logo
Title of scroll burnt to a crisp by Mt Vesuvius 2,000 years ago finally read by AI – & we even know who wrote them

Title of scroll burnt to a crisp by Mt Vesuvius 2,000 years ago finally read by AI – & we even know who wrote them

The Sun06-05-2025

RESEARCHERS have deciphered the title and author of a charred scroll destroyed by the Mount Vesuvius eruption 2,000 years ago.
The tightly bound scroll cannot be opened since its delicate, burnt pages would only fall apart.
6
6
6
Therefore, researchers have used a cutting-edge technique hinging on artificial intelligence (AI) to reveal the lost text.
The scroll was discovered in Herculaneum, an ancient Roman town that was buried under the massive volcanic fallout from Mount Vesuvius.
After 'virtually unwrapping' scroll PHerc. 172, researchers discovered it was titled On Vices by the Greek philosopher Philodemus.
The text offered ancient Romans guidance for cultivating a virtuous life, according to researchers.
Philodemus, who lived between roughly 110 and 30 BCE, was an Epicurean philosopher and poet from Gadara.
The University of Oxford's Bodleian Library holds a number of the scrolls, which have been left untouched for decades.
But recent advancements in technology have allowed the scrolls to be 3D reconstructed with powerful X-ray beams without damaging them.
Once researchers have identified each layer of the scroll, AI is used to detect the ink.
The ink is digitally painted onto the scroll, for researchers to decipher.
As part of an international competition, researchers have found the title and author inside of a sealed scroll for the first time.
The Vesuvius Challenge awards money to all those who can help decipher the charred scrolls housed at the Bodleian Libraries at the University of Oxford.
Researchers behind this latest feat have been awarded the
Vesuvius Challenge First Title Prize, which includes prize money of $60,000.
This was achieved by two parties at roughly the same time - Sean Johnson from the Vesuvius Challenge, and Marcel Roth and Micha Nowak from the University of Würzburg.
The pages of the relic PHerc. 172 were first published in February, the title page had yet to be deciphered.
PHerc.172 is one of roughly 800 scrolls unearthed in the Villa of the Papyri, a luxurious estate believed to have belonged to Lucius Calpurnius Piso Caesoninus, Julius Caesar's father-in-law.
How AI & X-rays are unravelling scroll secrets
AI and X-rays are revolutionising the study of ancient scrolls by enabling researchers to virtually "unroll" and decipher texts that are too fragile to handle physically.
X-rays, particularly advanced methods like X-ray micro-computed tomography (micro-CT), create highly detailed 3D scans of scrolls.
These scans capture the layers of tightly wound or damaged parchment or papyrus without physically unrolling them, preserving their integrity.
X-rays can also detect variations in density caused by metallic or carbon-based inks used in ancient writing.
AI algorithms, particularly those using deep learning, can segment layers of text by identifying and separating individual layers of the scroll from 3D X-ray data, isolating the text for analysis.
They can also recognise text by enhancing faint markings or patterns corresponding to ancient writing, often revealing characters that are invisible to the naked eye.
AI algorithms can reconstruct incomplete sections as well. Machine-learning models can fill in the gaps or predict any missing text.
For scrolls where X-rays detect ink differences, AI can distinguish metallic inks - typically used in later periods of history - from carbon-based inks, enabling a more detailed and context-sensitive interpretation.
Advanced imaging can also track even faint remnants of ink strokes, reconstructing text in incredible detail.
The villa, based in Herculaneum, was thought to house one of the finest libraries of antiquity, including works of Greek philosophy and possibly undiscovered Roman literature.
The first milestone in the Vesuvius Challenge was reached in February 2024, when three students shared a $700,000 prize for reading parts of another scroll.
The success of the competition has attracted tech moguls like Elon Musk, who funded later phases of the competition.
6
6

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Brain science: Brains of devoted fans 'light up' during big sporting moments
Brain science: Brains of devoted fans 'light up' during big sporting moments

BBC News

timean hour ago

  • BBC News

Brain science: Brains of devoted fans 'light up' during big sporting moments

Are you a big fan of watching sport? Maybe football is your passion, you're obsessed with athletics, or maybe watching gymnastics brings you joy?Well, a new study suggests the brain activity in die-hard fans of a sport is different from people who watch casually. It suggests their brains light up when watching sports they love in a way that doesn't happen for others. Read on to find out more. Researchers from the University of Waterloo, in Canada, focused on hockey for their study, which was published in Scientific aim was to find out whether intense fans of the sport responded differently during key moments of the game, and how this shows up in the brain. They tracked the brain activity of a group of 20 participants while they watched a professional ice hockey game. So what did the research team discover?During faceoffs, which is when two players on opposing teams go head to head, the researchers found the real hockey fans showed more activity in the part of their brain which deals with how we judge and interpret what's happening around us. "We found that for fans who really love the sport, these faceoffs were moments of intense mental engagement," said Dr Luke Potwarka who is a researcher and co-author on the new study. "It seems these plays signalled that something important was about to happen, something casual viewers may not notice in the same way."Interestingly, the researchers found no brain difference during more obvious events like opportunities teams had to score. They says it's probably because even casual fans recognize the importance of a goal. On the other hand, understanding some parts of a sport's strategy needs more knowledge, and triggers deeper engagement in the brain for real fans. The team which carried out the study say monitoring brain activity in this way could help them understand more about how fans are actually experiencing games as they happen in real time. "This is just the beginning," said Adrian Safati who contributed to the research. "Future studies could use this approach across different sports to learn more about what keeps fans truly hooked."

New ‘poo pills' could flush out killer bugs that kill one million Brits each year
New ‘poo pills' could flush out killer bugs that kill one million Brits each year

The Sun

time3 hours ago

  • The Sun

New ‘poo pills' could flush out killer bugs that kill one million Brits each year

SUPERBUGS, or drug-resistant infections, are projected to cause more than 39 million deaths between now and 2050. This means that, on average, over three people are expected to die from antibiotic -resistant infections every minute. But now UK doctor are attempting to clear the number of dangerous superbug infections by using pills containing freeze-dried faeces. The "poo pills" contain stool samples from health donors, packed with good bacteria. And the idea comes from previous data that suggests superbugs can be flushed out of the bowel and replaced with a mix of healthy gut bacteria. Dr Blair Merrick, who has been testing the pills at St Guys and Thomas' hospitals, said the focus is on the bowels which are "the biggest reservoir of antibiotic resistance in humans". The bowel is considered a significant reservoir for these resistant bacteria, and from there they can cause trouble in places such as the urinary tract or bloodstream. Dr Merrick added: "So there's a lot in 'can you get rid of them from the gut?" Currently, people with recurrent illness caused by hard-to-treat bacterium Clostridium difficile can be offered faecal transplants. Scientists noticed they also had the potential to get rid of superbugs. In a new study, published in the Journal of Infection, researchers focused on 41 patients who had an infection caused by drug-resistant bacteria in the past six months. They were given pills made from faeces which people had donated to a stool bank. What is Klebsiella pneumonia? Each stool sample was tested to ensure it didn't contain and harmful bugs. Undigested food was removed, and then it was freeze dried into a powder. The powder, contained inside a pill, can then pass through the stomach unharmed and reach the intestines, where it then dissolves. Twenty of the participants were given three sets of capsules on three consecutive days, while the rest received placebo pills. For those who took the capsules , the donor bacteria was detectable in their gut flora a month later. Dr Merrick told the BBC: "It's very exciting. There's a real shift from 20 years ago, where all bacteria and viruses were assumed to do you harm; to now where we realise they are completely necessary to our overall health." To help avoid getting superbugs, the NHS recommends practising good hygiene - wash your hands frequently with soap and water, especially before eating, after using the toilet, and after coughing or sneezing. Use antibiotics responsibly - avoid taking antibiotics for viral infections like colds or the flu, as they won't work. Even if you feel better, finish all of your prescribed medication to ensure the infection is fully treated. And don't share antibiotics - sharing can be harmful and can lead to resistance. Also, take preventative measures when travelling - choose food from reliable sources, and ensure food is properly cooked and handled, avoid drinking water that may be contaminated, and make sure you are up-to-date on all recommended vaccinations before travelling.

Good news for gardeners! Scientists have uncovered a simple way to boost plant growth - and all you need is a speaker
Good news for gardeners! Scientists have uncovered a simple way to boost plant growth - and all you need is a speaker

Daily Mail​

time5 hours ago

  • Daily Mail​

Good news for gardeners! Scientists have uncovered a simple way to boost plant growth - and all you need is a speaker

Gardeners will try almost anything to help their plants grow. From fancy compost to strict watering times or a regular pruning schedule, there are plenty of ways to give flowers a boost. Some even resort to talking to their plants, convinced they 'respond to vibrations'. But scientists have uncovered a simple way to promote growth – and all you need is a speaker. Experts have found that playing music to plants can make them grow heavier and leafier. However, picking the right playlist is of the utmost importance. A study has found that classical music, such as Bach concertos, boost growth while plants exposed to rock music grow more poorly. 'Playing music to plants is not as crazy as it may sound at first,' Charles Spence, a professor of experimental psychology at the University of Oxford and co-author of the paper, told The Times. The team suggest that a combination of sound frequencies, the tempo of the music and the instruments involved may have the power to stimulate or curb plant growth. For the research, scientists analysed pak choi plants – a type of Chinese cabbage – that were played rock music, classical music or no music at all in bursts throughout the day. The classical selection was Bach's Brandenburg Concertos, considered masterful examples of balance between assorted groups of soloists and a small orchestra. Instrumental rock and metal was used for the other musical group. Everything else that could affect plant growth, such as temperature, humidity and lighting, was strictly controlled and kept the same for all plants in the study. After a six-week study period, the researchers found that the plants played classical music ended up significantly larger, with an average dry weight of 8.99g. Meanwhile those played no music weighed 6.33g on average, while plants played rock music weighed only 3.12g on average. The pak choi that had been exposed to classical music also produced the highest number of leaves, with an average of almost 17 each compared with only 10 leaves for the plants that were played rock. Pak choi Also known as Chinese cabbage, pak choi is a leafy green vegetable. It can be used as baby leaves in salads or as larger rosettes in a stir fry. It can be grown in as little as four weeks. The plant is in season all year round but prefers cool, damp conditions. Analysis of the roots also showed that plants exposed to classical music had the highest total root volume, measuring 90 cubic centimetres – three times more than those played instrumental rock, which reached only 30 cubic centimetres. The plants grown in silence, however, recorded total root volume of 77 cubic centimetres. The team was led by plant scientists and music experts at the University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur and University Putra Malaysia. They said there was 'promise' around the use of classical music to help stimulate plant growth. 'Classical music may have an effect on plant growth because plants are attuned to vibrations, such as the vibrations of running water in soil, and they react to them biologically,' Professor Spence added. 'Meanwhile the different frequencies in rock music may fall outside the sonic range which boosts plant growth.' He also said that classical music might 'make gardening a more pleasant experience'. Previous studies have also found that plants tend to grow in the direction of soothing music and away from rock music. The findings were published in the journal Evolutionary Studies in Imaginative Culture. The scientists wrote: 'The results reveal that those plants exposed to classical music exhibited significant differences in shoot characteristics with the highest total fresh weight, shoot fresh weight, and mean leaf numbers. 'Meanwhile, those plants exposed to rock music demonstrated values that were the lowest across all plant parameters. 'Despite the promise around the use of classical music to help stimulate plant growth, further studies are undoubtedly still needed before any firm conclusions regarding the potential benefits of exposing plants to an acoustic stimulus can be drawn.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store