About DeathVault
What is DeathVault?
DeathVault is an independent educational archive documenting every major mass-death event in recorded history — pandemics, world wars, famines, and nuclear disasters. Our goal is to make historical mortality data accessible, accurate, and context-rich, helping people grasp the true scale of humanity's greatest catastrophes.
Data Sources
All data is sourced from reputable academic and institutional sources including:
- World Health Organization (WHO)
- Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
- UNAIDS Global Statistics
- International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
- Encyclopaedia Britannica
- Peer-reviewed academic journals
- National museums and historical archives
Death toll estimates vary significantly between sources. We present the most widely-cited estimates along with ranges where available.
Methodology
Every figure here starts from a primary institutional source — the WHO, CDC, UNAIDS, the IAEA, national statistics offices, or peer-reviewed historical demography. We record the source behind each event and surface it on the event page, so any number can be traced back to where it came from.
Historical death tolls are estimates, not exact counts. For pre-modern events the surviving records are incomplete, so credible scholarship often spans a wide range. When sources disagree, we show a low–high range and choose a central estimate that reflects the broad scholarly consensus — not the most dramatic figure available.
Numbers for ongoing events — active pandemics, current conflicts — are updated as new data is published. Every page carries a last-updated date so you can judge how current its figures are.
Editorial standards
We cross-check every event against at least one institutional dataset and one independent academic or reference source before publishing, and we list those citations on the event page. We do not invent figures, round them for effect, or present one source as definitive when the field is genuinely divided.
Found a number that doesn't match its cited source, or know of a better source? We correct mistakes quickly — reach us through the Contact page. Corrections from researchers and historians are especially welcome.
Who runs this
DeathVault is an independent, open-data project by Furiosa Studio. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or funded by any government, health agency, or research institution. The project exists to make scattered historical mortality data legible, citable, and free to access.
Technology
Built with Next.js 15, TypeScript, Tailwind CSS, Three.js (3D globe), and Recharts. Hosted on Vercel. No personal data is collected beyond standard anonymized analytics.
Disclaimer
DeathVault is an educational resource only. The data presented reflects historical estimates that may vary between scholarly sources. This site is not affiliated with any government, health organization, or research institution. For medical advice, consult qualified healthcare professionals.
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