FORENSIC EXPERTS RESTORE ISRAELI ASTRONAUT'S NOTES

Forensic Experts Restore Israeli Astronaut's Notes
Forensic scientists have painstakingly restored the flight diary and notes of Israeli astronaut Col. Ilan Ramon, that survived the fiery disintegration of the space shuttle Columbia and two months of exposure to rain and sun in a Texas field in 2003. Eighteen pages handwritten in Hebrew were recovered: four from Ramon's diary during the flight; six were technical classroom notes made before launch; and eight were personal notes, also written before liftoff. Ramon, an Israeli war hero, was his country's first astronaut. (AP/New York Times)