Abolishing the law of gravity
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* Michael J. Walsh MDCM

*   © 2008 Canadian Medical Association

I read with interest the article by Claude Cyr and Luc Lanthier on the beneficial effects of abolishing the law of gravity.1 However, I see one small problem with the plan. Although abolishing gravity might prolong life, it will certainly not prevent death. If people die before 3 am or after 7 am (i.e., when the micro-gravity environment is in place) their bodies will start to deteriorate. Methane gas, which is lighter than air, will form and the bodies will eventually start to float. If they float high enough, the stratosphere will eventually become clogged with bodies, which will obliterate the sun. The lack of sunlight will affect the corn and barley crops, driving up the price of good whiskey. This would be economically disastrous. In addition, it would be difficult to bury a floating body, as it would tend to float out of the grave and drift off, especially if the burial was not held for a couple of days after death. Failure to correct for this variable might destroy the entire plan, good as it is.

## Footnotes

*   **Competing interests:** None declared.

## REFERENCE

1.  1. Cyr C, Lanthier L. One giant leap for mankind? A cost-utility analysis of abolishing the law of gravity. CMAJ 2007;177:1536-8.
    
    [Abstract/FREE Full Text](http://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/ijlink/YTozOntzOjQ6InBhdGgiO3M6MTQ6Ii9sb29rdXAvaWpsaW5rIjtzOjU6InF1ZXJ5IjthOjQ6e3M6ODoibGlua1R5cGUiO3M6NDoiQUJTVCI7czoxMToiam91cm5hbENvZGUiO3M6NDoiY21haiI7czo1OiJyZXNpZCI7czoxMToiMTc3LzEyLzE1MzYiO3M6NDoiYXRvbSI7czoyMjoiL2NtYWovMTc4LzUvNTk4LjIuYXRvbSI7fXM6ODoiZnJhZ21lbnQiO3M6MDoiIjt9)