The Pros and Cons of Our Burial Rituals

The title of this video at YouTube is "How to Dispose of a Body," which is provocative, but might get you put on a list somewhere. It's not a phrase you want in your search history. But this is about the way humans dispose of the dead when there are no suspicious circumstances. Most of us are obligated to plan a funeral at some point, even if it's just our own. Burial has always been an option, and for most of history, it's a pretty good plan. Put the body underground, and we don't have to witness its degradation. But we've also developed embalming, coffins, and vaults that aren't biodegradable. In some places, burial is temporary, and bones are recovered after some years so the gravesite can be used again. Setting aside land for the dead is respectful, but can get out of hand when there are too many bodies and too little land. So what's a more sustainable way to, uh, dispose of a the deceased? Hank Green of SciShow lays out several alternatives and compares them for their effects on our future. -via Damn Interesting