The death of a 22-year-old woman in Iran is sparking violent protests in the country and outrage worldwide, including Northern California. A new law legalizes human composting in California as an alternative to burial and cremation. A wine expert explains what “natural wine” is and helps us sort out some of the health claims behind this latest trend in the wine industry. 

Global Iranian protests

Mahsa Amini. The 22-year-old's name is being shared worldwide after she died in the custody of Iran's so-called "morality" police for improperly wearing her hijab. Investigations into her death are being called from as high as the United Nations. Meanwhile, on the ground in Iran and in cities worldwide, protests, the scale of which – not seen in years - have erupted, demanding the end of human rights abuses and social reforms by the extreme ruling party in Iran. More specifically, women's rights have been severely restricted over the past several decades. In response to these protests, Iran has already cracked down hard. The internet has been shut down or restricted and protestors are being rounded up and persecuted / And there are fears that even harsher moves are coming in the near future. Dr. Sahar Razavi, Director of the Iranian and Middle East Studies Center at Sacramento State, joined us to discuss the latest developments and what the protests could signal for the future of reforms in Iran.

Human composting

The only thing guaranteed in life is death, and a new law signed by Gov. Newsom offers another option besides burying or cremating a loved one. The law establishes a natural organic reduction facility to be allowed in California, informally known as human composting. This new law follows the states of Washington, Colorado, Oregon, and Vermont. The goal of “natural organic reduction” is to create an environmentally friendly process for returning bodies to the land with nutrient-rich soil from the remains of individuals. To tell us more about the history and the process, Insight invited Morgan Yarborough from Recompose, which offers this service in the Pacific Northwest.

Natural wine

It's one of the buzziest trends in the wine world many may have never heard of: Natural wine. Although the concept has been around for centuries, the demand for "eco-friendly" has steadily grown over the last decade. Enthusiasts say it is wine returning to its purest form and a movement away from industrialized production without pesticides, herbicides, and additives. A Google search reveals a bevy of blog posts touting several health benefits/including digestive health and less severe hangovers. But what makes a wine a "natural" wine, and how do the health claims stack up to the science? To help us unpack all of this and give us a taste of how the "crush" season is going so far, Insight Dr. Anita Oberholster, a wine and grape expert at UC Davis, onto the program.