What is the standard temperature for estimating the body cooling rate?

The standard temperature for estimating the body cooling rate is typically taken as 37°C, which is equivalent to normal human body temperature. This temperature serves as a baseline from which the cooling rate can be measured after death, known as algor mortis.

When assessing body cooling, it is essential to understand that the normal human body temperature in a healthy individual is about 37°C. Post-mortem, the body begins to lose heat at a variable rate influenced by several factors, such as environmental conditions, body composition, clothing, and the duration of time since death.

Using 37°C as a reference allows forensic experts to apply expected cooling rates to estimate the time of death accurately. Body cooling typically follows a predictable rate, losing around 1.5 to 2 degrees Celsius per hour during the first few hours after death, until it reaches the ambient temperature.

Temperature values like 25°C, 30°C, and 20°C do not represent the average living body temperature and are, therefore, not suitable benchmarks for understanding the cooling rate of a corpse.