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[sejpdw]

" German scientists have discovered that mummies in European museums contain large amounts of cocaine and nicotine. Critics say that this cannot be true, as both drugs were unavailable in Egypt until the discovery of the Americas at the end of the 15th century. One explanation is that the Egyptian priests wrapped the bodies in a kind of tobacco which grew in the Nile Delta. The cocoaine is hardr to explain, but it is now widely accepted that there was trade between West Africa and Central America where the coca leaf grows. In this way the leaves must have found their way to Egypt where they were used in medicines. "

"One evidence" instead of " One explanation" is possible regarding to the context?

[CP]

No, because they are not the same thing and because evidence is not a countable noun.

The evidence is what the scientists found, namely that nicotine and cocaine were found in the wrappings. Now the evidence needs to be explained, because those substances were not found in Egypt when the people were mummified.

Here, the explanation is given that the nicotine came from Egyptian tobacco leaves and the cocaine came from imported coca leaves.
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