Crime Scene Insects BBC World Service (June 11, 2010) This episode of BBC Documentaries explores forensic entomology: “the investigation of insects recovered from crime scenes and corpses.” Guests include Amoret Whitaker of the Natural History Museum in London, who studies the flies and maggots that congregate on corpses to find clues about the time and [...]
The story of Oscar, the “Death Cat”, is making the rounds these days. From articles in Discover and the New England Journal of Medicine, to an episode of House to a recent posting on this Danish death-related blog, AND a newly published book, this cat gets around—but only if you’re about to die! Oscar is [...]
In Haiti, A Proper Burial is in Short Supply Frances Robles, Nadege Charles and Elinor J. Breche, Miami Herald (January 25, 2010) This will be the last post, for a while, on the dead bodies in Haiti. I decided to run this Miami Herald article because it does a good job of summing up the [...]
As Haitians Flee, the Dead Go Uncounted Damien Cave, New York Times (January 18, 2010) Last home of country’s most famous families turns from place of respect and mourning into installation of horror Ed Pilkington, The Guardian (January 18, 2010) Following up on yesterday’s Haiti earthquake post, these New York Times and Guardian articles expand [...]
How can a country in the grip of an apocalyptic tragedy deal in a dignified way with its victims? Paul Harris, The Guardian (January 17, 2010) The current stories emanating from Haiti are incomprehensibly awful. This Guardian article uses the word apocalyptic and that seems utterly appropriate. A crisis situation of this enormity is compounded [...]