Já pensou em dar às suas fotos o visual característico de jogos em pixel art? Até existem alguns aplicativos com essa proposta na App Store, mas o NeoCam é uma nova solução do tipo que funciona em tempo real, permitindo ajustes instantâneos.
Ele oferece algumas opções principais de filtro: GamePal (visual de tela de Game Boy antigo), Mermaid (paleta de cores com tons de azul) e Hope (filtro em vermelho e azul). Em cada um deles, você pode ajustar a exposição, o nível de pixelização e a intensidade do dither (efeito de pontilhado).
Além disso, é possível criar seus próprios filtros com paletas de cores personalizadas e compartilhá-los com outros usuários, bem como obter criações de outras pessoas.
🚀👾🚀 NeoCam is officially LIVE on the App Store!
Turn your iPhone into a powerful 8-bit camera. Pixelate. Dither. Shoot. It's Game Boy Camera for the modern age.
Mas não para por aí pois o NeoCam também serve para gravar vídeos. Você pode, ainda, importar fotos existentes para editá-las como preferir.
O NeoCam está disponível gratuitamente na App Store para iPhone e iPad. A versão gratuita permite usar uma seleção de filtros; contudo, para gravar vídeos, ajustar o dither em fotos da sua biblioteca, capturar fotos em diferentes proporções de tela e remover a marca d’água, é necessário adquirir o NeoCam Plus — disponível por uma compra única de R$40.
Giovanni Kanter goes to at least one art museum whenever he visits a new city. That’s on top of his regular exploration of galleries in New York, where the 25-year-old ICU nurse lives and studies. He typically discovers new artists and gallery openings through word of mouth, though he has recently started curating his social media feed to serve relevant content (he’s currently in what he terms a “surrealism phase”).
He was raised on visual art; he's the son of painter Marianne Gargour and nephew of mixed-media artist Heather Hutchison and painter-printmaker Mark Thomas Kanter. His “exposure-oriented education” featured childhood visits to galleries and shows in and around Dallas, where he grew up, and in France, where he spent time with his grandparents.
But Kanter is an exception. Many other young people have a less immersive artistic education, perhaps shaped by occasional school trips or family visits to museums. If they haven’t internalized an instinct for what Kanter calls “moving through the art and absorbing it,” the museum experience is central to how they learn about and understand art.
Giovanni Kanter goes to at least one art museum whenever he visits a new city. That’s on top of his regular exploration of galleries in New York, where the 25-year-old ICU nurse lives and studies. He typically discovers new artists and gallery openings through word of mouth, though he has recently started curating his social media feed to serve relevant content (he’s currently in what he terms a “surrealism phase”).
He was raised on visual art; he's the son of painter Marianne Gargour and nephew of mixed-media artist Heather Hutchison and painter-printmaker Mark Thomas Kanter. His “exposure-oriented education” featured childhood visits to galleries and shows in and around Dallas, where he grew up, and in France, where he spent time with his grandparents.
But Kanter is an exception. Many other young people have a less immersive artistic education, perhaps shaped by occasional school trips or family visits to museums. If they haven’t internalized an instinct for what Kanter calls “moving through the art and absorbing it,” the museum experience is central to how they learn about and understand art.
Charles Ross spent 50 years building “Star Axis,” a naked-eye observatory in New Mexico. Now his masterwork is ready. How to share it with a changed world?
Albanese government’s approval ofNorth West Shelf gas extension being challenged by the Australian Conservation Foundation and Friends of Australian Rock Art
The Albanese government’s decision to approve one of the world’s largest gas projects in Western Australia is being challenged in the federal court, setting up a significant test of how Australia’s environment law deals with the climate crisis.
The Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) and Friends of Australian Rock Art (Fara) are this week running concurrent court challenges against the approval of the extension of Woodside’s major North West Shelf gas export project.
In a new review paper, Dr. Gregory Marcus from the University of California, San Francisco and colleagues analyzed decades of research on how caffeine -- most often consumed as coffee -- affects the heart and its risk factors.
Everyday when you see any sort of graphic in a GUI (graphical user interface), or in any printed media such as a billboard, poster, etc; they relate to different image file formats. Each format was created for specific purposes. While some are universal, others are less known about, and a few are difficult to interact […]
Doze títulos não acontecem por acaso. Conheça por dentro um dos programas mais prestigiados do basquete universitário. A Dinastia: #UConnHuskies — 21 de agosto na Apple TV.
“The Dynasty: UConn Huskies” narra a ascensão do programa mais dominante na história do basquete universitário nos Estados Unidos. Com entrevistas exclusivas com a equipe campeã nacional de 2025 e participações de figuras do basquete da UConn, a série explora a busca pela excelência, as expectativas que acompanham o sucesso duradouro e as pessoas que mantiveram esse padrão ao longo das gerações.
A série reflete sobre o legado que construiu o programa e oferece um olhar raro de bastidores sobre as jogadoras que dão continuidade a essa história, por meio de conversas aprofundadas com técnicos, atletas, ex-jogadoras, rivais e jornalistas de várias gerações do basquete da UConn, incluindo KK Arnold, Auriemma, Sue Bird, Paige Bueckers, Jim Calhoun, Swin Cash, Chris Dailey, Mickie DeMoss, Jana El Alfy, Jamelle Elliott, Azzi Fudd, Jeff Goldberg, Sally Jenkins, Steve Kerr, Rebecca Lobo, Jackie MacMullan, Maya Moore, Alexa Philippou, Shea Ralph, Semeka Randall, Jennifer Rizzotti, Breanna Stewart, Sarah Strong, Diana Taurasi e Tamika Williams-Jeter.
O Apple TV está disponível no aplicativo Apple TV em mais de 100 países e regiões, seja em iPhones, iPads, Apple TVs, Macs, dispositivos Android, smart TVs ou online — além de também estar em aparelhos como Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast com Google TV, consoles PlayStation e Xbox. O serviço custa R$29,90 por mês, com um período de teste gratuito de 7 dias. Por tempo limitado, quem comprar e ativar um novo iPhone, iPad, Apple TV ou Mac ganha 3 meses do Apple TV. Ele também faz parte do pacote de assinaturas da empresa, o Apple One.
NOTA DE TRANSPARÊNCIA: O MacMagazine recebe uma pequena comissão sobre vendas concluídas por meio de links deste post, mas você, como consumidor, não paga nada mais pelos produtos/serviços usando os nossos links de afiliado.
A white spot on iPad screen can appear as a bright patch that remains visible while browsing, watching videos or using apps. It may be small and easy to ignore at first, then become distracting whenever the screen shows a white, gray or lightly colored background.
The spot may come from a temporary software problem, but a fixed bright area is more commonly connected to the display hardware. Pressure inside the iPad, a damaged backlight layer, display separation or an impact can create uneven illumination that no setting can remove.
Before arranging a repair, a few simple checks can reveal whether the spot belongs to the image being displayed or to the physical screen itself.
What Causes a White Spot on iPad Screen?
A white spot on iPad screen is often described as a bright spot, pressure mark or backlight patch. On iPads with LCD displays, light passes through several internal layers before reaching the glass. When one of those layers becomes damaged, separated or compressed, light can concentrate in one area.
The mark may be more visible against pale backgrounds and almost disappear when the screen displays black or dark content. This is different from a dead pixel, which usually appears as a tiny fixed dot rather than a larger cloudy patch.
Pressure is one possible cause. Carrying an iPad in an overloaded bag, placing heavy objects on it or using a tight case can place stress on the display. A drop may also disturb the internal screen layers without cracking the front glass.
Battery swelling can create similar pressure from inside the device. If the screen is lifting from the frame, the iPad feels unusually warm or the body appears bent, stop using it and seek service. A swollen battery should not be pressed back into place or handled as an ordinary screen defect.
The problem can also appear after a display replacement involving a poorly fitted or lower-quality part. Apple notes that nongenuine displays may produce inconsistent brightness, color or touch behavior.
Image Credit:
Check Whether the Spot Is Really on the Display
Begin by opening several different apps. Look at the spot over a white webpage, a gray Settings screen, a dark photo and a full-screen video. A hardware-related mark normally stays in the same physical location regardless of what appears underneath it.
Rotate the iPad. If the content changes orientation but the bright patch remains in the same part of the glass, the display is the likely cause.
Taking a screenshot provides another useful test. A physical screen defect will not normally become part of the screenshot file.
To take a screenshot on an iPad without a Home button:
Top button + either volume button
To take a screenshot on an iPad with a Home button:
Top button + Home button
Open the screenshot on another device or send it to a trusted computer. If the white spot does not appear there, the image generated by iPadOS is normal and the problem is probably inside the display assembly.
If the mark appears in the screenshot, it may belong to an app, image, accessibility setting or software effect rather than the panel.
Restart Before Assuming Hardware Failure
A restart is worth trying because it clears temporary display and system behavior without affecting personal files. It is unlikely to repair physical backlight damage, but it can eliminate a short-lived graphical problem.
To restart an iPad without a Home button:
Press and hold the top button and either volume button > Drag the power slider > Wait approximately 30 seconds > Hold the top button until the Apple logo appears
To restart an iPad with a Home button:
Press and hold the top button > Drag the power slider > Wait approximately 30 seconds > Hold the top button until the Apple logo appears
After restarting, return to the same pale background and check the area again. A spot that remains fixed is unlikely to be caused by a temporary iPadOS issue.
Image Credit: AppleMagazine
Brightness Can Make the Problem More Visible
Lowering brightness may make a bright patch less distracting, but it does not repair the underlying display. The same applies to Dark Mode, Night Shift and Reduce White Point. These settings can change how noticeable the mark becomes without removing it.
To adjust screen brightness:
Settings > Display & Brightness > Brightness
Test the iPad at several brightness levels. A backlight-related spot may become easier to see as brightness increases. Photographing the screen against a plain background at medium and high brightness can also help document the defect before requesting service.
Avoid pressing or rubbing the affected area. Pressure may temporarily change the appearance, but it can damage the display further. Internet advice suggesting that users massage bright spots out of a panel should be ignored.
Check the Case and Screen Protector
Remove any rigid case that appears unusually tight or has been damaged. A poorly fitted case can place uneven pressure around the frame, particularly if the iPad has been dropped while inside it.
A screen protector normally cannot create a true illuminated patch beneath the display. It can, however, produce bubbles, trapped moisture or reflective marks that resemble a screen defect. Examine the iPad with the display turned off. If the mark is visible on the surface even when the screen is black, the protector or glass may be involved.
Do not remove a properly installed protector solely as an experiment unless the mark clearly appears close to its surface. A bright patch visible only while the display is illuminated usually comes from deeper inside the screen.
When the iPad Needs Repair
A persistent white spot generally requires display service when it remains after restarting and does not appear in screenshots. There is no iPadOS setting that can realign a damaged diffuser, remove internal pressure or repair separated display layers.
Back up the iPad before service so photos, documents and app data remain protected.
To create an iCloud backup:
Settings > your name > iCloud > iCloud Backup > Back Up Now
Apple can inspect the device and determine whether the defect qualifies for warranty coverage, AppleCare service or paid repair. Coverage depends on the device, purchase date, condition and whether the problem resulted from accidental damage.
To check coverage:
Settings > General > AppleCare & Warranty
Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider may replace the display assembly or the iPad, depending on the model and available service process. The final repair estimate normally requires inspection.
Image Credit: AppleMagazine
Do Not Ignore Physical Changes
A stable white spot that has not changed for months may remain only a visual annoyance. A spot that is expanding, accompanied by screen lifting or followed by unusual heat needs faster attention.
Stop using the device if the display separates from the enclosure, the iPad becomes visibly swollen or pressure marks spread across the panel. Do not puncture the device, force the display closed or continue charging it unattended.
For an ordinary fixed bright patch, the practical path is simpler: confirm it does not appear in screenshots, restart the iPad, remove any case applying pressure and arrange display service if the mark remains.
A white spot on iPad screen rarely affects the information stored on the device, but it can indicate physical damage that software cannot correct. A brief check can rule out the easy causes. After that, repair is usually more effective than repeatedly changing display settings and hoping the light disappears.
Many moviegoers this summer are looking forward to Christopher Nolan’s highly anticipated film “The Odyssey.” But have you considered that you could watch a pure AI slop adaptation of the Greek epic instead?
Enter “Odysseus: The Fall,” a fully AI-generated movie from the startup Fountain 0. At 135 minutes long, it will certainly test your patience as it hurls screensaver-grade images at you which look cribbed from better movies, creating the impression that this is really a generic amalgamation of other people’s ideas about what Greek mythology should look like, rather than the creators’ own.
The director, Ash Koosha, told Hollywood Reporter it cost in the “mid-five figures” to make, and openly hopes to cash in on the hype around Nolan’s film.
“We very much hope that Christopher Nolan’s film, ‘The Odyssey,’ is a raging success at the box office, and in some way that our version of the journey of Odysseus might further that success by bringing to theaters those who might not otherwise come out to see the film, simply because they are curious to see the ultimate in human creation and compare it to one man’s collaboration with AI,” Koosha said in a wordy statement.
You have to wonder if Koosha has ever asked Nolan’s thoughts on AI. In a recent interview, the Oscar-winning director was skeptical about the tech, praising Gen Z for “utterly rejecting” for what he described as “AI slop.”
The official synopsis for Koosha’s film sounds suspiciously AI-generated. The film, Fountain 0 says, focuses on “the fractured memory of a drowning man in his final minutes — a voyage that is really a trial, where every monster wears his own handwriting,” per The Hollywood Reporter.
“Stripped of the word ‘clever,'” it continues, “what remains is a man reckoning with what he actually did to get home. It ends where the songs never go: not with a hero’s welcome, but with forgiveness offered by the one person who knows exactly what he is.”
Wears his own handwriting? Stripped of the word clever? We implore you to guess what any of that means.
A short teaser released by the studio promises that the film will be as sloppy as its synopsis suggests. The footage is impressively photorealistic, but has all the aesthetic trappings of AI, with cliche shots and a familiar uncanny sheen. It was all assembled together in three months, Kosha says, and we can tell.
Kosha enthused about the loose production style that AI afforded, allowing him to constantly fine-tune the footage to meet what Variety generously describes as Kosha’s “unconstrained vision.”
“We’re in post production right now. Still, the script is open to interpretation,” Koosha told the trade publication. “Why? Because the risks don’t exist,” he added, cryptically.
Why this half-baked AI slop-tacle is getting glowing write-ups in Variety and THR when there’s plenty of promising indie movies made at shoestring budgets that don’t even get a sniff at recognition is anyone’s guess.
But at the same time, it’s not surprising. In June, The Wall Street Journalcontributed to the hype cycle around the AI-generated flick “Hell Grind” when it erroneously reported it debuted at the Cannes Film Festival. In reality, it was shown in another Cannes event out of competition.
A new analysis of data from the Western Australian-based Raine Study suggests that two humble vegetable groups -- legumes and cruciferous vegetables -- may play an outsize role in protecting young adults from early cardiometabolic risk, though the benefits appear to diverge sharply between men and women.
People are often told to eat more fruits and vegetables if they want to stay healthy. The advice sounds simple and easy to follow. But scientists now say that not all fruits and vegetables provide the same health benefits. A new study suggests that many people may be missing an important group of natural compounds […]
Swimming matched running for fitness gains but delivered greater heart growth and more favorable molecular changes, making it potentially more beneficial for cardiovascular health. For decades, swimming and running have been considered two of the best forms of aerobic exercise for cardiovascular health. But new research suggests they may not strengthen the heart in exactly [...]
In a groundbreaking study published in Nature Communications, scientists have unveiled how a mitochondrial protein known as OPA3 plays a pivotal role in sustaining cardiac function by regulating calcium handling in male mice. This discovery sheds new light on the intricate cellular mechanisms that underpin heart performance and opens up promising avenues for treating cardiovascular diseases, which remain a leading cause of mortality worldwide. The findings emphasize the critical interplay between mitochondrial dynamics and calcium signaling within cardiac muscle cells, providing a fresh perspective on how cellular energy production influences heart health.
The heart’s ability to maintain rhythmic and efficient contractions is fundamentally dependent on the precise regulation of intracellular calcium levels. Calcium ions serve as essential second messengers in cardiac myocytes, triggering contraction through complex signaling cascades. However, the interplay between calcium dynamics and mitochondrial proteins, especially those involved in mitochondrial morphology and function, has remained elusive until now. The current study identifies the mitochondrial protein OPA3 as a key modulator in this regulatory network, maintaining both mitochondrial integrity and calcium homeostasis crucial for cardiac contractility.
OPA3 is traditionally recognized for its role in maintaining mitochondrial morphology, particularly in mitochondrial fission and fusion processes. These processes are vital for preserving the mitochondrial network’s dynamic nature, which is essential for cellular energy metabolism. Mitochondria not only produce ATP but also buffer intracellular calcium, thereby influencing calcium signaling within cardiac cells. By elucidating how OPA3 influences calcium handling, researchers have bridged an important gap between mitochondrial structural proteins and the functional output of cardiac cells.
Experimental models using male mice engineered for OPA3 depletion revealed significant impairments in cardiac function, demonstrating that loss of OPA3 disrupts calcium cycling in cardiac myocytes. Impaired calcium handling directly correlates with diminished contractile force and defective cardiac output. This suggests that OPA3’s influence extends beyond structural maintenance and into functional regulation of calcium channels or transporters. The dysregulation of such a critical ion pathway can lead to arrhythmias and cardiac failure, underscoring the potential clinical significance of these findings.
At the molecular level, the study highlights that OPA3 affects the expression and activity of key calcium regulators including the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase (SERCA) and ryanodine receptors (RyR). These proteins govern calcium reuptake and release in cardiac cells, orchestrating contraction and relaxation cycles. Through advanced imaging and electrophysiological techniques, the research team demonstrated that OPA3 deficiency impairs SERCA function and causes aberrant RyR-mediated calcium leak, leading to calcium overload or deficits. Such pathophysiological alterations are known contributors to cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure in humans.
The investigation also explores the bioenergetic consequences of OPA3 modulation. Mitochondrial bioenergetics in cardiac muscle cells are highly tuned to meet the energy demands of continuous contractions. OPA3 deficiency was found to compromise mitochondrial ATP production by disrupting inner membrane potential and electron transport chain efficiency. These mitochondrial defects culminate in inadequate energy supply for calcium pumps and ion exchangers, further exacerbating contractile dysfunction. This uncovers a feedback loop where structural mitochondrial proteins like OPA3 indirectly regulate calcium handling by maintaining energetic homeostasis.
A remarkable aspect of the study lies in its use of state-of-the-art imaging techniques such as live-cell confocal microscopy and super-resolution electron microscopy, which revealed morphological abnormalities in mitochondria lacking OPA3. Fragmented and swollen mitochondria with disrupted cristae architecture were prevalent in OPA3-deficient cardiomyocytes. These structural derangements are likely responsible for the observed bioenergetic failures and altered calcium buffering capacity, collectively impairing the cardiomyocyte’s functional integrity.
Furthermore, the team utilized optogenetics-based calcium sensors to monitor real-time calcium flux in isolated cardiomyocytes, providing unprecedented insight into how OPA3 influences calcium transients during excitation-contraction coupling. Data revealed that OPA3 loss leads to prolonged calcium decay time and increased diastolic calcium levels, conditions that predispose cardiac cells to arrhythmic events and contractile inefficiency. These calcium handling anomalies could explain the pathophysiology of certain forms of cardiomyopathy linked to mitochondrial dysfunction.
Importantly, the study addresses the potential sex-specific roles of OPA3, noting that experiments were conducted exclusively in male mice to control for hormonal influences on cardiac physiology. This raises intriguing questions about whether OPA3 functions similarly in female models and whether sex hormones modulate its expression or activity. Such considerations are critical as sex differences in cardiovascular disease outcomes are well-documented, emphasizing the need for further research in this domain.
The translational implications of these findings are profound. Therapeutic strategies aimed at restoring or enhancing OPA3 function could stabilize mitochondrial morphology and bioenergetics, thereby normalizing calcium handling and improving cardiac contractility. Such interventions might hold promise for treating heart failure syndromes characterized by mitochondrial and calcium dysregulation. Moreover, identifying small molecules or gene therapies targeting OPA3 pathways might complement existing treatments that primarily focus on calcium channels but neglect mitochondrial contributions.
Beyond the heart, the role of OPA3 in mitochondrial dynamics suggests potential relevance in other tissues with high energetic demand, such as skeletal muscle and the brain. Defects in mitochondrial morphology and calcium handling have been implicated in neurodegenerative diseases and metabolic disorders. Thus, understanding OPA3’s function could have broad implications in diverse biomedical fields, making it a protein of significant interest in physiology and pathophysiology.
This study also raises several compelling scientific questions for future research. How does OPA3 interact with other mitochondrial fission and fusion proteins, such as OPA1, MFN1/2, and DRP1, in regulating calcium signaling? What are the upstream regulators of OPA3 expression in cardiac tissue under physiological and pathological conditions? Additionally, can OPA3 modulation reverse established cardiac dysfunction or is it mainly preventive? Addressing these queries will deepen our understanding of cardiac mitochondrial biology and pave the way for novel therapeutic innovations.
Addressing cardiac diseases from a mitochondrial perspective represents a paradigm shift in cardiovascular medicine. Historically, calcium handling has been studied primarily through its direct regulators, but this research highlights the necessity of considering mitochondrial proteins like OPA3 as integral components of intracellular calcium homeostasis. This refined viewpoint may revolutionize how clinicians and scientists approach diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of cardiac ailments.
In conclusion, the identification of mitochondrial protein OPA3 as a fundamental regulator of cardiac calcium handling marks a significant advance in cardiovascular biology. By elucidating the link between mitochondrial morphology, energy metabolism, and calcium signaling, this work provides critical insights into the molecular basis of cardiac function and dysfunction. It offers hope for innovative interventions that could alleviate the burden of heart disease, fostering improved patient outcomes and advancing the frontier of precision medicine in cardiology.
Subject of Research:
Mitochondrial protein OPA3 and its role in cardiac function via regulation of intracellular calcium handling mechanisms.
Article Title:
Mitochondrial protein OPA3 sustains cardiac function by regulating calcium handling in male mice.
Article References:
Geng, N., Chen, T., Li, H. et al. Mitochondrial protein OPA3 sustains cardiac function by regulating calcium handling in male mice. Nat Commun (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-73991-4
New research indicates that when it comes to heart health, the types of fruits and vegetables consumed may be just as important as the amount. Most healthy eating advice focuses on quantity: eat more fruits and vegetables, aim for five servings a day, and your heart will benefit. But new research suggests that when it [...]
For years, many people have cut back on bread, pasta, rice, and potatoes in the hope of losing weight and improving their heart health. Low-carb diets, including the popular ketogenic diet, have become a huge wellness trend. However, scientists still disagree about whether eating fewer carbohydrates is actually better for the heart. A new study […]
Researchers from the Université Polytechnique Hauts-de-France have revealed a technique that successfully analyzed several Vincent van Gogh artworks at a microscopic level to correctly identify well-known, previously identified forgeries from recently authenticated ones
The research team behind the pioneering, non-invasive art authentication process said their approach could provide museums, collectors, and art auction houses with a previously unavailable tool with a proven, scientifically based track record for identifying fake or counterfeit art.
Using Microscopic-Level Surface Scans to Foil Art Forgery
According to a press release announcing the successful counterfeit identification tests, art forgery is an increasingly complex problem. However, the traditional approach of expert opinion combined with historical research and invasive pigment analysis has not always proven successful, with the study authors noting that such methods are “often inconclusive,” leaving museums and collectors to shoulder most of the risk for difficult-to-authenticate works.
More recently, collectors and auctioneers have turned to science for answers, including a report showing that AI may have identified as many as 40 counterfeit artworks sold on online marketplaces. Although no counterfeit versions of Van Gogh’s works were found, that same effort identified potentially fake versions of paintings by Monet and Renoir that were indistinguishable from authentic ones.
In 2023, researchers at the University of Sydney announced the development of a cutting-edge microscope capable of surpassing the diffraction limit. In that story, study co-author Professor Boris Kuhlmey noted that the method, which is ideal for identifying microchip irregularities, “could even be used to reveal hidden layers in artwork, perhaps proving useful in uncovering art forgery or hidden works.”
Last month, The Debrief reported the discovery of a mathematical pattern in many famous expressionist artworks, noting that many abstract artists may naturally arrange shapes and patterns in similar ways, even without knowing the mathematics behind them. If correct, this concept could use science and mathematics to separate fake Impressionist works.
Claude Monet painted Impression, Sunrise (Impression, soleil) in 1872, unknowingly giving a name to an art style and movement that science says contains an underlying mathematical pattern. Image credit: Musée Marmottan Monet, Paris.
Now, the Université Polytechnique Hauts-de-France team says their new approach takes modern technology a step further, resulting in an unprecedented level of accuracy.
“Fractal Analysis Gives Us a Measurable Fingerprint of an Artist’s Brushwork”
Unlike the above techniques, the new approach analyzes the texture of a painting’s surface at the microscopic level by converting high-resolution images into three-dimensional surface ‘maps’ of the painting’s upper layers. According to the study authors, the extracted “texture” of a painting allows them to measure an image’s roughness and detail using fractal math. For example, the team said that the subtle patterns of an artist’s brush stroke are so consistent “that they act like a morphological signature unique to that artist.”
“Fractal analysis gives us a measurable fingerprint of an artist’s brushwork without needing to sample or disturb the painting,” explained Francois Berkmans, the study’s lead researcher.
To test their approach, the researchers scanned several artworks attributed to Renaissance artist Vincent van Gogh. The researchers also used their technique to study the mathematical texture of an artwork called The Plowmen, which the team noted is a “well-documented fake.” Last, they used their method to analyze another Vincent van Gogh work, Sunset at Montmajur, which was authenticated in 2013.
Sunset at Montmajour is a landscape in oils painted by the Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh on 4 July 1888, but was not authenticated until 2013. By Vincent van Gogh – 1. twitter.com2. nrc.nl, image, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28169507
After running their microscopic surface analysis, the team’s new system identified The Plowmen as a “strong outlier” compared to the artist’s other works. Conversely, the new method determined that the two newly authenticated paintings “aligned closely with Van Gogh’s known works.”
New Method “Strengthens” Traditional Analysis as a Complimentary Tool
When discussing the study’s results, Berkmans said their technique “can clearly point out genuine artists and reliably detect known forgeries.” Along with identifying fakes and authentic works, the team said that the new approach successfully separated Van Gogh’s stylistic signatures from those of 17th‑century painter David Klöcker Ehrenstrahl, an achievement they heralded as demonstrating the technology’s “wider potential.”
Although the new approach had successes, the team said it is not designed to replace current approaches, including complementary analyses such as the chemical examination of materials. Instead, they said their surface-texture approach should be used as a complementary tool to strengthen authentication, resulting in a multifaceted approach that can reduce risk for collectors, museums, and auction houses alike.
“This approach won’t replace traditional expertise, but it significantly strengthens it.”
Christopher Plain is a Science Fiction and Fantasy novelist and Head Science Writer at The Debrief. Follow and connect with him on X, learn about his books at plainfiction.com, or email him directly at christopher@thedebrief.org.
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