News came out this past weekend that “Mad Mike” Hughes, a Flat Earth proponent who was creating and launching his own rockets to… I dunno… prove the Earth is indeed flat (?) died when his latest rocket test malfunctioned and the rocket crashed to Earth.

Huffington Post/AP offer the story here:

“Mad Mike” Huges, Self-Styled Daredevil, Dies in Rocket Crash

A part of me is intrigued by a man -and a 64 year old!- who is quite literally following his dreams and pursuing rocketry.

On the other hand, we’re talking about a very, very, very dangerous pursuit and it comes as no terribly big shock that he should meet his end this way.

Mind you, I’m not trying to sound super cold here and lambast the man’s dreams and/or smirk at his death.

I feel that the passing of anyone, regardless of how they go, is a deeply tragic event to their family, their friends, or their associates and the feeling is a dreadful one to go through.

I’ve had more than enough of my share.

But, again, we’re talking about a very dangerous pursuit, whether the goal was to prove the Earth was flat or perhaps just to quench some thrill he was seeking for himself.

Worse, his death was caught on film as the article above notes he was part of three stories regarding self-financed rocketeers who were being followed by a TV show intended to air on the Science Channel.

It’s a sad thing to read yet a most curious story.

Humanity’s history is certainly filled with stories of those who tried to push the limits of what can be done, and paid for it with their very lives.