How AI Can Uncover the World’s Oldest Archeological Mysteries – The Daily Beast

This month, a trio of computer scientists won the Vesuvius Challenge, a competition to use artificial intelligence to reveal four passages of ancient Greek encased for 2,000 years inside a charred scroll. The artifact was found at Herculaneum, a Roman resort town destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D..

This kind of thing that happens every half century or so, Richard Janko, a professor of classics at the University of Michigan and one of the judges for the competition, told The Daily Beast. Federica Nicolardi, a papyrologist at the University of Naples Federico II in Italy and a fellow judge, told The Daily Beast that the discovery could be a huge revolution.

The technology enables archeologists to potentially see inside ancient burnt, sodden, and sealed texts. This includes works of classical antiquity, to hidden writing wrapped up in Egyptian mummies, to books burned in World War II, to the many thousands of fragments of texts found in the Dead Sea that could shed new light on the early history of Christianity.

Perfectly preserved by the volcanic eruption, the town is a kind of in-between space where destruction and conservation go hand-in-hand, Nicolardi said. Archeologists have spent centuries excavating sections of the Herculaneum, including the Villa Dei Papiri, from which about 1,800 cataloged fragments or entire scrolls have been recovered.

Herculaneum scroll with red laser lines being scanned at Institut de France by Brent Seales and his team.

However, the scrolls are incredibly fragile. After all, theyre ancient on top of being burned and charred. As a result, several hundred have been ruined by people trying to unroll them manually or using machines. Due to this, there are only a few hundred left that can potentially be read.

Thats the genesis behind the competition: If the team could crack one of them open digitally, then digitally unwrapping anything else would be easy by comparison.

The contest was backed by ex-GitHub CEO Nat Friedman and Y Combinator partner Daniel Gross who offered a $1 million grand prize to the person or team who could generate at least four columns of readable digital text from scans of a Herculaneum scroll by the end of 2023. The winning team was made up of AI engineers named Youssef Nader, Julian Schillinger, and Luke Farritor who were able to recover 15 columns of text from the papyrus, revealing the ancient Greek lines laid out like a newspaper.

The process they used was originally developed by Brent Seales, a computer scientist at the University of Kentucky who has spent 20 years using technology to digitally analyze and restore ancient texts. The tool, called the Volume Cartographer, uses AI to digitally unwrap the layers of a single burnt papyrus scroll that Seales team had made 3D scans of.

But the challenge isnt over yet. The teams winning entry reveals just five percent of a single scroll. For 2024, Friedman, Gross, and Seales have a new competition: Unroll a whole scroll to win a $100,000 prize. Eventually, they want to digitally unwrap all the surviving and intact Herculaneum scrolls.

If they achieve that, then the library could reveal new information about some of the most famous figures in history such as Aristotle and Archimedes. Janko added that the text the competition has revealed may have been written by Philodemus, an Epicurean philosopher and teacher of the famous Roman poet, Virgil.

But first, more of the scroll needs to be segmented, which is the technical term for unraveling the digital layers of papyrus. Then theres a matter of translating what they find, which can be a herculean taskpotentially made less so with the help of AI. Reading the papyrus is not just a matter of recognizing letters, Nicolardi said. It is more a matter of understanding the text.

Using computers and scanning techniques in archeology is not new. The first mummy to be analyzed using X-ray occurred in 1896. Such technology has long been used to uncover archeological discoveries since then for more than a century. Before Seales digital unwrapping tool, though, Janko estimated it would have taken at least 500 years to go through the Herculaneum scrolls.

Seales has solved the problem of unrolling the fragile scrolls by using synchrotron scanning, which involves shooting a powerful particle accelerators laser at a scroll and to create high-fidelity X-rays that show all its layers. From there, each layer has to be picked out and segmented. The inner layers are the easiest to peel apart, Seales said.

That has been incredibly gratifying to see this youthful brain trust of people, who really understand AI, to see them being excited about classics, Seales said.

While this protocol has only been used on these scrolls so far, it has a wide range of archeological applications. For example, Seales has used the technology to digitally unwrap some of the Dead Sea Scrolls, as well as a copy of the Book of Leviticus recovered from a burnt synagogue at En Gedi, Israel dating to the third or fourth century C.E..

He also plans to scan and decipher a still-sealed Egyptian papyrus scroll that is housed in the Smithsonian Collection. This artifact, bandaged in linen and sealed with wax marked with the symbol of Amenhotep III dates to about 1400 B.C.E. and has never been opened.

Seales has also used the technique to see inside burned medieval books recovered from the wreckage of Chartres, a French town near Paris that was largely destroyed in World War II during an Allied bombing campaign in 1944.

Another potential treasure trove could be lurking deep in the Black Sea, Janko said. There are at least 67 ancient shipwrecks on the seabed thatbecause the water is devoid of oxygen below 140 meters depth or sohave never decayed, freezing them and their cargo in time. Amongst the potential treasure trove is a box of books and scrolls that could hold even more ancient historical secrets. It might now be possible to retrieve and see inside those papyri thanks to this technological advance, Janko said.

Its not just the classics that may see a renaissance in discoveries: There is also the possibility to apply the technology to old film reels and negatives that have become corroded and unable to be developed or read using traditional methods, Seales said.

For now, though, researchers are still working on a translation they feel confident in for the 15 columns they have so far. This is a process that even the most hubristic Silicon Valley evangelist cant speed up, Nicolardi explained.I think there is a moment for this kind of speedy work and there is another moment when you have to stop a little bit and think about it and reflect, she said. The scroll itself makes much the same point. Nicolardi notes that its last sentence roughly translates to: May the truth be always evident to us.

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How AI Can Uncover the World's Oldest Archeological Mysteries - The Daily Beast

10 U.S. National Parks With Beaches – TheTravel

Summary

There are 63 national parks in the US, and over 400 national park units are managed by the National Park Service. With so many millions of protected miles to explore, these national parks manage to protect every type of environment.

This is good news for those struggling to decide if they want a beach-side vacation getaway or a full-blown national park road trip through the US; some parks make it possible to enjoy both. Located off the coast of some of the most popular ocean-side cities or along the miles of shore along the Great Lakes, there are hundreds of miles of beaches to explore in the US.

These 10 national parks in the US have some truly exquisite beaches, with a variety of wildlife, sandy space, and surrounding natural beauty to enjoy.

Sand Beach in Acadia National Park, Maine, USA, one of Maine's most beautiful beaches

Acadia National Park in Maine has been ranked as one of the most beautiful places in the US, and its scenic New England beaches are just one more thing to love.

Acadia National Park features both beautiful ocean beaches like Little Hunters Beach, and scenic lakeside shores, such as Echo Lake Beach. Visitors to the park often find themselves struggling to decide whether to set up at the beach or enjoy the ocean and lake views from one of the best hiking trails in Acadia National Park.

The variety of shorelines to explore means that guests can enjoy everything from sunbathing to kayaking to swimming (although guests should remember that this is the northern corner of the US, even in the summer, the water is brisk at best).

Sandy beach onSan Miguel Island in Channel Islands National Park, California, USA

For those looking for some truly untainted beaches in US national parks, it's hard to imagine a better destination than Channel Islands National Park.

Accessible only by ferry, the beaches and rocky shores of the Channel Islands have been spared the wear and tear of motorized vehicles. Additionally, because the Channel Islands are one of the most difficult national parks in the US to visit, the shores here are perfect for a quieter day at the beach.

A beach in Olympic National Park, Washington, USA

Olympic National Park is the most visited of Washington State's three national parks, and for good reason. In addition to the temperate rainforests and miles of incredible hiking trails in Olympic National Park, this scenic area just two hours from Seattle protects some of Washington's most beautiful beaches.

There are over a dozen beaches to choose from in Olympic National Park, including Ruby Beach, Sand Point, and Rialto Beach. Unlike the white sand beaches of the more southern national parks, visitors to Olympic National Parks beaches are likely to see dramatic rock formations and red-tinted sand on their beach excursions.

View from Fort Jefferson, Dry Tortugas, Florida

Dry Tortugas National Park is one of the least visited National Parks in the US, thanks to its inaccessibility off the coast of the Florida Keys. While the beaches of the seven islands that make up Dry Tortugas National Park require months of planning to get to, there is no doubt that these sandy shores are worth the work.

The Fort Jefferson Dry Tortugas Beach Section is the most isolated beach in the Florida Keys, which manages to further emphasize its beauty. Since the seaplanes only carry 10 passengers at a time, with limited flights to the park, guests will have these white sand beaches practically to themselves.

Scenic coastline inRedwood National Park, California, USA

Giant redwoods and beautiful California coastline? Redwoods National and State Parks may just be the perfect combination of land and sea. While the northern shores of California are a little chilly for full-blown swimming excursions, there are plenty of black sand, striking rock formations, and rolling sand dunes to explore.

While all of the beaches at Redwoods National and State Parks are beautiful, Enderts Beach and False Klamath Cove are two of the best beaches for those looking for some coastal wildlife. With thriving tidepools and unusual rock formations, these beaches highlight the beauty of the California coast and are some of the best US National Park beaches overall.

Boca Chita Beach and Lighthouse,Biscayne National Park, Florida, USA

Biscayne National Park is one of the most unique national parks in the US. Nearly 95% of Biscayne National Park is underwater, featuring protected coral reefs and coastal formations. The other 5% are some of the best national park beaches in the US.

The Boca Chita Key Beach, which also features the Boca Chita lighthouse, is perhaps the most photographed beach in Biscayne National Park. However, the entire Sands Key and Elliott Key, both of which frame the underwater portion of Biscayne, are lined with beautiful shorelines. Each one of these sandy stretches is perfect for a relaxing day on a US National Park beach.

The rocky volcanic coast ofHawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii, USA

While the volcanoes and frozen lava flows may be the most famous part of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, this popular destination on the Big Island also has some of the best national park beaches in the US.

While some of the scenic shoreline, namely the region that is part of the Kahuku-Phue parcel, is closed to the public for the time being, other beaches like Halape Cove can be enjoyed by adventurous travelers. After backpacking through the rugged jungle formed by the rich volcanic soil, the beaches of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park are a truly one-of-a-kind sight.

View of Glacier Bay National Park in Alaska

While the beaches in Alaska may not be full of white sand and warm ocean water, there is something inherently beautiful about these northern shores. Lined with wildlife, from river otters to sea lions, the beaches of Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve are some of the most enchanting places to see the region's spectacular beauty.

The namesake Glacier Bay is the crowning jewel of the park's beaches. With wildflowers in the spring, floating glaciers in the bay, and a variety of Alaska's iconic animals, a beach visit to Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve may just be the seaside getaway travelers didn't know they needed.

Canoers on the shore of Lake Superior in Isle Royale National Park, Michigan

When travelers think of beaches, they often think about crashing ocean waves along the coast. The US is home to thousands of lakes, however, and some of those lakes hide the best national park beaches in America.

One such example is Isle Royale National Park, a conglomeration of islands on the Great Lakes that features miles of lake beaches. Another national park that cannot be reached by car, the beaches of Isle Royale National Park are pristine. Despite being a lake beach, the depth of the Great Lakes means that not only is swimming, paddleboarding, and kayaking available, but snorkeling can be enjoyed as well.

Aerial view of Trunk Bay on St John Island, US Virgin Islands National Park, USA

While not part of the 50 states, the Virgin Islands are a territory of the United States, and the idyllic Virgin Islands National Park has some of the most beautiful national park beaches in the US.

Nearly half of the land protected by Virgin Islands National Park is underwater, so beachgoers often find themselves snorkeling off the shore to make the most of their visit. A tropical destination near the Caribbean, there is no doubt that the beaches of Virgin Islands National Park, including Salomon/Honeymoon Bay and Hawksnest Bay are perfect for casual visitors and avid ocean explorers alike.

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10 U.S. National Parks With Beaches - TheTravel

Space Station Crew Members Kick-Start New Year With Advanced Science – SciTechDaily

Four Expedition 70 crew members share New Years remarks. From left, Commander Andreas Mogensen of ESA, Flight Engineer Jasmin Moghbeli of NASA, Flight Engineer Satoshi Furukawa of JAXA, and Flight Engineer Loral OHara of NASA. Credit: NASA

The seven-member Expedition 70 crew was back to work after Monday saw an off-duty day for the International Space Station residents. A variety of activities took place in orbit on Tuesday, while some members conducted cleaning activities and others picked back up on scientific research to kick-start the new year.

Flight Engineer Loral OHara of NASA spent part of her day unstowing materials in the Combustion Integrated Rack to prep for the SoFIE-GEL investigation. As part of ongoing science, crew members study burning in microgravity to determine how material flammability is affected by fuel temperatures. To continue this research, OHara swapped out a used manifold gas bottle in the experiment with a new one. In the evening, she donned the Actiwatch to monitor sleep-wake patterns throughout the night.

Expedition 70 Flight Engineers (from left) Jasmin Moghbeli and Loral OHara, both from NASA, pose for a portrait inside the Destiny laboratory module. Credit: NASA

Flight Engineer Jasmin Moghbeli of NASA cleaned up in the Harmony module in the morning, then set out to replenish the water supply in the distribution and recovery reservoirs of Plant Habitat-06an investigation that studies the physiological and genetic responses to defense activation in wild-type tomatoes. Afterward, Moghbeli began an experiment to test the efficiency of an antimicrobial coating in space.

Commander Andreas Mogensen of ESA (European Space Agency) began the day swapping out the heart rate monitor on CEVIS, the stations bicycle. He then completed a robotics training session, practicing the capture of a cargo craft, reviewing how to control free-flying assistants, and operating the robotic arm. After lunch, Mogensen deployed the Life Sciences Glovebox that will be used for ongoing science activities this week, then analyzed water from the stations water processor assembly.

ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut and Expedition 70 Commander Andreas Mogensen gets ready for the Christmas season and poses for a fun portrait wearing a Santa Claus hat. Credit: NASA

Meanwhile, Satoshi Furukawa of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) hydrated and incubated production packs for the BioNutrients-1 investigation which uses technology for on-demand production of human nutrients over long-duration missions.

The three cosmonauts aboard the orbiting laboratoryOleg Kononenko, Nikolai Chub, and Konstantin Borisovsplit up maintenance duties on Tuesday. Kononenko ran the 3D printer in Zvezda and audited cargo in the Prichal module, while Chub conducted maintenance on the water management system and Borisov inventoried accessories of the Roscosmos docking system.

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Space Station Crew Members Kick-Start New Year With Advanced Science - SciTechDaily

NASA Laser Reflecting Instruments to Help Pinpoint Earth Measurements – NASA

The best known use of GPS satellites is to help people know their location whether driving a car, navigating a ship or plane, or trekking across remote territory. Another important, but lesser-known, use is to distribute information to other Earth-viewing satellites to help them pinpoint measurements of our planet.

NASA and several other federal agencies, including the U.S. Space Force, U.S. Space Command,the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency are improving the location accuracy of these measurements down to the millimeter with a new set of laser retroreflector arrays, or LRAs.

The primary benefit of laser ranging and LRAs is to improve the geolocation of all of our Earth observations, said Stephen Merkowitz, project manager for NASAs Space Geodesy Project at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

A team of scientists and engineers with the project tested these arrays earlier this year to ensure they were up to their task and they could withstand the harsh environment of space. Recently the first set of these new laser retroreflector arrays was shipped to the U.S. Space Force and Lockheed Martin in Littleton, Colorado, to be added to the next generation of GPS satellites.

How do Laser Retroreflector Arrays Work?

Laser retroreflector arrays make it possible to do laser ranging using small bursts of laser light to detect distances between objects. Pulses of laser light from a ground station are directed toward an orbiting satellite, which then reflect off the array and return to the station. The time it takes for the light to travel from the ground to the satellite and back again can be used to calculate the distance between the satellite and the ground.

Laser ranging and laser retroreflector arrays have been part of space missions for decades, and they are currently mounted on and essential to the operation of Earth-viewing satellites like ICESat-2 (Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation satellite 2), SWOT (Surface Water and Ocean Topography), and GRACE-FO (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Follow On). LRAs for laser ranging were even deployed on the surface of the Moon during the Apollo missions.

The LRAs are special mirrors, said Merkowitz. Theyre different from a normal mirror because they bounce back light directly towards its original source.

For laser ranging, scientists want to direct light beams back to the original source. They do this by placing three mirrors at right angles, essentially forming an inside corner of a cube. The laser retroreflector arrays are made up of an array of 48 of these mirrored corners.

When light enters the array, due to those 90-degree angles, the light will bounce and take a series of reflections, but the output angle will always come out at the same angle as the one that came in, said Zach Denny, optical engineer for the Space Geodesy Project at Goddard.

What Will Laser Retroreflector Arrays Help?

Geodesy is the study of Earths shape, as well as its gravity and rotation, and how they all change over time. Laser ranging to laser retroreflector arrays is a key technique in this study.

The surface of Earth is constantly changing in small ways due to shifting tectonic plates, melting ice, and other natural phenomena. With these constant shifts and the fact that Earth is not a perfect sphere there must be a way to define the measurements on Earths surface. Scientists call this a reference frame.

Not only do these arrays and laser ranging help to precisely locate the satellites in orbit, but they also provide accurate positioning information for the ground stations back on Earth. With this information, scientists can even go so far as to find the center of the mass of Earth, which is the origin, or zero point, of the reference frame.

Geodetic measurements laser ranging to reference satellites like LAGEOS (Laser Geodynamic Satellites) are used to constantly determine the location of Earths center of mass down to a millimeter. These measurements are critical for enabling scientists to assign a longitude and latitude to satellite measurements and put them on a map.

Significant events like tsunamis and earthquakes can cause small changes to the Earths center of mass. Scientists need accurate laser ranging measurements to quantify and understand those changes, said Linda Thomas, a research engineer at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory in Washington.

Satellite measurements of subtle but important Earth phenomena, such as sea level rise, rely on an accurate reference frame. The long-term global trend of sea level rise, as well as its seasonal and regional variations, occur at rates of just a few millimeters a year. The reference frame needs to be more accurate than such changes if scientists want to accurately measure them.

Geodesy is a fundamental part of our daily lives because it tells us where we are and it tells us how the world is changing, said Frank Lemoine, project scientist for NASAs Space Geodesy Project.

ByErica McNameeNASAs Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

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NASA Laser Reflecting Instruments to Help Pinpoint Earth Measurements - NASA