The earliest known copy of work by Archimedes. Sir Isaac Newton’s sketch of how a rainbow is formed. Gutenberg and other early Bibles and Muslim manuscripts. All these historical objects have been digitized by Michael B. Toth and his colleagues in humanities and science. Using powerful sensors and computers—and even a repurposed particle accelerator—and working with museums, universities, and private collectors, they mine everything from manuscripts to fossils to treasured government documents to historical astronomical plates for new information about their content and creation. Among the institutions that have asked for such advanced technical studies are the National Museum of Asian Art, national libraries, Princeton University, and the Center for Astrophysics.
Toth, president of R. B. Toth Associates, discusses ongoing work on historic objects and offers examples of texts and objects that have been digitized and shared using the latest advanced imaging systems.
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