The World’s First Webmail Service Using Live Snails

If you thought the post office was slow, get a load of this Real Snail Mail project. Created by the aptly titled Boredom Research team for the SIGGRAPH 2008 Slow Art Exhibition, this snail mail service uses live snails to deliver your email messages via RFID chips planted on the shell. When you compose an email via their website, it will be delivered to one of three “snail agents” who wander aimlessly around a tank. If it should slither within range of a drop off point, the data will be collected wirelessly from the snail and delivered to the recipient.

At the time this article was written, agent 007 has the time to beat with an average transfer time of 1.88 days—but many others have yet to get on the board. I should also point out that the James Bond of snail messengers is named Sean–which fills me with a bizarre sort of pride. Hit the link if you would like to take your chances on one of these slimy snail messengers. [Real Snail Mail via Core77]