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In an old Italian crypt from the 17th century, two mummified brains have been found containing traces of cocaine. This is almost two entire centuries before the coca plant's psychoactive compounds were isolated to produce pure
The human remains were collected by archaeologists wearing protective equipment under the supervision of toxicologists, and stored in sealed, sterilized jars. Still, the presence of cocaine in these brains doesn't mean the mysterious patients actually consumed the plant. They could have just encountered it in the environment while living. So the researchers searched for signs of the chemicals that cocaine is converted to once consumed.
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Cocaine found in mummified brains suggests Europeans used it in early 1600sCocaine, which is derived from coca plants, was thought to have become commonly available in Europe only in the 19th century.
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Mummified brains show cocaine arrived in Europe far earlier than we thoughtAndrew Paul is Popular Science's staff writer covering tech news. Previously, he was a regular contributor to The A.V. Club and Input, and has had recent work featured by Rolling Stone, Fangoria, GQ, Slate, NBC, as well as McSweeney's Internet Tendency. He lives outside Indianapolis.
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