A particle accelerator has joined a legal battle in Florida by showing that
the contents of a cremation urn aren’t human ashes. In the dispute over the
remains, one relative gave another an urn containing ash-like material. The
recipient was suspicious and passed the urn to physicists at the University of
Florida. By zapping the material with protons and examining the X-rays given
off, they found no phosphorus—an ingredient of bone. Says physicist Henri
van Rinsvelt: “It could be sand from a car park with a little lime rock.”
More from New Scientist
Explore the latest news, articles and features
Technology
Test moderators use AI-generated writing to judge literacy standards
News
Mind
THC in cannabis may reduce nightmares in people with PTSD
News
Environment
Fishers detonate a bomb every hour on one Indonesian coral reef
News
Environment
How bad is the UK drought and how long will it continue?
News
Popular articles
Trending New Scientist articles