April 30, 1853
1 min read
Add Us On GoogleAdd SciAmHuman Bones found in Guano
On supporting science journalism
If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.
From the ship Brandscompt, unloading Pe- I ruvian guano, at Leith, Scotland, there wers j exhumed the remains of three persons, evi- [ rtent) y Peruvians, bnried in the guano, and i which bad apparently riot been disturbed in the process of loading the ship. The re mains illustrate a carWtts property in the guano in preserving bones, hair, and clothes, while completely decomposing flesh. It is not known when the bodies were originally j interred, but the bones were all found as if j they had been preserved in a museum; the j hair remained upon the skull, and the clothes were but very little decayed.
It’s Time to Stand Up for Science
If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in that two-century history.
I’ve been a Scientific American subscriber since I was 12 years old, and it helped shape the way I look at the world. SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe. I hope it does that for you, too.
If you subscribe to Scientific American, you help ensure that our coverage is centered on meaningful research and discovery; that we have the resources to report on the decisions that threaten labs across the U.S.; and that we support both budding and working scientists at a time when the value of science itself too often goes unrecognized.
In return, you get essential news, captivating podcasts, brilliant infographics, can't-miss newsletters, must-watch videos, challenging games, and the science world's best writing and reporting. You can even gift someone a subscription.
There has never been a more important time for us to stand up and show why science matters. I hope you’ll support us in that mission.