Latest news with #historians
Washington Post
a day ago
- Science
- Washington Post
Shipwreck of Revolutionary War frigate resurfaces on Scottish beach
LONDON — Ferocious winter storms are not unusual on the remote island of Sanday, jutting off Scotland's northern coast. But when a storm buffeted a beach there last year, a long-buried surprise was revealed beneath the sand: A 30-foot-long wooden shipwreck. The mystery of the oak hull's provenance was revealed Wednesday by a team of archaeologists and historians: The wreck was probably HMS Hind, a British frigate that once fought in the American Revolutionary War and sank off the island over 230 years ago.
BBC News
a day ago
- 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 Independent
15-07-2025
- The Independent
Nearly century-old lodge destroyed for a second time
The Grand Canyon Lodge, a nearly century-old historic structure on the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, was destroyed by a wind-whipped wildfire. The lightning-caused wildfire, which started on July 4, rapidly consumed the lodge and dozens of other structures after winds shifted. Designed in 1927, the lodge was the only accommodation on the North Rim and was cherished for its magnificent views and tranquil atmosphere. The destruction has devastated many visitors and historians who considered the lodge an intrinsic part of the park's history and appeal. This is not the first time the lodge has been destroyed; it burned down in 1932 and was rebuilt in 1938, leading to optimism that it will be regenerated again.
The National
14-07-2025
- Science
- The National
Unesco listing is a boost for the UAE's cultural heritage
It is a matter of pride for any country when it can add to its list of accomplishments a heritage site recognised by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation. The UAE on Friday added a second to its tally of such laurels, with Unesco listing Sharjah's Faya palaeolandscape – after a collection of Al Ain's cultural sites was added in 2011. Both these entries are in illustrious company, with the sizeable number of heritage sites in Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Jordan, as indeed elsewhere in the Middle East and around the world. The designation of a heritage site adds to a country's prestige, and indicates its contribution to human culture and history. The buzz that is generated contributes significantly to the local culture, the environment and invariably boosts local tourism. The UAE's listing is likely to generate interest from all who call it come, citizens and residents, including students and hobbyists, as well as overseas enthusiasts who may be inclined to see for themselves what the Faya range looks like up close, and how this chain of limestone outcrops has over several decades helped historians and archaeologists gain a better understanding of human history in this part of the world. Visitors will probably also be interested in, and want to learn more about, how the site will be preserved and what the responsibility – that comes with the honour of the listing – of its sustainable upkeep will entail. Such interest can generate a healthy engagement and pride in national heritage. "For over 210,000 years, this site has borne witness to the story of human innovation, resilience and adaptation in an arid environment,' Sheikha Bodour, ambassador for the Faya Palaeolandscape World Heritage Nomination, told The National. 'As one of the most important archaeological sites around the world, Faya Palaeolandscape is a living testament to humanity's early presence in this region.' The Unesco listing – plus the announcement that Sheikh Zayed National Museum is opening in December – is a further reminder that the UAE, even as it is focused on the future, developing smart technologies and harnessing the power of artificial intelligence, is invested in its past. This is especially significant in a region that has seen immeasurable damage done to places of historical interest through the brutality and destruction of war. Even amid the extensive destruction of countless sites in the Middle East, however, there are stories of rebirth, in terms of restoration. There are severable notable examples of the UAE's commitment to preserve its heritage within the borders of the country. But it extends further – for example, in the rehabilitation in northern Iraq of the 12th-century Al Nuri mosque and the two churches, Al Tahera and Al Saa'a destroyed by ISIS a decade ago. The UAE donated $50.4 million towards its restoration, along with providing expertise and support and co-ordinating reconstruction. Such efforts to rehabilitate and give due glory to historic monuments goes a long way in strengthening cultural understanding and imbibing especially in younger generations – some of whom have only seen the very worst of war and humanity – a sense of the past and the imperative of proper respect being accorded to historic sites. As the UAE takes requisite measures in conserving the Faya palaeolandscape, welcoming visitors and researchers, it becomes an important symbol of remaining connected to the history of the land, and in doing so preserving a significant part of the larger history of the wider world.
CTV News
07-07-2025
- CTV News
Windsor slasher anniversary
Windsor Watch Historians recount Riverside slashings from 80 years ago. CTV Windsor's Travis Fortnum has more.
