"Uncovering Conserved Microbial Networks in Human Cadaver Decomposition"
Originally Published 1 year ago — by IFLScience
A study has found a universal connection between decomposing human corpses, revealing a rare assembly of microbial decomposers that are consistently present regardless of burial location or environmental conditions. These microbes, rare in non-decomposition environments, may be transported by insects from one decomposing animal to the next. The study's findings could have implications for forensic science in determining time of death, as researchers were able to use a machine learning model to estimate the time of death based on the microbial timeline of decomposition.