For God to answer prayer, it is very important to pray correctly. This does not mean Pharisaic correctness and compliance with all the small instructions: how to stand, in front of which icon, in what sequence to read prayers, how to bow correctly. One should not be too afraid of doing something wrong during prayer, much less refuse prayer because of this. God sees our heart, and an occasional mistake will not make us criminals in His eyes.

Correct prayer consists of the correct disposition of spirit and feelings.

Pray with a pure heart

So that God does not make our prayer a sin, you need to pray with a pure heart and deep faith. As they say in Orthodoxy, with boldness, but without impudence. Boldness means faith in the omnipotence of God and that He can forgive the most terrible sin. Insolence is disrespect for God, confidence in His forgiveness.

In order for prayer not to be impudent, one must be ready to accept the will of God, including when it does not coincide with our desires. This is called “cutting off your will.” As the saint wrote, “if a person is not first purified by cutting off his will, then true prayerful action will never be revealed in him.” This cannot be achieved overnight, but we must strive for it.

With what feelings do they pray to God?

According to the Holy Fathers, during prayer there is no need to seek special feelings or spiritual pleasures. Often the prayer of a sinful person, as we all are, is difficult, causing boredom and heaviness. This shouldn’t frighten or confuse you, and you shouldn’t give up prayer because of it. Much more need to be wary of emotional exaltation.

According to Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov, the only feelings that are permissible during prayer are the feeling of one’s unworthiness and reverence for God, in other words, the fear of God.

What words should you use to address the Almighty?

To make it easier to pray and ask God for the right things, saints and simply pious people compiled. They are sanctified by authority, the very words of these prayers are holy.

The Holy Fathers compared the prayer composed by the saints to a tuning fork by which the human soul is tuned during prayer. That's why statutory prayer is more spiritually beneficial than prayer in your own words. However, to her You can add your own requests.

In what language should you pray in church and at home?

Most Orthodox prayers are read in Church Slavonic, with the exception of some prayers compiled in the 19th century and written in Russian. There are Orthodox prayer books in which prayers are given with Russian translation. If it is difficult to pray in Church Slavonic, you can read the translation.

Unlike home prayer, church services are always performed in Church Slavonic. To better understand worship, you can keep before your eyes the text with parallel translation into Russian.

How to pray to saints correctly

Every day during morning prayer, the believer turns to his patron saint - in whose honor the person praying was.

In other Orthodox traditions, not Russian ones, at baptism the name of a saint is not given, but the patron saint is either chosen by the person himself or is the patron saint of the entire family. On the day of celebrating the memory of “your” saint, you can read the main prayers to him - the troparion and kontakion.

Some saints are prayed to for special needs. Then the troparion and kontakion can be read to this saint at any time. If you constantly pray to a saint, it is advisable to have his icon in your house. If you want to pray to some saint in particular, you can go to pray in a temple where there is his icon or a piece of his relics.

How to start and stop praying

• Before you start praying, you need to be quiet and mentally concentrate.
• Having finished praying, you need a little be in a prayerful position and comprehend the perfect prayer.
• At the beginning and end of the prayer you need make the sign of the cross.

Home prayer, like church prayer, has a statutory beginning and ending. They are given in the prayer book.

Prayer rule in Orthodoxy

It is difficult for most people to determine for themselves: some are lazy and pray little, and some take on excessive work and strain their strength.

In order to give the believer guidance, there are prayer rules.

The main and obligatory rules are the morning and evening prayer rules.

What is a prayer rule

The prayer rule (otherwise known as the cell rule) is a clearly established sequence of prayers, intended for daily reading. Prayer rules are read to believers at home outside of worship, in the mornings and evenings. These rules include basic Orthodox prayers, as well as special morning and evening prayers, in which we ask God to forgive our sins and keep us safe throughout the day and night.

Complete prayer rule, morning and evening, is contained in prayer books. Those who cannot read the full prayer rule can, with the blessing of the priest, read an abbreviated one, which does not include all the prayers.

Brief prayer rule of St. Seraphim of Sarov

If desired, in addition to morning and evening prayers, you can read akathists to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Mother of God and the saints.

On Bright Week (the first week after Easter), morning and evening prayers are replaced by reading the text of the Hours of Holy Pascha.

How to fulfill the prayer rule

Prayer Rule is being done. It read standing or kneeling, in case of illness, you can read while sitting.

Many people, over many years in church, learn morning and evening prayers by heart, but most often they have to pray according to a prayer book.

Before reading the rules, you need to make the sign of the cross. The words of prayers must be said slowly, delving into their meaning. The prayers that make up the rule can be alternated with personal prayers, especially if such a need arose while reading the rule.

Having finished the rule, we should thank God for communication and stay in a prayerful mood for some time, comprehending your prayer.

Orthodox prayer book

The Orthodox prayer book usually contains

• main prayers used in and outside of worship
• morning and evening prayer rules
• canons (penitential, Mother of God, Guardian Angel) and adherence to Holy Communion, prayers for different occasions

The Psalter may also be attached to the prayer book.

How to Avoid Distractions During Prayer

Many people who have been churchgoers and even long-time churchgoers complain that during prayer their mind becomes distracted, extraneous thoughts come to mind, old grievances are remembered, blasphemy and obscene words come to mind. Or, conversely, instead of prayer, a desire arises to indulge in theological reflection.

These are all temptations that are inevitable for a person who has not yet achieved holiness. God allows this to happen in order to test a person’s faith and strengthen his resolve to resist temptation.

The only remedy against them is resist, do not give in to them and continue to pray, even if it’s hard to pray and you want to interrupt it.

Stages of decomposition of a corpse The first minute after Death occurs when the brain stops receiving oxygen. This leads to the fact that other vital organs cease to perform their functions. The body becomes paler and stiff almost immediately due to lack of blood circulation. The eyes take on a glassy shine and the body temperature begins to gradually drop due to a drop in oxygen levels. From 1 to 9 minutes The blood coagulates and gives the skin a red-blue tint. The muscles relax, which can result in emptying of the stomach and bladder. Brain cells die. The pupils become cloudy - this is the result of the destruction of potassium in red blood cells. Many doctors believe that the condition of the eyes can more accurately determine the time of death than rigor mortis. This process can take up to 3 hours. At its end, the brain stem dies. From 1 to 8 hours Muscles become stiff and hair grows. Rigor mortis occurs due to lactic acid in the muscles. Woody, they put pressure on the hair follicles and it seems that the hair continues to grow even after death. From 4 to 6 hours after death, rigor mortis spreads throughout the body. Clotted blood gives the skin a black tint. Processes similar to the destruction of the liver by alcohol continue. The next stage of body cooling begins. In this case, the temperature drops much faster. From 1 to 5 days The rigor has passed. The body is again soft and flexible. Funeral service workers use this time to prepare the deceased for the funeral. Dress, put on shoes, put on makeup and fold your arms over your chest. But they need to be buried as soon as possible. After all, very soon (from 24 to 72 hours) microbes begin to corrode the pancreas and stomach. This process leads to liquefaction internal organs. After 3-5 days of decomposition, the body becomes covered with large blisters. If no measures are taken before this time (embalming, refrigerator), the deceased will look very unpresentable at the funeral. It is quite possible that bloody foam will ooze from his mouth and nose. 8 to 10 days Bacteria living in the intestines feed on dead tissue and produce gases. The body swells and emits a foul odor. Due to swelling of the tissue in the neck and face, the tongue protrudes from the mouth. Facial features are distorted and make identification difficult, if necessary. The resulting gases push any remaining feces and fluids out. The body changes color from red to green as red blood cells begin to degrade. 2 weeks Hair and nails are separated from the body almost effortlessly. The skin condition makes it difficult to move the body. It may slip off the decaying muscles like a glove and lie somewhere nearby. The body can only be identified by its teeth. But even if they fell out, they most likely did not fly far from the body. 1 month Depending on environmental conditions, the leather either decomposes or dries out. And then the blowfly comes onto the scene. Often the time of death is determined precisely by the life activity of this insect. After the fly completes work on the internal organs, under certain conditions the body can turn into a mummy. Several months During this period, the body turns into the so-called fat wax. This process is called saponification and occurs through anaerobic bacterial hydrolysis. There is evidence that in the 17th century candles were made from such remains for religious vigils. In any case, if the body is found in this condition, then it is quite possible that his facial features are preserved and his identity can be established. Year If the body was in the lap of nature all this time, then predators most likely have already feasted on its bones. Vultures, raccoons, wolves and other carrion lovers are unlikely to have left anything that could shed light on either the identity of the deceased or the circumstances of his death. But if the teeth are preserved, identification is quite possible. So it is very important to go to the dentist in a timely manner and keep a special dental record in order to make the work of our valiant criminologists easier. Yes, just in case. Anything happens in life

Swiss scientists have released shocking data: the bodies of people buried in the last three decades hardly decompose! They look like they were put in a coffin a week ago. Researchers blame this on poor environment and poor quality food from fast food outlets.

German forensic experts were the first to sound the alarm. In August in Düsseldorf, at a scientific and practical conference, Dr. Werner Stolz from Berlin presented a sensational report. Over the past three years, while exhuming the bodies of people buried 20 or more years ago, he has encountered 32 times that their corpses were almost completely decomposed. The dead look “fresh”, as if they were buried in the ground a week or a week and a half ago.

And recently this topic came up again in Switzerland at a meeting of funeral business specialists. The directors of large cemeteries in Paris, Milan, Hamburg, and Cologne unanimously complained that they no longer had enough space for new burials. According to sanitary standards adopted in the EEC, it is possible to dig a fresh grave in the place of an old one after 17 years. However, the corpses simply do not have time to turn into dust before the deadline.
Don't eat a Big Mac and you'll become a mummy!

Swiss scientists began studying incorruptible bodies. After two months of painstaking research, they came up with three possible explanations for why the dead are slow to decompose in the ground.

* According to the first version, the environment is to blame for everything. In a number of places, due to excessive soil pollution, an entire species of bacteria responsible for the decomposition of corpses has disappeared.

* Second hypothesis: modern anti-aging cosmetics are to blame for everything. People began to use special anti-aging creams. Their skin and upper tissues are embalmed during life and after death they prevent the natural process of decay.

*Third guess. The reason is food preservatives, which are found in large quantities in food. Carbonated drinks, sweets and all fast food products are especially rich in them. Mummification occurs due to the fact that preservatives that enter the human body with food accumulate throughout life and subsequently inhibit the process of decay. This version seems to scientists to be the most correct and the most disappointing.

We will no longer be able to change our diet. The whole world will consume more and more canned food every year, says Dr. Stolz. - And Europeans are not the first to perpetuate themselves in this way. This problem affected Americans 30 years ago, but the territory of the country still allows them to expand cemeteries.

Scientists see the only way out in the general cremation of the dead. The corresponding laws will most likely appear next year.

Canned corpses.

“The soft tissues of the bodies of the dead now turn into something other than ordinary
humus, and in corpse wax - a gray-white mass. Blame it all -
preservatives."
The use of preservatives and their effect on the human body has been debated for a long time, but living people have only recently begun to think about the fact that their effect continues for many years after life has left the body.

Food additives that are supposed to induce appetite in consumers, it turns out, completely discourage it from putrefactive bacteria, maggots and representatives of the class of nematode worms Sarcophagus mortuorum and Pelodera, which decompose mortal consumer bodies at the end of their life. This shocking conclusion was reached by scientists from several EU countries who studied the effect of preservatives consumed during life on slowing down the decomposition of bodies after death.

In fact, this phenomenon has been known for a long time: even in Tsarist Russia, forensic experts knew that the corpses of people who died in a state of severe intoxication or simply drank vodka to death were preserved much longer than usual - thanks to ethyl alcohol, which is known to be an excellent preservative .

However, now that we are surrounded everywhere by a variety of bactericidal substances, whose task is to maximize the shelf life of products on store shelves, the phenomenon of body preservation has taken on a much more serious scale than a few lethal curiosities from forensic practice.

For the first time, a similar problem was encountered in France, where the cemetery period, that is, the period after which a fresh corpse can be buried in an old grave, is minimal and amounts to five years. (If you want to lie in the cemetery longer, you need to fork out extra money).

In cemeteries, where lately reburials were carried out, an unusual deviation of the process of decomposition of the dead from its usual course was observed. In the coffins removed from the graves, the corpses actually turned into wax figures of the buried. Unlike the well-known mummification, when the body dries completely in a dry climate under high temperature and good ventilation, the transformation of dead soft tissue into cadaveric wax is not yet fully understood. Previously, it was observed extremely rarely - only in conditions that were extremely unfavorable for the life of lower organisms, especially when air access to the body was difficult. The formation of corpse wax is also called saponification of the corpse, since the tissues are partially converted into lime soap. Saponification of a corpse usually occurs after a short period of decay: the corpse turns into a homogeneous, slightly shiny mass when cut, resembling solid fat in appearance, emitting almost no odor and melting at high temperatures. Corpse wax is formed mainly in the skin, subcutaneous tissue, muscles and bones, and sometimes in the viscera; however, it often remains external shape organs, and under a microscope you can in some places find tissues that have well preserved their structure.

Scientists who joined the study of the issue of the safety of the French dead were unanimous in their opinion: the normal work of industrious putrefactive bacteria and other corpse-eating fauna is hampered by preservatives that accumulated during life in the soft tissues of the dead. As it turned out, intravital obesity especially contributes to the saponification of a corpse, since preservatives readily remain in fat, accumulating in significant concentrations.

However, before the French experts had time to publish the data of their research, a “soap” scandal erupted in the quietest corners of Germany - namely, on cemetery lands, which are usually reused every fifteen to twenty years - this period was previously quite sufficient for the remains the deceased were almost completely decomposed. The current situation is reminiscent of a horror movie scenario for cemetery authorities - after all, in Germany, a grave cannot be reused until the remains it contains are completely rotten. However, the facts remain inexorable. “The soft tissues of the bodies of the dead in cemeteries no longer turn into humus, but into a gray-white mass - corpse wax,” said soil expert Rainer Horn from Christian Albrecht University in Kiel.

Apparently, very soon this craze will reach our lands - the living will become crowded with the dead and the good old method of burial in the ground will be the privilege of the oligarchs and large landowners!

ANALYTICS. 5 Bereznya 2010.

Dietary supplements "E" - genocide of the surplus slave population!

Food additives (there are several hundred of them known) are a simple and cheap way to give a product an attractive appearance and color, enhance the taste, and also extend its shelf life.

Previously, the names of these chemicals were written on product labels in full, but they took up so much space that in 1953, in Europe, it was decided to replace the full names of chemical food additives with one letter (index E - from Europe) with digital codes.

According to this system, food additives are divided into groups according to the principle of action. The group is determined by the first digit indicated after the letter E.

E100 - E182 Dyes. Enhances the color of the product.

E200 - E299 Preservatives (extend the shelf life of the product). Chemical sterilizing additives. Protects against microbes, fungi, bacteriophages.

E300 - E399 Antioxidants (slow down oxidation, for example, from rancidity of fats and color changes; similar in effect to preservatives

E400 - E499 Stabilizers (preserve the specified consistency of the product). Thickeners - increase viscosity.

E500 - E599 Emulsifiers (maintain a homogeneous mixture of immiscible products, such as water and oil). The action is similar to stabilizers)

E600 - E699 Flavor and smell enhancers

E700 - E899 reserved numbers

E900 - E999 Defoamers (prevent or reduce the formation of foam). Antiflamings and other substances

The most common food additives include preservatives and antioxidants.

Preservatives

Preservatives and stabilizers act similar to antibiotics. Preservatives ensure that any biological life in the product ceases. In an environment in which such a drug is present, life becomes impossible and bacteria die, which keeps the product from spoiling longer. A person consists of a huge number of very different cells and has a large mass (compared to a single-celled organism), therefore, unlike single-celled organisms does not die from consuming a preservative (in some cases, also because hydrochloric acid, contained in the stomach, partially destroys the preservative). However, today the consumption of preservatives in food has reached such volumes that they accumulate to a critical mass in a matter of years. This leads to mutations in various organs, failure of vital systems, the emergence of chronic diseases and the appearance of cancerous tumors. Also, the massive consumption of preservatives in the daily diet led to such an amazing effect as stopping the decomposition of the bodies of the dead, found in last decade in cemeteries in the USA, Canada, England, France and Germany. One of the most dangerous preservatives E240 (formaldehyde) may be present in canned foods (mushrooms, compotes, preserves, juices, etc.). It is also formalin (in the form of a solution).

There are many harmful additives among dyes. In particular, E121 (citrus red dye) and E123 (amaranth dye) are prohibited. They are usually found in sweet carbonated water, sweets, and colored ice cream. It has already been scientifically proven that all three additives can contribute to the formation of malignant tumors. Emulsifiers are often represented by mineral substances, for example: E500 - soda (sodium bicarbonate); E507 - hydrochloric acid; E513 - sulfuric acid. In addition to those mentioned above, there are chemical compounds that are considered non-hazardous and are approved for use throughout the world. However, how appropriate is it to talk about their harmlessness if their maximum permissible daily dose should not exceed 5 micrograms per 80 kg of human weight, while with just one stick of dry sausage a person consumes up to 30 micrograms. Here are some of the most common: E250 - sodium nitrite, E251 - sodium nitrate, E252 - potassium nitrate.

It is impossible to imagine sausage products without these additives. During processing, minced sausage loses its soft pink color, turning into a gray-brown mass. Then nitrates and nitrites come into play, and from the display case already boiled sausage the color of steamed veal “looks” at us. Nitrogen additives are found not only in sausages, but also in smoked fish, sprats, canned herring. They are also added to hard cheeses to prevent swelling. People suffering from liver and intestinal diseases, dysbacteriosis, and cholecystitis are advised to exclude foods containing these additives from their diet. In such people, part of the nitrates, entering the gastrointestinal tract, turns into more toxic nitrites, which in turn form quite strong carcinogens - nitrosamines, which lead to catastrophic destruction of health.
Food additives - genocide of the planet's surplus population

Sweeteners

Recently, various sugar substitutes have become increasingly popular; these additives are designated by codes E954 - saccharin. E952 - cyclamic acid and cyclamates, E950 - potassium acesulfan, E951 - aspartame, E968 - xylitol. These substances, to varying degrees, adversely affect the liver. Avoid products containing such additives for six months after hepatitis. You also need to be careful with xylitol. It can cause dysbiosis.

Safe "E"

Only a small number of food additives can be truly (and not officially) considered harmless, but doctors do not recommend using even them for children under 5 years of age.
E100 - curcumin (colorant), can be found in curry powder, sauces, ready-made rice dishes, jam, candied fruits, fish pates
E363 - succinic acid (acidulant), found in desserts, soups, broths, dry drinks
E504 - magnesium carbonate (dough leavening agent), may be contained in cheese, chewing gum, and even in table salt – absolutely safe.
E957 - thaumatin (sweetener) can be found in ice cream, dried fruits, and sugar-free chewing gum.

Particularly harmful and prohibited food additives E:

E 102; E 104; E 110; E 120; E 121; E 122; E 123; E 124; E 127; E 128; E 129; E 131; E 132; E 133; E 142; E 151; E 153; E 154; E 155; E 173; E 174; E 175; E 180; E 214; E 215; E 216; E 217; E 219; E 226; E 227; E 230; E 231; E 233; E 236; E 237; E 238; E 239; E 240; E 249...E 252; E 296; E 320; E 321; E 620; E 621; E 627; E 631; E 635; E 924 a-b; E 926; E 951; E 952; E 954; E 957.

Rospotrebnadzor specialists consider the following additives dangerous:

E102, E110, E120, E124, E127, E129, E155, E180, E201, E220, E222, E223, E224, E228, E233, E242, E270, E400, E401, E402, E403, E404, E405, E501, 2, E503, E620, E636 and E637. E123, E510, E513 and E527 are included in the list of very dangerous ones, but for unknown reasons they are still not prohibited. Additives E104, E122, E141, E150, E171, E173, E241 and E477 were identified as suspicious.

Sodium benzoate (E 211)

The sodium salt of benzoic acid performs a rather important function as a preservative - it prevents the fermentation of juices and prevents bacteria from multiplying. It is added to soda and chips, meat and ketchup. Long-term consumption of E 211 in food can lead to metabolic disorders and cause cancer.

Aspartame (E 951)

This sweetener and flavor enhancer replaces sugar in diabetic foods. Aspartame is added to chewing gum, drinks, canned food, seasonings, etc. But for several years now in America, where it is used very widely, there has been a campaign to ban E 951. Products with the addition of aspartame can cause migraines, skin rashes and deterioration of brain activity.

Monosodium glutamate (E 621)

A chemical called monosodium glutamate gives the dish the taste and smell of meat (it is added to bouillon cubes to enhance the taste). If you exceed the norm (pour several packets into a cup of noodles), you can get poisoned. In America, hundreds of thousands of such poisonings occur every year.

FAO List

Classification of food additives in the Codex Alimentarius system, developed by International organization Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the UN. All this data is brought to the attention of product manufacturers, but since FAO is a public organization, its information is advisory in nature only.

* E103, E105, E121, E123, E125, E126, E130, E131, E142, E153 - dyes. Contained in sweet carbonated water, candies, and colored ice cream. Can lead to the formation of malignant tumors.

* E171-173 - dyes. Contained in sweet carbonated water, candies, and colored ice cream. May lead to liver and kidney diseases.

* E210, E211, E213-217, E240 - preservatives. Available in canned food of any kind (mushrooms, compotes, juices, jams). Can lead to the formation of malignant tumors.

* E221-226 - preservatives. Used for any canning. May lead to gastrointestinal diseases.

* E230-232, E239 - preservatives. Contained in canned food of any kind. May call allergic reactions.

* E311-313 - antioxidants (antioxidants) Found in yoghurts, fermented milk products, sausages, butter, chocolate. May cause diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

* E407, E447, E450 - stabilizers and thickeners. Contained in preserves, jams, condensed milk, chocolate cheese. May cause liver and kidney diseases.

* E461-466 - stabilizers and thickeners. Found in preserves, jams, condensed milk, chocolate cheese. May cause diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

* E924a, E924b - defoamers. Contained in carbonated drinks. Can lead to the formation of malignant tumors.

Additives harmful to the skin:

E151 E160 E231 E232 E239 E951 E1105

Cancer-forming additives:

E131 E142 E153 E210 E211 E212 E213 E214 E215 E216 E219 E230 E240 E249 E252 E280 E281 E282 E283 E330 E954

Extremely dangerous additives:

E123 E510 E513 E527

Additives that cause stomach upset:

E338 E339 E340 E341 E450 E451 E452 E453 E454 E461 E462 E463 E465 E466

Additives affecting blood pressure:

E154 E250 E251

Additives that cause rash:

E310 E311 E312 E907

Additives that cause intestinal disorders:

E154 E343 E626 E627 E628 E629 E630 E631 E632 E633 E634 E635

Additives causing malignant tumors:

E103, E105, E121, E123, E125, E126, E130, E131, E142, E152, E210, E211, E213-217, E240, E330, E447.

Additives that cause gastrointestinal diseases:

E221-226, E320-322, E338-341, E407, E450, E461-466.

Dangerous allergens:

E230, E231, E232, E239, E311-131.

Additives that cause liver and kidney disease:

E171-173, E320-322.

Read the labels carefully. Without looking, you can easily buy starch with the taste, smell and color of sausage. Some additives are only harmful in large quantities, but carcinogens tend to accumulate in the body. So, over time this will make itself felt.

Any modification of products makes them potentially hazardous to health. The use of synthetic flavor and color enhancers is a deception of your own body.

If you see products with a long shelf life, this is a sign that there are a lot of preservatives that have killed not only decomposition bacteria, but will also inevitably begin to kill your own cells.

What happens in the coffin after death

Officially, it takes 15 years for a body to completely decompose in a coffin. However, re-burial is allowed after approximately 11-13 years after the first. It is believed that during this time both the deceased and his final resting place will completely decompose, and the earth can be reused.

Immediately after death, self-digestion of human internal organs and tissues begins. And with it, after some time, rotting. Before a funeral, processes are slowed down by embalming or refrigerating the body to make the person appear more presentable. But underground there are no longer any restraining factors. And decay destroys the body in full swing. As a result, all that remains is bones and chemical compounds: gases, salts and liquids.

In fact, a corpse is a complex ecosystem. It is a habitat and breeding ground for large quantity microorganisms. The system develops and grows with the decomposition of its habitat. Immunity turns off soon after death - and microbes and microorganisms populate all tissues and organs. They feed on cadaveric fluids and provoke further development of decay. Over time, all tissues completely rot or decay, leaving a bare skeleton. But it too may soon collapse, leaving only individual, especially strong bones.

What happens in the coffin after a year

After a year has passed after death, the process of decomposition of residual soft tissue sometimes continues. Often, when excavating graves, it is noted that after a year after death, the cadaveric smell is no longer present - the rotting is complete. And the remaining tissues either slowly smolder, releasing mainly nitrogen and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, or there is simply nothing left to smolder. Because only the skeleton remained.

Skeletonization is the stage of decomposition of the body when only one skeleton remains. What happens to the deceased in the coffin about a year after death. Sometimes some tendons or particularly dense and dry areas of the body may still remain. Next will be the process of mineralization. It can last for a very long time - up to 30 years. Everything remaining from the body of the deceased will have to lose all the “extra” minerals. As a result, what remains of a person is an unfastened pile of bones. The skeleton falls apart because the joint capsules, muscles and tendons that hold the bones together no longer exist. And it can remain in this form for an unlimited amount of time. At the same time, the bones become very fragile.

What happens to the coffin after burial?

Most modern coffins are made from ordinary pine boards. Such material is short-lived in conditions of constant humidity and will last in the ground for a couple of years. After that, he turns into dust and fails. Therefore, when digging up old graves, it’s good to find several rotten boards that were once a coffin. The service life of the final resting place of the deceased can be somewhat extended by varnishing it. Other, harder and more durable types of wood may not rot for a longer period of time. And especially rare, metal coffins are quietly stored in the ground for decades.

As a corpse decomposes, it loses fluid and slowly turns into a collection of substances and minerals. Since a person is 70% water, it needs to go somewhere. She leaves everyone's body possible ways and seeps through the bottom boards into the ground. This obviously does not extend the life of the tree; excess moisture only provokes its rotting.

How a man decomposes in a coffin

During decomposition, the human body necessarily goes through several stages. They can vary in time depending on the burial environment and the condition of the corpse. The processes that occur with the dead in the coffin ultimately leave the body with a bare skeleton.

Most often, the coffin with the deceased is buried after three days from the date of death. This is due not only to customs, but also to simple biology. If after five to seven days the corpse is not buried, then this will have to be done in closed coffin. Because by this time autolysis and decay will have developed en masse, and internal organs will slowly begin to collapse. This can lead to putrefactive emphysema throughout the body, leakage of bloody fluid from the mouth and nose. Now the process can be stopped by embalming the body or keeping it in the refrigerator.

What happens to the corpse in the coffin after the funeral is reflected in several various processes. Collectively, they are called decomposition, which, in turn, is divided into several stages. Decomposition begins immediately after death. But it begins to manifest itself only after some time, without limiting factors - within a couple of days.

Autolysis

The very first stage of decomposition, which begins almost immediately after death. Autolysis is also called “self-digestion.” Tissues are digested under the influence of the breakdown of cell membranes and the release of enzymes from cellular structures. The most important of these are cathepsins. This process does not depend on any microorganisms and begins independently. Internal organs such as the brain and adrenal medulla, spleen, and pancreas undergo autolysis most quickly, as they contain the largest amount of cathepsin. Somewhat later, all the cells of the body enter into the process. This provokes rigor mortis due to the release of calcium from the intercellular fluid and its combination with troponin. Against this background, actin and myosin combine, which causes muscle contraction. The cycle cannot be completed due to the lack of ATP, so the muscles are fixed and relaxed only after they have begun to decompose.

Autolysis is partly facilitated by various bacteria that spread throughout the body from the intestines, feeding on the fluid flowing from decomposing cells. They literally “spread” throughout the body through the blood vessels. The liver is primarily affected. However, bacteria reach it within the first twenty hours from the moment of death, first promoting autolysis and then rotting.

Rotting

In parallel with autolysis, a little later than its onset, rotting also develops. The rate of decay depends on several factors:

• The state of a person during life.
• Circumstances of his death.
• Soil humidity and temperature.
• Density of clothing.

It begins with the mucous membranes and skin. This process can develop quite early if the soil of the grave is wet, and in the circumstances of death there is blood poisoning. However, it develops more slowly in cold regions or if the corpse contains insufficient moisture. Some strong poisons and thick clothing also help slow it down.

It is noteworthy that many myths about “moaning corpses” are associated specifically with rotting. This is called vocalization. When a corpse decomposes, gas is formed, which primarily occupies the cavities. When the body has not yet rotted, it exits through natural openings. When the gas passes through the vocal cords, which are constrained by stiff muscles, the output is sound. Most often this is a wheezing or something similar to a groan. Rigor rigor most often passes just in time for the funeral, so in rare cases a terrifying sound can be heard from a coffin that has not yet been buried.

What happens to the body in the coffin at this stage begins with the hydrolysis of proteins by proteases of microbes and dead cells of the body. Proteins begin to break down gradually, to polypeptides and below. At the output, free amino acids remain instead. It is as a result of their subsequent transformation that a cadaverous odor arises. At this stage, the growth of mold on the corpse and the colonization of it by maggots and nematodes can speed up the process. They mechanically destroy tissues, thereby accelerating their decay.

The liver, stomach, intestines and spleen are the most susceptible to decomposition in this way, due to the abundance of enzymes in them. In this regard, very often the peritoneum of the deceased bursts. During decay, corpse gas is released, which fills the natural cavities of a person (swells him from the inside). The flesh is gradually destroyed and exposes the bones, turning into a fetid grayish pulp.

The following external manifestations can be considered clear signs of the onset of rotting:

• Greening of the corpse (formation of sulfhemoglobin in the ileal region from hydrogen sulfide and hemoglobin).
• Putrefactive vascular network (blood that does not leave the veins rots, and hemoglobin forms iron sulfide).
• Cadaveric emphysema (the pressure of the gas produced during putrefaction swells the corpse. It can invert the pregnant uterus).
• Glowing of a corpse in the dark (production of hydrogen phosphide, occurs in rare cases).

Smoldering

A corpse decomposes most quickly in the first six months after burial. However, instead of rotting, smoldering may begin - in cases where there is not enough moisture and too much oxygen for the former. But sometimes decay can begin even after partial rotting of the corpse.

For it to occur, it is necessary that enough oxygen enters the body and not a lot of moisture enters. With it, the production of corpse gas stops. The release of carbon dioxide begins.

Another way is mummification or saponification

In some cases, rotting and decay do not occur. This may occur due to the processing of the body, its condition, or an environment unfavorable for these processes. What happens to the dead person in the coffin in this case? As a rule, there are two options left: the corpse is either mummified - it dries out so much that it cannot decompose normally, or it is saponified - a fat wax is formed.

Mummification occurs naturally when a corpse is buried in very dry soil. The body is well mummified when there was severe dehydration during life, which was aggravated by cadaveric desiccation after death.

In addition, there is artificial mummification through embalming or other chemical treatment, which can stop decomposition.

Fat wax is the opposite of mummification. It is formed in a very humid environment, when the corpse does not have access to the oxygen necessary for rotting and decay. In this case, the body begins to saponify (otherwise called anaerobic bacterial hydrolysis). The main component of fat wax is ammonia soap. Everything turns into him subcutaneous fat, muscles, skin, mammary glands and brain. Everything else either does not change (bones, nails, hair) or rots.

Let's take courage and take a closer look at the details. This is all that will remain after you.

“It takes some work to straighten all this out,” says dissector Holly Williams, lifting John’s arm and carefully bending his fingers, elbow and hand. “Generally, the fresher the corpse, the easier it is for me to work with it.”

Williams speaks softly and carries himself with a positive and easy manner, contrary to the nature of his profession. She practically grew up in a family funeral home in the north of the US state of Texas, where she now works. She had seen dead bodies almost every day since childhood. She is now 28 years old and, by her estimate, has already worked with about a thousand corpses.

She collects the bodies of the recently deceased in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area and prepares them for burial.

“Most of the people we look for die in nursing homes,” says Williams. “But sometimes we come across victims of car accidents or shootings. It also happens that we are called to pick up the body of a person who died alone, lay there for several days or weeks and has already begun to decompose. In such cases, my work becomes very difficult."

By the time John was brought to the funeral home, he had been dead for about four hours. During his lifetime he was relatively healthy. He worked in the oil fields of Texas all his life and was therefore physically active and in good shape. He quit smoking decades ago and drank alcohol in moderation. But one cold January morning he suffered an acute heart attack at home (caused by some other, unknown reasons), he collapsed on the floor and died almost immediately. He was 57 years old.

Now John lies on Williams' metal table, his body wrapped in a white sheet, cold and hard. His skin is a purplish-gray hue, indicating that the early stages of decomposition have already begun.

Self-absorption

A dead body is actually not as dead as it seems - it is teeming with life. More and more scientists are inclined to view the rotting corpse as the cornerstone of a vast and complex ecosystem that emerges shortly after death, thriving and evolving through the process of decomposition.

Decomposition begins a few minutes after death - a process called autolysis, or self-absorption, starts. Soon after the heart stops beating, the cells become starved of oxygen, and as toxic byproducts of chemical reactions accumulate, the cells become acidic. Enzymes begin to absorb cell membranes and flow out when the cells are destroyed. This process usually begins in the enzyme-rich liver and the brain, which contains a lot of water. Gradually, all other tissues and organs also begin to disintegrate in a similar way. Damaged blood cells begin to leak from the destroyed vessels and, under the influence of gravity, move into capillaries and small veins, causing the skin to lose color.

Body temperature begins to decrease and eventually equalizes the ambient temperature. Then rigor mortis sets in - it begins with the muscles of the eyelids, jaw and neck and gradually reaches the torso and then the limbs. During life, muscle cells contract and relax as a result of the interaction of two filament proteins, actin and myosin, which move against each other. After death, cells lose their energy sources and filament proteins become frozen in one position. As a result, muscles stiffen and joints become blocked.

During these early postmortem stages, the cadaver's ecosystem consists primarily of bacteria that also inhabit the living human body. A huge number of bacteria live in our bodies; different nooks and crannies of the human body serve as a haven for specialized colonies of microbes. The most numerous of these colonies live in the intestines: trillions of bacteria are collected there - hundreds, if not thousands of different species.

The gut microcosm is one of the most popular areas of research in biology, associated with overall human health and a huge range of different diseases and conditions, from autism and depression to troublesome bowel syndrome and obesity. But we still know quite little about what these microscopic passengers do during our lifetimes. We know even less about what happens to them after our death.

Immune collapse

In August 2014, forensic expert Gulnaz Zhavan and colleagues from the University of Alabama in the American city of Montgomery published the first-ever study of the thanatomicrobiome - bacteria living in the human body after death. Scientists derived this name from the Greek word “thanatos”, death.

“Many of these samples come to us from criminal investigations,” says Zhavan. “When someone dies from suicide, homicide, drug overdose or car accident, I take samples of their tissue. Sometimes there are difficult ethical issues, because we need the consent of relatives."

Most of our internal organs do not contain microbes during life. However, soon after death, the immune system stops working, and nothing further prevents it from spreading freely throughout the body. This process usually begins in the intestines, at the border of the small and large intestines. The bacteria living there begin to absorb the intestines from the inside, and then the surrounding tissues, feeding chemical mixture, which flows from collapsing cells. These bacteria then invade the blood capillaries of the digestive system and lymph nodes, spreading first to the liver and spleen, and then to the heart and brain.

Zhavan and her colleagues took tissue samples from the liver, spleen, brain, heart and blood from 11 cadavers. This was done between 20 and 240 hours after death. To analyze and compare the bacterial composition of the samples, the researchers used two state-of-the-art DNA sequencing technologies in combination with bioinformatics.

Samples taken from different organs of the same corpse turned out to be very similar to each other, but they were very different from samples taken from the same organs in other dead bodies. This may be to some extent due to differences in the composition of the microbiomes (sets of microbes) of these bodies, but it may also be due to the time that has passed since death. An earlier study of decomposing mouse carcasses showed that the microbiome changes dramatically after death, but the process is consistent and measurable. Scientists were eventually able to determine the time of death to within three days within a nearly two-month period.

Unappetizing experiment

Zhavan's research suggests that a similar "microbial clock" appears to operate in the human body. Scientists have found that bacteria reach the liver approximately 20 hours after death, and it takes them at least 58 hours to reach all organs from which tissue samples were taken. Apparently, bacteria spread systematically in a dead body, and counting the time after which they enter a particular organ may be another new way to determine the exact moment of death.

“After death, the bacterial composition changes,” notes Zhavan. “The last places they get to are the heart, brain and reproductive organs.” In 2014, a group of scientists under her leadership received a $200,000 grant from the US National Science Foundation to conduct further research. “We will use next-generation genome sequencing and bioinformatics methods to find out which organ allows us to most accurately determine the time of death - we don’t know this yet,” says the researcher.

However, it is already clear that different sets of bacteria correspond to different stages of decomposition.

But what does the process of carrying out such research look like?

Below the city of Huntsville American state Texas in pine forest half a dozen corpses lie in various stages of decomposition. The two freshest ones, with their limbs spread to the sides, are laid out closer to the center of a small fenced enclosure. Much of their loose, blue-gray skin is still preserved, and ribs and the ends of their pelvic bones protrude from the slowly rotting flesh. A few meters away from them lies another corpse, which has essentially turned into a skeleton - its black, hardened skin stretches over its bones, as if it were dressed in a shiny latex suit from head to toe. Further still, beyond the remains scattered by the vultures, lies a third body, protected by a cage of wooden slats and wire. It is nearing the end of its post-mortem cycle and has already been partially mummified. There are several large brown mushrooms growing where his belly once was.

Natural decay

For most people, the sight of a rotting corpse is at least unpleasant, and more often than not, repulsive and frightening, as nightmare. But for the staff at the Southeast Texas Applied Forensics Science Laboratory, it's just business as usual. This institution opened in 2009, it is located on 100 hectares of forest owned by Sam Houston State University. In this forest, an area of ​​approximately three and a half hectares has been allocated for research. It is surrounded by a three-meter-high green metal fence with barbed wire running along the top, and inside it is divided into several smaller sections.

At the end of 2011, university employees Sybil Bucheli and Aaron Lynn and their colleagues left two fresh cadavers there to decompose in natural conditions.

When bacteria begin to spread from the digestive tract, triggering the process of self-absorption of the body, putrefaction begins. This is death at the molecular level: further decay of soft tissues, their transformation into gases, liquids and salts. It occurs in the early stages of decomposition, but gains full momentum when anaerobic bacteria come into play.

Putrefactive decomposition is the stage at which the baton is passed from aerobic bacteria (which require oxygen to grow) to anaerobic bacteria - that is, those that do not need oxygen.

During this process, the body becomes even more discolored. Damaged blood cells continue to leak from the disintegrating vessels, and anaerobic bacteria convert hemoglobin molecules (which carry oxygen throughout the body) into sulfhemoglobin. The presence of its molecules in stagnant blood gives the skin a marbled, greenish-black appearance, characteristic of a corpse in the stage of active decay.

Special habitat

As the pressure of gases in the body increases, abscesses appear across the entire surface of the skin, after which large areas of the skin separate and sag, barely holding on to the disintegrating base. Eventually the gases and liquefied tissues leave the corpse, usually exiting and leaking from the anus and other openings of the body, and often through torn skin on other parts of the body. Sometimes the gas pressure is so high that the abdominal cavity bursts.

Cadaveric distension is generally considered to be a sign of the transition from early to late stages of decomposition. Another recent study found that this transition is characterized by marked changes in the composition of cadaveric bacteria.

Bucheli and Lynn took samples of bacteria from different parts of the body at the beginning and end of the bloat stage. Then they extracted the microbial DNA and sequenced it.

Bucheli is an entomologist, so her primary interest is the insects that inhabit a corpse. She considers the dead body as a special habitat for various types of necrophagous (corpse-eating) insects, and for some of them the entire life cycle takes place inside, on, and near the corpse.

When liquids and gases begin to leave a decomposing organism, it becomes completely exposed to the environment. At this stage, the ecosystem of the corpse begins to manifest itself especially violently: it turns into the epicenter of the life of microbes, insects and scavengers.

Larval stage

Two types of insects are closely associated with decomposition: carrion flies and gray blowflies, as well as their larvae. The corpses emit an unpleasant, sickly-sweet odor caused by a complex cocktail of volatile compounds, the composition of which constantly changes as they decompose. Carrion flies sense this smell using receptors located on their antennae, land on the body and lay eggs in holes in the skin and in open wounds.

Each female fly lays about 250 eggs, from which small larvae hatch within a day. They feed on rotting meat and molt into larger larvae, which continue to eat and molt again after a few hours. After feeding for some more time, these now large larvae crawl away from the body, after which they pupate and eventually transform into adult flies. The cycle repeats until the larvae have no more food left.

Under favorable conditions, the actively decaying organism serves as a haven for a large number of third-stage fly larvae. Their body mass produces a lot of heat, causing their internal temperature to rise by more than 10 degrees. Like flocks of penguins in the area South Pole, the larvae in this mass are in constant motion. But if penguins resort to this method to keep warm, then the larvae, on the contrary, tend to cool down.

“It’s a double-edged sword,” explains Bucheli, sitting in his university office, surrounded by large toy insects and cute monster dolls. “If they are on the periphery of this mass, they risk becoming food for birds, and if they remain all the time in center - they can simply cook. Therefore, they constantly move from the center to the edges and back."

Flies attract predators - beetles, mites, ants, wasps and spiders - which feed on fly eggs and larvae. Vultures and other scavengers, as well as other large meat-eating animals, may also come to feast.

Unique composition

However, in the absence of scavengers, fly larvae are engaged in the absorption of soft tissues. In 1767, Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus (who developed a unified system for classifying flora and fauna) noted that “three flies can devour the carcass of a horse with the same speed as a lion.” The third stage larvae crawl away from the corpse en masse, often along the same trajectories. Their activity is so high that after decomposition is complete, their migration routes can be observed as deep furrows on the soil surface, diverging into different sides from a corpse.

Each species of living creature visiting a dead body has its own unique set of digestive microbes, and different types of soil support different colonies of bacteria - their exact composition appears to be determined by factors such as temperature, humidity, soil type and structure.

All these microbes mix with each other in the corpse ecosystem. Arriving flies not only lay eggs, but also bring their own bacteria with them and carry away those of others. The liquefied tissues flowing outwards allow bacterial exchange between the dead organism and the soil on which it lies.

When Bucheley and Lynn take samples of bacteria from dead bodies, they find microbes that originally lived on the skin, as well as others brought in by flies and scavengers, and from the soil. “As fluids and gases leave the body, so do the bacteria that lived in the intestines - more and more of them begin to be found in the surrounding soil,” explains Lynn.

Thus, each cadaver appears to have unique microbiological characteristics that may change over time to suit the conditions of its particular location. By understanding the composition of these bacterial colonies, the relationships between them, and how they affect each other during the decomposition process, forensic scientists may someday be able to obtain much more information about where, when and how the person under study died.

Mosaic elements

For example, identifying DNA sequences in a corpse that are characteristic of certain organisms or soil types can help forensic scientists link a murder victim to a specific geographic location or even narrow the search for evidence even further - down to a specific field in an area.

"There have been several trials where forensic entomology has come into its own and provided the missing pieces of the puzzle," says Bucheli. She believes that bacteria can provide additional information and serve as a new tool for determining the time of death. “I hope that in about five years we will be able to use bacteriological data in court,” she says.

To this end, scientists are carefully cataloging the types of bacteria that live on and off the human body and studying how the composition of the microbiome varies from person to person. “It would be great to have a data set from birth to death,” says Bucheli. “I would like to meet a donor who would allow me to take bacterial samples during life, after death and during decomposition.”

"We're studying the fluid that comes out of decomposing bodies," says Daniel Wescott, director of the Center for Criminal Anthropology at the University of Texas at San Marcos.

Wescott's area of ​​interest is the study of the structure of the skull. Using computed tomography, he analyzes the microscopic structures of the bones of corpses. He is working with entomologists and microbiologists, including Javan (who is in turn examining soil samples taken from the San Marcos experimental site where corpses lie), computer engineers and a drone operator - his It helps take aerial photographs of the area.

"I read an article about drones being used to study agricultural lands - in order to understand which of them are the most fertile. Their cameras work in the near-infrared range, in which it is clear that soils rich in organic compounds have more dark color than others. I thought that since such technology exists, perhaps it could be useful for us too - to look for these small brown spots," he says.

Rich soil

The “brown spots” that the scientist talks about are areas where corpses decomposed. A rotting body changes significantly chemical composition the soil on which it lies, and these changes may be noticeable over the next few years. Pouring liquefied tissues from dead remains enriches the soil nutrients, and the migration of larvae transfers a significant part of the body’s energy to its environment.

Over time, as a result of this entire process, a “decomposition island” appears - an area with a high concentration of soil rich in organic matter. In addition to the nutritional compounds released into the ecosystem from the cadaver, there are also dead insects, scavenger dung, and so on.

According to some estimates, the human body is 50-75% water, and every kilogram of dry body mass, when decomposed, releases environment 32 grams of nitrogen, 10 grams of phosphorus, four grams of potassium and one gram of magnesium. This initially kills the vegetation below and around it - perhaps due to nitrogen toxicity or due to antibiotics contained in the body, which are released into the soil by insect larvae that eat the corpse. However, decomposition ultimately benefits the local ecosystem.

The biomass of microbes on the island of decomposition of a corpse is significantly higher than in the surrounding area. Roundworms, attracted by the released nutrients, begin to reproduce in this area, and its flora also becomes richer. Further research into exactly how rotting cadavers change the ecology around them may help better locate murder victims whose bodies were buried in shallow graves.

Another possible clue to establishing exact date death can be determined by soil analysis from the grave. A 2008 study of biochemical changes occurring at the decomposition island of a corpse found that phospholipid concentrations in body fluids peaked approximately 40 days after death, and nitrogen and extractable phosphorus peaked at 72 and 100 days, respectively. As we study these processes in more detail, we may be able in the future to determine exactly when the body was placed in a hidden grave by analyzing the biochemistry of the soil from the burial.