The unexpected gift of bones

The most durable bone in the body is the mid-shaft of the femur, or thighbone.

In nature, when bodies are left unburied, the elements eventually expose the bones and they begin to break down. Scavenging animals may speed up the process, rapidly destroying much of the skeleton. But in both cases, it’s the middle of the thighbone – which is very thick - that most often survives and can be analysed.