Their work was for the benefit of the world, but they died as a direct or indirect result of their inventions. Marie Curie won the Nobel Prize in 1903 for her work science and chemistry. She discovered two new elements including radium and polonium and the theory of radioactivity. She carried test tubes of radioactive materials in her pocket and kept them in her desk drawer. She often wrote about the pretty blue light it gave off. She died of aplastic anaemia – a direct result of her work.

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    Printing Press

    William Bullock invented the rotary printing press. It completely changed the printing industry. It increased the speed and accuracy of printing especially for newspapers. But one of his machines crushed his foot when he was trying to repair it when he tried to kick a pulley in place. After his foot became infected, he died during an operation to amputate it.

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    (Getty Images)
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    Glider King

    Otto Lilienthal was known as the Glider King. He studied birds and built gliders with big wings that almost made him look like a bird and he was able to glide like one. He made repeated flights until August of 1896 when he fell six stories and broke his back. He died the next day.

  • Inside Houston Astrodome during an Astros game (Getty Images)
    Inside Houston Astrodome during an Astros game (Getty Images)
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    Astrodome Capsule Stunt

    Karel Soucek was a Canadian stuntman who built what he called a cushioned capsule to make a successful plunge over Niagara Falls. He was arrested and prosecuted, but he made a name for himself and in 1985 convinced a promoter to put on a stunt at the Houston Astrodome. He was hoisted 180 feet to the top of the dome and the idea was to ride a cascade of water to a pool on the Astrodome floor. It didn’t go as planned. His capsule hit the side of the pool and was destroyed. He was badly hurt and died the next day. Be careful what you invent. SOURCE: Listverse

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