A video that reveals in disturbing detail what happens to the body after we die has gone viral on social media, garnering more than eight million views.
The animated clip was created by YouTuber Zack D.Films, who specializes in graphic 'explanations' for everything from first aid for nosebleeds to executions by insects.
The video begins with the death of a man, who is then placed in a coffin—and goes on to show the horrific processes of decomposition that begin almost immediately. Thousands of commenters seemed divided in their opinion of the video, with one post—which has received 37,000 likes—saying simply: 'Moral of the story: don't die.'
Another wrote: 'Seeing this with cancer is unbelievable...'
Others expressed relief: 'Thank you Zack, I needed this,' one wrote. 'If there's something else after this life, I hope it's beautiful.'
Speaking to MailOnline, experts, however, warned against 'direct and inhumane' depictions of death 'intended to shock', and questioned the motives of Zack D.Films, who has more than 21 million subscribers on YouTube.
The clip begins 'the day after death'—the heart has stopped, and, as the video's voiceover explains, 'most of the blood pools in the parts of the body closest to the ground.'
'This causes purple and red spots on the skin,' he continues.
The animation shows blood flowing down the back of the deceased's head and other body parts touching the base of the coffin.
It then zooms in to show the red and purple spots that appear as blood settles in these parts of the body.
'Then, bacteria and enzymes begin to break down the organs, releasing gas that causes bloating,' it further explains.
Green enzymes can be seen in the intestines of the deceased, releasing gas that looks like hundreds of tiny bubbles.
Previously, MailOnline reported a story from Texas forensic pathologist Mileida Bohórque about what happens when she works with dead bodies.
She claimed that bloating and gas production can make the body look like it's 'farting'.
At this point, the simulation becomes even more graphic and shows the man's skin disintegrating, leaving only the skeleton.
Zëri explains: 'After a few weeks, all the organs and soft tissues, including the eyes, liquefy and the skin begins to fall off.'
'And over several years, the remaining tissue continues to break down and eventually all that remains is the skeleton.'
This grim process is shown in horrific detail as the eyes turn to liquid and melt in the eerie simulation.
It can be distressing to think about what we would like to happen to our bodies after death, but choices can affect how long this process takes.
If you choose to be buried in a coffin, your body begins to decompose within 12 months, taking up to a decade to fully turn into a skeleton, Daniel Wescott, director of the Center for Forensic Anthropology at Texas State University, told Live Science. – reports GazetaExpress.
Without a coffin, it could take five years according to Nicholas Passalacqua, associate professor at the Forensic Osteology Research Station at Western Carolina University—as insects and other elements can speed up the process.
This follows the growth in recent years of environmentally friendly alternatives to burial and cremation, from 'human composting' to 'water cremation'.
In human composting, bodies are placed on a bed of organic materials such as wood chips, which accelerate decomposition and produce soil.
End-of-life 'doula' Anna Lyons, who works with families and individuals, helping them prepare for death, welcomed the idea of discussing death but questioned Zack D.Films' way of presenting it.
'Accurate information is never a bad thing, but in my work, at least, the way the information is delivered is as important as the information itself—and this delivery is harsh and inhumane,' she said.
'That's not to say it's not important to discuss. Things that encourage conversations about the end of life, death, the dead, and grief are mostly a good thing. 'There are a lot of people watching this kind of content right now—I think it's the sensitivity of this short video that I would question.'
This month, MailOnline reported that 'water cremations', also called 'bag cremations', could be legally approved in the UK.
This involves the rapid decomposition of a body in water and alkaline chemicals under high temperatures, leaving only fluid and bones.
The liquid, known as 'effluent', can be poured down the drain with other wastewater and the remains can be ground into ashes for collection by relatives.
Proponents say this method is better for the environment, but others believe it is an undignified way to dispose of the dead.
Critics argue that melting down bodies and dumping the final liquid into the sewers along with other wastewater lacks dignity.
In some religious and cultural communities, water cremation is prohibited due to its perception as desecration of the body.
Dr Lian Lundy, a wastewater specialist at Middlesex University, said the biggest obstacle blocking it in the UK is social acceptability.
'Some people see it as mixing my boyfriend with the shit in the sewer and they don't like that,' she told the Telegraph.
In 2023, the Church of England announced that it was considering these two alternatives to traditional burials and cremations through a consultation.
The method is now being considered in a new consultation on funeral methods by the Independent Law Commission. /Express newspaper/
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