* . *
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact
Saturday, May 10, 2025
Earth-News
  • Home
  • Business
  • Entertainment
    SXSW Rom-Com ‘I Really Love My Husband’ Acquired for U.S. Release – Variety

    Heartfelt Romance: ‘I Really Love My Husband’ Set to Captivate U.S. Audiences!

    Georgia Entertainment CEO says large-scale production is slowing down – Decaturish

    Georgia Entertainment CEO Warns of Slowdown in Large-Scale Productions

    Zugalu Entertainment Welcomes Crimson Herring Studios to Its Family!

    Fall 2025 TV Schedule: Your Guide to the Complete Lineup – Wyoming News Now

    Get Ready for Fall 2025: Your Ultimate Guide to the Exciting TV Lineup!

    Blackstone River Theatre presents music from Scotland with Cantrip – The Valley Breeze

    Experience the Enchanting Sounds of Scotland: Cantrip Takes the Stage at Blackstone River Theatre!

    The viral wireless audio dongle for in-flight entertainment just got a big upgrade – and I love it – ZDNET

    Game-Changer for In-Flight Entertainment: The Upgraded Wireless Audio Dongle You’ll Love!

  • 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
    Artificial intelligence (AI) – The Guardian

    Unlocking the Future: How Artificial Intelligence is Transforming Our World

    Technology Innovation to Take Center Stage at The 2025 National Restaurant Association Show – Restaurant Technology News

    Get Ready for a Tech Revolution: The 2025 National Restaurant Association Show Unveils Cutting-Edge Innovations!

    Newmont signs deal to use Chrysos Corporation technology – Capital Brief

    Newmont Partners with Chrysos Corporation to Revolutionize Mining Technology

    Air Force Invests in Whisper’s Ultraquiet Propulsion Technology – FLYING Magazine

    Air Force Invests in Whisper’s Ultraquiet Propulsion Technology – FLYING Magazine

    Trump administration set to overhaul Biden’s AI chip export regulations – TechHQ

    Trump administration set to overhaul Biden’s AI chip export regulations – TechHQ

    Technology is the key to empathy in insurance – InsuranceNewsNet

    Unlocking Empathy: How Technology is Transforming the Insurance Experience

    Trending Tags

    • Nintendo Switch
    • CES 2017
    • Playstation 4 Pro
    • Mark Zuckerberg
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Business
  • Entertainment
    SXSW Rom-Com ‘I Really Love My Husband’ Acquired for U.S. Release – Variety

    Heartfelt Romance: ‘I Really Love My Husband’ Set to Captivate U.S. Audiences!

    Georgia Entertainment CEO says large-scale production is slowing down – Decaturish

    Georgia Entertainment CEO Warns of Slowdown in Large-Scale Productions

    Zugalu Entertainment Welcomes Crimson Herring Studios to Its Family!

    Fall 2025 TV Schedule: Your Guide to the Complete Lineup – Wyoming News Now

    Get Ready for Fall 2025: Your Ultimate Guide to the Exciting TV Lineup!

    Blackstone River Theatre presents music from Scotland with Cantrip – The Valley Breeze

    Experience the Enchanting Sounds of Scotland: Cantrip Takes the Stage at Blackstone River Theatre!

    The viral wireless audio dongle for in-flight entertainment just got a big upgrade – and I love it – ZDNET

    Game-Changer for In-Flight Entertainment: The Upgraded Wireless Audio Dongle You’ll Love!

  • 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
    Artificial intelligence (AI) – The Guardian

    Unlocking the Future: How Artificial Intelligence is Transforming Our World

    Technology Innovation to Take Center Stage at The 2025 National Restaurant Association Show – Restaurant Technology News

    Get Ready for a Tech Revolution: The 2025 National Restaurant Association Show Unveils Cutting-Edge Innovations!

    Newmont signs deal to use Chrysos Corporation technology – Capital Brief

    Newmont Partners with Chrysos Corporation to Revolutionize Mining Technology

    Air Force Invests in Whisper’s Ultraquiet Propulsion Technology – FLYING Magazine

    Air Force Invests in Whisper’s Ultraquiet Propulsion Technology – FLYING Magazine

    Trump administration set to overhaul Biden’s AI chip export regulations – TechHQ

    Trump administration set to overhaul Biden’s AI chip export regulations – TechHQ

    Technology is the key to empathy in insurance – InsuranceNewsNet

    Unlocking Empathy: How Technology is Transforming the Insurance Experience

    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

What’s in your backyard? Public invited to test soil samples for toxics – Department of Ecology – State of Washington (.gov)

Discover What’s Lurking in Your Backyard: Join Us for a Soil Testing Event!

May 10, 2025
Scientists develop next-gen energy storage technologies that enable high power and capacity simultaneously – Tech Xplore

Revolutionary Energy Storage Technologies Set to Transform Power and Capacity!

May 10, 2025
Psychic Medium explores afterlife through science and psychic insight – MSN

Unlocking the Afterlife: A Psychic Medium’s Journey Through Science and Spiritual Insight

May 10, 2025

Unhealthy Habits May Accelerate Heart Aging: What You Need to Know!

May 10, 2025
Trump ramps up plans for 2026 World Cup amid friction with neighbors: ‘Tensions are a good thing’ – Politico

Trump Intensifies 2026 World Cup Ambitions Despite Neighborly Tensions: ‘Conflict Can Be Beneficial

May 10, 2025
The NSF Is Being Dismantled — With Broad Implications For The American Economy – Forbes

Unraveling the NSF: What Its Dismantling Means for the Future of the American Economy

May 10, 2025
SXSW Rom-Com ‘I Really Love My Husband’ Acquired for U.S. Release – Variety

Heartfelt Romance: ‘I Really Love My Husband’ Set to Captivate U.S. Audiences!

May 10, 2025
New committee launches for female health and safety – IAFF

New committee launches for female health and safety – IAFF

May 9, 2025
How smart people fall for conspiracy theories – CNN

Unraveling the Paradox: Why Intelligent Minds Are Drawn to Conspiracy Theories

May 9, 2025
Artificial intelligence (AI) – The Guardian

Unlocking the Future: How Artificial Intelligence is Transforming Our World

May 9, 2025

Categories

Archives

May 2025
MTWTFSS
 1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031 
« Apr    
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 (596)
  • Economy (607)
  • Entertainment (21,520)
  • General (15,210)
  • Health (9,649)
  • Lifestyle (612)
  • News (22,149)
  • People (610)
  • Politics (614)
  • Science (15,829)
  • Sports (21,117)
  • Technology (15,597)
  • World (597)

Recent News

What’s in your backyard? Public invited to test soil samples for toxics – Department of Ecology – State of Washington (.gov)

Discover What’s Lurking in Your Backyard: Join Us for a Soil Testing Event!

May 10, 2025
Scientists develop next-gen energy storage technologies that enable high power and capacity simultaneously – Tech Xplore

Revolutionary Energy Storage Technologies Set to Transform Power and Capacity!

May 10, 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