Convention dictates that when you and your loved ones die, you have two options: burial and cremation. Apparently, throughout history, some people thought outside the coffin. Here are the weirdest things people have done with dead bodies over the years.
Robots Fueled By Your Corpse.
In 2009, the military unveiled a doomsday program called Energetically Autonomous Tactical Robot (EATR). This program involved war robots that can perpetually fuel themselves by eating any organic matter in the area. The company creating this program says the robots were designed to only eat vegetables. We’re not going to war with brussels sprouts anytime soon, so I think a tweak might be in order.
Mysterious Stone Preservation.
Girolamo Segato was an Italian anatomist in the early 1800s. His unique form of corpse preservation remains a mystery to scientists of today. His collection of preserved body parts keeps the organic structure intact, while making them uniquely hard as a rock. Experts say they think Segato injected his subjects with something, but only he knew what.
Cadaver Car Crash Dummies.
Despite their dwindling use thanks to computer simulation, car crash tests are still performed every year. The tests use corpses to see how the impact affects the flesh.
Pickled Corpses.
Anesthesia was invented in the 1850s, and there was a high demand for bodies so surgeons could study its effects. When 10,000 Chinese railroad men committed suicide due to the lack of opium, the Panama Railroad Company that employed them sent them by train to America in pickle juice.
Skull Bong.
In 2008, three teens were charged with abuse of a corpse. They dug up the grave a child who died in 1921 and used his skull to smoke weed. So if you want to be a 11th grader’s best reason for skipping Sociology class, there’s always this option.
Obviously these are all difficult processes, but if you were going for convenience, might I suggest Walmart. Robot food does sound nice, though.
