PHP Shinsho Rekishi no Nazo ha Toshigijutsu “Muography” de Tokeru (Historical Mysteries Can Be Solved Using the Visualization Technique “Muography” - A Scientific Approach That Changes the Study of History)

To solve historical mysteries, it is important to collect as much information as possible and find the optimum combination of information by examining them diversely. Although this is not limited to history, the utilization of advanced science and technology has two significant points.
 
First is the optimization of information acquisition. Although information can be obtained even with conventional methods if sufficient time is spent, it can be acquired more efficiently by using advanced technologies. One example is the utilization of space technology. In the latter half of the 20^th century, technology to observe the Earth from outer space was developed. With this new perspective from space, discoveries such as the Nazca geoglyphs in Peru, which is a huge manmade work spanning a few hundred meters on the Earth’s surface on which a wide variety of creatures and geometric patterns have been rendered on a large scale, have become easier.
 
Second is the acquisition of new information. Information that could not be obtained by conventional techniques can be extracted by using advanced science and technology. For instance, little was known about the character of the ancient Egyptian king Tutankhamun until recently. However, this information could be obtained through a DNA-type test carried out in 2005. From the results of the test, it was found that his father was a heretic king who advocated monotheism during the traditional polytheistic era of ancient Egypt.
 
Acquisition of new information through advanced science and technology helps in correcting the misrecognitions that have resulted from the use of inadequate techniques in the past. Until recently, Tutankhamun’s death was believed to be due to “being hit on the back of his head by someone using a blunt weapon.” Since this theory was based on a simple X-ray photographic evidence, which was an advanced technology at that time, it was persuasively accepted by people. However, through the CT scans and DNA-type tests conducted since 2005, a new view has been presented, which concludes that “Tutankhamun was not beaten to death but rather died of malaria mediated by mosquitos”.
 
Similar to x-ray photography, “muography” is a technology of the 21^st century that uses particles with strong permeability called muons, which have originated in the universe, to look through gigantic objects. With the various technological advances in the 20^th century, humans have gained a new bird’s eye view of the Earth from space. However, it was not until the 21^st century that muography made it possible to see through parts of gigantic geological structures and below the surface of the Earth. With the passage of time, historical heritage becomes buried in the ground. This book shows that muography can enable us to visualize the inside of structures non-destructively, and hence become the academic tool of the near future that can improve the current situation. The American physicist Alvarez tried to visualize the pyramid of King Khafre using muography. The history of muography that began with this attempt has continued, ultimately resulting in the successful visualization of volcanos by the University of Tokyo, and it is about to enter the next level right now.
 

(Written by TANAKA Hiroyuki, Professor, Earthquake Research Institute / 2018)