Hyperspectral imaging
And, now, finally, this brings us to the subject of photography. I told you I wouldn't let you down! You see, the Monastery of St. Catherine at the base of Mount Sinai is getting some shiny new toys.

They're starting with a camera that can take photos up to a resolution of 72 megapixels. Back in the late 19th-century, biblical researchers decided to try to see what the pages of the Codex Sinaiticus were hiding. So, like good researchers, they dunked the thing in toxic chemicals. For a few moments, some underlying text was made visible, but the result was the parchment became far more brittle. Good going, guys!

Today, it's impossible to get an exact view of the parchment. So researchers are using up to four of these massive digital cameras. "We're taking images from different angles and then knitting the image together, electronically pulling it flat because we may not be able to pull it flat physically," according to Nicholas Pickwoad, a rare book historian who's an advisor to the project.

The technique, called hyperspectral imaging, will use a camera to photograph the parchments at different wavelengths of light, helping researchers see the hidden text and how the document changed over time.

Hyperspectral imaging has been used to map the earth. As Figure C shows, the technique has been used to map water vapor, minerals, chlorophyll concentrations, and more. Now, however, the same basic techniques are going to be applied to biblical science.

FIGURE C


Hyperspectral imaging is used commonly in land management and analysis. Roll over picture for a larger image.

The technology should allow scholars to read the faint remnants of a washed-out 5th-century text which lie underneath visible 8th-century writing. The underlying text in Syriac is a copy of a 2nd-century translation of the New Testament gospels.

This is the very same technology that the military is using to "see" though camouflage and screening materials. It's a technology that allows soldiers to distinguish between the spectral emissions from man-made and natural materials, significantly improving the detection and identification of hidden intruders and equipment. It's also a technology that's being used to fight terrorism, and to detect hidden objects and people during port inspections and hostage situations.

Apparently, the monks at the Monastery of St. Catherine are still a little pissed at the Russians and Constantine Tishendorf. The Greek Orthodox monks keep (and show at every opportunity) a framed copy of a note left by Tishendorf promising to return the manuscript. Conveniently left out of the church's revised history is how the monks of the 1850s sold the manuscript off to the Russians in return for some influence in church politics and 9,000 rubles (about 18 bucks in today's money).

The monastery has agreed to participate in the project (and, incidentally, get a very slick conservation workshop and a brand new library) on the condition the project includes updating the history of the Codex Sinaiticus. Time has not dulled the wheeler-dealer skills of these remote monks in the slightest.

Perhaps now, after more than 1,700 years, we'll have a chance to know what the Bible really says. Then, perhaps, we can find out who shot J.R., whether there really was a single bullet that killed JFK, and whether Elvis is truly dead.

Joe is a ZATZ associate editor. Prior to this job, he was customer support manager for the FileFlex database engine.