Langerbjørn: Norway's Town Where Death is Banned

In the northernmost town on Earth, death has been outlawed. Welcome to Longyearbyen, a Norwegian settlement where bodies cannot decompose due to the permanently frozen ground. A town that snapped a century-old Spanish flu virus out of stasis, distressing scientists 70 years ago. The town’s inhabitants have to adapt. This is a land where people live their lives knowing that they cannot die. If people are sick, elderly, or pregnant — this is not where they can be. Nor is it a destination where the sudden death cannot happen. Instead, Longyearbyen has pioneered a strange system to keep the dead out.

The Frozen Town Where Death is Illegal

Longyearbyen is a town in Norway, located way up north. It features the unique quality of a perpetually frozen landscape, with permanently frozen soil that scientists discovered unable to decompose bodies 70 years ago. When scientists unburied victims of the 1918 Spanish Flu, they discovered the virus was still alive. This raising a concern that Longyearbyen could foster the re-emergence of dangerous diseases like the Spanish flu. Scientists' concerns about the resurgence of deadly diseases caught by bodies buried in this frozen ground led to the creation of a town-wide law. In this town, death is banned. The law mandates that anyone sick, elderly, or pregnant must be flown to the mainland for help.

Protecting the Living from the Dead

Decomposing is not an option in the ground of Longyearbyen. Longyearbyen’s citizens must live far from death and dying to keep the living safe. The unexpected discovery 70 years ago forced a unique law: if you are sick, old, or pregnant, you cannot remain in the town to receive care. Instead, you must be flown out to the mainland Norwegian mainland. Bodies of those who suddenly die are flown out to mainland Norway as well. This approach is an extreme strategy, but it's Longyearbyen's way of protecting the rapid decomposition and disease prevention to keep the living safe from the dead. This makes Longyearbyen unique among the world’s towns and cities. Here’s a unique difference between a regular hospital and Longyearbyen: The Prohibition: Pregnant women cannot give birth in this town. This town is unique in many ways, from how it handles death to its odd prohibitions. The continuous probability of maintaining this standard of living is the goal of Longyearbyen. Longyearbyen's surreal and twisted narrative of death is unique and shared with the world.

The Horror of Resurrection

The bizarre ban on dying and the extreme measures taken to get rid of the dead are all driven by one simple fact — bodies do not decompose in the frozen ground. Resurrection may occur due to the unfrozen ground filled with diseases. The Spanish flu virus, still alive, is the primary concern.

What if Pregnancy and Childbirth were Illegal?

In a twist on the ban on death, Longyearbyen prohibits another natural life event: pregnancy and childbirth. Pregnant women cannot give birth in this town. For many people, the idea of putting a natural process like childbirth seems extreme, but Longyearbyen aims to prevent the rapid decomposition of childbirth.

Unexpected Laws

The extreme rules on death and childbirth are not the only odd laws in Longyearbyen. No caskets are allowed to be buried in town, and any deceased individual must be cremated or buried elsewhere — the coffin is not permitted to be opened. Alongside that, no one is allowed to use wood as a fuel source. Wood fires, meant to be banned, may risk decomposition.

The Potential Future of Longyearbyen’s Laws

Longyearbyen’s unusual laws have worked so far, and the most effective way to avoid the spread of diseases is to treat and create strict travel regulations and a town ban on death. The status of Longyearbyen’s laws remains unknown, but they remain in place. The town’s strict regulations are one example of how humanity might be forced to adapt to a world where viral diseases are reanimated.