The process of decomposition of the human body after death

After death, the body lacks oxygen, toxic reactions occur that change skin color, causing bad odors.

According to Theguardian, human decay bodies after death are the foundation of a complex ecosystem. The man named John, 57, died about four hours before his body was taken to the funeral home. His whole life worked on oil fields. The work makes him often physically active and requires good health. He stopped smoking for decades, drinking moderate amounts of alcohol.

Family and friends noticed health and John's mind began to become unstable. Then he had an intense heart attack, fell to the floor and died. He was placed on a metal table, wrapped in a white linen cloth. The body is cold and hard, the skin is purplish gray, which signals the initial stages of decay going on.

Many people consider corpses to be corrupt. However, more and more scientists see the body as a large and complex ecosystem, appearing immediately after death, development and evolution as the process of decomposition.

Most internal organs do not have bacteria when we are alive.(Photo: The Guardian).

The decomposition process begins a few minutes after death. As soon as the heart stops beating, the cells become deficient in oxygen, the acidity rises, the toxins accumulated inside start to cause chemical reactions. Enzymes digest cell membranes, then leak out when cells break down. This process usually starts in the liver, occurs in enzymes, in the brain, has a high water content. Finally, all other tissues and organs begin to decompose under. Damaged blood cells spill out of ruptured vessels and are supported by gravity, deposited in small capillaries and veins, causing skin discoloration.

Body temperature decreases. The protein fibers are locked in place, causing other organs such as eyelids, jaw, neck . to become stiff.

In the early stages of decomposition, the corpse ecosystem contains bacteria that live in and on the human body. Most internal organs do not have bacteria when we are alive. When the immune system stops working, the bacteria spread freely throughout the body. The gut is the place that holds the most, there are billions and billions of bacteria with thousands of different species. Bacteria from this enter the capillaries of the digestive system and lymph nodes, spread to the liver and spleen, into the heart and brain.

Researchers sampled liver, spleen, brain, heart and blood from 11 bodies for 20 to 240 hours after death. They use two advanced DNA sequencing technologies, combined with biological engineering, to analyze and compare the microbial content of each sample. They found that samples taken from parts of the body stored in the same condition had different decay hours. A previous study on rat body decomposition showed that it was possible to estimate downtime for the human body.

The process of body decomposition proceeds when aerobic bacteria demand oxygen to grow . They feed on body tissues, ferment to create methane, hydrogen sulphide and ammonia, accumulate in the body. Bacteria on the abdomen and other organs cause discoloration of the body skin. When blood cells are damaged, bacteria continue from the disintegrating vessels, the hemoglobin molecules are anaerobic to the body. The presence of this molecule in the blood causes the skin to appear marble, dark blue, characterized by the body decomposing.

Gas pressure continues to build up inside the body, causing blisters to appear on the surface of the skin. Eventually, gases and liquefied tissues escape from the body, often leaking from the anus and other holes, causing skin and other organs to tear. Sometimes, the pressure is so great that the belly breaks.

The decomposition of the body begins to purify, the activity of microorganisms and insects peaks. The ecosystem becomes "central" not only for insects and bacteria, but also when introduced into the environment, it is invaded by vultures and predators to eat scavengers.

In the absence of scavengers, maggots are responsible for removing soft body tissues. Carl Linnaeus, who invented the species naming system, noted in 1767: 'Three maggots can eat a horse as fast as a lion'. All bacteria mixed in the corpse of the corpse . Liquid tissue seeps out of the body allowing the exchange of bacteria between the body and the soil below.

A decomposing body dramatically changes the chemical composition of soil, which lasts for many years. Area of ​​land where corpses decompose rich in organic matter. Estimated an average human body releases 32 g of nitrogen, 10 g of phosphorus, 4 g of potassium and one g of magnesium into the soil. Initially, some vegetation below and around the place where the body will be killed may be due to nitrogen toxicity or antibiotic secretion by insect larvae when they eat meat.

Gradually, the microbial mass in the area decomposes larger corpses, more diverse plant life. Decomposing body changes the ecology of the surrounding environment. This feature helps scientists or investigators find bodies buried in shallow graves. However, the time of death estimation can be extremely difficult because the decay stages often overlap, the speed is also different, depending on the temperature.

The ancient Egyptians wrapped the dead in linen and buried directly in the sand. The heat from the fabric inhibits bacterial activity, prevents insects from invading, so the body is well preserved. Later, the Egyptians built graves for the dead, starting to invent.