在我們的生活中，死亡是我們所有人必定會遇到的事情，無論是家庭成員還是寵物，甚至是你都將有終結之時。事實上，每分鐘世界上大約就有100人死亡。但在人死之時到底會發生什么呢？

No matter how differently cultures celebrate and mourn their dead, one thing is absolute: the body dies in exactly the same way.
其實不論不同文化悼念死者的方式有多大差異，至少有一點是相通的：人們的尸體會以同樣的方式腐敗消逝。

The people over at Asap Science decided to break it down for you.
Asap Science頻道（Youtube上有關趣味科學的熱門頻道）將為你揭曉這一切。

Death, it seems, is rather a complicated affair this is what your body goes during and after.
死亡看起來確實是很復雜的一個過程。我們一起來看看尸體將經歷怎樣的變化。

1.The last bit of oxygen in your body is used up, and brain activity surges briefly as neurons stop working and the brain stops secreting hormones that regulate body function.
1.當你消耗完體內最后一縷氧氣后，神經細胞會停止活動，大腦也停止分泌調控身體機能的激素，但此時的大腦活動卻在短時間內激增。

The last of the energy stores (ATP) is used up and the sphincter relaxes, causing the body to release urine and excrement.
儲能物質（三磷酸腺苷）消耗盡后，括約肌會放松，之后大小便排出體內。

2. Between 15 and 25 minutes after death, the lack of blood flow to capillaries causes the skin to go pale.
2.死后15到20分鐘內，由于毛細血管內缺少流動的血液，皮膚會開始發白。

The heart is no longer beating, so blood is not being propelled around the body.
心臟停止跳動，血液也停止在體內循環。

As a result, the blood pools in the lower parts of the body.
結果，血液會聚集在尸體的下部。

3. After 12 hours, the skin will have reached maximum discoloration (or a reddish purple colour).
3.12小時后，皮膚會完成最大程度的褪色（或變成紫紅色）。

Calcium leaks into muscle cells, binding to proteins which are in charge of muscle contraction.
鈣會滲入肌肉細胞中和控制肌肉收縮的蛋白質結合。

The stiffness referred to as rigor mortis sets in three to six hours after death, and lasts for between 24 and 48 hours.
尸僵會出現在死后3到6小時內，并將持續24到48小時。

4. Dead cells and carbon dioxide causes the PH level of your skin tissue to rise.
4.死亡細胞和二氧化碳會使你皮膚組織的PH值（酸堿度）升高。

This makes the cell membrane weak and it bursts, releasing proteins and enzymes which further break down the surrounding tissue.
然后細胞膜會變薄并破裂，釋放蛋白質和酶，這兩種物質能進一步分解周圍組織。

This is the process of decomposition.
這就是分解過程。

5. Micro-organisms start to break down your body.
5.微生物開始分解尸體。

Bacteria in the gastro-intestinal tract eats through the abdominal organs.
胃腸道內的細菌蝕穿腹部器官。

This is called putrefaction, and it causes the smell of death associated with a dead body.
這個過程我們將其稱為腐爛，此后尸體會開始散發尸臭。

The breakdown of amino acids creates other strong-smelling acids which attract insects that lay eggs in the rotting tissue.
氨基酸分解會產生帶有刺激性氣味的酸，昆蟲被這種氣味吸引過來并在腐爛的組織內產卵。

The eggs hatch after 24 hours and the maggots eventually consume 60 percent of the body tissue over a number of weeks.
蟲卵在24小時后會孵化，經過幾周的時間，蛆蟲會食用60%的身體組織。

6. Finally, the maggots create holes in the rotting flesh, which allow decomposition fluids and gases to escape.
6.最終，蛆蟲會在腐肉里筑造小孔，分解后的液體和氣體會通過這些小孔釋放出來。

After a month and a half, beetles and fungi further consume the remains.
一個半月后，食腐甲蟲和真菌進一步分解尸體。

This is called dry decay which can take up to one year.
這就是干腐過程，大概會持續1年。

Eventually, every part of the body will have been broken down and used.
至此，尸體的各個部位被分解吸收完畢。

英文來源：雅虎新聞
翻譯：王歡（中國日報網愛新聞iNews譯者）
編審：yaning