Scientists baffled by discovery of completely mummified man just 16 days after he was last seen alive

On September 3, authorities in Sofia, Bulgaria, found the body of a 34-year-old man near a railway track. The man had last been seen alive on August 18, just 16 days earlier. When his body was discovered, it was in a state of “complete mummification,” which shocked investigators. Mummification usually takes weeks or even months, but in this case, it happened in just over two weeks. This left experts puzzled.

The man was found wearing the same clothes he had on when he was last seen: a t-shirt, shorts, and socks. He also had a bag with him that contained personal items and a bottle of alcohol. According to the Cureus Journal of Medical Science, the man had a history of heavy alcohol use. His body was taken to a forensic clinic in Sofia for an autopsy, but no signs of injury were found.

Because the body had mummified so quickly, the soft tissues and organs had broken down completely. This made it impossible for doctors to properly examine them or determine the exact cause of death. While the cause remains unknown, the journal suggested it could be linked to alcohol poisoning or health problems caused by long-term alcohol abuse. However, they confirmed that his death was not due to any physical injuries.

Mummification usually happens slowly under very specific conditions, such as dry air, good airflow, sunlight, and high temperatures. In this case, the weather in Sofia during those 16 days played a big role. The temperature ranged from 16°C to 33°C, and the humidity was around 52%. The wind in the area also averaged 8.1 mph (13.03 km/h), which helped dry out the body. Additionally, the journal suggested that the movement of trains near the railway line might have created extra wind, speeding up the mummification process.

The journal explained that for fast mummification to occur, certain conditions must be met: temperatures above 30°C, strong sunlight, humidity below 50%, and windy weather. In this case, the conditions were very close to what is needed for mummification to happen quickly.

This case is considered extremely rare. There are very few reports of such rapid mummification in medical records. The journal concluded that this case is an important example of how natural mummification can happen in just 16 days under the right conditions. It also helps raise awareness about this unusual phenomenon, which could be useful for future investigations or studies.