WEBVTT - Scattering Ashes, Circular Airport Runways, and the TSA's Power Over Electronics

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to How Stuff Works Now. I'm your host, Lauren Vogelbaum,

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<v Speaker 1>a researcher and writer, here at How Stuff Works every

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<v Speaker 1>week and bringing you three stories from our team about

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<v Speaker 1>the weird and wondrous advances we've seen in science, technology,

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<v Speaker 1>and culture. This week, we look for answers to three questions,

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<v Speaker 1>might circular airport runways provide the best way to fly?

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<v Speaker 1>And unrelated, when you scatter someone's ashes? Are you actually littering?

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<v Speaker 1>But first, our senior editor Katherine Whitburne, along with freelance

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<v Speaker 1>writer Patrick Jake Tiger, explore one that ties into the

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<v Speaker 1>enhanced security being practiced at airports these days. If you

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<v Speaker 1>check your electronic devices on a flight, will your data

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<v Speaker 1>be searched? When you check your luggage in a US airport,

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<v Speaker 1>you're technically allowing the Transportation Security Administration to search your bags. Yes,

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<v Speaker 1>they can do that. But here's the other privacy question.

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<v Speaker 1>Can the t S A search the data inside an

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<v Speaker 1>electronic device they find in your suitcase? Back in March,

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<v Speaker 1>the Department of Homeland Security announced what it called an

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<v Speaker 1>aviation security enhancement for travelers coming to the US from

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<v Speaker 1>ten airports in eight Muslim majority countries. People on these

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<v Speaker 1>flights can no longer bring electronic devices bigger than a

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<v Speaker 1>smartphone as carry on items in the plane's main cabin.

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<v Speaker 1>That means laptop, computers, tablets, and other devices have to

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<v Speaker 1>be checked as baggage. Homeland Security hasn't said exactly what

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<v Speaker 1>terrorist threat led to the change in policy, but some

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<v Speaker 1>travelers warned that the laptop rule might have a hidden

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<v Speaker 1>purpose to separate travelers from their devices so that someone

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<v Speaker 1>can access them or even install tracking software or malware

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<v Speaker 1>in them. A spokesperson for the t s A says

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<v Speaker 1>the Department of Homeland Security is not using this new

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<v Speaker 1>measure to look at anyone's data. She also points out

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<v Speaker 1>that neither Homeland Security nor the t s A has

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<v Speaker 1>staff screening baggage in foreign airports. Even so, there's something

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<v Speaker 1>else to consider once travelers arrive on US, so all

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<v Speaker 1>of the devices they bring along, including their laptops, smartphones,

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<v Speaker 1>and tablets, are subject to search by officials from u

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<v Speaker 1>S Customs and Border Protection, which is a branch of

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<v Speaker 1>Homeland Security. The American Civil Liberties Union looked into the issue,

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<v Speaker 1>and they say customs agents can ask travelers for their

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<v Speaker 1>passwords and tours from other countries must comply, or else

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<v Speaker 1>they can't come into the US. American citizens don't face

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<v Speaker 1>that risk, but they can still be temporarily detained, and

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<v Speaker 1>agents can take away their devices and hold them for months.

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<v Speaker 1>This is a growing problem. According to Homeland Security, the

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<v Speaker 1>number of cell phone searches by border agents has mushroomed

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<v Speaker 1>from five thousand and twenty fifteen to twenty five thousand

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<v Speaker 1>and twenty sixteen, and it looks like twenty seventeen will

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<v Speaker 1>break that record easily. Five thousand devices were searched in

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<v Speaker 1>February alone, more than in all of so far, federal

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<v Speaker 1>courts have found that government searches at ports of entry

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<v Speaker 1>don't violate the Fourth Amendment's protection against unreasonable search and seizure,

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<v Speaker 1>but the courts have imposed a fuel limitation. In twenty thirteen,

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<v Speaker 1>the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals rule that agents can

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<v Speaker 1>give your phone or laptop a brief look without having

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<v Speaker 1>to justify themselves, but they need to have reasonable suspicion

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<v Speaker 1>that you've committed a crime to conduct a heavy duty

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<v Speaker 1>forensic search, which might include searching meta data for files

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<v Speaker 1>or restoring files that have been deleted. But the A. C. L.

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<v Speaker 1>You argues that those powers will still give agents too

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<v Speaker 1>much leeway because even a quick search can turn up

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<v Speaker 1>a lot of sensitive information. To combat that, Democratic Senator

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<v Speaker 1>Ron Widen and Republican Senator Round Paul are introducing a

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<v Speaker 1>law that would require agents to get a warrant before

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<v Speaker 1>looking through the contents of American citizens electronic devices. In

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<v Speaker 1>the meantime, the a c L YOU advise the travelers

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<v Speaker 1>to take us few devices and as little personal data

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<v Speaker 1>with them as possible when they're coming to the US. Also,

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<v Speaker 1>if you're curious about how anyone can best protect their

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<v Speaker 1>devices and data while flying, search for the Electronic Frontier

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<v Speaker 1>Foundations Guide for Travelers. They are another privacy advocacy group,

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<v Speaker 1>and it's a good guide. Next Step Stuff editor Christopher

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<v Speaker 1>Hasiotis and our freelancer Jescelyn Shields dig into Oh No,

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<v Speaker 1>that's terrible. They explore the emotionally and legally complex burial

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<v Speaker 1>tradition of scattering ashes. Somebody you love dies and it's awful.

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<v Speaker 1>What's worse, sometimes you're even put in charge of figuring

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<v Speaker 1>out how to deal with their remains. It's sad, it's stressful,

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<v Speaker 1>it's a huge responsibility, and it's unfortunately complicated. Case in point,

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<v Speaker 1>even if you're departed chose to have their remains cremated

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<v Speaker 1>and scattered in a special place they loved in life,

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<v Speaker 1>there are laws regulating where you can dump out and

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<v Speaker 1>urn full of human ashes. Of course, most people don't

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<v Speaker 1>know this or even consider the laws when dealing with

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<v Speaker 1>something so personal, because the popularity of cremation is relatively

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<v Speaker 1>new and the laws aren't often enforced. The laws about

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<v Speaker 1>getting rid of ashes aren't as widely known and respected as, say,

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<v Speaker 1>traffic laws, but more people are choosing cremation all the time.

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<v Speaker 1>According to the Cremation Association of North America, in nineteen

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<v Speaker 1>fifty eight, fewer than four percent of Americans chose to

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<v Speaker 1>be cremated, but that number is expected to be around

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<v Speaker 1>fifty by the year two thousand eighteen. For centuries, cremation

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<v Speaker 1>wasn't really done in Western countries because many churches believe

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<v Speaker 1>it conflicted with religious doctrine. The Catholic Church, for instance,

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<v Speaker 1>prohibited cremation until nineteen sixty three. These days, the Vatican

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<v Speaker 1>allows it under most circumstances, but still insists the ashes

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<v Speaker 1>be buried, not scattered. But many people ask that their

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<v Speaker 1>ashes be scattered in a place they loved after death.

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<v Speaker 1>And while there's a greater amount of human bone ash

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<v Speaker 1>being scattered around than ever before, it doesn't occur to

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<v Speaker 1>most of us that pouring Grandpa's ashes in his favorite

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<v Speaker 1>fishing river could be illegal, which it is. Although no

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<v Speaker 1>enforcement agency exists in the United States to ride around

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<v Speaker 1>busting people, most states do have their own scattering laws,

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<v Speaker 1>the particulars of which can vary wildly, and some federal

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<v Speaker 1>laws take press sentence over those state laws. For instance,

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<v Speaker 1>even though the state of Texas says you can scatter

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<v Speaker 1>ashes in a public waterway, the Federal Clean Water Act

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<v Speaker 1>prohibits scattering human ashes into freshwater bodies like lakes, rivers,

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<v Speaker 1>and streams, though in most cases it's possible to obtain

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<v Speaker 1>permits from both the federal and state agency. And although

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<v Speaker 1>you can get a permit from the U. S Environmental

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<v Speaker 1>Protection Agency for a burial at sea, you still have

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<v Speaker 1>to scatter the ashes at least three in nautical miles,

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<v Speaker 1>which is three point five miles or five point six

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<v Speaker 1>kilometers from the shore. Federal law also prohibits tossing an

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<v Speaker 1>urn full of ashes out of an airplane or helicopter,

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<v Speaker 1>but that's because it could hurt someone on the ground.

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<v Speaker 1>You also can't trespass onto anyone's property in order to

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<v Speaker 1>scatter ashes there unless you have written permission from the landowner,

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<v Speaker 1>although that's a trespassing violation that would apply regardless of

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<v Speaker 1>why you're on that property. And if you're looking to

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<v Speaker 1>unload your loved one's ashes on public land a national park,

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<v Speaker 1>say for someone who loved the Grand Canyon or Point

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<v Speaker 1>Doom State Park in Malibu, California, as in an iconic

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<v Speaker 1>scene from the ninete classic The Big Lebowski, you have

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<v Speaker 1>to obtain permission from the park beforehand. These days, though,

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<v Speaker 1>reducing a person into a jar full of ashes to

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<v Speaker 1>be disposed of doesn't have to be the end of

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<v Speaker 1>the line. For instance, the Neptune Society, the largest cremation

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<v Speaker 1>provider in the US, owns a reef off the coast

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<v Speaker 1>of Florida that they've turned into an underwater mausoleum. There,

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<v Speaker 1>people's cremated remains have been turned into concrete sculptures that

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<v Speaker 1>provide habitat for sea life. Jeff stab president of Cremation Solutions,

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<v Speaker 1>a Vermont based company that sells memorial earns and creates

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<v Speaker 1>keepsakes and jewelry out of Ashes. Started his company in

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<v Speaker 1>two thousand six to provide people with information about scattering

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<v Speaker 1>and options for crafting ashes into meaningful objects. Stab says,

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<v Speaker 1>so many people are afraid to scatter because they don't

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<v Speaker 1>know what the laws are and their loved one ends

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<v Speaker 1>up in an urn in the closet or in the attic.

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<v Speaker 1>People aren't sure how to do it, and it interferes

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<v Speaker 1>with the healing process. Other companies are getting creative too,

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<v Speaker 1>and will transform cremines into coffee cups. For instance, Stobs

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<v Speaker 1>firm cells, biodegradable earns that dissolving water, earns that can

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<v Speaker 1>be converted into bird houses after the ashes are scattered

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<v Speaker 1>urns that can be planted with a tree, and even

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<v Speaker 1>the popular loved One launcher, a handheld ash scattering cannon,

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<v Speaker 1>says Stob. People just load one of these things up

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<v Speaker 1>with the ashes, confetti and streamers, and we'll even do

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<v Speaker 1>it at an event with people toasting champagne. They'll blast

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<v Speaker 1>the ashes off a cliff or even right over the

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<v Speaker 1>whole crowd and everybody gets anointed. Well, there's another thing

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<v Speaker 1>to remember to inquire about at a memorial service. On

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<v Speaker 1>top of donations, flowers and dress code. What's the polight

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<v Speaker 1>way to ask? Uh? Just wondering are the cremated remains

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<v Speaker 1>of the deceased going to be launched into the crowd? Finally,

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<v Speaker 1>this week, our video producer Ramsey Youunt and freelance writer

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<v Speaker 1>Patrick Jake Higer again have a lighter one for us

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<v Speaker 1>about the future of air trap. Will circular airport runways

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<v Speaker 1>ever take off? We're accustomed to the idea of airplanes

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<v Speaker 1>taking off from and landing on long, flat strips of pavement,

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<v Speaker 1>but a consortium of European aviation researchers who are behind

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<v Speaker 1>the Endless Brundaway project wants to change that. The group

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<v Speaker 1>envisions the airport of the future as having a terminal

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<v Speaker 1>in the middle and spokes leading to a circular runway

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<v Speaker 1>that is two point two miles or three and a

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<v Speaker 1>half kilometers in diameter and has a bank surface, sort

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<v Speaker 1>of like a racetrack. Proponents of circular runways argue that

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<v Speaker 1>as such a space saving configuration would reduce the amount

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<v Speaker 1>of land needed for aviation, which potentially might free up

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<v Speaker 1>valuable real estate for other uses. They say it would

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<v Speaker 1>be more efficient since up to three aircraft could take

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<v Speaker 1>off or land on a circular runway at any time,

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<v Speaker 1>and that it can handle overall four times in the

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<v Speaker 1>traffic of a regular runway. Hank Hatlink, a researcher for

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<v Speaker 1>the Netherlands Aerospace Center, also proposed that would be safer

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<v Speaker 1>in a recent BBC News interview. He said that because

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<v Speaker 1>aircraft could take off and land from any point in

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<v Speaker 1>the circle, that could avoid tricky cross winds and capitalize

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<v Speaker 1>on headwinds. Additionally, circular runways could eliminate those rough roller

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<v Speaker 1>coaster like takeoffs. Histlink told the BBC that passengers would

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<v Speaker 1>experience a sensation similar to when the aircraft makes a

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<v Speaker 1>turn in the air. Because of centrifugical force, the aircraft

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<v Speaker 1>would move at a slower speed during takeoff. So far,

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<v Speaker 1>the endless runway has only been tested in simulations, but

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<v Speaker 1>the idea has prompted a lot of debate. Other experts

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<v Speaker 1>have weighed in opposing the idea, citing reasons from traction

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<v Speaker 1>to visibility issues and shifting winds. Also, a curved runway

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<v Speaker 1>will add extra steps and landing, so season pilots will

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<v Speaker 1>have to be trained to land tilted to ensure safety

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<v Speaker 1>of their passengers. That's our show for this week. Thank

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<v Speaker 1>you so much for tuning in. Further thanks to our

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<v Speaker 1>audio producer Dylan Fagan and our editorial Liaison's Christopher Hasiotis

0:11:05.600 --> 0:11:08.640
<v Speaker 1>and Alison louder Milk. Subscribe to now Now for more

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<v Speaker 1>of the latest science news and send us links to

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<v Speaker 1>anything you'd like to hear us cover. Plus, Hey, do

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<v Speaker 1>you have any toys from childhood that you've hung onto

0:11:15.320 --> 0:11:18.120
<v Speaker 1>or even repurchased? I'm staring at an action figure of

0:11:18.120 --> 0:11:20.920
<v Speaker 1>Egon Spangler as I type this. You can send us

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<v Speaker 1>an email at now Podcast pas stuff works dot com,

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<v Speaker 1>and of course, for lots more stories like these, head

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<v Speaker 1>on over to our home planet now Not how Stuff

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