Here we'll explore the biological process of death and also clear up some basic questions about the science of it all. Find out how the mind reacts to death and how people try to cope with it. Death is treated very differently all around the world. Here we'll discuss the various religious and cultural differences. Discover the social implications of death and how death affects society. Discuss death related topics with other surfers.

Science The Importance of an Instant: At what point are you dead? It was from evolution. It was from a master plan by a divine creator. It was pure bad luck. For whatever the reason, we humans die. By scientific investigation, we now have a pretty good idea as to why. However, even in our glorious time of modern technology, many micro-biological things still remain unknown. For example, research continues as to the exact reason why toxins disrupt cell function. In cases of prolonged fatal illness or coma, a discussion arises as to whether someone is dead or not. Organ donation is also a common factor in such discussion-- when is it okay to remove an organ from someone in a vegetative state in order to save another life? Thus [defining "death"] becomes an important issue. Whenever you're talking about science and medicine, you'd better know the lingo. We have for you here some [terms related to death]. Cells die without oxygen. Starvation and stomach/intestinal problems are the only ways one can die in which lack of oxygen isn't the direct cause of death. In all other cases, be it a gunshot wound or cancer, it comes down to lack of oxygen. Now, it's obvious that cells die from lack of oxygen. The {reason} they die, though, isn't some magical law of nature that dictates that it must be so. You wanna be wise as to why cells die if they don't get no oxygen, sucka? [Lay it right here, yo]. (/end white-boy attempt at ebonics) There are all kinds of ways for energy production to be impeded, mostly in the ways that the body can find itself unable to process the necessary elements of life. So there is no one manner in which dying occurs-- no one specific dying process, though they all come down to oxygen deprivation and cell death. Choose from our list for [physiological descriptions of some common ways for the human body to expire]. There is, however, certainly a definite [post-mortem process] that goes on in the deceased body, chocked full of chemical reactions other assorted phenomena. (editor's note: weak stomachs need not click) Copyright 2001. Created by a Thinkquest team. Feel free to email us at C0122781@thinkquest.org.