人死后身体的变化过程

死亡是每个人必经的结局。然而死后，身体会发生怎样的变化呢？

No matter how differently cultures celebrate and mourn their dead, one thing is absolute: the body dies in exactly the same way.

其实不论不同文化悼念死者的方式有多大差异，至少有一点是相通的：人们的尸体会以同样的方式腐败消逝。

Death, it seems, is rather a complicated affair this is what your body goes during and after.

死亡看起来确实是很复杂的一个过程。我们一起来看看尸体将经历怎样的变化。

1.The last bit of oxygen in your body is used up, and brain activity surges briefly as neurons stop working and the brain stops secreting hormones that regulate body function.

1.当你消耗完体内最后一缕氧气后，神经细胞会停止活动，大脑也停止分泌调控身体机能的激素，但此时的大脑活动却在短时间内激增。

The last of the energy stores (ATP) is used up and the sphincter relaxes, causing the body to release urine and excrement.

储能物质（三磷酸腺苷）消耗尽后，括约肌会放松，之后大小便排出体内。

2. Between 15 and 25 minutes after death, the lack of blood flow to capillaries causes the skin to go pale.

2.死后15到20分钟内，由于毛细血管内缺少流动的血液，皮肤会开始发白。

The heart is no longer beating, so blood is not being propelled around the body.

心脏停止跳动，血液也停止在体内循环。

As a result, the blood pools in the lower parts of the body.

结果，血液会聚集在尸体的下部。

3. After 12 hours, the skin will have reached maximum discoloration (or a reddish purple colour).

3.12小时后，皮肤会完成最大程度的褪色（或变成紫红色）。

Calcium leaks into muscle cells, binding to proteins which are in charge of muscle contraction.

钙会渗入肌肉细胞中和控制肌肉收缩的蛋白质结合。

The stiffness referred to as rigor mortis sets in three to six hours after death, and lasts for between 24 and 48 hours.

尸僵会出现在死后3到6小时内，并将持续24到48小时。

4. Dead cells and carbon dioxide causes the PH level of your skin tissue to rise.

4.死亡细胞和二氧化碳会使你皮肤组织的PH值（酸碱度）升高。

This makes the cell membrane weak and it bursts, releasing proteins and enzymes which further break down the surrounding tissue.

然后细胞膜会变薄并破裂，释放蛋白质和酶，这两种物质能进一步分解周围组织。

This is the process of decomposition.

这就是分解过程。

5. Micro-organisms start to break down your body.

5.微生物开始分解尸体。

Bacteria in the gastro-intestinal tract eats through the abdominal organs.

胃肠道内的细菌蚀穿腹部器官。

This is called putrefaction, and it causes the smell of death associated with a dead body.

这个过程我们将其称为腐烂，此后尸体会开始散发尸臭。

The breakdown of amino acids creates other strong-smelling acids which attract insects that lay eggs in the rotting tissue.

氨基酸分解会产生带有刺激性气味的酸，昆虫被这种气味吸引过来并在腐烂的组织内产卵。

The eggs hatch after 24 hours and the maggots eventually consume 60 percent of the body tissue over a number of weeks.

虫卵在24小时后会孵化，经过几周的时间，蛆虫会食用60%的身体组织。

6. Finally, the maggots create holes in the rotting flesh, which allow decomposition fluids and gases to escape.

6.最终，蛆虫会在腐肉里筑造小孔，分解后的液体和气体会通过这些小孔释放出来。

After a month and a half, beetles and fungi further consume the remains.

一个半月后，食腐甲虫和真菌进一步分解尸体。

This is called dry decay which can take up to one year.

这就是干腐过程，大概会持续1年。

Eventually, every part of the body will have been broken down and used.

至此，尸体的各个部位被分解吸收完毕。

看起来似乎很可怕，我们都尽力好好活着吧。