Buyer beware: Those mummified remains might carry toxic spores

"Mummified remains sold online exhibit signs of biodeterioration, yet sellers provide no safety guidance."

The short version

• Only one seller was offering a complete mummified body.
• The authors note that such items are extremely rare and hence very costly; such transactions would not usually be handled via public social media posts.
• The resulting analysis showed that sellers were very much aware of any legal issues associated with the sale and shipment of mummified human remains, often specifying geographical locations where laws forbid such transfers.

What happened

Typically, such sellers would not openly declare shipment contents to avoid seizure by authorities. There was also often no provenance offered for such items.

Why it matters

Because such growth is not always immediately visible to the naked eye, the problem may be widespread.

Summary by Nerd News Network. Read the full article at Ars Technica via the links above and below.