As a society, we still maintain many ancient traditions and practices relating to the care of our dead. We invest tremendous resources and energy in maintaining cemeteries and sacred ground for the bodies of our beloved. In the face of death, we dig and scrape through dirt, mixing our emotions in with the earth. We create a grave--a hallowed space carved out for sadness and pain, but also for warmth and joy. We lay down what we carry from the person we’ve lost--the good and the bad. It doesn’t matter what we bury--a body, a feeling, or an object--we expect it to stay buried. We put it aside, and bid it farewell. And yet, when so much has changed, why do we still rely on this physical process? How can digging a hole--metaphorically or literally--help us to make sense of our loss? And what happens when things go awry? We may not like to admit it, but sometimes the grave is not a final resting place. In today’s episode, we’ll be investigating why we bury--and what happens when our attempts fail.

Host: Eileen Williams

Producers: Eileen Williams with help from Noelle Li Syn Chow, Kate Nelson, Yue Li, Jackson Roach, Nicole Bennett-Fite, Cathy Wong, Katie Lan, Reade Levinson, Christy Hartman, Jake Warga, Jenny March, Jonah Willihnganz

Featuring: Naveen Kassamali, Xochitl Raine Rhodes Longstaff, Janet Voight, Barbad Golshiri, Magellan Pfluke, and the staff of Pet’s Rest Cemetery. Thanks also to Sofi Filipa, Charlie Gibson, Ben Cady, Ivy Sanders Schneider, Jackie Langelier, Kim McElwee, Marlon Antunez, Skye Mooney, Tudi Roche, Chris Gerben, Caroline Spears, Stephen Aman, Adnan Khan, Jim Yount, Milan Mosse Phil C’de Baca, Teresa Hernandez, Carlos Yuen, Ganbat Namjilsangarav, Christine Murphy, Tsogbadrakh Banzragch, Tuya Banzragch, and Keith Bildstein

Show Music: Podington Bear

Image via Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Copps_Hill_Burying_Ground_Headstones_Leaning.jpg

Intro Story: UnburyingProducers: Noelle Chow and Kate Nelson Featuring: Magellan PflukeSpecial thanks: Xochitl Raine Rhodes LongstaffMusic: Response Data, Standing Like a Tree - Part II, Doomflaffsonoria (Whale Mix by Eisenlager)

Story 1: Vanishing RemainsProducer: Reade LevinsonFeaturing: Ganbat Namjilsangarav, Christine Murphy, Tsogbadrakh and Tuya Banzragch, and Dr. Keith BildsteinSpecial Thanks: Christy Hartman, Jake Warga, and Generation AnthropoceneMusic: All ambient recorded by Reade Levinson, sound effects downloaded from FreeSound.

Story 2: Pet CemeteryProducers: Yue Li, with help from Jackson RoachFeaturing: Lackie Langelier, Ben Cady, Skye Mooney, Sofi Filipa, Milan Mosse (voice over for Ben Cady), Phil C’de Baca, Teresa Hernandez, Carlos YuenMusic: Alex Finch Seeking Clarity Pt. II, Ketsa Far From Home, Ketsa Clear and Present, Podington Bear Lonesome, Podington Bear Pink Gradient

Story 3: The Cryonicist's WagerProducers: Nicole Bennett-Fite, Jake Warga, and Eileen WilliamsFeaturing: Jim Yount, Acting President of the American Cryonics SocietyMusic: Karma Ron (https://www.freesound.org/people/Karma-Ron/sounds/240624/)

Story 4: Anger BoxProducers: Cathy Wong, Jenny March, Jake WargaFeaturing: Naveen Kassamali, Adnan KhanMusic: Thread of Clouds - Blue Dot Sessions, Migration (http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Blue_Dot_Sessions/Migration/Thread_of_Clouds)

Story 5: Unburying IranProducers: Katie Lan, recorded with the help of Jackson RoachFeaturing: Barbad GolshiriMusic: Dropped Ticket by Podington Bear, Isolate by Moby

Story 6: Through the DeepProducer: Kate NelsonFeaturing: Dr. Janet VoightMusic: Chris Zabriskie (We Were Never Meant to Live Here, Remember Trees?, The Oceans Continue to Rise), Podington Bear

Story 7: Time CapsuleProducers: Yue Li and Reade LevinsonFeaturing: Leslie Winnick and voices of Stanford's class of 2016Music: Trellis , Golden Era, Dryness (by Podington Bear)

Listen to the individual stories here: https://soundcloud.com/stateofthehuman/sets/burying