--- title: "When An Earthquake Strikes, Crawl Inside This Egg-Shaped Safety Pod" description: "This Mexican engineer is selling human-size egg-shaped pods that might just save your life during the next earthquake. But it will cost you a pretty penny." date: "2018-12-07" modified: "2018-12-07" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/egg-pods-humans-save-life-earthquake" categories: - "Science & Energy" tags: - "earthquake" - "earthquake proof" - "natural disaster" - "the digest" --- # When An Earthquake Strikes, Crawl Inside This Egg-Shaped Safety Pod ![]() *\Image: K107\* ## Shaky Ground If you're driving when an earthquake strikes, you should pull to the side of the road, [advises]() the U.S. government. If you're indoors, it suggests, stay away from door frames. But what if the earthquake is strong enough to reduce the building you're currently in to a pile of rubble? 32-year-old Mexican engineer Reynaldo Vela might have a solution for you. He's designed an egg-shaped safety pod that you can hide inside during an earthquake — and you could live inside it for up to a month, he says. He's been working on the design for more than eight years, *Motherboard* [reports](). ## Human Egg Pods The procedure is as simple as you might think: once the quake hits, step inside and close the door behind you. But the egg capsules will cost you a pretty penny: a fully decked out Capsula K107 human egg pod goes for $10,000 U.S., while a basic version goes for 'only' $2,400. The pods feature a pouch for human waste, an air purifier, and a vapor condenser for drinking water. U.S. Vela's company has sold [more than 110 units]() so far, according to *Motherboard.* But there's enough demand to grow a lengthy waitlist for future customers in Mexico. ## Some Much-Needed Shelter Others have marketed similar products. A U.S. called Survival Capsule sells [spherical, reinforced metal balls]() that can withstand being crushed and which float in case of a tsunami. Mexico has had a rough history with earthquakes. Officials estimate that the 8.0 magnitude earthquake that hit Mexico City in 1985 killed over 5,000 people, but eyewitnesses believe that number [could be much higher](), according to *The Guardian*. Will Vela's egg pods be enough to save lives during Mexico's next earthquake disaster? For now, we'll have to take his word for it — and hand him a substantial amount of money. **READ MORE: [The Guy Behind This $2,400 Egg-Shaped Capsule Says It Will Save Us During Deadly Earthquakes]()** ***More on earthquake survival: [How Engineering Earthquake-Proof Buildings Could Save Lives]()*** ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()