Notre Dame’s spectacular rebirth offers bounty of data for scientists

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By Richard Stone, Science. 

Excerpt: Studies of materials salvaged from 2019 fire are providing insights into everything from construction techniques to climate conditions in medieval France. ...After a devastating fire 5 years ago, a restored Notre Dame de Paris is set to reopen to the public this weekend. But while most visitors will be marveling at the cathedral’s rebuilt roof and radiant stonework, behind the scenes a sprawling scientific enterprise has yielded surprising insights into Notre Dame’s past. ...Those efforts included an analysis of some of the 10,000 pieces of charred wood from Notre Dame’s massive oak frame.... Researchers also used these charred chunks of wood to open a window into local climate conditions during Europe’s Medieval Warm Period, which lasted from approximately 950 to 1250 C.E..... 

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