The "severed leg" of a man found on the beach turned out to be a sea slug

The "limb" found on the beach can mislead even experienced experts. Joanna Glengarry and Melanie Archer from the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine in Australia warn that forensic pathologists and anthropologists "must be prepared to deal with the various remains and objects presented."

The scientists presented their own first-hand experience - according to them, "what appeared to be a severed foot on the beach was found to be a marine animal known as a sea squirt (slug, ascidian)," writes New Scientist.

"It is relatively common for forensic pathologists and anthropologists to receive items believed to be human remains in their daily practice. However, there is not a lot of information about this, and much of the knowledge on the subject is largely based on experience," Joanna Glengarry said of her research.

Scientists told of a case of what appeared to be a severed leg found on a beach. But, as the study showed, it was a marine animal known as a sea breech (ascidian). Although marine scientists are aware of this mimicry, it has not been previously described in the forensic pathology literature.

The external examination and postmortem computed tomography revealed the non-human nature of the remains, and an inevitable investigation was prevented, saving time and resources.

"Non-human remains can include animals and inorganic objects, and their discovery can cause anxiety for the person who found them. A timely forensic pathology or anthropological examination will help to alleviate such concerns. Forensic pathologists and anthropologists should be prepared to deal with the various remains and objects presented," Joanna said.

Earlier, OBOZ.UA reported that scientists inserted a "window" into a person's skull to look into his or her brain. A new study has shown that ultrasound waves can be used to monitor activity in the human brain.

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