Lucy Smith

This week we're talking about death and dying, the processes of death, what happens afterwards, what happens to bodies.

We get into all of that with Dr. Hannah Gould, who recently dropped her book, How to Die in the 21st Century.

She answered all our questions on different types of cremation, different types of burials and practices overseas.

We also find out what Dr. Carl's funeral song would be.

Well, what all of our funeral songs would be.

What's yours?

Let's get into it.

It is a Thursday.

They come around so quickly.

So we are doing science with Dr. Carl.

And Dr. Carl, we're so lucky because this week we have a guest on the show for an area I don't think we've ever dedicated an episode to.

So, Hannah, you know, what do you think about the concept that we can't say words like death on certain platforms that we need to say unalive?

Yeah you're a professional scholar in death studies you're an expert on the processes of death how to navigate it different cultural perceptions of dying can I ask when did you decide that this is an area that you wanted to study?

Oh, I kind of fell into it, as you do.

You have a new book out.

It is called How to Die in the 21st Century, A Whole New Way to Talk About Death.

And I was reading it yesterday.

There's a part where you say, somewhere in between Europe and Australia and Japan, I found myself attending yearly funeral industry conventions, volunteering as demonstration corps for mortuary assistant training and interning at local crematoriums.

Yeah, all the fun stuff.

What is it like being a stand-in demonstration corpse?