Was the Shroud of Turin fake?

The Shroud of Turin, also known as the Shroud of Turin, is a linen fabric with stains that would resemble those left by someone who was crucified and then covered with the fabric. The Shroud has been known to the world for centuries, and many Christians believe that the image of Christ is engraved on it, especially after a photographic negative of the piece has been revealed, which makes the image much sharper.

As with many pieces of antiquity, the Shroud has had its authenticity constantly verified for a long time. Overall, what researchers did during years of study was to evaluate the materials and age of the tissue; Although radiocarbon dating shows that the material may have been made between the time of Jesus and the Middle Ages, other factors, such as pigmentation (which would determine whether the stains were really blood or other material), were inconclusive. In short, he's really very old, but no one had been able to prove whether it was true or false.

The new research

After so many inconclusive results, two researchers - forensic anthropologist Matteo Borrini and organic chemist Luigi Garlaschelli - decided to take a different approach: to analyze the pattern of bloodstains, at what angles they went and how intensely.

To do the tests, they used a living person and a dummy, as well as human and synthetic blood. Then they studied the outflow of blood into tissues of the same type in various positions and following the same wounds that would be printed on the Shroud.

This study allowed them to cover as many probabilities as possible; After all, there was no way to know if the person was wrapped in the fabric in a vertical or horizontal position, nor the state of the wounds at the time it occurred, for example.

The Conclusions

According to Science Alert, the researchers found that the Shroud was a real mess. Certain spots have completely opposite angles, for example, and some were simply impossible to replicate. For scientists, although the marks on linen are in fact blood, they are not consistent or realistic.

For Matteo and Luigi, it is more likely that the Shroud was some artistic representation of the Middle Ages, used by the Church for didactic purposes.

Despite the results obtained by the researchers, they have not yet been able to figure out how the Shroud was made or what exactly this important piece of history was. It may take some time before the item is completely unveiled. Until then, it will remain this mystery.

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