DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Ancient beach destroyed by Mount Vesuvius eruption in AD79 reopens after restoration
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-19 | by ( Sharon Braithwaite | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —An ancient beach that was destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius nearly 2,000 years ago has reopened to the public after restoration works. It reopened to the public Wednesday following years of archaeological excavations and restoration works, during which human remains and other evidence of the eruption were discovered. A view of the ancient beach, with the skeletons of the fugitive victims of the eruption of Vesuvius in 79AD, open to the public for the first time. “Herculaneum, Pompeii, Oplontis: we are working on many projects”, the Italian Minister of Culture Gennaro Sangiuliano said Wednesday. Because we are convinced that this will represent a opportunity for socio-economic development,” he added.

Persons: Pliny the Elder, Francesco Sirano, Marco Cantile, Gennaro Sangiuliano, ” Organizations: CNN, “, UNESCO Locations: Vesuvius, 79AD, Herculaneum, Oplontis, Italian

☆ Dutch tourist accused of graffitiing ancient Roman villa in Herculaneum
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-05 | by ( Story Reuters | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Reuters —A tourist from the Netherlands has defaced a frescoed wall in an ancient Roman house in Herculaneum, near Naples, damaging a building that survived the volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, Italian police said on Monday. The police statement said the 27-year-old tourist was swiftly identified after staff at the archaeological site discovered tagged graffiti writing made with a black, indelible marker pen on a white section of a painted wall. The tourist, who was not named, faces charges of damage and defacement of artistic works. It is not the first time that historical monuments have been vandalised by tourists in Italy. In response to repeated acts of vandalism, Italy this year introduced tougher penalties on those who damage monuments and cultural sites, imposing fines of up to €40,000 (around $43,500) for those found guilty of defacing monuments.

Persons: Gennaro Sangiuliano, Emanuele II Organizations: Reuters, Police, Galleria Locations: Netherlands, Herculaneum, Naples, Vesuvius, Italy, England

☆ New mission could reveal secrets of the moon’s ‘hidden side’
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-04 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

In one lunar region, Japan’s “Moon Sniper” mission has beaten the odds and survived three long, frigid lunar nights since its sideways landing on January 19. The Tianwen-2 mission will visit the space rock later this decade. But first, China has set its sights on returning to the moon’s “hidden side.”An illustration depicts the far side of the moon, with Earth behind it. Since the Chang’e 4 mission in 2019, China remains the only country to have landed on the moon’s far side, sometimes called the “dark side” of the moon. Scientists hope that returning samples from the far side could solve some of the biggest remaining lunar mysteries, including the moon’s true origin.

Persons: Graziano Ranocchia, Ranocchia, Plato, Emma Pomeroy, “ She’s, ”, Pomeroy, Armas Rakus, Suni Williams, Butch Wilmore, Kevin Bacon, Ashley Strickland, Katie Hunt Organizations: CNN, Engineers, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, NASA, Apollo, Platonic Academy of Athens, University of Pisa, Netflix, University of Cambridge, Norton Disney, Archaeology Group, Roman, International Space, CNN Space, Science Locations: China, Kurdistan, Gunung Leuser, South Aceh, Indonesia, Morocco

☆ Ancient text reveals details of Plato’s burial place and final evening, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Barbie Latza Nadeau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

It was previously only known that he was buried in the academy, but not specifically where, Ranocchia told CNN Tuesday. A statue of ancient Greek philosopher Plato in Athens, Greece. Brigida Soriano/AlamyThe text also provides more detail about Plato’s final night – and he wasn’t a fan of the music that was played. The project, called the Greek Schools project, is a five-year study using various technologies and methods to help decipher the fragile papyri. “The new readings often draw on new and concrete facts about Plato’s Academy, Hellenistic literature, Philodemus of Gadara and ancient history in general.”

Persons: Plato, Graziano Ranocchia, Ranocchia, Roman general Sulla, Brigida Soriano, ”, ” Ranocchia, Socrates, Julius Caesar, Lorenzo Di Cola, ” Kilian Fleischer Organizations: CNN, Platonic Academy of Athens, of Philology, University of Pisa, Platonic, Spartans, University of Naples, European Union, ERC – European Research Council, Greek Schools, Plato’s Academy Locations: Vesuvius, Athens, Greece, Thrace, Naples, Mesopotamia, Aegina, Sicily, Herculaneum, Italy

☆ The genius Roman creations that still amaze us today
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-23 | by ( Guy Kesteven | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

That’s because Roman passions for outrageous, oversized architecture went hand in hand with detailed record-keeping and relentless imperial PR. We should warn you that the lines to get in now are likely even longer than the Roman ones though. While it was forgotten for over 1,000 years, this UNESCO World Heritage site now gets over 2,500,000 visitors a year. Mahmud Turkia/AFP/Getty ImagesWhat: Spectacularly preserved Roman portWhere: Libyan coastWhoa: Seeing is still not believingThe undoubted winner of the “most incredible Roman site you’ve never heard of” award is Lepcis Magna. That’s made this dramatic structure a designated UNESCO World Heritage site and well worth a visit on any Roman road trip across Europe.

Persons: Genghis, Marco Cantile, Volcanically, Pliny, hadn’t, That’s, Pont du, Pont, it’s, Mahmud Turkia, you’ve, Magna, Septimus Severus, “, Emperor Augustus, Tiberius, Domitian, Nero, Maximus, Don’t, Augustus, Vindolanda, Hadrian, Antonine, Aphrodisia, Caracalla, Caracalla aren’t, Diocletian, Guy Kesteven, Sarah, Freya Organizations: CNN, Scottish Borders, UNESCO, Heritage, Lepcis Magna, Getty, Coliseum, YouTube, Royal Holloway University Locations: Rome, Africa, Scottish, Italy, Herculaneum, Naples, Mount, Gardon, France, AFP, Libyan, Libya, Palatine Hill, Trier, Germany, Europe, England, Roman, Scotland, Anatolia, Turkey, Aphrodisia, Caracalla

☆ Herculaneum scrolls: Philosopher’s words emerge from ancient artifacts
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-10 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

And now, researchers investigating artifacts from the neighboring city of Herculaneum are using new technology to peek beneath Vesuvius’ blanket of ash and mud to uncover more of history’s best kept secrets. The wonderOne of the Herculaneum scrolls undergoes analysis using lasers. EduceLab/University of KentuckyArtificial intelligence has revealed the first nearly complete passages to be decoded from the charred, brittle Herculaneum scrolls. Mimas could change the way scientists understand ocean worlds across our solar system, which may harbor life beyond Earth. They find wonder in planets beyond our solar system and discoveries from the ancient world.

Persons: Julius Caesar’s, papyrologists, Philodemus, ”, Roger Macfarlane, Drake, Nima Sarikhani, Joshua Newton, Frédéric, IMCCE Mimas, —, Ashley Strickland, Katie Hunt Organizations: CNN, University of Kentucky, Brigham Young University, Wildlife, Perth Zoo, Curtin University’s School, Molecular, Life Sciences, “, PACE, CNN Space, Science Locations: Herculaneum, South America, Antarctica, British, Western, London

☆ 3 students won $700,000 for using AI to translate 2 tweets worth of text from previously unreadable ancient scrolls
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-10 | by ( Lakshmi Varanasi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Three students won the Vesuvius Challenge for uncovering text in the Herculaneum papyri. The students were awarded a $700,000 prize after using AI to uncover the passages. “This is the society from which the modern Western world is descended.”The Herculaneum papyri were buried thousands of years ago during the eruption of Mt. The Vesuvius Challenge hopes entrants will help uncover about 90% of the first four scrolls. AdvertisementThe founders of the Vesuvius Challenge hope they’ll be able to crack open and read the entirety of all 800 scrolls in the next few years.

Persons: —, Youssef Nader, Luke Farritor, Julian Schilliger, ” Nader, Julius Caesar’s, ” Robert Fowler, Salvatore Laporta, Nat Friedman, Daniel Gross, Brent Seales —, Seales, uncracked, Philodemus, Friedman, …, fihs9ADb48 — Nat Friedman, they’ll Organizations: Service, Freie University, Wall Street, University of Nebraska, ETH Zurich, Villa, Herculaneum Society, Bloomberg Locations: Berlin, Switzerland, Vesuvius, Italian, Herculaneum

☆ Elon Musk wants to get in on the action to decipher 2,000-year-old papyrus scrolls
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Elon Musk is keen to help with efforts to decode 2,000-year-old papyrus scrolls. In a post on X, the billionaire volunteered funds for the Vesuvius Challenge project. Musk told Bloomberg that he was in "favor of civilizational enlightenment." AdvertisementElon Musk wants to help with efforts to decode 2,000-year-old papyrus scrolls. AdvertisementThe Vesuvius Challenge is ongoing since the scrolls have only been partially deciphered.

Persons: Elon Musk, Musk, —, Skip, Nat Friedman, GitHub, Luke Farritor, Youssef Nader, Julian Schilliger Organizations: Bloomberg, Service, Musk Foundation, SpaceX, University of Nebraska, Business Locations: Herculaneum, Mount, Lincoln, Berlin, Swiss, Zurich

☆ First complete passages from ancient Herculaneum scroll decoded
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Taylor Nicioli | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —After using artificial intelligence to uncover the first word to be read from an unopened Herculaneum scroll, a team of researchers has revealed several nearly complete passages from the ancient text, giving insight into philosophy from almost 2,000 years ago. The Herculaneum scrolls are hundreds of papyri that survived the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79. By using computer technology and advanced artificial intelligence, researchers can now analyze the Herculaneum scrolls without unrolling and risking damage to the extremely fragile documents. The first word to be decoded, the Greek word for purple, was detected in October 2023 and can be found within the newly interpreted passages. The charred documents, now referred to as the Herculaneum scrolls, were recovered from a building believed to be the house of Julius Caesar’s father-in-law, according to the University of Kentucky.

Persons: ”, Brent Seales, Luke Farritor, Youssef Nader —, Julian Schilliger, Farritor, Nader, Schilliger, papyrologists, Seales, Julius Caesar’s, Philodemus, “ Philodemus, Roger Macfarlane, Macfarlane, that’s, ” Macfarlane Organizations: CNN, classicists, University of Kentucky, University of Nebraska, Freie University Berlin, ETH Zürich, Institut de France, Brigham Young University Locations: Vesuvius, England, France, Italy, Naples

☆ AI is setting humanity on the path to a new age of discovery
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Hasan Chowdhury | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. AI is paving the way to the future tooBill Gates-backed company KoBold Metals has used AI to discover a huge new copper mine. Chip Somodevilla/Getty ImagesAs well as seeing AI be used to excavate the past, it seems to be getting used to forge a path to the future too. Clearly then, billions of dollars aren't just being spent on AI for the sake of achieving some productivity and efficiency hacks. AI could also help usher humans into a new age of discovery.

Persons: —, Nat Friedman, Bill Gates, Chip Somodevilla, Jeff Bezos, Josh Goldman reckons Organizations: Service, Business, KoBold Metals, KoBold, Democratic Locations: Rome, Egypt, Switzerland, Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo

☆ AI helped decipher a philosopher's musings about 'pleasure' after they were buried by Vesuvius' eruption 2,000 years ago
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

An ancient Greek philosopher's musings about "pleasure" have been rediscovered thanks to AI. The passage is part of an ancient set of scrolls known as the Herculaneum papyri. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementAn ancient Greek philosopher's never-before-seen musings on life's pleasures have been rediscovered with the help of AI. The passage is part of a set of ancient scrolls known as the Herculaneum papyri.

Persons: —, philosopher's, Julius Caesar's Organizations: Service, Business Locations: Mount

☆ How seaweed shaped the past and could shape our future
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-21 | by ( Katie Hunt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Too often seaweed is portrayed as a slimy, smelly nuisance that disrupts beach trips and ocean swims. In fact, seaweed, officially a type of marine algae, is an untapped resource that could transform the planet and our health. Farmer Jean-Marie Pedron picks edible seaweed along a beach of Le Croisic in western France in March 2021, for a three-starred chef. As well as offering hope for the future, seaweed indelibly shaped our past, as a fascinating finding released this week has revealed. Hassanain Qambari & Jayden Dickson/Nikon Small World Photomicrography CompetitionCaffeine crystals in a kaleidoscope of color.

Persons: CNN —, Farmer Jean, Marie Pedron, Loic Venance, Vincent Doumeizel, Karen Hardy, —, James Webb, Luke Farritor, Salvatore Laporta, ”, papyrologist Michael McOsker, Farritor, Svante Pääbo, hominins, Hassanain Qambari, Jayden Dickson, Mona Lisa ”, Leonardo da Vinci, Ashley Strickland, Katie Hunt Organizations: CNN, Getty, United Nations, Telescope, National, AP, University of Nebraska, University College London, Diabetes, Nikon, Lions Eye Institute, CNN Space, Science Locations: Le Croisic, France, AFP, Orkney, Scotland, Mount, Naples, Italy, Europe, Altai, Central Asia, Australia, Alaska

casey newton[CHUCKLES]:: And it would be so funny if the AI actually already was deceptive and was just like, oh, yeah, Kevin, you’ve already figured us out. But I also think it’s part of this sort of undercurrent of the conversation, especially around AI right now. Marc Andreessen — he is clearly so angry at all of the people who criticize technology, technology companies, tech investors. And he is just really, really going after that crowd with this piece. brent sealesYou know I don’t really know.

Persons: kevin roose Casey, casey newton What’s, kevin roose, casey newton, hasn’t, kevin roose I’m, I’m, KEVIN, casey newton Yes, Kevin Roose, ” casey newton, Casey Newton, Marc Andreessen, Casey, we’ve, kevin roose Totally, Claude chatbot, Claude, Anthropic’s, chatbot, Anthropic hadn’t, Anthropic, Kevin, — they’re, roose, Meta, it’s, I’ve, Bard, casey newton It’s, there’s, you’ve, casey newton Yeah, didn’t, Kevin — I’m, it’ll, Kevin —, Andreessen Horowitz, Uncle Marc, ”, “ you’re, Tucker Carlson, Jesus Christ, casey newton Well, kevin roose Oh, he’s, McCarthy, —, Nick Land, casey newton Totally, You’re, Daron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson, It’s, Marc Andreessen —, they’re, Nietzschean supermen, Nietzschean, Marc, casey newton Heck, Andreessen, Marc Andreessen decries, Marc Andreessen’s, CASEY, kevin roose That’s, you’re, Nat Friedman, who’s, Daniel Gross, John, Patrick Collison, Toby Lutke, Shopify, Aaron Levie, Brent Seales, — casey newton, There’s, Luke Farritor, ” brent seales, brent seales, that’s, Seales, haters, brent seales That’s, you’ll, casey newton Yep, brent seales —, brent seales We’d, brent seales They’re, They’re, Luke, Brent, brent seales Pliny, Elder, Jesus, brent seales What’s, casey newton Right, we’re Organizations: YouTube, The New York Times, Facebook, Google, Intelligence, America, AIs, Stanford, Communist, Netscape, Fox News, Communist Party, Technology, Venture, Twitter, acc, kevin roose Venture, Companies, Meta, University of Kentucky, British Locations: ”, Anthropic, China, Florida, California, United States, Europe, Romanian, interpretability, Valley, America, Silicon, Silicon Valley, Vesuvius, Rome, Greece, Herculaneum, Venice, Roman

☆ Ancient Herculaneum scrolls are now readable due to AI technology, scientists say
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Taylor Nicioli | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —At first glance, the Herculaneum scrolls look unremarkable, like pieces of coal. Ancient scrolls uncovered from volcanic mudThe 79 AD eruption of Vesuvius, a volcano located near Naples, Italy, covered the ancient Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum in volcanic mud. Herculaneum and the scrolls remained buried until the city’s accidental rediscovery by a worker drilling for a well in the early 1700s, according to the Herculaneum Society. Approximately 1,100 carbonized scrolls, now referred to as the Herculaneum scrolls, were recovered from a building that was believed to be Julius Caesar’s father-in-law’s house, according to the University of Kentucky. “They wrote about love, they wrote about war, they wrote about peace, they argued with each other.

Persons: Luke Farritor, Brent, Brent Seales, Julius Caesar’s, Michael McOsker, ” McOsker, it’ll, Youssef Nader, —, Seales, ” Seales, “, that’s Organizations: CNN —, University of Nebraska, University of Kentucky, Herculaneum, University College London, Freie University Berlin Locations: Vesuvius, Naples, Italy, Herculaneum, papyrology

☆ A 21-year-old won $40,000 for using AI to read the first word on a 2,000-year-old papyrus scroll buried by Mount Vesuvius
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Jenny Mcgrath | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The scrolls can't be unrolled so the Vesuvius Challenge was launched to find alternative methods. Why the Herculaneum scrolls can't be read like normalWhen Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 CE, Pompeii wasn't the only town it obliterated. Those ancient scrolls then lay buried in mud for 1,700 years until they were finally excavated in 1752. AdvertisementAdvertisementAny attempts to unfurl the Herculaneum scrolls, which now resemble charcoal logs, would damage them beyond repair. Seth Parker and Brent Seales of the Digital Restoration Initiative project scan a replica of the Herculaneum scroll.

Persons: —, Luke Farritor, Farritor, Seth Parker, Brent Seales, University of Naples Federico, there's, University of Oxford Seales, it's Organizations: Service, University of Nebraska, University of Kentucky, University of Naples, Bodleian, University of Oxford Bodleian Library, University of Oxford Locations: Herculaneum

In the latest of a long string of tremors, a 4.0-magnitude earthquake hit the region of Campi Flegrei (Phlegraean Fields) Monday. Experts at INGV have warned authorities and residents that tremors could intensify in the near future as seismic activity continues. However, they have clarified that the intensity of the tremors doesn’t imply an increased or imminent risk of a new eruption. The Campi Flegrei area extends west from the outskirts of Naples to the Tyrrhenian Sea. The city of Naples is surrounded by volcanoes on both sides: Campi Flegrei to the west, and Mount Vesuvius to the east.

Persons: INGV, ”, De Astis, “, Flegrei, Giorgia Meloni, Nello Musumeci, ” De Astis Organizations: ROME, National Institute of Geophysics, INGV, Associated Press, National Research Council Locations: Italian, Naples, Campi, Flegri, Europe, Pozzuoli, Vesuvius, Herculaneum, Southern Campania, –

☆ Colombia raises alert level for deadly volcano on increased seismic activity
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] An aerial view of Nevado Del Ruiz volcano located on the border of Caldas and Tolima April 10, 2013. REUTERS/John Vizcaino/BOGOTA, March 31 (Reuters) - Colombian authorities have raised the alert level for the deadly Nevado del Ruiz volcano to orange, suggesting a greater probability of an eruption in the coming days or weeks, due to an increase in seismic activity. The Nevado del Ruiz is a stratovolcano, or composite volcano, which straddles the border between Colombia's Tolima and Caldas provinces. "We have an orange alert due to the change in seismology at the Ruiz volcano. Mayors must prepare the protocols for this state of alert," President Gustavo Petro said in a Twitter message on Friday.

☆ Italy welcomes home looted ancient artworks from the U.S.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/6] Some of the antiquities worth an estimated $19 million are seen after being returned to Italy by New York City, in Rome, Italy, January 23 2023. REUTERS/Remo CasilliROME, Jan 23 (Reuters) - Italy on Monday celebrated the return of 60 looted archaeological artefacts worth more than $20 million, many of which had been on display at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art before their illicit origin was discovered. The items, which U.S. authorities handed over to Italian counterparts in September, include "The Marble Head of Athena," worth an estimated $3 million, and a fresco stolen from Herculaneum, an ancient Roman city near Pompeii. Italy has long had a problem with the looting and smuggling of its artistic and archaeological heritage, but the Carabinieri insist they are becoming more effective in tracking down and recovering stolen art. Reporting by Cristiano Corvino, writing by Alvise Armellini, editing by Keith WeirOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Search resuls for: "Herculaneum"

18 mentions found