The worst ways to die, according to science

We are all mortal, and there is nothing we can do about it, other than hope to live a long, happy life. Of course, if we pass away in a peaceful, pain-free way, that is very much welcome. But unfortunately, this is not the case for everyone. In fact, there are indeed very painful ways to die. In this gallery, we delve into what science has to say about it.

Click through and discover the most painful ways to die.

Electrocution

Many of us have experienced small electric shocks, and they sure can be painful, but dying by electrocution is a whole different ball game.

When a powerful enough electric charge hits a person, their muscles seize, bones break, the skin swells up, and even eyeballs can pop out of their sockets. The whole process is excruciating. Punishing someone with death by electric chair truly was a barbaric practice. 

However, the same fate can be met by anyone who comes in contact with a high-voltage conductor without the proper protective measures. 

Radiation

One of the scariest things about radiation is that it is invisible and, in the right doses, fatal. But what actually happens when you suffer acute radiation syndrome (ARS)? To begin with, it damages both tissue and genetic material.

This then translates into a number of health problems that impact the immune system. These eventually lead to serious complications such as the collapse of the circulatory system and, ultimately, death.

Crucifixion

Most of us associate crucifixion with the death of Jesus Christ, but this type of torture goes back to about the 6th century BCE.

While some artists depict Christ hanging from the cross in a somewhat peaceful manner, this type of death is indeed extremely painful. So much so that the word "excruciating" actually comes from "crucifixion."

While most images depict nails through the palms of the hands, these are historically incorrect. The nails would instead go through the wrists, hitting the median nerve, which is incredibly painful. Not to mention all the insects that would irritate the wounds even more.

Burning

Not to mention the pain of breathing in smoke and hot air, that will not only make one choke but also burn everything on its way. It is indeed agonizing.

Freezing

Freezing to death is not as still and peaceful as it might sound. In fact, it's quite the opposite. Hypothermia will make a person shiver uncontrollably in the first stages.

Frostbite then causes a burning sensation. Overall, freezing is definitely not a pain-free way to die.

Drowning

This will lead to a vocal cord spasm known as laryngospasm. But what causes the most pain is breathing in the water. 

Heart attack

Unlike other causes of death on this list, the excruciating pain some people go through usually occurs before they have a heart attack. 

The worst symptom is the crushing pressure felt on the chest, which is commonly described as if an elephant was sitting on your chest.

Pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer can cause a great deal of pain when it presses against the nerves around the area. This causes agonizing abdominal and back pain. 

Boomslang

A boomslang is a snake, and a very poisonous one at that. This means, of course, that being bitten by one will cause a very painful death.

Lethal injection

This form of execution is supposed to be less painful when compared to other methods, but this isn't always the case.

Many of these drugs will make the person relax, but they are not anesthetics, so the pain is not addressed. For instance, extreme pulmonary edema has been found in autopsies of executed prisoners.

Decompression sickness

When divers go to into deep waters, they breathe compressed air that is much richer in oxygen and nitrogen than the one they'd breathe on the surface.

The problem is that the nitrogen accumulates, and if divers return to the surface too quickly, the nitrogen will expand and form bubbles, which affect the entire body. 

Decompression sickness, also known as barotrauma, or the bends, can be very painful and lead to death.

Chlorine trifluoride (ClF3)

Chlorine trifluoride (ClF3) was first discovered in the 1930s. It's a very reactive liquid that pretty much burns everything it comes into contact with.