Wikipedia:Reference desk/Science: Difference between revisions
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In [http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-24249498 this distressing case] ([http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-24145299 another link]), what exactly does it mean to say that the boy's body was 'mummified', and what could have caused it to happen (as opposed to simply decomposing)? [[Mummy|Our article]] doesn't seem to cover this - it seems to imply that mummification happens as a result of deliberate action or fairly extreme and unusual conditions. [[User:AndrewWTaylor|AndrewWTaylor]] ([[User talk:AndrewWTaylor|talk]]) 12:52, 25 September 2013 (UTC)
:The body dries out, and the absence of moisture prevents or stops decomposition. The child died in december, in low temperature (near freezing) the decomposition would be slow and with a dry, cold atmosphere and constant draft (open window perhaps) the body could have dried completely. Low bodyweight, absence of food in the digestive system and severe dehydration before death would make it more likely, I assume. [[User:Ssscienccce|Ssscienccce]] ([[User talk:Ssscienccce|talk]]) 13:52, 25 September 2013 (UTC)
:<OR here> Based on the first link, it sounds like the word “mummified” was used by the detective constable who discovered the corpse. It is possible he simply misspoke. Based on the description of the smell in the house, it is likely that the body was indeed decomposing. [[Special:Contributions/Zain Ebrahim111|Zain Ebrahim]] ([[User talk:Zain Ebrahim111|talk]]) 14:13, 25 September 2013 (UTC)
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