Scientists have embarked on a ground-breaking project to recreate the face of Phineas Gage, the man whose life-changing accident in 1848 changed our knowledge of the human brain. On September 13, 1848, Phineas Gage, a railroad worker in Vermont, was involved in a strange accident while clearing the ground for a new line. An iron bar was pushed through his skull by an unintentional explosion, puncturing and deforming a major amount of his brain. Gage miraculously survived the tragedy and went on to have an active and generally normal life for the next 12 years.
Scientists have recreated Phineas Gage’s face as it appeared at the time of impact
For the first time, scientists have recreated Phineas Gage’s face as it appeared at the time of impact. A detailed forensic reconstruction of his features was completed using computer scans of his shattered skull. Cicero Moraes, a 3D designer and forensic expert, was instrumental in recreating Phineas Gage’s original visage. A video clip produced by Moraes on YouTube demonstrating the intricacy of the facial reconstruction process provides insight into this incredible project.
Gage was preparing to detonate rocks when the tragic tragedy occurred during railway construction. An iron rod he dropped became a gunpowder-propelled bullet that entered his head through the left cheek and exited at the top. The metal object, which measured 1.09 metres in length, 3.18 centimetres in diameter, and weighed around six kilograms, landed more than ten metres distant, polluted with blood and brain matter. Despite the severity of his condition, Gage demonstrated tenacity. He ascended the stairs to his room without assistance after being brought to his hotel.
Before bandaging Gage’s skull, the attending doctor extracted around 28 grams of damaged brain matter. Gage was back on his feet within a month, and he later travelled to Chile for employment. However, the injury had an impact on Gage’s cognitive capacities, decreasing them to those of a kid. He also displayed socially undesirable behaviour. On May 21, 1861, exactly twelve years, six months, and eight days after the iron rod pierced his skull, Phineas Gage died, leaving a lasting legacy in the annals of neuroscience.