Chemistry & Corpses: The Science of Bog Bodies

SciShow explains the chemistry, archaeology and history of bog bodies -- naturally mummified corpses (and other fun things!) that have been discovered in Europe's peat bogs.

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[Kimberly]

Trying to research “bog bodies” and Hank Green never disappoints! Strange to see how much 10 years makes a difference, I was a teenage and still in love with educational science content to this day. In the off chance Hank sees this, thank you for helping me develop my love for curiosity. The search for knowledge never stops! (And these scishow videos being great resources won’t stop either!) In nursing school I showed my microbiology professor this channel, I hope she still uses certain videos to teach her lectures.

[thisisbecker]

A+ video. A great brief summary of about a month of my archeology class syllabus! I recently had the opportunity to go to the Archeological Museum in Dublin and see many of the preserved bodies. Such an amazing experience to look into the faces (or even stomachs) of these ancient bodies.

[shibomi]

oh, im getting flash backs to that bog scene in lord of the rings

[jaredwfrick]

Don't bog me down with details, just tell me if the tardigrades can survive there.

[uomtnman]

Video idea: what's the chemistry behind the stability and natural preservation of honey? Would love to know! Thanks for great videos.

[MarcosProjects]

Can you do an episode about the permafrost feedback loop and/or feedback loops in general please?

[TheHatterJack]

The Koelbjerg Woman (found in Syddanmark, Denmark in 1941) is considered to be the oldest bog body, although they only found her skull and a partial skeleton.

[johnobrien]

My uncle once found the skul of a giant elk with antlers attached in a bog. Apparently the antler spann was about 7 feet.

[EnragedBarrothGaming]

I dare someone to eat the Iron-age butter!

[katyspears]

Could you do an episode on the stages of decomposition after death? Especially Rigor Mortis. I was reading about it and I didn't quite understand everything. Thanks for the awesome videos!

[JavierKohen]

Mightily interesting SciShow episode on bogs, and what you can find in them. Or rather whom you may find.

[DrMcNinjaSixthGun]

Got a little over excited because I am from Ireland, and I went to Peatlands park and we got to go into the bogs and also saw some things they found in that bog, pretty sure there was a body too. I remembered about it being really acidic and so no bones really remained :3 I feel a lil'proud, as it was about 6 years ago when I went.

[AlexandraRoedder]

Is it possible that the butter and lard were also sacrificed to the bog?

[BarrageHero]

Hank, can you do an episode on SHC (Spontaneous Human Combustion)?  T'would be rad.

[Waltham]

Preserved butter.

Just in case you find preserved toast.

[chimkinNuggz]

I thought they were displaying a bog body at my local walmart today but it turned out it was the greeter lady just sleeping on the job

[sarahuang]

Thank you for captioning this episode.  Really appreciate it :).

[althyastar]

It's funny how someone buried all that butter there so it wouldn't go bad, and then never even bothered to go back and get it.

[RS]

in elementary school i learned a simplified version of this and, as an 11-year old, i was fascinated. as example they used a in The Netherlands found bog body named the girl of Yde, that is proximately 2000 years old

[zenzylok]

There are many bogs throughout the universe all filled with some fascinating creatures.