A free public lecture at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Dubbo on Tuesday 19 August will explore the science of cultural heritage. The lecture is by Professor Tim Wess, the Executive Dean of the CSU Faculty of Science. Professor Wess has a background in biophysics and international research in historical and archaeological artefacts, including the change in molecular structure of the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Domesday Book. He says the documents, objects, artwork and remnants of everyday life that have defined our society and culture are at risk of being lost due to the continual molecular changes that occur with ageing. "The study of these changes, and what we can and need to do to protect our future, form the basis of cultural heritage science," Professor Wess said. "This discipline also can tell us more about the provenance, history, and origin of artefacts that goes beyond the surface and visual information from objects such as paintings, sculptures and manuscripts. In the lecture I will describe the new and exciting techniques, projects and challenges of understanding the changes that pose a threat to keeping our history, and how information can be retrieved from documents which were thought to be lost to the ravages of time." The lecture is part of the Explorations Series. Read more here.