Four Childish Men Who Were Killed By Their Own Stupidity

It’s hard to feel sorry for these people

A stylized photograph of Luciano Re Cecconi by an unknown photographer, c. late 1970s (Wikimedia Commons)

Those of you with an interest in psychology will already know that men — on average — are more reckless than women. And while risk-taking can sometimes be beneficial, it can also be incredibly dangerous.

Indeed, certain men have done things that are so stupid it’s hard to feel much sympathy for them. If you’re going to carry out dangerous stunts without taking proper precautions, death is almost inevitable.

1. Franz Reichelt

A photograph of Franz Reichelt by an unknown photographer, 1912 (Wikimedia Commons)

In the early twentieth century, airplanes were in their infancy, and the safety measures were rather pathetic compared with today. French inventor Franz Reichelt wanted to do something about this, so he decided to design a wearable parachute.

He made a special suit with wings consisting of silk and rubber. Reichelt tested his new invention with dummies, and these tests proved to be successful. Bolstered by his progress, the inventor decided to test his invention for real — by jumping off the Eiffel Tower!