Atacama skeleton

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Atacama skeleton (short- Ata ) (alternatively: Atacama premature babies , girl from La Noria , or Atacama skeleton) is the name for a naturally mummified corpse of Chile . Due to its unusual appearance, it was assigned an extraterrestrial origin after its discovery . However, it is a girl who died at birth in the 1970s and was 15 cm tall, with genetic mutations that led to short stature , premature aging and malformations . The carefully buried body was found in 2003 by a looter at the church of the ghost town of La Noria in the Atacama Desert. It has been smuggled out of the country and has been the subject of both obscure alien speculation and scientific investigation.

Analyzes

Atacama Desert

The mummy was found in 2003 by Oscar Muñoz at a distance of 56 km from the Chilean city of Iquique near La Noria in the Atacama Desert . The current owner of the mummy is the Spanish businessman Ramón Navia-Osorio.

The microbiologist and genetic researcher Garry Nolan of Stanford University found with a DNA analysis that the mummy is undoubtedly a human, albeit an extremely puzzling one. The research found that the mummy's DNA was 91% identical to that of ordinary people. The mismatch in the other 9% could be explained in a number of ways, including DNA breakdown in the skeleton. The DNA could have degraded over time, as this sample is likely to be at least decades old or older. The haplogroup B (mtDNA) proves that the mother came from the west coast of South America. The mummy has a size of 13 centimeters, a skull deformation and a reduced number of ribs by 2. X-rays of the growth plate in the skeleton suggest a lifespan of six to eight years.

The paleoanthropologist William L. Jungers of the Stony Brook University assumes that progeria the fetus was affected, resulting in a miscarriage caused. However, this contradicts Gerry Nolan's analysis, according to which the mummy has epiphyseal nuclei in the knee joint . These are bone nuclei that only develop in childhood. Accordingly, humans would not have been born dead or dying, but would have been six to eight years old. In the further course of his analysis, however, he announced that he was no longer entirely convinced of his initial hypothesis. Jürgen Spranger, who examined the mummy's x-rays upon request, doubts the findings about Ata's age. The epiphyseal nucleus found in the knee joints suggests that Ata lived for several years, but there were no various ossifications, for example in the hands or on the pubic bone, which should actually be present in a child. In his opinion, it was a fetus around the 24th week of pregnancy, which probably suffered from the so-called Wiedemann-Rautenstrauch syndrome . This autosomal recessive syndrome is caused by mutations in the POLR3A gene. Skeletal malformation expert Ralph Lachman, who examined the mummy with Nolan, revealed in his report that it had mutations in the skeleton:

“This specimen does not fit into any type of disorder or syndrome known to me. [...] There is no known form of short stature that could explain all of the abnormalities found in this specimen [...] None of these mutations are known to cause all of the anomalies observed. "

The biggest anomalies, according to Lachman, are:

  • the size that does not fit the apparent age of 6-8 years
  • the presence of midface hypoplasia
  • the underdevelopment of the jaw
  • the presence of only ten ribs (people usually have twelve, rarely eleven)

He also states that the proportions of the back and extremities are normal in many ways.

A scientific publication by Bhattacharya et al. That appeared in the journal Genome Research in March 2018 . concluded that the mummy was an obviously severely malformed newborn female who was either stillborn in the 1960s or died shortly after birth. Genetic analysis revealed numerous mutations in genes that are important for bone development. Mutations in these genes are known to have resulted in severe skeletal and muscular abnormalities and dwarfism. This explains why the bone maturation age appears to be significantly older than it is in reality. The results are discussed controversially in some cases. According to Halcrow et al. there is no evidence that Bhattacharya et al. alleged skeletal abnormalities.

Discovery and Commercialization

The mummy was discovered in the vicinity of the church of the ghost town of La Noria in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile . So reported the finder Oscar Muñoz with a certain blurring of the local press and a national television station. Since it is a corpse , the nearby cemetery, where graves have often been opened in search of valuables, is a possible find. Winter 2003 was given as the date of discovery - also very vaguely. According to the seasons in the southern hemisphere, this corresponds to the period from June to September.

According to his own statements, the finder was looking with a shovel and pick when he found the small body wrapped in a white cloth. The cloth was tied with a purple ribbon. He showed the find to other people who were traveling like him. On this occasion the first photo was taken by Alejandro Dávalos, who passed it on to the so-called UFO research group Chile (Spanish: Agrupación de Investigaciones Ovniológicas de Chile ). A few days after the discovery, the mummy was given to a restaurateur in Iquique for 30,000 pesos (around € 37 at the time) , to whom the finder also sold his finds.

The first publication on the find appeared on October 9, 2003 in the daily newspaper El Mercurio de Antofagasta . At that time the mummy was in the possession of a collector who did not want to be named. A second, more detailed report followed on October 19, 2003 in the local daily newspaper La Estrella de Iquique . Photos were offered at prices of € 630 for one and € 950 for two. Allegedly, around € 100,000 were offered for the mummy. The biologist Walter Seinfeld from the Universidad Arturo Prat was asked about the find by the local press. Based on the photos presented to him, he identified the mummy as human. He drew attention to the fact that the object was a corpse and asked the owner to hand it over.

Thus the discovery of the mummy was the result of grave robbery widespread in the region . It is not known when and under what circumstances the mummy left Chile. Apparently the Spaniard, in whose possession it reappeared in Barcelona, ​​bought it from the restaurateur from Iquique. There are rumors that a second mummy was found at the same time.

Similar finds

  • Atta Boy : Found somewhere in or near the Atacama Desert. The discovery was first reported in 1933.
  • Alyoshenka : reportedly found in 1996 near Kyshtym in Russia.

Press

literature

  • Bhattacharya et al .: Whole-genome sequencing of Atacama skeleton shows novel mutations linked with dysplasia. In: Genome Research, 2018, 28: 423-431. doi : 10.1101 / gr.223693.117
  • Nolan, Garry, Atul Butte: The Atacama skeleton. In: Genome research 28.5 (2018): 607-608. doi : 10.1101 / gr.237834.118
  • Halcrow, Siân E., et al .: On engagement with anthropology: A critical evaluation of skeletal and developmental abnormalities in the Atacama preterm baby and issues of forensic and bioarchaeological research ethics. Response to Bhattacharya et al .: “Whole-genome sequencing of Atacama skeleton shows novel mutations linked with dysplasia” in Genome Research, 2018, 28: 423-431. doi : 10.1101 / gr.223693.117 . In: International Journal of Paleopathology 22 (2018) 97-100. doi : 10.1016 / j.ijpp.2018.06.007 .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Bhattacharya et al. “Whole-genome sequencing of Atacama skeleton shows novel mutations linked with dysplasia.” Genome Research, 2018, 28: 423-431. doi : 10.1101 / gr.223693.117
  2. ↑ a b Nolan, Garry, and Atul Butte. "The Atacama skeleton." Genome research 28.5 (2018): 607-608. doi : 10.1101 / gr.237834.118
  3. ↑ a b Halcrow, Siân E., et al. "On engagement with anthropology: A critical evaluation of skeletal and developmental abnormalities in the Atacama preterm baby and issues of forensic and bioarchaeological research ethics. Response to Bhattacharya et al." Whole-genome sequencing of Atacama skeleton shows novel mutations linked with dysplasia "in Genome Research, 2018, 28: 423-431. Doi : 10.1101 / gr.223693.117 ". International Journal of Paleopathology 22 (2018) 97-100. doi : 10.1016 / j.ijpp.2018.06.007
  4. ↑ Colégio Arqueólogos de Chile AG "Pronunciamiento Niña de la Noria" March 27, 2018 (Spanish), accessed December 4, 2018 ( online )
  5. ↑ Esqueleto de Atacama no era un alienígena. Estudiio de ADN. In: EL Mercurio. March 23, 2018, p. A9 , accessed March 23, 2018 (Spanish).
  6. ↑ "Esqueleto de Atacama" no es un alienígena sino un bebé con raras Mutaciones. In: Estrella Iquique. March 22, 2018, Retrieved April 1, 2018 (Spanish).
  7. ↑ Matías Harz: Científico alega falta de respeto por el caso "esqueleto de Atacama" y acusa "saqueo al patrimonio". El académico Gabriel León dice que el cuerpo humano de la niña chilena “for exhumado, vendido, exhibido y analizado ilegalmente, sin la menor consideración por quienes la enterraron allí”. In: El Mercurio. April 1, 2018, Retrieved April 1, 2018 (Spanish).
  8. ↑ Bizarre Mummy: Researchers solve alien riddles in the Atacama Desert spiegel.de, accessed on May 27, 2013
  9. ↑ a b c d Richard Stone: Bizarre 6-Inch Skeleton Shown to Be Human. Science (magazine) , May 3, 2013, accessed September 9, 2014 .
  10. ^ Medical Daily: Atacama Humanoid Is Human, Researchers Say
  11. ^ Garry Nolan: Report and Summary by Dr. Garry Nolan
  12. ↑ Der Spiegel: Researchers solve alien puzzles in the Atacama desert
  13. ↑ Bizarre Mummy: Researchers solve alien riddles in the Atacama Desert spiegel.de, accessed on May 27, 2013
  14. ↑ Davor Lessel, Christian Kubisch: Genetically determined syndromes with signs of premature aging. In: Deutsches Ärzteblatt. Volume 116, Issue 29 f., July 22, 2019, pp. 489–496, here: p. 490 f.
  15. ↑ a b Ralph Lachman: Signed Lachman report
  16. ↑ a b c d e f g Camilo Aravena Arriagada: Hallazgo en La Noria: ¿Feto O Extraterrestre? In: La Estrella de Iquique. October 19, 2003, accessed June 22, 2013 (Spanish).
  17. ↑ a b c Descubren extraña criatura en una salitrera . In: El Mercurio de Antofagasta . No.  34,463 . Empresa Periodística El Norte SA, October 9, 2003 ( online [accessed May 19, 2013]).
  18. ↑ El extraterrestre de La Noria. Chilevisión , 2003, accessed June 22, 2013 (Spanish).
  19. ↑ Paul Spaudo V .: No descansan en paz . In: La Estrella de Iquique . Iquique August 28, 2005 ( estrellaiquique.cl [accessed May 19, 2013]).
  20. ↑ a b A. Lobo, P. Cofré, L. Vieyra: Fiebre de tesoros . Buscan baúles llenos de oro en ex oficina salitrera. In: La Cuarta . El diario popular. September 30, 2005 ( online [accessed May 19, 2013]). Fiebre de tesoros ( Memento of the original from January 12, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.lacuarta.com
  21. ^ AION - Agrupación de Investigaciones Ovniológicas de Chile .
  22. ↑ a b Converted with the OANDA currency converter , June 22, 2003
  23. ↑ Online edition of the daily newspaper El Mercurio de Antofagasta (Spanish)
  24. ↑ Online edition of the daily newspaper Estrella de Iquique (Spanish)
  25. ^ "Sirius" se estrena en EE.UU .: El supuesto ET de un polémico documental sería un feto humano. El Mercurio de Santiago, April 11, 2013. Homepage of the online edition
  26. ↑ Huffington Post: Ata - The So-Called '6-Inch Alien' - May Have An Earthling Cousin, And Ripley's Wants To Find Him
  27. ↑ Cronica: Misterio por momia rusa: ¿es extraterrestre? ( Memento of the original from February 8, 2017 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.cronica.com.ar