Tiny Mummy Alien Mystery Finally Solved, Know What The Skeleton from Atacama Means
Ata is likely a human who was either a stillborn or died soon after the birth.
Fifteen years ago, a mummified skeleton was discovered in Chile. It did not look like any human, thus came in the theories of aliens! Called Ata, some said it did looked extraterrestrial because of the confusing features. The skeleton was only 6 inches tall, had angular skull and only 10 pairs of ribs. But now scientists have solved the mystery of it being 'alien.' A new study published in Genome research not only dismissed the alien angle but have provided a scientific explanation for the appearance.
The skeleton is actually a human who had multiple bone disease-associated mutations. A five-year genome analysis was done on the skeleton. The entire debate started in 2003, when the mummified remains were found near a ghost town. A Spanish businesswoman purchased the mummy and allowed Steven Greer, a doctor to analyse it using x-ray and computed tomography (CT). Ata is actually only long as a human fetus, but the radiologist analyst said Ata's bones were just about to mature.
Greer sent samples of Ata's bone marrow to immunologist Garry Nolan of Standford University, California. Nolan's team who sequenced the DNA said that the genetic material was very much from a human being. At first, 8% of the DNA didn't match with human DNA. But that was due to a degraded sample. An improved analysis matched up to 98%. They then studied the deformed appearance of the mummy. Nolan worked with genetic researchers to analyze Ata's genome. They have concluded that there was a combination of mutations which resulted in skeletal abnormalities. So the rapid bone growth was unusual. Nolan has said that Ata is likely a human who was either a stillborn or died soon after the birth.
Some initial questions had prompted unidentified primate or an extraterrestrial life. And those who have extraterrestrial beliefs have said these scientific revelations aren't enough. “We don’t know what it is, but it most certainly is not a deformed human,” says Greer. While scientists have said that the new analysis is enough to bury the Ata controversy.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 23, 2018 02:59 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).