
How the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius did something incredible to one man's brain
How the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius did something incredible to one man's brain
Show Caption
Hide Caption
Erupting volcano struck by lightning as spectators watch in awe
Spectators in Guatemala capture on camera the moment lightning struck Volcan del Fuego as it erupted.
Archeologists have previously discovered human brains preserved in a variety of ways, including drying, freezing and tanning. Some preserved brains even resemble soap.
But now they've found something new: a brain that turned into glass.
In a paper published Thursday in the journal Scientific Reports, archeologist and volcanologists show that the shards of black glass found in the skull of a young man who died when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD are in fact his vitrified brain.
"This is totally counterintuitive," said Guido Giordano, a volcanologist at the Roma Tre University, a public research university in Rome.
"Under normal conditions, you cannot vitrify any organic tissue unless you drop it to well below zero very quickly. But then when it returns to ambient temperature it reverts," he said.
But after doing extensive testing on the black material, they were able to conclusively prove it was indeed vitrified tissue – the man's brain and parts of his spinal cord had turned into glass.
How did this man's brain turn to glass?
In 79 AD, Italy's Mount Vesuvius erupted, utterly destroying the towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum over the course of two days.
On the first day of the eruption, Pompeii was covered in ash and falling debris, but nearby Herculaneum got only a light dusting with ash.
"The first few hours of the eruption of Vesuvius were scary enough to cause most of the people in Herculaneum to flee and search for rescue by the city harbor", said Giordano. "But during the night the first pyroclastic flow was ejected from the volcano, a turbulent mix of ash, pumice and super hot gasses, and hit Herculaneum."
Most of the people were at the seashore when the first pyroclastic flow arrived, because they were likely waiting for rescue. They died when the roiling cloud of hot ash hit.
But inside the Collegium Augustalium, a young man of about 20 years was lying in his wooden bed. The Collegium, located on the city's main street, was a public building dedicated to the worship of Emperor Augustus.
What happened next, as conjectured by the scientists, is as dreadful as it is fascinating.
The ash cloud burst out of Mount Vesuvius was, at its core hot, heavy and deadly. "It's like a landslide. That material is able to knock down houses," said Giordano.
But at the cloud's edges, things are different. It was a deadly haze of superheated grey ash that billowed through the nearly empty town, reaching temperatures of between 1,000 and 1,100 degrees.
It was similar to the ash cloud from the 2018 eruption of Volcán de Fuego in Guatemala, which killed at least hundreds of people.
"In Herculaneum, this ash cloud engulfed the city, hot enough to kill people and raise the temperature of their bodies to above 500 or 600 degrees Celsius (between 930 and 1,100 degrees Fahrenheit,)" Giordano said.
The young man would have died instantly. But what happened to his brain was remarkable – the only such case ever encountered by archeologists.
Almost as soon as it swept through the town, the cloud dissipated. Modern examples of such clouds can disappear within minute. In Herculaneum, it left only a thin layer of ash on the body and in the room, less than one inch.
The temperatures inside of the ash cloud would have been expected to burn up the body and destroy all soft tissues. But it came and went so rapidly that there wasn't time. Instead, scientists believe, the body very quickly cooled back down to the ambient evening air temperature.
"It needed to have first a rise in temperature well above 510° Celsius (950 degrees Fahrenheit), an event that is very fast and then very fast cooling," he said. This caused his brain to turn into glass during the cooling, locking in its structure.
"Inside the skull there were all these black, shiny fragments," Giordano said. "They look like chips of obsidian, black, shiny and spiky."
Some time later, the next wave of pyroclastic flow reached Herculaneum and the entire town was entombed in as much as 60 feet of ash and debris from the volcano.
While the young man's body was initially excavated several years ago, archeologists weren't sure exactly what was in the skull. By testing fragments of what was found, they were able to prove that it was indeed brain tissue and that it was indeed glass.
How are brains typically found in archeological digs?
Given how delicate they are, preserved brains are not as uncommon as might be expected in the archeological record.
A study published in March of last year by scientists at Oxford university found 4,405 examples of human brains being preserved, some of which were more than 12,000 years old. They included brains from Egyptian and Korean royalty, British and Scandinavian monks, Arctic explorers and a large number of bodies from the Middle Ages that were removed from the largest cemetery in Paris before the French Revolution.
Those scientists found five types of brain preservation:
Dehydration (often in desert climates)
Freezing (Arctic explorers and some freeze-dried mummies, especially in the Andes.)
Tanning (bodies preserved in acidic, tannin-filled bogs)
Saponification (sometimes called "grave wax" this is when the fats in the brain turn to a soap-like clump)
An unknown process, often found as some brain soft tissue preserved among otherwise skeletonized remains, commonly in the presence of clay and iron.
The identification of the young Herculaneum man's brain as having turned to glass adds a new – and vanishingly rare – possibility to the list.
As far as the researchers know, "it's the only time this has occurred," said Giordano,

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Associated Press
13 hours ago
- Associated Press
Our Genes Change! New Study Tracks Real-Time Genetic Changes Using Blood-Based Long-Read Sequencing
Ellison Medical Institute researchers have shown that the rate of change of DNA sequence can be tracked over time, opening doors to personalized cancer prevention programs and better early cancer detection LOS ANGELES, June 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Researchers at the Ellison Medical Institute (EMI) have developed a novel method to monitor the accumulation and rate of change of genetic mutations in real time using blood samples. Unlike earlier studies that relied on patient samples provided at single timepoints, EMI's study was able to longitudinally follow changes over time. These findings demonstrate that it's possible to observe the buildup of mutations as they happen over short intervals, offering a dynamic view into the rate of change and an individual's biological state. Published in the Nature Journal, Scientific Reports, the study marks a significant step in the development of personalized prevention strategies and may enable better early cancer detection. 'Rather than waiting for symptoms to emerge, we're using technology to identify who is at higher potential of developing DNA changes, and hence cancer – this could help us intervene sooner with preventive strategies, tailor care more precisely, and improve patient outcomes in impactful ways,' said Dr. David Agus, EMI Founding CEO and study senior author. 'By integrating advanced sequencing with clinical insight, we're expanding our knowledge of cancer risk assessment and creating new possibilities for personalized care that starts before a diagnosis.' To conduct the study, EMI researchers collected blood samples every three to six months from more than 100 participants – including individuals with and without cancer – over a nine to 18-month period. Using long-read sequencing technology, they analyzed each participant's germline genome in peripheral blood cells at multiple timepoints to detect newly acquired somatic mutations – random mutations that occur over time as cells grow and divide rather than being inherited. The study found that the number of these mutations increases with age, with roughly 27 additional mutations per decade of life. Researchers further categorize those mutations based on their origin, distinguishing those that arise from the natural aging process, from exposure to tobacco, or from loss of fidelity in DNA replication. It showed that, for certain types, measurable changes can occur within just a few months, reinforcing the value of longitudinal monitoring. 'To enable this research, we built a secure, cloud-based infrastructure and a custom bioinformatics pipeline that applies deep learning to rapidly extract valuable insights from large datasets,' said Xingyao Chen, EMI Manager of Data Science and lead author of the study. 'This system not only supports reliable scaling but also paves the way for a national validation clinical trial and future clinical integration.' The findings reflect EMI's broader mission to advance patient-centered research and reimagine cancer care. By leveraging emerging technologies and interdisciplinary research, EMI aims to transform how disease is understood, treated, and ultimately prevented. 'What excites me most about this work is its potential to reshape how we think about cancer prevention,' said Dr. Naim Matasci, EMI Senior Director of Applied AI Research and corresponding author. 'We can now envision a future where care is not reactive, but predictive and personalized to the individual patient, based on their rate of change of DNA. Important insight into DNA repair and fidelity can also be gleaned from the observed outliers.' About the Ellison Medical Institute The Ellison Medical Institute strives to spark innovation, leverage technology, and drive interdisciplinary, patient-centered research to continually enhance health, reimagine and redefine cancer care, and transform lives. Established in 2016 as a medical research and development center, the Institute features innovation labs for artificial intelligence and molecular analytics and was among the first organizations to vertically integrate the interdisciplinary study and treatment of disease. We offer multifaceted programs, including a preventative medicine and cancer clinic, cross-disciplinary research laboratories, a health policy think-tank, and community outreach and educational programs. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Ellison Medical Institute
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Yahoo
Regeneron and Sanofi's dupilumab shows promise in AD trial
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and Sanofi have announced promising outcomes from the open-label Phase IV DISCOVER trial of Dupixent(dupilumab) in treating moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD) in adolescents and adults with skin of colour. The data were presented at the 2025 Revolutionizing Atopic Dermatitis Conference. In the study, 120 subjects with AD and skin of colour received Dupixent biweekly. At the 24-week mark, 76% of them achieved a ≥75% improvement in overall disease severity, with some noticing benefits as early as two weeks. Additionally, 53% of patients saw a reduction in itch, and there was a 53% decrease in post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation from baseline. The trial's safety outcomes aligned with Dupixent's established safety profile in dermatological uses. Subjects in the DISCOVER trial, aged 12 years and above, were treated with Dupixent monotherapy based on weight. The primary endpoint was achieving a minimum of a 75% improvement on the Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI-75) at 24 weeks. Secondary and additional endpoints are the proportion of subjects achieving ≥4-point improvement on the Peak-Pruritus Numerical Rating Scale (PP-NRS). The skin of colour was defined as per Fitzpatrick skin types IV-VI. AD, a chronic skin condition characterised by type 2 inflammation, can be particularly severe in individuals with skin of colour, often leading to more pronounced symptoms and skin lesions. Invented using Regeneron's VelocImmune technology, Dupixent is a monoclonal antibody that blocks the signalling of interleukin-4 and interleukin-13 pathways without being an immunosuppressant. It is a collaborative effort between Sanofi and Regeneron. The companies recently reported that the Phase III AERIFY-1 trial of itepekimab in former smokers who have inadequately controlled chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), met the primary goal. "Regeneron and Sanofi's dupilumab shows promise in AD trial" was originally created and published by Clinical Trials Arena, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Yahoo
Cognito Therapeutics Announces Non-invasive Neuromodulation Therapy Delays Alzheimer's Disease Progression
- New peer-reviewed publication demonstrates that Spectris AD™ delays cognitive decline, brain atrophy, and functional loss in participants with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease CAMBRIDGE, Mass., June 11, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cognito Therapeutics, a pioneering neurotechnology company developing disease-modifying therapies for neurodegenerative diseases, today announced new results from a post hoc analysis of its OVERTURE feasibility clinical trial showing that its investigational therapy, Spectris AD™, significantly slows the progression of Alzheimer's disease. Spectris AD™ uses non-invasive neuromodulation through synchronized light and sound stimulation at a gamma frequency (40Hz) to restore brain electrical activity that is disrupted in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The therapy is designed for at-home daily use and has received Breakthrough Device Designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Published in Alzheimer's & Dementia: Translational Research and Clinical Interventions, titled "Time Saved in Activities of Daily Living and Whole-Brain Volume: Post Hoc Analysis of a Randomized Feasibility Trial of Gamma Oscillation Treatment in Participants with Mild or Moderate Alzheimer's Disease," the analysis found that treatment with Spectris AD™ was associated with meaningful "time saved" across key measures of cognition, daily function, and brain structure on MRI, compared to sham treatment. The concept of "time saved" represents how much longer treated patients maintain critical functions before reaching the same level of decline observed in untreated individuals, offering a patient-centric measure of therapeutic impact. The OVERTURE study enrolled 76 participants with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease and included a six-month randomized, controlled phase followed by a 12-month open-label extension. In the initial six-month controlled phase, daily one-hour Spectris AD™ treatment was associated with 4.83 months of preserved ability to perform daily activities, 4.56 months of delayed cognitive decline, and 4.09 months of delayed whole-brain atrophy. These benefits became more pronounced over the full 12-month study period, underscoring the potential of Spectris AD™ to meaningfully delay Alzheimer's progression and preserve quality of life, where participants treated with the Spectris AD™ device experienced a clinically meaningful delay in disease progression compared to those who received sham treatment, preserving cognitive and functional abilities for longer. Patients originally assigned to Spectris AD™, who were subsequently treated with SPECTRIS in the open label extension study (OLE), took longer to progress to the same levels of decline that the sham group experienced in 6 months, corresponding to 10 months preservation in MMSE, 9 months in ADCS-ADL and 7.5 months in whole brain atrophy. "Our brains are electrical systems, and Alzheimer's disrupts the rhythms that govern memory, cognition, and our ability to function," said Christian Howell, CEO, Cognito Therapeutics. "Spectris AD™ represents a new class of therapy, one based in physics, that restores these natural neural oscillations without relying on a chemistry-based pharmacologic therapy. These findings show the potential to meaningfully slow disease progression by leveraging the potential of neuromodulation." "Spectris AD™ is a physics-based therapy designed to evoke key biological effects that may help delay the progression of Alzheimer's disease," said Ralph Kern, M.D., MHSc, Chief Medical Officer, Cognito Therapeutics. "By directly targeting disrupted neural oscillations through non-invasive stimulation, we aim to intervene in the disease process to help preserve brain structure and function. This may ultimately enable patients with Alzheimer's to maintain meaningful interaction and independence for a longer period." Spectris AD™ is currently being evaluated in the HOPE pivotal clinical trial and is designed for convenient, daily use at home. In the OVERTURE study, the therapy demonstrated a strong adverse event profile, strong adherence rates of over 80%, and no observed risk of ARIA. With its non-invasive approach and ease of use, Spectris AD™ has the potential to offer a more scalable, safer, and cost-effective alternative to antibody-based Alzheimer's treatments. Cognito's broader clinical platform Spectris™, combines physics, neuroscience, and clinical engineering to advance a new category of therapeutic intervention for neurodegenerative diseases. With ongoing studies expanding data evaluating biological effects on brain structure, immune pathways, and connectivity, the company is building a comprehensive understanding of how non-invasive gamma stimulation may modify the course of neurodegenerative disease broadly. For more information about the HOPE study, visit About Cognito Therapeutics Cognito Therapeutics is a late-stage clinical neurotechnology company pioneering disease-modifying treatments for neurodegenerative diseases. Its lead product, Spectris AD™, uses non-invasive auditory and visual neuromodulation to enhance gamma frequency brain activity, with the goal of slowing brain atrophy and functional decline in Alzheimer's disease. Cognito is committed to developing transformative, technology-driven interventions to address unmet needs in the treatment of CNS diseases. Cognito is headquartered in Cambridge, MA. For more information, visit and follow @cognitotx. View source version on Contacts Media Kimberly HaKKH Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data