The Curse of the Pharaohs
Back in the early 1920s, the world was captivated by King Tutt when British archaeologist Howard Carter uncovered the young Pharaoh's tomb in Egypt's Valley of the Kings in 1922. It wasn't just the gold and jewelry that caught the public's attention. The Press also sensationalized the curse of the Pharaohs. But was it really true? Was an ancient curse the reason why everyone who entered the pyramids met an untimely end? This was the only explanation for a string of mysterious deaths. George Herbert, the Earl of Carnarvon, lived for only five more months after the discovery. He had sponsored the dig along with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the famous English writer behind Sherlock Holmes. Doyle even claimed that an evil Elemental caused the Explorer's death. Was he serious? Unfortunately, yes. The newspapers continued to blame the Pharaoh's curse every time an Egyptologist passed away. These were the scientists who studied the ancient cultures of Egypt. The archaeologist who opened King Tutt's tomb didn't die until 17 years later, and the reason wasn't a secret - Hodgkin's disease. Yet, journalists worldwide kept talking about a curse. It was becoming absurd. But surely science had a logical explanation, right? Well, it did. The explanation was common mold - harmful fungi like aspergillus that can survive for ages in sealed tombs. When humans inhale them, there's a high risk of infection, especially for those with weakened immune systems. Today, doctors believe this is what happened to the unfortunate Explorer over a century ago. Scientists now understand that this type of fungi thrives on grain, and King Tutt's tomb was filled with offerings in the form of baskets of raw grain and bread. Researchers even found other types of fungi.