Malaria Most Likely Killed King Tut, Scientists
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FEATURES THURSD A Y , F E B R U A RY 18, 2010 BRIT AWARDS 2010 WINNERS: Lady Gaga cries, Jay-Z crows as American stars clean up The Brits Hits 30 (Best Performance): Spice Girls, at Britain’s annual pop awards Wannabe/Who Do You Think You Are British Male Solo Artist: Dizzee Rascal BY MARK BeeCH BLOOMBERG International Male Solo Artist: Jay-Z ady Gaga shed tears of joy in London awards in 2007 and won none). Brits Album of 30 Years: Oasis, (What’s the Story) on Tuesday night as she became the Other live performers included Dizzee Rascal (named Morning Glory biggest winner at an international best British male star, after number one hits such as pop prize ceremony, adding three Brit Bonkers and Dance Wiv Me) and Robbie Williams (the British Breakthrough Act: JLS Awards to her two Grammys this year. former Take That star was honored for an outstanding LJay-Z, named best male artist, said the ceremony career contribution to music). Williams has now won 16 Critics’ Choice: Ellie Goulding recognized the power of US music. Brits, more than any other artist; he ended the evening Lady Gaga, 23, has already sold eight million with a medley of his hits. British Group: Kasabian copies of her debut The Fame (Interscope), named Lady Gaga — born Stefani Germanotta — dedicated the Brits’ best international album. She also won best her performance to the fashion designer Alexander International Breakthrough Act: Lady Gaga international breakthrough act and the world’s top female McQueen, who died last week. She started in a tall wig solo artist award. Her hat-trick of wins was the most by a and three-tier dress that looked like a wedding cake, International Female Solo Artist: Lady Gaga non-UK artist since the Scissor Sisters in 2005. rapidly stripping to a white lace bodysuit. Record-company bosses at the Earls Court event said Jay-Z performed Empire State of Mind with Alicia British Female Solo Artist: Lily Allen the dominance of US stars — and some disappointments Keys. He beat Eminem, Bruce Springsteen, Michael for British stars at this year’s Grammys — didn’t Buble and Seasick Steve to his prize. International Album: Lady Gaga, The Fame undermine Britons’ potential for more commercial The Brits are the British Phonographic Industry’s success. A win may add as much as US$6.3 million to an annual pop-music awards and have been presented British Single: JLS, Beat Again album’s sales, a certain boon for some music executives in one form or another since 1977. They have been at the ceremony’s three-course dinner. Winners also sponsored by Mastercard Inc for the last 12 years. MasterCard British Album: Florence and the receive a Brit statuette. There were two special awards this year for the Machine, Lungs Kasabian was chosen as the best British group. Brits’ 30th anniversary. One was for best performance, JLS won the British breakthrough act award and get and went to the Spice Girls’ 1997 rendition of Wannabe Outstanding Contribution Award: Robbie Williams another Brit for its single Beat Again. JLS, runners- that featured Geri Halliwell in a union flag dress. Last up in the 2008 series of the TV show The X Factor, night, Halliwell and Mel B forgot to thank their fellow SOURCE: BLOOMBERG were getting the first Brit recognition for artists band members as they accepted the award. They later in music entrepreneur Simon Cowell’s stable. apologized. Florence and the Machine’s Lungs was named Oasis won for best British album of the three decades. best British album. Singer Liam Gallagher arrived onstage, pointedly refused Lily Allen was the opening act, singing The to thank his estranged songwriter brother, Noel — who Fear in a leather corset. She was surprised wasn’t present — and then threw both the award statuette to be later named best UK female solo artist, and a microphone into the audience. saying that she had donned an orange wig to make it harder for cameramen to catch her likely Lady Gaga arrives for the Brit Awards 2010 at Earls Court in London on disappointed face. (Allen was nominated for four Tuesday. PHOTO: AFP Malaria most likely killed King Tut, scientists say Egypt’s famed King Tutankhamun suffered from a cleft palate and club foot, likely forcing him to walk with a cane, and died from complications from a broken leg exacerbated by malaria, according to the most extensive study ever of his mummy BY JOHN NOBLE WILFORD NY TIMES NEWS SERVICE, NEW YORK ing Tutankhamun, the boy pharaoh, was The research was directed by Zahi Hawass, an tomb in the Valley of the Kings was a sensation. tissue. The finding led to the team’s conclusion frail, crippled and suffered “multiple Egyptologist who heads the Supreme Council The young king’s visage and premature death that it and malaria were the most probable K disorders” when he died at age 19 of Antiquities in Cairo, and included medical in the ninth year of his reign inspired fanciful causes of death. in about 1324 BC, but scientists have now scientists and anthropologists from Egypt, speculation, and the golden and bejeweled The effects of this bone disease, notably the determined the most likely agents of death: Germany and Italy. Carsten Pusch of the Institute artifacts from his tomb still dazzle crowds at “definitely altered structure” of the left foot, a severe bout of malaria combined with a of Human Genetics at the University touring museum exhibitions. probably explained the presence of walking degenerative bone condition. of Tuebingen, in Germany, was the One overall impression from canes in the Tut tomb, the researchers said. The researchers said that to their knowledge report’s corresponding author. the new research is that the Speculation had also centered on the fact that “this is the oldest genetic proof of malaria In an accompanying editorial in royal family’s power and wealth Tutankhamun left no heirs and the stylized reliefs in precisely dated mummies.” Several other the journal, Howard Markel of the did not spare them from ill health and other sculptures of him and family members mummies in the study also showed DNA Center for the History of Medicine and physical impairment. Several showed them having a somewhat feminized or evidence for the presence of the malaria parasite at the University of Michigan, who mummies revealed instances androgynous appearance. This suggested certain Plasmodium falciparum, perhaps not surprising was not involved in the study, praised of cleft palate, clubfeet, flat feet inherited syndromes, including gynecomastia, in a place like the Nile Valley. the thoroughness of the new research and bone degeneration. Four of which is the excessive development of breasts in The application of advanced radiological and “based on unfettered access to the actual the 11 mummies, including Tut’s, men, usually the result of a hormonal imbalance. genetic techniques to royal Egyptian mummies mummies.” contained genetic traces of malaria The breasts of Akhenaten and Tutankhamun marks a new step in the ever deepening reach of Recalling the myriad tropica, the most severe form were not preserved. But Tut’s penis, no longer historical inquiry through science. postmortem claims that of the infection. attached to the body, “is well developed,” the The study, reported on Tuesday, turned up have surrounded the The researchers researchers reported. no evidence of foul play, as had been suspected young king, Markel said that several “Most of the disease diagnoses,” the scientists by some historians and popular writers familiar suggested that now “the other pathologies concluded, “are hypotheses derived by observing with palace intrigues in ancient Egypt. Previous legion of Tutankhamun were diagnosed in and interpreting artifacts and not by evaluating examinations of the Tut mummy had revealed admirers might be well the Tut mummy, the mummified remains of royal individuals apart a recent leg fracture that happened sometime advised to reconsider including a bone from these artifacts.” before his death, possibly from a fall. This several existing disorder known as Markel, the medical historian, commented might have contributed to a life-threatening theories.” Kohler’s disease II, that use of 21st century radiological and genetic condition in an immune system already Though not one of the great which alone would not have techniques in studies of human history raised weakened by malaria and other disorders, the rulers of ancient Egypt, King Tut caused death. But he was also ethical questions that need to be addressed. researchers said. is easily the best known in public afflicted with avascular bone Writing in the journal, he asked: “What will In addition, genetic “fingerprinting” of the lore. He was the son and successor necrosis, a condition in which the rules be for exhuming bodies to solve vexing 11 mummies in the study established family of Akhenaten, the controversial diminished blood supply to pathological puzzles? Are major historical connections over five generations of Tut’s reform pharaoh who ruled from the bone leads to serious figures entitled to the same privacy rules that lineage. The identities were previously certain about 1351 to 1334. One of weakening or destruction of private citizens enjoy even after death? Most for only three of the mummies. Now, scientists the other achievements of the pragmatically, what is actually gained from said the tests identified the ones of Tut’s father study was the first positive Torso of Tutankhamun, left, and such studies? Will they change current thinking and mother, who appear to be siblings, as well identification of Akhenaten’s Viscera Coffin, far left, are on display about and prevent threatening diseases such as as the mummies of his grandmother and other mummy, a historical puzzle in at the de Young Museum in San influenza? Will they change the understanding of probable relatives.