He died three years later, and the cause has been relatively unknown... until now.
Who knew that a lock of hair could unlock one of history's biggest mysteries?
Strands of Beethoven’s Hair Tell Scientists How He Died
Scientists have sequenced Ludwig van Beethoven’s genome from locks of his hair, revealing clues to the great composer’s health and his family history.
In 1802, Beethoven asked his doctor to describe the illness he was suffering from, and to make this record public after his death. His health has been debated ever since, but without the benefit of genetic research... until now.
Beethoven’s genome has been sequenced for the first time by an international team of scientists using five genetically matching locks of his hair.
In this next film, Tristan Begg, the study's lead author from @CambridgeArchaeology and @clarehallcam at the University of Cambridge, explains how they did it and what they discovered.
Find out more: https://bit.ly/BeethovensHair
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