What happens to the body of a deceased person. Determining the age of death. Where does the soul go after death?

What happens in the coffin after death

Officially, for the body to completely decompose in a coffin, a period of 15 years is allotted. However, re-burial is allowed after about 11-13 years after the first. It is believed that during this time, both the deceased and his last refuge will finally decompose, and the earth can be reused.

Immediately after death, self-digestion of human internal organs and tissues begins. And with it, after a while, rotting. Before the funeral, the processes are slowed down by embalming or cooling the body to make the person look more presentable. But underground there are no more deterrents. And decomposition destroys the body in full swing. As a result, only bones and chemical compounds remain from it: gases, salts and liquids.

In fact, a corpse is a complex ecosystem. It is a habitat and nutrient medium for a large number of microorganisms. The system develops and grows as its environment decomposes. Immunity is turned off shortly after death - and microbes and microorganisms colonize all tissues and organs. They feed on cadaveric fluids and provoke the further development of decay. Over time, all tissues completely rot or decay, leaving a bare skeleton. But it can soon collapse, leaving only separate, especially strong bones.

What happens in the coffin in a year

A year after death, the process of decomposition of residual soft tissues sometimes continues. Often, when excavating graves, it is noted that after a year after death, the cadaverous smell is no longer there - the decay has ended. And the remaining tissues either slowly smolder, releasing mainly nitrogen and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, or there is simply nothing to smolder. Because only the skeleton remained.

Skeletonization is the stage of decomposition of the body, when only one skeleton remains from it. What happens to the deceased in the coffin about a year after death. Sometimes there may still be some tendons or especially dense and dry areas of the body. Then the process of mineralization will take place. It can last a very long time - up to 30 years. Everything left from the body of the deceased will have to lose all the "extra" minerals. As a result, nothing remains of a person, a bunch of bones fastened together. The skeleton falls apart as the articular capsules, muscles and tendons that hold the bones together no longer exist. And in this form it can lie for an unlimited amount of time. This makes the bones very brittle.

What happens to the coffin after burial

Most modern coffins are made from ordinary pine boards. Such material in conditions of constant humidity is short-lived and will exist in the ground for a couple of years. After that, it turns into dust and fails. Therefore, when digging up old graves, it is good if they find several rotten boards that were once a coffin. The service life of the last refuge of the deceased can be somewhat extended by varnishing it. Other, harder and more durable types of wood may not rot for a longer amount of time. And especially rare, metal coffins are quietly stored in the ground for decades.

As the corpse decomposes, it loses fluid and slowly turns into a set of substances and minerals. Since a person is 70% water, it needs to go somewhere. It leaves the body in all possible ways and seeps through the bottom boards into the ground. This obviously does not prolong the life of the tree, excessive moisture only provokes its decay.

How does a man decompose in a coffin

During decomposition, the human body necessarily goes through several stages. They can vary in time depending on the burial environment, the condition of the corpse. The processes that occur with the dead in the coffin, as a result, leave a bare skeleton from the body.

Most often, the coffin with the deceased is buried after three days from the date of death. This is due not only to customs, but also to simple biology. If after five to seven days the corpse is not buried, then this will have to be done in a closed coffin. Since by this time autolysis and decay will have already massively developed, and the internal organs will slowly begin to collapse. This can lead to putrid emphysema throughout the body, bloody fluid flowing out of the mouth and nose. Now the process can be suspended by embalming the body or keeping it in the refrigerator.

What happens to the corpse in the coffin after the burial is reflected in several different processes. Collectively, they are called decomposition, and this, in turn, is divided into several stages. Decay begins immediately after death. But it begins to appear only after some time, without limiting factors - within a couple of days.

Autolysis

The very first stage of decomposition, which begins almost immediately after death. Autolysis is also called "self-digestion". Tissues are digested under the influence of the breakdown of cell membranes and the release of enzymes from cellular structures. The most important of these are the cathepsins. This process does not depend on any microorganisms and starts on its own. Internal organs, such as the brain and adrenal medulla, spleen, pancreas, undergo autolysis most quickly, as they contain the largest amount of cathepsin. A little later, all the cells of the body enter the process. This provokes rigor mortis due to the release of calcium from the interstitial fluid and its combination with troponin. Against this background, actin and myosin combine, which causes muscle contraction. The cycle cannot be completed due to the lack of ATP, so the muscles are fixed and relaxed only after they begin to decompose.

In part, autolysis is also promoted by various bacteria that spread throughout the body from the intestines, feeding on the fluid flowing from decaying cells. They literally "spread" through the body through the blood vessels. First of all, the liver is affected. However, bacteria get to it within the first twenty hours from the moment of death, first contributing to autolysis, and then putrefaction.

rotting

In parallel with autolysis, a little later than its onset, rotting also develops. The rate of decay depends on several factors:

The state of a person during life.
circumstances of his death.
Soil moisture and temperature.
Density of clothes.

It begins with the mucous membranes and skin. This process can develop quite early if the soil of the grave is damp, and in the circumstances of death there is blood poisoning. However, it develops more slowly in cold regions or if the corpse contains insufficient moisture. Some strong poisons and tight clothing also slow it down.

It is noteworthy that many myths about "groaning corpses" are associated with rotting. This is called vocalization. When a corpse decomposes, a gas is formed, which first of all occupies the cavities. When the body has not yet rotted, it exits through natural openings. When the gas passes through the vocal cords, which are bound by stiff muscles, the output is sound. Most often it is a wheeze or something that looks like a groan. Rigor mortis most often passes just in time for the funeral, so in rare cases, a terrifying sound can be heard from a coffin that has not yet been buried.

What happens to the body in the coffin at this stage begins with the hydrolysis of proteins by microbial proteases and dead cells of the body. Proteins begin to break down gradually, to polypeptides and below. At the output, instead of them, free amino acids remain. It is as a result of their subsequent transformation that a putrid smell arises. At this stage, the process can be accelerated by the growth of mold on the corpse, its settlement with maggots and nematodes. They mechanically destroy tissues, thereby accelerating their decay.

In this way, the liver, stomach, intestines and spleen are most quickly decomposed, due to the abundance of enzymes in them. In this regard, very often the peritoneum bursts in the deceased. During decay, cadaveric gas is released, which overflows the natural cavities of a person (inflates him from the inside). The flesh is gradually destroyed and exposes the bones, turning into a fetid grayish slurry.

The following external manifestations can be considered clear signs of the onset of decay:

Greening of the corpse (formation in the iliac region of sulfhemoglobin from hydrogen sulfide and hemoglobin).
Putrid vascular network (blood that has not left the veins rots, and hemoglobin forms iron sulfide).
Cadaveric emphysema (the pressure of the gas produced during putrefaction inflates the corpse. It can twist the pregnant uterus).
Glow of a corpse in the dark (production of hydrogen phosphide, occurs in rare cases).

Smoldering

The body decomposes most rapidly in the first six months after burial. However, instead of decay, smoldering can begin - in cases where there is not enough moisture for the first and too much oxygen. But sometimes smoldering can begin even after the partial decay of the corpse.

For it to flow, it is necessary that the body receives enough oxygen and does not receive a lot of moisture. With it, the production of cadaveric gas stops. The release of carbon dioxide begins.

Another way - mummification or saponification

In some cases, rotting and smoldering do not occur. This may be due to the processing of the body, its condition, or an environment unfavorable for these processes. What happens to the dead in the coffin in this case? As a rule, there are two ways left - the corpse either mummifies - dries up so much that it cannot decompose normally, or saponifies - a fat wax is formed.

Mummification naturally occurs when a corpse is buried in very dry soil. The body is well mummified when severe dehydration occurred during life, which was aggravated by cadaveric drying after death.

In addition, there is artificial mummification by embalming or other chemical treatment that can stop decomposition.

Zhirosk is the opposite of mummification. It is formed in a very humid environment, when the corpse does not have access to the oxygen necessary for decay and smoldering. In this case, the body begins to saponify (otherwise it is called anaerobic bacterial hydrolysis). The main component of the fat wax is ammonia soap. All subcutaneous fat, muscles, skin, mammary glands and brain turn into it. Everything else either does not change (bones, nails, hair), or rots.

The version officially accepted is 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, re-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 land can be used again.

The internal organs and tissues of a person begin to self-digest immediately after death. And after a certain period of time, decay 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 by the process of decomposition begins. The result is bones, liquids, gases and salts.

The human corpse can be compared to the most complex ecosystem. It lives and feeds on a huge number of microorganisms. Disabling immunity shortly after death allows microbes to colonize all organs and tissues. Their process of feeding on cadaveric fluids leads to the further development of putrefaction. After some time, complete decay of all tissues occurs and a bare skeleton remains, which is also subject to destruction, with the exception of a few especially strong bones.

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

By the end of the first year, the process of decomposition of residual soft tissues had not yet ended. Practical experience indicates 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 smolder, becoming nitric or carbonic acid, 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 begins the process of mineralization, which can last up to thirty years. Its result is the loss of all excess minerals from 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 today, an ordinary pine article is used. This material, in the presence of constant moisture, takes only two to three years to turn into dust and crumble. This explains the fact that during the excavations almost never find the remains of the tree from which the coffin was made.

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

The decomposition of a buried body has several stages that vary in time. It is directly dependent on the environment in which it is located, and in what condition it was buried.

As a rule, the coffin with the deceased is given 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 putrefaction, accompanied by the destruction of internal organs. The result of these processes will be the formation of putrid emphysema on the surface of the entire body, and bloody fluid will begin to flow from the mouth and nose. This can be prevented only 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 breakdown of cell membranes, accompanied by the release of enzymes from the cell structure. The most important are cathepsins, which are active inside lysosomes, leading to the destruction of trapped cellular molecules.

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

Brain.
A medulla found in the adrenal glands.
Spleen.
Pancreas.

Further, all cells of the body undergo metamorphoses. The consequence of this is rigor mortis, which is explained by the combination of troponin and calcium coming out of the interstitial fluid. Myosin and actin combine, which leads to muscle contraction. The absence of ATP does not allow the cycle to complete, and therefore muscle relaxation begins only after the start of the decomposition process.

Partially, autolysis is influenced by various bacteria spreading from the intestine throughout the body. The source of their nutrition is the fluid that flows from decaying cells. They, in the full sense of the word, spread throughout the body, using blood vessels for movement. Bacteria first reach the liver. For this, the first twenty hours from the moment of death are enough for them.

rotting

A little later than autolysis, putrefaction begins to develop. The extent to which this will happen is influenced by the presence of several factors:

What state was the person in before death?
Under what circumstances did he die?
What is the temperature and humidity regime of the soil.
What kind of clothes was he wearing?

The mucous membranes and skin are the first to be affected. If the level of humidity of the earth in the place of burial is increased, then decay develops quite quickly, the same thing happens in the case of blood poisoning. In cold regions, this process is slower. In addition, the inhibitory factors are:

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

The myths about "groaning corpses", common among the people, are provoked precisely by the process of decay. This phenomenon has a scientific name - vocalization. The process of decomposition 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 openings to escape.

When the vocal cords are used as such, a sound similar to a groan 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 who see off the deceased on their last journey.

The change of the body in the coffin begins at this stage with the hydrolysis of proteins by proteases of microbes and dead cells of the body. Proteins are gradually broken down to polypeptides and below. Their place is occupied by free amino acids. It is they who, when transformed, become the source of the cadaverous smell. The process is accelerated by the appearance of mold on the surface of the corpse, as well as its settlement 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 process of decay is accompanied by the release of cadaveric gas that fills the cavities of a deceased person.

Clear signs of the onset of decay include the following:

The body turns green. The reason for this lies in the formation in the iliac region of sulfhemoglobin, 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 process of putrefaction.
The corpse glows in the dark. It is explained by the production of hydrogen phosphide. But this occurrence is rare.

Smoldering

With the greatest speed, the decomposition process occurs during the first six months after burial. But sometimes, instead of rotting, smoldering 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 cases when the corpse neither rots nor decays. 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 is when the body dries up to such an extent that there is simply nothing to decompose.
Soaping is the formation of a fat wax.

If the soil in which the burial is made is extremely dry, natural mummification of the corpse may occur. The bodies of those people who, before death, experienced severe dehydration of the body, aggravated 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 slow down the decomposition process.

The adiposity 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 rotting nor smoldering is possible. In such conditions, the washing of the body begins. Scientists call this process anaerobic bacterial hydrolysis.

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

What happens in the coffin with the body after it 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. A large number of myths and interesting facts are associated with the burial process and the further development of the body, which few people know. In our article you can find information that will allow you to learn more about what happens to the corpse throughout the time when it is underground and above it.

General information about processes

Death is a natural process, which, unfortunately, cannot yet be prevented. To date, how the decomposition of the body in the coffin takes place is known only to those who have a medical education. However, detailed information about such a process is also of interest to many inquisitive people. It is worth noting that a variety of processes take place in the corpse immediately after the onset of death. These include temperature changes and oxygen starvation. Already a few minutes after death, organs and cells begin to collapse.

Many torment themselves with the thought of what happens 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 putrid smell is often artificially created by specialized organizations. This is necessary for training search dogs.

Decay 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 well-known forms of body development after burial are putrefaction and mummification. Almost everyone has heard about these processes.

Decay 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 emits an unpleasant odor. Depending on the season, the body may decompose slowly or quickly. At air temperatures 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 from 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 absorbs the soil. Thanks to this, she becomes unusually fertile.

What happens in the coffin with the 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, such a process takes place in those corpses that have been in conditions of low humidity for a long time. Such places include an attic or, for example, sandy soil. A mummified corpse can persist for quite a long time.

There are only a small number of people who know what happens in the coffin with the human body after death. However, 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 process of formation of fat wax occurs if the corpse is buried in the wet form of the soil or has been in the water for a long time. As a result, the body is covered with a greasy white layer, which has a specific and unpleasant odor. Often this process is also called saponification.

Not everyone knows what happens to a person's body after death in a coffin after 2 months if it is buried in excessively moist soil. After 60 days, the corpse begins to crumble and has a white-yellow hue. If the human body is buried in peat soil or is in a swamp, then the skin becomes dense and rough. It is worth noting that when tanned, the corpse acquires a brown tint, and the size of the internal organs is significantly reduced. Over time, the bones become soft and resemble cartilage in their 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 a variety of 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 apparently, the body of the deceased is destroyed by fly larvae. Surprisingly, they are able to completely destroy the corpse in just two months.

Other living organisms that absorb the body of the deceased are ants, cockroaches and corpse eaters. Termites are able to turn the 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, after some time after burial, various changes begin to occur. After 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, it may 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 some time? This question is asked not only by doctors and criminologists, but also by ordinary people. Surprisingly, for some time the body absorbs itself. The thing 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 these organs contain the largest amount of water. After that, the bacteria gradually destroy everything else. It is with this process that the change in the color of the skin of the deceased is associated. After the corpse enters the rigor stage, 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 only be in the body 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 favorably affect 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 absorbed by insects, animals and birds.

After the stage of self-destruction ends, the corpse begins to destroy the larvae. Surprisingly, the female fly is capable of laying about 250 eggs at a time. It is no secret that the body of the deceased emits a sharp and unpleasant odor. It is he who attracts insects that lay a large number of eggs on the body. A day later, they turn into larvae. Surprisingly, only three flies are able to devour a corpse with the same speed that a tiger or a lion would do.

The location in the body of certain soil elements or certain microorganisms 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 can become a new "weapon" for solving many crimes.

The soul of man

Some people think they know what happens to the body in the coffin. They argue that after some time the flesh of the deceased leaves the soul, and, dying, a person sees everything that the living do not 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 is trying to return back. She leaves as soon as she sees that the 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 herself to the ground to look at her body. Some believe that they know what happens 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. Some even find it difficult to imagine what happens in the coffin with the body. Often people cremate their dead relatives or even erect a crypt for them right in the yard. Recently, a technology invented by American specialists has gained particular 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 made from the hair of the deceased. Today, this procedure is extremely popular. Few people know, but most recently, a company that deals in such jewelry was ordered to make diamonds from Michael Jackson's hair.

It is worth noting that precious stones can be created from dust due to the fact that it contains carbon dioxide. The cost of such a service in America is 30 thousand dollars. Many believe that one should not torment oneself with the thought of what happens in the coffin with the body. They argue that it is better to keep only good memories of the deceased.

Love after death

Everyone handles the death of a loved one differently. There are many cases when people did not bury the deceased, but left him in their house, hiding it. It is known that his wife died in a man, but he did not want to betray her body to the earth, because he could not let her go because of great love. Surprisingly, he ordered a transparent coffin and placed his beloved in it, after pouring a special liquid into it. Then he built a coffee table out of the coffin.

Another case of strange treatment of a corpse occurred in America. There, the woman decided to make a stuffed animal out of her husband. For the corpse, she set aside an entire room in the basement. There she arranged the furniture and her husband's favorite things. She placed the body on a chair. The woman often visited him, told how the day went and asked for advice.

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

This tradition was also in Russia. If the girl died unmarried, then she was dressed in a wedding dress and a guy was chosen who should follow the coffin to burial. It was believed that thanks to this, the soul would find peace. It is worth noting 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, conjectures and interesting facts are associated with it. It's no secret that the loss of a loved one is difficult to bear. Some people become depressed because of this 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 this 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 let you know what happens to a person after death.

Many prefer not to think about what happens to the body in the coffin. It so happened that in our community the topic of death is forbidden, they prefer not to raise it, and if life circumstances force them to talk about it as little as possible and in the most courteous terms. It is completely unethical to declare directly, for example, about rotting, although, due to the education received, most of our fellow citizens are well aware that such processes occur with a body placed in the ground. However, in the coffin there may simply be ashes left after cremation. In such a situation, organic processes will be somewhat different, proceeding differently than during the burial of ordinary remains. On the other hand, usually the ashes of a cremated person are preserved in very different ways.

What awaits us?

Opinions regarding what happens to the body in the coffin vary significantly - much depends on which religious branch a particular person belongs to. Many, for example, believe in resurrection, so they are convinced that nothing bad happens to the bodies - they are waiting in the wings. Others believe that an apocalyptic situation is possible, when the dead will rise from their graves and unleash their wrath on the living. For such a faith, the idea of complete decomposition of the body is also poorly suited - after all, someone (something) needs to get up.

Religions, philosophies, rituals and traditions have long tried to give a person an idea of what happens after death - and all this for the simple reason that such a transition frightens most people. It is because of this that the topic of death is so carefully avoided in society, and even more so they do not talk about how the human body decomposes. It is considered categorically unethical, ill-mannered, and even very ugly behavior if a loved one has died. The very idea of decomposing the remains of someone we loved so much is not only frustrating, but insulting.

And do not accept, and do not forget

Despite such great difficulties traditionally associated with the perception of the moment of death, a person still cannot leave reasoning, reflections associated with the transition from life to non-existence. Of course, Epicurus expressed himself very wisely on this score in his time, answering that there is no death while he is alive, and upon her arrival he will no longer be, which means there is nothing to fear. At the same time, this idea is not very compatible with beliefs in the transmigration of souls, the afterlife and other forms of the future existence of the human essence, therefore, far from everyone is ready to accept Epicurean statements, and the fate of the coffin in the earth sincerely worries many and many. Surprisingly, many are afraid to admit their interest, considering it shameful.

How it all starts

As soon as life stops, irreversible organic reactions start in the body. The first among them, as doctors say, autolysis starts, in other words, self-digestion of one's own cells. Doctors have repeatedly studied what happens to the human body after death, so they found that negative processes are primarily due to lack of oxygen. As soon as death occurs, the blood is no longer saturated with this essential component, which leads to serious damage to living cells.

Chemical reactions occurring in the human body become sources of toxic compounds. During life, internal organs effectively remove such organic matter, producing high-quality cleaning. Considering what happens to the human body after death, it must be remembered: there is no more blood flow, no more organ activity, due to which toxic components could be removed from living cells, therefore, instead of utilization, accumulation is observed. The brain and liver are the first to suffer from such negative processes. This is due to the high water content in the structures of the main organ of the nervous system, and the liver is rich in active enzymes.

Won't go unnoticed

If changes in the structure of the brain and liver occur inside the body and remain invisible to an external observer, then the next step, if it was not decided to cremate a person in a timely manner, can be observed with your own eyes - the skin is changing. The shade becomes pale, it is usually described as “dead”, it will be so characteristic in such a situation.

The process is explained quite simply. Since the internal systems are destroyed, the vessels also lose their functionality. In such a situation, the blood gradually goes down in the direction of the person's location relative to the surface of the earth, which is due to the influence of gravity. By the way, it's no secret to anyone what happens to the body in the coffin, so in popular culture the revived dead are usually portrayed just like that pale. These are both vampires and zombies in films, books and games. Dwelling in dark corners, afraid of the light, the "dead" are ready to pounce on the living, whose blood is still warm and full. However, in films, the heroes of the “other world” are usually uniformly light, but in reality, the body from the back takes on a dark shade, as blood accumulates here.

No heat

Perhaps this element of the processes that occur with the human body in the coffin is also very well served in popular culture: the deceased person becomes cold. This is due to the impossibility of the functioning of internal systems and organs. Under the influence of stagnant processes, the absence of energy generation reactions, the temperature decreases. The process is not instantaneous, but inevitable. Cells do not receive the necessary nutrition, including energy, which is why the strands of protein compounds become static. This leads to hardening of the muscle tissue, it becomes rigid. Joints change in the same way. In medicine, this stage is called rigor mortis.

If the cremation of a person was not organized in a timely manner, you can notice the processes first of all in the face. The first changes are reflected in the eyelids of the deceased, in the state of the jaws. The next step is the muscle tissue of the neck. Gradually, this process covers the entire body.

A holy place is never empty

Considering what happens to the body of the deceased in the coffin, it is necessary to understand that the person himself as such is no longer here. This is just a set of organic tissues, which is completely subject to the laws of our world, namely: living organisms can use everything that is on the planet to provide themselves with the opportunity to live longer. This also applies to the bodies of dead people.

While a person is alive, internal organs produce various components that do not allow microbes and viruses to multiply inside. After death, this protective system loses its efficiency, so a new ecological system soon develops - it is due to it that the body rots. Many bacteria, whose growth is activated, are also present in a living organism, but their colonies are strictly controlled by immune cells, but after death, a real expanse comes for microscopic life. In fact, the body is still alive, but has no consciousness. This is one of the most characteristic features of organic life on our planet, where absolutely empty space cannot remain, if it is at least to some extent suitable for habitation. The human body is organic matter rich in nutrients, so there is certainly a "holy place", even if the fellow tribesmen of the deceased are offended by such behavior of microscopic organisms with disrespect for the memory of the deceased.

Molecular death

For the sake of your own mental health, you should not open the coffin standing in the crypt: you can thereby give yourself the opportunity to contemplate one of the most unaesthetic, unpleasant (and, by the way, dangerous to the health of the living) stage of decomposition - molecular death. By the way, as studies have shown, for the most part, in living people, the picture of post-mortem decomposition is disgusting, and the absence of such a reaction in modern medicine is considered as a pathological response to an external factor. This is due to the protective reactions of the body: it has long been known that decomposed bodies are dangerous, can become a source of infection, provoke epidemics of terrible diseases. On a subconscious level, humanity as a species has developed a defense against such a threat in the form of aversion to the process of decomposition.

However, even if we ignore the attempts to survive as a species, just to see what happens to the body in the coffin, you still have to admit that the picture is rather unaesthetic. Formerly soft tissues eventually turn into a mixture of gaseous substances, liquids and salt deposits. In many ways, the process is due to the activity of microscopic life forms.

Step by step

If you look at the body in the coffin a year later, you can see some remnants of soft tissues, still decomposing under the influence of microflora, but the decay process itself is completed by this moment. But if you have to get acquainted with the corpse earlier, the picture will be frankly not pleasant. First, the pressure of gaseous masses builds up in the body, which leads to the formation of blisters on the skin - the air tries to escape into free external space. Under the influence of such processes and the decomposition itself, the patches of integument are gradually separated from the body, and the results of the processes leave what was previously a living organism. There are cases when increased pressure led to a small explosion inside the body of a deceased person. In such a situation, the abdominal region is the first to suffer.

Return to the roots

At first, all these processes proceed very intensively and actively, but over time, the volumes of organic matter available for processing are significantly reduced, which leads to a slowdown in chemical reactions. The remains return to where we came from - to nature. The liquid gradually penetrates into the soil, the bacteria find new carriers - insects. Criminalists in their working practice use the term "island". It is to them that they describe the area where the human body was buried - gradually there are practically no traces left of it, only the soil seems to have been improved with rich organic fertilizer. By analyzing its chemical composition, one can determine what exactly was here earlier.

Not everything goes according to plan

There are situations when processes do not proceed at all as described above. Conservation is possible. Many believe that this is more typical of the last decades, the development of industry, the saturation of the tissues of the human body with chemical components - however, this opinion is disputed by no fewer people than there are those who agree with it. There are several ways to save the body of a deceased person:

mummification;
fatty wax;
tanning with peat;
freezing.

How and why?

The specific process is determined by the conditions. The traditions of some localities are known, when people during their lifetime took measures to preserve their bodies. For example, the sokushinbutsu monks did just such a practice: first they adhered to a strict diet, and then walled themselves up high in the mountains. However, now this practice is recognized as tough and officially banned. Curiously, despite numerous difficulties, only very few of the fanatics of this religious trend achieved real success. For the majority, despite all the measures taken (eating roots, refusing to drink), natural laws turned out to be stronger, therefore, after death, quite ordinary organic decomposition is observed in accordance with the laws of our world.

The name of the last Japanese monk who successfully followed this idea was Tetsuryukai. Interestingly, he became a "Buddha in the flesh" after the introduction of the imperial ban on such a sophisticated form of suicide, but loyal followers were able to present the case in such a way that no one violated the laws. To this day, the mummy of this monk can be seen in one of the Japanese temples in Nangaku.

What happens to a body in a coffin in a regular cemetery?

When a person is buried according to our traditions, the body in the coffin goes to the cemetery. In contrast to the sophisticated methods of preserving organic tissues, everything happens exactly the opposite here: what used to be a person is at the mercy of numerous small organisms that live in the thickness of the earth. Mechanical influence, in other words, the absorption of tissues - this is the area of \u200b\u200bresponsibility for mold fungi, nematodes, maggots, which eat "treats" with pleasure.

Patterns of this world

Decomposition occurs most rapidly at elevated temperatures, in water the process takes a little longer, and the slowest is underground. A special Casper rule was developed, dedicated to the ratio of terms: a week in the open air corresponds to two weeks of decomposition in water and two months in the depths of the earth.

Let's pluck up the courage and take a closer look at the details. It's all that's left of you.

"It's going to take some work to straighten it all out," dissector Holly Williams says, raising John's arm and gently bending his fingers, elbow, and hand on it. "As a rule, the fresher the corpse, the easier it is for me to work with him."

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

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

“Most of the people we go after die in nursing homes,” says Williams. “But sometimes there are victims of car accidents or shootings. It also happens that we are called to pick up the body of a person who died alone, lay for several days or weeks and has already begun to decompose. In such cases, my work is greatly complicated. "

By the time John was brought to 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 oil fields of Texas and therefore was physically active and in good shape. He quit smoking decades ago and drank alcohol moderately. But one cold January morning, he had an acute heart attack at home (caused by some other, unknown causes), he fell to the floor and died almost immediately. He was 57 years old.

Now John lies on Williams' metal table, his body wrapped in a white sheet, cold and hard. His skin is purplish-gray, indicating that the early stages of decomposition have already begun.

self absorption

A dead body is actually far from being as dead as it seems - it is teeming with life. More and more scientists are leaning toward viewing the rotting corpse as the cornerstone of a vast and complex ecosystem, emerging shortly after death, flourishing and evolving through decay.

Decomposition begins a few minutes after death - a process called autolysis, or self-absorption, starts. Shortly after the heart stops beating, the cells are starved of oxygen, and as toxic by-products of chemical reactions accumulate in the cells, acidity rises. Enzymes begin to absorb cell membranes and leak out when cells are destroyed. This process usually 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. Damaged blood cells begin to flow out of the destroyed vessels and, under the influence of gravity, move into the capillaries and small veins, causing the skin to lose color.

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

In these early post-mortem stages, the cadaveric ecosystem consists mainly of bacteria that also live in a living human body. A huge number of bacteria live in our bodies, different 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: there are trillions of bacteria - hundreds, if not thousands of different species.

The gut microcosm is one of the most popular areas of study in biology, and is associated with overall human health and a huge range of diseases and conditions, from autism and depression to troubling bowel 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 US city of Montgomery published the first ever study of thanatomicrobiome - bacteria that live in the human body after death. Scientists have made such 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 a car accident, I take samples of their tissues. Sometimes there are ethically difficult moments, because we need the consent of relatives."

Most of our internal organs do not contain germs during life. However, shortly after death, the immune system ceases to function, 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 tissues surrounding it, feeding on the chemical mixture that flows from the collapsing cells. These bacteria then 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 liver, spleen, brain, heart and blood samples from 11 cadavers. This was done in the interval from 20 to 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 they were 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 the time that has passed since death. An earlier study of decaying mouse carcasses showed that the microbiome changes dramatically after death, but the process is consistent and measurable. Scientists were eventually able to determine the time of death to within three days within a nearly two-month period.

Unappetizing experiment

Zhavan's findings suggest that a similar "microbial clock" seems to work in the human body as well. Scientists have found that bacteria reach the liver about 20 hours after death, and it takes them at least 58 hours to get to all the 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 determine the exact moment of death.

"After death, the bacterial composition changes," says Zhavan. "They are the last to reach 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 will use next-generation genome sequencing and bioinformatics to find out which organ has the most accurate timing of death - we don't know yet," she says.

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

But what does the process of carrying out such a study look like?

Under the city of Huntsville in the US state of Texas in a pine forest lies half a dozen corpses in various stages of decomposition. The two freshest, limbs spread apart, are laid out closer to the center of a small fenced enclosure. Much of their droopy, blue-grey skin is still intact, the ribs and ends of their pelvic bones protruding from the slowly rotting flesh. A few meters away lies another corpse, now essentially a skeleton, its black, hardened skin stretched over its bones, as if it were wearing 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 nearing the end of its post-mortem cycle and has already been partially mummified. There are several large brown mushrooms growing where his belly once was.

natural decay

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

At the end of 2011, university employees Sybil Buchely and Aaron Lynn and colleagues left two fresh husks there to decompose in natural conditions.

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

Putrid decomposition is the stage at which the baton passes from aerobic bacteria (which require oxygen to grow) to anaerobic bacteria - that is, those that do not need oxygen.

During this process, the body becomes even more discolored. Damaged blood cells continue to leak out of the disintegrating vessels, and anaerobic bacteria convert hemoglobin molecules (which carry oxygen around 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 gas pressure 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 on to the decaying base. Eventually, gases and liquefied tissues leave the corpse, usually exiting and flowing out of 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 distention is generally considered to be a sign of transition from early to late stages of decomposition. Another recent study showed that this transition is characterized by noticeable changes in the set of cadaveric bacteria.

Buchelly 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.

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

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

larval stage

Two types of insects are closely associated with decay: carrion flies and gray blowflies, as well as their larvae. The corpses give off a foul, sickly-sweet smell, caused by a complex cocktail of volatile compounds that constantly changes as they decompose. Carrion flies sense this smell with the help of receptors located on their antennae, sit on the body and lay their 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 feeding for some time, these already large larvae crawl away from the body, after which they pupate and eventually transform into adult flies. The cycle repeats until the larvae no longer have food left.

Under favorable conditions, an actively decaying organism serves as a haven for a large number of third-stage fly larvae. Their body mass produces 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 the penguins resort to this method to keep warm, then the larvae, on the contrary, tend to cool down.

"It's a double-edged sword," explains Bucheli, sitting in his university office, surrounded by large toy insects and cute monster dolls. "If they are on the periphery of this mass, they risk becoming food for birds, and if they remain center - they can just weld. Therefore, they constantly move from the center to the edges and back. "

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

Unique composition

However, in the absence of scavengers, the fly larvae are engaged in the absorption of soft tissues. In 1767, the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus (who developed a unified classification system for flora and fauna) noted that "three flies are able to devour the carcass of a horse with the same speed as a lion." Larvae of the third stage massively crawl away from the corpse, 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 that visits a dead body has its own unique set of digestive microbes, and different types of soil harbor different colonies of bacteria - their exact composition seems to be determined by factors such as temperature, humidity, soil type and texture.

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 tissues flowing out allow bacterial exchange between the dead organism and the soil on which it lies.

When Bucelli and Lynn take bacteria samples from dead bodies, they find microbes that originally lived on the skin, as well as others brought in by flies and scavengers, as well as from the soil. "When the liquids and gases leave the body, the bacteria that lived in the intestines leave with them - more and more of them begin to be found in the surrounding soil," Lynn explains.

Thus, each husk appears to have unique microbiological characteristics that may change over time to suit the conditions of its particular location. By understanding the composition of these bacterial colonies, the relationships between them, and how they affect each other as they decompose, forensic scientists may someday be able to gain much more information about where, when, and how the person under investigation died.

Mosaic elements

For example, identifying DNA sequences in a corpse that are specific to certain organisms or soil types can help forensic scientists link a murder victim to 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 really come into its own, providing the missing pieces of the puzzle," Bucely 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 use bacteriological data in court," she says.

To this end, scientists are carefully cataloging the types of bacteria that live on and off the human body and studying how the composition of the microbiome varies from person to person. "It would be great to have a data set from birth to death," Buceli says. "I would like to meet a donor who would allow me to take bacterial samples during life, after death and during decay."

"We're studying the fluid that leaks from decomposing bodies," says Daniel Wescott, director of the Center for Criminal Anthropology at the University of Texas at San Marcos.

Westcott'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 alongside entomologists and microbiologists, including Zhavan (who, in turn, examines soil samples taken from the experimental site in San Marcos where the corpses lie), computer engineers, and the operator who controls the drone - with his using aerial photographs of the site.

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

rich soil

The "brown spots" that the scientist is talking about are the areas where the corpses decomposed. A rotting body significantly changes the chemical composition of the soil on which it lies, and these changes may be noticeable over the next few years. The pouring out of liquefied tissues from dead remains enriches the soil with nutrients, and the migration of larvae transfers much of the body's energy to its surroundings.

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

According to some estimates, the human body is 50-75% water, and each kilogram of dry body weight during decomposition 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 through nitrogen toxicity or through antibiotics in the body, which release insect larvae into the soil that eat the corpse. Ultimately, however, decomposition has a beneficial effect on the local ecosystem.

The biomass of microbes on the island of decomposition of the corpse is significantly higher than in the surrounding area. Roundworms, attracted by the released nutrients, begin to multiply in this area, and its flora also becomes richer. Further research on exactly how rotting cadavers change the ecology around them may help to more effectively locate murder victims whose bodies were buried in shallow graves.

Another possible clue to the exact date of death may come from an analysis of the soil from the grave. A 2008 study of the biochemical changes occurring in a cadaveric decomposition island showed that the concentration of phospholipids in the fluid flowing from the body reaches its maximum at about 40 days after death, and nitrogen and extracted phosphorus - after 72 and 100 days, respectively. As we study these processes in more detail, perhaps in the future we will be able to determine exactly when the body was placed in a hidden grave by analyzing the biochemistry of the soil from the burial.