death

Most museums try to comfort you. Art museums soothe. Science museums inspire. History museums connect. But the Mütter Museum in Philadelphia? It challenges you. You probably won’t find it on a top-10 list of family-friendly attractions in Philly. But if you’re the type of person who’s ever asked, “What does disease actually do to the…

If there’s one thing humans have never quite figured out—but really love to speculate about—it’s what happens after we die. Every ancient culture had some version of the “afterlife” story. What all of them have in common is this deep, almost primal need to make sense of what comes next. So, here are some of…

Today, Fiji is known for its crystal-clear waters and luxury resorts. But not too long ago, the islands had a much darker reputation. In the 19th century, one of Fiji’s most feared leaders, Ratu Udre Udre, took war to a gruesome extreme. He didn’t just kill his enemies—he ate them. And he didn’t stop at…

Imagine living in a village where your dead relatives are still part of everyday life. I’m not kidding—this is a real thing in Tana Toraja, a mountain region in Indonesia. It’s one of the most fascinating and, let’s be real, mind-blowing traditions you’ve probably never heard of. In Torajan culture, death isn’t the end of…

Imagine waking up one morning, looking in the mirror, and being absolutely convinced that you’re dead. Not just a little sick or depressed, but 100% sure that your body is a lifeless corpse, devoid of blood, organs, or any vital signs. Sounds like something out of a horror movie, right? Well, believe it or not,…

There’s always been something both eerie and fascinating about communicating with the dead. The idea of reaching out to the afterlife—whether out of desperation, curiosity, or sheer wonder—has captivated people across cultures and centuries. One of the most popular methods for doing so has been the séance, a ritual or gathering where the living attempt…

As dark and twisted as it sounds, death rituals have been a huge part of human culture and history. They are our way to honor and commemorate our loved ones who have passed over. And while some of these death rituals are all about respect and celebration of life, others are a lot more dark…

If you’re a lover of dark history and notorious historical figures, you’ve probably already heard about Aqua Tofana. This was a poison that back in the 1600s killed hundreds of people in Italy, and most of the victims were males. The exact number of the people killed by it remains unknown, as it would take…

Dealing with the death of someone dear to us is never easy, to say the absolute least. In fact, it’s one of the hardest things we’ll go through in our lives. While our first initial instinct is to close ourselves off from the world, likely as a failed attempt to protect ourselves from any more…

Death—a topic that truly saddens all of us and deeply frightens the most fearless of souls. We typically prefer to avoid the subject, but whether we like it or not, we will all be faced with it throughout our lives, whether it’s confronting our own mortality or losing someone dear to us. There is no…

Even though it sounds a bit dark, I have to admit — I always had such a strong fascination with the afterlife. But not only that, also the diverse number of beliefs and traditions surrounding it. Across various civilizations, from ancient burial rites to contemporary funeral ceremonies, each culture has its own narrative around what…

As someone who grew up in the southeastern United States, more specifically in the very Christian Baptist area of Richmond, Virginia, I was always presented with a strong Western view on death. What I mean by that is my family is fearful of death. They treat it as if it is a horrible tragedy in…

I lost a friend last week. As do most of us, I get a little weird when death comes walking by. I feel as if I don’t have the right to grieve when the person who died was no longer close to me. Is it really “my loss” when they weren’t exactly around in my…

Almost all people view death as the end of life. That’s a given. However, different cultures around the world have different opinions regarding what will happen next after a person dies. Aside from that, each country has certain practices when it comes to remembering and honoring the deceased. To give you a better view, here…