Naples Unveils Hidden Burial Chamber: A Marvel of Archeology and Particle Physics
Naples, Italy
Beneath the honking horns and operatic yelling of Naples, the most blissfully chaotic city in Italy, archeologist Raffaella Bosso descends into the deafening silence of an underground maze, zigzagging back in time roughly 2,300 years.
Unlocking Ancient Secrets
Before the Ancient Romans, it was the Ancient Greeks who colonized Naples, leaving behind traces of life, and death, inside ancient burial chambers, she says. One tomb Bosso discovers, depicts the legs and feet of a man and a woman, a rather unusual finding compared to the usual multiple individuals.
Discovering the Past Without Digging
Modern technology has revolutionized the field of archeology, in collaboration with particle physicists. Valeri Tioukov, a particle physicist, uses subatomic particle detectors, about the size of a household microwave, to scan and see through hundreds of feet of rock. Bosso’s suspicion of additional chambers behind a wall is confirmed.
The Power of Cosmic Rays
The enabled subatomic particle detectors rely on cosmic rays, remnants of the Big Bang, to examine the internal structure of the tomb. The detectors track and count the muons passing through the chamber, providing crucial information about the density and contents of the structure. The detector discovers approximately 10 million muons within the burial chamber, providing a clear picture of its dimensions.
The Wider Applications of Particle Physics
The cutting-edge particle physics technology not only aids in the discovery of hidden chambers, but it also finds its utility in examining the interiors of the pyramids in Egypt, unexplored chambers beneath volcanoes, and even serves for the precise treatment of deep-seated cancers. Its accuracy and ability to observe objects with great detail promise numerous breakthroughs in various scientific fields.
New Frontiers
Professor Giovanni De Lellis, an expert in particle physics, marvels at the possibilities provided by this technology, stating “This is a new era.” The fusion of archeology and particle physics sets the stage for uncovering the mysteries of the past with unprecedented precision.
Author
Chris Livesay is a CBS News foreign correspondent based in Rome.
