be able to see whether the conclusions of Diatribe still seemed satisfactory or not. They therefore recommended that publication should be delayed. Before publication in 1661, Kircher added a discussion about the appearance of crosses on fruit and meat, arguing that, like linen, these were fibrous materials capable of producing the same effect on their surfaces. The work was widely disparaged, and in 1677, Gioseffo Petrucci published Prodromo apologetico alli studi chircheriani which sought to defend Kircher against those who thought his explanation of the phenomenon was too credulous. References External links digital copy of Diatribe Volcanology 1661 in science 1661 books Natural philosophy Athanasius Kircher