The earliest recorded tattoo was found on a Peruvian mummy in 6,000 BC. And considering humans lose roughly 40,000 skin cells per hour, how do these markings last? Claudia Aguirre details the different methods, machines and macrophages that go into making tattoos stand the test of time. Lesson by Claudia Aguirre, animation by TOGETHER.

You can view the complete lesson that accompanies this video at TED-Ed