THE chilling mystery of Tutankhamun's cursed tomb has puzzled archaeologists for centuries after a string of suspicious deaths when it was opened up.
But experts claim they have finally solved the "Pharaoh's curse" saying lethal toxic waste was left lingering in the unopened tombs when they were originally built.
Many ancient tombs across Egypt are thought to be filled with huge amounts of radioactivity, claims the Journal of Scientific Exploration (JSE).
They say due to the high levels of radiation inside the tombs anyone who comes into contact could develop cancer and radiation sickness that could be fatal.
The JSE paper revealed they have seen a worrying spike in "unusually high radiation levels" across Egypt recently.
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It says: "Radiation has been detected by the Geiger counter at two sites at Giza adjacent to the pyramids.
"The readings were described as intensely radioactive."
Tutankhamun's tomb isn't the only radioactive hotspot as several burial sites including the eerie Osiris' grave and the Saqqara Necropolis are also reportedly overflowing with radioactive waste.
The toxic tombs of fallen Egyptian royals are littered across the desert but experts believe they could all be linked to natural elements that produce the deadly waste.
Researchers even brought in Geiger counters and found "intensely radioactive" results within several temple walls.
It is also believed the people who originally built the tombs knew about the toxic atmosphere and sensationally left inscriptions on the walls warning of an incurable disease.
An exert from the JSE research paper claims: "The nature of the curse was explicitly inscribed on some tombs, with one translated presciently as, 'they that break this tomb shall meet death by a disease that no doctor can diagnose'."
THE PHARAOH'S CURSE
The curse comes after the first four men to open up Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922 all ended up dying.
The first dropped dead suddenly after just four months before the other three followed suit.
The first to die was the man who funded the excavation Lord Carnarvon.
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Despite King Tut's tomb being linked to the man's death he actually died of a completely unrelated blood poisoning.
But nonetheless, it led to a superstitious curse being placed around the historic tomb scaring off many visitors from ever going near it.
Another reason for the potential curse was linked to the worrying amount of bacteria growing on the dead bodies and rotting foods often found inside tombs.
Egyptologist Jennifer Wegner said: "When you think of Egyptian tombs, you have not only dead bodies but foodstuffs—meats, vegetables, and fruits."
"It certainly may have attracted insects, moulds, [bacteria], and those kinds of things.
"The raw material would have been there thousands of years ago."
Scientific studies managed to prove that some mummies carry two dangerous species of mould - Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus.
They can both cause allergic reactions, bad congestion and even bleeding in the lungs.
Ammonia gas, formaldehyde, and hydrogen sulphide have also been found inside tombs.
Although only studied in small amounts so far, large numbers of the toxic gases can cause pneumonia-like symptoms.
Despite all the wild theories, a university professor in epidemiology F. DeWolfe Miller said: "We don't know of even a single case of either an archaeologist or a tourist experiencing any negative consequences [from tomb moulds or bacteria]."
