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Everyone has an opinion about what happens to us spiritually when we die, but has anyone ever explained what happens to your body?
We’re guessing probably not.
But don’t worry, because the folks over at ASAP Science recently released a pretty awesome video explaining exactly what happens to the body in the seconds, hours, and days after death:
First, as the body’s oxygen depletes, the brain experiences a surge of activity as neurons lose function. This stops hormones from being released.
The body’s energy source — ATP — is used up causing the body’s muscles, including the sphincter, to relax. This results in a whole lot of undignified urination and defecation (sorry).
As the heart stops pumping blood around the body, the blood begins to pool causing light-skinned people to appear pale and discoloured.
After three to six hours, rigor mortis (the characteristic stiffening of the limbs) sets in as calcium leaks into muscle cells, binding with protein.
As cells die, the body starts decaying, and around 100 trillion external microbes start eating away. This is when anerobic bacteria in the gut begin to eat through the intestine and abdominal organs.
This is the part most people hate: the breakdown of amino acids attracts insects such as mites and blowflies, which begin laying eggs in the rotting flesh.
After a few weeks maggots can eat around 60% of a body, creating holes that let fluids and gasses escape. After 20 to 50 days dry decay begins, attracting beetles and fungi. This can last for 12 months.
Over the years, plants and animals feed off whatever is left — including any skeletal remains.
In short, every last bit of a body decomposes and ends up spawning new life. And thus concludes our story about the circle of life. We hope it wasn’t too upsetting.
