Science & technology | Digital archaeologyThe decoding of ancient Roman scrolls is speeding upMore data, and a more powerful particle accelerator, should pay dividendsPhotograph: ESRF/Vuedici May 28th 2025|HerculaneumIF YOU WANTED to read an ancient Roman scroll, you might reach for a dictionary, and perhaps a magnifying glass. You would probably not think of using a particle accelerator. But that is what is required to unravel the papyrus scrolls found in Herculaneum, a Roman town buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79AD. Even then, success is far from guaranteed: since 2023 researchers attempting to unravel the scrolls have been stuck on the first few. Now, armed with more data and a more powerful particle accelerator, they expect to make more rapid headway.Explore moreScience & technologyThis article appeared in the Science & technology section of the print edition under the headline “Hitting the accelerator”From the May 31st 2025 editionDiscover stories from this section and more in the list of contents⇒Explore the editionReuse this content #decoding #ancient #roman #scrolls #speeding