The Death reference article from the Simple Wikipedia on 24-Jul-2004 (provided by Fixed Reference: snapshots of Wikipedia from wikipedia.org)

Death

Death is a term that is used to describe the permanent ending of life processes in a plant or animal life form. It can have several causes:

• decay as a result of having reached or exceeded the usual lifespan of the species;
• disease, when untreated, causing such decay to occur at a time well before the usual lifespan expires;
• accident, such as a fall or a drowning;
• exposure to an environment other that which is compatible with the life form;
• not having enough food, water, air, or protection;
• being attacked or eaten, usually by a larger life form of another species;
• abuse, resulting in any of the above occurring

These, among others, are ways in which life forms die. Life forms which have died are normally described as being dead.

Human death is very carefully tracked in case of a killing or something (like a disease) that may continue to kill other humans. Also there are rituals like a funeral around human death, that are usually required by religion or state.

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