When this article went to press, the stone was still losing weight.

March 18, 2020 8:12 AM

"The 850-year-old Notre Dame cathedral nearly burned down on 15 April 2019. Researchers are figuring out how to salvage materials and restore the Paris icon. The fire also offers a window to the cathedral’s past by exposing materials that were largely off-limits to science." (Christa Lesté-Lasserre, Science) Topics include cleanup of aerosolized lead, identification of medieval quarries, and tales told by the oak wood used in Notre Dame's beams. (via)
posted by Not A Thing (7 comments total)

the cathedral’s 113 stained glass windows, which all survived

One of the many astounding aspects of this disaster.
posted by beagle at 8:38 AM on March 18, 2020 [5 favorites]

So there's someone out there who job is to look at the walls of ancient French cathedrals and then go into the field and wander around looking at conveniently exposed rocks all over Western Europe?
***SEETHING WITH JEALOUSY***
posted by thatwhichfalls at 9:02 AM on March 18, 2020 [10 favorites]

***SEETHING WITH JEALOUSY***

More jobs my stupid guidance counselor never told me about.
posted by Capt. Renault at 9:20 AM on March 18, 2020 [16 favorites]

Wow, I knew there was a lot of lead, but I didn't quite realize the scope.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 10:32 AM on March 18, 2020

So there's someone out there who job is to look at the walls of ancient French cathedrals and then go into the field and wander around looking at conveniently exposed rocks all over Western Europe?
***SEETHING WITH JEALOUSY***

No, no, they simply refer to the rocks in their convenient Rock Library of Western Europe.
posted by Huffy Puffy at 11:56 AM on March 18, 2020 [1 favorite]

This is exactly what I needed to distract myself today. Thanks.
posted by rednikki at 6:08 PM on March 18, 2020

In April, PBS will be airing an episode of Secrets of the Dead about building Notre Dame.

In May, PBS will be airing an episode of NOVA about *restoring* Notre Dame.
posted by St. Hubbins at 10:16 PM on March 22, 2020 [2 favorites]