25-01-2026, 07:38 PM
(This post was last modified: 25-01-2026, 07:57 PM by Mark Knowles.)
I remain optimistic.
I think the key thing is to identify a site/location/place in the manuscript where the author or scribe's DNA is highly likely to be found and where other later DNA is unlikely to be found. I suggested under the ink as later DNA would not be present there, however there may be better locations. Of course, such a sample wouldn't be approved unless taking the sample does no damage to the manuscript.
I am reminded of a conversation that I had with a bus driver over a decade ago. I was somewhat annoyed that he expected me to have exact change(coins/cash) for the bus. I said to him "One day you will take (debit or credit) cards". He was adamant "it will never happen mate". I got annoyed, as I have a tendency to, that he dismissed my point so readily. Of course, now buses here take cards. I predict that in the not too distant future they will cease to take cash and only take cards.
I have had other similar experiences before. I find that some people have a tendency with technologies to say something "will never happen" until it happens and then when something has happened a similar group of people will say that "it is obvious that it inevitably was going to happen".
I will keep an eye on how this technology develops such as in the case of Da Vinci example I linked to.
I think the key thing is to identify a site/location/place in the manuscript where the author or scribe's DNA is highly likely to be found and where other later DNA is unlikely to be found. I suggested under the ink as later DNA would not be present there, however there may be better locations. Of course, such a sample wouldn't be approved unless taking the sample does no damage to the manuscript.
I am reminded of a conversation that I had with a bus driver over a decade ago. I was somewhat annoyed that he expected me to have exact change(coins/cash) for the bus. I said to him "One day you will take (debit or credit) cards". He was adamant "it will never happen mate". I got annoyed, as I have a tendency to, that he dismissed my point so readily. Of course, now buses here take cards. I predict that in the not too distant future they will cease to take cash and only take cards.
I have had other similar experiences before. I find that some people have a tendency with technologies to say something "will never happen" until it happens and then when something has happened a similar group of people will say that "it is obvious that it inevitably was going to happen".
I will keep an eye on how this technology develops such as in the case of Da Vinci example I linked to.