Tree dries out like a human
Your point?
Thanks. Brings up an example I've been considering. An old man ("a human") dies. His progeny are to see that his 'remains" are buried in a casket further contained within a concrete vault, all centered in a graveyard plot bearing the family headstone and all purchased long prior for these purposes according to his wishes as stated in the Will.
So the funeral takes place. The casket is lowered into the vault. The vault lid is positioned. Each family member shovels a little dirt on top and they start heading off. Two scientists arrive as the vault handlers pack down the last bits of rough soil. They synchronize their stopwatches and say "Go!" The experiment has now officially begun...
See, unbeknownst to the family, these scientists had checked every detail in advance. They had inspected the hole, the vault, the casket, the body, everything... Only after they were 100% satisfied with the pristine quality, cleanliness, sanctity, caulking.. in short the dry, pure, wholesome, sanitary nature of the entire business, did they finally give the go ahead to the funeral home to bring the body to the gravesite.
One scientist had bet the other $1000 that the body would not rot encased in such an air and water tight shell. He swore repeatedly that without the chemical processes within a living organism, without energy from the surroundings, even if the body were somehow being consumed by organisms, though we had the mortician thoroughly disinfect and double embalm the old fart just to make sure,.. he could not rot and even if he did it simply couldn't be considered spontaneous.
Well, guess what? A month later the peer review panel had the casket exhumed and inspected the remains, the other scientist quietly snickering to herself all the while. And soon after they declared their near immediate unanimous decision, noses all firmly in hand, she laughed all the way to the bank.. and more on her way back home!