A gruesome question, I know, but I need to know for this story I'm writing. What would the corpses look like about almost a century later? Would they just rot at the same rate as normal corpses? Please, PLEASE don't be too descriptive...
2007-06-02 12:12:26 · 5 answers · asked by lolwat 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
Corpses decay as they are digested by bacteria. Even if a nuclear weapon killed all bacterial in an area (unlikely), it would be a matter of minutes before new bacteria blew in on the wind and started munching the corpse. I don't think you'd notice a difference in decay time, but there could be factors I have overlooked.
2007-06-02 12:18:44 · answer #1 · answered by lithiumdeuteride 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If the site remains radioactive, then all the bacteria will eventually be killed throughout the corpse. As the radiation levels fall and bacteria return, via wind etc, the corpse may have dried and mummified, or, if area is damp, mould may start to form. So, if you want a scenario where a corpse does not rot, make the area radioactive for several years and make it very dry.
2007-06-02 14:27:54 · answer #2 · answered by Labsci 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Assuming they are not destroyed by the bomb then they will rot the same as other dead bodies. Bacteria cause bodies to rot. A nuclear bomb would not kill all the bacteria in the body or local environment.
2007-06-02 12:20:46 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
in some cases the body would just get vaporised if they were in a certain distance from the blast. others would be badly burned and/or be diseased with radioactive poisoning. they would eventually die from cancer or infections . so no, they would rot at the same rate.
2007-06-02 12:18:04 · answer #4 · answered by Kai Guy 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Over time, they would be the same. nuclear radiation only affects the nervous cells. however, when a person is dead, their nervous cells also deteriorate. So, over 100 years, they would look the same
2007-06-02 12:16:28 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋