Buzz
The moment we encounter the lifeless remains of a human, they strike us with a profound sense of discomfort. These bodies make us reflect on the brevity, fragility, and inevitable end of life. They are like the zombies from our horror films, a reminder that death is the final destination for all, a fate that awaits us all someday.
Yet, some might argue that such visceral responses are simply a natural instinct to be conquered. Many people, like nurses, morticians, and scientists, confront corpses on a daily basis. These individuals are key in the world of science, where studying cadavers is essential for expanding our understanding of human anatomy. It’s a challenging task, dealing with the reality of mortality and dissecting it for the sake of knowledge.
Thanks to the dedication of these individuals throughout history, much of the medical expertise we rely on today has been built. For some, even a sense of tranquility can be found in the presence of the dead. As serial killer John Wayne Gacy once said, 'The dead won’t bother you, it’s the living you have to worry about.' Below are ten eerie and intriguing facts about human cadavers.
10. Friends And Family
Even the most resilient individuals, even those most accustomed to being around death, can be deeply disturbed by seeing the bodies of their loved ones. The sight of family and friends deceased is a powerful emotional experience that shakes us to our very core. Sadly, in the past, outdated laws severely hindered much-needed medical research on bodies. As a result, cadavers for dissection were hard to come by, leading people like William Harvey—who first described the circulation of blood—to dissect his father and sister for the sake of science.
In the early stages of anatomical research, scientists often resorted to sneaking the bodies of their own friends and family members into their workplaces for study due to the scarcity of available bodies. This meant that, in those early days, anatomists were forced to dissect people they knew well, cutting into the bodies of loved ones and friends in hopes of uncovering knowledge that could benefit humanity.
9. Body Snatching
No discussion about cadavers would be complete without addressing the notorious practice of body snatching. In 18th- and 19th-century Britain, this practice became widespread as anatomists faced a shortage of available cadavers. Since the only bodies legally accessible were those of criminals, they were left scrambling for more bodies. Body snatchers, similar to grave robbers, would dig up graves not for valuables, but to steal the corpses themselves.
This distinction is significant. In Britain, corpses had no legal status until the Anatomy Act of 1832. Prior to that, dead bodies technically didn’t belong to anyone, which meant that as long as a body snatcher didn’t take any personal belongings from the deceased, they were technically committing no crime. While dissecting a corpse was still illegal, body snatching was, at the time, a legal—and lucrative—profession.
8. The Season of the Dead
Body snatching was once a thriving industry, complete with its highs and lows. There was actually a designated ‘dissection season.’ The rate at which a body decomposes depends heavily on the temperature, meaning the success of body snatchers in locating fresh, usable corpses fluctuated throughout the year with the changing seasons. The colder months from October to May were ideal for body snatching, as the summer heat would accelerate decomposition, rendering the bodies unusable. Fresh bodies were crucial for scientific study, so, indeed, there was once a ‘body snatching season.’
Temperature plays a major role in how quickly a body decomposes. Various factors, including flies, maggots, bacteria, and other small organisms, contribute to the decomposition process. The colder the temperature, the slower the decomposition, as fewer organisms capable of consuming dead flesh can survive in such harsh conditions.
7. The Flies
Flies are crucial to the decomposition process. Dead bodies provide an ideal place for them to lay their eggs. The larvae that hatch from these eggs consume the flesh, which is why fresh corpses are so important for scientific study. Blow flies are often the first to arrive and cause the most damage.
Aboveground creatures, like flies, play a critical role in decomposition. A body left on the surface will lose 80% of its mass within just five days due to the consumption by various organisms. In comparison, a body buried in the ground will take up to 25 days to lose only 60% of its mass. Protecting corpses from environmental factors during transportation and storage is crucial to ensure that they remain in the best possible condition for scientific research.
6. Maggots
Maggots are an essential scientific tool for determining the time of death. By examining the age of the maggots, experts can estimate when the flies first arrived and how long the maggots have been feeding on the body. These maggots are carefully removed, placed in an ethanol solution, and their age is determined to help establish a timeline.
The most unsettling aspect of maggots is that flies typically lay their eggs in exposed areas of the body. The presence of maggots can indicate whether an open wound is present. They often hide inside the body, but when no wound is found, maggots are usually discovered in the mouth, eyes, nose, and ears. In fact, they can even pour out of someone's head when the body is moved or transported.
5. Death All Around
As a body decomposes, it’s not just maggots that play a role in the process. In addition to flies, cockroaches, ants, and animals like dogs and wolves that may find a fresh corpse appetizing, much of the breakdown happens on a microbial level. Bacteria are crucial in carrying out much of the decomposition work.
The nitrogen levels in the soil around a decomposing body rise dramatically, creating a ‘death zone’ that kills nearby plant life. This results in a dark, black patch of dead grass surrounding the corpse. Interestingly, the excretions of maggots possess antibiotic properties that are strong enough to further harm the plants nearby. This stage of decomposition is commonly known as 'advanced decay.'
4. Black Putrefaction
Putrefaction marks the phase of death when the body undergoes decomposition. In this stage, the corpse changes its hues—ranging from red to yellow, green, purple, and eventually, almost all bodies culminate in a deep, midnight black shade, symbolizing death. Leading up to black putrefaction, the body swells as the bacteria release gases while feasting on the tissues.
During the black putrefaction phase, the body expands like a balloon with gases before eventually collapsing, releasing the gases trapped inside. The flesh turns into a thick, almost liquid consistency, and the body flattens as its internal organs are largely consumed or liquefied.
3. Corpse Collectives
Decomposition begins just four minutes after death, marking the start of a steady decline. The blood stops circulating and settles in place. This begins the long, decaying process that can continue for months. Body farms are research centers designed to study decomposition, offering a glimpse into the body’s breakdown over time. Researchers test different environmental factors, such as placing a body in water or letting it decompose in the field during the heat of summer. These studies help forensic experts uncover vital information that may not be immediately apparent about a deceased person.
Factors such as diet, temperature, moisture, sunlight, location, and surrounding life all affect how and how quickly a body decomposes. Much of the data collected by these research centers has come from the United States, home to several body farms. Individuals who donate their bodies to science are sent to these farms where their cadavers are subjected to experiments. It sounds like something out of a bizarre sci-fi horror story, except that you’re already gone when it happens. While body farms provide invaluable insights into death and human biology, not everyone is thrilled at the thought of living next to one. Would you want to live near a body farm?
2. From Skin To Liquid
Rain has unpredictable and strong effects on a dead body. While it may sometimes slow decomposition, other times it accelerates the process. Rain can rehydrate mummified remains, undoing the preservation effect. It also invites a variety of creatures—from microscopic bacteria to fish and land animals—to feast on the body. While rain may wash away maggots, it can also introduce new scavengers to the corpse’s interior.
Water can drastically speed up the breakdown of the human body. In cases where a body is retrieved from water, the soaked flesh may easily peel away, exposing the untouched inner tissue. On land, the reverse occurs: the internal organs break down and liquefy as putrefaction sets in.
1. Butyric Fermentation
Following black putrefaction, the body enters the stage of butyric fermentation. At this point, there’s little remaining flesh, leaving only skin, hair, bones, bacteria, maggots, and dust.
By this phase, the body has almost entirely flattened, taking on a disc-like shape. The corpse begins to emit a strong odor, reminiscent of cheese... Yes, cheese. This signals the transition into dry decay, and soon, the body becomes nearly solid with all moisture evaporated.
