Sweeter sounds from infected violins.

Violins made of rotten wood produce a fresher and smoother sound, say Swiss researchers. A dose of rot makes the wood less dense, and the researchers believe that a similar effect of the cold climate when Stradivarius made his violins during the Little Ice Age must have given the legendary instruments their distinctive mellow tone. Fungus infections may have degraded cell walls, but not the lignin tissue that makes wood woody. For lots more fascinating details, visit http://www.empa.ch/plugin/tempiate/empa/752809/ --/I=2.

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