Topic ID #7908 - posted 6/17/2010 8:52 AM
Jennifer Palmer
Webmaster
Airport Scanners Take on Mummies
Jennifer Palmer
Webmaster
Analysis by Rossella Lorenzi Wed Jun 16, 2010 02:30 PM ET
Swiss and German scientists have experimented with using airport body scanners for a less controversial purpose – screening ancient mummies.
“We found that this non-invasive imaging method is well suited for the investigation of ancient mummified soft tissues and embalming related substances,” Swiss anatomist and paleopathologist Frank Rühli told Discovery News.
Mummies are usually investigated with conventional X- rays or computer tomography scans, which provide the clearest images.
But high resolution comes at a price.
Ionizing radiation used by X-rays and CT scans can destroy highly fragmented ancient DNA. But the terahertz radiations of body scanners are completely harmless to human cells and don't destroy tissue.
Read the rest of the article here.
Swiss and German scientists have experimented with using airport body scanners for a less controversial purpose – screening ancient mummies.
“We found that this non-invasive imaging method is well suited for the investigation of ancient mummified soft tissues and embalming related substances,” Swiss anatomist and paleopathologist Frank Rühli told Discovery News.
Mummies are usually investigated with conventional X- rays or computer tomography scans, which provide the clearest images.
But high resolution comes at a price.
Ionizing radiation used by X-rays and CT scans can destroy highly fragmented ancient DNA. But the terahertz radiations of body scanners are completely harmless to human cells and don't destroy tissue.
Read the rest of the article here.
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