Tag Archives: Environment

120-day time lapse of a pig head decomposing, with help from a surprising variety of animals. 1080p HD Stock footage available at JCMDI.COM V06905a This footage was shot as part of a taphonomic study of the impact of environmental conditions on blunt-force bone trauma. The head specimen shown was purchased from a commercial meat plant and then subjected to 120 days of environmental exposure while being photographed every 3 minutes over a 120 day period. Those 51000+ images were then “thinned-out” so that only the 3100+ images showing significant change remained for this version of the video. While larger predators were prevented from entering the study area so as to avoid them carrying-off the specimen, smaller animals had free access. One of the biggest surprises was how voraciously the Ground Squirrels stripped the remaining tough skin, long after the insects had finished with the soft tissue. Also captured in this sequence are lizards, toads, mice/rats, and a variety of birds. Not suprisingly, nothing is wasted in nature . Studies like these help law enforcement forensic experts learn more about natural processes and environmental effects on tissue and bone, ultimately aiding in identifying human remains, cause/time of death, and may even help solve old cold cases.