How AI Is Decoding Ancient Scrolls | Julian Schilliger and Youssef Nader | TED

AI has the potential to change our understanding of historical texts through advanced imaging technology. Researchers, including Youssef Nader and Julian, work on unrolling the charred scrolls from Herculaneum using machine learning and computer vision methods. The challenge involved digitally unrolling the scrolls and making the ink visible, leveraging CT scans and innovative AI techniques. With successful iterations, they recovered over 2,000 letters, revealing knowledge locked away for almost two millennia, showcasing AI's transformative power in archaeology and historical research.

Using CT scan technology aims to digitize and digitally unroll the scrolls.

Vesuvius Challenge incentivizes global participation to solve scroll unrolling issues.

Carbon ink on carbon papyrus presents visibility challenges in CT scans.

Achieved 85% clarity recovering over 14 columns of text using iterative AI models.

AI Expert Commentary about this Video

AI Archaeology Expert

The integration of AI with archaeology opens new avenues for historical discovery. In this project, machine learning algorithms significantly enhanced the ability to recover unreadable texts from ancient scrolls. The collaborative approach, combining efforts from various disciplines, exemplifies how AI can provide innovative solutions to longstanding challenges in archaeology, paving the way for future research and discoveries.

AI Ethics and Governance Expert

Ethical considerations regarding the use of AI in archaeology are paramount. This project illustrates the fine line between technological advancement and the rightful ownership of cultural knowledge. As AI facilitates discoveries, it is essential to address who benefits from these recovered texts and how this knowledge is disseminated, ensuring the involvement of original communities and stakeholders in decisions surrounding these historical artifacts.

Key AI Terms Mentioned in this Video

Machine Learning

In the context of this project, machine learning was used to identify and recover letters from charred scrolls.

Computer Vision

Computer vision techniques were crucial for digitally unrolling scrolls by analyzing CT scan images.

CT Scan

The research team applied CT scans to visualize and assess the structure of rolled-up papyrus scrolls.

Companies Mentioned in this Video

University of Kentucky

The university's researchers developed the initial methods to analyze scrolls using CT scanning technology.

Mentions: 5

Vesuvius Challenge

The challenge attracted global thinkers to solve complex problems faced in the recovery of lost texts.

Mentions: 3

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