Scientists have discovered the cause of the unusual emerald color on the skeleton of a teenager buried in Italy several centuries ago. Experts believe that the copper coffin where the boy was placed played an important role thanks to the metal's antibacterial properties, which contribute to the preservation of soft and hard tissues.
Experts explain that acids released from the body react with copper, forming corrosion products that interact with bones. Over time, copper ions replace calcium in the skeleton, strengthening its structure and giving bones their characteristic green color.
The teenager, who died between the ages of 12 and 14, was first discovered in the basement of an ancient villa in Bologna in 1987. As noted by experts, the mummy was almost completely preserved, except for the feet, skin and bones that had a light green coating, similar to what appears on bronze and bronze statues.
According to Annamaria Alabiso from the University of Rome Tor Vergata, radiocarbon dating showed that the teenager died between 1617 and 1814. She emphasized that the study of such interactions between metals and tissues has completely changed ideas about the role of heavy metals in conservation, reports said. New scientist.
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