There aren’t that many options for putting your loved ones to rest.

There’s burial. There’s cremation. Now, later this year in Washington state, it’ll be legal to compost a human body. Soil scientist Lynne Carpenter-Boggs tells us how the process works and why she describes it as “beautiful.” Carpenter-Boggs is also a research advisor at Recompose, a human composting company in Washington.

This episode was produced by Rebecca Ramirez and edited by Viet Le.

Short Wave Podcast

It’s science for everyone, using a lot of creativity and a little humor. Join host Maddie Sofia for science on a different wavelength.