All articles tagged with #mummies
High‑resolution CT scans of four high‑altitude Inca mummies, including the Lady of Ampato, uncover blunt‑force head injuries and, in one case, postmortem organ removal, suggesting the capacocha sacrifices involved deliberate preparation and violence beyond traditional accounts that depicted them as flawless offerings to the gods.
Researchers noninvasively analyze volatile organic compounds in the air around 19 mummies (35 samples) to identify embalming ingredients and how recipes changed from fats/oils in early periods to beeswax, resins, and bitumen by the New Kingdom, using headspace SPME with GC-MS; the study links scent, trade, and ritual beliefs while offering a rapid screening method that preserves the artefacts.
UK researchers used a non-destructive VOC sniffing method with GC-MS to study 35 samples from 19 mummies dating roughly from 2000 BC to AD 295, linking fats/oils, beeswax, resins, plant oils, and bitumen to evolving embalming recipes and showing volatile analysis as a rapid, minimally invasive way to date and study mummy chemistry without damaging the remains.
Scientists in northern Saudi Arabia uncovered seven mummified cheetahs and bones from 54 others in a cave site near Arar, dating from 130 years to more than 1,800 years ago; the exceptionally preserved remains, due to dry cave conditions, offer rare insights into cheetah history and extinction in the Arabian Peninsula, though researchers still aren’t sure how the cats ended up there or the exact mummification process.
In 2025, science unraveled numerous historical mysteries, including the identification of a well-preserved Austrian monk, insights into ancient Polynesian statues, the origins of a Danish warship, the true cause of Shackleton's ship sinking, and the genetic analysis of ancient wolf pups, shedding new light on our understanding of the past.
Scientists analyzed 7,000-year-old mummified women from Libya, revealing a unique North African lineage with minimal Neanderthal DNA, suggesting isolated evolution and cultural diffusion of herding practices during the Sahara's Green period, reshaping understanding of early human migration and adaptation.
Researchers reexamined 100-year-old dinosaur fossils from Wyoming and discovered they are exceptionally well-preserved, retaining skin, spikes, and hooves, providing the most complete view of a large dinosaur to date and offering new insights into their appearance and soft tissue preservation.
Scientists reexamined 100-year-old fossils of Edmontosaurus annectens from Wyoming and discovered exceptionally preserved mummified body parts, including skin, hooves, and spikes, providing new insights into the dinosaur's appearance and biology, such as the first evidence of hooved feet in a reptile and detailed skin features.
Scientists have discovered well-preserved dinosaur mummies from Wyoming that reveal some had hooves, a first in paleontology, providing new insights into dinosaur anatomy and appearance.
Scientists have discovered what are believed to be the world's oldest mummies in southeastern Asia, dating back up to 12,000 years, created through a smoke-drying process by ancient hunter-gatherer communities, revealing a long-standing tradition of preserving and honoring ancestors.
Researchers have discovered the world's oldest mummies in southern China and Southeast Asia, dating back between 4,000 and 14,000 years, challenging the traditional association of mummies with Egypt and revealing advanced preservation techniques among early hunter-gatherer populations.
Scientists have potentially discovered the world's oldest mummies in Southeast Asia, dating back 12,000 years, with evidence suggesting they were smoke-dried over fires, providing insights into ancient funerary practices across the region.
New research suggests that the 14,000-year-old well-preserved 'Tumat Puppies' found in Siberia were likely wolf pups, not early domesticated dogs, based on genetic and dietary analysis, shedding light on the life of ice age wolves and the complexities of dog domestication.
New research on 14,000-year-old ice age 'puppies' found in Siberia suggests they were not early domesticated dogs but rather wolf pups that lived independently, shedding light on the challenges of tracing dog domestication and the behavior of ancient wolves.
A study published in the European Heart Journal found that 37.6% of 237 mummies from various ancient cultures, spanning over 4,000 years, showed evidence of atherosclerosis, indicating that heart disease and stroke are not just modern phenomena but have long been present in human history.