A Fatal Experiment

Georg Wilhelm Richmann, a German physicist working at the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences in Russia, is believed to be the first man in history to be killed in an accident involving electrical experiments or the intentional harnessing of electricity. While attempting to observe the affects of a thunderstorm on an insulated metal rod while leaning out of an exterior door, Richmann was struck by a direct bolt of what is believed to have been an example of the phenomenon known as ball lightning. Striking his forehead and killing him instantly, the electrical surge blew his shoes open, lit his clothes on fire and tore the door off its hinges. The event was observed by an engraver that Richmann had brought to make an illustration of the experiment’s results for posterity.

Submission by Logan Agle. Thank you.

Dyatlov Pass Incident

Nine Russian hikers died under mysterious circumstances in the northern Ural Mountains on the night of February 2nd, 1959, in what has become known as the Dyatlov Pass Incident. The remains of the hikers and their campsite were found on February 26th by a search-party. The campsite was positioned in an empty snowy field rather than near the edge of the adjacent forest, and the tent they had been using had been cut open from the inside. It had also been erected incorrectly, which was not in line with the fact that the group was filled with highly experienced hikers and campers. Their shoes and other belongings had been left inside the tent. The corpses of the hikers were found nearly a mile away, with most of them wearing only socks and underwear. Two corpses were found at the edge of the forest, and three corpses were found to be between the forest and the camp, each at different distances from the campsite. The remaining two corpses were found near a ravine further into the woods, wearing some of the clothing that belonged to other members of the party. Three of the corpses were found to have suffered major skeletal trauma that would require force “similar to that of a severe car-accident”, but showed no external wounds consistent with such an injury, nor was there any forensic evidence of a struggle. One corpse had its tongue, eyes, nose and facial-skin missing. Several pieces of clothing also featured traces of radioactive contamination. A group of hikers about 50 miles south of the incident reported UFO’s in the skies of the same area that night. Soviet authorities officially stated in the conclusion of their investigation that an “unknown compelling force” had caused their deaths and could not find a rational explanation for the event. The area where the incident occurred was blocked to hikers and campers by the government for the next three years. This event remains controversial as far as providing a rational explanation for the incident and it has become popular with conspiracy-theorists, with popular theories ranging from an avalanche to accidental collateral damage caused by a Soviet military test to an encounter with hostile extraterrestrials.

Submission by Logan Agle. Thank you.

A Muscovite killed by iPad


A 17-year-old girl from Moscow died of electric shock in a bathtub when she dropped her iPad connected to the power outlet.

A man filmed his own death

Evgeny Titov, a 29-year-old man from Lipetsk, Russia, was looking at the demolition of a building and filming it with his phone camera, when he was struck by falling debris, which killed him.

Submission by Rik van Doorne.

Zorbing death

Denis Burakov, left, via odnoklassniki.ru
Denis Burakov, left, via odnoklassniki.ru



Man Killed by Car Wheel Thrown from Window


Thanks to Vladimir from Russia for the submission.

Folding Couch Death
