081001-reborn-babies-2-hmed-523a-standard.jpgIn the “there’s a market for everything” category, I present the “reborn doll.” Apparently, the insanely lifelike “fill a spot in the heart” of women who are desperate for the company of a newborn child. Fake hair, lifelike skin, accurate newborn weight…and they cost a cool $4K each, on average.

The vinyl dolls don’t just look exactly like real babies — they also feel real. Their bodies are stuffed and weighted to have the same heft and a similar feel to a live baby. Mohair is normally used for the hair and is rooted in the head strand by strand, a process that can take 30 hours. A magnet may be placed inside the mouth to hold a magnetic pacifier.

To add realism, some purchasers opt for a heartbeat and a device that makes the chest rise and fall to simulate breathing.

More here, if you dare read.

General, Weird Science