Thousands of Danish brains in plastic buckets
Witness History5 Des 2023

Thousands of Danish brains in plastic buckets

In 1945, two Danish scientists opened an institute to study mental illnesses.

In the four decades until it closed, almost 10,000 brains were collected from dead psychiatric patients and stored in plastic buckets.

However, they were removed during autopsies without seeking permission from relatives. Following much debate in the 1990s, it was decided they should be used for research.

Now based in the University of Southern Denmark, the collection is believed to be the world’s largest brain bank. Scientists hope it can help our understanding of mental illness and brain disease.

Adrienne Murray speaks to pathologist and caretaker of the brains, Martin Wirenfeldt Nielsen.

(Photo: Brains stored in plastic buckets at the University of Southern Denmark. Credit: BBC)

Episoder(2000)

Tracey Emin’s unmade bed

Tracey Emin’s unmade bed

In 1999, Dame Tracey Emin’s unmade bed was nominated for Britain’s prestigious Turner art prize opening up conversations about how we define art.The installation titled, My Bed, was Dame Tracey’s bed ...

7 Jan 10min

Isabel Allende: The House of the Spirits

Isabel Allende: The House of the Spirits

In 1982, Isabel Allende published her debut novel, The House of the Spirits. The characters are based on her family, and the story reflects Chile’s 20th Century history, including the 1973 military co...

6 Jan 9min

The Hillsborough disaster

The Hillsborough disaster

On 15 April 1989, there was a crowd crush at a football match in Sheffield, England, which led to the death of 97 fans. It was the semi-final of the FA Cup between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest and ...

5 Jan 10min

South Africa's luxury train

South Africa's luxury train

In 1986, South African businessman Rohan Vos was sitting in the bath when he decided to pursue his passion and launch a vintage railway business. However, the venture nearly bankrupted him, and he was...

2 Jan 10min

The American Freedom Train

The American Freedom Train

In April 1975, the American Freedom Train set out on a tour across the United States to celebrate 200 years of American independence.On-board were more than 500 priceless artefacts, documenting import...

1 Jan 9min

The longest musical composition

The longest musical composition

On 31 December 1999, a piece of music started playing in a lighthouse on the River Thames in east London. It’s called Longplayer, and it’s set to keep going, without repeating, until the year 2999. It...

31 Des 202510min

Radio Free Europe

Radio Free Europe

Seventy-five years ago, Radio Free Europe started broadcasting news to audiences behind the Iron Curtain.It initially broadcast to Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland and Romania and programmes ...

30 Des 20259min

SMS: The invention of text messaging

SMS: The invention of text messaging

In October 1984, as the market for mobile phones was just opening up, one man decided it would be useful if the new technology could be used to send and receive short, electronic messages.But colleagu...

29 Des 202510min

Populært innen Samfunn

rss-spartsklubben
aftenpodden
giver-og-gjengen-vg
lydartikler-fra-aftenposten
konspirasjonspodden
aftenpodden-usa
rss-nesten-hele-uka-med-lepperod
popradet
rss-henlagt-andy-larsgaard
wolfgang-wee-uncut
grenselos
min-barneoppdragelse
synnve-og-vanessa
fladseth
rss-dette-ma-aldri-skje-igjen
frokostshowet-pa-p5
alt-fortalt
198-land-med-einar-trnquist
rss-dannet-uten-piano
relasjonspodden-med-dora-thorhallsdottir-kjersti-idem