Warp wrote:

>   Why is it that when a dead animal rots, it's one of the strongest and
> worst smells in existence (so bad that it even sticks to any surfaces
> nearby and is extremely hard to get rid of), but when a dead tree rots,
> the smell is not bad at all (in fact, it could even be considered
> pleasant) and doesn't stick so much?

Well, the matter that is degenerating is different. Tissue that rots has 
lots (billions) of anaerobic bacteria and micro-organisms (and certain 
insects) that are converting the dead cells into their "food" (or home, or 
food for their offspring), releasing byproducts in the process - gases that 
smell bad.

When a tree rots it is wood that degenerates. I. e. different kinds of 
bacteria and insects take an interest, and the byproducts they produce 
happen not to smell that bad to humans.

A dead body's scent will of course be screaming "lunch!" to many kinds of 
animals, while I think a dead tree is also screaming "lunch!" - only to 
different kinds of microbes that do not need to emit noxious (to humans) 
gasses when they metabolize what they are eating.
-- 
Stefan Viljoen

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