Mummies found in southeast Asia could be world's oldest, as scientists say they date back 12,000 years

Scientists have found what could be the world's oldest known mummies in southeast Asia, with some of the preserved remains believed to date back 12,000 years.

Researchers found human remains that were buried in crouched or squatted positions with some cuts and burn marks in various archaeological sites across China and Vietnam .

Other remains were found in the Philippines, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

In a study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, scientists revealed the bodies were likely exposed to heat and suggested they had been smoke-dried over a fire and mummified.

Study author Hirofumi Matsumura, with Sapporo Medical University in Japan, said the practice "allowed people to sustain physical and spiritual connections with