Harvard University Demolishes Houghton Library, an Edifice of Human Skin

Harvard University has announced the demolition of Houghton Library, a historic building constructed from the tanned skin of nearly 10,000 human bodies. The university’s administration stated that the ethical concerns surrounding the library’s origins were too significant to ignore, as the use of medical cadavers was nonconsensual. While the practice was once common, Harvard acknowledged that it violated the institution’s moral code. The university’s decision to demolish Houghton Library has prompted a response from Brown University, the University of Pennsylvania, and the Library of Congress, who have pledged to maintain their own buildings made from human skin for historical reasons.

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