What happens to our bodies after we die? - Farnaz Khatibi Jafari

譯者: qiangxiang lin 審譯者: YuFei Liang

Since the dawn of humanity,

自人類起源

an estimated 100.8 billion people have lived and died,

約 1008 億人經歷了出生和死亡

a number that increases by about .8% of the world's population each year.

該數字每年增加 0.8% 的全球人口數

What happens to all of those people's bodies after they die

人死後身體會發生什麼事？

and will the planet eventually run out of burial space?

地球最終會不會用盡埋葬的地方？

When a person's heart stops beating,

當一個人心臟停止跳動

the body passes through several stages before it begins decomposing.

身體開始分解前 會經歷幾個階段

Within minutes after death,

死亡後的幾分鐘

the blood begins settling in the lower-most parts of the body.

血液開始沈積於身體低處

Usually eight to twelve hours later,

通常 8 至 12 小時後

the skin in those areas is discolored by livor mortis, or post-mortem stain.

周圍的皮膚因為屍斑現象 而失去血色

And while at the moment of death the body's muscles relax completely

身體的肌肉隨著死亡 而完全放鬆

in a condition called primary flaccidity,

這情況稱為初期鬆弛

they stiffen about two to six hours later in what's known as rigor mortis.

肌肉接著硬化約 2 至 6 小時

此過程俗稱屍僵

This stiffening spreads through the muscles,

硬化遍及身體的肌肉

and its speed can be affected by age, gender, and the surrounding environment.

其速度隨年齡、性別 和周圍環境而改變

The body also changes temperature,

體溫也跟著改變

usually cooling off to match its environment.

通常會降溫至周圍環境溫度

Next comes decomposition,

接著開始分解

the process by which bacteria and insects break apart the body.

在此過程中 細菌和昆蟲把身體分解

Many factors affect the rate of decomposition.

許多因素皆影響分解速度

There is, however, a basic guide of the effect of the environment on decompositon

然而有一個環境分解作用的基本定律

called Casper's Law.

稱為卡斯帕爾定律

It says that if all other factors are equal,

該理論認為

在所有其他變量一致的情況下

a body exposed to air decomposes twice as fast as one immersed in water

大氣中的身體比水中的身體 分解速度快一倍

and eight times as fast as one buried in earth.

並比埋在土中的身體快八倍

Soil acidity also greatly affects bone preservation.

土質酸度也大大地影響骨頭腐蝕

High-acidity soils with a pH of less than 5.3

酸鹼值低於 5.3 的高酸度土壤 會快速分解骨頭

will rapidly decompose bone,

whereas in a neutral or basic soil with a pH of 7 or more,

相比之下，酸鹼值 大於等於 7 的中性或一般土壤

a skeleton can remain in relatively good condition for centuries.

骨骼可以維持相當良好的狀態幾百年

Different cultures throughout history have developed unique approaches to burials.

歷史上不同的文化 發展出獨特的埋葬方式

As far back as the first Neanderthal burials,

最早可追溯至 第一個尼安德塔人的埋葬

death was accompanied by rituals,

死亡伴隨著儀式

like the positioning, coloring, or decorating of corpses.

例如死者的擺放位置、染色或打扮

Traditional Christian burials decorate the body in dress,

傳統基督教埋葬替死者換上正式服裝

while in traditional Islam,

而傳統的伊斯蘭

a body is wrapped in a piece of ritual fabric

死者則全身包裹在布中

with the face oriented toward Mecca.

頭部朝向聖地麥加

Traditional Hindus ceremonially burn the body,

傳統的印度儀式火葬死者的身體

and Zoroastrians, followers of one of the oldest monotheistic religions,

最古老的一神教追隨者祆教

traditionally place bodies atop a tower to expose them to the Sun

按照傳統將死者置於塔的頂端 使其暴露於陽光下

and scavenging birds.`

及食腐鳥類中

Before the Industrial Revolution, burials were simple and accessible.

工業革命以前 埋葬儀式簡單且易於實行

These days, with suitable burial land running out in high-population areas,

現今的高密度人口 導致墓地開始出現供給不足

purchasing private gravesites can be costly,

購買私人墓地所費不貲

and many people can't afford simple burials.

人們負擔不起簡單的埋葬方式

Even cremation, the second most common burial practice in the world,

即便是目前第二常見的火葬

comes with a high cost.

也價格昂貴

As for the question of running out of space,

至於墓地不足的問題

the issue isn't so much about total land in the world

重點不在於地球上土地不夠

as it is that large populations cluster together within cities.

而是人類多集居於城市

Most of the big cities in the world

大部分的大城市

may run out of suitable burial grounds within a century.

可能在未來的一百年內 用盡埋葬的土地

For London, it's even sooner.

倫敦甚至不用一百年

That may happen by 2035.

可能在 2035 年之前 就會耗盡埋葬用地

So are there alternatives to traditional burials

所以是否有取代傳統埋葬的方法

that might help with the space issue?

可解決空間不足的問題呢？

In some countries, skyscraper cemeteries enable vertical burials.

有些國家在大廈公墓中實行垂直埋葬

Some options focus on the body's relationship with the environment.

有些則專注於屍體和環境的連結關係

Promession, for example, freeze-dries and pulverizes the body,

例如冰葬會冷凍、乾化和粉碎屍體

creating a powder that can turn into compost

然後把粉末和氧氣和水混合

when mixed with oxygen and water.

形成肥料

There are also green burials that use special materials,

也有其他生態葬使用特別的物質

such as biodegradable caskets,

例如能生物降解的棺材

urns that sprout trees,

能長出枝芽的甕

and burial suits that grow mushrooms.

能長出菇類的埋葬衣

Eternal reefs take that concept to the depths of the ocean

在深海中的永續礁石

using a mixture of ashes and cement to create marine habitats for sea life.

就是利用相同概念 把骨灰和膠泥混合

變成海中生物的棲息地

Death is an inevitable part of the human condition,

死亡是無法避免的情況

but how we treat bodies and burials continues to evolve.

但如何處理死者身體和埋葬的方法

正不停進化

We may each have different spiritual,

在靈性、宗教和實際面向上 每個人對於死亡都有不同的觀點

religious,

or practical approaches to dying,

but the ever-increasing demand for burial space

而對埋葬空間與日俱增的需求

might give us a push to be creative

推動了我們的想像力

about where our bodies go after the final stages of life.

使我們對身體死後該去哪的想法

更富含創造力