What Is a Body Farm - And Why Do They Exist?

If the term "body farm" conjures up something out of a horror movie, you're not alone, and you can blame Patricia Cornwell for that. The nickname stuck after her 1994 novel "The Body Farm" brought these facilities into public awareness. Researchers prefer the more formal name: Forensic Anthropology Research Facilities, but the term body farm is what people remember.

In this episode I break down what these facilities actually are, how they work, and why they matter to criminal investigations. In short, they are outdoor research facilities where donated human bodies decompose in varying environmental conditions under close scientific observation, giving forensic investigators the data they need to answer one of the most critical questions in any death investigation: how long has this person been dead?

The first facility opened in 1981 at the University of Tennessee, founded by forensic anthropologist Dr. William Bass after a case involving a body that was determined to be a recent death, only later discovering that it was the remains of a Civil War soldier. That miscalculation brought to light the difficulties of determining time of death and the need for further research.

One of the most surprising things we discussed in the episode is that families do not get the remains back. Unlike donating organs or donating a body for medical research, remains at these facilities are retained permanently for ongoing research and education. The skeletal collection at the University of Tennessee alone represents nearly 2,000 individuals.

Registering your body for donation doesn't guarantee it will be accepted - the facility makes that decision at the time of death based on current research needs and health factors. However, even if accepted, the family of the deceased can still decline the donation. 

The University of Tennessee's facility receives over 100 donations per year and has more than 5,000 people registered as future donors. For many of them the motivation is straightforward - one donation can improve thousands of future criminal investigations. 

~Find light in the darkness.

Madelyn

Episode 59 is available now wherever you get your podcasts.