10 Unusual and Extraordinary Deaths

Death is an inevitable aspect of human existence; this article examines ten of the most peculiar and remarkable deaths ever documented in history.

10. Francis Bacon (22 January 1561 – 9 April 1626)

Cause of death: Filling a chicken with snow

Francis Bacon; a renowned statesman, philosopher, pioneer of the English essay, and champion of the scientific revolution (he developed 'The Scientific Method' still in use today), was among the rare individuals whose death resulted from their own experimentation.

In 1625, while observing a snowy afternoon from his window, Sir Francis Bacon had a sudden inspiration. He wondered if snow could preserve meat similarly to salt. Driven by curiosity and undeterred by the harsh weather, Bacon hurried to town, bought a chicken, and began his experiment. Standing in the snow, he slaughtered the chicken and attempted to pack it with snow. The experiment failed; the chicken didn't freeze, and Bacon contracted a fatal case of pneumonia from prolonged exposure to the cold. In a desperate attempt to recover, he roasted and ate the chicken, but this too proved futile. He succumbed to his illness.

9. Horace Wells (January 21, 1815 – January 24, 1848)

Cause of death: Suicide using anesthetics

Horace Wells, an American dentist born in Vermont and trained in Boston, was a trailblazer in the field of anesthesia. Distressed by the screams of his patients—a reaction so severe it nearly drove him to abandon dentistry—he became one of the first to recognize the potential of nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, as an effective anesthetic.

Following a botched experiment and a subsequent loss of credibility within the medical community, Wells turned to traveling as an anesthetic salesman and serving as a European consultant for his former partner, Gardner Quincy Colton. His relentless 'research' led to a chloroform addiction, which ultimately caused his demise. In 1848, after a week of self-experimentation left him delirious and unhinged, Wells attacked two prostitutes with sulfuric acid in the streets. Arrested and imprisoned in New York’s notorious Tombs Prison, he eventually regained clarity, only to be overwhelmed by the gravity of his actions. Unable to bear the shame, Wells ended his life by inhaling a lethal dose of chloroform and cutting his femoral artery.

8. Tycho Brahe (December 14, 1546 – October 24, 1601)

Cause of death: Failed to reach the restroom in time

Renowned as both an alchemist and astronomer, Brahe's groundbreaking work in observing planetary motion laid the foundation for Sir Isaac Newton's theory of gravity.

However, brilliance does not always accompany practicality, as evidenced by his untimely demise. Brahe, known for having a weak bladder and aware of the social faux pas of leaving a banquet prematurely, neglected to relieve himself before the event. Compounding the issue, he was notorious for heavy drinking, and this banquet was no exception. Too courteous to excuse himself, his bladder became overstrained, leading to an excruciating 11-day death. The exact cause—whether a ruptured bladder, hyponatremia (low sodium levels), or mercury poisoning—remains a topic of debate.

Note: This incident bears a striking resemblance to a recent tragedy where a woman died during a contest called 'Hold Your Wee for a Wii,' succumbing to hyponatremia.

7. Attila the Hun (406 – 453)

Cause of death: A fatal nosebleed on his wedding night

Attila the Hun, history's most formidable tactician, warlord, and infamous villain, had conquered all of Asia by 450 AD. Through a blend of brutal warfare and ruthless assimilation, his armies dominated territories from Mongolia to the fringes of the Russian Empire.

Despite his typically modest eating and drinking habits, Attila decided to celebrate extravagantly at his own wedding. In 453 AD, he married a young woman named Ildico and indulged excessively in food and alcohol. After retiring for the night, he suffered a nosebleed. Too intoxicated to realize the severity, he bled to death, drowning in his own blood.

6. Aeschylus (525 BC/524 BC – 456 BC)

Cause of death: An eagle mistakenly dropped a tortoise on his head

Aeschylus, regarded as the father of tragedy, is the earliest of the three ancient Greek dramatists whose works have survived. He revolutionized theater by introducing characters who interacted with each other, creating conflict, rather than solely engaging with the chorus. His innovations inspired later playwrights like Sophocles and Euripides.

During a visit to Gela in Sicily, legend recounts that an eagle, mistaking Aeschylus' bald head for a rock, dropped a tortoise on him, resulting in his death. Some versions suggest the eagle dropped a stone, confusing his shiny crown for an egg. This tale is not entirely implausible, as the Lammergeier, or Bearded Vulture, native to the Mediterranean, is known to drop bones and tortoises onto rocks to crack them open.

5. King Adolf Frederick of Sweden (May 14, 1710 – February 12, 1771)

Cause of death: Overindulging in pudding

Adolf Frederick served as the nominal King of Sweden from 1751 to 1771. Despite his attempts to reclaim authority, the powerful Riksdag, or senate, maintained control over the nation's governance.

A victim of his own excess, Adolf Frederick is remembered by Swedish children as 'the king who ate himself to death.' On February 12, 1771, after enjoying a lavish feast of lobster, caviar, sauerkraut, smoked herring, and champagne, he indulged in his favorite dessert, Semla—a traditional bun made from semolina or wheat flour, served in hot milk. While one or two servings would have been reasonable, he consumed 14 portions, leading to fatal digestive complications shortly after.

4. Grigori Rasputin (January 22, 1869 – December 29, 1916)

Cause of death: Drowning after surviving poisoning, gunshots, stabbing, and beating

Grigori Rasputin, known as the Mad Monk, was a peasant and mystical healer who gained the trust of the Russian royal family by alleviating the suffering of Crown Prince Aleksey, a hemophiliac and heir to the throne.

Rasputin's significant influence over the royal court, combined with his unrefined demeanor and extraordinary resilience, earned him numerous political foes. His enemies decided he had to be eliminated, but this proved far more difficult than anticipated. The conspirators first poisoned him with a dose lethal enough to kill three men, yet he showed no effects. Next, they shot him in the head, but he survived and even attacked one of his assailants, choking him. Fleeing the scene, Rasputin was shot three more times before being caught, beaten severely, and thrown into a freezing river during a Russian winter. An autopsy later revealed that he ultimately died from drowning.

3. Sharon Lopatka (September 20, 1961 – October 16, 1996)

Cause of death: Consensual torture and murder

Sharon Lopatka, an internet entrepreneur from Hampstead, Maryland, USA, was a deeply troubled individual. She died at the hands of Robert Frederick Glass in a case of consensual homicide.

While promoting unconventional fetish content on her website, Sharon sought a partner willing to torture and kill her for shared sexual gratification. After numerous unsuccessful attempts—most responses being unserious—she eventually connected with Robert Glass, who was eager to fulfill her dark fantasy. They exchanged extensive messages before meeting in North Carolina, where Glass tortured her for several days and ultimately strangled her with a nylon cord. Glass was later convicted of voluntary manslaughter and possession of child pornography.

2. Christine Chubbuck (August 24, 1944 – July 15, 1974)

Cause of death: Suicide broadcast live on television

Christine Chubbuck hosted 'Suncoast Digest,' a respected public affairs show on WXLT-TV in Sarasota, Florida. During one broadcast, she deviated from the usual format, with her guest waiting at the news anchor’s desk. After reading eight minutes of national news, including a report about a shooting at the Beef and Bottle restaurant, the tape reel malfunctioned. Unfazed by the technical issue, Christine looked directly into the camera and stated:

'In keeping with Channel 40’s policy of delivering the latest in blood and guts, and in living color, you are about to witness another first: an attempted suicide.'

She retrieved a revolver from under her desk, positioned it behind her left ear, and fired (having learned this was the most effective suicide method from police during research for her show). She collapsed violently forward as the technical director gradually faded the screen to black. Some viewers dialed 911, while others contacted the station to confirm if the event was real. Camerawoman Jean Reed later admitted she didn’t believe it was genuine until she saw Christine’s body convulsing on the floor.

1. Isadora Duncan (May 27, 1877 – September 14, 1927)

Cause of death: Strangulation and a broken neck

Isadora Duncan is celebrated as the pioneer of Modern Dance. Born in San Francisco, California, Dora Angela Duncan came from a broken home, with her father being a disgraced banker and her mother a pianist and music teacher. Though her freeform dance style struggled to gain popularity in the U.S., she achieved immense success after moving to Paris. She established three dance schools, and her image is immortalized above the entrance of the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées.

Isadora Duncan tragically passed away due to a broken neck and accidental strangulation when her scarf became entangled in the wheel of a moving car. The New York Times provided a succinct and stark account of the incident:

'The car was traveling at high speed when the sturdy silk scarf began to coil around the wheel, exerting immense force that pulled Miss Duncan, who was tightly wrapped in it, out of the vehicle and hurled her onto the cobblestone street. She was dragged several yards before the chauffeur, alerted by her screams, brought the car to a stop. Medical assistance was called, but it was confirmed that she had been strangled and died instantly.'