Is the ancient Egyptian mummy’s curse true or false?

The most talked about King Tutkamun is actually the so-called "King Tutkamun Curse" named after him, which some people call the "Mummy Curse". But the latest research from scientists has found that the "Curse of King Tutankhamun" may be the result of a poisonous fungus. Is this the truth? British archaeologist Howard Carter discovered the tomb of the ancient Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun in 1922. This was a major discovery in the history of world archaeology. At that time, there was a Tutankhamun craze around the world. After the craze passed, although people still paid attention to the news related to the mummy, no news was as sensational as the "Curse of King Tutankhamun" or the "Curse of the Mummy." Lord Carnarvon, an Englishman who funded the archaeological project, fell ill and died shortly after visiting Tutankhamen's tomb, further fueling speculation that supernatural forces were at work. "Supernatural theory" has its market, but of course scientists do not believe in any supernatural power. They have been trying to decipher the "curse of King Tutankhamun". In recent years, a scientific theory about the "mummy's curse" may provide scientific basis for the death of Lord Carnarvon. In fact, from the beginning, the focus of scientists' research was not on finding "supernatural forces." They believed that Lord Carnarvon died either from toadstools in the mausoleum or from his fragile immune system. But which one of the two was the real cause of his death? Fungus may be to blame Researchers have discovered that Lord Carnarvon actually suffered from a chronic disease before setting off for Egypt, which further damaged his immune system. Jennifer Wegener, an Egyptologist at the University of Pennsylvania Museum, said: "When you think of Egyptian tombs, you not only think of the dead bodies during burial, but also the food used for burial - meat, vegetables and fruits. "These foods will definitely attract insects, fungi, bacteria and all kinds of other things. They may have been present in the tomb three thousand years ago." Scientists also found ammonia, formaldehyde and hydrogen sulfide in the sealed sarcophagus. Once these toxic gases reach extremely strong concentrations, they may damage people's eyes and noses, cause people to have symptoms similar to pneumonia, and even kill people in severe cases. What surprised the researchers even more was that many of the opened tombs were actually inhabited by bats. It was later discovered that these ancient tombs were in disrepair and had many cracks, so the bats regarded the tombs as their homes. However, the guano of these bats contains a fungus that can cause a flu-like respiratory disease called histoplasmosis. Under the right conditions, this situation can also be fatal. Were toxic substances in the tomb to blame for King Tutkamun's curse in ancient Egypt? It's safer inside the tomb than outside the tomb. Just as the "deadly fungus theory" is being accepted by more and more researchers, other scientists have put forward different views. Some experts who have studied the death of Lord Carnarvon believe that the toxic substances in the mausoleum did not have any negative impact on Lord Carnarvon's death. These experts explain that the old and frail Lord Carnarvon suffered from chronic illness before entering Tutankhamen's tomb. Furthermore, he died only a few months after first entering the tomb. If he had been exposed to the poisonous substances in the mausoleum, the symptoms would have appeared long ago. Professor DeWolf Miller, professor of epidemiology at the University of Hawaii, said: "My opinion is exactly the same as that of the archaeologists who opened the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamen: given the sanitary conditions in Egypt at the time, Lord Carnarvon may have It’s safer to be inside an ancient tomb than outside it.” Wegner of the University of Pennsylvania said it’s not surprising that there are many kinds of fungi in ancient tombs, as are her colleagues who work in ancient tombs. No worries about fungal infection. There is a reason why archaeologists are so "inattentive to self-preservation." They believe that if someone has a very weak immune system, they are certainly more likely to contract a disease in the tomb, but what people may not notice is that those with compromised immune systems are equally likely to be infected in a restaurant or anywhere else. It's possible that this could happen. What's more, fungi and bacteria are commonly found in ancient Egyptian tombs, and it is difficult to identify which fungi or bacteria actually come from ancient Egypt. You should still pay attention to safety. However, according to Kenneth Fidel, a professor of archeology at Connecticut State University, it is not advisable to downplay the biological dangers of ancient tombs, because potentially dangerous creatures do exist in many archaeological dig sites. Archeology Everyone should face up to this problem.

Fidel is co-author of Dangerous Places: Health, Safety and Archeology. At most archaeological sites, researchers are constantly surrounded by dust and directly exposed to potentially harmful substances. Fidel pointed out that "there is a joke circulating in the archaeological community: when you come home after working hard in the fields for a day, even if you blow your nose, you will blow out a lot of dust. There is no doubt that you have already collected a lot of dust during your work. The dust is inhaled into your body. If you are exposed to fungi and spores on the ground, then you may be exposed to at least some harmful substances that are harmful to your health. "People can find many fungi in the soil, and they like to live in caves. Animals and their feces-filled passages provide the nutrients these fungi need to survive. Who contaminates whom? However, the scientific community generally agrees that although most archaeological sites, including ancient tombs, are colonized with fungi, bacteria and other harmful substances, these sites have been proven not to be a hazard to researchers engaged in scientific research and tourists. safety. What archaeologists are most worried about now is not the "curse" of mummies or ancient tombs, but the "curse" of modern people on ancient tombs. Modern people still generally lack awareness of ancient tomb protection, and excavation sometimes becomes a kind of destruction. . Professor Miller of the University of Hawaii said: "A large number of cases have shown that people pollute ancient tombs, rather than ancient tombs polluting people. Many people only know how to open these ancient tombs, eager for major archaeological discoveries, but do not know how to protect ancient tombs." As a result, the tomb suffered great damage. The moisture caused the fungi attached to the walls to multiply, destroying the exquisite murals and other artifacts."