Archaeologists Are Using Lasers to Clean Decades of Grime Off a Towering 1,800-Year-Old Marble Column in Rome

For decades, restorers have used tiny brushes and other gentle tools to carefully remove dirt and grime from historic landmarks. Now, some are going high-tech and using lasers to get the job done.

In Rome, workers are experimenting with short-pulse lasers to clean the column of Marcus Aurelius, an intricately decorated, 154-foot-tall white Carrara marble artwork located in the Piazza Colonna outside the official residence of Giorgia Meloni, the prime minister of Italy.