A well known "fact," as reported by the BBC as well as other reputable news sources at one time or another, is that Egyptians used mummies to fuel their trains in the 1800s. Mummies were, in fact, available by the truckload, but it is quite unreasonable to assume that they would be used for such a purpose. The origins of this "fact" can be traced back to the classic story teller, Mark Twain. In his book, "The New Pilgrims' Progress," he states,
"...I shall not speak of the railway [in Cairo], for it is like any other railway--I shall only say that the fuel they use for the locomotive is composed of mummies three thousand years old, purchased by the ton or by the graveyard for that purpose, and that sometimes one hears the profane engineer call out pettishly, 'D--n these plebians, they don't burn worth a cent--pass out a King;'"
And from this little verse, the belief entered our collective consciousness as fact. I am quite certain Twain would find it immensely humorous that so many still believe his tale, especially when he attached the following footnote to the previous statement.
"Stated to me for a fact. I only tell it as I got it. I am willing to believe it. I can believe anything."
-Professor Walter
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