Hollywood horror films have made mummies famous and feared. “Fear Will Freeze You When You Face... The Mummy!” said a poster for the 1959 movie The Mummy. “The Mummy... It Comes to Life!” said another.
People sit on the edge of their seats as wrapped-up monsters come to life. But really, mummies are nothing to fear.
A mummy is a dead body that has dried out and hasn’t rotted. If a dead body is not preserved, it rots quickly. The decay is caused by bacteria, molds, and other small forms of life. They feed on the body’s tissues. They need water to do their work, and a normal dead body is full of it. About 70 percent of a person’s body is water. Dead bodies can dry out naturally in some extreme climates. They can also dry out with the help of human beings. Let’s get up close and personal with some very old... dead bodies!
