Let's get up the courage and take a closer look at the details. This is all that remains after you.

“It’s going to take some work to unbend,” says prosector Holly Williams, lifting John’s arm and gently flexing his fingers, elbow and hand on it. “As a rule, the fresher the corpse, the easier it is for me to work with it.”

Williams speaks softly and behaves positively and lightly, contrary to the nature of his profession. She practically grew up in a family funeral home in the north of the American state of Texas, where she now works. She had seen dead bodies almost daily since childhood. Now she is 28 years old and, according to her, she has already managed to work with about a thousand corpses.

She is committed to collecting the bodies of recently deceased in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolis and preparing them for burial.

“Most of the people we follow die in nursing homes,” Williams says. “But sometimes there are victims of car accidents or gunfights. and has already begun to decompose. In such cases, my work is greatly complicated. "

By the time John arrived at the funeral home, he had been dead for about four hours. During his lifetime, he was relatively healthy. He worked all his life in the Texas oil fields and therefore was physically active and in good shape. He quit smoking several decades ago and drank alcohol in moderation. But one cold January morning with him at home had an acute heart attack (caused by some other, unknown reasons), he fell to the floor and died almost immediately. He was 57 years old.

John is now lying on Williams' metal table, his body wrapped in a white sheet, cold and hard. His skin is a purple-gray hue, suggesting that the early stages of decomposition have already begun.

Self-absorption

A dead body is actually nowhere near as dead as it seems - it is teeming with life. More and more scientists are inclined to view the rotting corpse as the cornerstone of a huge and complex ecosystem that arises soon after death, thrives and evolves in the process of decay.

Decomposition begins a few minutes after death - a process called autolysis, or self-absorption, starts. Soon after the heart stops beating, cells are starved of oxygen, and as toxic by-products of chemical reactions accumulate in the cells, acidity rises. Enzymes begin to engulf cell membranes and leak out when cells are destroyed. Usually this process begins in the enzyme-rich liver and in the brain, which contains a lot of water. Gradually, all other tissues and organs also begin to disintegrate in a similar way. The damaged blood cells begin to flow out of the destroyed vessels and, under the influence of gravity, move into the capillaries and small veins, as a result of which the skin loses its color.

The body temperature begins to decrease and eventually equals with the ambient temperature. Then rigor mortis sets in - it begins with the muscles of the eyelids, jaw and neck and gradually reaches the trunk and then to the extremities. During life, muscle cells contract and relax as a result of the interaction of two filamentous proteins, actin and myosin, which move along each other. After death, cells lose their energy sources, and filamentous proteins freeze in one position. As a result, muscles become numb and joints are blocked.

In these early posthumous stages, the ecosystem of the corpse consists mainly of bacteria that also live in the living human body. A huge number of bacteria live in our bodies, various nooks and crannies of the human body serve as a haven for specialized colonies of microbes. The most numerous of these colonies live in the intestines: trillions of bacteria are collected there - hundreds, if not thousands of different species.

The gut microcosm is one of the most popular areas for research in biology, associated with general human health and a huge range of different diseases and conditions, from autism and depression to disturbing intestinal syndrome and obesity. But we still know quite a bit about what these microscopic passengers do in our lifetime. We know even less about what happens to them after we die.

Immune collapse

In August 2014, forensic expert Gulnaz Zhavan and colleagues from the University of Alabama in the American city of Montgomery published the first ever study of the thanatomicrobiome - bacteria that live in the human body after death. Scientists have derived this name from the Greek word "thanatos", death.

“Many of these samples came to us from criminal investigations,” says Zhavan. “When someone dies as a result of suicide, murder, drug overdose or car accident, I take samples of their tissues. because we need the consent of the relatives. "

Most of our internal organs do not contain germs during life. However, soon after death, the immune system stops working, and thus nothing prevents it from spreading freely throughout the body. Usually, this process begins in the intestines, at the border of the small and large intestines. The bacteria living there begin to absorb the intestines from the inside, and then the surrounding tissues, feeding on the chemical mixture that flows from the decaying cells. Then these bacteria invade the blood capillaries of the digestive system and the lymph nodes, spreading first to the liver and spleen, and then to the heart and brain.

Zhavan and her colleagues took tissue samples from the liver, spleen, brain, heart, and blood from 11 corpses. This was done between 20 and 240 hours after death. To analyze and compare the bacterial composition of the samples, the researchers used two state-of-the-art DNA sequencing technologies in combination with bioinformatics.

Samples taken from different organs of the same corpse turned out to be very similar to each other, but very different from samples taken from the same organs in other dead bodies. Perhaps, to some extent, this is due to the difference in the composition of the microbiomes (sets of microbes) of these bodies, but it may also be in the time elapsed since death. Previous research on decaying mouse carcasses showed that the microbiome changes dramatically after death, but this process is consistent and measurable. Scientists were eventually able to determine the time of death with an accuracy of three days within an almost two-month period.

Unappetizing experiment

Zhavan's research suggests that a similar "microbial clock" seems to work in the human body. Scientists have found that bacteria get to the liver about 20 hours after death, and it takes them at least 58 hours to get into all organs from which tissue samples were taken. Apparently, bacteria spread systematically in a dead body, and counting the time after which they enter a particular organ may be another new way to establish the exact moment of death.

"After death, the bacterial composition changes, - notes Zhavan. - Last of all, they get to the heart, brain and reproductive organs." In 2014, a group of scientists under her leadership received a $ 200,000 grant from the US National Science Foundation to conduct further research. "We'll use next-generation genome sequencing and bioinformatics to figure out which organ is the most accurate time of death - we don't know yet," the researcher says.

However, it is already clear that different sets of bacteria correspond to different stages of decomposition.

But what does the process of doing such research look like?

Under the city of Huntsville, Texas, in a pine forest, half a dozen corpses lie in various stages of decomposition. Two of the freshest with limbs spread apart are laid out closer to the center of a small fenced enclosure. Much of their sagging, blue-gray skin is still there, ribs and the ends of their pelvic bones protruding from slowly decaying flesh. A few meters away from them lies another corpse, which has already essentially turned into a skeleton - its black, hardened skin wraps around the bones, as if it were dressed in a shiny latex suit from head to toe. Farther away, behind the remains scattered by the vultures, lies a third body, protected by a cage of wooden planks and wire. It is approaching the end of its posthumous cycle and has already been partially mummified. Where his belly once was, several large brown mushrooms grow.

Natural decay

For most people, the sight of a rotting corpse is at least unpleasant, and more often than not, repulsive and frightening, like a nightmare. But for the Southeast Texas Applied Forensics Science Laboratory, these are business as usual. This institution opened in 2009 and is located in 100 hectares of forest owned by Sam University of Houston. In this forest, a plot of approximately three and a half hectares has been allocated for research. It is fenced off by a three-meter-high green metal fence with barbed wire running on top, and inside it is subdivided into several smaller sections.

At the end of 2011, University staffers Sybil Bucheli and Aaron Lynn and colleagues left two fresh cadavers there to decompose in natural conditions.

When bacteria begin to spread from the digestive tract, triggering the body's self-absorption process, putrefaction begins. This is death at the molecular level: further decay of soft tissues, their transformation into gases, liquids and salts. It also goes away in the early stages of decomposition, but gains full steam when anaerobic bacteria come into play.

Putrefactive decomposition is the stage in which the baton is passed from aerobic bacteria (which require oxygen to grow) to anaerobic ones - that is, those that do not need oxygen.

During this process, the body becomes even more discolored. Damaged blood cells continue to drain from the disintegrating vessels, and anaerobic bacteria convert hemoglobin molecules (with the help of which oxygen is transported through the body) into sulfhemoglobin. The presence of its molecules in stagnant blood gives the skin a marbled, greenish-black appearance, characteristic of a corpse in the stage of active decay.

Special habitat

As the pressure of gases builds up in the body, abscesses appear over the entire surface of the skin, after which large areas of the skin separate and sag, barely holding onto the disintegrating base. In the end, gases and liquefied tissue leave the corpse, usually leaving and flowing from the anus and other openings of the body, and often through torn skin on other parts of it. Sometimes the gas pressure is so high that the abdominal cavity bursts.

Cadaveric bloating is usually considered a sign of a transition from early to late stages of decomposition. Another recent study showed that this transition is characterized by marked changes in the recruitment of cadaveric bacteria.

Bucheli and Lynn took samples of bacteria from different parts of the body at the beginning and end of the bloating stage. Then they extracted the microbial DNA and sequenced it.

Bucheli is an entomologist, so she is primarily interested in insects inhabiting the corpse. She considers a dead body as a special habitat for various types of necrophagous insects (corpse eaters), and for some of them the entire life cycle passes entirely inside the corpse, on it, and nearby.

When liquids and gases begin to leave the decaying organism, it becomes completely open to the environment. At this stage, the ecosystem of the corpse begins to manifest itself especially violently: it turns into the epicenter of the vital activity of microbes, insects and scavengers.

Larval stage

Two types of insects are closely associated with decomposition: carrion flies and gray meat flies, as well as their larvae. Corpses give off an unpleasant, sickeningly sweet odor, caused by a complex cocktail of volatile compounds, the composition of which is constantly changing as it decomposes. Carrion flies sense this smell through the receptors located on their antennae, land on the body and lay eggs in holes in the skin and in open wounds.

Each female fly lays about 250 eggs, from which small larvae hatch in a day. They feed on rotting meat and molt into larger larvae, which continue to eat and molt again after a few hours. After eating for some more time, these already large larvae crawl away from the body, after which they pupate and eventually transform into adult flies. The cycle is repeated until the larvae have no more food left.

In favorable conditions, the actively decaying organism serves as a haven for a large number of fly larvae of the third stage. The mass of their bodies generates a lot of heat, causing the internal temperature to rise by more than 10 degrees. Like flocks of penguins around the South Pole, the larvae in this mass are in constant motion. But if penguins resort to this method to keep warm, then the larvae, on the contrary, tend to cool down.

“This is a double-edged sword,” explains Bucheli, sitting in his university office, surrounded by large toy insects and cute monster dolls. in the center, they can simply be welded. Therefore, they constantly move from the center to the edges and back. "

Flies attract predators - beetles, ticks, ants, wasps and spiders, which feed on fly eggs and larvae. Vultures and other scavengers, as well as other large meat-eating animals, can also come to feast on.

Unique composition

However, in the absence of scavengers, fly larvae engage in soft tissue absorption. In 1767, the Swedish naturalist Karl Linnaeus (who developed a unified classification system for flora and fauna) noted that "three flies are capable of swallowing the carcass of a horse as fast as a lion." The larvae of the third stage crawl away from the corpse en masse, often along the same trajectories. Their activity is so high that at the end of decomposition, their migration routes can be observed as deep furrows on the soil surface, diverging in different directions from the corpse.

Each type of living thing visiting a dead body has its own unique set of digestive microbes, and different types of soil have different colonies of bacteria - their exact composition seems to be determined by factors such as temperature, humidity, soil type and structure.

All these microbes are mixed with each other in the cadaveric ecosystem. Arriving flies not only lay eggs, but also bring their own bacteria with them, and carry away strangers. The liquefied tissue flowing out allows bacterial exchange between the dead organism and the soil on which it lies.

When Bucheli and Lynn take samples of bacteria from dead bodies, they discover microbes that originally lived on the skin, as well as others brought in by flies and scavengers, as well as from the soil. “When fluids and gases leave the body, bacteria in the gut also leave the body - more and more of them begin to be found in the surrounding soil,” explains Lynn.

Thus, each cadaver appears to have unique microbiological characteristics that can change over time according to the conditions of its particular location. By understanding the makeup of these bacterial colonies, the relationships between them, and how they interact with each other as they decompose, forensic scientists may one day be able to obtain much more information about where, when, and how the subject died.

Mosaic elements

For example, identifying DNA sequences in a corpse that are specific to certain organisms or soil types can help forensic scientists associate a murder victim with a specific geographic location, or even further narrow the search for evidence - down to a specific field in some area.

"There have been several trials in which criminal entomology has proven itself well by providing the missing pieces of the puzzle," Bucheli says. She believes that bacteria can provide additional information and serve as a new tool for determining the time of death. “I hope that in five years we will be able to apply bacteriological data in court,” she says.

To this end, scientists are carefully cataloging the types of bacteria that inhabit the human body and outside it, and are studying how the composition of the microbiome varies from person to person. "It would be great to have a dataset from birth to death," Bucheli says.

"We are studying the fluid that flows out of decaying bodies," says Daniel Wescot, director of the Center for Criminal Anthropology at the University of Texas at San Marcos.

Wescot's area of ​​interest is the study of the structure of the skull. With the help of computed tomography, he analyzes the microscopic structures of the bones of corpses. He works with entomologists and microbiologists, including Javan (who, in turn, examines soil samples taken from the experimental site in San Marcos, where the corpses lie), with computer engineers and with the operator who controls the drone - with his aerial pictures of the site are taken with the help.

“I read an article about drones used to study agricultural land to see which ones are the most fertile. Their cameras work in the near infrared range, which shows that organic-rich soils are darker in color than others. . I thought that since such a technology exists, then perhaps it can be useful for us too - to find these small brown spots, "he says.

Rich soil

The "brown spots" that the scientist talks about are areas where corpses have decayed. A decaying body significantly changes the chemical composition of the soil on which it lies, and these changes can be noticeable over the next several years. Pouring liquefied tissue from the dead remains enriches the soil with nutrients, and the migration of larvae transfers a significant part of the body's energy to its environment.

Over time, as a result of this whole process, an "island of decomposition of the corpse" appears - an area with a high concentration of soil rich in organic matter. In addition to nutrient compounds released into the ecosystem from the cadaver, there are also dead insects, scavenger manure, and so on.

According to some estimates, the human body is 50-75% water, and each kilogram of dry body weight, when decomposed, releases 32 grams of nitrogen, 10 grams of phosphorus, four grams of potassium and one gram of magnesium into the environment. At first, this kills the vegetation below and around, perhaps due to nitrogen toxicity or due to antibiotics contained in the body, which are released into the soil by insect larvae that eat the corpse. Ultimately, however, decomposition has a beneficial effect on the local ecosystem.

The biomass of microbes on the decaying island of the corpse is significantly higher than on the surrounding territory. Roundworms, attracted by the secreted nutrients, begin to multiply in this area, and its flora also becomes richer. Further research into exactly how rotting cadavers are changing their environment may help more effectively detect murder victims whose bodies were buried in shallow graves.

Another possible clue to establishing the exact date of death may be provided by soil analysis from the grave. A 2008 study of biochemical changes occurring on the decomposition island showed that the concentration of phospholipids in the fluid flowing out of the body reaches its maximum approximately 40 days after death, and nitrogen and extractable phosphorus - after 72 and 100 days, respectively. With a more detailed study of these processes, perhaps in the future, using the analysis of the biochemistry of the soil from the burial, we can accurately determine when the body was placed in a hidden grave.

Sooner or later, life comes to an end, and when the coffin is buried and the funeral is completed, many wonder what happens to the body after that? The question is quite exciting, since the processes taking place deep underground are inaccessible to ordinary people. Only specialists of a separate section of medicine - forensic experts - are able to tell about the final fate of the body of a deceased person.

All changes affecting the dead body are conditionally divided into successive stages that can last for months or even years. According to official data, for a full-fledged decomposition, a corpse located underground in a coffin takes about 15 years, although repeated reburials can be carried out after 11-13 years, when the first was carried out. Experts say that over a given period of time, the body and coffin completely decay, and the earth is suitable for reuse.

What happens in the coffin after the funeral

As mentioned above, the complete decomposition of burials takes about 15 years, which should be enough for the complete disappearance of the remains. The areas of medicine that deal with the cause of death and the mechanisms of decomposition of the body are pathology, thanatology, and forensic medicine.

Almost immediately after the onset of death, the processes of self-digestion of the viscera and soft tissues of the body are started, with parallel decay. Before burial, these processes are slowed down by artificial cooling in order to preserve the person's appearance for goodbye to relatives.

As soon as the coffin is buried, these factors disappear, and the processes of decomposition begin to operate in full force. When the soft tissues decompose, only the skeleton and chemical compounds remain from the body: gases, salts and liquids.

A human corpse is a kind of complex ecosystem that creates comfortable conditions for large colonies of bacteria to live. The system grows rapidly and becomes wider due to decomposition. The immune system stops working when the body dies, and microbes no longer have any obstacles to colonizing absolutely the whole body. They live off body fluids and by their actions induce active decay.

Over time, all tissues decay or decay, leaving behind only a skeleton, but this structure is not eternal either, because after a long time in the ground it lends itself to destruction, leaving only its strongest parts.

What happens to the body after 1 year

When a whole year has passed since the funeral, the remains of the flesh are still rotting in the coffin. Often, during the exhumation of burials, it is noted that there is no cadaveric smell, which means that the decay is complete, and the remaining soft tissues can simply smolder (with active formation of carbon dioxide), or there is simply nothing to smolder, since only the skeleton is in the coffin, or rather the fact that left of it.

Skeletonization is one of the important stages of decomposition, in which only the skeleton remains in the coffin. After 1 year from the date of burial, individual large tendons, or dense and dried particles of flesh, may remain from the body.

Further, the process of mineralization begins to operate, which can last up to 30 years. All remnants of the corpse must get rid of all excess minerals. Ultimately, the body is just a handful of bones, not fastened together by anything. The skeleton falls apart completely as the joints and tendons disappear. In such a state, he can be as much as he wants, but the bone itself is very fragile.

What happens to the coffin

Most modern coffins are made of wood (most often pine wood). Such material is short-lived, especially under the influence of constant moisture. In the ground, such coffins can last a maximum of 6-7 years. After this time, it turns into dust and falls through.

Because of this, when carrying out excavations of old burials, at best, you can find a couple of rotten planks that were previously a coffin. The shelf life of the coffin may be slightly increased by covering it with varnish, or by using a different type of wood in the manufacture. The rarest coffins are made of metal that can survive for decades underground.

During active decay and decay, the corpse loses all of its fluid. As you know, the human body consists of 70% water, and it must disappear somewhere. After leaving the cells and tissues, moisture seeps into the bottom of the coffin, passing through the boards into the ground. These processes spoil the wood and accelerate its decay.

Body changes in the coffin

After death, the human body (corpse) succumbs to several decomposition processes, which have their own periodicity and differ in flow rate (taking into account the environmental conditions in the burial area and the state of the corpse itself). All processes affecting the body ultimately lead to the fact that only a bare skeleton remains.

As is customary, the dead are often buried only 3 days after death. This is explained not only by old customs, but also by the simplest biology. If the body is not given to the ground for 5-7 days, this will have to be done already in the coffin boarded up with a lid, because processes like autolysis and decay come into force. They quickly lead to the development of putrefactive emphysema, bruising from all natural holes. Today, they can be paused for a while by applying embalming or by placing the body in the refrigerator.

Anything that happens to the body of a deceased person in a coffin underground is classified into stages that are generally considered decomposition.

Autolysis

One of the very first decomposition processes, which takes effect almost immediately after the death of the organism is established. Autolysis or "self-digestion" is a complex biological process during which tissue breaks down. This is due to the disintegration of the cell membrane with the subsequent release of enzymes from their structures. The most important are cathepsins. Autolysis has nothing to do with microorganisms, but starts on its own.

To a greater extent, many internal organs are susceptible to autolysis, but especially all those that contain a lot of cathepsin. A little later, it affects absolutely all cells of the body. Ultimately, rigor mortis develops, due to the leaching of calcium salts from the fluid in the extracellular areas, which are then combined with troponin. This course of processes leads to the unification of actin and myosin, a total contraction of the muscles of the whole body. The cycle does not stop because there is no ATP, so the muscles relax when decomposition sets in.

Autolysis is nevertheless promoted by some types of bacteria that disperse through the body from the gastrointestinal tract and feed on the secreted cell fluid. They massively spread throughout the body, seeping into the blood vessels, and the first thing they do is infect the liver.

Putrefaction

Almost immediately after autolysis, the decay process begins, the rate of which depends on the following factors:

• The state of the body during life.
• The reasons that caused death.
• Humidity and temperature of the earth.
• The density of the fabric from which the garment is sewn.

The primary areas of decay are mucous membranes and skin. It can start quite early, especially if the soil near the coffin is wet, or if the cause of death was blood poisoning. It will develop more slowly at low temperatures or a lack of moisture, the same effect has some toxic substances and thick clothing.

Many people notice such a fact as a "groaning corpse", but this is just a myth related to decay. A similar state is described as - Vocalization. When soft tissue breaks down, gas is released, and to begin with, it occupies all the cavities in the body. When putrefaction has just begun, the gas from the inside comes out through the physiological openings. If the gas is directed outward through the vocal cords, which are constrained by stiff muscles, a specific sound (wheezing or moaning) is emitted from the mouth.

Inside the corpse, there is a gradual breakdown of proteins that break down into polypeptides and below. In the end, their place is taken by free amino acids, the transformation of which causes such an unpleasant phenomenon as cadaverous odor. From this moment, the decay processes can accelerate, due to the colonization of the body with mold, maggots or nematodes. They lead to mechanical destruction of tissue, which is easier to rot.

Such organs as the liver, stomach, spleen and intestines decompose very quickly due to the large number of enzymes in their composition. Against this background, the peritoneum of the corpses is often torn, because the gas released during the decay fills all internal cavities (the body literally swells). The flesh continues to rot and decay, becoming a solid, fetid, mushy gray mass until only bones remain.

The following visual manifestations are considered clear signs of the onset of decay:

1. The corpse has acquired a green tint (the appearance of sulfhaemoglobin, which is formed from hydrogen sulfide and hemoglobin).
2. A putrid vascular network is visualized (the blood that remains in the vessels rots, and the blood elements pass into iron sulfide).
3. Cadaveric emphysema (swelling of a corpse due to the high pressure of the generated gas).
4. The glow of a corpse in the dark (release of phosphorous hydrogen) is very rare, but possible.

Smoldering

The most active period of decomposition is considered to be the initial six months spent underground. But, sometimes, in addition to decay, decay processes can begin, especially in conditions of moisture deficiency and an abundance of oxygen. In some cases, decay begins after partially decaying.

For the beginning of smoldering, the presence of a certain amount of oxygen and a small amount of moisture is sufficient. With it, cadaveric gas is not released, but carbon dioxide is released.

Mummification or saponification processes

Sometimes, the corpse does not start to rot, or even smolder. Such a phenomenon is possible when the body is artificially treated with certain solutions, in the presence of a certain state of the body, or the conditions in which the burial took place.

Mummification is the drying up of a corpse to such an extent that it loses any chance of decomposition, and Saponification is the formation of a fat wax. Natural mummification is observed when a corpse is buried in arid soil, in which the percentage of moisture is low. The body is perfectly mummified if during life a person had severe dehydration, which turned into a drying out of the corpse after death.

Artificial mummification can also be carried out, which can be achieved through embalming or any chemical preservative for the body (which has the properties of slowing down the processes of autolysis and decay).

Fat wax is the antipode of mummification. It begins to occur in excessively moist soil, when the corpse does not receive enough oxygen for smoldering and decay. In this state, the body is gradually saponified (oxygen-free bacterial hydrolysis). One of the main components of a fat wax is ammonia soap, which appears after the processing of all subcutaneous fat, muscles, skin and brain. All other parts of the body either do not change or rot.

What happens in the coffin after the body is buried? This question is of interest not only to those who are fond of mysticism and anatomy. Almost every person on the planet often thinks about this. The burial process and the further development of the body are associated with a large number of myths and interesting facts that few people know. In our article you can find information that will allow you to find out more about what happens to the corpse throughout the time it is underground and above it.

General information about processes

Death is a natural process that, unfortunately, cannot yet be prevented. Today, how the decomposition of the body in the coffin takes place is known only to those who have a medical education. Nevertheless, detailed information about such a process is also interesting to many curious people. It is worth noting that various processes take place in the corpse immediately after death. These include temperature changes and oxygen deprivation. Already a few minutes after death, organs and cells begin to deteriorate.

Many torment themselves with the thought of what is happening in the coffin with the body. Decomposition, depending on many factors, can proceed in completely different ways. There are more than five processes that, due to certain circumstances, occur in a particular body. Surprisingly, the cadaveric smell is often artificially created by specialized organizations. This is necessary for the training of wanted dogs.

Rotting and mummification

In our article you can find detailed information about what happens in a coffin with a human body after death. As we said earlier, there are more than five processes that can take place in a particular corpse, depending on a wide variety of factors. The most famous forms of body development after burial are rotting and mummification. Almost everyone has heard about these processes.

Rotting is a laborious process that takes place in the body. As a rule, it begins on the third day after death. Simultaneously with decay, the formation of a whole list of gases begins. These include hydrogen sulfide, ammonia and many others. It is for this reason that the corpse gives off an unpleasant odor. Depending on the season, the body can decompose slowly or quickly. At an air temperature above 30 degrees Celsius, rotting of a corpse occurs in the shortest possible time. If the body was not buried, then the time of its decomposition on the surface of the earth is 3-4 months. When the decay process comes to an end, only bones remain of the corpse, and everything else turns into a mushy mass and eventually disappears altogether. It is worth noting that everything that stands out at this stage is absorbed by the soil. Thanks to this, she becomes unusually fertile.

What happens in a coffin with a body after death if it is mummified? In this process, the corpse dries completely. An interesting fact is that during mummification, the initial body weight is reduced tenfold. As a rule, this process takes place in those corpses that have been in conditions of low humidity for a long time. These places include the attic or, for example, sandy soil. A mummified corpse can be preserved for a fairly long time.

There are only a small number of people who know what happens in a coffin with a human body after death. Nevertheless, this process is of interest to many. In our article you can find out more information about how the body develops after death.

Peat tanning and fat wax formation

The formation of a fatty wax occurs when the corpse is buried in a moist soil or has been in water for a long time. As a result, the body is covered with a greasy layer of white color, which has a specific and unpleasant odor. This process is often also called saponification.

Not everyone knows what happens to a person's body after death in a coffin after 2 months if he is buried in excessively moist soil. After 60 days, the corpse begins to crumble and has a white-yellow tint. If a person's body is buried in peat soil or in a swamp, then the skin becomes dense and rough. It is worth noting that when tanned, the corpse acquires a brown hue, and the size of the internal organs is significantly reduced. Over time, bones become soft and resemble cartilage in consistency. By the way, peat tanning can also occur due to the influence of certain factors. These include the temperature of the water and the presence of various trace elements and chemicals in it.

The impact of living organisms on a human corpse

In addition to all of the above factors, the human body can be destroyed by the effects of animals, insects and birds. Most likely, the body of the deceased is destroyed by the larvae of flies. Surprisingly, they are capable of completely destroying a corpse in just two months.

Other living organisms that consume the body of the deceased are ants, cockroaches and corpse eaters. Termites are capable of transforming a body into a skeleton in two months. It is no secret that in addition to insects, the human body can be eaten by dogs, wolves, foxes and other predatory animals. In the reservoir, the corpse is destroyed by fish, beetles, crayfish and other aquatic inhabitants.

Explosive coffins

Not everyone knows what happens to a person in a coffin. With the body, as we said earlier, some time after burial, various changes begin to occur. Within a few hours, the corpse begins to release substances, including various gases. In the event that the coffin was not buried, but was placed in a crypt, then it can explode. Many cases have been recorded when relatives came to visit the deceased, and he detonated. However, this can only happen if the coffin is hermetically sealed, but not placed in the ground. We strongly recommend that you be careful when visiting the crypts.

Self destruction

What happens to the body in the coffin after death after a while? This question is asked not only by doctors and criminologists, but also by ordinary people. Surprisingly, over time, the body absorbs itself. The fact is that in any organism there are millions of a wide variety of bacteria that do not cause any harm during life. First of all, after death, they completely destroy the brain and liver. This is due to the fact that it is in these organs that the largest amount of water is contained. After that, the bacteria gradually destroy everything else. It is with this process that the deceased's skin color change is associated. After the corpse goes into rigor mortis, it is completely filled with bacteria. The time and process of self-destruction may differ depending on the set of microbes in a particular organism.

It is worth noting that some bacteria can be found in the body only at a certain stage of decomposition and putrefaction. Surprisingly, under the influence of microorganisms, the tissues of the deceased turn into gases, salts and various substances. By the way, all these trace elements have a beneficial effect on the composition of the soil.

Larvae

In our article, you can find out what happens to the body in the coffin after exposure to the larvae. As we said earlier, in addition to bacteria and other microorganisms, tissues and internal organs are also consumed by insects, animals and birds.

After the stage of self-destruction ends, the larvae begin to destroy the corpse. Surprisingly, a female fly is capable of laying about 250 eggs at a time. It is no secret that the body of the deceased emits a pungent and unpleasant odor. It is he who attracts insects, which lay a large number of eggs on the body. Already a day later, they turn into larvae. Surprisingly, only three flies are capable of devouring a corpse at the same rate as a tiger or lion would.

The location of certain soil elements or certain microorganisms in the body allows forensic scientists to find out where a person died or was killed. They also argue that in the near future it is the bacterial set of the corpse that may become a new "weapon" for solving many crimes.

Human soul

Some people think they know what happens to the body in the coffin. They argue that after a while the flesh of the deceased leaves the soul, and when dying, a person sees everything that the living cannot see. They also believe that the first three days after death are the most difficult for the deceased. The thing is that for 72 hours the soul is still near the body and tries to come back. She leaves as soon as she sees that her face and body are changing. After this happens, the soul rushes from home to grave for seven days. In addition, she mourns her body.

After seven days, the soul goes to a place of rest. After that, she only occasionally lowers to the ground to look at her body. Some believe that they know what is happening in the coffin with the body and soul. However, it is impossible to prove that the spirit actually leaves the flesh.

Diamond production

It is difficult enough to bear the death of a loved one. It is even difficult for some to imagine what is happening in the coffin with the body. Often people cremate their deceased relatives or even erect a crypt for them right in the yard. Recently, a technology that was invented by American specialists is gaining special popularity. Surprisingly, they create diamonds from the ashes and hair of a deceased person. American experts believe that this is a great way to preserve the memory of the deceased. Today this technology is used all over the world. As we said earlier, diamonds can also be crafted from the hair of the deceased. Today this procedure is extremely popular. Few people know, but more recently, a company that deals with such jewelry was ordered to make diamonds from Michael Jackson's hair.

It is worth noting that gemstones can be created from dust due to the fact that it contains carbon dioxide. The cost of such a service in America is $ 30,000. Many people believe that you should not torment yourself with the thought of what is happening in the coffin with the body. They argue that it is best to keep only good memories of the deceased.

Love after death

Everyone suffers the death of a loved one in absolutely different ways. There are many known cases when people did not bury the deceased, but left him in their house, hiding it. It is known that in the man's wife his wife died, but he did not want to betray her body to the ground, because he could not let her go because of great love. Surprisingly, he ordered a transparent coffin and placed his beloved in it, having previously poured a special liquid into it. Then he built a coffee table from the coffin.

Another case of strange treatment of a corpse occurred in America. There, a woman decided to make a stuffed animal out of her husband. For the corpse, she allocated a whole room in the basement. There she arranged furniture and her husband's favorite things. She put the corpse on a chair. The woman often visited him, told him how the day had gone and asked for advice.

There used to be a kind of tradition. If a person did not find a mate during his lifetime, then he was married after death. It was believed that if this is not done, then the soul of the deceased will not find a place for itself and will wander forever.

There was such a tradition in Russia as well. If a girl died unmarried, then she was dressed in a wedding dress and a guy was chosen to follow the coffin before burial. It was believed that thanks to this, the soul will find peace. It should be noted that in some localities this tradition is still popular today.

Necrophilia was common in ancient Egypt. This is no coincidence, because the Egyptians believed the myths, according to which she impregnated herself with the help of the corpse of Osiris.

Summing up

Death is a natural process. A large number of myths, guesses and interesting facts are associated with it. It's not a secret for anyone that it is quite difficult to bear the loss of a loved one. Some, because of this, fall into depression and do not make contact with society. There are many cases when people begin to suffer from a mental disorder. As a rule, they do not bury their relatives, but leave them in the house, hiding it from neighbors and friends. In our article, you found out what happens to the body in the coffin. The photos that we have selected will allow you to find out what happens to a person after death.

The version was officially accepted that it takes at least fifteen years to completely decompose a buried body in a coffin. But at the same time, after eleven or a maximum of thirteen years, repeated burial is allowed in the same grave. Since practice shows that this time is quite sufficient for the final decomposition and the last refuge and human remains, which means that the earth can be used again.

Internal organs and tissues of a person begin to self-digest immediately after death. And after a certain period of time, rotting begins. Until the moment of burial, the body of the deceased is embalmed or cooled so that it looks presentable. But after it is underground, the restraining factors cease to operate and the inevitable destruction of the body begins by the process of decomposition. This leaves bones, fluids, gases and salts.

A human corpse can be compared to a complex ecosystem. A huge number of microorganisms live and feed on it. Disabling soon after the death of immunity, allows microbes microorganisms to colonize all organs and tissues. Their process of feeding on cadaveric fluids leads to the further development of decay. After some time, all tissues are completely decayed and a bare skeleton remains, which is also subject to destruction, with the exception of a few particularly strong bones.

What happens to a person after death in a coffin a year later

By the end of the first year, the process of decomposition of residual soft tissues has not yet ended. Practical experience speaks of the absence of a cadaverous smell during the excavation of the grave in a year, which indicates the cessation of decay. And the remaining tissues either slowly undergo decay, becoming nitrogen or carbon dioxide, or the process has already completely ended, and only bones remain. This stage is called skeletonization.

Sometimes a certain amount of tendons or some parts of the body that are dry and dense remain on the skeleton. Then the mineralization process begins, which can last up to thirty years. Its result is the loss of all excess minerals by the body, which turns it into unconnected bones. In this state, the remains can lie almost forever.

What happens to the coffin after burial

For the manufacture of the bulk of the coffins, an ordinary pine article is used today. This material, in the presence of constant humidity, takes only two to three years to turn into dust and crumble. This explains the fact that in the process of excavation, the remains of the tree from which the coffin was made are almost never found.

If they want the last refuge of a person to survive longer, then it is treated with varnish or made from other types of wood that are distinguished by their hardness and durability. If a person was sent on their last journey in a metal coffin, then it can survive for more than a dozen years.

The decomposition of a buried body has several stages, which vary in time. This is in direct proportion to the environment in which it is located and in what state it was buried.

As a rule, the coffin with the deceased is attached to the ground on the third day after his death. An increase in this time period is not advisable, not only because it is so conditioned by customs, but also by the elementary laws of biology. If the deceased person is not buried for five or seven days, then this procedure will have to be performed in a tightly closed coffin.

During this time, there will be a massive development of autolysis and decay, accompanied by the destruction of internal organs. The result of these processes will be the formation of putrefactive emphysema over the surface of the entire body, and a bloody fluid will begin to flow from the mouth and nose. This can only be prevented by embalming the body or placing it in the refrigerator.

Autolysis or self-digestion

This is the name of the first stage of decomposition, which begins almost immediately after the death of a person. Digestion of cells occurs as a result of the disintegration of cell membranes, accompanied by the release of enzymes from the cell structure. The most important are cathepsins, which exhibit activity within the lysosomes, leading to the destruction of captured cell molecules.

The beginning of this process is not influenced by any microorganisms, since it starts on its own. First of all, the internal organs containing the greatest amount of cathepsin are affected by autolysis:

• Brain.
• The medulla found in the adrenal glands.
• Spleen.
• Pancreas.

Further, all cells of the body undergo metamorphosis. The consequence of this is rigor mortis, which is explained by the combination of troponin and calcium released from the extracellular fluid. A combination of myosin and actin occurs, which leads to muscle contraction. The absence of ATP prevents the cycle from completing, and therefore muscle relaxation begins only after the beginning of the decomposition process.

Autolysis is partially influenced by various bacteria spreading from the intestines throughout the body. Their food source is the liquid that flows out of the decaying cells. They, in the full sense of the word, spread throughout the body, using blood vessels for movement. Bacteria primarily travel to the liver. The first twenty hours from the moment of death are enough for them.

Putrefaction

Somewhat later on autolysis, putrefaction begins to develop. The extent to which this will happen is influenced by the presence of some factors:

• What state the person was in before death.
• Under what circumstances did he die.
• What is the temperature and humidity conditions of the soil.
• What quality clothes he was dressed in.

The mucous membranes and skin are the first to be affected. If the level of moisture in the ground at the burial site is increased, then rotting develops quickly enough, the same happens in the case of blood poisoning. In cold regions, this process is slower. In addition, inhibiting factors are:

• Insufficient moisture in the corpse.
• Very tight clothing worn on the body.
• The presence of strong poisons in the body.

The myths about "groaning corpses", widespread among the people, are provoked precisely by the process of decay. This phenomenon has a scientific name - vocalization. The decomposition process of a corpse is accompanied by the formation of gases that accumulate in the body cavities. If the body has not yet rotted, then the gas finds natural holes for the exit.

When the vocal cords are used as such, a sound similar to a moan or wheeze is heard. If all the processes went quickly, then this can happen at the moment the coffin is lowered into the grave. It is not difficult to imagine the reaction of those accompanying the deceased on his last journey.

At this stage, a change in the body in the coffin begins with the hydrolysis of proteins by proteases of microbes and dead cells of the body. Proteins are gradually degraded to polypeptides and below. Their place is occupied by free amino acids. It is they who, being transformed, become the source of the cadaveric odor. The acceleration of the process is facilitated by the appearance of mold on the surface of the corpse, as well as its colonization with nematodes and maggots. Under their mechanical influence, the tissue is destroyed.

First of all, the liver, spleen, intestines and stomach decompose, which is explained by the abundance of enzymes in them. For this reason, the deceased often has a rupture of the peritoneum. The decay process is accompanied by the release of cadaveric gas that fills the cavities of a deceased person.

The clear signs of the onset of decay include the following:

• The corpse turns green. The reason for this lies in the formation of sulfhemoglobin in the iliac region - a product of hydrogen sulfide and hemoglobin.
• Putridity of the vascular network. The blood that remains in the veins begins to rot, which leads to the formation of iron sulfide.
• Cadaveric emphysema. The corpse swells due to the pressure of the gas produced during the decay process.
• The corpse glows in the dark. It is explained by the production of phosphorous hydrogen. But this phenomenon is rare.

Smoldering

The decomposition process occurs most rapidly during the first six months after burial. But sometimes, instead of decay, decay begins. This happens when there is little moisture in the grave, but a lot of oxygen. As a result, cadaveric gas ceases to be produced and carbon dioxide is released instead.

Two more options - saponification and mummification

There are times when a corpse does not rot and does not decay. This can happen either as a result of special processing, or due to the presence of an environment that is not conducive to the development of these processes. There are two options left:

• Mummification, when the body dries out to such an extent that there is simply nothing to decompose.
• Soaping - the formation of a fat wax.

If the soil in which the burial was carried out is extremely dry, then natural mummification of the corpse can occur. The bodies of those people who, before death, experienced severe dehydration of the body, the aggravation of which was facilitated by cadaveric drying after death, are well mummified.

In addition, artificial mummification is sometimes carried out, which can be achieved as a result of embalming or treatment with special chemicals that can inhibit the decomposition process.

Fat wax is the diametrical opposite of mummification. For its formation, an environment with high humidity is needed, which makes the corpse inaccessible to oxygen, without which neither decay nor decay is possible. In such conditions, body washing begins. Scientists call this process anaerobic bacterial hydrolysis.

Ammonia soap is the main component of the fat wax. It is formed from muscles, subcutaneous fat, skin, mammary glands and brain. All other parts of the body may remain intact or rot.

What is uncertain in the human world? Taxes, economics, credit system,? Yes, this is always difficult to understand, but none of this list can overcome death by the criterion of uncertainty and mystery. And if we talk about our interaction with society, then we rarely have direct contact with death. Accidents, hospices and hospitals. We prefer not to notice this inherent aspect of human life. But then the "old woman with the scythe" swiftly turns in our direction, and there is no time for reflection.

There is a healthy interest in death in many cultures. During the nineteenth century, with the development of natural philosophy, anatomy and decadence literature, this interest was also characteristic of European culture. But now we have become more sensitive, more closed, and those guys who are looking at corpses with interest, perhaps unfairly called creepy perverts, sick in the head. But each of us is destined to touch death, whether we like it or not.

1. Stages of death

Let's start with the basics, which will be for you the guiding stars in the world of decay and fall (sounds strange somehow).

Clinical death

Your vital functions go to waste, your heartbeat and breathing stop. The activity of the brain is actually still active, because some people think that clinical death is a kind of border between life and death. Actually, there is a possibility that you will still be brought back to life if you reanimate properly.

Biological death

Embalming fluid consists of formaldehyde, methanol and a couple of other components. It usually contains water, but the most effective and expensive embalming methods are anhydrous. They keep the body much better. The composition of the liquid may contain various dyes, so that instead of deadly pallor, we see a healthy blush. So they always match her skin color.

The principle of operation is simple. A small incision is made in the neck, axillary or groin area to access the carotid, brachial, and femoral arteries. The embalming fluid is pumped into a machine and swapped with blood. This process takes about an hour. While all this is happening, the corpse is given a wonderful massage in order to break down any blood clots and speed up the process. The fluid is then drained from the main body cavity and replaced with another to slow the decomposition. Depending on the religion, the outer shell is washed by an undertaker, Sikh, family, or imam.

6. Embalming # 2: Helping Hand

We love our dead. We even say: “About the dead it is either good or not at all”. And when preparing the body for "leaving" we prepare it more carefully than when preparing ourselves for the first job interview.

The nose and mouth have to be stuffed with cotton to avoid moisture seepage. Also, the mouth is sewn together or sealed. If there are any wounds on the skin, then the body is wrapped in plastic, and only then in a suit. Small plastic cups are inserted under the eyelids to prevent the possibility of open or hollow eyes. In addition, the latter is done in order to avoid the "cry of the dead". And this is not only creepy, but also sad for the family. In general, everything is done in order to preserve the illusion of "normalcy", the familiar appearance of a person.

7. Decomposition # 1: Self-digestion

No matter how much you pour the embalming liquid into a dead body, it will still begin to decompose, especially if the death happened in the fresh air. Decomposition begins within minutes of death. After the blood stops flowing through the body, oxygen starvation makes itself felt. Enzymes begin to digest cell membranes. This, meanwhile, causes discoloration.

Next comes rigor mortis, nucleic acids break down proteins in muscle fibers. As soon as the muscles begin to break down more intensively, rigor mortis disappears and the body becomes elastic again. The trillions of bacteria that live in the human body throughout life will be free again. Cell membranes begin to degrade, starting their own decomposition process.

8. Decay # 2: Decay

The next stage of decomposition, when the bacteria are slightly carried away.
The initial stage of self-digestion produces a lot of sugars, salts, fluids and anaerobic bacteria that have recently been released from the gut prison. In general, bacteria feed on, ferment sugars and form all kinds of impure gases such as hydrogen sulfide and ammonia. As the bacteria begin to break down the hemoglobin in the blood, they turn the skin into a variegated, dark green color.

All these gas generating processes cause the body to swell like a balloon of terror. This is called bombing. As a result, the pressure in the body will accumulate, and gases and liquids will begin to flow out of each hole (each, yes). But he can "fortune" and then the whole thing will explode. It is at these moments that the skin begins to loosen, and black spots appear on the body.

9. Decomposition # 3: Colonization

At some point, the body becomes simply irresistible to any creature that is looking for the perfect place to lay eggs. Flies lay hundreds of eggs, which hatch into hundreds of maggots. The giant, wriggling mass of larvae can raise body temperature by 10 degrees Celsius. This means that the larvae have to constantly change their location in order not to cook in the body.

Subsequently, they grow into flies, and those, in turn, lay eggs again. This process is repeated until all the flesh and skin has been used up. However, the larvae will attract their own antagonists, all kinds of predators such as birds, ants, wasps and spiders. An entire ecosystem is created around the decaying body. Larger scavengers, of course, can stop all this disgrace in a couple of hours, for example, if we are talking about a flock of vultures.

You should also remember about the cadaver's skull, which is saturated with nitrogen. It is so rich in it that it kills the surrounding plants nearby. But after a while, the soil becomes, on the contrary, extremely fertile, which helps the growth of fungi, plants and the like.

In the end, all human energy returns to nature, to the place where she found her birth. It's even beautiful if you can bear the image of horribly rotting corpses.

10. Burial

However, in most cases, we do not leave the body outside. We come up with bizarre cult buildings and burial methods for them.

When you cremate your body, you think you are simplifying your life. But this is easier said than done. Because the body burns at an incredibly high temperature, over 1000 degrees Celsius. It will take you about 90 minutes to burn a normal-sized person, and if we are talking about a person with a lot of body fat, this procedure will take several hours. The ashes are then crushed to remove large bone fragments and any metal implants.

What type of soil should you choose? It directly depends on how you decompose. Heavy clay soils will help protect against oxygen and therefore slow down the decomposition process. Loose soils, on the contrary, will speed up this process. It usually takes 10-15 years.

In very hot, dry conditions, bacteria cannot destroy body tissues; they simply dehydrate them. When the ancient Egyptians buried their dead in the hot desert sand, bodies were preserved significantly more efficiently than in the cold darkness of the pyramid tombs. That is why, as many believe, embalming was invented.

Ultimately, all organs are destroyed, decomposed and return their energy to nature. You borrowed all this from her from the very beginning, and therefore you have no other choice.