Selects: How Coffins Work

Before the internet could show you anything in the universe - including stuff it made up - people had few opportunities to have their minds blown. But every few years, somewhere in the world nations would gather and show off the cool stuff they invented.See omnystudio.com/listene ... Show More

You might be familiar with the outlaw Johnny Ringo from the movie Tombstone. He was indeed a real-life black hat gunslinger, and a tragic figure at that.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 

There was a time less than 100 years ago when you could exchange your paper currency at the bank for actual gold. Gave folks a sense of stability, it did. Depending on your view, we either ruined or built our economies when money became just paper.See omnystudio.com/listener for ... Show More

Home burials are largely a thing of the past, but they're perfectly legal in most states -- once you check a few boxes. Learn how home burials work in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/science-vs-myth/afterlife/can-you-bu ... Show More

Life’s final border might not be so final after all. From tardigrades to viruses, some things are both dead and alive. Or neither. How do we draw the line between the living and the dead? And how does that line blur in places like in a time capsule buried in ice, or a library on ... Show More

Death is one of humanity's great unifiers. Before the dawn of recorded history our species and others like it venerated, feared and honored the dead. The practice of commemorating our loved ones continues today -- and it's become a big business. Join the guys as they delve deeper ... Show More

<p>Death - the most mysterious, unknowable, and terrifying event in human experience. Some philosophers believe society is shaped, ultimately, by the fear of death. So what actually happens when you die? Is there anything after? Learn more in this classic episode.</p><p> </p> Lea ... Show More

How do insects factor into our traditions of death -- and how do insects handle their own burials? Find out in this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind as Robert and Joe discuss ants, termites, Virgil, ancient civilizations, bees and more. (originally published 1/21/2021) ... Show More

<p>In this episode I talk about people at your funeral and dollars in your bank account. Which is really the most important to you? The answer is up to you and how you live your life.</p> <p><p>Feeling stuck? It's time to take back control. If you're ready to master your mind and ... Show More

Funerals and death can bring up all kinds of feelings that can be hard to make sense of, and also highlight family traditions and fault lines. Samantha shares a recent experience.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 

While we don't have much say about how we come into this world, we can certainly plan for what happens to us after we leave. Turns out death is a big business and there's a trend on the rise: cremation over burial. Harry asks what's behind the shift and the implications for all e ... Show More

All of human history is, at heart, a tale of people attempting to cheat death -- and, up to now, everyone has failed to do so. But what if emergent technology may allow us to, in a way, bring back the dead? In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel explore the concept of Grief Tec ... Show More

What is it like to tell jokes at a Roman emperor’s funeral? Chris Parnell interviews a real Funeral Clown from 82 CE, a job that sometimes captured the hearts of funeral goers… and sometimes ended in certain death. And Chris wonders if this is a job tailor-made for his talents. Y ... Show More