Elemental Scanning Devices Authenticate Works of Art

Are the shoes you’re wearing really made of leather? Is the table nearby made of wood? How can you be sure? These questions may seem trivial in everyday life, but knowing the precise chemical makeup of spacecraft components is a crucial part of quality control and can help ensure a successful mission. And learning that the paint on a canvas was produced using modern materials could be what prevents a museum from spending $10 million on a forgery.