To summarize the video, Julijonas Urbonas, a man from Lithuania, designed and engineered a rollercoaster to “humanly euthanize” anyone who rode it. He explains that death occurs due to extreme g force (10 g’s to be exact). Although pilots experience this many g’s during a flight test simulation, it is only for a few seconds rather than a whole minute as on the rollercoaster. During the course of the ride one would fall 500 meters (a little over 1600 ft.) and go through a series of seven loops, each getting succinctly smaller. Urbonas then explains the rider’s blood would rush to the the lower part of his/her body, not leaving enough oxygen for the brain, making it suffocate. He goes on to say that this hypothetical ride has never actually been created so no one has tested to see if Urbonas’ expectations are true. However, what struck a chord with me was at the end of the video he says that this can be used as an alternative way to carry out the death penalty, and as a way to get rid of overpopulated areas or, “if your life becomes too long.” Aside from the death penalty is this really a humane way to end one’s life? To solve overpopulation? I found this while scrolling through Tumblr, surprisingly, so leave some comments and let me know what you all think! If this rollercoaster is created I’m certain this will be very controversial.
Honestly, I really love the euthanasia rollercoaster. If it works how it is intended, it’s a really ethical way to be killed due to the euphoria the rider would most likely feel before death. What a way to go. I do have doubts about how efficiently it would kill a human though. Since it has never been tested, I would fear that it wouldn’t kill someone fast enough or they would still be alive by the end of the ride. Nothing in science is ever perfect, and I feel our methods of execution are already pretty brutal (the electric chair, lethal injection, hanging. etc.) It’s hard to find a method that kills someone “nicely,” but I think the euthanasia rollercoaster may be the closest we get to a fun death. It’s satisfying, and I feel that their is a little bit of consent played into it due to the rider having to physically step into the rollercoaster and want this to be their fate. I think this is a wonderful idea about a taboo topic. It’s innovative to say the least.