Gwynedd quarry becomes first underwater escape room and museum children can use
The relocation of the winch machine for the Blondin presented significant challenges, particularly as it weighed over 10 tonnes and was situated beneath a collapsed roof, close to the water's edge leaving not much room for the crane to operate in. A large team of specialists undertook this enormous task, which took a total of 14 hours to complete, even with machinery prepared in advance. The full dimensions and exact weight of the machine were previously unknown, adding to the complexity of the operation. The first step involved carefully removing the slate roof—a formidable task due to its substantial weight. The machine was meticulously disassembled into four major components. These components were then reassembled in their new display location, maintaining the integrity of their original arrangement. During the mobilisation of the machinery, the team uncovered relics such as Victorian aged glass bottles, tools, and the heating system for when the machine was steam powered.
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Daily Record
5 days ago
- Daily Record
How these beautiful Victorian books can cause liver damage and skin problems
Prolonged exposure to multiple volumes in a certain colour can be a health hazard - and there is an interesting explanation A deadly fashion trend from the 1800s is haunting modern libraries, as Victorian-era books laced with poisonous pigments continue to pose a hidden risk to readers and staff. During the 19th century, a striking emerald green, made by mixing copper with arsenic, was all the rage. It coloured everything from wallpaper to children's toys, and even made its way into sweets. But one of its most lasting legacies can be found on the shelves of historic libraries. Bookbinders of the Victorian era used arsenic, mercury, and chrome to craft vibrant covers designed to catch the eye. While many other items from the time have vanished, these books remain, creating a very 21st century health hazard. Prolonged exposure to multiple green-bound volumes can lead to low-level arsenic poisoning. Over time, this can cause damage to the liver and kidneys, skin problems, anaemia and a weakened immune system. In 2019, the Poison Book Project launched in Delaware, with experts from the Winterthur Museum and Delaware's state university teaming up to investigate. They identified several toxic titles, including four in the National Library of France, which were immediately removed from public access. Inspired by their work, preservative conservator Erica Kotze at the University of St Andrews decided to take action. She reached out to her colleague Dr Pilar Gil, a trained biochemist working in Special Collections, to find a safer and more practical method of identifying dangerous volumes. "The most important thing was to find a non-destructive, portable instrument that could tell us if it was a poisonous book or not," Dr Gil told the BBC. X-ray technology was ruled out due to the fragility of the books. Instead, she borrowed a spectrometer from the university's geology department, typically used to detect minerals in rocks. After testing hundreds of books, Dr Gil noticed a distinctive pattern. 'It was a 'eureka' moment. I realised it was something that no one had seen before.' The team then partnered with the physics department to create a bespoke testing tool. Dr Graham Bruce, senior research laboratory manager, describes how it works: 'It shines light on the book and measures the amount of light which shines back. "It uses green light, which can be seen, and infrared, which can't be seen with our own eyes. The green light flashes when there are no fragments of arsenic present, the red light when there are pigments.' Smaller, cheaper and faster than a full spectrometer, the new device has already been used to test thousands of books at both St Andrews and the National Library of Scotland. The aim now is to share the technology with libraries and museums worldwide. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. 'We're lucky as a large institution to have expensive kit,' says Dr Jessica Burge, deputy director of library and museums at St Andrews. 'But other institutions with big collections may not have those resources, so we wanted to create something which was affordable and easy. It doesn't require a specialist conservator or analysis, and it's instant.' As time passes, the risk may only increase, with toxic books breaking down and releasing more of their hazardous particles. The goal is not to lock these books away forever, but to handle them safely and preserve access for future generations. Dr Burge adds: 'Any book that's got a green cover from the 19th century is being restricted because they don't know. And as libraries and museums, that's not really what we're about. We want people to be able to use the books and help bring back access to collections, rather than restricting their use.'
BBC News
06-06-2025
- BBC News
If books could kill: The poison legacy lurking in libraries
The Victorians loved the colour green. In particular, they loved a vibrant shade of emerald created by combining copper and arsenic, which was used in everything from wallpaper to children's toys."This colour was very popular for most of the 19th Century because of its vibrancy and its resistance to light fading," says Erica Kotze, a preservative conservator at the University of St Andrews."We know that many household items were coloured with arsenic-based green pigments. It was even used in confectionery."The trouble is, the combination of elements used is toxic and that's still a problem more than a century later. And it's a particular problem when it comes to old books. Victorian bookbinders used arsenic as well as mercury and chrome to create striking covers. And unlike domestic items, books have survived in archives around the world, creating a 21st Century problem from 19th Century exposure to multiple green books can cause low level arsenic poisoning. Long-term exposure can cause changes to the skin, harm to the liver and kidneys and a reduction in red and white blood cells, which can lead to anaemia and an increased risk of infections. In 2019, an attempt to tackle the problem was set up in Delaware between the Winterthur Museum and the state university. The Poison Book Project tested books and drew up a list of titles which are potentially harmful to humans. These included four books in the National Library of France, which were immediately by this, Erica Kotze called on her colleague Dr Pilar Gil, who trained as a biochemist before working in Special Collections at the University of St Andrews. Dr Gil took a practical approach to surveying the thousands of historic books in their collection."The most important thing was to find a non-destructive, portable instrument that could tell us if it was a poisonous book or not," she rule out X-ray technology because of the fragile nature of the books being examined and instead looked to the geology department. They had a spectrometer - a device that measures the distribution of different wavelengths of light - for detecting minerals in rocks."Minerals and pigments are very similar," says Dr Gil, "so I borrowed the instrument and started looking for emerald green in books."She tested hundreds of books and then realised she was looking at a breakthrough."I realised there was a distinctive pattern to the toxic ones. It was a 'eureka' moment. I realised it was something that no one had seen before." The next task was to speak to the physics department to build their own Graham Bruce, senior research laboratory manager explains how it works."It shines light on the book and measures the amount of light which shines back," he says."It uses green light, which can be seen, and infrared, which can't be seen with our own eyes. The green light flashes when there are no fragments of arsenic present, the red light when there are pigments."The new testing device is smaller and will be less costly to produce and use than a full-scale spectrometerIt has already been used to survey the thousands of books in the St Andrews collections and in the National Library of Scotland, and the team hope to share their design with other institutions around the world. "We're lucky as a large institution to have expensive kit, so that we can test 19th Century potentially toxic books," says Dr Jessica Burge, deputy director of library and museums at the University of St Andrews."But other institutions with big collections may not have those resources, so we wanted to create something which was affordable and easy. It doesn't require a specialist conservator or analysis, and it's instant."It's also a problem which isn't going away. If anything, toxic books will become more harmful as they get older and them means they can stored in a safe way and still enjoyed with controlled access and precautions such as wearing gloves. "It will continue to be a live issue," says Dr Burge."But I think that the biggest issue for institutions at the moment is that any book that's got a green cover from the 19th Century is being restricted because they don't know. "And as libraries and museums, that's not really what we're about. We want people to be able to use the books and help bring back access to collections, rather than restricting their use."
Wales Online
04-06-2025
- Wales Online
UK may need to consider digital and eco-friendly graveyard solutions as space for dead runs out
UK may need to consider digital and eco-friendly graveyard solutions as space for dead runs out Innovative ways to bury the dead will be needed in the near future, especially in overcrowded urban areas, according to a new study by a professor at Canada's MacEwan University Graveyards could go digital in the future as UK towns and cities run out of space (Image: Getty Images ) Experts warn that cemeteries may need to adopt digital solutions as urban areas in England and Wales are rapidly running out of burial space. With the global death rate projected to reach nearly 90 million by 2048, innovative burial methods will be necessary, especially in overcrowded cities. In 2024, England and Wales recorded 568,613 deaths, prompting The Law Commission to suggest reusing old graves and reopening closed burial grounds, some of which have been declared "full" since the Victorian era, to address the shortage. To ensure respect for the deceased, safeguards would be implemented, allowing graves to be repurposed only if the last burial occurred at least 75 years ago. A recent study by Dr. Farzan Baradaran Rahimi, an assistant professor at MacEwan University in Canada, proposes alternative ways to remember the deceased, such as living on as trees, generating green electricity, or even as holograms that can converse with loved ones. The Necropolis 4.0 report highlights that factors such as population growth, climate change, land shortage, resource constraints, and social inequalities are contributing to the diminishing availability of burial space. Graveyards are running out of space (Image: Universal Images Group via Getty Images ) It emphasises "there is still an increasing need to find new ways to design for death as a social space in the urban future to make it less resource-demanding and isolated, but more nature-friendly and social leveraging emerging technologies and techniques". In the future, cemeteries may transform from traditional headstone rows into interactive spaces where we engage with our ancestors. The report envisions people uploading their memories to extensive databases during their lifetimes, reports the Mirror. Article continues below Artificial intelligence will be utilised to create holograms, enabling future generations to interact with virtual versions of ourselves. In parallel, our remains could be placed in biodegradable pods with seeds, fostering the growth of trees and shrubs. Thermal towers could harness the heat emitted to generate electricity through turbines. Dr Rahimi is optimistic about the potential shift in conventional attitudes towards death, particularly among younger generations. He commented: "While some will embrace the idea of 'digital immortality', others may resist it, particularly due to cultural or spiritual understandings of death, the afterlife, and the nature of existence. But younger generations - and those that follow - may be more receptive to these ideas. "They might see such concepts as a natural evolution of the world they inhabit, where identity and presence can extend beyond the physical realm." Experts suggest greener and more digital orientated solutions could be the answer (Image: Getty Images ) Dr Rahimi led a group of specialists to explore radical ideas about mortality. His study, featured in the journal Cities, suggests: "A nature-human-machine relationship... paves the way for... a novel, green, and sustainable design for death in the urban future. Necropolis 4.0 eliminates the need for physical burial spaces, significantly reducing the environmental footprint." Article continues below Necropolis 4.0 envisions a system of subterranean centres where individuals can preserve their memories. These hubs would also serve as places for people to interact with holograms that replicate our voices and facial expressions. The deceased would be laid to rest in biodegradable pods alongside seeds to cultivate plants. The report further notes: "This paves the way for the spread of greenery, extending even to the rooftop gardens of skyscrapers. "As the plants flourish, they contribute to the natural beauty of the surroundings while also purifying the air. Thermal energy created in the rapid composition process will serve the power grid across the city."
