Thrill Ride engineered for lethal end: The Roller Coaster intended to extinguish passengers
In the realm of art and engineering, a conceptual roller coaster named the Euthanasia Coaster has been making waves. Designed by Lithuania-born engineer and artist Julijonas Urbonas, this unique creation is intended to be more than just a thrill ride—it's a thought-provoking art piece aimed at sparking discussion about sensitive issues.
The Euthanasia Coaster is designed with a steep initial drop of 500 meters, followed by seven progressively smaller loops that increase the gravitational forces experienced by the rider. This design is intended to cause cerebral hypoxia, a lack of oxygen to the brain, ultimately resulting in a peaceful death marked by euphoria and loss of consciousness.
Urbonas, who worked as a ride designer at several Lithuanian amusement parks before moving to London to pursue a Ph.D. in design interactions, created the Euthanasia Coaster as a hypothetical machine that combines elegance and euphoria with the function of euthanasia. The coaster is not meant to be a practical ride but rather a thought experiment and art piece, raising awareness about euthanasia, the human experience of death, and the role of technology and design in these contexts.
The concept of the Euthanasia Coaster has been explored in various forms, including the short film "H Positive" by film director Glenn Paton. In this film, a man is portrayed as being unwilling to relinquish control, even to death, as he commissions the construction of an elaborate machine to take his life and secure his worldly fame.
It's important to note that the Euthanasia Coaster remains just a concept. As of the time of publication, there are no plans to build it. Physician-assisted suicide remains illegal in all but six European countries and seven U.S. states.
Airplane pilots, on the other hand, can experience similar sensations to those intended in the Euthanasia Coaster when exposed to extreme G-forces. A condition known as G-LOC (Gravity-induced Loss of Consciousness) can cause tunnel vision, loss of consciousness, and out-of-body sensations, similar to near-death experiences.
The Euthanasia Coaster, while a fascinating concept, serves as a reminder of the complexities surrounding life, death, and the human experience. It's a thought-provoking piece that encourages us to question, discuss, and reflect on these sensitive issues.
[1] Urbonas, J. (2019). Euthanasia Coaster. Retrieved from https://www.julijonasurbonas.com/work/euthanasia-coaster
[2] Paton, G. (2017). H Positive. Retrieved from https://vimeo.com/226144124
[3] Urbonas, J. (2017). Euthanasia Coaster. Retrieved from https://www.designboom.com/artarchitecture/euthanasia-coaster-by-julijonas-urbonas-12-03-2017/
[4] Urbonas, J. (2017). Euthanasia Coaster. Retrieved from https://www.wired.co.uk/article/euthanasia-coaster-julijonas-urbonas
[5] Urbonas, J. (2017). Euthanasia Coaster. Retrieved from https://www.fastcompany.com/3066941/worlds-most-daring-roller-coaster-design-is-a-coaster-that-kills-its-riders
Technology and gadgets are intriguing elements in the Euthanasia Coaster, a hypothetical design by Julijonas Urbonas. This thought-provoking art piece, while purely conceptual, explores the role of technology in facilitating discussions about sensitive issues such as euthanasia and the human experience.
