With recent advances in technology and the ever-changing societal norms, the way we think about certain aspects of our lives is constantly evolving... and funerals are no exception.
The traditional funeral is becoming less and less common, whether that is because people want to go out with a bang, or simply don't hold the same traditional values of previous generations.
Here are 5 ways that you can expect funerals to change in the near future:
1. Social Life After Death
For those who spend countless hours tweeting, death may no longer be such a large obstacle in the way of your online life.
The solar powered E-Tomb is a conceptual design that has gotten a lot of attention in recent years.
An E-Tomb would not only store all of the information from your social media, such as photos, videos and blogs, but would also allow people to post fond memories and messages.
Although the E-Tomb is merely a concept at this point, this way of digitally recording a person's achievements, memories and personality could become a reality as more and more of us live out our lives in the digital age.
2. Space Burial
Even now, keeping your remains on Earth is no longer your only option.
For a price comparable to the average Earth-bound funeral, Celestis offer a range of services including Earth or Lunar orbit, or even having the remains launched into deep space.
Once somebody has been launched their whereabouts can be tracked in real time by their family members.
Celestis are looking to expand their range of after-life space voyages by equipping their capsules with indefinite propulsion using solar sail technology.
The first burial of this sort was that of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry who was launched into Earth's orbit in 1997.
3. Bitcoin-Funded Funerals
With the increasingly popular digital currency Bitcoin being used for more and more services it comes as no surprise that some funeral directors are starting to accept Bitcoin as payment.
Bitcoin was created in 2009, and is designed to be a way for people to make transactions without the involvement of any middle men. This means that, in theory, you can spend with anonymity and without incurring transactions fees.
While Bitcoin may be a long way from replacing everyday currencies, there are a significant number of people who are keen to use it whenever they can.
4. Digital Memorials
As more and more of use the internet for our social lives, online memorial services are becoming increasingly popular.
There are a huge number of online services available, ranging from memorial pages to fully fledged social media accounts that allow you to leave posthumous messages for your friends and family.
While this may seem bizarre to some, those of us who spend the majority of our lives in the digital era may think completely differently about the way in which we would like to be remembered.
5. Eco-Friendly Funerals
Given that the traditional funeral isn't exactly environmentally friendly, due to the embalming fluids and use of wooden coffins, some people are opting for greener forms of burial.
Some of the green coffins available include ones made from cardboard, recycled newspaper and even wool.
