What is needed in this area to be used sucessfully?

The establishment of biological clocks is crucial.
To be successfull in this area it is necessary to:

• study the insects that colonize the corpse in their various states of development (eggs, larvae, pupae and adults);
• study what is the pattern of succession, or at what stage of decomposition different species appear in the body;
• Learn how long these insects remain in the corpse;
• Know which are the dominant species in each season of the year (also monitoring their life cycle).

In the study of this science are generally used large animals such as piglets, as this species is more similar to humans, in the pattern of decomposition. To answer the question: "occurance of death" the experts have to assess the evolution of cadaverous stiffness, cooling of the body, deposits of organic matter from the body and evolution of the stages of decomposition of cadaverous fauna. With the aid of this area, the calculation of the value of the IPM (post mortem interval)is easier because, the larger the interval, the more secure is the estimate, unlike the other methods. Thus, all the facts mentioned above are essential to determine the IPM.

Below is a video, of the decomposition of a piglet. We advise people who are more sensitive not to watch the following movie:





Video Sources: National Geographic Magazine - September 2007 "The Science of crime"

Written by: Ana Esteves

Translated by: Teresa Felgueiras