For the first time, a machine learning technique has revealed Greek words in CT scans of fragile rolled-up papyrus
A 21-year-old computer-science student has won a global contest to read the first text inside a carbonized scroll from the ancient Roman city of Herculaneum, which had been unreadable since a volcanic eruption in AD 79 — the same one that buried nearby Pompeii. The breakthrough could open up hundreds of texts from the only intact library to survive from Greco-Roman antiquity.
Hundreds of scrolls were buried by Mount Vesuvius in October AD 79, when the eruption left Herculaneum under 20 metres of volcanic ash. Early attempts to open the papyri created a mess of fragments, and scholars feared the remainder could never be unrolled or read. “These are such crazy objects. They’re all crumpled and crushed,” says Nicolardi.
Until now, researchers were able to study only opened fragments. A few Latin works have been identified, but most of these contain Greek texts relating to the Epicurean school of philosophy. There are parts of On Nature, written by Epicurus himself, and works by a little-known philosopher named Philodemus on topics such as vices, music, rhetoric and death. It has been suggested that the library might once have been his working collection.
Reading intact scrolls was still a huge task, however, so the team released all of its scans and code to the public and launched the Vesuvius Challenge. “We all agreed we would rather get to the reading of what’s inside sooner, than try to hoard everything,” says Seales. One evening in August, he was at a party when he received an alert that a fresh segment had been released, with particularly prominent crackle. Connecting through his phone, he ran his algorithm on the new image. Walking home an hour later, he pulled out his phone and saw five letters on the screen. “I was jumping up and down,” he says. “Oh my goodness, this is actually going to work.” From there, it took just days to refine the model and identify the ten letters required for the prize.
Österreich Neuesten Nachrichten, Österreich Schlagzeilen
Similar News:Sie können auch ähnliche Nachrichten wie diese lesen, die wir aus anderen Nachrichtenquellen gesammelt haben.
AI Deciphers Ancient Scroll Buried in The Ashes of Mount VesuviusThe Best in Science News and Amazing Breakthroughs
Weiterlesen »
Scroll confirms mainnet launch following on-chain indications last weekThe Ethereum Layer 2 scaling solution appears to have been deployed on mainnet since Oct. 8, as The Block reported last week.
Weiterlesen »
Ancient Egypt had far more venomous snakes than the country today, according to new study of a scrollHow much can the written records of ancient civilizations tell us about the animals they lived alongside? Published in Environmental Archaeology, Our latest research, based on the venomous snakes described in an ancient Egyptian papyrus, suggests more than you might think.
Weiterlesen »
Han Ong Reads “I Am Pizza Rat”On The Writer’s Voice podcast, Han Ong reads “I Am Pizza Rat,” his story from the October 23, 2023, issue of The New Yorker.
Weiterlesen »
Nailsworth charity says books are 'wonderful' for children's wellbeingMichael Loader reads to young people in hospital to help support their mental health and education.
Weiterlesen »
NASA’s Psyche Mission: Embarking on an Epic Quest to an Ancient AsteroidScience, Space and Technology News 2023
Weiterlesen »