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Updated 2h agoHealth & Science

Scientists burn modern papyrus to help read ancient Vesuvius scrolls

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Scientists are using modern burned papyrus and X-ray imaging to help decipher ancient, fragile scrolls from Herculaneum.

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Researchers are experimenting with burning modern papyrus scrolls to better understand the composition of 2,000-year-old scrolls recovered from Herculaneum. By scanning these charred samples with X-rays, the team is developing methods to visualize and separate layers of ancient text. This advanced imaging process aims to facilitate the reading of historical documents that are too fragile to be physically unrolled.

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Named Italy · Herculaneum

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Scientists burn modern papyrus to help read ancient Vesuvius scrolls | Prism