Computers Decipher Burnt Scroll Found In Ancient Holy Ark (nationalgeographic.com)

bsharma writes: Scientists have formally announced their reconstruction of the Ein Gedi Scroll, the most ancient Hebrew scroll since the Dead Sea Scrolls. This was done by CAT scanning the burnt scrolls and virtually reconstructing the layers of scrolls with ink blobs on them. National Geographic reports: "For decades, the Israel Antiquities Authority guarded the document, known as the Ein Gedi Scroll, careful not to open it for fear that the brittle text would shatter to pieces. But last year, scientists announced that they had scanned, virtually unrolled, and translated the scroll's hidden verses -- a feat now formally described in the scientific literature. Based on preliminary scans, [Brent Seales of the University of Kentucky, who specialized in digitally reconstructing damaged texts,] and his colleagues announced in 2015 that the Ein Gedi Scroll was a biblical text from the sixth century A.D. containing a column of text from the book of Leviticus. But the full CT scan results, published on Wednesday in Science Advances, tell a deeper story. Further analysis revealed an extra column of text, ultimately fleshing out the first two chapters of Leviticus -- ironically, a book that begins with God's instructions for burnt offerings. What's more, radiocarbon dating of the scroll suggests that it may be between 1,700 and 1,800 years old, at least 200 years older than previously thought. In fact, the scroll's distinctive handwriting hearkens back to the first or second century A.D., some five centuries earlier than the date ascribed to the scroll last year." University of Cambridge lecturer James Aitken told Smithsonian's Devin Powell in 2015: "There's little of surprise in finding a Leviticus scroll. We probably have many more copies of it than any other book, as its Hebrew style is so simple and repetitive that it was used for children's writing exercises."

Comments

Re:"it was used for children's writing exercises"

[BitZtream]

Atheism is a religion for most who 'believe' in it.

There are plenty of actual atheists in the world, but any one who you talk to that informs you that they are atheist and then continues to discuss religion with you or more importantly, debate the issue ... well, they're just religious in a different way and too ignorant to recognize it.

And for those who choose to respond to this:

I have no problem with religion or lack of religion. What I detest is asshole, self described 'atheists' who have the need to inform religious people that they are stupid for believing in fairy tales and having faith. All at the same time, they have no problem believing in things in science that they only know about because someone else told them it works that way and they take it on faith that it works that way because it fits well in their world view without actually understanding why it works that way or actually being able to prove it. When you start acting like what you have faith in is better than what someone else has faith in ... but are too stupid to realize you're doing the exact same thing ... then you're just a religious nut job, even if your particular religion is that of science.

Science is based on fact. Religion (in ALL forms) is not. Talking about religion and science like they are related is like talking about apple sauce and gasoline being related. Yea, technically they are because we're all in the same universe, but you're a fucking idiot if you're mixing the two together for any reason what so ever. There is no actual relationship between religion and science, they are entirely different things that can neither confirm each other, or deny each other.