The human body, while intricate, is vulnerable to the immense forces generated during a car crash. This thought experiment explores a hypothetical redesign of human anatomy, imagining what our bodies might look like if built to withstand traumatic impacts. It is a creative exploration of biomechanics and human resilience, not a prediction of future evolution or current vehicle safety features.
The Fragility of the Human Body
The human body is not naturally equipped to endure the sudden, high-energy forces unleashed in a vehicle collision. Our skeletal structure, soft tissues, and internal organs are susceptible to various forms of trauma during a crash. The body’s momentum continues forward even as the vehicle rapidly decelerates, leading to violent force transfers.
The skull, while protective, can allow the brain to impact its interior during a sudden stop, causing traumatic brain injuries. The neck and spinal cord are vulnerable to whiplash, hyperextension, and hyperflexion, which can result in severe or permanent damage. The rib cage, though it encases vital organs, can fracture and potentially puncture lungs or other internal structures. Internal organs, which float within cavities, can strike against bones or other surrounding hard surfaces upon impact, leading to ruptures or internal bleeding.
Key Structural Modifications
To survive a severe car crash, the human body would require extensive structural modifications. The head would need to be much larger and flatter, functioning as a natural helmet with crumple zones to absorb impact forces. A robust, perhaps non-existent or significantly thickened neck, would remove the spinal cord’s vulnerability to whiplash and sudden jolts.
The face would be flatter and more padded with fatty tissue, offering increased protection against fractures and eye injuries. The torso would transform into a barrel-shaped structure, reinforced with multiple robust ribs. These reinforced ribs might incorporate external sacs for additional shock absorption, safeguarding internal organs. Limbs would feature highly flexible joints, potentially with extra articulations in areas like the ankles, allowing for greater energy dissipation upon impact. The entire body would be covered in much thicker skin and a substantial layer of subcutaneous fat, providing enhanced protection against abrasions, lacerations, and blunt force trauma.
Illustrating the Concept: The Graham Model
The concept of a crash-resistant human has been visually brought to life through “Project Graham,” an interactive sculpture commissioned by Australia’s Transport Accident Commission (TAC). Created in 2016 by artist Patricia Piccinini, trauma surgeon Dr. Christian Kenfield, and crash investigation expert Dr. David Logan, Graham highlights human vulnerability in road accidents. Graham’s design embodies the theoretical modifications necessary for crash survival, presenting a tangible representation of these anatomical changes.
Graham features a large, flat, helmet-like skull, a recessed face, and no discernible neck to prevent whiplash. His barrel-shaped chest is robust, and his body is covered in thicker skin. This lifelike sculpture visually reinforces how a human body would need to be radically altered to withstand the forces involved in modern vehicle collisions.