Green burial is not a new concept, but it is gaining interest among consumers, and some religious groups are leading the way. A theologian explains what’s involved and who natural burials appeal to.
Humans can be resuscitated after 10 minutes, so we may have some level of consciousness immediately after death.
Our healthcare system needs to respond in a more just, inclusive, caring and timely way to allow in-person final goodbyes.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
Our health-care system needs to respond in a more just, inclusive, caring and timely way to allow in-person final goodbyes from those who matter most to those at the end of life.
Bob Saget, top left, was affectionately called ‘America’s Dad’ for his role as Danny Tanner in the sitcom ‘Full House.’
Lorimar Television/Fotos International via Getty Images
A contrast to the bumbling and immature fathers commonly found on sitcoms, Bob Saget’s character on ‘Full House’ reflected a shift in expectations of fatherhood that began in the late 1970s.
Grave from France where the individual was moved around before he fully decomposed.
Éveha-Études et valorisations archéologiques/G Grange
All over Europe, early medieval graves look like they were robbed long ago. But new research suggests that relatives re-opened them to take out heirlooms and make connections with the dead.
Beth Saunders, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Alternative beliefs like spiritualism seem to experience resurgences in times of crisis. Taggart has spent the past 20 years exploring the oft-misunderstood religion.
We have moved beyond burning witches and lynching wrong-doers. So we should also stop shaming unvaccinated people. There are better ways to change behaviour.
Today viewers may be preoccupied by the methods used by spirit photographers, but spirit photographs had a notable impact on the bereaved who commissioned the portraits.
Death waits for no man – and pandemics drive the point home.
Pieter Brueghel the Elder: 'The Triumph of Death'
Halloween, with its mix of the macabre and the playful, provides a moment to reflect on how closely life and death are interwoven – especially in the COVID era.
The act of killing in combat is associated with heightened risks of PTSD and suicide. A scholar interviewed 30 veterans about their common experiences.
Cemeteries across the world, particularly in cities, are dealing with serious issues of overcrowding.
Wikimedia Commons
Death is a part of life: but environmentally harmful burial practices, overcrowded cemeteries and unaffordable funerals are denying many the right to a good death.
A morning ritual in Varanasi’s sacred river Ganga.
Cherine Fahd
Dying in Varanasi is everyday. That’s not to say dying is ordinary. On the contrary, it is a sacred art form, a spiritual passage that is part of the daily practice of living.
As coronavirus cases surge, unvaccinated people are accounting for nearly all hospitalizations and deaths.
Fat Camera/E+ via Getty Images
The US has split into “two Americas,” one of the unvaccinated and one of the vaccinated. The differences in deaths and hospitalizations between the two populations are striking.
Concerns have been raised over grief being severely, negatively impacted by the pandemic.
(Zackary Drucker/The Gender Spectrum Collection)
The negative impact of the pandemic on grief has raised concerns. Our study shows that 15 per cent of people dealing with grief are at risk of what’s known as complicated grief.
COVID-19 has impacted an important moment in many people’s lives: grieving the loss of a loved one. Here are some things that can help if you’re far away.
A female burying beetle caring for her brood.
Oliver Krueger
Visiting Professor in Biomedical Ethics, Murdoch Children's Research Institute; Distinguished Visiting Professor in Law, University of Melbourne; Uehiro Chair in Practical Ethics, University of Oxford