What are other systems to tell the time?

The sundial

The 10 Hour day (decimal) clock.

The 10,0000 Year Clock

Fingers. Extend your hands palms towards you to the horizon and count the number of fingers between the horizon and the sun. Each finger width is approximately 15 minutes of time. Otherwise a good internal clock can be reasonably correct at telling time. I can guess the right time and be within 15 minutes of the actual time. I am guessing it is 2:43 CST.

The 24 hour clock is nearly universal and dates back to the Babylonian base 60 numeric system. 60 is convenient because it is a highly composite number, meaning that there is no smaller number that can be evenly divided into in more ways. There are 12 numbers, including 1 and 60, that can be evenly divided into 60. The numbers 12 and 24 are also highly composite. We have the Babylonians for angle measurements using 360 degrees divided into 60 minutes, which are in turn divided into 60 seconds. 360 is highly composite.

Checking what the sun’s doing, and calling it dawn, early morning, morning, mid-day, noon, afternoon, evening, dusk, sundown, and night.

Measuring nuclear decay.

Natural cycles:
tides ebb and flow
birds fly out and return to nest
winds change from onshore to offshore and vice versa
fog lifts and settles in some places on a diurnal schedule

Taking @ragingloli ‘s lead…a decaying corpse will give a forensic expert a pretty accurate assessment of the day of the week or month or year.

^^How?

@imrainmaker

Stages of Decomposition

Fresh (1–2 days)
This stage begins almost instantly from the moment of death. As the heart stops beating, the body’s cells are deprived of oxygen and pH changes occur. Cells gradually lose their structural integrity and begin to break down, releasing cellular enzymes which break down cells and tissues in a process known as autolysis, degraded by the body’s own enzymes. There will be no obvious signs of decomposition, however internally bacteria within the gastrointestinal tract begin to digest the soft tissues of the organs. Throughout this stage certain early post-mortem indicators may begin to occur, such as livor mortis (pooling of blood in the body), rigor mortis (stiffening of muscles) and algor mortis (body temperature reduction).

Decomposition 1

Bloated (2–6 days)
This stage of decomposition includes the first visible signs of decay, namely the inflation of the abdomen due to a build-up of various gases produced by bacteria inside the cadaver. This bloating is particularly visible around the tongue and eyes as the build-up of gases cause them to protrude. The skin may exhibit a certain colour change, taking on a marbled appearance due to the transformation of haemoglobin in the blood into other pigments. Blood bubbles may form at the nostrils and other orifices. At this point an odour of putrefaction may be noticeable.

Decay (5–11 days)
The previously inflated carcass now deflates and putrid internal gases are released. As the tissues break down the corpse will appear wet and strong odours are very noticeable. Various compounds contribute to the potent odour of a decomposing body, including cadaverine, putrescine, skatole, indole, and a variety of sulphur-containing compounds. Although foul-smelling to most, these putrid compounds will attract a range of insects. Fluids begin to drain from the corpse via any available orifice, particularly the nose and mouth. The internal organs typically decompose in a particular order, starting with the intestines and ending with the prostate or uterus.

Post-Decay (10–24 days)
By the time this stage is reached, decomposition slows, as most of the flesh has been stripped from the skeleton, though some may remain in denser areas such as the abdomen. The previously strong odours of decay begin to subside, though a cheese-like smell may persist caused by butyric acid. If the body has decayed on soil, the area around the cadaver may show signs of plant death.

Dry Stage (24+ days)
The final stage of decomposition results in the remains consisting primarily of bones, some dried skin and cartilage. There is typically no odour of decay at this point. a person’s decomposition rate.