Playlist
Scientists have confirmed that scribes in Ancient Egypt corrected errors on papyrus using a substance remarkably similar to modern-day correction fluid. Experts at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge discovered this unusual detail while preparing for the "Made in Ancient Egypt" exhibition. This finding reveals the sophisticated techniques and professional standards maintained by scribes and artists more than three millennia ago, highlighting their dedication to precision.
Helen Strudwick, an exhibition organizer working on a 3,300-year-old copy of the "Book of the Dead," noticed an unusual phenomenon on one of the pages. The document, dating back to the 13th century BC, depicts a scribe named Ramos alongside the jackal-headed deity Wepwawet. Closer inspection using advanced imaging revealed a thick layer of white pigment, composed of calcite and huntite, applied strategically around the figure to mask original ink marks.
According to Strudwick, the artist used this ancient "white-out" to refine the edges of the drawing and make the lines thinner. Microscopic analysis even showed traces of yellow pigment mixed with the white substance to match the natural color of the papyrus. This indicates that Ancient Egyptian craftsmen were not only fixing mistakes but were also concerned with the aesthetic seamlessness of their corrections, ensuring that the edits were nearly invisible to the naked eye.
The papyrus containing the "Book of the Dead" was discovered in 1922 in a tomb at Sedment. It is widely regarded as one of the best-preserved examples of such ancient funerary texts. This discovery provides a fascinating link between ancient and modern stationery tools, proving that the concept of "whiting out" errors has been a part of professional writing and artistic endeavors for thousands of years.
Also read
Ecological Shift: Golden Jackals Pro Projected to Inhabit 75% of the European Continent
Today in 06:53Once restricted mainly to the Balkans and the Black Sea coastal regions, golden jackals are rapidly expanding their footprint across Europe. According to a landmark study by an international research team published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, these adaptable predators could eventually inhabit up to 75% of the European continent—nearly a sixfold expansion from their historical range. Scientists arrived at these conclusions after monitoring nearly 9,000 sampling sites across multiple European nations.
Recent sightings and acoustic tracking confirm that jackals have established populations in the Czech Republic, the Baltic region, and even Scandinavia. The species thrives in areas with mild winters, mixed agricultural landscapes, and proximity to water sources. Regional climate warming has transformed previously uninhabitable northern areas into suitable habitats, while farming landscapes offer abundant food sources and coverage.
Biologists attribute this unprecedented expansion primarily to the historical decline of wolf populations, which naturally suppress jackal numbers and limit their movement. Smaller than wolves but slightly larger than foxes, jackals feed on small rodents, carrion, plants, and fruits. Their high ecological adaptability allows them to settle efficiently into newly colonized territories without human interference.
However, their entry into Western and Southern Europe, including countries like France and Spain, poses potential ecological consequences. Environmentalists warn that the arrival of jackals could disrupt local ecosystems and threaten endangered ground-nesting steppe birds and smaller wildlife across the Iberian Peninsula.
Blitz