Australian scientists have revealed that the bodies of the dead move during their decomposition.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, that cameras installed by Australian scientists in a research facility and take pictures sequentially at a fixed time interval, revealed that the limbs of the bodies moved from their place during the dry and decomposition.

The cameras took photographs of the bodies every 30 minutes for 17 months.

"What we found was that the arms were moving a lot," said researcher Alison Wilson, adding that the arms touching both sides of the body had moved and then returned to their place.

"The arm moved away and then came back to touch the side of the body almost again."

The study was conducted at a secret location at an Australian research center near Sydney.

The center was established three years ago to investigate the decomposition of corpses under different circumstances, for use in forensic searches while re-enacting various crime scenarios in the locality.

Wilson explained that the movements of bodies could be the result of shrinking ligaments as they dry.

The finding may be important to crime scene investigators who assume that the body of the deceased person remains intact for a long time, said Zantha Malt, a criminologist and forensic researcher at Newcastle University.

"I think people will be surprised by the extent of this movement, because I was surprised when I saw it, especially how the arms were moving. It was amazing."