When I was a little kid, my grandfather bought me a book on unsolved mysteries. It was impossibly heavy, was well-above what people assumed I could read, and the subject matter wasn't exactly my mother's idea of appropriate.
I've had that book for 30 years now and I still pour over it obsessively. So obviously when I saw this thread I was all in:
Reddit user LordVader1995 asked:
What is your favorite unsolved mystery?
There are some mysteries mentioned here that were even in my book - but a far larger amount are newer. Considering the incredible technological leaps we have made, it seems crazy that things can just stay unsolved - but they do. Every single day more and more mysteries (large and small) just get added to the list of things that may never be figured out.
Here are some examples.
Malaysia Flight 370
GiphyThis case seriously haunts me, I am dying to know whether it was an accident or intentional on the part of the pilot.
My personal theory is that they were hijacked by a lunatic intent on flying the plane into a building or something horrific. The pilot may have realized this and intentionally flew off-course into the ocean. When flying at night, there's nothing to see out the window, it's just blackness, so arguably the hijacker wouldn't have a clue until it's too late.
There was a case where a hijacker demanded the plane be flown to some ridiculous distance when it was only fueled for a short trip. The pilots did their best to explain that they didn't have the range, but the hijackers simply wouldn't listen. Plane ran out of fuel and crashed in the ocean. So sometimes hijackers can be total idiots too.
On the other hand, if the plane was hijacked, then the hijackers were savvy enough to pull the transponders to make the plane harder to trace (it's a fact that this happened, and could only have been a deliberate act). If they were savvy enough to do this it's unlikely they'd be dumb enough to not notice the pilots' plan to fly over the ocean rather than into a populated city, though...
MH370 is the ultimate Rorschach inkblot test. There are so few actual facts to work with, that everyone's imagination just takes over to fill in the blanks and we have millions of crazy theories. I wonder if we'll ever know.
The Noise Upstairs
Last summer I was babysitting for my neighbor - a young couple that lived in a small townhouse with their newborn. They were in the process of moving back to Kentucky, where their families are from, to raise their baby with family. They leave for dinner around 5pm, and say they'll be home before 12am. Now, this little home is empty save for their beds, a couch, and a TV. Around 7pm, the baby is getting fussy so I rock her to sleep and lay her down for bed/until she wakes up to be fed. I go downstairs and call my girlfriend to ask about her day, when I hear heavy footsteps coming from upstairs. I go up the stairs to the baby's room, thinking maybe there's a cat, and there's nothing that could have been making that noise. I check the parent's room, nothing. Bathroom, nothing. Everything is empty. I picked up the baby and went downstairs to the living room, keeping her with me the whole night. The footsteps keep happening, and I decide to call the police because there's clearly an intruder. It's about 9:15pm at this point, and I first heard noises around 7:30pm.
I call the parents first, though, to tell them that I was thinking to take the baby to my place while waiting for the police checked the house. It turns out that the parents were on the street already, and I decide to wait for them. A minute later, the footsteps turn into thuds and grunts, like two men are fighting directly above me and the baby. I can't wait anymore, and I run outside to find the parents. The parents are there, getting out of the car, and clearly upset. The police are with them. They take a statement from me as they check the house, and ask if I was drinking that night (no). The police check the house top to bottom, and found nothing. The parents moved out a week later. I still wonder what happened.
Yuba 5
The 1978 Yuba County disappearances of 5 young men- around 50 miles away from where they were supposed to be, on a road they never had been down.
They abandoned a perfectly fine car and walked 10+ miles through the forest in deep snow to ultimately die. Four of the five men were found dead in a ranger trailer and in the surrounding area. The trailer had been full of food and a heater- and it was all untouched.
The only witness? A man in the car behind them, who pulled over and saw them briefly before having a heart attack.
The last man, Gary Mathias, has still never been found. There are so many thought and theories about this case, and I hope someday it will be solved. Until then, it will be the most intriguing mystery I have ever come across.
Asha
Asha Degree.
A little girl who walked out of her house in the middle of the night, during a storm, the night before her parents anniversary, only to be seen walking down the road by motorists and then never being seen again. I personally think she was groomed by someone close.
This particular case is so heartbreaking to me, I heard the case being explained on the Crime Junkie Podcast. There were hardly any leads but I agree with you on the fact that she was most likely groomed by someone but it's insane how this little girl that's afraid of the dark just slipped out of her house at 3am, in the middle of a storm, to meet someone on the side of a highway. The power that person must have over her is terrifying.
- Halstump
I looked it up. They found her book bag 26 miles away in 2001. This is such a sad case. They also found candy wrappers near her bag. Something about that alone, makes me sad.
I heard an interesting theory about carbon monoxide poisoning - it would explain the way Asha just seemed to methodically pack her bag and walk out. The way she did this was apparently the same way she usually would for school, which can be linked to the disorientating effects of CO poisoning. The way she ran off into the forest when a car approached her can also be linked, as it may have brought her out of her daze, which would've frightened her.
This still doesn't explain the fact that her school bag was found wrapped in a plastic bag - that bit gives me the creeps.
- notbueno
Fenn's Gold
Forrest Fenn's Treasure has got to be my favorite. Fenn is a 87 year old art collector who resides in Santa Fe, New Mexico. In 2010, after being diagnosed with cancer and told he was most likely going to die, he asked himself what he could do to be remembered. He decided to go out into nature and hide a chest containing an estimated 2 million dollars of treasure. Despite the odds, he actually beat cancer and is still alive to this day. The treasure is somewhere in the rocky mountains within one of the following states: New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming or Montana. Fenn wrote a poem as a guide to finding the treasure. Here it is...
As I have gone alone in there
And with my treasures bold,
I can keep my secret where,
And hint of riches new and old.
Begin it where warm waters halt
And take it in the canyon down,
Not far, but too far to walk.
Put in below the home of Brown.
From there it's no place for the meek,
The end is ever drawing nigh;
There'll be no paddle up your creek,
Just heavy loads and water high.
If you've been wise and found the blaze,
Look quickly down, your quest to cease,
But tarry scant with marvel gaze,
Just take the chest and go in peace.
So why is it that I must go
And leave my trove for all to seek?
The answers I already know,
I've done it tired, and now I'm weak.
So hear me all and listen good,
Your effort will be worth the cold.
If you are brave and in the wood
I give you title to the gold.
The treasure has yet to be found.
Green Children
Back in the day in England, I'm talking like somewhere between 1500's-1700's, this brother and sister wandered into a village. They were complete strangers to everyone there, and they were FREAKING GREEN. They were GREEN children. They didn't speak the language and wouldn't eat for days until they were offered raw Lima beans which they ate in excess and exclusively. The brother eventually died, but they sister lived long enough to lose her green pigment and learn english. She said they were from Saint Martin's Land, and had wandered from home and went over a river or something and found themselves in this village and had no idea how to get home. The world she described is something no one has been able to figure out, but it wasn't England.
This supposedly happened in the 12th century, not the 16th. Yes they ate raw beans, but not Lima beans. Pretty sure you can't even grow Lima beans in England. The boy got sick and died after being baptized. They claimed to come from an underground land where the sun never shone. They wandered into a cave from their land while herding cattle and suddenly found themselves in a different place after hearing a loud noise. Villagers then found them and brought them to the village where the girl survived and lived a relatively normal life.
More realistic theories have been put forward to explain this. Regarding their green colouring, one proposal is that the children were suffering from Hypochromic Anemia, originally known as Chlorosis (coming from the Greek word 'Chloris', meaning greenish-yellow). The condition is caused by a very poor diet that affects the color of the red blood cells and results in a noticeably green shade of the skin. In support of this theory is the fact that the girl is described as returning to a normal color after adopting a healthy diet.
With regards to the description of the strange land, Paul Harris suggested in Fortean Studies 4 (1998) that the children were Flemish orphans, possibly from a nearby place known as Fornham St. Martin, which was separated from Woolpit by the River Lark. A lot of Flemish immigrants had arrived during the 12th century but were persecuted under the reign of King Henry II. In 1173, many were killed near Bury St Edmunds. If they had fled into Thetford Forest, it may have seemed like permanent twilight to the frightened children. They may also have entered one of the many underground mine passages in the area, which finally led them to Woolpit.
Dressed in strange Flemish clothes and speaking another language, the children would have presented a very strange spectacle to the Woolpit villagers.
Where's Brandon?
The Brandon Lawson case, guy runs out of gas on a highway, calls his brother to help him get gas, then makes a 911 call telling them to send the police (recordings available on youtube), then disappears. When his brother and the police arrived his truck was still sitting there.
A weird detail I saw somewhere was that he actually had an active warrant for his arrest. (I don't remember what it was for, but I don't think it was a violent offense.) He was aware of the warrant, so everyone (especially the brother he had called previously) thought it was extremely odd that he would call the police. If I recall correctly, he specifically requested police, not emergency services which one might do if they needed help but didn't want to deal with police.
Somerton Man
The 70 yeah old case of the Somerton Man - no identity for the victim, no cause of death, mysterious codes, possible spy connections, lots of unanswered questions. I think we're currently waiting on DNA tests to come back to try and figure out who he is.
I live not far from Somerton, and have seen his grave at the West Terrace cemetery that states 'unknown man'. This case fascinates me, some of the minor facts of the case are just bizarre. I read a book called The Unknown Man by Gerry Feltus that i recommend for anyone interested. Professor Derek Abbot who is heading the DNA testing is very passionate about the case and optimistic about solving the mystery!
The Prime Minister
GiphyAs an Australian, it 100% has to be the Harold Holt mystery.
Prime Minister of Australia Harold Holt, loved the beach, fishing and swimming etc. Apparently was an elite swimmer. Members of his cabinet and friends had all approached him about the dangers of swimming an fishing alone, to which he famously replied: "What are the odds of a prime minister being drowned or taken by a shark?"
On December 17, 1967, just after midday, Holt and a friend stopped for a swim at a beach they'd been to many times before. There was a large rip reported, and the friend stayed close to shore, but Holt swam as normal, and got pulled out to sea. he was never seen or heard from again.
We literally lost our Prime Minister.
Dylatlov Pass
The Dyatlov Pass incident.
In 1956, 9 very experienced Russian hikers were found dead on Mt. Otorten. 6 of them died of hypothermia, while the other 3 were found brutally killed. One hiker had his skull crushed, another had a crushed rib cage and his eyes were missing, and the last victim also had a crushed rib cage but had not only both eyes missing, but also her tongue was missing.
Their camp showed signs of a huge struggle and displayed a scene of chaos. The tent was cut open from the inside and belongings like jackets and shoes were left behind, suggesting they were in a hurry.
About 500 meters from the campsite are where the first two bodies were found next to a small campfire and only in their underwear (hypothermia). Three more hikers were found (also passing of hypothermia) in positions that suggested they were trying to return to the camp. These bodies also lacked clothes and shoes and were only found in their underwear.
The 4 other hikers weren't found until 2 months later in a snow ravine 75 meters from the small makeshift campsite. They were found better dressed than the rest of the hikers but their clothes were torn and some of them, even burned. Also note:
•that high levels of radiation was found on only one victims clothing item
•fatal injuries (crushed skull and ribs) couldn't have been cause by human because "the force of the blows had been too strong and no soft tissue had been damaged"
•Russian authorities are currently re-investigating this incident but are only allowing three possibilities: avalanche, a "snow slab" avalanche, or a hurricane. And the possibility of a crime is being completely discounted.
Redditor imboredaa wanted to discuss all the ways so many of us get lost watching things on the internet, so they asked:
"What are some of the craziest/strangest rabbit holes you’ve ever been down?"
I constantly get lost on talent show audition rabbit holes.
And I am proud!
Restored
Serial Killer Chainsaw GIF by Rise RecordsGiphy"YouTube videos of old chainsaw restorations. No idea why, but I guess that’s why it’s a rabbit hole. I don’t even own a chainsaw or have a need for one."
aretelio
'rooms/shared'
"I really enjoy going on a city’s Craigslist, then to 'rooms/shared' (or whatever it is for finding a room mate) and then typing words like 'warning' or 'beware' in the search to see what kind of horror show nightmare room mate scenarios people have decided to write about... it's usually some juicy headline like 'warning!!!'"
"Do NOT rent from this woman!!!! She is a PSYCHO!!….'"
"And after reading it, it’s always a guess to decide who is the actual crazy person, the landlord or tenant. Could be a bitter ex, tenant, or a scam, or whatever. But it’s an easy way to dive quick into some weird corners of the internet that are filled with drama."
After the Ice
"I spent a bunch of time about 12 years or so ago reading about all the details of the Titanic, how it sunk, what happened as it was sinking, who died, who survived. I got into the life stories of the people who died, and what became of the people who survived. And then I very nearly bought a piece of carpet from the Titanic."
SweetCosmicPope
Expeditions
"Andrée's Arctic balloon expedition"
"Dumb, then numb, a** thought he could fly a balloon to the North Pole. They had cyanide capsules and all, in case they crashed and were about to freeze to death. Or get eaten by a polar bear during a three month night. He and his assistants somehow managed to do both."
"Plot twist: Andree, the worst captain of all time, noticed the balloon was leaking the night before they were about to leave, pumped it up a bit, and said 'f**k it that'll do.' It did not do."
Needydadthrowaway
Thanks John
"An Uncle John's Bathroom Reader. Started with 1 and ended up with a 20+ collection."
originalsanitizer
"Uncle John's Bathroom Readers are so addictive."
evanman69
Toilet time can be knowledge time.
Living Sky High
City In The Sky Vfx GIF by PBSGiphy"Turning old planes into houses! About 10 years ago I found a company that would do it for you. The wings were decks and the plane was mounted to a pedestal that allowed it to be rotate with the sun!"
BeeEyeAm
Doggerland
"Mega tsunamis. Thousand foot walls of water moving at hundreds of mph? It happens more than you would think. The Azore-Gibraltar fault will cause one one day. There evidence they happened a few times in the Pacific. It doesn't take a meteor to happen, it could be an underwater landslide (Doggerland), or a large section of a volcanic island shearing off and falling into the ocean (Oahu). Doggerland is another rabbit hole that is worth googling."
KD_Burner_Account133
Hitting the Keys
"Mechanical keyboards. I wanted to buy one, so I started researching and watching videos of reviews. I went deeper and deeper, seeing special cables, obscure companies, the tons of switches, etc etc."
"I stopped when a Youtuber I watched made a video asking her viewers and discord users to stop bullying and harassing her for using some kind of switches or keycaps. I bought my keyboard and never went back to that crazy fandom."
NirvanaForce
In the Sky
"I worked in administration at an aviation academy for a few years and decided I’d start listening to aviation podcasts since I didn’t know much about it. I came across a plane crash podcast that talks about crashes in history and how it improved the safety of flying."
"I was fascinated by it, and found myself gradually needing to know more and listening to more of the same type of podcasts, watching videos, and listening to black box recordings. It was eerie but interesting at the time. Now, I regret it tremendously because since then I’ve developed horrible anxiety when flying."
contagiousphrase
The Big Questions
steve harvey lol GIF by TV Land ClassicGiphy"Spent a lot of time in the 'quantum consciousness' rabbit hole. I had just deconstructed from religion and wanted answers about life, death, and reality. It was long before I made peace with not knowing. I spent around a year obsessed with quantum experiments, psychedelics, and the general philosophy of consciousness."
excusetheblood
Lives (and chores) can be put on serious hold when you find a juicy enough topic to research!
Well, what rabbit holes have you gotten lost in? Let us know in the comments below.
Redditor Who_Did_You_Expect1 wanted to hear about the things from our memories that still haunt our nightmares, so they asked:
"What's the most f--ked up thing you saw that still haunts you to this day?"
Living through peril is unimaginable. I've been luckier than most.
Tragic
Sad Best Friends GIF by Lisa VertudachesGiphy"I watched cancer kill my baby brother. He was in grade school when I was in college. 25 years, and I still see it in my dreams."
TheDigitalRanger
Ay Dios mio, Dios mio!
"When I was about 8, my sister and I were walking with my mom to a bus stop to see my grandma in Mexico city. There was a lady on a bike crossing the intersection that we had just crossed ourselves but she didn't stop in time to the next one and didn't look both ways, she didn't have time to stop her bike. All I remember is the lady making the beginning of a scream as a white old muscle car ran over her (bike and all) at a high speed."
" remember the sound it made as it broke everywhere. My mother took her sweater off as she screamed and covered both my sister's and my head from looking, but it was too late. I remember looking at my sister with tears in her eyes, and I was too shocked to react or comprehend what I had just seen happened. A lot of people immediately surrounded the place, and the driver came out of his car and held his head with his hands after seeing the lady on the pavement."
"I didn't look at the lady anymore. I remember hearing people screaming in shock. My mother told my dad later as she cried. I remember hearing her wake up screaming for weeks after this saying: ay Dios mio, Dios mio! Still makes my heart race when I think about it."
amahied
I Quit
"I was a news photographer for a while in the 90’s. I got called out to an accident. A high school girl ran into the back of a semi. As I was shooting, I noticed her wallet was on the ground. It had a plastic picture holder and the wind was flipping back and forth. I saw her prom pictures and shots of her with her family."
"I quit being a news photographer shortly after. I never forgot that day, and it still haunts me."
No_Confusion4720
Images
"I saw the aftermath rather than the actual event. A woman was walking home from the grocery store late at night. She crossed the road without using the crosswalks and got hit by an SUV. The two images cemented in my mind are of her, embedded in the windshield, and the driver of the car standing a little ways down the street vomiting. I've never seen someone look so utterly broken as the way the driver looked. I can't imagine what he was going through."
GrowlyBear2
Everyday
Sad Rabbit GIF by Muffin & NutsGiphy"When I was 16 I was in a car wreck with my best friend since 3rd grade. I pulled him from the car with a broken shoulder while he was bloody, lifeless, limp. He died within the hour, not long after the ambulance got us. It’s been 18 years and I still think about it every single day."
oil_can_guster
I couldn't imagine living with that.
I also couldn't move...
"Coming to after getting hit by a vehicle as a pedestrian. Was face down, all I could see was blood soaked road and thought 'f**k, that doesn't look good.' I also couldn't move. The last thing I remember seeing before that was the grill of the vehicle. I still get jumpy when I catch a vehicles grill out of the corner of my eye and I'm not expecting it to be there."
"I'd seen a lot of accidents prior to that, but something about it being my own blood hit different."
"And yes, I had the right of way and was crossing in the proper place, at the proper time. Driver plain a** wasn't paying attention. It was daylight to boot, so no reason they couldn't see me."
Sweet_Force1478
Bad Dreams
"I was volunteering with my k9 working with NYC emergency services and chief Patell during 911 WTC attacks. We were in the middle of where the twin towers used to stand The thick gray dust, horrible smell of burnt things and dead people was all around but when the dogs started to find bodies and body parts it really freaked me out and I will forever live with this reality that seems like a bad dream."
DjCanicus
Missing
Confused Wile E Coyote GIF by Looney TunesGiphy"A family of four that had burned in a plane crash. I used to do a woodland search and rescue, and we saw a lot of wild crap, but I still have dreams about what I saw when we went to look for a missing plane."
JalenTargaryen
Goodness life is dark sometimes.
Do you have any similar experiences? Let us know in the comments below.
