When we die, mentally and organically, do our genes die?

[Dave]

Seems not, in some ways, genetic mechanisms that were held dormant after embrionicformation in the womb spring into action.

After you die, some things in your body keep on ticking, this video reveals
When you're dead, you're dead—right? No pulse, no brain activity, no signs of life. But at the cellular level, things can still be ticking right along—cells and processes ignorant of the fate of the whole organism. And some things—such as developmental genes—even kick into gear.

This video explores what scientists are learning about what happens inside our bodies after we die—and how it could lead to everything from better organ transplants to accurately estimating time of death.

http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/05/after-you-die-some-things-your-body-keep-ticking-video-reveals

Utterly stupid but the pticess in insects of lava, a sort of desth and disolution in the pupa, then rebirth as the adult form came to mind. Is there a genetic link here between us on creepy crawlies? An ancient genetic inheritence that no longer has a purpose!

I wonder if the usefulness of this finding will stop at just better estimates of time of death . . .

[Arturo]

I mean, everything takes time to slowly die. You aren't a computer or something that just switches on and off...You don't decompose that fast.

[Dave]

I mean, everything takes time to slowly die. You aren't a computer or something that just switches on and off...You don't decompose that fast.

True, Arturo, but it seems there are genetic and other changes that are constrained by life and occur after death that appear to have no evolutionary purpose. I doubt that our genes are programmed to prepare our physical remains for easy digestion by the various bugs that will feast on us. At the moment it is something of an anomally, the most important question in science is, "Why?"

[Arturo]

I mean, everything takes time to slowly die. You aren't a computer or something that just switches on and off...You don't decompose that fast.

True, Arturo, but it seems there are genetic and other changes that are constrained by life and occur after death that appear to have no evolutionary purpose. I doubt that our genes are programmed to prepare our physical remains for easy digestion by the various bugs that will feast on us. At the moment it is something of an anomally, the most important question in science is, "Why?"

I mean yeah it's fascinating that the genes are activated in such a way like that, but the way the opened up was like "well, duh" to me. Just seemed like common sense that's all.

[No one]

Not dead which eternal lie,  stranger eons even death may die.

[Bad Penny II]

I doubt that our genes are programmed to prepare our physical remains for easy digestion by the various bugs that will feast on us. At the moment it is something of an anomally, the most important question in science is, "Why?"

Communal species "Dave" slowly decomposes and is a breeding ground for disease which will harm his offspring.
Communal species "Dave II" has evolved to be a fast decomposer, his corpse is disposed of quickly so less disease risk for their offspring.  They can even put him on their tomatoes.