How mummies were prepared: Ancient Egyptian pots spill secrets

In this episode:00:47 Chemical analysis of ancient embalming materialsMummification was a significant part of ancient Egyptian culture but, despite decades of research, much is unknown about the substances and methods used during the process. Now a team have analysed the contents of ceramic vessels uncovered in an embalming workshop that dates back to around 600 BC. The results reveal that some substances assumed to be a single thing were actually mixtures, while some came from far outside Egypt, providing a clearer picture of ancient mummification practices.Research article: Rageot et al.News and Views: Recipes for ancient Egyptian mummification09:11 Research HighlightsModelling how fruit wrinkles as it ages, and a trove of ancient animal skulls suggest Neanderthals may have collected hunting trophies.Research Highlight: A chilli’s wrinkles and a cherry’s dimples explainedResearch Highlight: Neanderthals stashed dozens of animal skulls in a cave — but why?11:28 The race to refine CAR-T therapiesCAR-T therapies are a type of cancer immunotherapy in which part of a person’s immune system – their T cells – are engineered to recognise and attack tumours. While these therapies have been shown to be effective at treating certain blood cancers, they are expensive and can have serious side effects. We hear about efforts to tackle these issues and even expand the range of diseases that CAR-T could be used to treat.News Feature: The race to supercharge cancer-fighting T ce...
Source: Nature Podcast - Category: Science Authors: Source Type: podcasts