Friday, August 19, 2011

The Queen is Dead: The Story of an Ancient Medicinal Tonic

After two years studying the dessicated contents of Queen Hathshepsut's beauty cream, a team of researchers at the University of Bonn have concluded that a carcinogenic substance in the flask may have poisoned her.

The queen, who was evidently obese and suffered from diabetes and liver cancer as well as eczema, ruled Egypt 3,500 years ago. The cream contained palm and nutmeg oil and fatty acids that relieve skin irritations, as well as benzopyrene, a highly carcinogenic hydrocarbon.

For the full story, as well as a grizzly photograph of the queen herself, see Queen Hatshepsut, Ancient Egyptian Leader, Might Have Accidentally Poisoned Herself: Experts.

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