Which of the following are common signs of death?

The recognition of common signs of death is critical in the field of medicolegal death investigation. The correct answer points to a set of physical indicators that are well-documented and scientifically understood to signify that biological functions have ceased.

Cold temperature, rigor mortis, and livor mortis are established autopsy findings that indicate death.

Cold temperature refers to a decrease in body temperature that occurs after death as the body loses heat to the surrounding environment. Rigor mortis is the postmortem stiffening of muscles that begins a few hours after death due to chemical changes within the muscle tissues. Livor mortis, also known as postmortem hypostasis, involves the settling of blood in the lower parts of the body, resulting in a purplish discoloration of the skin. These phenomena provide tangible, observable evidence that the physiological processes characteristic of life have ceased.

In contrast, the other options include indicators that may not reliably denote death. The lack of consciousness is a state that could suggest unconsciousness rather than definitive death, as individuals may be in a coma or another altered state of awareness. Dilated pupils and warm skin are signs that may appear in living individuals under certain conditions (for instance, certain nervous system effects or the presence of