death rituals
Washington Could Become the First State to Compost the Dead
A new bill wants to let you turn your loved ones into soil.
The Death of Thailand's King Is Turning the Country's Fashion Industry Black
Within the Thai economy, the fashion industry has been heavily affected by the country's mourning ritual of wearing black clothing to honor the late king. Demand for black threads is so high that brands are suffering while street vendors are cashing in.
Atheism Terrifies People Because It Makes Us Think About Death
Studies have found that considering atheism leads many to thoughts of death—even when those people are atheists themselves.
This Mortician Wants You to Take a Hands-On Approach with Corpses
"We are entrenched in the idea that dead bodies are dangerous, and we are entrenched in the idea that it is better to have professionals do it... American death is a really recent invention."
Tana Toraja Villagers Take Tomb Sweeping to a Morbid Extreme
The Tana Toraja regency on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi has an unusual death ritual: Every few years, families reunite to exhume the bodies of their deceased relatives, clean up the inside of their coffins, and sometimes give their ancestors a...
