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Biological and Physical Anthropology Commons

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Biological anthropology

Minnesota State University, Mankato

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Full-Text Articles in Biological and Physical Anthropology

Macromorphological And Microscopic Effects Of Temperature In A Controlled Environment On The Process Of Decomposition In Bone, A. Marie Cato Jan 2019

Macromorphological And Microscopic Effects Of Temperature In A Controlled Environment On The Process Of Decomposition In Bone, A. Marie Cato

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This research explores the idea that the processes and rate of bone decomposition are affected by differential temperatures after death. Previous research supports changes in the molecular structure of bone due to different weather conditions, in addition to gross macroscopic changes, but there remain issues in understanding how these possible changes affect decomposition overall. In this research, I will explore how the freeze-thaw cycle affects decomposition, and what the relationship between weathering on bone and the natural decomposition process is. My hypothesis is that the freeze-thaw cycle will induce further decay, steady higher temperatures will speed up decomposition, and freezing …