Does a body decompose in space?

[Aurora]

When a body is jettisoned into space, live or dead, is there a process of decomposition in a vacuum? Would the body just freeze and break apart?

[Shane]

No air to decompose. Freeze and break apart... 100% likely to happen at one point.

[Zlaticko]

Or fall into a celestial object. Like a ship of lights or something.

[Leroy Morte]

actually, in the vacuum of space, there would be no micro organisms to break down the body - so no decomp, it would be freeze dried, and eventually broken apart by collisions with other objects. Err, if that celestial ship of lights thing didn't happen.

[gworroll]

Originally Posted by Leroy Morte

actually, in the vacuum of space, there would be no micro organisms to break down the body - so no decomp, it would be freeze dried, and eventually broken apart by collisions with other objects. Err, if that celestial ship of lights thing didn't happen.

There may, however, be some microorganisms on the person, his clothing, and his equipment.

This doesn't change much though. Even if these microorganisms could start the decomposition process in a vaccum, they'd die or go dormant too quickly for it to finish, probably wouldn't even be detectable decomposition outside the most extensive autopsy procedures.

[genji2000]

The person would be frozen, perfect in stasis. As they drifted close to a sun they would thaw out and wake up.

Life = miracle.

[Prolescum]

This is what happens on re-entry.

[thevarrior]

Originally Posted by Prolescum

This is what happens on re-entry.

Honestly, I thought that was going to spur a sex joke.

But really, in space there's no way a bacterium could survive (except maybe in the middle of an asteroid or something). So those decomposing bacteria... nah, probably not going to work out.

[Sgt Teta]

Thats not actually true. Bacteria can survive in space. In fact, its one of the more interesting theories about how live very first began on earth.

I dont know how they survive, but they can survive dormant on the surface of asteroids etc

[genji2000]

Originally Posted by Sgt Teta

"But we never asked ourselves the question, why are we as a people worth saving"
"It is not enough to live; you have to have something to live for."-Adama

"I wanted something to belive in"

Mate, there is so much wrong with that sig.

Is that right? Bacteria survive in a vacuum?

[stavrosg]

Originally Posted by genji2000

Is that right? Bacteria survive in a vacuum?

Yes, but not alive (think spores). They need the correct conditions to start functioning again, so nope, they can't decompose a body.

[genji2000]

Like frozen yoghurt?

[QuantumMechanic]

If the body was alive and completely exposed to the vacuum (i.e., no space suit) the blood would most likely boil in its veins first of all. The boiling point of water is actually much lower in a vacuum than within an atmosphere. As the body cools, it will eventually reach absolute zero. However, any frozen water left in the body will gradually evaporate through sublimation, leaving the corpse in a very dessicated state. The bottom line is, a human body exposed to vacuum would not be a pretty sight.

[thevarrior]

Originally Posted by Sgt Teta

Thats not actually true. Bacteria can survive in space. In fact, its one of the more interesting theories about how live very first began on earth.

I dont know how they survive, but they can survive dormant on the surface of asteroids etc

Right, Panspermia. I should probably correct what I'm saying by explaining that bacteria cannot *function* in space, but vacuum temperatures would freeze them into stasis.

[Colonial Marine NCO]

Originally Posted by thevarrior

Right, Panspermia. I should probably correct what I'm saying by explaining that bacteria cannot *function* in space, but vacuum temperatures would freeze them into stasis.

So you're saying that outer space is theoretically filled with clouds of bacteria, all just floating around? I sense an episode idea...