Our world is full of fascinating places, known for very peculiar conditions, which differentiate them from others. In this case, there is a reason this small town is recognized. Halfway between the North Pole and mainland Norway is Longyearbyen, a small town on the island of Spitsbergen, part of the Svalbard archipelago. Although it may be recognized for its extreme temperatures or for being the northernmost city on the planet, its fame in this case is due to something surprising: no one has died there for over 70 years.
Although it is the administrative and economic capital of Svalbard, Longyearbyen only has around 2,400 inhabitants. Life in this remote region is far from simple, says . Located 1,300 kilometers from the North Pole, the city experiences long periods of total darkness during winter, and extreme cold is a constant, with temperatures often below minus 40 degrees.
Longyearbyen’s ground is permanently frozen, with no room for trees or other common plants. Only lichens and mosses can survive the arctic tundra environment. Encounters with polar bears are part of everyday life, and locals often travel on sleds pulled by reindeer or husky dogs.
But how is it possible that, in a city with such adverse conditions, there have been no deaths for so long? The explanation lies in a curious law: it has been forbidden to bury bodies in Longyearbyen for more than seven decades. This regulation is due to the effect of permafrost, a layer of permanent ice that prevents the natural decomposition of bodies.
The measure was taken after a serious epidemic had ravaged the archipelago and caused several deaths. When authorities decided to exhume the bodies years later, they noticed that the corpses were mostly intact, which raised concerns about the risk of spreading disease. To avoid future problems, the city cemetery was closed and burials were prohibited.
Currently, Longyearbyen, the small town where no one has died for over 70 years, has no nursing homes, and anyone with a serious illness or involved in an accident is transferred to the nearest hospital, located on the mainland, a two-hour drive away. . Even pregnant women have to leave the city before giving birth, as a precaution. Thus, officially, “no one dies in Longyearbyen”.
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