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Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
He Helped a Woman Die in a 'Suicide Pod' — Now the Controversial Advocate Has Died by Suicide Himself
Florian Willet was arrested after a 64-year-old American woman died using the 3D-printed Sarco suicide pod in Switzerland Prosecutors briefly suspected Willet of strangulation, but the allegation was later dropped and he was released without charges Willet died by assisted suicide in May 2025 following months of legal scrutiny and reported psychological trauma from the caseMonths after an American woman's family sued over her controversial death inside a 3D-printed "suicide pod," the Swiss euthanasia activist who helped make it possible has taken his own life. Florian Willet, the 47-year-old president of Swiss right-to-die organization The Last Resort, died on May 5 in Cologne, Germany with the help of a specialized organization, according to The Times UK, SwissInfo and The New York Post. Willet's death comes months after he was arrested and held in pre-trial detention for 70 days in connection with the controversial suicide of a 64-year-old American woman in Switzerland, according to the outlets. The woman, whose name has not been released, died in a remote forest cabin in Merishausen after entering the "Sarco pod" — a sleek-futuristic nitrogen filled capsule that had been promoted by Willet's organization as a "peaceful" way to die. The woman's family later filed a lawsuit against Willet and his organization, questioning the circumstances surrounding her death and the legal and ethical oversight — or lack thereof — in her use of the pod, per the outlets. Swiss prosecutors eventually declined to press international homicide charges, but initially accused Willet of assisting in the woman's suicide without proper authorization and subjected him to months of investigation and public scrutiny, the outlets reported. They initially suspected Willet of intentional homicide after discovering marks on the woman's neck, which led to his arrest, per the outlets. However, the strangulation allegation was later dismissed, and Willet was released from detention in December 2024. After his release, the Schaffhausen public prosecutor's office announced that there was no suspicion of homicide in the case. However, they said that there was a "strong suspicion of inciting and assisting suicide." It is illegal to encourage a person to take their own life for "selfish motives," such as financial gain, in Sweden. Self-publicity could also be considered a selfish motive, lawyers told The Times. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. Philip Nitschke, the Australian activist and founder of Exit International who invented the pod, said in a statement on The Last Resort's website that Willet was "broken" after his time behind bars: "When Florian was released suddenly and unexpectedly from pre-trial detention in early December 2024, he was a changed man. Gone was his warm smile and self-confidence," Nitschke said. 'In its place was a man who was deeply traumatized by the experience of incarceration and the wrongful accusation of strangulation.' The statement said that Willet had been suffering from "acute polymorphic psychotic disorder" — according to the National Institute of Health, the disorder is characterized by a mixture of sudden-onset symptoms, including hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized behavior. Switzerland is among few countries where foreigners can travel to legally end their lives via assisted suicide, but Swiss officials have not yet approved the Sarco pod for the original article on People
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists make concerning discovery after studying behavior shift in prolific bird species: 'An alarm signal'
Great tits in urban environments produce fewer offspring compared to their forest-dwelling counterparts due to light pollution, reported SwissInfo. A new Swiss study found these birds become restless at night in brightly lit city areas, causing them to warm their eggs less consistently. Scientists from the Sempach Ornithological Institute compared hatching rates between forest and city nesting boxes to understand human impact on breeding birds. The results revealed a stark contrast: great tits in darker forest environments warm their eggs throughout the night, leading to more successful hatches. In urban areas, however, the birds get more restless the brighter their surroundings are, which means less time warming their eggs. Great tits are common throughout Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, and parts of North Africa. "The fact that even common and well-adapted birds such as the great tit have problems with nocturnal light is an alarm signal," noted researchers from the ornithological station in their press release. This disruption affects more than just great tits. Light pollution hampers the natural behaviors of many wildlife species, with potentially cascading effects through ecosystems. For migratory birds returning from wintering grounds, excessive artificial lighting dulls their sense of direction, especially during foggy or cloudy nights when they rely on seeing stars for navigation. Less adaptable nocturnal animals like owls and bats face even greater challenges. These creatures evolved in darkness and depend on night environments for hunting, breeding, and survival. Do you worry about air pollution in and around your home? Yes — always Yes — often Yes — sometimes No — never Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. When their habitats become artificially brightened, their entire life cycles can be thrown into disarray. For humans, the loss of bird populations could mean fewer natural pest controllers and reduced biodiversity in our communities. The Sempach Ornithological Institute recommends "full cut-off lights" as a solution. These specially designed fixtures direct light downward without emitting any light above the horizontal plane, reducing light intensity without compromising human safety or visibility. Communities worldwide have begun implementing dark-sky policies that limit unnecessary outdoor lighting. Simple changes like using motion sensors, timers, and proper shielding on outdoor fixtures can make a big difference. If you own a home, you can help by turning off your outdoor lights when they aren't needed, using warm-colored LED bulbs (which have less impact on wildlife), and installing proper shields on security lights to prevent upward light spillage. 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.
