10. The German scientist Johann Belcher believed he found a way to turn dead bodies into beautiful glass objects
Turning cadavers into glass may seem strange, but Belcher had his reasons. He believed that his studies could be of great value to society. That is, he hoped that his research could be used to turn bodies into beautiful glass objects. This way, people could surround themselves with their deceased relatives. Of course, Belcher was very, very wrong. Nevertheless, he was correct in his belief that silicon – the element used to make glass – can be found in the human body, but only in tiny, insignificant amounts.