Posted on 12/22/2025 1:21:17 PM PST by nickcarraway
Archimedes, one of ancient Greece’s most famous and influential physicists and engineers, left a legacy of writings that had been thought to be lost to time. Much of his work only survived through copies and translations by scribes. One of the most famous fragments of Archimedes’ writings was the Palimpsest, a manuscript which by the 12th century a monk had overwritten and repurposed as a book of prayers.
To discover the writings of Archimedes in the manuscript, scientists recently used the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center to reveal the iron content of the ink written under the monk’s prayers. The method used focused X-rays, which are created by electrons traveling near the speed of light, causing the iron in the ink to fluoresce, lighting up Archimedes’s writings.
This effectively allowed scientists to uncover the writings on Archimedes’ palimpsest, which had been lost since the 12th century.
Archimedes’ writings allow us to further understand ancient Greek science
Remarkably, the method used by the team of scientists to uncover the hidden writings of the Greek scientist allowed them to uncover the only two copies of two major theories by Archimedes, “The Method of Mechanical Theorems,” and “On Floating Bodies.”
In “The Method of Mechanical Theorems” Archimedes wrote about how experimenting with mechanics inspired his mathematical accomplishments and views. In “On Floating Bodies” Archimedes wrote about the principles of buoyancy, that is, the upward force exerted by a fluid on an object submerged in it. This force opposes the weight of the object, making objects that float feel lighter.
Grecian Delight supports Greece
Archimedes’ manuscript also contained diagrams. Despite not being drawn by the man himself, the manuscript is “the only one that contains diagrams that may bear any resemblance to the diagrams Archimedes himself drew in the sand in Syracuse 2,000 years ago,” according to William Noel, the head of the project.
Scientists say the remaining sections could take almost four years to decipher
It is important to note that the Archimedes Palimpsest resurfaced in an auction in 1998, and scientists have been working for decades to reveal the hidden texts. Work on the manuscript with the particle accelerator started two decades ago, in 2004.
The method has already unveiled three pages that had been previously unread, but the remaining sections could take another four years to decipher.
Many scholars also believe that ironically, despite causing issues for modern historians and archaeologists, the monk who wrote over Archimedes’ writings may have inadvertently preserved them for the better. The monk had overwritten the writings because he needed the parchment of the original manuscripts to create his book. Indeed, this is the reason why it is called a palimpsest because the manuscript was used twice.
Ping!.............
One of their best sketches
The Marx-offsides comment is one of the greatest jokes ever. On SO many levels.
At the large university library where I used to work, an elderly librarian showed me examples of barely preserved old volumes with spines half off which had writings as part of the inner binding. Also inside the covers under a blank sheet. She said many times those writings were treasured by scholars as being more valuable from the older books than the later ones.
I asked what the holes in some of the pages were from and she said from bookworms eating and burrowing into the pages hundreds of years earlier.
Also a lot of Bible manuscripts had the jottings of the personal opinions and corrections by the humble scribes who were copying them by hand. Until items such as the Dead Sea Scrolls were found it was hard to tell which translation was considered to be the acceptable one. Even today the Tanakh (Jewish Holy Scriptures) volumes of the Jewish Publication Society have changes in what used to be the accepted Masoretic text words.
I know there are a few FReepers who have driven by the Stanford Linear Accelerator (SLA) so they will understand of what I am writing...
It (the SLA) is an unusual building to drive by (it’s next to a highway in the M-A area of Silicon Valley).
What is so very unusual about the SLA is that it is, naturally, level: it’s a building, so it should be level, right?
The SLA is one mile in length and, because it IS level, has both ends on “level ground” but as it approaches the center (1/2 mile from each end) it is in a deep trench in order to account for the curvature of the earth...
As someone who has done a lot of building over my life it was fascinating to see this structure...
Great article as well!
Thanks!
He was the first Noel.
At least on this project.
Merry Christmas to all here. 🎅🤶🎄
It turns out that Archimedes was obsessed with Ovaltine.
That's an interesting aspect.
Here's a creepy story somewhat related about long buildings. Near Wayne State University in Detroit there was a really long building (short by your post's standards---maybe a city block long).
It was used by the auto industry researchers to put dogs on sleds and tracks and send them at high speeds down to the brick wall at the end. As they died the filmed data of the crash and the suitability of various seat belts and car seats could be studied. Not publicized as the later cases of crash test dummies but supplied data for the cold blooded engineers to go over. They were said to get dogs from shelters.
When my wife heard that she was horrified.
Translation: “Screw it”.
ABCDEFGHIJKMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
selections from the Palimpsest keyword, sorted:
“On Floating Bodies.” — Co-authored by Hillary R. Clinton.
Regards,
The SLAC is two miles long!
But nonetheless, the curvature of the Earth, alone, is scarcely sufficient to require a trench more than 8 inches (20 cm) deep in the middle.
The random unevenness of local terrain might require a deeper trench - but the curvature of the Earth is virtually imperceptible at that scale.
Regards,
I actually worked at SLAC for a very short time in 1975.Entering decay data with a mouse. I didn’t last.
Wow!
Thank you for your reply, I know the linear accelerator in NM is 1/2 mile long and am happy to know the SLA is TWO miles long.
I agree there must be local ridges, etc.. to make the trench a deep as it is.
“ scientists recently used the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center to reveal the iron content of the ink”
I do the same thing to my mail when it comes to decide what is worth opening .
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