Scientists re-created the Herculaneum scrolls. They found a clue to decoding hidden text

Researchers charred a replica papyrus scroll in a low-oxygen chamber to re-create the conditions that carbonized, but did not destroy, the ancient Herculaneum scrolls. - Douglas Seiler Charred to a crisp during Mount Vesuvius' eruption in AD 79, hundreds of papyrus scrolls lie tucked away unread in Italy's National Library of Naples.

The majority of these carbonized artifacts, known as the Herculaneum scrolls , are so fragile that they can't be physically unrolled. Now, researchers and citizen scientists alike are using X-ray technology and advanced artificial intelligence to unlock the writings of ancient authors hidden within.