Scientists at Oxford University have discovered preserved human brains of up to 12,000 yearsWhich casts doubt on the belief that the brain is one of the first organs to decompose after death.
The study was published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society BHe examined more than 4,000 samples, revealing important information about the preservation of brain tissue over thousands of years.
The researchers identified major preservation types and a group classified as “unknown,” which represents nearly a third of the samples studied, and indicates the presence of preservation processes that science has not yet studied.
The analysis revealed that environmental conditions play a crucial role in preserving brain tissue. The results suggest that in addition to known conditions that can slow decomposition, such as dry, mineral-rich environments, other unknown factors may contribute to the exceptional preservation of some brains.
This discovery has important implications for both archaeology and medicine, suggesting new lines of research in tissue preservation and possibly aiding the study of neurological diseases.
The Oxford team expressed interest in exploring “unknown” processes further, with the aim of better understanding how the human brain is able to resist decomposition for such long periods.
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