FSM 5: The Appearance of the Body After Death

Clinical Deep Dives · Mar 5, 2026 · 1h 31m

Once life has ceased, the body begins a predictable - yet complex - transformation.

In this episode, we explore the physiological and environmental processes that alter the human body after death. Understanding these changes is central to forensic interpretation. Post-mortem findings can inform estimations of time since death, movement of the body, environmental exposure, and even concealment.

We examine the classical early post-mortem changes:

* Algor mortis - the cooling of the body and the variables that influence it.

* Livor mortis - post-mortem hypostasis, its distribution, fixation, and…