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Yeast has been growing in the guts of a frozen mummy called Oetzi the Iceman for thousands of years, scientists have discovered, they used it to make a tasty sourdough bread.
More than 5,300 years ago — before the Egyptian pyramids were built — Oezti was strolling through the Alps on the border of Austria and Italy when he was killed by an arrow in the back.
He remained frozen in the ice until two German hikers stumbled across his mummified remains in 1991 in the northern Italian region of South Tyrol.
Since then, his stunningly well-preserved remains have been kept at the same temperature — minus six degrees Celsius — as his icy tomb.
This has allowed scientists to carefully study Oetzi, who offers an incredibly rare window into ancient human life.
For the latest research, published in the Microbiome journal on Wednesday, an Italy-based team found evidence that both ancient and modern microbial life remain active in the frozen body.
www.japantimes.co.jp
More than 5,300 years ago — before the Egyptian pyramids were built — Oezti was strolling through the Alps on the border of Austria and Italy when he was killed by an arrow in the back.
He remained frozen in the ice until two German hikers stumbled across his mummified remains in 1991 in the northern Italian region of South Tyrol.
Since then, his stunningly well-preserved remains have been kept at the same temperature — minus six degrees Celsius — as his icy tomb.
This has allowed scientists to carefully study Oetzi, who offers an incredibly rare window into ancient human life.
For the latest research, published in the Microbiome journal on Wednesday, an Italy-based team found evidence that both ancient and modern microbial life remain active in the frozen body.
Scientists find yeast in ancient Iceman’s guts — and make bread
An analysis of his microbiome revealed a particular kind of a gut bacteria that is almost non-existent among modern humans.
