Why does typical putrefaction not occur on an unprotected body in space?
Answer
Near-vacuum prevents the necessary water activity for biological processes.
Putrefaction, the biological process associated with rotting, is fundamentally dependent on the metabolic activities of microorganisms, specifically aerobic and anaerobic bacteria that consume soft tissues. These microbes require a liquid water environment for their biological functions to proceed—a condition known as water activity. The vacuum of space eliminates the gaseous atmosphere needed to support aerobic microbes, and critically, the low pressure causes existing water to boil away or sublimate. Without this necessary liquid water medium, microbial life effectively ceases, halting the cascade of biochemical decomposition that characterizes terrestrial decay.
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