If there is one thing that concerns us all one day or the next, it is death. A subject so often ignored, obscured, the moment of death is nevertheless a multi-faceted medical fact.

The question seems simple, yet his answer is not. Indeed, apart from a total destruction of the body during an accident, how to know if an individual is really dead? Unfortunately, history shows the unfortunate people diagnosed too quickly as being “dead”: drowned who could have been rescued by modern techniques or even sleeping narcoleptics that are buried too quickly. How to define death?

Brain death

If it is impossible for a human being to survive without a body, yet it is possible to survive without a spirit. This is the concept of brain death, when the nerve functions of the brain are stopped, but the heart is still beating, aided by respiratory systems and blood. Therefore, does the “real death” take place when the patient is disconnected, or when his cerebral functions have stopped? Vast debate, at a time when the question of euthanasia still raises many controversies.

Death can have different causes:

• diseases;
• accident ;
• use of the body.

This will cause different processes, but for the sake of simplicity we are discussing here the case where death is caused by cardiac arrest. As a result of aging of the heart, disease, or bleeding, the heart can stop permanently. At this time, several processes are set in motion.

The brain and heart are no longer functioning

One stops, the other is deprived of blood supply. However, in recent years studies have shown that the instant of death, at least in the brain, is anything but a “clean cut”. Conversely, brain activity intensifies in the last moments, without scientists yet understanding exactly why. Then, suddenly, the neurons turn off, and the brain functions stop.

Cooling the body

Usually our body does everything possible to maintain a constant temperature, around 37 ° C. Once dead, the temperature will stabilize around the ambient temperature, over about one degree per hour (this may vary depending on the location and the temperature).

Corpse stiffness (rigor mortis)

Fans of investigative series are familiar with this term, which refers to rigor mortis. The process relies on the muscles, which will stiffen over time. Indeed, without water supply and activity, our body becomes acidic, which causes muscle fibers to contract.

Cell death: cadaveric lividity (livor mortis)

Without carbohydrate intake to maintain their energy, the body’s cells will gradually die too, so much so that our body is basically a cluster of small living bodies. This is what will cause the appearance of spots on the skin. This cadaveric lividity (livor mortis) is linked to the migration of hemoglobin by the effect of gravity. This is what can make the complexion look pale.

Release of liquids and gases

Undoubtedly not the most poetic image of death. Yes, when we pass away, all the fluids hitherto held by muscles and tendons are released. This involves the contents of the intestines, and cause ejections of fecal matter, or the bladder that releases the contained urine.

In rare cases in men, an erection can occur depending on the position at the time of death. Even more surprisingly, the release of the air contained in the lungs causes the creation of sounds: grunts, moans, quite natural but most certainly horrifying to anyone who hears them coming from a corpse.

The eyes become cloudy

One of the clichés about death in the movies, when the hero gently closes the eyes of the deceased. In reality, if the eyes are left open, the cornea quickly becomes cloudy, making the task more difficult.

Nervous movements

Another strangeness, cadaveric movements. They are due to the contraction and relaxation of certain muscles, which can cause some spasms, and some fright if you do not expect it.

The rotten smell

Nowadays, the deceased are taken to a funeral home where the bodies will be treated in order to be maintained artificially in a correct state. Without this treatment, the body will slowly break down, causing a foul odor to appear. It is caused by the release of a cocktail of organic molecules, such as putrescine and cadaverine.