"12,000-Year-Old Well-Preserved Human Brains Challenge Soft Tissue Decay Assumptions"

A new study led by scientists from the University of Oxford has identified over 4,400 preserved human brains dating back as far as 12,000 years ago, challenging the assumption that the human brain is among the first organs to decay after death. The brains were found in various environments and were the only soft tissue structure that survived in otherwise completely skeletonized remains. The researchers believe there may be a specific soft tissue preservation mechanism for the central nervous system, possibly involving an interaction between brain molecules and the environment. This discovery represents an archive that could provide new insights into ancient cognition, major neurological disorders, and the evolution of nervous tissues and their functions.