Within a second, it cooled enough for particles to form. Diamonds. However, cremation has been around for centuries and is actually a very natural process. Cremation is far more complicated than lighting a fire. Some states have specific laws about where ashes can and cannot be scattered, so its important to check with your local authorities before scattering. When you compare our prices with those of local funeral homes, youll be surprised at just how much you can save. Do not ingest or consume cremated remains under any circumstances. By law, the body of the deceased is placed in a container such as a cardboard box or special caskets known as alternative containers prior to cremation. All human ashes are now known to resemble the beautiful, multi-colored, star-filled, expansive universe. The human skeleton is composed mostly of carbonates and calcium phosphates. Isnt it most telling that we lose so much magic in the journey from childhood to adulthood, yet we never lose our wonder in looking up at the stars? Different entertainment destinations like sports venues and theme parks discourage the scattering of ashes, as they can be a nuisance and cleanup challenge. When families come into pick up the cremation ashes (formally called cremation remains), they ask what the ashes look like. As my body began shutting down and my breath dissipating, I experienced myself as the cosmos, just as Gabriela saw her Father had become. Some people choose to bury their loved ones ashes in a special garden, where they can be used as compost to help grow new life. Decomposition is the process of decay that happens to organic matter. If it dries up faster, often the crystals stay very small, and if it crystallizes slowly, then it has more time to grow; they dont break or they dont shatter. an essay I wrote on Medium about almost dying, and how it felt. Over another few hundred thousand years, gravity created swirling gases that formed large discs, and the first stars were born. You may choose to simply take the urn home with you and keep it on display in your home. No two samples of human ashes will be precisely the same in terms of elemental composition. oktobernight.com. When the first tear came, I didnt even know that there were three sorts of tears! To the untrained eye, the gray powder you see in the photo looks like fireplace ashes. An average adult's cremation ashes weigh about 5 pounds and have an approximate volume of 170 to 200 cubic inches. The Divine Attributes, an exploration of the traditional theistic concept of God as the most perfect being, examines God as the most perfect being. There is no set chemical makeup for cremated remains, as each persons cremated remains will be different depending on their age, health, and the type of fuel used in the cremation process. Our spirit and soul differ in that our spirit always seeks God, while our soul is more focused on our own circumstances. Scattering cremated remains can be a very unique and beautiful way to honor the life of a loved one. By doing that in different ways, I can visualize different moments. This wasnt dead. However, if religion is a part of your life, you may want to consider how cremation will align with your beliefs. Depending on your jurisdiction, you may be subject to a waiting period before you may perform a cremation. It was like floating in space, but at the same time being that expansive space. Their death gave you life. Urns can come in any shape or size, and many are specially designed to represent the deceaseds personality or interestssports urns, religious urns, or military & veteran urns are elegant choices for a more personalized touch. The urn must also be labeled as containing cremated human remains. Observation. A cremation urn usually weighs between four and six pounds, depending on the age of the person. Ashes are between grey or grey-brown in colour. no color). One company will even send a small sample of the remains into space. You can also place the urn in acremation monumentor columbarium, a mausoleum like structure filled with small compartments for storing cremated remains. Ashes can easily stick to skin and clothing, so its important to take precautions when handling them. Cremation is the process of reducing a body to its basic elements through the use of high temperatures. What DNA Actually Looks Like. But love transcends our own needs. Work featured on The Today Show, NYT, CNN, MSNBC, Medium. This eliminates the need for large cemeteries and takes up very little space. What would be the soulmate colour? Make sure that there are no lumps of yeast or sugar. Were made of star stuff.. The base of a favorite tree or hiking trail, At a loved ones favorite hangout (with permission from the owner), In a place that has personal significance, such as the birthplace of the deceased. Only one body can be cremated at a time, and all cremated remains must be removed from the chamber before another cremation can take place. Scientists have developed a new method of imaging the building blocks of life. Since all of the organic material has been burned away, there is no food source to attract microbes that would emit odors. In most cases, cremation ashes can be spread in outdoor public spaces, as long as they are not scattered on private property without the owners consent. While cremated remains may be your personal property, theyre regulated differently around the world. There are a few things to consider before choosing a vessel for ashes. Gabriela will never get her Father back, as she knew him. These include popular choices like bronze urns or marble urns. As I sat across from the famous meteorologist turned Today Show host Al Roker and he asked me to describe my experience, something overcame me. So, something that was 1 mm wide in real life would be 400 mm wide in the microscope image. Love true love means wanting to know those you lost are not lost. Although cremated remains are commonly called ashes, in truth they are comprised of pulverized bone fragments. Mourners are vulnerable to high prices and often dont have the time or energy to comparison shop, so they can end up spending far more than necessary. This image is an interdental brush looked from a microscope, and the image was released by a Greek specialist, Dr. Harris Antonopoulus. The beauty of cremation is that it allows you the freedom to memorialize your loved one in almost any way that you prefer. There are many ways to commemorate cremated remains, and the best option will depend on your personal preferences and the wishes of the deceased. For a more intimate connection with your ashes, you may consult a specialist regarding ash-infused tattoo ink. According to the law, you are not required to keep a loved ones cremains in a safe place in your bedroom closet. While crematoria use large amounts of power for each cremation, this is still a more sustainable option than a traditional burial. Typically, there is no smell associated with cremated remains. For instance, the light microscopes typically used in high schools and colleges magnify up to about 400 times actual size. Funeral services now cost around $6,500 on average. Other religions, like Islam and Judaism, view cremation as a desecration of the body. (www.christenobrien.com), a study of 150,000 stars proved that humans and our galaxy have 97% of the same kind of atoms, Living With the Stars: How the Human Body Is Connected to the Life Cycles of the Earth, the Planets, and the Stars. The person who lodges an application for a cremation, often a relative or the executor of the estate, should arrange to collect the ashes. Following one year of burial, you may only be able to see the skeleton laid to rest in the soil or the remains of the body still recognizable with all of its clothing intact. Urns can be placed in a special location, such as a family home or mausoleum, or they can be buried in a cemetery. If you choose instead to bury the urn, this can be easily arranged at cemeteries. Getty With an electron microscope, you can zoom in even more, and at this resolution it's possible to see a strand of DNA in a cell. Human ashes, also known as cremated remains, are the final product of a human body after being cremated. Cremated remains are typically white or light gray in color, but the amount of bone and ash present can vary greatly. This is simply a temporary holding place, and you will need to choose a more permanent memorialization method. For sanitation and safety reasons, most crematories require that a casket be used for all bodies being cremated. Ashes can be scattered in any location that was special to them, or you can sprinkle them in a public place. After almost dying, I poured through hundreds of scientific studies ecology, biology, astronomy, physics and I kept finding this connection, again and again. As the cremation process moves along, a body may rise from the ground. Spirogyra is unicellular, but because it clumps together, it can be seen in the pond even with our naked eyes. The reproduction of any pictures, images, text, or other information on this website is strictly prohibited. In some parts of the world, cremation is ubiquitous. You can find your spirit animal according to the zodiac sign of your choice below. In fact, the alkalinity and salinity of ashes can actually harm plants. Crematodes can be stored in a vault, scattered, preserved in an urn, or incorporated into jewelry and art, among other options. Cremation also offers a number of other benefits, such as the ability to scatter the ashes in a location that is significant to the deceased or their family. Cremation Solutions, Inc. 311 Route 313 West Arlington, VT 05250 877-365-9474 [email protected], Natural Stone Markers and Garden Memorials. Call 247 877-353-3626 Quick QuoteStart Arrangements. But, thats also part of the question: Where do you need to cry of / from? For instance, pain killers. The medical examiner will only grant authorization once theyve reaffirmed theres no further need to examine the body. There are no stupid questions when it comes to the cremation process. The colors of ash are typically grey or brown in color and range from mid- to heavy grey. ), Writer & Collector of life stories. Glass art keepsakes are a beautiful way to showcase your loved ones cremated remains. This is because it takes a long time for diamonds to grow to their full size, after which a jeweler must cut and polish them to perfection. Furthermore, the potential health hazards have not been adequately studied, and relatively few procedures have been performed. The weight of an individuals ashes may be interpreted differently depending on their beliefs and cultural backgrounds. They explained to her that human ashes had been analyzed under microscopes for a long time, and the resulting images were simply black, white, and gray. Microbes can include bacteria and viruses and can be viewed from different lenses of a microscope. Your life can be traced to 13.8 billion years ago, when the universe began with the Big Bang. Cremation is when a body is burned, and the ashes are saved. Ultimately, the choice of cremation or burial is a personal one. That they made their way to somewheregreater. From this moment on, primordial stars appeared in the billions and cast the first light on the universe. Inside the retort (cremation chamber), temperatures are between 1400 and 1800 degrees Fahrenheit, so all the water is vaporized, along with tissues, organs, cartilage, etc. If you are well-versed in cremation and understand some of its details, you may be able to make a more thoughtful decision. It also causes all the water in the body to evaporate. And theres no reason an urn has to be largeyou can find urns small enough to fit on a necklace or bracelet to carry with you all the time. You can also place the urn in a, A creative and innovative way to honor your loved ones memory is by making their cremated remains part of a special object or piece of art. A frozen fruit cocktail can be topped with a grate of the same type. Forensic scientists view hair under a microscope to collect evidence based on morphology. 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