00:00The first photograph was taken in 1826.
00:02Yeah, there I am, way in the background, I'm waving!
00:07From then on, we've had countless images taken all over the world.
00:11Back in the day, if you really wanted your portrait taken, you needed a painter to help
00:15you with it.
00:16You would've had to stand still for long periods of time, making sure the light was
00:21just right.
00:22And let's face it, those portraits weren't really as exact.
00:26Maybe you'd have asked for your eyes to be a bit brighter, or your lips a bit poutier.
00:32When it comes to famous people in ancient history, there's not much we can do in terms
00:36of photography.
00:37It's simple, there aren't any, pictures or famous ancient people.
00:42We can try to imagine what they look like based on their paintings or on texts written
00:46about them by highly regarded scholars.
00:50Fortunately, more and more as years go by, this lack of knowledge will become a thing
00:55of the past.
00:56Enter forensic facial reconstruction.
00:59With the help of this amazing science branch, we can now have a better understanding of
01:04what ancient celebrities looked like.
01:06But how are scientists able to do that, you might ask?
01:09Go ahead, ask.
01:11Turns out that a person's skull can tell a lot about their appearance.
01:15Everything from the brow bone to the distance between the eye sockets can showcase a realistic
01:20profile.
01:21Even the nasal chamber or the shape of one's chin can influence how your face will end
01:26up looking like.
01:27It's like the skull is a blueprint for the face.
01:31Using these bones, artists and forensic anthropologists can work together to reconstruct your appearance
01:37through the magic of forensic facial reconstruction.
01:40It's like real-life detective work, but with more clay and less drama.
01:45Now I guess you're thinking, how correct can these reconstructions really be?
01:50Well, the finished product may not reflect all the details, sure.
01:54You can't tell a person's eye color or skin tone just by studying the skull.
01:59Facial hair is equally hard to tell.
02:01And if you have plump cheeks that make you look so cute, your skull will never tell a
02:06secret.
02:07But even with those limitations, facial reconstruction can still show us what someone in history
02:13may have looked like.
02:15The process itself is pretty cool.
02:17A trained sculptor works with a forensic anthropologist to figure out the skeletal features and build
02:23up the facial traits using clay.
02:26Anthropologists have to consider things like age, gender, ancestry, and any injuries or
02:31tooth loss.
02:32Scientists can also do such tasks digitally these days with the help of computers and
02:37design software.
02:38With all these amazing scientific advancements in mind, did you hear the latest news about
02:43King Tut's family tree?
02:46Well, apparently, his possible father, an ancient Egyptian pharaoh, just got a new face
02:52makeover.
02:53And let me tell you, he's looking regal and serene due to some digital reconstruction
02:58magic.
02:59But even though this is the most correct representation of him so far, we still don't know for sure
03:04who he really is.
03:06This fellow was found in 1907 in the Valley of the Kings, just a few feet away from King
03:12Tut's tomb.
03:14Anthropologists have been studying him for over a century and think he might be Akhenaten,
03:19King Tut's daddy, and a very important Egyptian ruler for that matter.
03:23Still, some experts remain skeptical and say we need more evidence to confirm his true
03:28identity.
03:30The reconstruction of this ancient pharaoh's face was a months-long project by a group
03:35of brilliant scientists in Sicily.
03:37They even brought in a 3D forensic artist from Brazil to help out.
03:41The new model is different from earlier ones because they wanted to focus on his facial
03:46features and not get distracted by his hair, jewelry, or other bling.
03:51On the same note, make way for this latest fashion icon.
03:55No, it's not some famous model.
03:57It's a hunter-gatherer woman who lived in Sweden 7,000 years ago.
04:02And boy, is she fierce-looking in her new reconstruction!
04:06She's rocking a feather cape, a slate necklace, and a belt made from 130 animal teeth.
04:12Talk about being fashion-forward.
04:14Or backward.
04:15Plus, her dark skin is painted with white patterns, making her look like a true work
04:20of art.
04:22But don't be fooled by her stunning appearance.
04:24This woman was more than just a pretty face.
04:27She was buried upright in a location dating back to 5,500 BCE to 4,600 BCE.
04:35And her rich jewelry tells us that she was important in her local community.
04:40Thanks to the work of an archaeologist and sculptor, we can now see what this ancient
04:44woman looked like.
04:46They used a CT scan of her skull to piece together her face muscle by muscle, creating
04:52a unique expression.
04:53It's like making eye contact with the past.
04:56While we may never know for sure what her role was in her community, her intricate surroundings
05:02suggest that she held a special place for her people.
05:06Now Ötzi, the 5,300-year-old mummy from the Alps, also got a new makeover thanks to this
05:13amazing technology.
05:15He didn't go to a plastic surgeon, if that's what you're thinking.
05:18Two Dutch brothers used their skills in forensic science and artistry to recreate his face
05:23for a new exhibit in Italy.
05:26Ötzi was found in 1991 by hikers who stumbled across his mummified and frozen remains in
05:32the mountains near the Italian-Austrian border.
05:35He's been around longer than Stonehenge or the Pyramids of Giza.
05:39And now, thanks to the two skillful brothers, we finally know what he looked like.
05:44They used 3D images of his skull to recreate his face.
05:48A photographer also documented the whole process for half a year.
05:53Earlier research shows he passed away from a wound caused by an arrow.
05:58He was left in a protected area high up in a cold glacier region, so his body was preserved
06:03in the snow.
06:04He is now safely kept in a refrigerated cell at the museum, which mimics the wet-cold glacial
06:11conditions that kept him preserved.
06:13They even have a unique cooling system that makes it possible for the mummy to be displayed.
06:19Ötzi's last birthday was his 46th, which was a pretty ripe old age for his time.
06:24He was about 5 feet 3 inches tall and weighed around 110 pounds, so he was on the smaller
06:30side.
06:31But hey, size doesn't matter when you've been around for over 5,000 years!
06:37King Henry VII got a digital makeover as well, and boy does he look good!
06:42A graphic artist used a mask of Henry VII's dating from 1509 to create an impressive
06:48and realistic reconstruction.
06:51Why a mask, you might wonder?
06:52Well, before photography, people used wax masks to preserve someone's likeness more
06:58accurately than paintings or illustrations.
07:00And let me tell you, the restoration of this Henry was a game-changer!
07:05Henry VII was the King of England from 1485 to 1509.
07:10A depiction of him, which can be found at Westminster Abbey, was already lifelike, but
07:15the new digital reconstruction takes it a step further.
07:19It took the team behind it about 2 months to complete, using a combination of software,
07:24custom algorithms, and really tedious image adjustments that were done manually.
07:30The project started with a high-resolution image of the mask, which was then used to
07:34create a 3D model of the subject's face.
07:37From there, the lighting was designed.
07:40Lastly, facial markings and hair were added.
07:43But what's even more fun is that a beard was added to Henry VII's face too, since
07:48men during that era were commonly bearded-ed, bearded, you know, wore a beard.
07:53We'll never know for sure if he was bearded or not, but it's a hilarious touch that
07:58adds to the character of the reconstruction.
08:01The same team has also created facial reconstructions of other historical figures, like Mary, Queen
08:07of Scots, or Oliver Cromwell.
08:10These masks are like secret passages to another time, if you think about it.
08:14It's amazing how technology can take us back thousands of years to see faces we've
08:20only imagined.
08:21And who knows, maybe in a few hundred years, someone will recreate our faces from the selfie
08:27we took!
08:28That's it for today, so hey, if you pacified your curiosity, then give the video a like
08:33and share it with your friends!
08:35Or if you want more, just click on these videos and stay on the Bright Side!
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