10 Things That Happen To Your Body After You Die

3. Decomposition #2: Putrefaction

This next stage of decomposition, when the bacteria begin to get involved, is putrefaction.

The initial self-digestion stage produced a lot of sugars, salts and liquids and the anaerobic bacteria, recently released from their gut-prison, feed on this, fermenting the sugars and producing all manner of unholy smelling gasses such as hydrogen sulphide (the one with the eggy smell) and ammonia (the nostril-searing smell of strong cleaning fluids and cat pee).

As the bacteria begin to break down the haemoglobin in the blood, it turns the skin a mottled dark green colour.

All of these gas-producing processes will cause the body to swell up like a grisly party balloon. This is called "bloat".

Eventually the pressure will build up so much that the gasses and liquids will leak from every orifice (yes, including the anus) or, if you're really lucky, the whole thing will explode. This is called "purge".

It is around this time that the skin will begin to loosen, turn black and slide around the body and some other guests will turn up.