The true identity of artist Banksy is arguably one of the greatest modern mysteries so if you'd prefer not to have it revealed then perhaps its best to stop reading now.
Scientists from Queen Mary University of London claim they have confirmed Banksy's identiry by using the same types of techniques profilers would use to identify a serial criminal. The research was published in the Journal of Spacial Science this week and claims the elusive artist's profile matches that of Robin Gunningham.
Gunningham was previously 'unmasked' as Banksy by the Mail on Sunday in 2008. The scientists who conducted the research say they used a "Dirichlet process mixture model," which analysed the spatial patterns of Banksy's artworks in Bristol and London, using confirmed locations published in books or other materials.
"Our analysis highlights areas associated with one prominent candidate (e.g., his home), supporting his identification as Banksy," the study says. The scientists are refusing to say they've unmasked him because if you type 'Banksy' and 'Robin Gunningham' into Google you'll find thousands of results linking the two.
The research team said they hope their findings support previous suggestions that analysis of "minor terrorism-related acts," such as graffiti, could be used to help locate terrorist bases before serious incidents occur.
Via Mashable
