Scientists at Oxford University will attempt to recover the writings of a Greek philosopher , dating from between 162 and 217 AD , which were destroyed in the 11th century . The scientists will bombard the manuscript – written by Galen of Pergamona , a physician who treated the Roman gladiators – with X - rays from a particle accelerator , which allows them to see the " scrubbed lettering " of the original text beneath the Christian Psalms which it was replaced with . and it’s going to make the elements that are in the sample fluoresce,” he said. The technology can also be used to spot forgeries .
Scientists at Oxford University will attempt to recover the writings of a Greek philosopher , dating from between 162 and 217 AD , which were destroyed in the 11th century . The scientists will bombard the manuscript – written by Galen of Pergamona , a physician who treated the Roman gladiators – with X - rays from a particle accelerator , which allows them to see the " scrubbed lettering " of the original text beneath the Christian Psalms which it was replaced with . The technology can also be used to spot forgeries .