Welcome to the Body Farm | National Geographic

imagine that a partly decomposed body is

imagine that a partly decomposed body is found lying in the woods was the person

found lying in the woods was the person

found lying in the woods was the person murdered and how long have they been

murdered and how long have they been

murdered and how long have they been dead to find out investigators come here

dead to find out investigators come here

dead to find out investigators come here a place known as the body farm

this two acre compound at the University

this two acre compound at the University of Tennessee is devoted to studying what

of Tennessee is devoted to studying what

of Tennessee is devoted to studying what happens to the body after death the

happens to the body after death the

happens to the body after death the scene isn’t for the squeamish on any

scene isn’t for the squeamish on any

scene isn’t for the squeamish on any given day the ground is strewn with some

given day the ground is strewn with some

given day the ground is strewn with some 50 corpses for the scientists who work

50 corpses for the scientists who work

50 corpses for the scientists who work here it’s an open-air laboratory of

here it’s an open-air laboratory of

here it’s an open-air laboratory of decay what is unique about the facility

decay what is unique about the facility

decay what is unique about the facility is that we can look at this process of

is that we can look at this process of

is that we can look at this process of decomposition day 1 day 2 day 18 and day

decomposition day 1 day 2 day 18 and day

decomposition day 1 day 2 day 18 and day 37 and day 156 dr. Murray Marx is a

37 and day 156 dr. Murray Marx is a

37 and day 156 dr. Murray Marx is a forensic anthropologist once

forensic anthropologist once

forensic anthropologist once decomposition sets in a normal autopsy

decomposition sets in a normal autopsy

decomposition sets in a normal autopsy cannot be done and so the pathologist

cannot be done and so the pathologist

cannot be done and so the pathologist turns to the anthropologist to come up

turns to the anthropologist to come up

turns to the anthropologist to come up with some information to provide that

with some information to provide that

with some information to provide that information dr. Marx is compiling an

information dr. Marx is compiling an

information dr. Marx is compiling an unusual and for some stomach-churning

unusual and for some stomach-churning

unusual and for some stomach-churning reference work an atlas for law

reference work an atlas for law

reference work an atlas for law enforcement that will display bodies in

enforcement that will display bodies in

enforcement that will display bodies in every state of decay what happens is you

every state of decay what happens is you

every state of decay what happens is you pull out the atlas and you compare your

pull out the atlas and you compare your

pull out the atlas and you compare your body that’s decomposed to this it’s a

body that’s decomposed to this it’s a

body that’s decomposed to this it’s a standard it will provide I think a gold

standard it will provide I think a gold

standard it will provide I think a gold standard for the process of

standard for the process of

standard for the process of decomposition

the work at the body farm is important

the work at the body farm is important to solving crimes but it’s also gruesome

to solving crimes but it’s also gruesome

to solving crimes but it’s also gruesome this corpse has been outside for two

this corpse has been outside for two

this corpse has been outside for two weeks and it’s giving off a powerful

weeks and it’s giving off a powerful

weeks and it’s giving off a powerful stench it’s not like garbage it’s not

stench it’s not like garbage it’s not

stench it’s not like garbage it’s not even like a dead animal it’s not like a

even like a dead animal it’s not like a

even like a dead animal it’s not like a mouse that’s behind your wall that dies

mouse that’s behind your wall that dies

mouse that’s behind your wall that dies I mean it’s a it’s a pungent sweet smell

I mean it’s a it’s a pungent sweet smell

I mean it’s a it’s a pungent sweet smell you never forget it

you never forget it

you never forget it the researchers focus on details that

the researchers focus on details that

the researchers focus on details that would revolt most people such as

would revolt most people such as

would revolt most people such as blackened skin an important clue in

blackened skin an important clue in

blackened skin an important clue in establishing time of death the darker

establishing time of death the darker

establishing time of death the darker the flesh the longer the body’s been

the flesh the longer the body’s been

the flesh the longer the body’s been dead you can see the head is darker that

dead you can see the head is darker that

dead you can see the head is darker that arm is a little bit darker so I’m trying

arm is a little bit darker so I’m trying

arm is a little bit darker so I’m trying to show all the variation throughout the

to show all the variation throughout the

to show all the variation throughout the body few people want to think about what

body few people want to think about what

body few people want to think about what flies and maggots do to a body much less

flies and maggots do to a body much less

flies and maggots do to a body much less study it but dr. marks knows these

study it but dr. marks knows these

study it but dr. marks knows these scavengers are as regular as clockwork

scavengers are as regular as clockwork

scavengers are as regular as clockwork the first flies will arrive within half

the first flies will arrive within half

the first flies will arrive within half an hour of death and invade the body

an hour of death and invade the body

an hour of death and invade the body what they look for are the orifices the

what they look for are the orifices the

what they look for are the orifices the nose the mouth ears the ground body

nose the mouth ears the ground body

nose the mouth ears the ground body interface where it’s gonna be shaded

interface where it’s gonna be shaded

interface where it’s gonna be shaded inside the body the flies lay eggs and

inside the body the flies lay eggs and

inside the body the flies lay eggs and 24 hours later the eggs produce the

24 hours later the eggs produce the

24 hours later the eggs produce the slithering flesh-eating insects

slithering flesh-eating insects

slithering flesh-eating insects maggots they’re an important clue for

maggots they’re an important clue for

maggots they’re an important clue for dr. Marx when the maggots reach 15

dr. Marx when the maggots reach 15

dr. Marx when the maggots reach 15 millimeters in length they’ve been fed

millimeters in length they’ve been fed

millimeters in length they’ve been fed for about one week the better I am

for about one week the better I am

for about one week the better I am sitting over on that hill watching these

sitting over on that hill watching these

sitting over on that hill watching these processes the better the crime-scene

processes the better the crime-scene

processes the better the crime-scene investigator is going to be and the more

investigator is going to be and the more

investigator is going to be and the more evidence they’ll have to give as far as

evidence they’ll have to give as far as

evidence they’ll have to give as far as finding suspects and I’m fortunate to be

finding suspects and I’m fortunate to be

finding suspects and I’m fortunate to be able to be a part of that it’s not nasty

able to be a part of that it’s not nasty

able to be a part of that it’s not nasty and it’s not gross or awful to do I mean

and it’s not gross or awful to do I mean

and it’s not gross or awful to do I mean it’s a job that has to be done