Research Article
The Shroud of Turin’s Improbable Body Image
James C Porter*
Issue:
Volume 14, Issue 1, June 2026
Pages:
1-4
Received:
4 March 2026
Accepted:
20 March 2026
Published:
30 March 2026
Abstract: If one were tasked with designing an image which is both maximally hard to explain, yet where the conservation of energy, momentum etc. are to operate as usual, the Turin Shroud’s body image might well be the result. Peer reviewed explanations for the image that comport with the conservation laws include medieval manufacture, electrical corona and discoloration either by chemical reactions or on account of the decay of a radioactive isotope naturally present in linen. Based on the requirement that any creditable origination scenario must account for the microscopic characteristics of the body image, we argue that medieval manufacture and discoloration during a corona discharge are untenable. The former because of the inaccessibility of fibers buried in parent threads, the necessity of discoloring fibers all the way around their circumference to a precise depth, and finally because of the immense number of fibers involved. In the latter case it appears that the assertion that corona can penetrate linen producing an image with microscopic structure similar to that of the Shroud’s is based on the misinterpretation of a photomicrograph. The alternatives, chemical reactions and radioactive decays, are improbable in the extreme. Chemical reactions, because of the large numbers of such reactions required to discolor a flax fiber running along a thread top and because fibers running on either side of discolored fibers are frequently entirely clear of discoloration. Disruption due to radioactive decays with the consequent formation of color centers along a fiber is also hugely improbable due to the extraordinarily long half-life of rubidium 87, a radioactive isotope found in the primary cell walls of plants.
Abstract: If one were tasked with designing an image which is both maximally hard to explain, yet where the conservation of energy, momentum etc. are to operate as usual, the Turin Shroud’s body image might well be the result. Peer reviewed explanations for the image that comport with the conservation laws include medieval manufacture, electrical corona and ...
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Research Article
Assessing Unmarked Graves Using Ground-penetrating Radar at Ayn Gharandal Archaeological Site, Jordan
Abdelrahman Aqel Abdelrahman Abueladas*,
Omar Ahmad Mohamed Al-Bayari
Issue:
Volume 14, Issue 1, June 2026
Pages:
5-15
Received:
13 March 2026
Accepted:
31 March 2026
Published:
13 May 2026
DOI:
10.11648/j.ija.20261401.12
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Abstract: Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) has emerged as a valuable non-invasive technique for detecting and delineating unmarked graves, particularly in arid and semi-arid environments where preservation conditions differ markedly from humid settings. The Islamic religion forbids excavating graves or moving human remains, as such, GPR represents an effective method to determine grave characteristics including burial depth, size, type, and orientation of caskets, as well as the distribution and number of graves within a particular area. This study evaluates the effectiveness of GPR in identifying subsurface grave features within dry climate regions, where low soil moisture, limited vegetation cover, high electrical resistivity, and minimal organic decomposition can influence radar signal behavior. Grave characteristics including depth of burial, size, type, and orientation of caskets, as well as the quantity of graves in a given region and the geographic distribution of burials within a particular area, may frequently be ascertained using (GPR). In this study, two unmarked grave sites were surveyed using a SIR-20 GSSI (GPR) instrument. The number of graves and precise locations were unknown due to the lack of historical information. GPR data were acquired using multiple antenna frequencies to optimize the balance between radar penetration depth and resolution. Two anomalies representing possible unmarked adult graves and one unmarked infant grave were identified by two-dimension two-dimension (B-scan) and three -dimensions (C-scan) cross –sections. The anomalies ranged from 0.6 to 1 meters in depth, with lateral dimensions of 0.6 to 2 meters is typical for individual burials. All mapped anomalies have northwest-southeast orientation consistent with Islamic burial practices.
Abstract: Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) has emerged as a valuable non-invasive technique for detecting and delineating unmarked graves, particularly in arid and semi-arid environments where preservation conditions differ markedly from humid settings. The Islamic religion forbids excavating graves or moving human remains, as such, GPR represents an effective...
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