Buzz
Once you pass away, your social interactions often dwindle, and your absence can leave loved ones feeling down. To address these issues and provide comfort or even amusement to those who outlive you, consider allowing your body to be utilized in one of the following unique ways. Make sure to include it in your will!
10. Transform into a Flying Disc
Ed Headrick, inspired by the pie tins from the Frisbie Baking Company, created the Frisbee. He initially designed a plastic disc named the Pluto Platter, which was later rebranded as the Frisbee. Today, the Frisbee is a globally beloved toy, and Ultimate Frisbee is a popular sport in universities worldwide. When Ed passed away at 90, his ashes were blended with plastic and molded into Frisbees, distributed to friends and family. He humorously remarked during his lifetime that humans were like Frisbees, and purgatory didn’t exist—souls just ended up stuck on rooftops.
9. Transform into a Precious Gemstone
Lab-grown diamonds are typically produced by applying intense pressure and heat to dissolve graphite in a metal solvent. This process generates numerous small gems, often utilized in industrial applications due to their inferior aesthetic appeal compared to natural diamonds. However, it is feasible to create dazzling diamonds in a laboratory setting using virtually any carbon source. Cremated remains can now be converted into diamond jewelry, serving as a timeless tribute to a departed loved one. You can even turn yourself into a diamond before passing away by using your hair as the carbon source.
8. Turn into a Spectacular Firework Display
Several companies specialize in incorporating the ashes of cremated individuals into fireworks. Following cremation, approximately 2-3 kilograms of ash remain, allowing for the creation of numerous fireworks. This enables an entire evening of breathtaking displays to honor and remember the departed.
7. Transform into a Sculpture
Jeremy Bentham, a utilitarian philosopher and free-thinker who passed away in 1832, famously argued that traditional burials were wasteful. Coincidentally, prominent figures are often commemorated with statues, and Bentham found a way to combine both ideas. With taxidermy being popular at the time, he arranged for his body to be preserved and transformed into what he termed an 'auto-icon.' Today, his meticulously preserved remains reside at University College London. His auto-icon was even brought to meetings, where he was humorously noted as 'Present, but not voting.'
6. Be Turned into Hunting Ammunition
For those who want to make a dramatic exit, it’s possible to have cremated remains infused into shotgun shells. In 2004, a shotgun enthusiast was cremated and transformed into 300 cartridges. His widow invited his closest friends to join her for a hunting expedition. Together, they successfully hunted seventy partridges, several pheasants, ducks, and even a fox. Prior to the hunt, a vicar blessed the cartridges, describing the act as an unconventional yet meaningful way to scatter ashes.
5. Transform into a Custom-Bound Book
Human skin, known for its soft and flexible texture, is ideal for creating high-quality leather, making it suitable for bookbinding. This practice, referred to as anthropodermic bibliopegy, was once fashionable, particularly using the skin of executed criminals. However, some individuals have chosen to leave instructions for their own skin to be used in binding a commemorative book after their death. For instance, the skin of one of the Gunpowder Plot conspirators was used to bind a volume detailing his crimes.
4. Adorn a Dwelling
While some individuals bequeath money to their church, others opt for a more tangible legacy, such as those who contributed to the Sedlec Ossuary’s unique decor. This chapel features walls adorned with human bones, including an elaborate coat of arms crafted from various skeletal parts. The ceiling is lined with rows of skulls, and a grand chandelier made of bones hangs prominently. Today, this chapel is a major tourist attraction in the Czech Republic.
3. Serve as a Theatrical Prop
Many aspire to be actors, with Hamlet often being the pinnacle role. But what if you lack the skill for a leading or even a minor part? For those who wish to act after death, there’s the famously silent role of Yorick, represented by a skull in the iconic graveyard scene. André Tchaikowsky, a Polish pianist, donated his skull to the Royal Shakespeare Company for use in Hamlet—an option for those determined to make a posthumous stage appearance.
2. Transform into a Vinyl Record
The aptly named andvinyly.com provides a unique service: pressing a person’s ashes into a vinyl record featuring their favorite music or a final recorded message. For £3,000, your loved ones receive 30 copies of the recording in custom-designed sleeves. For an additional fee, a portrait of you can be created using acrylic paint mixed with your ashes, adding a deeply personal touch to the album cover.
1. Turn into Glass
While turning ashes into diamonds is costly, glass has long served as an affordable alternative in costume jewelry. If becoming a gemstone is beyond your budget, transforming into glass is a far more economical option. Your ashes can be infused with pigments and crafted into a range of glass items, allowing for a personalized and lasting memorial.
