At WCU, it’s an innovative learning opportunity for forensic anthropology students. The decomposition research station—irreverently referred to as a "body farm"—is a living lab where students and researchers can get a close-up, long-term look at what happens when a human body decomposes. It’s also pretty unique: WCU’s “body farm” is only the second facility of its kind nationwide.

The facility is an important proving ground for aspiring forensic scientists. According to John Williams, director of the forensic anthropology program, the “body farm” gives students the opportunity to see if they really have the stomach for this unique work. As he told USA Today, "One of the first things I want our students to be exposed to is the real thing, so that they don't spend a portion of their life learning this and then go on their first case and ... realize, 'I can't handle this.'"

About the size of a garage, the facility can hold up to six bodies, which are observed by students and researchers as they undergo natural decomposition under circumstances ranging from hot, humid summer months to the dry cold of winter.

The result isn’t pretty, but it’s extremely valuable for forensic scientists, who use this information to help law enforcement officials solve crimes. “Through the study of skeletal remains, forensic anthropologists can help law enforcement officials determine the time of a person's death, which is a vital step in determining the cause of death,” said Williams. A number of agencies are already inquiring about the results of the research.