Abra-Cadaver Trivia Quiz

Answer: Decapitation

There have been numerous cases of people "returning from the dead" when doctors have pronounced someone as being deceased when they are indeed still alive. One such condition called Cataplexy. This occurs when a person's heart and breathing rates slow to an almost undetectable level and is accompanied by temporary paralysis.

In these cases, the person is still fully conscious and can hear everything that is going on around them often "awakening" in the local morgue. Decapitation on the other hand is irreversible.

Answer: Algor mortis

After death, a body's temperature will drop 1.5 degrees Fahrenheit or 0.83 degrees Celsius each hour after the moment of death until it reaches room temperature. By taking into account any environmental factors and the temperature of a deceased, a qualified doctor will be able to determine an accurate time of death.

Answer: Rigor mortis

Rigor mortis is caused by a chemical reaction that occurs in the muscles once someone dies. It can begin as soon as 3 hours after death and last for up to 72 hours causing the person to seem stiff and fixed in the position that they died in. This temporary condition can be relieved through manual manipulation of the body similar to that of a massage.

Answer: Saponification

Saponification is what happens when the fatty tissue in a corpse is converted into adipocere. This condition is more likely to occur in people who are obese and can cause many other common signs of decomposition to be absent. The name "grave wax" is commonly used due to the wax like appearance of the body.

Answer: In a rain forest

The conditions found in a rain forest would speed up the decomposition process due to the high heat, humidity and exposure to insects and animals. Conditions found in places with dry heat or severe cold can actually help to preserve the body. Examples of this can be found all over the world. Most notably with the discovery of Otzi the Iceman who was found in September of 1991 in the mountains between Italy and Austria. Experts believe that he lived about 5300 years ago. Both his almost perfectly preserved body and belongings can be seen at the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology in Bolzano, Northern Italy.

Answer: Homicide

Autopsies are ordered by doctors in cases where people have died an unnatural death, such as by homicide. In some cases, a family member may request an autopsy when an unexpected natural death occurs due to a previously undiagnosed condition.

Answer: Blowfly

The Calliphoridae or more commonly known blowfly are attracted to the smell of rotting flesh and can smell a dead animal or human from up to 10 miles (16 Km) away. Female blowflies will lay their eggs in the flesh and 72 hours later the eggs will hatch into larvae or what we know as maggots. Blowflies are a very important tool for entomologists to determine approximately how long someone has been deceased in an outside environment.

This is done by studying the development stages of blowflies and their larvae found on or inside the body.

Answer: Dental records

Dental records are the most reliable way to determine the identity of skeletal remains. Forensic dentists can compare the ante-mortem (prior to death) and post-mortem (after death) condition of the teeth/jaw to make a positive identification. This can only be done when access to ante-mortem dental records is granted by the family of a missing person or have been placed in a data base.

Answer: Wet

The four progressive levels of decomposition are known as fresh, bloat, decay and dry. Fresh and bloat decomposition are the breakdown of the tissues into liquids while decay and bloat are the formation of vapors. Depending on the location of the body, each of these stages can last anywhere from a few days to several years. The final result of decomposition is skeletal remains.

Answer: Livor mortis

Livor mortis occurs when the blood settles into the lower portion of the body due to gravity. Without the heart pumping the blood through the vascular system, the heavy red blood cells will sink through the serum and settle into the capillaries causing the skin to appear purplish red.