The Voynich manuscript: Will this medieval mystery ever be solved?

By Jane Bracher, for CNN

Updated 1524 GMT (2324 HKT) June 15, 2018

This medieval manuscript has provoked speculation since it turned up in a bookshop a century ago. Written in an unreadable script, it includes illustrations of plants, women and astrological symbols.<br />
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This medieval manuscript has provoked speculation since it turned up in a bookshop a century ago. Written in an unreadable script, it includes illustrations of plants, women and astrological symbols.
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Known as the Voynich manuscript, it's named after Wilfrid Voynich, the collector and bookseller who acquired it in 1912.
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Known as the Voynich manuscript, it's named after Wilfrid Voynich, the collector and bookseller who acquired it in 1912.
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The contents of the manuscript are widely believed to be related to medicine. Illustrations include these women, apparently bathing in pools of green liquid.
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The contents of the manuscript are widely believed to be related to medicine. Illustrations include these women, apparently bathing in pools of green liquid.
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Many have poured over the manuscript's pages, and there have been countless theories as to its meaning, origins, and the author's identity. Some claim it was written by an autistic monk, others that it was originally written in Hebrew. Others say it's simply an elaborate hoax.
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Many have poured over the manuscript's pages, and there have been countless theories as to its meaning, origins, and the author's identity. Some claim it was written by an autistic monk, others that it was originally written in Hebrew. Others say it's simply an elaborate hoax.
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A family in Alberta, Canada, believes the manuscript is written in Old Turkic. Father and son Ahmet (R) and Ozan Ardic have been working on decoding the manuscript for three years. They say they have derived an alphabet of 24 base characters and 64 combined characters from it.
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A family in Alberta, Canada, believes the manuscript is written in Old Turkic. Father and son Ahmet (R) and Ozan Ardic have been working on decoding the manuscript for three years. They say they have derived an alphabet of 24 base characters and 64 combined characters from it.
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