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Sun 13 May, 2007 10:21 am
SAN MARCOS ?- Texas State University's plan to build the nation's largest "body farm" of cadavers is on hold after the school scrapped its proposed site amid concerns that buzzards could endanger planes.
The university will scout a new location for what will be only the third body farm in the nation.
The school had hoped to begin burying bodies later this year.
By burying cadavers and studying human decomposition, researchers aim to help police better solve questions such as time and manner of death at crime scenes.
The proposed 17-acre site was on Texas 21 near the San Marcos Municipal Airport.
But after meeting with the airport's commission Tuesday, the university quashed the plan out of concern that buzzards would pose a risk to pilots.
"While the increased risk might be very small, it cannot be completely eliminated, and we cannot go forward with the Highway 21 site," Texas State Provost Perry Moore said.
Plans for the site included a razor-wire fence around the property, vulture-proof cages to protect exposed bodies and a 70-foot grass buffer around the site to absorb rain runoff.
Residents near the site complained about coyotes and diminished property values, but Texas State officials had been unmoved by those concerns.
Well what was their property value like before? A few bodies will probably serve the same purpose as a "farm". Trust Texans to call it a farm.
Quincy--
The original laboratory in Tennessee has always been known as The Body Farm. Dead bodies are "planted"--and some are left exposed--at different times of the year under different conditions to provide benchmarks of decay--very useful for forensic science.
Quincy wrote:Well what was their property value like before? A few bodies will probably serve the same purpose as a "farm". Trust Texans to call it a farm.
San Marcos (or, "San Marcus" for those who live here) is about 20 miles south of Austin. About half way between Austin and San Antonio.
Property values going up pretty good, since a lot of people who don't want to pay the prices in either city can commute.
Frankly, I loathe and despise San Marcos, and decomposing bodies are too good for it.
If ever there was a NIMBY cause... Most people would probably pick a maximum-security prison over a body farm. I know I would.
I've read about the one in Tennessee. Very useful work. Nothing I would want to do, or live next door to, but useful.
I wouldn't mind living upwind of a Body Farm. Sure, the population is transient, but the pre-selection guarantees nice, quiet folks.
Yeah, I know -- "people are dying to get in."
Patiodog--
Puns!
My aunt spent a year or so at the body farm in Knoxville before what was left was cremated. She would have been a good neighbor in life and death.
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