Researchers have shown that preserved human brains dating back 12,000 years do not degrade quickly

More than 4,400 human brains that have been preserved in “astonishing condition” have been found in the archeological record by scientists. These brains, some of which date back 12,000 years, have survived the fast degeneration linked to post-mortem circumstances, against popular perception.

Scientists have discovered that human brains do not decompose as quickly as previously believed after death. This calls into question our understanding of brain breakdown. Certain brains have been shown to be kept for extended lengths of time, which defies assumptions.

According to a story from The Mirror, the study was carried out by a group of scientists led by Oxford University’s Alexandra Morton-Hayward. Through historical records and analysis of archeological locations, they were able to find these brains. The preserved brains were found in a variety of settings, including peat bogs in Europe and Egyptian deserts.

Researchers discovered preserved brains at archeological sites, according to a paper titled “Human Brains Preserved in Diverse Environments for at Least 12,000 Years” that was published in The Royal Society. In contrast to conventional wisdom, which holds that the brain decomposes quickly after death, this finding highlights how uncommonly preserved brains are in the archeological record.

Data were gathered from more than 4,400 human brains that had been preserved for about 12,000 years in the archeological record. More than 1,300 of these brains were found to be the sole soft tissue left between bones. Moreover, scientists propose that the unexamined repository of preserved prehistoric brains presents a priceless chance to carry out bioarchaeological studies about human development, well-being, and illness.

It is considered quite unusual to find preserved brains. These 213 locations—from freezing mountains to deserts—showcase the variety of situations in which these brains have been discovered.

The author, Alexandra Morton-Hayward, expressed her delight over the amazing discovery in an interview with The Independent. She discussed the discovery of several archaic biomolecules that were preserved in these ancient brains. Morton-Hayward emphasized the excitement that comes with discovering new details about the lives and deaths of our ancestors.

The study’s co-author, Professor Erin Saupe of the University of Oxford’s Department of Earth Sciences, said that the discovery of ancient brains shows how they may be kept in a variety of environments. These include parched desert regions and frigid places like the northern Arctic.