• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer
  • WordPress
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
Science Update

Science Update

Sharing Science | Satisfying Curiosity | Debunking BS

  • Spotlights
  • Reality Check
  • Why Is It?
  • Radio Archives
  • Sciup @ School
Home » Radio Archive » Daily Show » NanoArchaeology

NanoArchaeology

November 25, 2014
https://podcast.scienceupdate.com/141125_sciup_fake.mp3

Podcast: Play in new window

BOB HIRSHON (host):

A 17 cm carved stone figurine shown inside the SEM chamber ready for non-destructive imaging and analysis TRose Smithsonian
A 17 cm carved stone figurine shown inside the SEM chamber ready for non-destructive imaging and analysis (Timothy Rose/Smithsonian)

CSI: Ancient Artifacts. I’m Bob Hirshon and this is Science Update.

When federal agents seized stone masks, figurines and pottery smuggled from Mexico last year, the alleged smuggler told them they were fakes—worthless souvenir reproductions. The agents brought them to Smithsonian anthropologist Jane Walsh and her colleague, geologist Timothy Rose, who examined the objects with a scanning electron microscope.

TIMOTHY ROSE (Smithsonian Institution Analytical Laboratories):

There are some in there that are clearly modern reproductions. But on the other hand there are objects like this beautiful handled ceramic pot which has a level of craftsmanship that is well beyond what a modern reproducer of this kind of material would ever do.

HIRSHON:

In fact, most of the objects were priceless antiquities from the Olmec and Teotihuacan cultures, and their analysis led to new discoveries about how the ancient artisans crafted their work. I’m Bob Hirshon, for AAAS, the science society.

Category: Daily Show, Station DownloadTag: Archaeology, Engineering & Technology
Previous Post:Lost Languages in the Brain
Next Post:Wine’s Fruity “Nose”

Sidebar

Radio Program Archives

Want to learn more about the brain? The environment? Here you can browse the topics that come up regularly on Science Update.

Search the Archives

Categories

  • Daily Show
  • Station Download
  • Weekly Show

Find By Tag

  • 2020
  • Acoustics & Sound
  • Aging
  • Animal Behavior
  • Anthropology
  • Archaeology
  • Astronomy & Space
  • Biology
  • Brain Science
  • Bugs
  • Cat Video
  • Chemistry
  • Children & Families
  • cicadas
  • Climate & Weather
  • Communications
  • Computer Science
  • Economics & Business
  • Education
  • Energy
  • Engineering & Technology
  • Environment & Conservation
  • Genetics & Evolution
  • Geology
  • Marine Science
  • Materials Science
  • Mathematics
  • Medicine & Health
  • Microbiology
  • Nanotechnology
  • NASA
  • Nutrition & Food Science
  • Paleontology & Dinosaurs
  • Physics
  • Plants & Agriculture
  • Political Science
  • Reality Check
  • Social & Behavioral Sciences
  • Sports & Fitness
  • spotlight
  • Spotlight Bugs
  • Terrorism & War
  • Why Is It? Questions
  • Wildlife
  • Year in Review

Find By Date

Science Update
  • About Science Update
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • YouTube

Recent Posts

Image of computer screen depicting an orange cat with a variety of alphanumeric scientific data superimposed on the the screen.
Spotted skunk performing handstand to threaten predators

Copyright © 2025 · Springtail Media LLC · All Rights Reserved · Powered by Pongos