Medieval Child's Last Day Revealed With New Tech

Soil surrounding centuries-old skeletons can reveal how deceased people spent their last day on Earth, according to a study published in the journal Heritage Science.

Danish researchers used the new technology to investigate the remains of a 10- to 13-year-old child who had been buried in the medieval town of Ribe, in Denmark, some 800 years ago.

According to the findings, the day before death was painful for the child, who was likely suffering from a severe illness. In a desperate attempt to save his or her life, the child was given a high dose of bacteria-killing mercury.

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