A body farm is a research facility where decomposition of humans and animals can be studied in a variety of settings. The initial facility was conceived by anthropologist William M. Bass in 1981 at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee , where Bass was interested in studying the decomposition of a human corpse from the time of death to the time of decay. The aim was to gain a better understanding of the decomposition process, permitting the development of techniques for extracting information such as the timing and circumstances of death from human remains. Body farm research is of particular interest in forensic anthropology and related disciplines, and has applications in the fields of law enforcement and forensic science . Numerous purposes exist for these research facilities, yet their main purpose is to study and form an understanding of the decompositional changes that occur with the human body . By placing the bodies outside to face the elements, researchers are able to get a better understanding of the decomposition process. This research is then used for medical, legal and educational purposes. Following the outdoor research, skeletal remains are cleaned and curated in permanent known skeletal collections open for research. Such collections are critical for testing and developing new identification methods.
67-497: Not to be confused with Putrefaction . [REDACTED] Look up purification in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Purification is the process of rendering something pure, i.e. clean of foreign elements and/or pollution, and may refer to: Religion [ edit ] Ritual purification , the religious activity to remove uncleanliness Purification after death Purification of
134-457: A medical examiner . 60% of donations are made by family members of individuals who were not pre-registered with the facility. Over 1300 people have chosen to pre-register themselves. Perhaps the most famous person to donate his body for study was the anthropologist Grover Krantz , as described by his colleague David Hunt at the Smithsonian. The University of Tennessee Body Farm is also used in
201-581: A 0.080-acre (324 m ) plot of land in the Blue Ridge Physiographic Province . The facility has also been used for cadaver dog training. A Forensic Anthropology Research Facility was commissioned by the Texas State University-San Marcos Department of Anthropology and is under the direction of Dr. Michelle Hamilton, a former student of Dr. Bill Bass. The forensic research facility is fully operational and
268-564: A body lying in air is usually a greenish discoloration of the skin over the region of the cecum , which appears in 12–24 hours. The first internal sign is usually a greenish discoloration on the undersurface of the liver. Various factors affect the rate of putrefaction. Environmental temperature: Decomposition is accelerated by high atmospheric or environmental temperature, with putrefaction speed optimized between 21 °C (70 °F) and 38 °C (100 °F), further sped along by high levels of humidity. This optimal temperature assists in
335-480: A direct impact on law enforcement and forensic investigations throughout the state of Texas, and beyond. The Forensic Anthropology Center at Texas State accepts body donations for scientific research purposes under the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act . To date they have received 150 bodies, with up to 200 more donations planned. The areas of research conducted with donated bodies will include reconstructing
402-563: A facility in Las Vegas was proposed in 2003 but was unable to secure funding. The original body farm is the University of Tennessee Anthropological Research Facility located a few miles from downtown on Alcoa Highway in Knoxville, Tennessee , behind the University of Tennessee Medical Center . It was first started in late 1980 by forensic anthropologist Dr. William M. Bass as a facility for
469-609: A family member, the legal next-of-kin, to donate human remains. Unknown/unclaimed bodies have been accepted for donation in the USA although some consider this as unethical. The body farms will reject a donation if the person had been infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis, or antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The body farms have contributed a great deal to the field of forensic anthropology. However, when such facilities first opened, local communities sometimes resisted, arguing these facilities are disturbing. Many have made
536-470: A greenish discoloration on the outside of the skin, on the abdominal wall corresponding to where the large intestine begins, as well as under the surface of the liver. Certain substances, such as carbolic acid , arsenic , strychnine , and zinc chloride , can be used to delay the process of putrefaction in various ways based on their chemical make up. In thermodynamic terms, all organic tissues are composed of chemical energy, which, when not maintained by
603-467: A guideline to help pinpoint potential time of death and cause of death. The questions Bass asks pertain to such decomposition traits as was the body in the shade or sunlight; was there water involved; or even the different stages associated with death and dying which can help paint part of the forensic picture." Each stage of death is analyzed independently at the Body Farms to get a better understanding of
670-514: A hot and dry environment, the body can undergo a process called mummification where the body is completely dehydrated and bacterial decay is inhibited. Clothing: Loose-fitting clothing can speed up the rate of putrefaction, as it helps to retain body heat. Tight-fitting clothing can delay the process by cutting off blood supply to tissues and eliminating nutrients for bacteria to feed on. Manner of burial: Speedy burial can slow putrefaction. Bodies within deep graves tend to decompose more slowly due to
737-528: A larger and more ecologically diverse location outside of Gainesville in Alachua County . It accepts human bodies through the USF Human Donation Program for use in training students and law enforcement on finding clandestine burials, grave excavation, and outdoor crime scene processing, as well as advanced training for mass grave excavation in human rights investigations. The outdoor facility and
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#1732848181042804-515: A razor wire fence. At any one time there will be a number of bodies placed in different settings throughout the facility and left to decompose. The bodies are exposed in a number of ways in order to provide insights into decomposition under varying conditions. Some of the conditions students studied were situations such as a body being locked in the trunk of a car, or being submerged under water, which provided some factual and data driven knowledge to help in many forensic cases. Observations and records of
871-420: Is biochemically subject to putrefaction. In the matter of death by poisoning, the putrefaction of the body is chemically delayed by poisons such as antimony , arsenic , carbolic acid (phenol), nux vomica (plant), strychnine (pesticide), and zinc chloride . The rough timeline of events during the putrefaction stage is as follows: Order of organs' decomposition in the body: The rate of putrefaction
938-470: Is 67 °F (19 °C). The Huntsville, TX area's mean annual temperature is 75 °F (23 °C). This difference in temperature from other facilities produces different decomposition results. The Complex for Forensic Anthropology Research (CFAR) was opened at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale in October 2010 by Gretchen R. Dabbs and D. C. Martin to examine the rate and pattern of decomposition in
1005-440: Is a state-of-the-art research and training facility designed to advance academic and technical knowledge in the application of forensic science disciplines to crime scenes and criminal activities. The facility's predominant focus of study is the application of forensic sciences to the human body and the vast amount of evidence that can be gleaned from the careful recognition, collection, and preservation of that evidence. The facility
1072-423: Is a working ranch that also serves as an educational model for ranch management. It is an area of land for educational outreach and research. Researchers and students visit the ranch and participate in educational activities and projects. Researchers and students are allowed to conduct experiments and studies at the ranch, including forensic anthropology. The Southeast Texas Applied Forensic Science Facility (STAFS)
1139-403: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Putrefaction Putrefaction is the fifth stage of death , following pallor mortis , livor mortis , algor mortis , and rigor mortis . This process references the breaking down of a body of an animal post-mortem . In broad terms, it can be viewed as the decomposition of proteins , and
1206-460: Is different from that in the US and bodies decay differently in differing environments and weather and with different flora and fauna that contribute to decomposition. Procedures vary from country to country. Canadian forensic anthropology facilities can access a body when a person has decided to donate their own body and signed a form to ensure their wishes are carried out after the death. Others may allow
1273-603: Is greatest during early stages of decomposition, whereas post-mortem movement of legs occurs more during advanced decomposition. In 2018 the "Secure Site for Research in Thanatology" was established by Shari Forbes at Bécancour , Quebec as part of the University of Quebec in Trois-Rivières . It has since been renamed Site de Recherche en Sciences Thanatologiques [Expérimentales et Sociales] (REST[ES]), or Site for Research on Experimental and Social Thanatology . The facility
1340-404: Is greatest in air, followed by water, soil, and earth. The exact rate of putrefaction is dependent upon many factors such as weather, exposure and location. Thus, refrigeration at a morgue or funeral home can retard the process, allowing for burial in three days or so following death without embalming . The rate increases dramatically in tropical climates. The first external sign of putrefaction in
1407-678: Is part of Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction , under the direction of Dr. Melissa Connor. Its location is at a high altitude (4,750 feet (1,450 m) AMSL ) and receives an average of 8.6 inches (22 cm) of rain a year, allowing for the study of decomposition in an arid environment. FIRS has both an indoor research facility, which contains a classroom, wet lab/morgue, walk-in cooler, intake area, office, and secure storage areas, and an outdoor research facility, which consists of approximately two acres of fenced area with outdoor cameras used both for security and research. The first pig
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#17328481810421474-620: Is part of the Florida Institute for Forensic Anthropology and Applied Science (IFAAS) at the University of South Florida in Tampa. The FORT was created by Erin H. Kimmerle , Executive Director of the Institute of Forensic Anthropology & Applied Science (IFAAS) in 2016. This facility began as a 3.4-acre (14,000 m ) outdoor research laboratory in Pasco County, Florida and has since moved to
1541-478: Is part of the Forensic Anthropology Center at Texas State (FACTS). The forensic facility has received a financial donation of over $ 100,000 from a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Texas State University, and has started construction of an adjoining million dollar lab to augment the facility. The development of this facility has been possible through the efforts of Dr. Jerry Melbye, D-ABFA. Prior to
1608-519: Is recognized by the Anatomical Board of Texas as a willed-body donor facility, and accepts human body donations for the purposes of scientific research. The facility trains students, law enforcement officials, academicians and forensic specialists. The facility is located within the Center for Biological Field Studies at Sam Houston State University , a 247-acre (100 ha) parcel of land adjacent to
1675-559: Is the first body farm located outside of the United States In the United Kingdom there are several facilities which, instead of using human remains or cadavers, use dead pigs to study the decomposition process. Pigs are less likely to have infectious diseases than human cadavers, and are more readily available without any concern for ethical issues, but a human body farm is still highly sought after for further research. Each body farm
1742-463: Is the first of its kind to study the rate of natural human decomposition in the context of the colder, humid continental northern climate of Canada . Several universities in Britain have used animal remains to understand human taphonomy but there are currently no facilities that use human remains. Pigs are commonly studied but they are only useful in this field to a certain extent since they don't carry
1809-509: Is the largest at 26 acres (10.52 hectares). Similar facilities are also operational in Australia and Canada. In the United Kingdom, research has focused on non-human remains, mainly pigs due to their similarity to humans. There are eight decomposition research facilities in the United States, all located at universities (see below). These research facilities have been deemed "body farms" due to
1876-404: Is unique in its environmental make-up, giving researchers a broader knowledge, and allowing research into how different environmental factors can affect the rate of decomposition significantly such as humidity, sun exposure, rain or snow, altitude level and more. In alchemy , putrefaction is the same as fermentation , whereby a substance is allowed to rot or decompose undisturbed. In some cases,
1943-479: The Sam Houston National Forest . One acre of maximum security fencing surrounds the outdoor research facility with an additional 8 acres (32,000 m ) of minimum security reserved for other types of forensic training such as search and recovery maneuvers. Contained within the outdoor facility are a variety of various environmental conditions, including a fluvial environment. Web cams are located within
2010-411: The blood alcohol content (BAC) in autopsies, particularly in bodies recovered from water. Generally, the term decomposition encompasses the biochemical processes that occur from the physical death of the person (or animal) until the skeletonization of the body. Putrefaction is one of seven stages of decomposition ; as such, the term putrescible identifies all organic matter (animal and human) that
2077-429: The constant biochemical maintenance of the living organism, begin to chemically break down due to the reaction with water into amino acids , known as hydrolysis . The breakdown of the proteins of a decomposing body is a spontaneous process . Protein hydrolysis is accelerated as the anaerobic bacteria of the digestive tract consume, digest, and excrete the cellular proteins of the body. The bacterial digestion of
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2144-754: The Virgin , a Christian liturgical feast Purification Rundown , in Scientology Other uses [ edit ] Purification (album) , a 2002 Crimson Thorn album Purification of quantum state in quantum mechanics, especially quantum information Purification theorem in game theory and economics, a Nash equilibrium consisting of randomly mixed strategies Water purification Organisms used in water purification List of purification methods in chemistry See also [ edit ] Purificación (disambiguation) Purify (disambiguation) Purified (disambiguation) Topics referred to by
2211-403: The adjacent tissues, and then into the circulatory system . Once in the blood vessels, the putrid gases infiltrate and diffuse to other parts of the body and the limbs. The visual result of gaseous tissue-infiltration is notable bloating of the torso and limbs. The increased internal pressure of the continually rising volume of gas further stresses, weakens, and separates the tissues constraining
2278-458: The argument that the decomposing corpses will attract insects and scavenging animals. After the opening of the University of Tennessee's Body Farm, there were a number of complaints about the odor that was coming from the farm. Also, many people even claimed that they could see the decomposing bodies from their homes. The university fixed this problem by installing a privacy fence. In Tennessee, after
2345-412: The body can delay the process of putrefaction. They include: Embalming is the process of preserving human remains by delaying decomposition. This is acquired through the use of embalming fluid, which is a mixture of formaldehyde, methanol, and various other solvents. The most common reasons to preserve the body are for viewing purposes at a funeral, for above-ground interment or distant transportation of
2412-552: The body, and the body's impact on the environment at the Tennessee Body Farm as recently as 2015. Focusing on the impact and importance of the microbe environments inside the human body and in the soil as different enzymes leach out during decomposition, DeBruyn and her team have helped narrow down two potential bacterial organisms Bacteroides and Lactobacillus which offer the potential for consistent cycles and rates during decomposition. DeBruyn hopes this area of research has
2479-735: The body: A body with a greater fat percentage and less lean body mass will have a faster rate of putrefaction, as fat retains more heat and it carries a larger amount of fluid in the tissues. Cause of death: The cause of death has a direct relationship to putrefaction speed, with bodies that died from acute violence or accident generally putrefying slower than those that died from infectious diseases. Certain poisons, such as potassium cyanide or strychnine , may also delay putrefaction, while chronic alcoholism and cocaine use will speed it. External injuries: Antemortem or postmortem injuries can speed putrefaction as injured areas can be more susceptible to invasion by bacteria. Certain poisonous substances to
2546-436: The cellular proteins weakens the tissues of the body. As the proteins are continuously broken down to smaller components, the bacteria excrete gases and organic compounds , such as the functional-group amines putrescine (from ornithine ) and cadaverine (from lysine ), which carry the noxious odor of rotten flesh. Initially, the gases of putrefaction are constrained within the body cavities, but eventually diffuse through
2613-419: The chemical breakdown of the tissue and promotes microorganism growth. Decomposition nearly stops below 0 °C (32 °F) or above 48 °C (118 °F). Moisture and air exposure: Putrefaction is ordinarily slowed by the body being submerged in water, due to diminished exposure to air. Air exposure and moisture can both contribute to the introduction and growth of microorganisms, speeding degradation. In
2680-462: The commencement of the process is facilitated with a small sample of the desired material to act as a "seed", a technique akin to the use of a seed crystal in crystallization . Body farm Eight such facilities exist across the United States, as far south as sub-tropical Florida (USF-FORT) and as far north as Marquette , Michigan , at Northern Michigan University . The research facility operated by Texas State University at Freeman Ranch
2747-428: The corpses. The Forensic Anthropology Research Facility (FARF) is a human decomposition research laboratory where questions related to outdoor crime scenes and decomposition rates for human remains under various topographical and climate conditions are investigated. The FARF serves as a resource for students of forensic anthropology as well as state and national law enforcement agencies. The work conducted here will have
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2814-706: The deceased, and for medical or religious practices. Body farms subject donated cadavers to various environmental conditions to study the process of human decomposition. These include The University of Tennessee's Forensic Anthropologic Facility, Western Carolina Universities Osteology Research Station (FOREST), Texas State University's Forensic Anthropology Research Facility (FARF), Sam Houston State University's Southeast Texas Applied Forensic Science Facility (STAFS), Southern Illinois University's Complex for Forensic Anthropology Research, and Colorado Mesa University's Forensic Investigation Research Station. The Australian Facility for Taphonomic Experimental Research, near Sydney ,
2881-418: The decomposition process are kept, including the sequence and speed of decomposition and the effects of insect activity. The human decomposition stages that are studied begin with the fresh stage, then the bloat stage, then decay, and finally the dry stage. Over 100 bodies are donated to the facility every year. Some individuals pre-register before their death, and others are donated by their families or by
2948-416: The decomposition process on the body. Medical practitioners determine which insects or what climate cause human bodies to decompose the quickest, or in which manner they decompose according to differences in temperature or type of insect. The information regarding decomposed bodies is found to be important to the scientific community even if that information is found not necessarily in the bodies themselves, but
3015-608: The diminished influences of changes in temperature. The composition of graves can also be a significant contributing factor, with dense, clay-like soil tending to speed putrefaction while dry and sandy soil slows it. Light exposure: Light can also contribute indirectly, as flies and insects prefer to lay eggs in areas of the body not exposed to light, such as the crevices formed by the eyelids and nostrils. Age at time of death: Stillborn fetuses and infants putrefy slowly due to their sterility. Otherwise, however, younger people generally putrefy more quickly than older people. Condition of
3082-619: The ethically sourced, curated skeletal collection is open to visiting scholars and researchers. The program began in 2016 and it is the first and only facility of its type in Florida, as well as in a subtropical environment. The Forensic Science Research and Training Lab is located at the campus in Prince William County. The five acre site interred the first body in a clandestine grave to assist in detecting unknown burials. The Australian Facility for Taphonomic Experimental Research (AFTER)
3149-427: The eventual breakdown of the cohesiveness between tissues, and the liquefaction of most organs. This is caused by the decomposition of organic matter by bacterial or fungal digestion, which causes the release of gases that infiltrate the body's tissues, and leads to the deterioration of the tissues and organs. The approximate time it takes putrefaction to occur is dependent on various factors. Internal factors that affect
3216-410: The gas. In the course of putrefaction, the skin tissues of the body eventually rupture and release the bacterial gas. As the anaerobic bacteria continue consuming, digesting, and excreting the tissue proteins, the body's decomposition progresses to the stage of skeletonization . This continued consumption also results in the production of ethanol by the bacteria, which can make it difficult to determine
3283-516: The nature of the decomposition research they perform. Rick Schwein, head of the FBI office in Asheville, North Carolina , finds use in the body farms, claiming the information from them can be used at many different levels and thus is valuable from a scientific perspective. There have been proposals to open body farms in other locations in the United States. Few of these have been successful as yet; for example,
3350-716: The opening of the first body farm, an organization called Solutions to Issues of Concern to Knoxvillians (SICK) protested the facility by holding up signs that read, "This makes us SICK." However, all of the facilities were able to open and quickly overcame concerns. Some citizens continue to oppose such facilities in their communities. Original plans to build the USF facility on Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office property in Lithia were cancelled in April 2015 over concerns from nearby residents about possible smells and groundwater contamination. The facility
3417-402: The outdoor facility to monitor timing of various post-mortem activities from on and off-campus computers. The building is designed as a morgue with cooler and freezer units, modern morgue equipment and tools and digital radiograph and microscope capabilities. The environment in southeast Texas is quite different from the environment of East Tennessee . East Tennessee's mean annual temperature
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#17328481810423484-594: The postmortem interval to determine time since death and related studies in human decomposition. The overall aim of this type of research is to assist law enforcement agents and the medico-legal community in their investigations. While practical restraints currently limit the Forensic Anthropology Research Facility to only around seven acres in the Texas Hill Country , Freeman Ranch has about 4,200 acres (17 km ) available. Freeman Ranch
3551-423: The potential to narrow down the possible window of death even more so in the face of variations from climate, water, variance in individual metabolic decomposition rates and potential scavengers. Medical practitioners ask a number of questions when observing decomposed or dead bodies. According to Bass, there are seven questions that are required to complete forensic investigations. "Bass lays out these questions as
3618-648: The rate and pattern of decomposition due to vulture scavenging. The first human donation was accepted at CFAR in January 2012. Researchers at CFAR attempt to mimic clandestine body disposal situations and understand how the process of decomposition is altered by those postmortem treatments and how the postmortem treatment can be identified after skeletonization. The faculty and staff of CFAR also participate in forensic anthropology consultations and provide training seminars for local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. The Forensic Investigation Research Station (FIRS)
3685-463: The rate of putrefaction include the age at which death has occurred, the overall structure and condition of the body, the cause of death, and external injuries arising before or after death. External factors include environmental temperature, moisture and air exposure, clothing, burial factors, and light exposure. Body farms are facilities that study the way various factors affect the putrefaction process. The first signs of putrefaction are signified by
3752-434: The research facility have provided a new area of study on the effect of vulture scavenging on human decomposition. A new body is brought to the facility every five or six months. The bodies typically come from Texas hospitals, funeral homes, or medical examiners' offices; from there, they are strapped to a gurney, loaded into cargo vans, and brought to the ranch, where researchers and student volunteers begin their research on
3819-421: The same illnesses or obtain the same injuries as humans that affect cause of death or how the body decomposes. Professor Sue Black has argued that human body farms are unnecessary as they frequently use old people's bodies which are not as representative of the average murder victim and animal bodies are just as good. The UK can use the research provided by the facilities in other parts of the world, their climate
3886-421: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Purification . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Purification&oldid=1140818201 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
3953-402: The selection of the location, objections by local residents and the nearby San Marcos Municipal Airport (owing to concerns about circling vultures) stalled the plan. But on February 12, 2008, Texas State University announced that its Freeman Ranch, off County Road 213 northwest of San Marcos, would be the site of the facility. The vultures that originally created problems for the location of
4020-426: The soil and plant life surrounding the bodies. Bryant "has found grave importance in the soil surrounding the decomposing bodies at the Body Farms. Pointing out that how the breakdown and leaching of human proteins and bacteria out into the soil can help pinpoint time of death and questions regarding the climate at the scene of death." Products of the decomposed body eventually seep into the soil leaving behind traces of
4087-452: The study of the decomposition of human remains. Bass became head of the university's anthropology department in 1971, and as official state forensic anthropologist for Tennessee he was frequently consulted in police cases involving decomposed human remains. Since no facilities existed that specifically studied decomposition, in 1981 he opened the department's first body farm. It consists of a 2.5-acre (10,000 m ) wooded plot, surrounded by
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#17328481810424154-480: The training of law enforcement officers in scene-of-crime skills and techniques. The Forensic Osteology Research Station (FOREST) is located at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, North Carolina , and is the second human decomposition research facility to open in the United States. It was opened in 2007, and is run by WCU's Forensic Anthropology program on a small plot on the rural mountain campus. It consists of
4221-445: The unique environment of Southern Illinois by working with pigs as human proxies. CFAR is an approximately 0.33 acres (0.13 ha) facility with the lowest average temperature, highest average wind speed, second lowest elevation, most acidic soil, and worst soil drainage compared to other facilities at the time of its founding. The geographic differences between CFAR and other established facilities have been proven to heavily influence
4288-526: Was opened in 2016 by Shari Forbes. It is located near Yarramundi in the outskirts of Sydney, Australia, on a patch of land owned by the University of Technology, Sydney , and it is the first body farm outside the United States. It was established as research has demonstrated that differing environmental conditions mean that the findings of body farm analysis in the United States are frequently not relevant to Australia. Research published from AFTER showed using time-lapse imagery that post-mortem movement of arms
4355-587: Was placed in the outdoor facility in September 2012, the indoor facility opened for classes in January 2013, and the first human donation was placed in November 2013. As of January 2018 , the facility had eleven human cadavers on site. Most remains desiccate quickly and current research focuses on the variation in the desiccation process and determining the post-mortem interval on mummified or desiccated remains. The USF Facility for Outdoor Research and Training (FORT)
4422-401: Was the climate during death, if water was involved during the decomposition process, and if clothing was on the body or not during decomposition. All questions and areas of focus which help narrow the window of possible death during investigative research on dead and decomposing bodies in trials. Jennifer DeBruyn , a microbial ecologist, has begun studying both the impact of the environment on
4489-550: Was ultimately opened in Pasco county. Since the start of the initial Body Farm in Tennessee, William Bass , a forensic anthropologist, has worked to help fill in various law enforcement officials on questions involving decomposition rates that help pin-point the time of death of victims during trials. Furthering this research at the Tennessee Body Farm, Bass and his team began to expand into other forensic investigative questions such as what
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