A video circulating widely across social media has reignited alarming claims that “the dead are liquified and are fed to the living.” The footage, shared alongside dramatic captions, has sparked concern among millions of viewers worldwide.
However, independent fact-checks and experts say the viral claim is misleading. The video shows a process known as alkaline hydrolysis, sometimes called aquamation or water cremation, an alternative to traditional cremation that has been legally adopted in some parts of the United States and other countries.
During alkaline hydrolysis, a body is placed inside a sealed stainless-steel chamber containing water and an alkaline solution under controlled heat and pressure. The process accelerates natural decomposition, leaving behind bone fragments, which are returned to the family, and a sterile liquid that is typically discharged into municipal wastewater systems where it undergoes standard wastewater treatment.
Contrary to the viral narration, experts state there is no evidence that liquified human remains are intentionally “fed to the living” through drinking water. Water discharged from the process is treated alongside other wastewater before any potential return to the environment, and drinking water systems undergo separate purification processes that must meet strict public health standards.
The footage used in many of these posts originates from educational demonstrations explaining how alkaline hydrolysis works rather than exposing a hidden practice. Several major fact-checking organizations have previously debunked the claim after it spread online in 2023.
While the ethical and environmental aspects of alkaline hydrolysis continue to be debated in some countries, experts emphasize that the viral claim exaggerates and misrepresents the science behind the process.
As with many emotionally charged social media posts, viewers are encouraged to verify sensational claims through credible scientific and public health sources before sharing them.
