High tech way of authenticating Rabbie Burns' work

A high tech way of authenticating the genuine works of Rabbie Burns from thousands of fake manuscripts has been developed by Scottish researchers.

Glasgow University scientists have even been able to distinguish for the first time which inks the Bard of Ayrshire used to write each of his poems, whether it be ivory black, iron gall or a mixture of the two.

Authenticating historic manuscripts can be a complicated and at times destructive process, with parts of the paper or ink damaged.