Thomas Edison Electrocuted an Elephant
In 1902, Thomas Edison hooked up an elephant named Topsy to electrodes, fed her carrots laced with cyanide, and then flipped the switch and electrocuted her. This was done because there had been several complaints about her dangerous behavior after she was brought to New York’s Coney Island amusement park.
Buddhist Monks Mummified Themselves Alive
Between the 11th and 19th century, Buddhist monks living in northern Japan underwent a ritual called Sokushinbutsu, which required them to preserve themselves by weaning themselves from food and water until they passed away from starvation, essentially mummifying themselves alive.
