This mummy of a little girl who died in 1920 freaks me out. Her dad was a taxidermist and embalmer and was apparently "an artist" at the job, and used zinc salts, in addition to other normal embalming things, which account for the insane state of preservation. From National Geographic, "Formalin, now widely used by embalmers, is a mixture of formaldehyde and water that kills bacteria. Salafia was one of the first to use this for embalming bodies. Alcohol, along with the arid conditions in the catacombs, would have dried Rosalia's body and allowed it to mummify. Glycerin would have kept her body from drying out too much, and salicylic acid would have prevented the growth of fungi." Makes sense to me!
On another note, I used to say that I wanted to be petrified when I died and then shot off into space all Han Solo like, encased in my stone. But I guess this is a pretty good way to be preserved. Or, whatever, I'll just go back into the circle of life and be immortal that way. Some day, you may EAT one of my molecules!
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