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Time of India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
The 19th-century Paris morgue that turned dead bodies into public entertainment
Curiosity often pulls people into true crime documentaries, forensic series, or exhibitions like Body Worlds that display the human form in all its raw reality. But this interest with death and the macabre isn't new, it's been a part of human culture for centuries. The way we process and publicly display death has changed with time. This same curiosity was at play nearly 150 years ago, in the heart of Paris. Before Netflix and crime shows, there was the Paris Morgue, not just a place for identifying unknown deceased persons, but one of the city's most visited attractions. It was the 19th-century version of 'true crime TV,' where visitors peered through glass to look at strangers who had met tragic ends. As strange as it may sound today, the morgue was once seen as part museum, part public service, and part spectacle and it told stories the newspapers alone couldn't. Paris's dark attraction Back in the 1860s, Parisians, especially the curious city wanderers known as flâneurs, regularly visited the Paris Morgue. As reported by How Stuff Works, it became known as 'Le Musée de la Mort' or Museum of Death, and was even mentioned in British travel guides. The morgue had a glass-fronted salle d'exposition or exhibition hall where the unclaimed deceased were laid out in hopes of identification. These displays weren't just for identification, instead, they became a ghastly form of public entertainment. The bodies, often victims of industrial accidents or drownings, were laid out with their clothes hung above them. According to IFL Science, a French playwright, Léon Gozlan, once said, 'You go there to see the drowned, as elsewhere you go to see the latest fashion.' Being situated behind Notre-Dame Cathedral, the morgue could attract tens or even hundreds of thousands of people, depending on who was on display. According to the Wellcome Collection, this wasn't just about the scary fascination, and as Taryn Cain pointed out, modern exhibits like Body Worlds have drawn over 40 million visitors, showing that our obsession with death hasn't really changed. 'We might not be as far from La Morgue as we might like to think we are,' she says. Was it more than exploring the ghastly According to JSTOR and Professor Vanessa Schwartz of USC, the popularity of the morgue may have reflected empathy as much as fascination. Visitors came not just to gawk, but to feel connected. As Schwartz puts it, the morgue and wax museums were 19th-century Paris's answer to today's true crime boom and a way to explore death, mystery, and humanity all at once.
Axios
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Local Limelight with Wake County Sen. Sydney Batch
State Sen. Sydney Batch, a Triangle native, is North Carolina's first Black female minority leader in her chamber. Why it matters: Since she burst onto the political scene when she won her race for a Wake County House seat in 2018's blue wave, Batch has become a rising star in her party and made a rapid ascent in the ranks of state politics. She assumed one of the most powerful positions in North Carolina politics in December, when Senate Democrats ousted political giant and longtime lawmaker Sen. Dan Blue as minority leader and installed Batch in his place. We talked with Batch for our latest Local Limelight conversation. The Q&A has been edited for Smart Brevity. 🥩 Favorite place to eat in the Triangle? Oak Steakhouse or Salsa Fresh. 🏀 What do you think the Triangle is missing? Another professional sports team. 🤳 What's your first read in the morning? Text messages. 📖 Last great book you read?" The Good Lord Bird" by James McBride. 🎧 Go-to podcast?" How Stuff Works." ⛱️ Favorite place to go for a long weekend? The beach, and if she had to pick one: Carolina Beach. 🎓 How did you end up in the Triangle? Batch grew up in Chapel Hill and has three degrees from UNC-Chapel Hill, including a law degree and master's in social work. After graduation, she founded Raleigh law firm Batch, Poore & Williams with her husband. "It would fundamentally change people's lives," Batch said. What's something you're looking forward to, unrelated to politics/your work? Going on family vacation with her extended family in Cancun this summer. How do you unplug at the end of the day? Putting a jigsaw puzzle together while watching a TV show.
Yahoo
30-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
NASCAR makes notable move at its Daytona Beach headquarters: 'Leading the way'
NASCAR is taking its sustainability efforts to a new level. Engineering corporation ABB announced a partnership with NASCAR and Florida Power & Light Company that will see 30 electric vehicle chargers installed at the auto racing association's Daytona Beach headquarters. Riley Nelson, head of sustainability at NASCAR, said in the release, "FPL and ABB will provide NASCAR with valuable guidance, reliable equipment and the support needed to electrify key elements of our operation." According to its official website, "ABB is a global technology leader in electrification and automation. We see our purpose as being to enable a more sustainable and resource-efficient future. By connecting our engineering and digitalization expertise, we help industries run at high performance, while becoming more efficient, productive and sustainable so they outperform." In 2024, the company reported a 78% reduction in direct and indirect emissions of planet-warming gases since 2019 in company operations, along with an 8% reduction in such emissions along the total supply chain since 2022. FPL provides one of Florida's largest public EV networks of level 2 chargers in addition to home charger installation. Meanwhile, NASCAR has outlined commitments to going green that extend beyond using EVs during races, thanks to its IMPACT program. Drivers may soon be using sustainable racing fuels, and patrons and drivers can look forward to more recycling options as well. The goal is to decrease operating emissions to zero by 2035 as they aim for "100% renewable electricity at all NASCAR-owned facilities and racetracks," according to Forbes. The effort could be impactful since one NASCAR race weekend may emit 120,000 pounds of carbon dioxide, according to HowStuffWorks. All that carbon from burning dirty fuel traps heat in the atmosphere, leading to increasingly hot temperatures and climate change. As a result, larger and more dangerous extreme weather events — like extended droughts, out-of-season wildfires, and destructive hurricanes — have become more common. Other companies are also making quantifiably eco-friendlier changes and not just greenwashing. HF Capital LLC, the family office of Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam, pledged $725 million toward using biofuels for marine shipping, energy, and power supply and distribution. Across the pond, Japanese shipping company Ocean Network Express — also known as ONE — and freight forwarder Yusen Logistics have collaborated to use a more sustainable biofuel for propulsion. If you were going to purchase an EV, which of these factors would be most important to you? Cost Battery range Power and speed The way it looks Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. As John Stahlbusch, vice president of sales for North America at ABB E-mobility, said in the press release, "NASCAR is leading the way on electrification and Daytona is another significant step forward." Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
