Microbial ghost towns: Life after death in the Necrobiome

Welcome to our Halloween special!

Once your heart stops, what happens to all of the microbes that call your body home?

Tonight, we explore the silent cities left behind when we die. Scientists call this the necrobiome: the community of microbes that thrive on and around decomposing bodies.

In this episode we explore how microbes take over our bodies after death, the impact that decomposing bodies can have on the environment around them, and take a look at how microbial activity can even help forensic scientists estimate time of death.

Let's dive into this spooky topic together!

More Reading & Sources:

• Necrobiome framework for bridging decomposition ecology of autotrophically and heterotrophically derived organic matter, Benbow et al. 2018
• A conserved interdomain microbial network underpins cadaver decomposition despite environmental variables, Burcham et al. 2024
• Microbial community coalescence and nitrogen cycling in simulated mortality decomposition hotspots, Keenen et al. 2023

• BBC: Rewilding death: The plan to restore the necrobiome