Latest news with #MaryBeard
BBC News
23-07-2025
- Science
- BBC News
Gaps in what we know about ancient Romans could be filled by AI
A new AI tool has the potential to turbocharge our understanding of all human history, researchers intelligence has already been used to fill in gaps in ancient Roman scrolls, but a new system goes much can fill in missing words from ancient Roman inscriptions carved on monuments and everyday objects, as well as dating and placing them often introduces errors in its analysis of even simple modern texts, so there are concerns that relying too much on this technology might distort rather than enhance our understanding of history. But historian Prof Dame Mary Beard of Cambridge University has described the technology as potentially "transformative" to our study of past said that the system, called Aeneas, after a Greek and Roman mythological figure, could accelerate the rate at which historians piece together the past from ancient texts."Breakthroughs in this very difficult field have tended to rely on the memory, the subjective judgement and the hunch/guesswork of individual scholars, supported by traditional, encyclopaedic databases. Aeneas opens up entirely new horizons." Ancient inscriptions are usually incomplete, of unknown origin and date, and often all three. Historians and classicists attempt to fill in the blanks by drawing on texts that are similar in wording, grammar, appearance and cultural setting, known as 'parallels'. Ancient inscriptions tend to be formulaic so historians can often infer what the missing part of a sentence goes on to process is painstaking and can take months and years but opens new vistas in our understanding of the past, according to Dr Thea Sommerschield, an historian at Nottingham University, who co-led the research."Inscriptions are the earliest forms of writing. They are so precious to historians because they offer first-hand evidence for ancient histories, languages and societies."But they degrade over the centuries and interpreting them is like solving a gigantic jigsaw puzzle with tens of thousands of pieces, of which 90 per cent are lost." It's not the first time AI has been used to join up the missing dots in Roman this year, another team of scientists digitally "unwrapped" a badly burnt scroll from the Roman town of Herculaneum using a combination of X-ray imaging and AI, revealing rows and columns of Sommerschield developed Aeneas along with her co-research leader Dr Yannis Assael, an AI specialist at Google DeepMind. It automates the process of contextualising based on parallels, in the blink of an eye. Aeneas draws on a vast database of of 176,000 Roman inscriptions including images and uses a carefully designed AI system to pull up a range of relevant historical parallels, to support the work of historians, according to Dr Assael."What the historian can't do is assess these parallels in a matter of seconds across tens of thousands of inscriptions, and that is where AI can come in as an assistant."The team tested out the system in dating a famous Roman text at the Temple of Augustus in Ankara in Turkey, known as the queen of inscriptions because of its importance to our understanding of Roman history. The Res Gestae Divi Augusti was composed by the first Roman Emperor, Augustus, giving an account of his life and accomplishments. Its date is hotly contested among was able to narrow down the options to two possible ranges, the most likely being between 10 and 20 CE and a second slightly less likely range from 10 to 1 BCE. This showed the system's accuracy as most historians agree on these two as the most likely possibilities. In tests of the system with 23 historians the team found that an historian working with Aeneas came up with more accurate results than either Aeneas on its own or an historian on their own. "The feedback was that Aeneas was not only allowing the historians to accelerate their work but it also revealed parallels that they had previously not identified," according to Dr Sommerschield."And that is the future value of this work, not just to do what we do faster and better but also to do things we didn't think to do before."AI interpretation of even modern texts can be glitchy, so there is concern that mistakes could be made. But according to Dr Assael, Aeneas is a tool to guide historians, not a replacement for them."We acknowledge that AI might not be able to get everything right all the time and I don't think historians will work under that expectation," he said it would be down to human historians to weigh up Aeneus' predictions and decide which made more sense.
The Advertiser
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Advertiser
The best winter escape is a pile of fresh books
This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning. To sign up for FREE, go to The sun's early departure behind the escarpment used to fuel resentment. Any warmth turned quickly to chill. Muscles tightened, bones ached as night closed in after 4.30pm. I felt cheated. Winter, you always seemed mean, a bitter interlude between autumn's colourful glory and spring's message of hope and renewal. But you're changing. As each year passes, you grow milder. The frosts that once settled regularly have become rare, at least in this coastal hinterland. The skies of unrelenting grey are now more likely cobalt. And less than a week in and I can already count the sleeps until the days grow longer and you begin your return to the northern hemisphere, where I've always thought you belong. This year, I've resolved to seek out your charms and make the most of them. You see, I'm changing too. During the day, when you grace us with clear skies, I'll snatch a few minutes here, a few there, in that patch of sun that makes its way under the deck. Warmth in winter is precious, more so when delivered naturally by sunlight. It lifts the spirits and by helping the body to produce vitamin D boosts the health of muscles and bones. Not too much; a total of three hours per week will do. I'll find enrichment in your long nights, too, and not just with the hearty food the season demands - the soups; the pasta; the long, slow roasts. Winter is the season for reading and this year's headstart in autumn has me immersed in ancient Rome and Egypt. Mary Beard and Tom Holland have introduced me to the scandalous lives of the Roman emperors, opening my ears to the echoes now sounding in world affairs. Caligula, I see you in the White House! Guy de la Bedoyere is peeling back the mysteries of Tutankhamun's dynasty, revealing as he goes the immense difficulty faced by Egyptologists as they try to make sense of the ancient civilisation. After that, Islam Issa's history of Alexandria awaits. Only self-discipline prevents me from leap-frogging to it. The promise of losing myself in these fascinating stories bestows appeal on the long winter nights. I've even come to welcome them. As the house creaks and shudders in the cold, these histories transport me. They're inexpensive escapes into worlds unknown. So, winter, while you have me in your grip, I intend to make the most of it. The pile of books by the armchair will grow. So, too, the pile on the bedside table which already threatens to topple over. Not for me whiling away the nights in passive entrapment to the TV. Far better the adventures of the mind, which spring from the pages of books. As I write this, the shadows outside lengthen. The sun dips towards the escarpment. My thoughts turn to ancient Egypt and the evening's journey which lies ahead. HAVE YOUR SAY: Do you read more in winter? Do you prefer fiction or nonfiction? What book are reading now? Besides time to read, what are winter's other redeeming features? Email us: echidna@ SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: - Minimum wage earners will take home an extra $32 a week in pay after the industrial umpire handed nearly three million low-paid workers a wage rise above inflation. - The Greens are facing their "most serious test" as a party following the defection of a senator to Labor after a poor federal election result. - Minutes from the last Reserve Bank board meeting reveal why they came close to an unusually large cut, as the bank's chief economist outlines how they think Donald Trump's tariffs could hit the domestic economy. THEY SAID IT: "A home without books is a body without soul." - Marcus Tullius Cicero YOU SAID IT: A chat with Giuseppe and a delicious panini show that food shopping need not be joyless chore. Murray, who grew up in Christchurch in the 1960s, remembers his delight at the variety of food he found in local delicatessens when he moved to Australia. "It was a revelation. Over the last 20 years food shopping has gone a full circle. Everything is pre-packaged for your convenience. And to remove any sensory enjoyment whatsoever. It's all so dreary." All is not lost, writes Paul, who recently spent 10 weeks in Tasmania. "People were generally a lot friendlier, always having the time to chat. Overall, the produce was so much nicer than on the mainland. Sourdough bakeries everywhere, good coffee, great wineries, and nearly every town has weekend markets where you can buy local. Everything is close." Brad laments the changes: "Yes, there were delis, fruit shops, butchers and the ubiquitous milk bars in the '60s. And the proprietors were locals who knew our parents and us children by name. Now it's the super stores and the multinational franchises that inhabit every suburb. Time poor is matched by quality poor. Correlation with mental health crisis, anyone?" This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning. To sign up for FREE, go to The sun's early departure behind the escarpment used to fuel resentment. Any warmth turned quickly to chill. Muscles tightened, bones ached as night closed in after 4.30pm. I felt cheated. Winter, you always seemed mean, a bitter interlude between autumn's colourful glory and spring's message of hope and renewal. But you're changing. As each year passes, you grow milder. The frosts that once settled regularly have become rare, at least in this coastal hinterland. The skies of unrelenting grey are now more likely cobalt. And less than a week in and I can already count the sleeps until the days grow longer and you begin your return to the northern hemisphere, where I've always thought you belong. This year, I've resolved to seek out your charms and make the most of them. You see, I'm changing too. During the day, when you grace us with clear skies, I'll snatch a few minutes here, a few there, in that patch of sun that makes its way under the deck. Warmth in winter is precious, more so when delivered naturally by sunlight. It lifts the spirits and by helping the body to produce vitamin D boosts the health of muscles and bones. Not too much; a total of three hours per week will do. I'll find enrichment in your long nights, too, and not just with the hearty food the season demands - the soups; the pasta; the long, slow roasts. Winter is the season for reading and this year's headstart in autumn has me immersed in ancient Rome and Egypt. Mary Beard and Tom Holland have introduced me to the scandalous lives of the Roman emperors, opening my ears to the echoes now sounding in world affairs. Caligula, I see you in the White House! Guy de la Bedoyere is peeling back the mysteries of Tutankhamun's dynasty, revealing as he goes the immense difficulty faced by Egyptologists as they try to make sense of the ancient civilisation. After that, Islam Issa's history of Alexandria awaits. Only self-discipline prevents me from leap-frogging to it. The promise of losing myself in these fascinating stories bestows appeal on the long winter nights. I've even come to welcome them. As the house creaks and shudders in the cold, these histories transport me. They're inexpensive escapes into worlds unknown. So, winter, while you have me in your grip, I intend to make the most of it. The pile of books by the armchair will grow. So, too, the pile on the bedside table which already threatens to topple over. Not for me whiling away the nights in passive entrapment to the TV. Far better the adventures of the mind, which spring from the pages of books. As I write this, the shadows outside lengthen. The sun dips towards the escarpment. My thoughts turn to ancient Egypt and the evening's journey which lies ahead. HAVE YOUR SAY: Do you read more in winter? Do you prefer fiction or nonfiction? What book are reading now? Besides time to read, what are winter's other redeeming features? Email us: echidna@ SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: - Minimum wage earners will take home an extra $32 a week in pay after the industrial umpire handed nearly three million low-paid workers a wage rise above inflation. - The Greens are facing their "most serious test" as a party following the defection of a senator to Labor after a poor federal election result. - Minutes from the last Reserve Bank board meeting reveal why they came close to an unusually large cut, as the bank's chief economist outlines how they think Donald Trump's tariffs could hit the domestic economy. THEY SAID IT: "A home without books is a body without soul." - Marcus Tullius Cicero YOU SAID IT: A chat with Giuseppe and a delicious panini show that food shopping need not be joyless chore. Murray, who grew up in Christchurch in the 1960s, remembers his delight at the variety of food he found in local delicatessens when he moved to Australia. "It was a revelation. Over the last 20 years food shopping has gone a full circle. Everything is pre-packaged for your convenience. And to remove any sensory enjoyment whatsoever. It's all so dreary." All is not lost, writes Paul, who recently spent 10 weeks in Tasmania. "People were generally a lot friendlier, always having the time to chat. Overall, the produce was so much nicer than on the mainland. Sourdough bakeries everywhere, good coffee, great wineries, and nearly every town has weekend markets where you can buy local. Everything is close." Brad laments the changes: "Yes, there were delis, fruit shops, butchers and the ubiquitous milk bars in the '60s. And the proprietors were locals who knew our parents and us children by name. Now it's the super stores and the multinational franchises that inhabit every suburb. Time poor is matched by quality poor. Correlation with mental health crisis, anyone?" This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning. To sign up for FREE, go to The sun's early departure behind the escarpment used to fuel resentment. Any warmth turned quickly to chill. Muscles tightened, bones ached as night closed in after 4.30pm. I felt cheated. Winter, you always seemed mean, a bitter interlude between autumn's colourful glory and spring's message of hope and renewal. But you're changing. As each year passes, you grow milder. The frosts that once settled regularly have become rare, at least in this coastal hinterland. The skies of unrelenting grey are now more likely cobalt. And less than a week in and I can already count the sleeps until the days grow longer and you begin your return to the northern hemisphere, where I've always thought you belong. This year, I've resolved to seek out your charms and make the most of them. You see, I'm changing too. During the day, when you grace us with clear skies, I'll snatch a few minutes here, a few there, in that patch of sun that makes its way under the deck. Warmth in winter is precious, more so when delivered naturally by sunlight. It lifts the spirits and by helping the body to produce vitamin D boosts the health of muscles and bones. Not too much; a total of three hours per week will do. I'll find enrichment in your long nights, too, and not just with the hearty food the season demands - the soups; the pasta; the long, slow roasts. Winter is the season for reading and this year's headstart in autumn has me immersed in ancient Rome and Egypt. Mary Beard and Tom Holland have introduced me to the scandalous lives of the Roman emperors, opening my ears to the echoes now sounding in world affairs. Caligula, I see you in the White House! Guy de la Bedoyere is peeling back the mysteries of Tutankhamun's dynasty, revealing as he goes the immense difficulty faced by Egyptologists as they try to make sense of the ancient civilisation. After that, Islam Issa's history of Alexandria awaits. Only self-discipline prevents me from leap-frogging to it. The promise of losing myself in these fascinating stories bestows appeal on the long winter nights. I've even come to welcome them. As the house creaks and shudders in the cold, these histories transport me. They're inexpensive escapes into worlds unknown. So, winter, while you have me in your grip, I intend to make the most of it. The pile of books by the armchair will grow. So, too, the pile on the bedside table which already threatens to topple over. Not for me whiling away the nights in passive entrapment to the TV. Far better the adventures of the mind, which spring from the pages of books. As I write this, the shadows outside lengthen. The sun dips towards the escarpment. My thoughts turn to ancient Egypt and the evening's journey which lies ahead. HAVE YOUR SAY: Do you read more in winter? Do you prefer fiction or nonfiction? What book are reading now? Besides time to read, what are winter's other redeeming features? Email us: echidna@ SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: - Minimum wage earners will take home an extra $32 a week in pay after the industrial umpire handed nearly three million low-paid workers a wage rise above inflation. - The Greens are facing their "most serious test" as a party following the defection of a senator to Labor after a poor federal election result. - Minutes from the last Reserve Bank board meeting reveal why they came close to an unusually large cut, as the bank's chief economist outlines how they think Donald Trump's tariffs could hit the domestic economy. THEY SAID IT: "A home without books is a body without soul." - Marcus Tullius Cicero YOU SAID IT: A chat with Giuseppe and a delicious panini show that food shopping need not be joyless chore. Murray, who grew up in Christchurch in the 1960s, remembers his delight at the variety of food he found in local delicatessens when he moved to Australia. "It was a revelation. Over the last 20 years food shopping has gone a full circle. Everything is pre-packaged for your convenience. And to remove any sensory enjoyment whatsoever. It's all so dreary." All is not lost, writes Paul, who recently spent 10 weeks in Tasmania. "People were generally a lot friendlier, always having the time to chat. Overall, the produce was so much nicer than on the mainland. Sourdough bakeries everywhere, good coffee, great wineries, and nearly every town has weekend markets where you can buy local. Everything is close." Brad laments the changes: "Yes, there were delis, fruit shops, butchers and the ubiquitous milk bars in the '60s. And the proprietors were locals who knew our parents and us children by name. Now it's the super stores and the multinational franchises that inhabit every suburb. Time poor is matched by quality poor. Correlation with mental health crisis, anyone?" This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning. To sign up for FREE, go to The sun's early departure behind the escarpment used to fuel resentment. Any warmth turned quickly to chill. Muscles tightened, bones ached as night closed in after 4.30pm. I felt cheated. Winter, you always seemed mean, a bitter interlude between autumn's colourful glory and spring's message of hope and renewal. But you're changing. As each year passes, you grow milder. The frosts that once settled regularly have become rare, at least in this coastal hinterland. The skies of unrelenting grey are now more likely cobalt. And less than a week in and I can already count the sleeps until the days grow longer and you begin your return to the northern hemisphere, where I've always thought you belong. This year, I've resolved to seek out your charms and make the most of them. You see, I'm changing too. During the day, when you grace us with clear skies, I'll snatch a few minutes here, a few there, in that patch of sun that makes its way under the deck. Warmth in winter is precious, more so when delivered naturally by sunlight. It lifts the spirits and by helping the body to produce vitamin D boosts the health of muscles and bones. Not too much; a total of three hours per week will do. I'll find enrichment in your long nights, too, and not just with the hearty food the season demands - the soups; the pasta; the long, slow roasts. Winter is the season for reading and this year's headstart in autumn has me immersed in ancient Rome and Egypt. Mary Beard and Tom Holland have introduced me to the scandalous lives of the Roman emperors, opening my ears to the echoes now sounding in world affairs. Caligula, I see you in the White House! Guy de la Bedoyere is peeling back the mysteries of Tutankhamun's dynasty, revealing as he goes the immense difficulty faced by Egyptologists as they try to make sense of the ancient civilisation. After that, Islam Issa's history of Alexandria awaits. Only self-discipline prevents me from leap-frogging to it. The promise of losing myself in these fascinating stories bestows appeal on the long winter nights. I've even come to welcome them. As the house creaks and shudders in the cold, these histories transport me. They're inexpensive escapes into worlds unknown. So, winter, while you have me in your grip, I intend to make the most of it. The pile of books by the armchair will grow. So, too, the pile on the bedside table which already threatens to topple over. Not for me whiling away the nights in passive entrapment to the TV. Far better the adventures of the mind, which spring from the pages of books. As I write this, the shadows outside lengthen. The sun dips towards the escarpment. My thoughts turn to ancient Egypt and the evening's journey which lies ahead. HAVE YOUR SAY: Do you read more in winter? Do you prefer fiction or nonfiction? What book are reading now? Besides time to read, what are winter's other redeeming features? Email us: echidna@ SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: - Minimum wage earners will take home an extra $32 a week in pay after the industrial umpire handed nearly three million low-paid workers a wage rise above inflation. - The Greens are facing their "most serious test" as a party following the defection of a senator to Labor after a poor federal election result. - Minutes from the last Reserve Bank board meeting reveal why they came close to an unusually large cut, as the bank's chief economist outlines how they think Donald Trump's tariffs could hit the domestic economy. THEY SAID IT: "A home without books is a body without soul." - Marcus Tullius Cicero YOU SAID IT: A chat with Giuseppe and a delicious panini show that food shopping need not be joyless chore. Murray, who grew up in Christchurch in the 1960s, remembers his delight at the variety of food he found in local delicatessens when he moved to Australia. "It was a revelation. Over the last 20 years food shopping has gone a full circle. Everything is pre-packaged for your convenience. And to remove any sensory enjoyment whatsoever. It's all so dreary." All is not lost, writes Paul, who recently spent 10 weeks in Tasmania. "People were generally a lot friendlier, always having the time to chat. Overall, the produce was so much nicer than on the mainland. Sourdough bakeries everywhere, good coffee, great wineries, and nearly every town has weekend markets where you can buy local. Everything is close." Brad laments the changes: "Yes, there were delis, fruit shops, butchers and the ubiquitous milk bars in the '60s. And the proprietors were locals who knew our parents and us children by name. Now it's the super stores and the multinational franchises that inhabit every suburb. Time poor is matched by quality poor. Correlation with mental health crisis, anyone?"
