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In Valencia, microbiologist Pilar Bosch and her mother, restorer Pilar Roig, have joined forces in a unique project to restore 18th century paintings using bacteria.
The idea came about when Bosch, while choosing a topic for her doctoral dissertation, came across an article on the use of bacteria to clean frescoes in Italy.
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The €4 million project is funded by local foundations. Bosch trains the bacteria to produce enzymes to break down the collagen-based glue used in 1960s restorations.
