Even the most ordinary things sometimes hide something terrible. Have you ever wondered how many times in your life you could find yourself next to a dangerous criminal and not distinguish him from other passers-by? Or a sign warning “No Swimming” - should you ignore it? This is what some citizens do, thinking that “some kind of bacteria” will not eat them, although they just can do this - literally.
We have compiled a small selection of facts about our world, and some may seem scary to you, although there is nothing supernatural about them.
13. Until the late 1980s, some doctors did not believe that newborns were capable of feeling pain. A 1988 study of doctors in Great Britain and Ireland found that 13% of respondents were confident that children aged 0 to 12 months cannot feel pain, while a further 23% were not entirely sure. Therefore, even during serious operations, doctors often used only local anesthesia.
The question of whether children under 1 year of age can experience pain has been the subject of debate for many years. But it has now been proven that newborns and even unborn children feel pain in the same way as adults.
12. You are more likely to die while taking a bath than to win the lottery jackpot.
By different estimates, the chances of winning the jackpot range from 1 in 176 million (Mega Millions) to 1 in 15 million (6 out of 49 lottery). Alas, the probability of dying in your own bathroom is much higher - 1 in 840 thousand. But still people continue to believe in their luck, and some are really lucky. For example, a married couple from Scotland (pictured) won £161 million in 2011.
11. In your life, you can find yourself next to a killer thousands of times and not notice it.
This number depends on where you live and how many people you encounter on a daily basis. If a resident small town risks meeting about 16 murderers in his life, then a resident of a metropolis who passes by hundreds of people every day may well find himself next to a thousand criminals during his life and not notice it.
After all, most criminals, including such brutal serial killers as Ted Bundy (pictured), are no different in appearance from other people and can lead seemingly ordinary lives. For example, the same Bundy worked for some time in a telephone helpline, where he helped people psychological assistance and even called rescuers for those who were on the verge of suicide.
It is unsettling to know that behind the mask of a good citizen was a kidnapper, murderer and rapist who confessed to 30 murders committed between 1974 and 1978.
10. You are 6.7% more likely to die on your birthday than on any other day.
Scientists from the University of Chicago found that the likelihood of dying on your birthday is on average 6.7% higher than on other days. Moreover, it is highest among young people aged 20 to 29 years - 25.39%. A frightening figure, isn't it?
Despite the availability of medicines, it is not always possible to save people from this disease. Therefore, do not ignore warnings that swimming is prohibited, or that you should not inhale water through your nose when swimming.
8. The bodies of climbers who died on Everest, in many cases, remain there forever.
There is a so-called “death zone” on Mount Everest, which begins after 8,000 meters. Climbers who die in this zone most often remain there forever, since a helicopter cannot rise to such a height, and in such conditions, carrying the bodies of the dead on oneself is an extremely dangerous task even for very experienced rescuers.
What is also shocking is that the bodies of some of the dead become reference points for other climbers. For example, one such landmark was a man known as “Green Shoes.” His colorful shoes led the way to the top from 1996 to 2014, until his remains disappeared. Perhaps they were scattered by the wind, or someone buried the body of the unfortunate man under stones.
7. Those who spend more than 2 hours a day watching TV shorten their lives by 1.4 years
This problem is far from new, because quite recently television and radio were the main source of daily news. For example, in this photo from 1991 you see two sisters from Israel watching TV during an air raid raid.
The mite feeds on skin cells and fats (the secretion of the sebaceous glands) and usually does not cause any problems, but in some cases (during illness or stress) the number of mites increases sharply, which leads to a skin disease - demodicosis.
5. 27 thousand trees are cut down every day to later become toilet paper
Another creepy number that makes you think. It is unlikely that we can do without toilet paper, but the situation can be improved if we develop recycling technology (which is done in all developed countries) and start producing paper from other plant materials.
4. There are 10 times more bacteria on the surface of a smartphone than on a toilet seat
It's no secret that many of us place our smartphone next to us on the table during lunch. Imagine a toilet seat in its place. It's unpleasant, isn't it? But at the same time, it is much less dangerous than your gadget: scientists from the University of Arizona found that there are 10 times more bacteria on the surface of a smartphone.
How to deal with this? According to microbiology experts, it is enough to regularly wipe your smartphone with an alcohol-containing liquid or disinfectant wet wipes. There is a more radical way - to purchase a device (pictured) that kills bacteria on the surface of the gadget.
3. At the bottom of the oceans there is a whole graveyard of ships
According to UN estimates, there are about 3 million ships at the bottom of the world's oceans. Among them are civilian and military ships from various eras, several nuclear submarines and, of course, the infamous Titanic. If all these ships were raised, a chain of them could encircle the Earth twice along the equator.
2. Thousands of people die every year due to doctors’ illegible handwriting
According to estimates by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States, every year in this country alone, 7 thousand patients die due to prescriptions written in illegible handwriting. To combat this phenomenon, an electronic prescription system was introduced, which eliminates the need for pharmacists to spell out doctors’ handwriting.
Unfortunately, such an innovation is not yet available everywhere and patients can only rely on the experience of pharmacy staff in reading prescriptions.
1. In this photo there are, albeit invisibly, all the people on Earth. All but one
This photograph shows the Apollo 11 lunar module with astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin on board, the surface of the Moon and our Earth along with all its inhabitants, including those who ever existed at that time, that is, the living, and those already dead. Even those born after 1969 are in some sense present in this photo, since their parents or grandparents are in it.
The only one not in this photo is Michael Collins, the third astronaut on the lunar mission, who was left alone in the command module in lunar orbit while his companions explored the surface of our satellite. It seems that this is exactly what universal loneliness looks like.
Humanity has existed for thousands of years, and many historical secrets have been revealed in our time, but there are still many mysteries in the world. Many of the artifacts found baffle modern archaeologists, so the search for truth only becomes more interesting.
Today we will tell you about the most remarkable finds that scientists are still scratching their heads over. 
1.Giant stone balls of Costa Rica
In the first half of the 20th century, while clearing the jungle for new plantations, workers discovered mysterious huge stone balls of the correct shape, 
whose origin is unknown. There were legends among the local population that there was always gold inside such balls, 
therefore many of them were split and blown up. Of course, no gold was found there, so they were definitely not used as a safe. 
The purpose for which these petrospheres were created has not yet been determined, but it is assumed that they either imitated planets or determined the boundaries of tribes. 
2. Baghdad battery
In the 30s of the 20th century, during archaeological excavations near Baghdad, it was found mysterious artifact, thanks to him we can say that the ancient Mesopotamians were much smarter and more inventive than we are used to thinking about them. 
The found artifact was dubbed the “Baghdad Battery”; it consisted of a small vessel through the neck of which an iron rod with traces of corrosion was passed. 
Inside there is a cylinder made of copper, and in the cylinder there is an iron rod. Having disassembled this structure, scientists decided that this is most likely a battery that is capable of generating a current of 1 volt. 
It is not clear why the technology for producing these batteries was lost and why nothing similar was found anywhere else. 
3.Voynich Manuscript
The strangest manuscript in the world, written in unknown language and having inexplicable symbols that are unlike any of the known alphabets. 
The Voynich manuscript is named after the antiquarian who acquired it in 1912. No one has yet been able to decipher the inscriptions, and this has turned the manuscript into a famous subject of cryptology. 
One of the scientists in his writings suggests that the manuscript is an encrypted message 
4.Golden figurines of the Incas
The world-famous figurines resemble flying machines; it is known that in ancient times people tried to recreate from the materials available to them what they saw, 
and this is where it arises main question, but what could they see??
German aircraft modelers exact copies golden airplane, 
only of course not made of gold and with a motor, and these planes flew perfectly, moreover, they were able to perform aerobatic maneuvers, which had to be proven 
5. Genetic drive
This unique disc depicts things and processes, it would seem that there is nothing wrong with this, but we, modern people we can observe these processes only under a microscope, 
one wonders how ancient people could have known about them. Most likely, the process of birth and development of the embryo is shown. 
Despite the fact that this disk exists, it is simply impossible to make a similar one. 
6. Antikythera mechanism
This mechanism is essentially the oldest computer due to the complexity of its design; after a detailed study of it, scientists found out 
that it not only shows the position of the sun, moon, the movement of planets, but also predicts eclipses and even events such as the Olympic Games. 
Heated debates among scientists flare up around this mechanism, because The Antikythera mechanism is at least 1000 years ahead of similar types of technology. 
In the conditions of fierce competition between hotels, everyone survives as best they can, each hotel tries to provide visitors with maximum comfort, entices them with some of its zest or unusual service. We have collected the most unexpected offers for you. 
1. Room for crying
As you know, women love to cry, sometimes even for no reason, and the Japanese hotel chain Mitsui Garden Yotsuya decided to take advantage of this. 
they provide women who use tears to relieve stress with a room in which everything is done to evoke pity and tears. 
The room is filled with books with sad plots, maudlin melodramas and plenty of cashmere napkins to wipe away snot and drool. 
After the client has cried enough, she is of course provided with all sorts of services to put herself in order. Accommodation in the “crying room” is possible only alone, and the cost of such a room is approximately 4,500 rubles. 
2. Companion fish
A British hotel in Cheshire offers guests who are traveling alone and really miss the opportunity to feel loved, 
they offer to rent goldfish for about 500 rubles per day and come to the room to enjoy her company, 
after all, the fish will be happy to listen to everything that you have accumulated during a hard day of work. 
3. Accommodation for the “homeless” class
In Sweden, the Faktum Hotel is trying to draw attention to the problem of homeless people and part of the proceeds goes to help them. 
The essence of the service is simple: people who live in abundance are invited to feel like homeless people, for a small fee of 100 Swedish kronor they can spend the night under a bridge, under a cart in a port, in a park, by a river or in an abandoned factory. 
The hotel offers several options for amenities when placing a sleeping bag, cardboard or newspaper, a homemade tent, or they will simply offer you to lie down on a bench. 
4. Deep sleep
Most best sleep The Berlin hotel Swissotel offers a package of services " deep dream"is a combination of techniques to promote relaxation and sleep, 
developed by the hotel together with German sleep specialists for guests who suffer from stress and sleep problems. Starting in the morning, guests are prepared for a sweet night's sleep for only 200 euros per day. 
Before going to bed, the client receives a warm chocolate-based drink and breathes mountain air for 30 minutes. A small device built into the pillow recreates binaural waves, which help the body transition into a state of sleep. 
5. Sex menu
The Drake Hotel, located in Toronto, offers its guests a relaxing... full program, if you are planning a romantic evening with champagne candles and rose petals on the floor throughout the room, then perhaps you will be pleasantly surprised by the additional menu, which consists of big list sex toys, of course they are all disposable and have a color and size for every taste. 
6. Perfume bar
The Berlin Ritz Carlton hotel offers unique cocktails, all of them based on well-known flavors. 
Cocktails replicate the scents of Giorgio Armani, Yves Saint Laurent and other equally famous brands. Strange as it may seem, 
bartender Arnd Heissen does not keep the ingredients of the drinks a secret and describes everything in detail in the “perfume menu.” The cost of these unique drinks is not high, ranging from 11 to 14 euros. 
7. Camp of missed opportunities.
The AKA Central Park hotel chain is something like a camp, only for adults; in addition to standard recreation, you will be offered a unique Live It program, 
in which you can learn anything you want from circus tricks to painting lessons and cooking apple pies. 
Also, there is a “reboot” program, which includes a huge number of services, including changing your appearance. 
8. Divorce without problems
Guests of some hotels in the Netherlands are given the opportunity to have a nice party, but not everyone needs romantic evenings, after all, you need to please everyone! 
So, there they will offer you all kinds of help, both psychological and legal, they will help you remain friends as much as possible and if you want to arrange a banquet 
on this occasion with cake and fireworks. As a rule, a couple stops on Friday and already on Monday they are free as the wind. 
The average hotel divorce costs about $5,000. 
9. Walk with lions
In South Africa, Protea Hotel is betting on wildlife lovers and offers walks with lions, 
of course this happens under supervision good specialist, but a cat is a cat, big or small, and it is very difficult to predict what will come to her mind at the next moment, so these walks of course cause a large influx of adrenaline. 
Guests should not forget that even though the hotel’s lions are accustomed to people, they are still a terrible predator whose attacks kill about 100 people every year. 
10. Ayurvedic rituals that send you to nirvana
In Nicaragua, the Mukul Beach hotel offers to experience nirvana for yourself, 
ancient, almost magical Ayurvedic rituals that will relieve you of depression and chronic fatigue, 
and will also release subtle energies that will help calm and clear the mind. Massage points on the face, wrap with herbs and pour on the forehead in the area 
"third eye" warm mixture of natural vegetable oils stimulate deep brain centers that are responsible for the production of endorphins - hormones of happiness. 
There are more than four thousand religions in the world. Some sacred rituals can safely be called strange and even creepy. We offer you a list of ten exotic religious ceremonies, but be careful - the descriptions of many of them should not be read by impressionable people.
"Sky Burial"
As you know, Buddhists believe in cycles of rebirth and reincarnation, so they do not see the need to preserve the body of the deceased after death. Moreover, some followers of the Buddha's teachings believe that the sooner the body turns to dust, the sooner the next life will begin for a person. In Tibet, this belief was embodied in a ritual called jator. During the burial ceremony, the body of the deceased is carried to the top of the mountain and left as an offering to the vultures.To speed up the procedure, sometimes the body is even cut into pieces and laid out in several places. Vultures are called "dakinis", which translates as "heavenly dancers". They act as angels who carry a person's soul to heaven for the next incarnation. In the 1960s, Chinese authorities criminalized jator, calling the practice “barbaric.”
However, the ban met with strong resistance from Tibetans who believed in the sacred necessity of this rite, and starting in the eighties, sky burial was again legalized on the condition that it be carried out only in a few specially designated places.
"Thaipusam"
Thaipusam is a Hindu festival celebrated in different countries worldwide, including Sri Lanka, India, South Africa and Malaysia. For many thousands of participants, the festival involves only a procession where people carry pots of milk as an offering to the gods. Only a few particularly pious Hindus perform a special ritual on this day. 
They pierce their cheeks and skin on their bodies with knitting needles and hooks, to which they attach jewelry that can weigh more than 30 kilograms. Participants in the ceremony claim that they fall into a kind of trance and do not feel any discomfort or pain. The meaning of the Thaipusam holiday is to honor the Hindu goddess Parvati, who gave the god of war and hunting Murugan a wonderful spear to fight demons. By piercing their flesh, Hindus protect their body from the penetration of any evil.
Sun dance
Many indigenous tribes of North America practice totemism and perform rituals dedicated to various spirits of the earth. One of the most common rituals among Indians is the sun dance, designed to bring health and a rich harvest to the tribe. And totemism is one of the oldest religions. 
Nowadays, the ceremony usually involves only drumming, singing and dancing around the fire, but in exceptional cases it is a brutal test of human endurance. The skin on the dancer’s chest is pierced in several places, a kind of weaving shuttle with a rope is threaded through the holes, and it is then tied to the Tree of Life deified by the tribe. Main participant The ritual begins to move back and forth, trying to free itself from the shuttle.
Of course, this practice often resulted in serious injury or death, which led to its prohibition starting with late XIX centuries. However, official American authorities rarely interfere in the life of Indian reservations, and the “sun dance” in its full version It is still performed periodically today.
"El Colacho"
Christians around the world believe in the doctrine of original sin. According to him, every person is born in sin because of Adam and Eve's disobedience to God in the Garden of Eden. It is believed that a Christian can atone for this guilt by leading a righteous life. However, residents of the town of Castillo de Murcia in northern Spain perform a ritual to cleanse newborns of this sin - "el colacho", also known as the baby jumping festival. 
All children born in the last year are laid on mattresses along the street, and men dressed as devils jump back and forth over the mattresses to cleanse the babies from original sin. Although no incidents were documented during the holiday, the Pope addressed the local catholic church demanding that they dissociate themselves from such dangerous practices.
Some Hindu communities practice a similar rite of child purification, in which infants (more than a hundred per year) are thrown from the roof of the temple onto blankets below. It is believed to bring good luck in life and fertility.
Self-torture
Self-torture - the act of cutting oneself with blows of a whip - has existed as a religious ritual for as long as religions have existed. Most often, self-torture was carried out as a voluntary penance to appease the gods. Now you can not only read about this action in books on the history of religion, but also see it with your own eyes. 
In the Philippines and Mexico, on Good Friday, true believers beat themselves with whips in order to get rid of their sins and, after death, take a place in heaven next to God. Many Shia Muslims in India, Pakistan, Iraq, Iran and Lebanon also torture themselves during the holy month of Muharram.
The purpose of the ceremony is to honor the martyrdom of the grandson of the prophet Mohammed Hussein ibn Ali, who was killed by the cruel caliph of the city of Kufa. Self-torture is very dangerous because it can lead to death from loss or blood poisoning.
"Tinka" or "Hit Your Neighbor"
The indigenous people of the South American Andes revere the goddess Pachamama, who, according to Inca mythology, is the patroness of hunters and peasants and can cause and prevent natural disasters. She is believed to send generous spoils and rich harvests as long as abundant blood sacrifices are made to her. Since the 17th century, the Bolivian Macha people have celebrated a holiday called “Tinku.” 
Simply put, it was a brutal fist fight involving many people intent on shedding as much blood as possible for the glory of the goddess. Huge crowds flocked from all over the area to take part in the annual mass brawl. Almost every year, deaths have been reported during the festival of blood.
“Tinku” is still held today, but fights take place in a one-on-one format. IN last decades quantity deaths has sharply decreased, and in the current century there has been none.
"Famadikhana"
Residents of Madagascar believe that the spirit of the deceased cannot join the ancestors until the body is completely decomposed. They perform a ritual that accelerates the transition of their beloved relatives to another world. This ritual is known as famadikhana, or "spinning the bones." On the website you can read about other strange funeral ceremonies. 
Living family members remove the dead from their graves or family crypts, dress them in new clothes and dance with them to joyful music. The holiday is held once every two to seven years. Such interference in afterlife helps bodies decompose faster. Although from the outside such an action seems frightening, the Malagasy themselves consider the ceremony fun and helping to maintain the connection between generations.
Human sacrifice
When our contemporary thinks of human sacrifice, he imagines ancient Egypt, where many of the pharaoh's servants accepted death to accompany their master to the land of the dead. It's hard to imagine this happening in our time. However, people are still sacrificed to the gods, most often in the Indian and African hinterlands. 
For example, in 2006, Indian police reported “dozens of victims over six months” in the city of Khurja, killed by Kali worshipers during religious rituals. Many of the victims were children under three years of age. Worshipers of the goddess of death hoped to drive poverty out of the city in this way.
IN last years reported ritual murders in Nigeria, Uganda, Swaziland, Namibia and many other African countries. In Uganda, for example, there is a whole underground market for services where you can order a sacrificial service from a shaman, which brings success in business.
Female circumcision
There are approximately 140 million women in the world who have been circumcised. Female circumcision involves partial or complete removal of the external female genitalia. In most cases, this occurs in unsanitary conditions, without the consent of the victim and without anesthesia. The procedure is mainly common in eastern, northeastern and western Africa and in some areas of Asia and the Middle East. Female circumcision is a pointless and traumatic procedureIt is believed that circumcision can protect women from promiscuity and adultery. Female circumcision is not typical for any one religion, but it is necessarily practiced by followers of teachings that postulate the subordinate role of a woman, her secondary status in relation to a man. In some cases, circumcision plays the role of an initiation ceremony into a religious group.
Cannibalism
Classical Hinduism prohibits cannibalism, and devout Hindus strongly condemn Aghori. The Aghori tribe of India is famous for their religious practices that involve eating dead bodies. Aghoris believe that fear of death is the greatest obstacle to spiritual enlightenment. By confronting the fear of death by eating the flesh of the dead, a person can overcome this barrier. 
However, Aghori are not the only ones who eat their own kind for the glory of higher powers. The Amazonian Yanomami tribe believes that death is not a natural phenomenon, but a disaster brought about by the gods. When a community member dies, his body is cremated and the ashes are eaten so that the spirit of the deceased can remain with the tribe.
Once upon a time, most of these rituals (except, perhaps, female circumcision and beating oneself and neighbors) had a practical meaning - for example, it was more convenient for Tibetans to “dispose” of their dead in this way due to the climate. But today, the blood rituals you read about are dangerous relics of the past that often result in loss of life, intentionally and accidentally. The editors of the site invite you to read about the deaths that occurred due to an absurd coincidence of circumstances.
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The secret they tried to hide? Cargo ship SS Ourang Medan
The history of the cargo ship SS Ourang Medan began in 1947, when two American ships that were heading to Malaysia received an SOS signal. A man called for help, introducing himself as a member of the crew of the Dutch ship Orange Medan. The man shouted: “Everyone is dead and soon it will come for me.” Then a strange noise came into the transmission and the sailor said: “I’m dead”...
American ships immediately headed to the aid of the ship in distress. The bodies of all crew members were found on board the Orange Medan. On faces dead people the expression of horror was frozen, and the glassy eyes were wide open. Many died with their hands outstretched in front of them, and it was clear that they were defending themselves from something. Upon examination of the bodies, it was found that all crew members died approximately 6-8 hours ago, but despite this, their body temperature exceeded 40 degrees Celsius.
It was decided to tow the Orange Medan vessel to the port for further examination, but a few minutes later a fire started on board and members of the rescue team were forced to abandon it. Immediately after this, an explosion occurred and Orange Medan sank to the bottom.
A theory was put forward that this whole story was a hoax and that no Orange Medan existed, because. no record of this vessel was found in Lloyd's insurance register, in which all vessels engaged in international trade must be entered. shipping. As a result, the whole story was recognized as a hoax. Although there are many facts proving the opposite, it is known for certain about several people who claimed that their relatives were hired on board a ship called the Orange Medan and disappeared.
In memory of the mysterious ship, only one photograph remains, taken by the wife of one of the crew members.
Zombie named Filicia
In 1907, after a short illness, which according to local Haitian beliefs is similar to the transformation of a person into a zombie, a certain Felicia Felix-Mentor died. And already in 1936, the same woman was discovered on the street, dressed, according to some sources, in rags, and according to others, she was completely naked. Despite some disagreements, all eyewitnesses claimed that the woman was covered in mud from head to toe. The lady, closing her eyes and muttering inarticulate phrases under her breath, dragged her mortal body towards the farm that once belonged to her father. Local residents recognized the living corpse as Filicia Felix-Mentor, who was buried 29 years ago; the lady’s identity was also confirmed by her widowed husband.
The woman was immediately placed in a mental hospital. a hospital where, according to some sources, she lived for the rest of her life, and according to others, one fine day she simply disappeared from the felt-lined room. The report from her attending physician states: “The patient suffers from manic-depressive disorder and uncontrollable fits of laughter. The woman speaks about herself either in the third or in the first person and is constantly confused about dates and events. In moments of clarity of consciousness, she said that it was now 1906 and begged to be allowed to go home to her husband.”
Another interesting fact: according to an X-ray study, her skeleton was in excellent condition, and this despite the fact that the real Filicia had a leg fracture in two places. Other examinations also did not reveal any anomalies, except that the woman was in excellent condition. physical fitness and was... a virgin, several scars on her body also disappeared without a trace. “It seems that this middle-aged woman was born a few weeks ago,” the doctor who examined Filicia once said.
The mentally ill patient was recognized as a close relative of Filicia Felix-Mentor, and this despite the fact that the woman’s identity was confirmed by her husband and the fact that Filicia was the only child in the family.
Remember all
One fine morning in 1930, four-year-old Indian girl Shanti Diva (or Shanti Deva) from Delhi told her parents that past life her name was Ludgi and she lived in the city of Mathura with her husband. The parents wrote it off as a child's fantasy, but the little girl with enviable consistency reminded her parents of her past and each time added new details, so she once said that she had three children, two of whom died during childbirth.
Concerned about the mental state of the child, the father of the family found out that in the city of Mathura there actually lived a woman named Ludgi, who died 4 years ago. Her parents decided to fulfill Shanti's whim and took her to Mathura. Upon arrival, the girl immediately found the house where Lyudgi lived and introduced her parents to her “husband” and child, and also pointed out several details of her life dead woman, which only the relatives of the deceased knew about. After such incidents, you begin to believe in crazy theories about rebirth.
The Mystery of One Photo or the Ghost of Mr. Jackson
This unusual and even slightly frightening photograph was taken in 1919. 44 years later, this photograph became widely known thanks to retired British Air Force officer Victor Goddard, who sent it to the editor of one of the newspapers. The group photo shows members of the crew of the warship Daedalus, who were under Victor's command. The red circle indicates mechanic Freddie Jackson, who died two days before the photo was taken. Victor says that the funeral ceremony took place on the very day the photographer took the photo, which is why everyone in the photo has such gloomy faces.
Damn bridge
Overtoun Bridge is an ordinary arch bridge in Scotland, which was built back in 1859. Overtun gained fame thanks to dogs who, for several decades, end their lives by jumping from this architectural structure. The first case of dog suicide was recorded in 1951, by 1955 there were already more than 48 similar cases, in the same year it was found that mainly dogs with long muzzles jump from the bridge. For most of the animals, a jump from a 15-meter height ended in death, but some survived and, after recovery, came to the bridge again to finish what they started. Another interesting fact - dogs jump not anyhow and not anyhow: the favorite place for jumping is between the last two spans with right side, from where our four-legged friends throw themselves upside down and nothing else.
Local residents immediately dubbed the bridge cursed and began to avoid it. In 1994, a terrible bridge took the first human life: the crazy father threw his child off him, and then he himself followed.
The phenomenon has received international attention and the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals sent a representative to conduct an investigation. Expert ethologist (animal behavior specialist) David Sexton found that the undergrowth under the bridge was simply infested with mice. And as you know, the smell of these animals greatly influences the behavior of dogs and cats. Sexton conducted an experiment: he spread the scent of three species of mice found on the Overtun Bridge and observed the behavior of dogs. As a result, only two dogs out of 30 showed no interest in the mouse aroma, while the rest mindlessly ran to the place where the stench was spreading. “There’s no mysticism here: dogs just follow the scent - it’s their nature,” says David Sexton.
Ghost Ship Mary Celeste
Without a doubt, the most famous ghost ship is the Mary Celeste, a merchant ship that was found abandoned and adrift in the Atlantic Ocean in 1872. The ship was in excellent condition, the holds were filled with fresh food and goods. No traces of the crew were ever found, and the presence of 1,500 barrels of pure alcohol on board eliminates the possibility that the ship was attacked by pirates.
The Mary Celeste was launched in 1860; over the next 10 years, the ship changed its owners with enviable regularity and was eventually bought for $3,000 by Captain Benjamin Briggs. On November 7, 1872, Mary Celeste left the port of New York. On board were Captain Briggs, his daughter and wife, and a crew of 10 sailors. No one has seen them since then. The ship's logbook could not be found on the ghost ship, and two lifeboats that were discovered in 1873 off the coast of Spain were also missing; one contained a body wrapped in an American flag, the other contained 5 more dead people who could not be identified. There was neither a woman nor a child among the corpses.
Sealand skull
Who does such an unusual skull belong to... A prehistoric animal, an alien, or maybe one of our ancestors at a certain stage of evolution? I think that any person will ask these questions after seeing the mysterious Sealand skull.
The skull was discovered in 2007 in the Danish village of Olstikke on the island of Sealand, but despite this, the find was kept in the strictest confidence until 2010. Researchers from the Veterinarian High School in Copenhagen, who studied the skull in 2008, concluded that it most likely belonged to unknown species mammals with extremely developed intelligence. Radiocarbon dating showed that its owner lived between 1200 and 1280 AD.
The Sealand skull is almost 1.5 times larger than a human skull and its most prominent part is the huge eye sockets. Scientists suggest that this creature could see well in the dark. Based on the structure of the skull, scientists determined that the creature walked on hind legs, swam very well and was 3 meters tall. The structure of the teeth indicates that the owner of the skull was a predator. Unfortunately, the Sealand skull never revealed any more information about its owner.
Traveler
Looking at this photograph from 1940, you are unlikely to notice among hundreds of people one fashionista in sunglasses, a T-shirt with an emblem on it and a portable camera. It is not clear how our contemporary found himself among the respectable inhabitants of that era and why no one pays attention to him? The photograph was taken at the opening of the Canadian Museum, where it remains to this day. Skeptics say: “Deception, Photoshop... this simply cannot be!”
But I repeat, the photograph was taken in 1940 and took pride of place among the museum exhibits in 1941, and most importantly, a time traveler was present on it all this time, so there can be no question of a fake. Despite the facts, the photograph was subjected to examinations several times, which confirmed that no editing was found in the photograph.
The Snow Queen
19-year-old Jean Hilliard was a completely ordinary girl until one incident turned her whole life upside down and made her the most unique person in the world. This happened in hometown Jean - Lengby, Minisota. A neighbor found a girl lying on the street in -25 degrees below zero. When she was taken to the hospital, the doctor was shocked by what he saw: the girl’s body in literally the words froze. One of the nurses later said: “It was like I had my hands in a freezer when I touched that poor girl.”
The doctor said that this was an unprecedented case and there was nothing he could do, so all Jean's relatives and friends gathered at the hospital and began to pray. And strangely enough, it worked, because... in a month our " The Snow Queen"Recovered completely. The icing did not cause any damage to her body and even her frostbitten limbs did not have to be amputated. Doctors called it a miracle, and local fanatics dubbed Jean a saint.
But what really happened here? Whether it was the power of prayer, a medical miracle, or a new stage in human evolution. It is known that some animals can enter suspended animation at low temperatures... perhaps Jean is one of them? =)
Ghost of Vem Town Hall
A photographer captured a little girl in the town hall engulfed in flames. This chilling photo was taken by Tony O'Reilly as he stood among a crowd of onlookers watching the town hall of Shopir - Wem burn down. The photo was taken in November 1995 and published at the same time.
The birth of a legend.
15 years later, a certain 77-year-old pensioner Brian Lear said that he found a girl on one of the old postcards similar to the one at Vem Town Hall. By the way, the postcard is dated 1922... do you smell the intrigue?
"I was shocked when, while sorting things out, I found this old postcard, which depicted the ghost girl from Vem town hall,” says the pensioner. “Upon closer inspection, you can see that they are even dressed the same and it’s really scary.”
This photo shook all the pillars of knowledge about the supernatural and caused a real international outcry. There was even information in the newspapers that this 14-year-old girl's name was Jane Charm, she was 14 years old and it was her fault that the same town hall caught fire in 1677. The cause of the 1995 fire remains a mystery.
The photographer who took this photo, Tony O'Reilly, died in 2005, when on Halloween the kids decided to play a prank on the eccentric old man and, dressing one of the participants in the procession as the ghost girl from the photo, went to his house. Opening the door and seeing the pale girl from the photograph on the threshold demanding sweets, Mr. O'Reilly grabbed his heart and fell dead.
An examination of the photograph in 1998 showed that there was no photomontage on it.
Hoax
“Today I can confidently say that the photo of the ghost of the Wem Mosque is a hoax,” says Greg Hobson, curator of photography at the National Media Museum. The technique used to take this photograph is similar to that used by mediums in the 19th century, who supposedly could capture a dead person with whom they came into contact.
And it was done like this: the mediums asked the relatives for a photograph of the deceased, which was fixed in front of the camera lens. The shooting was carried out in a dark room and as a result, the contours of the image from the photograph were partially “imprinted” on the camera lenses. When relatives came to the charlatan for advice again, he offered them to take a photograph of the deceased for a certain amount of money, which no longer presented any problem, because the new image was superimposed on the “imprint” from the lenses. This is how these incredibly life-like photographs of ghosts appeared.
How many strange and incomprehensible things are happening on our planet. A selection of 10 incredible and scary facts will help you better understand what surrounds us.
1. Some butterflies are known to drink blood
It would seem that such gentle creatures as butterflies should flutter from flower to flower, delighting human eye with its beauty, well, at most, eat the leaves of plants. But where have you heard of butterflies drinking blood, not only animals, but also human blood? These are real vampire butterflies and are called cutworms. Everything would be fine if not for one “but”: such butterflies were found in Siberia. Fortunately, only males indulge in blood. In addition to Siberia, such vampire butterflies live in some countries of Asia, Europe and Africa. If you do not drive the butterfly away from the place where it has firmly stuck its proboscis in time, the process of drinking blood can take from 5 minutes to one third hours.
2. A regular toilet contains 400 times less bacteria than the average office desk.
Don’t think that hands washed with soap will remain clean if you have to work at a desk. And those employees who keep their work desk clean and carefully remove any dirt from it make the soil for the growth of bacteria even more favorable. People in professions such as teacher, accountant, banker, radio presenter and doctor have the most germ-laden desks. Of course, no one forces you to sleep face down in the toilet after reading this, but it is a big misconception to think that this place is the most polluted.
3. 450 grams of peanut butter can contain up to 150 insect fragments and 5 hairs of various rodents
Almost no American can imagine their breakfast without toast covered in peanut butter. It is not immediately believed that the oil may contain some ingredients different from what is commonly perceived. But this is true. According to the standard, peanut butter is allowed to contain 30 insect elements per 100 grams of the finished product, that is, each jar of butter can contain 1 insect element, be it a tail or an ear.
4. We eat insects every day
As a rule, eating various insects is the prerogative of the South African population. For people in other countries, such as North America, this is not the norm. Although, if you consider that insects enter the finished product through raw materials, then this will turn out to be the norm. Without knowing it, each person consumes about 430 insects per year, which is 1.2 insects per day. For example, pizza sauce can contain up to 30 fly eggs, and 100 grams of chocolate contains about 60 insect fragments. As a rule, when collecting raw materials, many insects are simply impossible to notice, so they easily end up in the finished products that we eat every day.
5. The owner of the largest sexual organ on Earth is...
The blue whale is a unique animal. It is famous not only for the size of its body, but also for other sizes. Blue whales are considered the largest animals on earth, even larger than dinosaurs, and the size of the penis blue whale reaches 2.7 meters, from which, during copulation with a female, 20 liters of seminal fluid are ejected. You can see this attraction in the museum, which is located in Iceland. True, the museum displays as an exhibit the dried sexual organ of a blue whale, the size of which is only 1 meter 70 centimeters.
6. A very useful “living fossil”
The horseshoe crab is a mysterious creature in every sense that lives in the ocean. Horseshoe crabs do not belong to the class of crabs. This creature is more likely to belong to spiders and scorpions. Horseshoe crabs are unique in that their blood uses copper, rather than an iron base, as an oxygen carrier. Therefore, their blood is not red, but blue. Their blood is used in medicinal purposes, and chitin, which makes up the horseshoe crab’s shell, is used to heal wounds. They are also used in the production of fertilizers.
7. Hunger makes you eat human bodies
The ensuing famine in North Korea between 1995 and 1999 forced peasants to dig up graves and then eat human bodies. This period in history was euphemistically designated as the Difficult March. It was a very difficult time for the DPRK. During the famine, according to various sources, from 220 thousand to 3.5 million people died. The reasons for this situation in the country were unfavorable weather conditions, resulting in a poor harvest, as well as a sharp reduction in international supplies and ineffective management policies. The survivors had no choice but to engage in cannibalism, no matter how scary it may sound.
8. Beneficial properties of marijuana
As strange as it may seem, the substance obtained from marijuana stops the growth of cancer cells in the human body and also helps stop their growth. The beneficial properties of this herb include the fact that it awakens the appetite in cancer patients undergoing treatment. The plant is also used in industry and construction. And marijuana seeds contain a large amount of essential amino acids so necessary for the normal functioning of the human body.
9. What horror lurks in our mattresses
In addition to the dust that the mattress becomes saturated with during its use by humans, it contains a lot of other “interesting” things. Over time, the mattress is colonized by dust mites - these are invisible pests for our health. Over 10 years, thanks to mites and their feces, dust and flakes of keratinized skin, the weight of our mattresses approximately doubles. Therefore, you need to change your mattress more often.
10. Alcohol has many beneficial properties.
It turns out that small doses of beer (350 ml) are beneficial, as they contain antioxidants that have a beneficial effect on heart health, which cannot be said about large doses. And vodka is generally a universal product. This drink can be consumed not only internally, but also used as compresses. Vodka also helps against herpes, fever and Alzheimer's disease. For scurvy, use a mixture of rum and wine with lime juice.
