The Process of decomposition: What happens when the body dies
Siddhartha Jana
After death, the body undergoes rapid and irreversible changes, beginning within minutes of the heart stopping.
Source: Canva
Brain cells, highly dependent on oxygen, start to die within 3 to 7 minutes after cardiac arrest.
Source: Canva
The liver can continue functioning for up to an hour post-mortem, while blood begins to settle, causing livor mortis, or post-mortem discoloration.
Source: Canva
Within one hour, the skin loses color and muscles lose flexibility, but rigor mortis, the stiffening of muscles, doesn’t begin until 2 to 6 hours after death.
Source: Canva
Rigor mortis starts with smaller muscles, such as those in the eyelids and jaw, and reaches full stiffness in larger muscles within 12 hours.
Source: Canva
Autolysis, or self-digestion, begins as digestive enzymes in the stomach break down tissues within the first few hours.
Source: Canva
The corneas of the eyes can remain viable for up to 6 hours post-mortem, allowing for potential corneal donation.
Source: Canva
The timeline and nature of these changes can vary based on factors like temperature, body mass, and cause of death, but they outline the general process of decomposition.
Source: Canva
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