What Happens to the Body After Death – Myths and Facts (VIDEO)

This article explains what happens to the body after death, based on a simulation by The Infographics Show and data from medical sources. It describes primary flaccidity, cooling, livor mortis, rigor mortis, autolysis, and putrefaction leading to skeletonization. The myth of hair and nail growth is debunked. The rate of decomposition depends on environmental conditions.

The article explains what happens to the human body after death, drawing on a digital simulation by The Infographics Show and data from medical sources, including the Cleveland Clinic, Verywell Health, and BBC Future. It describes the sequence of postmortem changes: primary muscle flaccidity, body cooling (algor mortis), blood redistribution with the formation of livor mortis, rigor mortis, which peaks after 10–12 hours, then secondary flaccidity and autolysis—the self-digestion of cells. It clarifies that the illusion of hair and nail growth is caused by skin dehydration. The process concludes with putrefaction, releasing gases (methane, hydrogen sulfide, ammonia) and complete skeletonization. The rate of decomposition depends on humidity, temperature, insect activity, burial depth, and embalming. The article is popular science in nature and contains no sensational claims.