Deaths

Burial and cremation are no longer the only two options we have in deciding what happens to us at the end of life, as turning your body into compost is gaining legal status across the world. The latest to give it the green light is Australia.

Friends, I write today with tragic news. A treasured member of the New Atlas team has passed away, and it falls to me to pay some small tribute to a wonderful colleague and a close friend, Joe Salas.

While traditional fire cremations burn fossil fuels, known pollutants that can emit harmful substances like carbon monoxide, heavy metals, and particulates, water cremations offer a cheaper, greener alternative to end-of-life processes.

America's most experienced astronaut has passed away at the age of 87. In a statement, acting NASA said that Captain John Young (US Navy, retired) died on January 5 due to complications from pneumonia. He was the only astronaut to command three different kinds of spacecraft.

When a family member dies, lasting memorials can offer distressed relatives some relief. For a number of years Barcelona-based Bios Urn has been producing biodegradable urns that use people's ashes to help grow a tree after their death. Now, it's offering the Bios Urn for Pets.​