since the dawn of humanity

an estimated one hundred point eight

billion people

have lived and died

a number that increases by about point eight percent of the world 's population

each year

what happens to all of those people's bodies after they die

and will the planet eventually run out of burial space

when a person 's heart stops beating

the body passes through several stages before it begins decomposing

within minutes after death

the blood begins settling

in the lower most parts of the body

usually eight to twelve hours later

the skin in those areas

is discolored by liver mortis

or postmortem stain

and while at the moment of death the body's muscles relax completely

in a condition called primary flaccidity

they stiffen

about two to six hours later

in what's known

as rigor mortis

this is stiffening spreads through the muscles

and its speed can be affected by

age

gender

and the surrounding environment

the body also changes temperature

usually cooling off to match its environment

next comes decomposition

the process by which bacteria and insects

break apart the body

many factors affect the rate of decomposition

there is however

a basic guide of the effect of the environment on decomposition

called casper 's law

it says that if all other factors are equal

a body exposed to

air

decomposes twice as fast

as one immersed in water

an

eight times as fast

as one buried in earth

soil acidity

also greatly affects the bone preservation

high acidity soils with a PH of less than five point three

will rapidly decompose bone

whereas in a neutral or basic soil

with a PH of seven or more

as a skeleton can remain in relatively good condition

for centuries

different cultures throughout history

have developed unique approaches to burials

as far back as the first neanderthal burials

death was accompanied by rituals

like the positioning

coloring
or decorating of corpses

traditional christian burials decorate the body in dress

while in traditional islam

a body is wrapped in a piece of ritual fabric

with the face oriented toward mecca

traditional hindus ceremonially burn the body

and zoroastrians

followers of one of the oldest monotheistic religions

traditionally placed bodies atop a tower

to expose them to the sun

and scavenging birds

before the industrial revolution burials were simple

and accessible

these days

with suitable burial land

running out in high population areas

purchasing private grave sites can be costly

and many people can't afford simple burials

even cremation

the second most common burial practice in the world

comes with a high cost

as for the question of running out of space

on

the issue isn't so much about total land in the world

as it is that large populations

cluster together within cities

most of the big cities in the world

may run out of suitable burial grounds

within a century

for london it's even sooner

that may happen by twenty thirty five

so are there alternatives to traditional burials

that might help with the space issue

in some countries 's skyscraper cemeteries

enable vertical burials

some options focus on the body's relationship with the environment

pro mission for example

freeze dries and pulverizes the body

creating a powder

that can turn into compost

when mixed with oxygen

and water

there are also green burials

that use special materials

such as biodegradable caskets

urns that sprout trees

and burial suits

that grow mushrooms

eternal reefs take that concept to the depths of the ocean

using a mixture of ashes and cement

to create a marine habitats

for sea life

death is an inevitable part of the human condition

but how we treat bodies and burials

continues to evolve

we may each have different spiritual

religious

or practical approaches to dying

but the ever increasing demand for burial space

might give us a push to be creative

about where our bodies go

after the final stages of life