A surprising discovery comes from the excavations of Herculaneum: the remains of a young man, who died almost 2,000 years ago In the eruption of Vesuvius, they revealed an extraordinary phenomenon. His brain turned into glassan event so rare that they have no documented precedents in history.
It all started in 2020when scientists found Fragments of black glass inside the skull of a victim of the eruption. For years, the mystery has remained unsolved. Today, thanks to new analyzes, we know that this material is the result of a process of vitrificationwhich took place when the brain was exposed to an incandescent ash cloud.
Like extreme heat has transformed the glass brain
According to the researchers, the victim – a man of about 20 yearssurprised in sleep inside a building called Collegium – It was overwhelmed by a cloud of volcanic ash at a temperature of at least 510 ° C. This extreme heat caused the liquefaction of the brain tissue, which then cooled so quickly as to transform into glass.
It is an event almost impossible in naturebecause to vitrify a material, it must cool down so quickly that they do not crystallize. In order for this to happen, very particular conditions must occur:
- The material must be extremely hotmuch more than the surrounding environment temperature.
- The cooling must take place abruptlypreventing the formation of crystals.
The skull He probably offered a sort of protection to the brain, creating the perfect conditions for this unique transformation. The bones and other soft fabrics, on the other hand, have been destroyed before being able to undergo the same process.
Professor Guido Giordanoof the Roma Tre University, explained:
The conditions that have allowed the vitrification of the brain are extremely rare. It is difficult to think that other similar cases exist, even if it is not impossible.
The eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD devastated the cities of Herculaneum and Pompeiisweeping away the life of thousands of people. The excavations brought to light the remains of about 1,500 victimsbut the real scope of the tragedy may have been much bigger.
The new research suggests that the main cause of the inhabitants’ death was not the pyroclastic flow, but one Arching cloud of ash and toxic gaseswhich enveloped the city in a few moments. Only subsequently, has the flow of lava and volcanic materials buried the area, sealing the drama over time.
This study, published on Scientific Reportsoffers a new perspective On the extreme conditions experienced by the inhabitants of Ercolano and allows us to better understand the destructive power of the volcanoes.
