Explore the cultural significance and history of tattoos, including their role in saving a family fortune and sparking a tattoo craze. Learn about the symbolism of anchor tattoos among sailors and the fascinating case of a man with a distinctive tattoo that inspired a tattoo craze in the British Empire. Discover the origins of the word 'tattoo' and the evolution of tattoo machines. Join the SIF discord community and stay tuned for more exciting episodes.
Tattoo ink remains on the skin due to the inability of our immune systems to remove large dye molecules, but these molecules can be broken down by sunlight.
Tattoos have a long history of being used for purposes beyond aesthetics, such as pain relief and precise marking for medical treatments like radiotherapy.
Deep dives
Tattoo ink stays on human skin thanks to our immune systems and can get removed by sunlight.
Tattoo ink stays on the skin because our immune systems cannot remove the large dye molecules used in tattoos. However, sunlight can break down these molecules over time.
The famous Titchborn claimant case revolved around a key tattoo.
The Titchborn claimant case was a notorious British legal case in the 1800s. Thomas Castro claimed to be Roger Titchborn, the presumed dead heir to the Titchborn baronetcy. However, one key witness revealed that Roger had a distinctive tattoo on his arm, which Castro did not have, leading to his conviction.
Tattoos have a long history of supporting pain relief.
Tattoos have been used for pain relief for thousands of years. One example is Otsi the Iceman, who had tattoos near his joints that are believed to have provided relief from arthritis. Additionally, modern cancer treatment programs may use tattoos to mark precise locations for radiotherapy.