US Student Uses AI To Decode First Word On 2,000-year-old Papyrus Scroll And Wins $40K

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Who Is The Student Who Used AI To Decode An Ancient Scroll?

Vesuvius Challenge

Using artificial intelligence, a student at the University of Nebraska has etched his name in the history books by unravelling a part of a 2,000-year-old scroll. Luke Farritor became a pioneer in deciphering a word from the ancient scrolls during the course of the Vesuvius Challenge.

What Is The Vesuvius Challenge?

Vesuvius Challenge

The Vesuvius Challenge invites participants to use contemporary technology to unravel the mysterious contents of ancient rolled-up papyrus scrolls. Originating from an ancient library in the Roman city of Herculaneum, these scrolls were preserved as carbon due to the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE and are exceptionally delicate.

Where And When Was The Result Announced?

Vesuvius Challenge

It was on October 12, 2023, when the Vesuvius Challenge revealed at a press conference that the 21-year-old computer science student had secured the "First Letters" award, a prize of $40,000 (over Rs 33 lakh). This achievement was earned by the successful decoding and comprehension of over 10 characters within a four-square-centimetre section of a scroll.

How Did The Student Decode The Letters?

Vesuvius Challenge

Farritor devised a machine-learning algorithm that enabled him to identify several letters on the scroll over time. The word he uncovered was "Porphyras," translating to "purple" revealed the Vesuvius Challenge website, marking a significant breakthrough.

Farritor emerged as the first participant ever to fulfil the competition's criterion for submitting a required number of clear letters.

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