手機版
From getting hitched to saving the environment, here’s proof you can still be a busybody long after you kick the bucket.
1. Get Married
Death is no obstacle when it comes to love in China. That’s because ghost marriage—the practice of setting up deceased relatives with suitable spouses, dead or alive—is still an option.
Ghost marriage first appeared in Chinese legends 2,000 years ago, and it’s been a staple of the culture ever since. At times, it was a way for spinsters to gain social acceptance after death. At other times, the ceremony honored dead sons by giving them living brides. In both cases, the marriages served a religious function by making the deceased happier in the afterlife.
While the practice of matchmaking for the dead waned during China’s Cultural Revolution in the late 1960s, officials report that ghost marriages are back on the rise. Today, the goal is often to give a deceased bachelor a wife—preferably one who has recently been laid to rest. But in a nation where men outnumber women in death as well as in life, the shortage of corpse brides has led to murder. In 2007, there were two widely reported cases of rural men killing prostitutes, housekeepers, and mentally ill women in order to sell their bodies as ghost wives. Worse, these crimes pay. According to The Washington Post and The London Times, one undertaker buys women’s bodies for more than $2,000 and sells them to prospective “in-laws” for nearly $5,000.
2. Unwind with a Few Friends
Today, most of us think of mummies as rare and valuable artifacts, but to the ancient Egyptians, they were as common as iPhones. So, where have all those mummies gone? Basically, they’ve been used up. Europeans and Middle Easterners spent centuries raiding ancient Egyptian tombs and turning the bandaged bodies into cheap commodities. For instance, mummy-based panaceas were once popular as quack Medicine. In the 16th century, French King Francis I took a daily pinch of mummy to build strength, sort of like a particularly offensive multivitamin. Other mummies, mainly those of animals, became kindling in Homes and steam engines. Meanwhile, human mummies frequently fell victim to Victorian social events. During the late 19th century, it was popular for wealthy families to host mummy-unwrapping parties, where the desecration of the dead was followed by cocktails and hors d’oeuvres.
3. Tour the Globe as a Scandalous Work of Art
Beginning in 1996 with the BODY WORLDS show in Japan, exhibits featuring artfully flayed human bodies have rocked the museum circuit. BODY WORLDS is now in its fourth incarnation, and competing shows, such as Bodies Revealed, are pulling in $30 million per year. The problem is, it’s not always clear where those bodies are coming from.
Dr. Gunther von Hagens, the man behind BODY WORLDS, has documented that his bodies were donated voluntarily to his organization. However, his largest competitor, Premier Entertainment, doesn’t have a well-established donation system. Premier maintains that its cadavers are unclaimed bodies from mainland China. And therein lies the concern. Activists and journalists believe “unclaimed bodies” is a euphemism for “executed political prisoners.”
The fear isn’t unfounded. In 2006, Canada commissioned a human rights report that found Chinese political prisoners were being killed so that their organs could be “donated” to transplant patients. And in February 2008, ABC News ran an exposé featuring a former employee from one of the Chinese companies that supplied corpses to Premier Entertainment. In the interview, he claimed that one-third of the bodies he processed were political prisoners. Not surprisingly, governments have started to take notice. In January 2008, the California State Assembly passed legislation requiring body exhibits to prove that all their corpses were willfully donated.
4. Fuel a City
Cremating a body uses up a lot of energy—and a lot of nonrenewable resources. So how do you give Grandma the send-off she wanted and protect the planet at the same time? Multitask. Some European crematoriums have figured out a way to replace conventional boilers by harnessing the heat produced in their fires, which can reach temperatures in excess of 1,832 degrees F. In fact, starting in 1997, the Swedish city of Helsingborg used local crematoriums to supply 10 percent of the heat for its Homes.
5. Get Sold, Chop Shop-Style
Selling a stiff has always been a profitable venture. In the Middle Ages, grave robbers scoured cemeteries and sold whatever they could dig up to doctors and scientists. And while the Business of selling cadavers and body parts in the United States is certainly cleaner now, it’s no less dubious.
Today, the system runs like this: Willed-body donation programs, often run by universities, match cadavers with the researchers who need them. But because dead bodies and body parts can’t be sold legally, the middlemen who supply these bodies charge large fees for “shipping and handling.” Shipping a full cadaver can bring in as much as $1,000, but if you divvy up a body into its component parts, you can make a fortune. A head can cost as much as $500; a knee, $650; and a disembodied torso, $5,000.
The truth is, there are never enough of these willed bodies to meet demand. And with that kind of money on the mortician’s table, corruption abounds. In the past few years, coroners have been busted stealing corneas, crematorium technicians have been caught lifting heads off bodies before they’re burned, and university employees at body donation programs have been found stealing cadavers. After UCLA’s willed-body program director was arrested for selling body parts in 2004, the State of California recommended outfitting corpses with bar code tattoos or tracking chips, like the kinds injected into dogs and cats. The hope is to make cadavers easier to inventory and track down when they disappear.
6. Become a Soviet Tourist Attraction
Russian revolutionary Vladimir Lenin wanted to be buried in his family plot. But when Lenin died in 1924, Joseph Stalin insisted on putting his corpse on public display in Red Square, creating a secular, Communist relic. Consequently, an organization called the Research Institute for Biological Structures was formed to keep Lenin’s body from decay. The Institute was no joke, as some of the Soviet Union’s most brilliant minds spent more than 25 years working and living on site to perfect the Soviet system of corpse preservation. Scientists today still use their method, which involves a carefully controlled climate, a twice-weekly regimen of dusting and lubrication, and semi-annual dips in a secret blend of 11 herbs and chemicals. Unlike bodies, however, fame can’t last forever. The popularity of the tomb is dwindling, and the Russian government is now considering giving Lenin the burial he always wanted.
7. Snuggle Up with Your Stalker
When a beautiful young woman named Elena Hoyos died from tuberculosis in Florida in 1931, her life as a misused object of desire began. Her admirer, a local X-ray technician who called himself Count Carl von Cosel, paid for Hoyos to be embalmed and buried in a mausoleum above ground. Then, in 1933, the crafty Count stole Elena’s body and hid it in his home. During the next seven years, he worked to preserve her corpse, replacing her flesh as it decayed with hanger wires, molded wax, and plaster of Paris. He even slept beside Elena’s body in bed—that is, until her family discovered her there. In the ensuing media circus, more than 6,000 people filed through the funeral home to view Elena before she was put to rest. Her family buried her in an unmarked grave so that von Cosel couldn’t find her, but that didn’t stop his obsession. Von Cosel wrote about Elena for pulp fiction magazines and sold postcards of her likeness until he was found dead in his Home in 1952. Near his body was a life-size wax dummy made to look just like Elena.
8. Not Spread an Epidemic
In the aftermath of natural disasters such as tsunamis, floods, and hurricanes, it’s common for the bodies of victims to be buried or burned en masse as soon as possible. Supposedly, this prevents the spread of disease. But according to the World health Organization (WHO), dead bodies have been getting a bad rap. It turns out that the victims of natural disasters are no more likely to harbor infectious diseases than the general population. Plus, most pathogens can’t survive long in a corpse. Taken together, the WHO says there’s no way that cadavers are to blame for post-disaster outbreaks. So what is? The fault seems to lie with the living or, more specifically, their living conditions. After a disaster, people often end up in crowded refugee camps with poor sanitation. For epidemic diseases, that’s akin to an all-you-can-eat buffet.
9. Stand Trial
In 897 CE, Pope Stephen VI accused former Pope Formosus of perjury and violation of church canon. The problem was that Pope Formosus had died nine months earlier. Stephen worked around this little detail by exhuming the dead pope’s body, dressing it in full papal regalia, and putting it on trial. He then proceeded to serve as chief prosecutor as he angrily cross-examined the corpse. The spectacle was about as ludicrous as you’d imagine. In fact, Pope Stephen appeared so thoroughly insane that a group of concerned citizens launched a successful assassination plot against him. The next year, one of Pope Stephen’s successors reversed Formosus’ conviction, ordering his body reburied with full honors.
10. Stave Off Freezer Burn
At cryonics facilities around the globe, the dead aren’t frozen anymore. The reason? Freezer burn. As with steaks and green beans, freezing a human body damages tissues, largely because cells burst as the water in them solidifies and expands. In the early days of cryonics, the theory was that future medical technology would be able to fix this damage, along with curing whatever illness killed the patient in the first place.
Realizing that straight freezing isn’t the best option, today’s scientists have made significant advances in cryonics. Using a process called vitrification, the water in the body is now replaced with an anti-freezing agent. The body is then stored at cold temperatures, but no ice forms. In 2005, researchers vitrified a rabbit kidney and successfully brought it back to complete functionality—a big step in cryonics research. (It may help in organ transplants someday, too.) But science has yet to prove that an entire body can be revived. Even worse, some vitrified bodies have developed large cracks in places where cracks don’t belong. Until those kinks get worked out, the hope of being revived in the future will remain a dream.
從結(jié)婚到保護環(huán)境，有證據(jù)顯示：人死后很久，還可以做到很多事情。
1，結(jié)婚
在中國，死亡從不是愛情的阻礙。那是因為，鬼婚也是一個選擇，找到合適的配偶建立鬼婚關(guān)系，亦 生亦死。鬼婚第一次出現(xiàn)在2000年前的中國傳說中，從而成為一種文化產(chǎn)物。有時，這可以使終生未嫁婦女死后獲得社會認可。有時，有些家庭用活的新娘去祭奠死去的兒子。這兩種情況下，婚姻起著一種宗教作用，使死者死后生活更幸福。
20世紀60年代后期文化大革命期間，實行鬼婚的情況減少。據(jù)官方報告，鬼婚阻礙發(fā)展�，F(xiàn)在的目標是，給死掉的單身漢一位妻子，最好是即將死去的女子。但在一個男性死亡和存活數(shù)量少于女性的國家，缺少女性死亡新娘導(dǎo)致了自殺現(xiàn)象，2007年，廣泛報道農(nóng)村男性殺害妓女、家庭主婦、精神失常的婦女，以便把她們賣做鬼新娘。更糟的是，有人為犯罪行為付賬。據(jù)華盛頓郵報和倫敦時報，某位承辦人以2000多美元買進婦女尸體，又以近5000美元賣給預(yù)期的姻親。
2，與朋友娛樂
現(xiàn)今，大多數(shù)人都把木乃伊當作稀罕、珍貴的人工制品，然而對于古埃及人來說，木乃伊就像手機那么普通。因此，所有的木乃伊都在哪里？他們都已被挖掘干凈。歐洲人和中東人花了數(shù)世紀的時間尋找古埃及墳?zāi)�，把包裹著的木乃伊賣做廉價商品。比如說，用在木乃伊身上的萬靈藥曾像假藥那么盛行。在16世紀，法國國王弗朗西斯一世用大量木乃伊來防御，類似攻擊性的多樣維他命。其他干尸（主要是動物尸體），成為家庭和蒸汽機的燃料。與此同時，人類木乃伊也是維多利亞時代社會大事件的犧牲品。19世紀后期，一些貴族家庭常舉辦拆解木乃伊的派對，用雞尾酒和開胃菜褻瀆遺體。
3，環(huán)球展覽可恥藝術(shù)
起源于1996年日本的人體世界展，以赤裸人體為特色，震驚世界博物館。人體世界現(xiàn)在位于第四階段，而由此競爭的展覽（如揭露人體），每年吸引30，000，000人。問題是，無法確定這些人體來自于哪里。
甘瑟.凡.哈根斯博士，人體世界的幕后人，稱遺體是自愿捐贈給他的組織的。而他的最大對手，派瑞娛樂卻沒有完善的捐贈系統(tǒng)。派瑞認定，尸體來自大陸無人認領(lǐng)的遺體，。這引起了關(guān)注。積極分子和記者相信，無人認領(lǐng)的遺體是一種對執(zhí)行死刑的政治犯的影射。
這引起了恐慌。2006年，加拿大出具一份人權(quán)報告，稱中國的政治犯被執(zhí)行死刑后，其器官可能被“捐贈”給患者移植。2008年的2月，ABC新聞的發(fā)布會上，一名前中國公司雇員稱，該公司供應(yīng)給派瑞娛樂。在采訪中，他說三分之一他處理過的遺體是政治犯。不出所料，各政府開始關(guān)注這件事。2008年1月，加利福尼亞州公民大會通過立法，要求所有的展示遺體須證明是自愿捐贈的。
4，城市燃料
火葬一具遺體要用很多能量以及不可再生的資源。那你要怎樣給你祖母一個她所希望的告別儀式，同事還要保護地球環(huán)境呢？這可是多重任務(wù)！一些歐洲殯儀館找到了方法，用火產(chǎn)生的熱量來代替?zhèn)鹘y(tǒng)的鍋爐，這樣可以達到超過華氏溫度1832度。事實上，自1997開始，瑞典城市赫爾辛堡用當?shù)氐臍泝x館供應(yīng)10%的家用能量。
5，像便利商店般的出售
出售遺體總是一項有利可圖的投資。在中世紀時期，盜墓者尋找墳?zāi)梗阉麄兺诰虻降馁u給醫(yī)生或科學家。而當美國的遺體和人體部件已相當明顯時，這就沒什么稀奇了。
如今，系統(tǒng)是這樣運行的：由各所大學經(jīng)營的自愿捐贈遺體計劃，把需要遺體實驗的研究者與遺體聯(lián)系到一起，因為遺體和人體部件不能合法買賣，供應(yīng)遺體的中間商就可以以運輸和處理為由，大開其口。運輸一整具尸體可以進賬達1000美元；如果把尸體分解出售，可以從中盈利一大筆。一個頭可賣到500美元，膝蓋650美元，分解的軀干可以賣到5000美元。
事實是，從沒有足夠的尸體滿足市場需求。為賺取殯儀事宜外的錢，腐敗現(xiàn)象滋生。過去的若干年，驗尸官因偷取眼角膜而降職，有人發(fā)現(xiàn)殯儀館工作人員在尸體火化前偷取其頭部，遺體自愿捐贈計劃的大學雇員竊取尸體。在加州大學洛杉磯分校的資源捐贈主管因竊取遺體部件被捕之后，加利福尼亞州建議為遺體配備條形碼編號的紋身或追蹤芯片。這是希望，尸體丟失時，更方便追蹤和尋找。
6，成為蘇維埃一處旅游勝地
俄羅斯革命家弗拉基米爾.列寧希望自己死后被葬在自家的墓園。而列寧1924年死的時候，約瑟夫.斯大林堅持要把列寧的遺體放在紅場公開展示，以創(chuàng)造不朽的共產(chǎn)主義遺跡。結(jié)果，成立了一個名為"生物結(jié)構(gòu)研究機構(gòu)“的組織，，為防止列寧遺體腐化。這一機構(gòu)并非玩笑，一些蘇聯(lián)專家花了超過25年的時間，為保護列寧遺體而奮斗。今天科學家，仍用這種方法，其中包括仔細檢測氣候、一周兩次的養(yǎng)生和潤滑處理，與半年一次的藥草和化學物質(zhì)。然而，名聲不像遺體那般永存。參觀墓地不再盛行，因此俄羅斯正負正考慮讓列寧重回理想墓地。
7，與偷窺者靠近
弗羅里達州，一名名叫“伊蓮娜. 荷優(yōu)斯”的在1931年死于肺結(jié)核時，她被他人當作濫用對象的人生就此開始。他的愛慕者是一名X光的技術(shù)員，名叫考恩特.卡爾.凡.科賽爾，付錢為她做香薰處理，為她安置墓地。1933年，狡猾的考恩特偷取伊蓮娜的遺體，并將其藏在他的家中。連續(xù)七年，他忙于保存她的遺體，使用掛鉤金屬絲、磨具蠟和巴黎石膏代替她的肉體。他甚至還和伊蓮娜的遺體睡在一張床上，一直到伊蓮娜的家人發(fā)現(xiàn)這件事。在之后的媒體見證會上，超過6000人在伊蓮娜入土安息之前，前來她的葬禮。她的家人把她安葬在無名的墓地，不讓卡爾再找到，但是這并不能阻止他的愛慕�？瀑悹栐谕ㄋ仔≌f雜志上寫過關(guān)于伊蓮娜的文章，賣伊蓮娜喜歡的明信片，直到他1952年死于家中。在他的遺體旁邊，放了一具和伊蓮娜真人大小的蠟像。
8，不會傳播傳染病
在一系列的自然災(zāi)害（如海嘯、水災(zāi)、颶風）之后，遇難者的遺體很可能被埋或全部燒掉。這樣的話，可以防止疾病的傳播。而根據(jù)世界衛(wèi)生組織，尸體會引來譴責。結(jié)果是，比常人相比，自然災(zāi)害的遇難者不可能隱藏傳染病毒。而且，絕大多數(shù)病原體無法在尸體內(nèi)存活�？偟膩碚f，世界衛(wèi)生組織稱，尸體不應(yīng)該因病毒爆發(fā)而被指責。那么，是什么傳播病毒的呢？這過失似乎在于活著的人，更可能的是人的生存條件。疾病過后，人們通常擠在衛(wèi)生條件較差的帳篷。這對于傳播病病毒來說，這就雷同于病毒的“自助餐會”。
9，受審訊
公元897年，教皇斯蒂芬一世指控前任教皇福爾摩賽作偽證和違反教規(guī)。問題在于，教皇福爾摩賽已于九年前死亡。斯蒂芬著眼于小細節(jié)，通過挖掘前任教皇的遺體，包攬皇權(quán)，審訊。接著，他繼續(xù)像一名實行者般反復(fù)檢查遺體。那場景如大家可以想象的。事實上，斯蒂芬教皇如此瘋狂的舉止，反而引發(fā)關(guān)注此事的居民對他發(fā)起暗殺計劃。下一年，斯蒂芬教皇的繼承者之一顛覆了對福爾摩賽教皇的定罪，命人安葬了他。
10，避免冷凍庫燃燒
全球的人體冷凍辦法中，遺體不再冰凍。理由是什么呢？冷庫燃燒。和牛排和青豆一樣，把遺體冰凍起來會破壞其組織，主要因為破裂的細胞會凝固、膨脹。在人體冰凍處理的早些時候，理論上是醫(yī)學研究可以彌補細胞的破裂，隨同醫(yī)治任何可以導(dǎo)致病人死亡的疾病。
意識到直接冰凍處理并非是最好的選擇，現(xiàn)在科學家已經(jīng)在冷凍方法上取得進步。使用，所謂的“玻璃化”人體內(nèi)的水分會被抗冷凍劑所代替。遺體會保存在低溫狀態(tài)下，而非放在冰里。2005年，研究家將一只兔子的腎臟變成玻璃狀，后又成功地讓之恢復(fù)功能，這在冷凍法研究過程中是重要一步。（也許還能對器官移植有所幫助。）但是科學還有待證實，整具遺體能不能復(fù)生？更糟糕的是，一些玻璃狀態(tài)的遺體在不該出現(xiàn)裂縫的地方，卻有了裂縫。除非能解決這些難題，否則將來遺體復(fù)生的希望還是無法實現(xiàn)。
