Mortals

We go back to 19th-century United Kingdom to look at the corpse supply problem and the sordid solution: Resurrectionists, i.e. professional body snatchers. There's a brief true crime interlude, surprise explosives, and angry mobs.

We walk through historical burial sites for beloved pets, from the earliest domestication of dogs to ancient Egyptian cats to modern day.

We discuss a phenomenon which emerged in the mid-1800s: Post-mortem Photography, the practice of photographing the recently deceased. Includes a bonus crash course on the history of photography!

We travel through the past, present and hypothetical future of death and body disposition in the pursuit of space travel beyond the Earth's atmosphere.

Let's dive into the ancient world of the Scythians and their unique burial rites. Scythian Kings found their final resting places in burial mounds known as "kurgans" but only after a series of rituals and sacrifices.