* . *
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact
Saturday, August 2, 2025
Earth-News
  • Home
  • Business
  • Entertainment
    Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra takes the Lollapalooza stage – Yahoo Home

    Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra takes the Lollapalooza stage – Yahoo Home

    Sens. Blackburn, Warnock introduce CREATE Act to provide tax relief to music creators – Yahoo Home

    Sens. Blackburn and Warnock Launch CREATE Act to Deliver Tax Relief for Music Creators

    That’s (Political) Entertainment: When Theatre Meets Politics

    Future Script: How Generative AI Is Changing Collective Bargaining in the Entertainment Industry – Jackson Lewis

    Future Script: How Generative AI Is Transforming Collective Bargaining in Entertainment

    The SBA’s live-entertainment bailout was supposed to end two years ago. We still don’t know how $1.5 billion was spent. – Yahoo Home

    $1.5 Billion Live-Entertainment Bailout: Two Years Later, Where Did the Money Go?

    Wall Street Bets: Caesars, Golden Entertainment, Churchill Downs, GLPI, Boyd – CDC Gaming

    Top Wall Street Bets: Caesars, Golden Entertainment, Churchill Downs, GLPI, and Boyd Take Center Stage

  • General
  • Health
  • News

    Cracking the Code: Why China’s Economic Challenges Aren’t Shaking Markets, Unlike America’s” – Bloomberg

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Trending Tags

    • Trump Inauguration
    • United Stated
    • White House
    • Market Stories
    • Election Results
  • Science
  • Sports
  • Technology
    Livonia police use grappler technology to stop drunk driver – ClickOnDetroit | WDIV Local 4

    Livonia Police Deploy Grappler Technology to Safely Stop Drunk Driver

    Emory orthopaedic surgeons use robotic technology to transform knee replacement surgery – Emory News Center

    How Robotic Technology is Revolutionizing Knee Replacement Surgery

    Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp (CTSH) Q2 2025 Earnings Call Highlights: Strong Revenue … – Yahoo.co

    Cognizant Q2 2025 Earnings: Impressive Revenue Growth and Key Takeaways

    Revving Up The U.S. Technology Engine – Forbes

    Revving Up The U.S. Technology Engine – Forbes

    More than just a hockey player – Rochester Institute of Technology Athletics

    Beyond the Ice: The Inspiring Journey of a Remarkable Athlete from Rochester Institute of Technology

    Smart Logistics in Warehousing – From Legacy Protocols to Green IoT – How Technology Is Reshaping the Sustainable Supply Chain – Logistics Viewpoints –

    Smart Logistics in Warehousing – From Legacy Protocols to Green IoT – How Technology Is Reshaping the Sustainable Supply Chain – Logistics Viewpoints –

    Trending Tags

    • Nintendo Switch
    • CES 2017
    • Playstation 4 Pro
    • Mark Zuckerberg
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Business
  • Entertainment
    Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra takes the Lollapalooza stage – Yahoo Home

    Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra takes the Lollapalooza stage – Yahoo Home

    Sens. Blackburn, Warnock introduce CREATE Act to provide tax relief to music creators – Yahoo Home

    Sens. Blackburn and Warnock Launch CREATE Act to Deliver Tax Relief for Music Creators

    That’s (Political) Entertainment: When Theatre Meets Politics

    Future Script: How Generative AI Is Changing Collective Bargaining in the Entertainment Industry – Jackson Lewis

    Future Script: How Generative AI Is Transforming Collective Bargaining in Entertainment

    The SBA’s live-entertainment bailout was supposed to end two years ago. We still don’t know how $1.5 billion was spent. – Yahoo Home

    $1.5 Billion Live-Entertainment Bailout: Two Years Later, Where Did the Money Go?

    Wall Street Bets: Caesars, Golden Entertainment, Churchill Downs, GLPI, Boyd – CDC Gaming

    Top Wall Street Bets: Caesars, Golden Entertainment, Churchill Downs, GLPI, and Boyd Take Center Stage

  • General
  • Health
  • News

    Cracking the Code: Why China’s Economic Challenges Aren’t Shaking Markets, Unlike America’s” – Bloomberg

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Trending Tags

    • Trump Inauguration
    • United Stated
    • White House
    • Market Stories
    • Election Results
  • Science
  • Sports
  • Technology
    Livonia police use grappler technology to stop drunk driver – ClickOnDetroit | WDIV Local 4

    Livonia Police Deploy Grappler Technology to Safely Stop Drunk Driver

    Emory orthopaedic surgeons use robotic technology to transform knee replacement surgery – Emory News Center

    How Robotic Technology is Revolutionizing Knee Replacement Surgery

    Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp (CTSH) Q2 2025 Earnings Call Highlights: Strong Revenue … – Yahoo.co

    Cognizant Q2 2025 Earnings: Impressive Revenue Growth and Key Takeaways

    Revving Up The U.S. Technology Engine – Forbes

    Revving Up The U.S. Technology Engine – Forbes

    More than just a hockey player – Rochester Institute of Technology Athletics

    Beyond the Ice: The Inspiring Journey of a Remarkable Athlete from Rochester Institute of Technology

    Smart Logistics in Warehousing – From Legacy Protocols to Green IoT – How Technology Is Reshaping the Sustainable Supply Chain – Logistics Viewpoints –

    Smart Logistics in Warehousing – From Legacy Protocols to Green IoT – How Technology Is Reshaping the Sustainable Supply Chain – Logistics Viewpoints –

    Trending Tags

    • Nintendo Switch
    • CES 2017
    • Playstation 4 Pro
    • Mark Zuckerberg
No Result
View All Result
Earth-News
No Result
View All Result
Home Science

From arsenic to urine, archaeologists find odd artifacts on museum shelves

November 13, 2023
in Science
From arsenic to urine, archaeologists find odd artifacts on museum shelves
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

An newspaper ad for Kellogg's Ant Paste.

An newspaper ad for Kellogg’s Ant Paste.
(Image credit: San Antonio Express via The Portal to Texas History)

Indiana Jones may say that artifacts belong in museums, but he probably never encountered a whiskey bottle filled with pee or arsenic-laced ant poison.

Now, two scientists are revealing the results of their years spent cataloging “odious materials” from archaeology collections around the U.S. In a study published Oct. 19 in Advances in Archaeological Practice, University of Idaho archaeologist Mark S. Warner and his colleague, chemist Ray von Wandruszka, summarized the 15 years they have spent identifying and testing noxious substances from archaeological artifacts.

Their hunt for the grossest objects lurking in museums began when a large excavation of the 19th-century town of Sandpoint in northern Idaho in 2008 uncovered sealed glass bottles with mysterious contents among the other nearly 600,000 artifacts.

Warner and von Wandruszka teamed up to identify what was inside them. They found examples of creams and ointments, iron tonic, and wood tar in the sealed containers, along with empty bottles labeled “poison”, bullets containing gunpowder, and even a human tooth with a zinc-based filling.

Archaeologists at the site also found a bottle of “Gouraud’s Oriental Cream.” The creamy white substance turned out to be mercurous chloride, also called calomel, which was used throughout the 18th and 19th centuries for everything from preventing acne to treating yellow fever, until doctors realized that mercury was actually quite poisonous.

Advertisement for Dr T Felix Gouraud's 'Oriental Cream or Magical Beautifier,' 1886. The text promises that the product 'Removes Tan, Pimples, Freckles, Moth Patches, Rash and Skin Diseases and every blemish on beauty, and defies detection. It has stood the test of thirty years, and is so harmless we taste it to be sure the preparation is properly made.' The ad, which lists a business address of 48 Bond St., New York, appeared in Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper.

Advertisement for Dr T Felix Gouraud’s ‘Oriental Cream or Magical Beautifier,’ 1886. The text promises that the product ‘Removes Tan, Pimples, Freckles, Moth Patches, Rash and Skin Diseases and every blemish on beauty, and defies detection. It has stood the test of thirty years, and is so harmless we taste it to be sure the preparation is properly made.’ (Image credit: Stock Montage / Contributor via Getty Images)

From a site in California, the researchers also tested a small jar of ant paste made by Kellogg’s in the early 20th century and found that it still contained arsenic. They also found an ampule of toxic, phosphorus-based rodenticides from an old hospital in New England and aluminum phosphide tablets from a school site in Florida.

Some of the odious objects are toxic; others are just gross.

A sealed bottle of malt whiskey from a historic site in Washington state contained urea — an organic compound found in urine. “The bottle was used as a vessel of convenience, in order to avoid a nighttime trip to the outhouse,” the researchers wrote in their study.

Not knowing exactly what kind of stuff is on the shelves of archaeological collections can be problematic, the researchers noted in the study. “A broken ampule of phosphide or a leaking bottle of 100-year-old urine may only lead to a nasty cleanup job, but it could be much worse,” they wrote.

That’s why archaeological collection managers should identify objects that retain their contents and why field workers should receive training for how to handle potentially toxic substances they might find, the researchers said. Once found, having an analytical chemist test the material is ideal.

Most of the icky substance detective work for this project is done via infrared or atomic absorption spectrometry at the University of Idaho’s chemistry department by undergraduate students majoring in chemistry or biology, von Wandruszka told Live Science in an email. “The project is tremendous training for students,” Warner said.

Trapper cabin oil in a Ball jar.

Trapper cabin oil. (Image credit: R. von Wandruszka)

Warner’s and von Wandruszka’s work “is a great model for other universities and museums to emulate,” Katie Stringer Clary, a specialist in public history and museum studies at Coastal Carolina University who was not involved in the study, told Live Science in an email. “Who knows what other noxious or intriguing items could be uncovered in archaeological collections with further interdisciplinary investigation?”

Warner noted that the team is always on the lookout for new substances to test. “We do this work for free,” Warner said. He cautioned, though, that “people should probably touch base with us beforehand regarding the materials they want to test.” No one wants an ampule of phosphorus to explode in the mail.

Stay up to date on the latest science news by signing up for our Essentials newsletter.

Kristina Killgrove is an archaeologist with specialties in ancient human skeletons and science communication. Her academic research has appeared in numerous scientific journals, while her news stories and essays have been published in venues such as Forbes, Mental Floss and Smithsonian. Kristina earned a doctorate in anthropology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and also holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in classical archaeology.

>>> Read full article>>>
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source : Live Science – https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/from-arsenic-to-urine-archaeologists-find-artifacts-on-museum-shelves

Tags: arsenicscienceurine
Previous Post

iOS 18 is shaping up to be a Very Big Deal

Next Post

Iceland volcano: Eruption feared as 10-mile-long ‘magma tunnel’ forms beneath town

Livonia police use grappler technology to stop drunk driver – ClickOnDetroit | WDIV Local 4

Livonia Police Deploy Grappler Technology to Safely Stop Drunk Driver

August 2, 2025
New NIL guidance from College Sports Commission softens stance on collective payments to athletes – CBS Sports

New NIL guidance from College Sports Commission softens stance on collective payments to athletes – CBS Sports

August 2, 2025
Foraging strategy and tree structure as drivers of arboreality and suspensory behaviour in savannah-dwelling chimpanzees – Frontiers

Foraging strategy and tree structure as drivers of arboreality and suspensory behaviour in savannah-dwelling chimpanzees – Frontiers

August 2, 2025
EPA attacks climate science. Here are the facts. – E&E News by POLITICO

EPA Questions Climate Science: Key Insights You Shouldn’t Miss

August 2, 2025
6 science-backed strategies to improve your memory – National Geographic

6 Proven Science-Backed Strategies to Boost Your Memory

August 2, 2025
Trying to keep your brain young? A big new study finds these lifestyle changes help – NPR

Trying to keep your brain young? A big new study finds these lifestyle changes help – NPR

August 2, 2025
2025 World Junior Summer Showcase: 3 things learned on Day 5 – NHL.com

3 Must-Know Highlights from Day 5 of the 2025 World Junior Summer Showcase

August 2, 2025
Economic Reality Bites Trump and His Protectionist Trade Policies – The New Yorker

How Trump’s Protectionist Trade Policies Ended Up Hurting the Global Economy

August 2, 2025
Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra takes the Lollapalooza stage – Yahoo Home

Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra takes the Lollapalooza stage – Yahoo Home

August 2, 2025
President Trump Delivers Remarks on Making Health Technology Great Again – The White House (.gov)

President Trump Delivers Remarks on Making Health Technology Great Again – The White House (.gov)

August 2, 2025

Categories

Archives

August 2025
MTWTFSS
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
« Jul    
Earth-News.info

The Earth News is an independent English-language daily published Website from all around the World News

Browse by Category

  • Business (20,132)
  • Ecology (750)
  • Economy (775)
  • Entertainment (21,653)
  • General (16,243)
  • Health (9,812)
  • Lifestyle (783)
  • News (22,149)
  • People (776)
  • Politics (784)
  • Science (15,988)
  • Sports (21,271)
  • Technology (15,753)
  • World (758)

Recent News

Livonia police use grappler technology to stop drunk driver – ClickOnDetroit | WDIV Local 4

Livonia Police Deploy Grappler Technology to Safely Stop Drunk Driver

August 2, 2025
New NIL guidance from College Sports Commission softens stance on collective payments to athletes – CBS Sports

New NIL guidance from College Sports Commission softens stance on collective payments to athletes – CBS Sports

August 2, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact

© 2023 earth-news.info

No Result
View All Result

© 2023 earth-news.info

No Result
View All Result

© 2023 earth-news.info

Go to mobile version