10 WEIRD WAYS TO BURY THE DEAD....
1. Freeze-Drying
Forget the mad scientist Frankenstein approach to keep bodies in cryogenic chambers until some day in the future when cures are available for the ailments that killed them. The 21st century approach is freeze drying the body and crushing the remains in to a fine powder. This powder is then available for scattering or incorporating in a memorial.
2. In for a deep end
The Neptune Memorial Reef project, off Key Biscayne, Miami, is the largest artificial reef in the world. The reef is an underwater resting place for cremated remains and an environmen- tal laboratory for marine biologists. The reef is in 50-feet of water, and is evolving in to a natural reef for marine animals, microbes and fish.
3. Diamonds are forever
Modern day alchemists – better known as laboratory technicians – can convert cremation ashes in to gemstones of the same color and quality of mined diamonds. Jewelers can mount the diamonds in rings, pendants, earrings or other jewelery of your choice. The process takes about 14 weeks and costs from £2,688 for a small 0.25 carat diamond to up to £8,600 for a 0.8 carat stone.
4. Memorial Spaceflights
Launching your loved one’s remains in to space to float among the stars and become part of the infinite cosmos is the speciality of US firm Celestis. The company has already launched several space shots with a payload of cremated remains in to space and plans another soon – from $995 plus local taxes per deceased. Coming soon, the web site promises, is a mission for depositing your loved one’s ashes among the rocks and craters of the moon.
5. Firework Funeral
A firework funeral is both spectacular and spiritual. Attaching the deceased ashes to rockets and launching them in to the night sky for scattering and a colorful display.
6. Cremation Art
Painting your loved one’s ashes in to a work of art is a new memorial concept of- feared by Prestige Memorials. Families wanting a lasting celebration of their loved one can have an artist paint a portion of their ashes in to an existing work or create a new commission.
7. Stuck in the birdhouse
Once you have scattered your ashes, a US company has come up with solution for an eco-friendly way to to mark the spot with a memorial – convert your hand-turned wooden urn in to an upmarket birdhouse.
8. Carbon Copies
A typical person’s cremation ashes can be turned in to about 240 leads for pencils with the deceased’s name foil printed on the side.
9. Cryonics
About 200 people are in suspended animation awaiting reawakening in the future. Some of these are complete bodies, some are only ‘brains’.
10. Human DNA Trees
If you wish to come closer to nature reunion than decomposing in a coffin somewhere, scientists have come up with a way to transcode the essence of a human being into a tree. By entwining your DNA with the one of a plant.
YOUR CHOICE....
