The Fatal Wounds of King Richard III (Infographic)

A study of King Richard III’s bones uncovered 11 injuries inflicted near the time of death by common Late Medieval weapons. Although the king was wearing armor in battle, the head injuries are consistent with his helmet having been lost or removed. A pelvis injury was likely inflicted after death.
Four of the wounds to the face, skull and ribs were likely due to dagger stabs. Another, likely fatal, wound to the rear of the skull, was likely due to a sword strike. The largest wound to the head, penetrating deep into the brain, likely came from either a sword or the spike atop a halberd.
[Read the full story on the postmortem analysis of Richard III's Skeleton]
Sign up for the Live Science daily newsletter now
Get the world’s most fascinating discoveries delivered straight to your inbox.

Why is yawning contagious?
Scientific consensus shows race is a human invention, not biological reality