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A mysterious Egyptian mummy that was long believed to be a hawk is actually a rare example of a stillborn human baby, according to a new study.
Researchers from Western University used micro-CT scans to virtually unwrap the mummy, which dates back 2,100 years.
Their analysis suggests that it is a male, stillborn at 23 to 28 weeks of gestation, with a rare condition called anencephaly, which causes the brain and skull develop improperly.
Dr Andrew Nelson, who led the study, said: “The whole top part of his skull isn’t formed.