Io9 death week

Welcome to Death Week!

Death is the great unknown, the ultimate one-way door. No matter how much we learn about physics or biology, the mystery of death remains intact. That’s why this week, io9 is going beyond the veil, to learn everything there is to know about death. What is it, why do we fear it, and what does…

Movies Charlie Jane Anders Jun 10

The world’s largest coffin is also an undertaker-run restaurant

What do you do with a 65-foot-long coffin? Undertakers in Truskavets, Ukraine, erected what they claim to be the world’s largest coffin, and now run a side business you wouldn’t normally associate with funeral homes: a death-themed restaurant. In 2008, reports out of the Ukraine detailed the new restaurant Eternity, run by the staff of…

io9 Lauren Davis Jun 9

Powdered Mummy, Gladiator Blood, and other Historical Medicines Made from Human Corpses

An Adam’s apple a day keeps the doctor away? History is full of bizarre medical remedies, but few are as gruesome as the field of corpse medicine. Many doctors, from ancient times to modern, prescribed concoctions made of human organs, salves of human fat, and the ground-up remains of embalmed corpses to treat a host…

io9 Lauren Davis Jun 9

The Meaning of Death: How do we know someone is no longer alive?

At what point does a person actually die? That depends on who you ask. To one person, it’s the moment the heart stops beating. To another, it’s when the brain enters a “vegetative” state. But a heart can be forced to keep beating; and how dead is a person, really, if she can continue to…

io9 Robbie Gonzalez Jun 8

Great Children’s Books That Look Death in the Eye

Children’s stories have been dealing with death since the days of fairy tales where the Princess doesn’t wake up. And some of the most soulful depictions of death aimed at kids come from the science fiction and fantasy genres. Except, in the ever-optimistic tone of children’s books, death is a mirror for how wonderful life…

Books & Comics Michael Ann Dobbs Jun 8

The Goofiest Old Timey Spirit Portraits Ever Photographed

We recently looked at the hilarious lengths 19th century photographers went through to keep infants from jumping out of portraits. Incidentally, the long exposure times that would’ve ruined those baby pictures allowed camera fiends of the 1800s to stage supernatural snapshots. Behold a sampling of some sillier spirit photographs, such as Mary Todd Lincoln (above…

io9 Cyriaque Lamar Jun 8

Could the “Touch of Death” work in real life?

You’ve seen Kill Bill’s five-finger death punch, and watched Spock perform the Vulcan nerve grip a million times. Are these techniques merely fiction — or could someone mysteriously subdue an attacker with a single skilled blow? One martial arts technique has earned the name “Touch of Death” — but is such a maneuver really possible?…

io9 Keith Veronese Jun 8

This deathbed robot is like having GLaDOS for a nurse

We live in an era in which androids are being considered for hospice care, so artist Dan Chen has created a machine that eases the dying into the great beyond — with the brutal efficiency of an ATM. This is the “End of Life Care Machine,” an automated companion who ushers you into the void…

io9 Cyriaque Lamar Jun 8

The Science of Ghosts

In this week’s io9 show, we delve into the science of ghosts — and the results may haunt you. We talk to author Mary Roach (Spook) about the environmental factors that could explain ghost sightings. We discuss why so many io9 readers think ghosts might exist. And we show how you can create a real-life…

io9 Charlie Jane Anders Jun 8

Where the Dead Go To Drink: The Best Haunted Bars, Clubs and Pubs

Wanna grab a drink with someone who’s passed beyond the veil? Then we’ve got the perfect list of watering holes for you. We’ve rounded up some of the more infamous haunted gin joints (still operating today), for everyone who’s looking for a paranormal drinking experience. Whether it’s partying with dead sex workers, or watching ghost…

io9 Meredith Woerner Jun 7

Why you probably won’t experience your own traumatic death

Ever wonder what it would be like to get shot in the head, or have your face smash into a car’s windshield? Well, you can stop wondering, because you’ll never know — even if it does happen to you. There are at least two major reasons why, if you die in a sudden and violent…

io9 George Dvorsky Jun 7

Everything you need to know about butts, farts, and Japanese water imps

Of all the ways to die, the most ignominious demise is having a kappa — or a Japanese demon — pull a magical orb out of one’s asshole. You can repel the beasts with a burst of powerful flatulence, but you must be certain that your fragrant blast is muscular enough to bowl them over…

io9 Cyriaque Lamar Jun 7

How to Have a Near Death Experience

Nobody knows what happens to us after death — but plenty of people believe they’ve had a sneak peek. As doctors get better and better at resuscitating people who have reached death’s door, the number of people who report having a Near Death Experience (NDE) has gone way up. One in 20 people in the…

io9 Charlie Jane Anders Jun 7

10 Reasons Not to Bring Someone Back from the Dead

When you’ve got amazing technologies or strong magical powers, death doesn’t have to have the final word. But is bringing the dead back to life always a good idea? We look the reasons it’s better to say no to resurrection. 1. They Come Back, But Not Quite Alive Torchwood: Captain Jack Harkness is understandably upset…

io9 Lauren Davis Jun 7

So you want to hang your skeleton in public? Here’s how.

We had a human skeleton in our biology class in high school. I remember thinking it was shorter than I expected, but I didn’t know how, exactly, it ended up in our classroom. I suppose I assumed grave robbers, which lent a adventurous air to our teacher. But in fact, there are much more legitimate…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell Jun 6

The 10 Most Epic Last Stands in Science Fiction and Fantasy

If you’re a fictional character, death can arrive rather swiftly and creatively. It’s your job to go out like an absolute champ so that non-fictional readers and audiences remember your passing and holler your praises on the internet. Here are ten times science fiction and fantasy heroes lost their lives with panache. Some spoilers ahead.…

Movies Cyriaque Lamar Jun 6

How a Zombie Outbreak Could Happen in Real Life

Could zombies actually exist? What would it take for human corpses to rise up and hunt the living? We often think zombies are scientifically impossible — but actually, they’re just very implausible. Here’s one way The Walking Dead could happen in real life. To start our zombie thought experiment, we need to make some basic…

io9 Ed Grabianowski Jun 6

The Future of Graveyards

If there’s anything that hasn’t changed all that much over the years, it’s graveyards. Dig a hole six feet deep, throw in the casket, erect a monument, and you’re done. Given how emotional and intense this topic is, it’s easy to understand the reluctance for fancy innovations. But owing to a number of pressures including…

io9 George Dvorsky Jun 5

People Who Survived Brushes With Death (And How They Did It)

TV and movies are full of people who suffer “mortal” wounds and then get up and keep fighting for another half hour. (Like Buffy in the Buffy series finale.) This always seems amazingly unrealistic. But actually in real life, lots of people survive apparently fatal injuries, and walk away. What allows some people to stay…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell Jun 5

This ‘phlegmy’ worm feeds on the bones of the dead (whales)

Some creatures are just too weird to not share with the world. Case in point: Osedax mucofloris, which just became my newest all-time favorite sea creature. Why? Osedax mucofloris literally translates to “bone-eating snot-flower,” which, let’s face it, is probably just about the best scientific name ever. As its name suggests, O. mucofloris munches on…

io9 Robbie Gonzalez Jun 5

Io9 death week

Welcome to Death Week!

The world’s largest coffin is also an undertaker-run restaurant

Powdered Mummy, Gladiator Blood, and other Historical Medicines Made from Human Corpses

The Meaning of Death: How do we know someone is no longer alive?

Great Children’s Books That Look Death in the Eye

The Goofiest Old Timey Spirit Portraits Ever Photographed

Could the “Touch of Death” work in real life?

This deathbed robot is like having GLaDOS for a nurse

The Science of Ghosts

Where the Dead Go To Drink: The Best Haunted Bars, Clubs and Pubs

Why you probably won’t experience your own traumatic death

Everything you need to know about butts, farts, and Japanese water imps

How to Have a Near Death Experience

10 Reasons Not to Bring Someone Back from the Dead

So you want to hang your skeleton in public? Here’s how.

The 10 Most Epic Last Stands in Science Fiction and Fantasy

How a Zombie Outbreak Could Happen in Real Life

The Future of Graveyards

People Who Survived Brushes With Death (And How They Did It)

This ‘phlegmy’ worm feeds on the bones of the dead (whales)

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