Botany Unshrouds the Past

Can science prove that the Shroud of Turin is the burial cloth of Jesus? The answer probably depends on your own faith and how much faith you have in science. But science is definitely capable of expanding the knowledge we have about the shroud. Dr. Avinoam Danin (pictured) has studied the remains of various flora residues extant in the fibers of the cloth for decades, and they indicate a geographic origin at a point between Jerusalem and Hebron. Danin's studies have been greatly aided by the work of Dr. Petrus Soons, who digitized photographs of the shroud into 3-D holographic images. Together the two researchers have uncovered new elements of the shroud and confirmed some older theories. Both scientists speak at a dual lecture — "Botany of the Shroud of Turin" and "The Shroud of Turin: The Holographic Experience" — at 5:30 p.m. in the Shoenberg Theater at the Missouri Botanical Garden (4344 Shaw Boulevard; 314-577-9400 or www.mobot.org). Admission is free.
Mon., Aug. 18, 2008