1 00:00:06,560 --> 00:00:08,186 Death sucks! 2 00:00:10,662 --> 00:00:13,720 But what happens to your body after you die is fascinating. 3 00:00:13,920 --> 00:00:15,256 So we're going to show you. 4 00:00:15,256 --> 00:00:18,140 Don't worry, it won't be gross...much. 5 00:00:18,220 --> 00:00:20,230 Once a person's breathing stops, 6 00:00:20,230 --> 00:00:22,912 the cells in their body stop receiving oxygen, 7 00:00:22,912 --> 00:00:25,145 but the cells continue to live for several minutes 8 00:00:25,145 --> 00:00:27,185 generating carbon dioxide. 9 00:00:27,185 --> 00:00:29,129 Carbon dioxide is acidic, 10 00:00:29,129 --> 00:00:32,329 and it builds up, rupturing sacs inside the cells. 11 00:00:32,659 --> 00:00:34,904 These sacs contain enzymes 12 00:00:34,904 --> 00:00:37,905 that begin to digest the cells from the inside out. 13 00:00:38,154 --> 00:00:41,606 This creates a blister-like fluid rich in nutrients. 14 00:00:41,696 --> 00:00:43,727 After about a week, those nutrients 15 00:00:43,727 --> 00:00:45,949 fuel an army of bacteria and fungi 16 00:00:45,949 --> 00:00:48,586 that further liquefy organs and muscles. 17 00:00:48,646 --> 00:00:50,360 The microbes that attack the tissue 18 00:00:50,360 --> 00:00:53,946 produce a bewildering array of more than 400 chemicals and gases. 19 00:00:53,946 --> 00:00:55,810 They include freon. 20 00:00:55,810 --> 00:00:58,311 That's right, the coolant found in refrigerators. 21 00:00:58,311 --> 00:01:00,910 Benzene, a powerful component in gasoline. 22 00:01:00,910 --> 00:01:04,110 Sulfur, which smells of swamps and rotten eggs. 23 00:01:04,310 --> 00:01:07,550 And the molecule known as Carbon Tetrachloride, 24 00:01:07,610 --> 00:01:10,501 which was used in fire extinguishers and dry cleaning 25 00:01:10,501 --> 00:01:13,106 until scientists discovered it's highly toxic. 26 00:01:13,106 --> 00:01:15,280 At this point, there's very little flesh left, 27 00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:18,059 and it's consumed by... here it comes... 28 00:01:18,059 --> 00:01:20,090 maggots and beetles. 29 00:01:20,090 --> 00:01:22,379 Insects leave only bones behind. 30 00:01:23,390 --> 00:01:26,561 Over time, the protein in bone decomposes too, 31 00:01:26,561 --> 00:01:30,192 leaving just the bone mineral called hydroxyapatite, 32 00:01:30,192 --> 00:01:32,502 which eventually turns to dust. 33 00:01:32,732 --> 00:01:34,691 We can take some solace in the fact 34 00:01:34,691 --> 00:01:37,446 that all those nutrients and chemicals, even the dust, 35 00:01:37,446 --> 00:01:40,612 provide vital substances that make soils fertile, 36 00:01:40,612 --> 00:01:42,897 sprouting plants and other new life 37 00:01:42,897 --> 00:01:45,090 after our lives have ended. 38 00:01:46,286 --> 00:01:49,278 Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. 39 00:01:52,634 --> 00:01:56,386 [Written and narrated by Mark Fischetti] [Assistant Editor: Kathryn Free] 40 00:01:56,667 --> 00:02:00,316 [Produced, edited & animated by Eric R. Olson]