Yes, There Are Body Farms in Texas
San Marcos, Texas (KPEL-FM) - In the United States, there are a total of seven "body farms".
Of the 7, two of them are located in Texas.
OK, so what exactly is a body farm, and why does Texas have not one but 2 of them?
Let's take a look...
What Is A Body Farm?
The name "Body Farm" sounds like something out of a Horror movie, but body farms are actually really important.
A body farm is an outdoor research facility where donated human remains are placed in various conditions so scientists can study how bodies decompose in real-world environments.
The official term is usually "forensic anthropology research facility", but “body farm” is the nickname.
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The term came from a 1994 Patricia Cornwell crime novel inspired by the original University of Tennessee site.
What Do Body Farms Do?
The main purpose of body farms is for forensic research.
Understanding decomposition timelines helps medical examiners and law enforcement get better at estimating a victim's time since death more accurately.
Body farms also play an important role in law enforcement training.
Police, cadets, and crime scene teams practice finding and recovering remains without damaging evidence.
From wideopencountry.com -
Here, students study the differing effects of the elements on a deceased human body. Scientists can learn a lot from observing the decay of the human body.
The knowledge gained at the farm impacts criminal court cases as well as medical science.
Body farms are also used to help train cadaver dogs.
Where Are The Body Farms In The U.S.?
In total, there are 7 body farms in the U.S.
1. University of Tennessee Anthropological Research Facility – Knoxville, TN
2. Western Carolina University Forensic Anthropology Facility – Cullowhee, NC
3. Texas State University – Forensic Anthropology Research Facility (FARF) – San Marcos, TX
4. Sam Houston State University Applied Anatomical Research Center – Huntsville, TX
5. Colorado Mesa University Forensic Investigation Research Station (FIRS) – Grand Junction, CO
6. University of South Florida Facility for Outdoor Research and Training (FORT) – Tampa, FL
Where Do Bodies For Body Farms Come From?
When it comes to obtaining bodies for body farms, all bodies are donated to science, usually by people who’ve signed paperwork during life or by families after death.
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When it comes to body farms, Texas plays a very important role for a couple of different reasons.
One reason is climate. Texas has a hot, humid climate that results in very different decomposition patterns than other cooler climates.
The other reason is the varied ecosystems found in Texas which also help to produce different decomposition patterns.
You can read more about the Texas body farms over at wideopencountry.com.
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Gallery Credit: Stacker
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