Ep003:

Studying Death, For a Living

Dr. Hannah Gould is an anthropologist who studies death for a living — from crematoriums and cardboard coffins to the booming global death care industry. In this episode, she takes us deep into the rituals, businesses, and surprising absurdities surrounding how we handle the end of life.

Hannah shares what it’s like attending funeral expos in Japan (including the time she played a corpse on stage), why young doctors often feel like they’ve failed when patients die, and how society’s discomfort with death may be holding us back. With insight, clarity, and humor, she makes a compelling case for confronting mortality — and for finding better, braver ways to talk about it.