Louisa Smieska and Ruth Mullet were surprised to find barium in the azurite blues of medieval illuminated manuscript pages. Azurite, a soft, deep blue copper mineral produced by weathering of copper ore deposits, has been recognized since ancient time. However, the trace element barium is more often associated with modern paints, and, according to the researchers, has never been reported in illuminated manuscripts before.

The human population is expected to surpass 9 billion by 2050, and meeting future food and energy needs requires increases in agricultural production by enhancing productivity on existing land or by increasing the amount of land used for production. Achieving these gains depends on adequate levels of soil micronutrients like copper, low levels of which can impact yield by reducing fertility and, in extreme cases, lead to total crop failure.

Joress is a PhD candidate in the Cornell Materials Science Department, and has been very active at CHESS since his arrival in the fall of 2012. His particular interest has been the study of fast processes in real time, especially chemical reactions and phase transitions in thin films, and he has co-authored over a dozen publications in this area.