Ancient Vesuvio Victim’s Brain Transformed Into Black Glass by Extreme Heat

Researchers uncover a unique case in Herculaneum where a volcanic eruption vitrified human brain tissue, offering rare insights into ancient catastrophes.

• The brain of a Vesuvio eruption victim in Herculaneum was transformed into black glass due to extreme heat and rapid cooling.
• This is the first known instance of human brain tissue undergoing vitrification, a process typically seen in materials like volcanic glass or obsidian.
• The victim, a young man likely in his 20s, was found in a bed at a Roman cult site and died during the eruption in 79 CE.
• Researchers determined that a superheated ash cloud, reaching temperatures of at least 510°C, caused the vitrification before rapid cooling preserved the glass-like state.
• The findings, published in 'Scientific Reports,' expand understanding of the catastrophic conditions during the Vesuvio eruption and the preservation of organic material in archaeological contexts.

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