CNN —An undertaker turned academic, Alexandra Morton-Hayward became interested in brains — specifically how they decompose — during her former job. To understand why, the anthropologist has compiled a unique archive of information about 4,405 brains unearthed by archaeologists. No other soft tissue survived amongst the bones, which were dredged from a heavily waterlogged grave. Morton-Hayward works in a lab in Oxford, England, where she has helped build a collection of 570 ancient brains. Interestingly, many of the oldest brains are preserved in this unknown way, Morton-Hayward said.

---

Persons: Alexandra Morton, Hayward, “, ”, Martin Wirenfeldt Nielsen, wasn’t, He’s, ” Wirenfeldt Nielsen, Alexandra L, Morton, It’s, “ I’m Organizations: CNN, University of Oxford, Morton, South Denmark University Hospital, University of Southern, Stone Age, Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Hayward Locations: Morton, Bristol, England, Russia, Oxford, Stone, Stone Age Sweden, Sint, Ypres, Belgium, Polish