I recently stumbled upon an active Voynich researcher I’d never heard of: Angela Catalina Ghionea (note that, even though Internet Explorer throws up lots of warnings for her website, it’s basically OK), who is a teaching assistant and 3rd year PhD student in the History Department at Purdue University.
She’s “currently focused on the most mysterious manuscript in the world, The ‘Voynich Manuscript’ “, and is preparing an article called “Understanding the Voynich Manuscript. New Evidence for a Genuine Alphabet, Shamanic Imagery, and Magical Plants“. Her recent presentations at various conferences include:-
- “Voynich Manuscript and its Genuine Alphabet” (12 April, HGSA 2008 Conference, Purdue)
- “Understanding the “Voynich”, the Most Mysterious Manuscript in the World. American Shamanism and Exotic Plants” (29 March at the OAH 2008 Annual Meeting, New York, Hilton Hotel)
- “Contributions to Voynich Manuscript’s Mystery” (24 March 2008, MARS Conference, Purdue)
- “Voynich Manuscript is not a Hoax. Uncovering New Evidence” (Purdue, 29 January 2008)
All of which I hope to see very soon (and to review here). But this set me wondering: how many other people with PhD’s have looked at the Voynich? I drew up a quick list (let me know if there are more), but there are plenty of familiar faces…
- William Romaine Newbold
- John Manly (love the cigar story!)
- Leonell Strong (love that facial hair / collar combination)
- Derek de Solla Price
- Jim Reeds
- Jacques Guy
- Gabriel Landini
- Jorge Stolfi
- Gordon Rugg
- Edith Sherwood
Though according to Dr C. S. Lewis Barrie PhD, the Voynich Manuscript is a medieval blog, which is why it makes no sense. Ah, bless.
“He [Roger Bacon] was the only man on earth possessed of a good microscope, and he relies upon it as a part of his apparatus of concealment. I have long known the fact that his letters were built up out of significant elements and had been using an ordinary reading glass to help resolve them, but only about four months ago, when it occurred to me to turn a pretty strong microscope upon them, did I discover that nearly all the letters which I had been taking as wholes were really perfect nests of tiny characters.”
~Phd William R. Newbold
Keep up the good writing, Nick.
Oh well I suppose you could add me after all… 😉