The Stradivarius vs. the Modern Violin

The World

Last June a Stradivarius violin sold at a charity auction for nearly $16 million.

For centuries, performers have trumpeted the sound, the feel and the quality of the Stradivarius,

Researchers in France and the US collaborated to see if professional violinists can tell the difference between a modern violin and a legendary old Stradivarius.

Once the results were in, the Stradivarius came out on the bottom.

The results are published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.

Anchor Marco Werman talks to Claudia Fritz, lead author of the study.

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