Standing 154 feet tall, the column of Marcus Aurelius is located in the Piazza Colonna and intricately decorated with gruesome scenes of warfare

For decades, restorers have used tiny brushes and other gentle tools to carefully remove dirt and grime from historic landmarks. Now, some are going high-tech and using lasers to get the job done.

In Rome, workers are experimenting with short-pulse lasers to clean the column of Marcus Aurelius, an intricately decorated, 154-foot-tall white Carrara marble artwork located in the Piazza Colonna outside the official residence of Giorgia Meloni, the prime minister of Italy.