Whatever your beliefs, most people would agree that the body left behind when we depart this mortal coil is just a heap of bones and flesh. But what happens to those leftovers? Assuming that nature is left to its own devices, our bodies undergo a fairly standard process of decomposition that can take anywhere from two weeks to two years.



Written & narrated by Mark Fischetti

Assistant editor: Kathryn Free

Produced, edited & animated by Eric R. Olson