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Oldest Intact Red Blood Cells Found on Iceman

Posted by Unknown on from the next-on-discovery-cloning-the-iceman dept.

sciencehabit writes "A team of researchers has zoomed in on two spots on the body of the Iceman, a mummified, 5300-year-old hunter found frozen in the Alps in 1991: a shoulder wound found with an embedded arrowhead and a hand lesion resembling a stab wound. The scientists used atomic force microscopy, a visualization method with resolution of less than a nanometer, to scan the wounds for blood residue. They discovered red blood cells — the oldest in the world to be found intact — as well as fibrin, a protein needed for blood to clot. The presence of fibrin indicates that the Iceman, nicknamed Ötzi, didn't die immediately after being wounded."

5 of 104 comments (clear)

  1. Excellent! by DWMorse · · Score: 4, Funny

    Now we can clone this caveman creature, on a private island, with a theme park tourist-attraction setting! Spare no expense, of course!

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  2. Re:Ötzi no bang Utz's wife again! by gestalt_n_pepper · · Score: 4, Funny

    Off our meds today, are we?

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    Please do not read this sig. Thank you.
  3. Re:Don't get all that excited.... by aardwolf64 · · Score: 4, Funny

    It's groundbreaking! Scientists have proved that people 5000 years ago had blood! Expect it to be in the newspaper headlines tomorrow morning...

  4. Re:Now you know what to do... by Norwell+Bob · · Score: 4, Funny

    Allow me to... [sunglasses]
    Spearhead this one.

  5. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS LARRY! by bmo · · Score: 4, Funny

    THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU FIND A STRANGER IN THE ALPS!

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    BMO

    Lameness filter encountered. Post aborted!
    Filter error: Don't use so many caps. It's like YELLING