This video explains decomposition, one of nature's most important processes. For two months in the summer of 2011, a glass box containing food laid out from a typical kitchen and garden for a family of four was left to rot in full public view within Edinburgh Zoo. In this resulting documentary, presenter Dr. George McGavin and his team use time-lapse cameras and 3-D photography to capture the way in which moulds, microbes and insects are able to break down our everyday things and allow new life to emerge from old. The film reveals the incredible science of taphonomy, discovering what happens to organic matter as it starts to decompose. Whole new ecosystems of life invade, each more complex than you would ever expect. The micro-organisms involved in turning milk sour, lactobacillus, are highlighted; in addition to pseudomonas, micro-organisms that make meat smell; and botrytis cinerea, those that make fruit and vegetables go velvety grey.
Microbiology gives us insight into the part played by bacteria, yeasts and fungi. Biochemistry reveals how the chemical processes in living organisms cause change. Entymology reveals the vital role of insects in the great cycle of decay. The video also explores the incredible science behind preservation, from new food packaging and chemical additives to UV radiation and osmotic pressures.