

What she did was to irradiate the b&w negatives, making the silver that was in the emulsion radioactive. Then she contacted printed the negatives using only the radiation to do the exposing. The images were adequate. Mission accomplished.

[Ben Mugged]

Wonder if I can use this technique to read lotto tickets?

[PetroniusMaximus]

"So what does it say? "E=mc²?""


He blames Bush for starting the Second Punic War.

[mtbopfuyn]

The team have until the 7 August this year to scrutinise the palimpsest, before the synchrotron is switched off for maintenance. During that time they hope to scan between 12 and 14 pages, paying particular attention to the areas covered with the forged paintings.

Turning the machine off in the middle of the research is just plain silly but not getting it back until who knows when or if is beyond ridiculous.

[jimmyray]

He blames Bush for starting the Second Punic War.

LOL

Pre-medieval Bush's Fault ping

[Robert A Cook PE]

How do I add this to the GGG list?


Technically speakin' of course, only matters relating to the Great Greek Geezer ping list can be the subject of the GGG Ping list.

Sionnsar only runs the Great Geezer Ping list.

Xena, on the other off-color hand, is the subject Mistress of the Great Groping Greek ping list. (Then again, she IS always the subject mistress of the Great Greek Groping ping list.)

(Gabz is the subject master of the Great Groping Gabz Ping list, for whatever that's worth.)

[Chad_the_Impaler]

It's all Greek to me.

[R. Scott]

Now I have to update my library.

[fso301]

Turning the machine off in the middle of the research is just plain silly but not getting it back until who knows when or if is beyond ridiculous.

In order that scientific/historic discovery continues taking place, scheduled equipment maintenance takes priority.

[NicknamedBob]

"So what does it say? "E=mc²?""

As near as I can make it out, it seems to be a plan for a weekly entertainment program called "Eureka!"

[2111USMC]

"The public can watch the researchers as they reveal the glowing ancient text during a live webcast at 2300 GMT on 4 August."

Wow... at 12 hours per page, that sounds about as exciting as watching paint dry.

[longshadow]

Archimedean palimpsest ping...

[6SJ7]

...researchers are able to peer through these later additions to read the underlying text.

D r i n k O v a l t i n e

[jamaksin]

Or, ...

We might appreciate that "The Method" pre-dates "calculus" from Newton (and that German guy) by centuries ...

[Professional Engineer]

Three centuries later a monk in Jerusalem called Johannes Myronas recycled the manuscript to create a palimpsest.

Grrr, kill the dead guy.