There's a Livestream of a 10-Year-Old McDonald's Cheeseburger That Just Won't Rot

Look, I've never believed McDonald's to be a particularly healthy way to nourish my body. It's fast food -- efficient and tasty, served with a slice of nostalgia -- but there's always been something a bit off about the thin and dry patties that make up most of their burgers. Maybe the off-putting thing is that the patties, unlike normal meat, seemingly don't decompose?

At least that's the case for the last-ever McDonald's cheeseburger in Iceland, which has been sitting in its untouched state for about 10 years now without so much a sliver of mold. 

"I had heard something about McDonald’s never decaying so I just wanted to find out for myself whether this was true or not," said Hjörtur Smárason, the customer who purchased the final McDonald's cheeseburger before the chain closed forever in the country. Smárason held on to the burger for three years before it eventually made its way to Snotra House, a hostel in southern Iceland that still cares for the burger to this day. And by care for, we mean there's a livestream of the preserved burger for all to see

Yup, even 10 years later, the burger seems frozen in time. The bun and fries are slightly paler, probably due to years of harsh light beaming down on them, but all in all, it's in pretty good shape for beef and cheese that should have broken down years ago. Years from now, when the world has collapsed thanks to corporate greed and climate change, the only thing that will remain are McDonald's cheeseburgers. Bleak.

Which leaves us to wonder: If this burger can't break down in the natural elements, what sort of havoc are we wreaking on our bodies to process them? I don't necessarily want the answers, but I do want McDonald's 40 year anniversary Happy Meal toys. Damn, even in the face of something less than appetizing, nostalgia strikes again.

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Kat Thompson is a staff writer at Thrillist. Follow her on Twitter @katthompsonn