Restlessly Dead: Cadaveric Spasm
Sometimes they shift. Some huff or groan. It’s expected… sort of; over time, studies have revealed that cadavers are more “restlessness” than we thought. Movements follow generally predictable...
Embalming
With These Sketchy Solutions, No Wonder Early Americans Didn’t Embalm Their Dead
While the practice of embalming stretches back to the ancient Egyptians, Americans didn’t begin embalming their dead until the Civil War, and then it was only for the...
Should We Revive This Ancient (but Effective!) Embalming Technique?
In a remarkable discovery that bridges centuries of mortuary science, researchers have unveiled the unique embalming method used on the so-called "air-dried chaplain" of Austria. This revelation not...
Wyoming’s Crystal Castle, Constructed of Embalming Fluid Bottles, Could Be Yours!
“You might say this home built from 30,000 glass embalming fluid bottles has been perfectly preserved…” That’s how one real estate agent described Cheyenne, Wyoming’s one-of-a-kind Crystal Castle,...
Green Embalming Fluids: Do They Get the Job Done?
Among widespread demand for green funeral options, traditional embalming stubbornly persists. Even as it falls further and further out of popular favor in an increasingly-environmentally-conscious culture, we need...
Is There a Number One Cause of Unsuccessful Embalmings?
After going down a few research rabbit holes while writing this recent piece on difficult embalmings, a seemingly natural, harmless question arose: is there a single obstacle death...
Deathcare A.M.A. Q7: Have You Embalmed Your Own Family Members or Friends?
Welcome to Deathcare A.M.A. (Ask Morticians Anything), where you’ll learn all about what regular people (read: non-morticians) are asking the Internet … and how their questions are being...