Decomposition can be affected by factors such as humidity, temperature and the presence of animals. In the body, the process is usually the same: first, autolysis occurs, when the cells stop oxygenating and the blood is invaded by carbon dioxide. The pH drops and accumulated waste poisons and destroys cells. Then, enzymes “break down” these cells, causing necrosis – causing the body to rot from the inside out.
The details of the process, however, vary depending on ambient conditions. Here, you will understand how different scenarios influence spoilage.
at the mercy of nature
Setting: Outdoors | Time: Two to six weeks.
Criminals trying to dispose of a dead body should follow the law of least effort. Leaving it exposed in a humid and warm environment (from 20ºC), with free access for carnivorous insects and carnivorous animals, is the best way to speed up the process. External trauma to the body also helps. The bones only disappear completely after two years at the most.
six feet away
Environment: Underground | Time: Nine months to five years.
The deeper the corpse is buried, the slower it will deteriorate. Between 60 cm and 1 m deep, it takes between nine and 12 months. The bones, however, only “disappear” after about four years. And the protection of a coffin (or other coverings, such as fabric and plastic) can multiply that time by six!
swimming with fish
Environment: Deep sea | Time: Up to ten years.
Victims of serial killer Dexter, usually dumped at sea, can have two ends. The biggest concern is the sharks, which can devour a corpse in moments. But if the body reaches rocky ground at great depths, it can be preserved by extreme cold and pressure for up to a decade.
canned body
Environment: Swamp | Time: Indefinite.
The lack of oxygen, the typical flora and the presence of minerals that inhibit the proliferation of bacteria make the swampy terrain a kind of natural “formaldehyde”. There, the body creates adipocera, an organic substance that converts fatty tissue into a wax that protects internal organs and slows down decomposition.
dried meat
Environment: Desert | Time: Indefinite.
The dry climate helps to “mummify” the corpse, turning skin and tendons into a parchment-like tissue that protects the bones while the organs putrefy. The very low humidity reduces the action of flies and also slows down the speed of the process, which can take thousands of years.
people popsicle
Environment: Ice regions | Time: undefined
It is the record holder in preservation. Cold deactivates autolysis and almost nullifies the activity of bacteria. Frozen bodies shrink in size and turn orange, with grayish parts. In 1991, a preserved corpse of more than 5,300 years was found in a glacier between Austria and Italy!
anti aging treatment
If the objective is to fight the action of time, the best resource is to embalm the corpse. A formaldehyde-based chemical compound is injected into the blood vessels and gases and organic fluids are removed. In the final phase, the skin (especially that of the face, hands and neck) is cleaned and made up. Good embalming is capable of preserving certain parts of the body for centuries.
worm food
Insects are the second most influential external factor in decomposition, second only to temperature. Using their sense of smell, carrion flies are able to detect a dead body within moments of death. And, in less than an hour, it already deposits its larvae there – what we popularly call worms. They will devour the “banquet” in order to develop.
SOURCES Dr. Juarez Montanaro, professor of forensic medicine at the Civil Police Academy of the State of São Paulo, Venus Project at the University of British Columbia (Canada), Oak Ridge National Laboratory and University of Forensic Anthropology of Tennessee