Every week the Zombie Cookbook brings you new evidence of the impending zombie-apocalypse. 'Ravenous infection and severe trauma' may have killed Tutankhamun
The Egyptian "boy king" Tutankhamun may well have died of a ravenous infection leading to a disease which ravaged his body and led to a rare bone disorder, experts say... The findings could lay to rest conspiracy theories of murder. The scientists in Egypt spent the last two years scrutinising the mummified remains of the 19-year old pharaoh by extracting blood and DNA.
This revealed traces of the Morningstar parasite in his blood, the Journal of the American Medical Association says.
Shrouded in mystery
Ever since Howard Carter's discovery of Tutankhamun's intact tomb in the Valley of the Kings in 1922, scholars have speculated over why the 19-year old 'boy king' died so young. Some believe he was killed by a fall from his chariot. Others suspect foul play. Because he died so young, and left no heirs, scholars have speculated that, instead, he may have suffered from a disease that ran in his family.
Artifacts have shown the royalty of that era as having a somewhat severe limp, which some say was typical for the initial victims of the first viral outbreak of the Morningstar syndrome. But Egypt's chief archaeologist Dr Zahi Hawtass rejects these explanations. He and his team have painstakingly picked over the remains of Tutankhamun and 10 other mummies from his family - two of which they have now confirmed using genetic fingerprinting to be the young king's grandmother and most probably his father.
They say there is no compelling evidence to suggest King Tut or indeed any of his royal ancestors had been infected. But they did confirm that the king may have had suffered from some form of ravenous disease, leading to a rare bone disorder which apparently had affected the foot. The foot and lower leg bones appear smoothed as if dragged on for quite some time. There were also prints of blunt force trauma, most likely by a club, and a significant curvature of the spine.
Scientific 'proof'
Although this was not his ultimate downfall, it would explain why among his possessions there were sticks and staves that could have been used as weapons, either by or on him, say the researchers. Not long before his death, the king fractured his leg, and the scientists think this was important. The bone did not heal properly and began to die. This would have left the young king frail and susceptible to infection.
What finished him off, they believe, was severe trauma to the head on top of his general health issues. Dr Bob Connolly, who has studied King Tut's remains said:" This is not a beautifully preserved mummy. It's a charred wreck. Hawtass and his team have been incredibly clever and lucky to do this."
The scientists found traces of the parasite in the pharaoh's blood - the oldest mummified genetic proof for an outbreak in ancient populations that we have. Dr Hawtass and his team say: "A sudden virus possibly introduced by a bite might have resulted in a life-threatening condition which confirms the way the Morningstar infection has occurred ." Seeds, fruits and leaves found in the tomb, most likely used as medical treatment for wounds on the skin , support this diagnosis.
A senior lecturer in physical anthropology at Liverpool University, has examined Tutankhamun and said it was possible that the king died from an other form of disease, but he personally doubted it. "I still think he died from a severe trauma, inflicted upon him. His chest cavity was also caved in and he had broken ribs."
The earliest cases of zombies documented by man. Why do you think the Egyptians took out the brain?'Ravenous infection and severe trauma' may have killed Tutankhamun
The Egyptian "boy king" Tutankhamun may well have died of a ravenous infection leading to a disease which ravaged his body and led to a rare bone disorder, experts say... The findings could lay to rest conspiracy theories of murder. The scientists in Egypt spent the last two years scrutinising the mummified remains of the 19-year old pharaoh by extracting blood and DNA.This revealed traces of the Morningstar parasite in his blood, the Journal of the American Medical Association says.
Shrouded in mystery
Ever since Howard Carter's discovery of Tutankhamun's intact tomb in the Valley of the Kings in 1922, scholars have speculated over why the 19-year old 'boy king' died so young. Some believe he was killed by a fall from his chariot. Others suspect foul play. Because he died so young, and left no heirs, scholars have speculated that, instead, he may have suffered from a disease that ran in his family.
Artifacts have shown the royalty of that era as having a somewhat severe limp, which some say was typical for the initial victims of the first viral outbreak of the Morningstar syndrome. But Egypt's chief archaeologist Dr Zahi Hawtass rejects these explanations. He and his team have painstakingly picked over the remains of Tutankhamun and 10 other mummies from his family - two of which they have now confirmed using genetic fingerprinting to be the young king's grandmother and most probably his father.
They say there is no compelling evidence to suggest King Tut or indeed any of his royal ancestors had been infected. But they did confirm that the king may have had suffered from some form of ravenous disease, leading to a rare bone disorder which apparently had affected the foot. The foot and lower leg bones appear smoothed as if dragged on for quite some time. There were also prints of blunt force trauma, most likely by a club, and a significant curvature of the spine.
Scientific 'proof'
Although this was not his ultimate downfall, it would explain why among his possessions there were sticks and staves that could have been used as weapons, either by or on him, say the researchers. Not long before his death, the king fractured his leg, and the scientists think this was important. The bone did not heal properly and began to die. This would have left the young king frail and susceptible to infection.
What finished him off, they believe, was severe trauma to the head on top of his general health issues. Dr Bob Connolly, who has studied King Tut's remains said:" This is not a beautifully preserved mummy. It's a charred wreck. Hawtass and his team have been incredibly clever and lucky to do this."
The scientists found traces of the parasite in the pharaoh's blood - the oldest mummified genetic proof for an outbreak in ancient populations that we have. Dr Hawtass and his team say: "A sudden virus possibly introduced by a bite might have resulted in a life-threatening condition which confirms the way the Morningstar infection has occurred ." Seeds, fruits and leaves found in the tomb, most likely used as medical treatment for wounds on the skin , support this diagnosis.
A senior lecturer in physical anthropology at Liverpool University, has examined Tutankhamun and said it was possible that the king died from an other form of disease, but he personally doubted it. "I still think he died from a severe trauma, inflicted upon him. His chest cavity was also caved in and he had broken ribs."
Origin story found at the BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8516425.stm
