Ancient Herculaneum Victim's Brain Turned to Glass by Vesuvius Eruption
A new study reveals that a victim of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD had their brain preserved as glass due to extreme heat from the eruption.
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However, the pyroclastic flows, composed of fast-moving volcanic material and toxic gas, that charged out of Vesuvius and buried Herculaneum could not have caused the brain tissues of this young man to turn into glass, he said.
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The process of glass formation requires very specific temperature conditions and rarely occurs naturally.
Man's brain turned to glass by Vesuvius volcano ash cloud
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The identification of the young Herculaneum man's brain as having turned to glass adds a new – and vanishingly rare – possibility to the list.
An erupting volcano turned a young man's brain into glass, researchers say
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The results: "Our comprehensive chemical and physical characterization of the material sampled from the skull of a human body buried at Herculaneum... shows compelling evidence that these are human brain remains, composed of organic glass formed at high temperatures, a process of preservation never previously documented for human or animal tissue, neither brain or any other kind."
Study: Hot Vesuvian ash cloud really did turn a brain to glass
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Summary
Research on a Vesuvius eruption victim indicates their brain was preserved as glass after exposure to superheated ash and rapid cooling. This unique phenomenon occurred at temperatures exceeding 510°C and is the only known case of human tissue naturally vitrifying. The study authored by Guido Giordano suggests that the specific conditions during the eruption led to this rare preservation, detailing the sequence of events that took place in Herculaneum during the catastrophic eruption. The findings serve to advance our understanding of volcanic impacts on human remains and raise questions about other potential vitrified remains.
Perspectives
The recent study provides compelling evidence that the cloud of ash from the Mount Vesuvius eruption in 79 AD generated extreme temperatures that caused the young man's brain and spinal cord tissue to vitrify into glass, thus preserving it in a unique manner.
While there is skepticism within the scientific community regarding the process of vitrification of human tissue, advancements in forensic techniques have been employed to support the claim that the material found is indeed organic glass formed at high temperatures.
This discovery illustrates the rare but fascinating forms of preservation of human remains, contributing to the knowledge of archaeological and volcanological events.