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Plant Murder

Lord Carnarvon vs Nile Papyrus (The Pharoah's Curse)

Season 1, Ep. 5

November 1922. In the scorching Valley of the Kings, a sealed tomb is breached for the first time in millennia. Months later, Lord Carnarvon—financier of the discovery—lies dead. Whispers of a curse spread like wildfire: was it the vengeance of Anubis, guardian of the dead? Or could the true killer have been lying in wait among the sacred papyrus garlands and ancient wreaths meant to protect the boy king?

In this episode of Plant Murder, we follow the deadly trail of mold spores unleashed from within Tutankhamun’s tomb. From the life-giving marshes of the Nile to the suffocating stillness of the afterlife’s chambers, we’ll uncover how a plant meant to symbolize eternity may have carried a more sinister legacy. Join us as myth collides with science in the story of a curse that transcends time.


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