WQLN PBS NPR
8425 Peach Street
Erie, PA 16509

Phone
(814) 864-3001

© 2026 PUBLIC BROADCASTING OF NORTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Facial Recognition Finds 91% Match to Shakespeare

Season 23 Episode 1 | 1m 24s

Steven Wadlow’s method for testing and comparing his portrait of William Shakespeare with already authenticated ones originally involved cutting and pasting photocopied images by hand. Today, advanced facial recognition software offers, not only a shortcut for comparison, but also hope that the painting may indeed depict Shakespeare himself.

SECRETS OF THE DEAD is made possible, in part, by public television viewers.
Latest Episodes
Scientists race to save the historic island on the Chesapeake Bay from rising sea levels.
See how the unique partnership between two countries made the iconic monument possible.
New discoveries reveal how pivotal Great Zimbabwe was to global trade.
A professor seeks to prove Arthurian legends have roots in actual British history.
The chance discovery of a jade artifact unearths an ancient Chinese city.
Experts search for evidence that female gladiators once existed in Ancient Rome.
Could the discovery of a third portrait of William Shakespeare be a genuine article?
Scientists study medieval bubonic plague victims in hopes of preventing future outbreaks.
See how secret letters written by Mary, Queen of Scots, were finally decoded.
An unprecedented discovery could reveal new information about Cleopatra’s reign.
Extras
Scientists race to save the historic island on the Chesapeake Bay from rising sea levels.
See how the unique partnership between two countries made the iconic monument possible.
A controversial symbol was removed from Lady Liberty's original design. Here's why.
Rare photographs reveal how the Statue of Liberty was constructed piece by piece.
Discover all-new Secrets of the Dead on Wednesdays this fall, starting October 14 at 10/9c.
New discoveries reveal how pivotal Great Zimbabwe was to global trade.
Chinese pottery fragments reveal Great Zimbabwe’s far-reaching global trade network.
Discover a mysterious find that could reveal how people lived at Great Zimbabwe.
Racist colonial reports denied that Africans built Great Zimbabwe.
Dating back 3,000 years, the site raises key questions about the city’s sudden disappearance.
WQLN PBS Passport is a member benefit that provides you with extended access to an on-demand library of quality public television programming!