Hollywood horror films have helped make mummies both famous and feared. “Fear Will Freeze You When You Face... The Mummy!” announced a poster for the 1959 movie The Mummy. “The Mummy... It Comes to Life!” said another.
Viewers shiver on the edge of their seats as wrapped-up monsters, angry about having their sleep disturbed, come to life. But we really have nothing to fear from mummies.
A mummy is a dead body that has dried out and hasn’t decomposed (decayed, or rotted). Without some kind of preservation, dead bodies decay quickly. Bacteria, molds, and other small forms of life are the cause. They feed on the once-living tissues. To do their work, they need water, which is easy to get in a normal dead body. About 70 percent of a person’s body is water. Dead bodies can dry out naturally in certain extreme climates, or they can dry out with the help of human beings. Let’s get up close and personal with some very old... dead bodies!
