4 Ways To Determine Time of Death In a Dead Person

Regardless of your desire to know this information, we're here to discuss the four primary indicators of time of death in a corpse. (Because you obviously can't determine the time of a person's death if they're still alive) I would like to point out that all of these indicators can only help you estimate the time of death, since many environmental factors can change the observed events. Hopefully, you won't come back with pitchforks and torches if you come across a dead person (as often as you do) and quickly induce the person's time of death, only to find out how wrong you were, based on what we've told you.

If you look closely enough, you can see the imminent, post-apocalyptic future. On the other hand, there are some neat skulls there. 

4. Livor Mortis

Livor Mortis is one of the first things you don't see on crime shows and movies, despite it being one of the first things that happen to a dead body. Livor mortis is the resultant color of a dead person's pooling blood at the work of gravity. What do I mean? Think of it this way, once you're dead, your heart stops beating. If your heart stops beating and your blood vessels stop moving, there is nothing to circulate your blood. Therefore, after you die, your blood simply flows down your once active blood vessels, into the lowest part of your body. (Regardless of body position.)

Livor mortis is clearly observed by a dark purpleish hue onto the skin in which the blood has flown and pooled. Depending on the time, this color can/will become permanently fixed onto the body in a matter of time. What this all means is that you can determine the position the person died, along with the the estimated time of death.

Don't worry, this is the most graphic picture in this article. (Even though I found hundreds of pictures of half-decomposing bodies everywhere, so you owe me one.)

After the first two to eight hours of death, lividity (pooling of blood in body) will be present on the body. However, it would be easily removed by pressing onto the afflicted area with a finger/any pressure. If the color disappears, the person probably died less than eight hours ago. If the color remains, the person must have died beyond the eight hour time frame.

Before you start jumping around like some type of leprechaun with your new-found knowledge, allow me to inform you about the factors that affect livor mortis. First off, the environmental temperature of the body can greatly influence how long it takes before lividity becomes permanent. If the temperature happened to be extremely cold at that time, livor mortis could be slowed down. (The opposite is true as well) Accessories and clothing such as tight belts and wristwatches could easily externally constrict blood passage as well, which can also slow down livor mortis.

Read more »

4 Ways The Cold Is On Your Side

The hot topic of the week is the drop in temperature. Unless you live under a highly ventilated, heated rock, you've probably noticed that you can't simply wear shorts and t-shirts nowadays. It's that time of the year to dust off the winter jackets and get ready to endure the upcoming cold weather. The thing is, some people find winter one of the worst things in the world, second to world poverty itself. Some people simply find winter as unbearably cold and would rather prefer the good ol' humid, warm temperature. The thing is, the cold winter nights aren't as bad as they're cranked up to be.

"I'm back!"

4. Weight Loss

Doesn't everybody want to lose weight and look handsome? While we can't change your handsomeness-level, we can trim some of the fat on the side. Winter can offer one of the most sought after wishes of every self-conscious, un-secure teen/adult, passive weight loss. Almost all magic "diet pills" use the same cliche to losing weight in exchange of absolutely no work on your behalf. But hold on, instead of expensive pills that "celebrities use", why not simply endure winter?

You can easily burn calories from simply sitting at your desk, freezing your finger tips and ears off. How? By simply sitting around freezing, your body is constantly trying to generate enough heat to make sure you don't die of frostbite. Your body doesn't simply rub two sticks together and achieve 98 degrees worth of temperature. It takes fuel to make that heat, and that fuel is your body fat.

More like 98 degrees of chocolaty goodness!

Read more »