The Civil War, on the other hand, led to an unprecedented demand for embalming. This consisted of a chemical injection (usually through a femoral artery) after which the embalmer would ship the ...

Before the Civil War, embalming was not commonly practiced in the United States. Most Americans handled death and burial at home, relying on refrigeration, ice, or swift burial to delay decomposition.

However, after the Civil War, embalming bodies for public viewing became the American standard. Murray is among the increasing number of people now opting for a green burial.

Even though the Civil War has been thoroughly studied for over 160 years, new discoveries are still being made. Last spring, a Civil War-era cannonball was found in the backyard of a Virginia home.

Civil War, the new A24 film from British director Alex Garland, imagines a scenario that might not seem so far-fetched to some; a contemporary civil war breaking out in the United States.And while ...