What Happens To The Body After Death
Shortly after death, decomposition begins. This natural process affects humans and animals and leads to the complete decomposition of our bodies in the grave. Do you want to know what happens to the human body after death? Keep reading!
When Does Decomposition Begin?
When someone dies, all metabolic functions in the body cease. The muscles harden, and after a short time, rigor mortis sets in. This stiffening usually disappears between 24 and 48 hours after death. Then autolysis begins inside the body, the first phase of decomposition or the breakdown of the body.
What Happens During Decomposition?
The decomposition of a body occurs in several stages, also referred to as phases of decomposition. The stages of decomposition include:
- Dehydration
- Autolysis
- Rot
- the actual decomposition
These individual processes usually occur one after the other. However, they can also occur in parallel at times because they affect different parts of the body.
Dehydration of the body
If a person dies, the body begins to dehydrate fairly quickly after death. As the body’s functions have ceased, the skin and mucous membranes are no longer supplied with moisture. No sweat is produced, and the remaining water on the skin evaporates.
The head and extremities are the areas where dehydration begins. If the deceased’s eyes are open, the cornea clouds over after one to two hours. If the eyes are closed, the clouding starts after about 24 hours. During the process, the conjunctiva changes color. It initially turns yellow, then brown, and finally black. The lips then dry out. The fingertips also change color, turning reddish to brown.
The autolysis of the body
After death, the body is no longer supplied with oxygen. This results in certain enzymes breaking down dead body cells. This anaerobic process, which occurs without oxygen, is called autolysis. The consequences of the process include the liquefaction of the internal organs and the development of a corpse or decaying smell. It usually only takes a few days for the organic substances to decompose.
The decay of the body
Like autolysis, putrefaction is an anaerobic decomposition process without oxygen inside the body. The putrefaction process begins approximately one to two days after death.
The external decay of the body
Unlike the other phases of decomposition, actual decomposition is an external process on the body’s surface. This means that the process is associated with oxygen and is aerobic. Microorganisms are responsible for the decomposition processes, which break down the organic substances.
Colonization by insects and maggots
In addition to the body’s microorganisms, beetles, worms, insects, and insect larvae (maggots) can also be involved in the decomposition process. Colonization by fly larvae often occurs within the first few days. In addition, animals such as birds or larger scavengers can eat the food. This depends significantly on the environment.
End products of decomposition
The decomposition process mainly produces water, carbon dioxide, urea, and phosphate. In contrast to decomposition products, these usually cause little or no odor. This is why the smell of the corpse decreases or disappears entirely at this stage.
After skin, muscles, organs, and connective tissue, a person’s hair and fingernails are the last to decay. In the end, only the bones remain.
How Long Does Decomposition Take?
The duration of decomposition depends mainly on the ambient temperature and oxygen supply to the body.
- Decomposition progresses most quickly when there is an abundant supply of oxygen.
- Heat accelerates decomposition; cold slows it down.
- In the fresh air, decomposition progresses about twice as fast as in water and eight times as fast as in a grave.
