A new research paper sheds more light on the craftsmanship of Stradivarius, with clues that take a look inside his venerated craftsmanship. Despite some evidence to the contrary, the violins of Stradivarius and Cremonese violin makers of the 17th and into the 18th centuries are still prized above that of more recent instruments.

Musical and scientific sleuths ever since have been trying to decode the secrets of their craft. What makes them sound so heavenly? That quest for answers got a boost from Italian researchers in a paper published by the American Chemical Society that outlines the findings of their chemical analysis of two venerable violins.