No matter where the body is buried, the microbial network behind the cadaver’s decomposition remains essentially the same. Researchers from Colorado State University (CSU) and the University of ...

After you die, bacteria harvest your body for the nutrients that help push daisies. Matriyoshka/iStock via Getty Images Plus Each human body contains a complex community of trillions of microorganisms ...

Decaying corpses can be completely unrecognizable with peeling skin, bloated abdomens, seeping liquids, and a foul smell. Microbes are one of the key architects of this process. A body’s organic ...

Decomposition is essential to all ecosystems, both on land and in the ocean. In marine environments, decomposition and nutrient recycling keep food webs functioning, prevent the buildup of organic ...

Using metagenomic sequencing across a realistic temperature gradient, researchers show that carcass decay triggers a surge in carbon-degradation genes, while warming selectively favors pathways that ...

Preventing global ecosystem collapse requires the 1 specific chemical process performed by marine bacteria. Over 20,000 species of marine worms fail to achieve true decomposition without external ...