The designer of the Euthanasia Rollercoaster has revealed the protocol for users' final words.
As Benjamin Franklin once told us, the only guarantees in life are death and taxes. Without getting too morbid, death comes for us all, and before you know it, you're shuffling off this mortal coil.
You might've heard of the so-called 'Euthanasia Coaster', which was designed by Lithuanian artist Julijonas Urbonas in 2010. Supposedly sending its 24 riders off peacefully through a series of inverted loops, Urbonas says that it takes lives 'with elegance and euphoria' for either execution or euthanasia.
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The idea has even taken off in pop culture, with Sequoia Nagamatsu's novel How High We Go in the Dark featuring its own take on the idea, and Norwegian rock group Major Parkinson releasing a single called "Euthanasia Roller Coaster".
While the concept has remained as just that, the closest we've got to actually seeing it being built is a scale model. Still, the Euthanasia Coaster has gone viral on TikTok thanks to a simulation that shows what it would be like to ride it - without experiencing the ultimate destination.
Taking to the 1,600ft stretch of track, the roller coaster reaches around 223mph and subjects the human body to a continued force of 10Gs. As Formula 1 cars only hit 6Gs when entering sharp turns and the Apollo 16 shuttle only reached 7.19Gs upon re-entry, you can only imagine what this does to riders.
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By this point, it's too late, but apparently, there’s a final chance of escape for those who have a change of heart at the last minute.
Before entering the series of loops, the Euthanasia Coaster climbs to the top of the drop tower. At a maximum height of 500 meters, it's taller than Kingda Ka at New Jersey's Six Flags, which is the tallest roller coaster in the world (456 meters).
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The cart is equipped with 48 buttons, as each passenger is given a 'stop' and go' button. All 24 have to choose the go button, and if anyone presses 'stop', the ride will simply come to an end.
As Urbonas writes on his site: "You still have a few minutes for the last words and goodbyes, or just enjoying the exhilarating bird’s-eye view of the surroundings. You relax and press the FALL button. Whirrr… swish – the ultimate surrender to gravity!"
Saying that euthanasia machines have been 'steralized' and 'medicalized', Urbonas wanted to bring in a contemporary description of death.
It's doubtful that the Euthanasia Coaster would ever be built, but according to Urbonas, he can still see its potential: "In this case of speculating about the future, you might see it as an alternative euthanasia machine for future human beings. Either for dealing with overpopulation or if your life becomes too long."
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For anyone who's got an aversion to roller coasters, chances are you're even more scared now.
If you’ve been affected by any of the issues discuss in this article and want to speak to someone in confidence, please don’t suffer alone. Call Samaritans for free on their anonymous 24-hour phone line on 116 123.