10 Reasons You Wouldn’t Survive Ancient Times

Life back then kind of sucked. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re discussing 10 reasons you wouldn’t
survive ancient times.

For this list, we’ll be looking at reasons why we probably wouldn’t survive if transported back into the pre-
modern era. For the purposes of this list, we’ll be defining “ancient times” as anything up to and including
the Medieval period.

#10: The Black Death

Yes, we realize that this is an extremely specific example, but it is something we need to consider. If you
found yourself dropped off in Europe between the late 1340s and early 1350s, curse the mysterious force
that brought you there… because you’d likely be a goner. The Plague swept through Europe and Asia in the
mid-14th century, killing up to 200 million people, and 60% of Europe’s entire population. The disease is
caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, and was spread by Oriental rat fleas. Everyone, including we
modern humans, would struggle to dodge the Black Death in 14th century Eurasia. There’s no amount of
centuries-old immunity that could save you from that one.

#9: Our Modern Intelligence Would Get Us into Trouble

If you’re currently thinking “I’d be alright, I’ve got smarts on my side!” then think again. Good luck
explaining human evolution and the Big Bang to your ancient-time brethren down the pub. In fact, striking
up any kind of conversation could prove problematic. While we might assume that our modern knowledge
would impress everyone and have them bowing at our feet, praising us as some all-knowing god, it’s more
likely that it’d get us into trouble. Should you start chatting about televisions, airplanes or microwaves,
you’d likely be labelled a heretic or some sort of witch. Just ask anyone from Medieval times who challenged
the status quo with unconventional thought.

#8: A Lack of Sleep

Nowadays, we tend to complain if we get less than eight hours of sleep. God help those in the vicinity of a
new parent. But back in the day – WAY back in the day – it was totally normal to go for longer stretches
without shut-eye. Early hunter-gatherers probably spent less time sleeping, and woke more often in the
night, perhaps because of the vulnerable position that sleep placed them in. In general, our pre-agricultural
existence required more attention and alertness. If we found ourselves suddenly transported back in time,
we’d need to cut down on our Z’s. If youdidn’t, you’d either be a lazy liability or tiger lunch.

#7: Lacking Fundamental Senses

Not many of us can boast having 20/20 vision or perfect hearing, and hundreds of millions of people require
some sort of devices to aid with these reduced senses. There are some studies to suggest that our senses
have weakened over time, mostly because we don’t need to rely on them quite as much as we did in the
wild. But without glasses, or contacts, and hearing aids, our most fundamental senses might fall well short
of what’s required for survival. You can’t do much against a potential animal attack if all you see is an
indistinct blur.

#6: Our Smaller Brains

Believe it or not, but our brains are smaller than they were 30,000 years ago. Experts estimate that we’ve
lost about 150 cubic centimetres of brain - about the size of a tennis ball. Some researchers suggest that the
relative safety of modern life has diminished our survival instincts – resulting in a gradual reduction of brain
size. Others argue that our brains have evolved to make us less primal and predatorial, allowing us to
communicate and work together more efficiently. Regardless of the reason, our shrunken brains might be a
massive disadvantage in a primordial world.

#5: A Different Diet

Compared to our distant forebears, we consume meat much more often, and as part of ever larger meals. If
we found ourselves thrown back in time, we’d have to immediately and radically alter our dietary habits,
which could lead to sickness, and perhaps even malnourishment. Given that around 13% of the current
world population is obese, it’s clear that we may not be ready, or able, to make such sweeping changes to
what we eat. Plus, you can’t really outrun a predator – or move quick enough to catch your own prey – if
you’re not fit.

#4: A Lack of Transferable Skills

Many of us today would also suffer from a major lack of transferable skills. While a few people might easily
transition to ancient, labor-intensive job markets, others - especially white-collar workers - would find their
skill sets rendered pretty pointless. Being a whizz on Microsoft Word or knowing how to code wouldn’t get
you anywhere, so despite years of modern education, a lot of us would seriously struggle to find a purpose
or a place within a society. Especially given that we’d have a hard time just communicating. This in turn
would lead to unemployment and poverty, a lack of housing and food, and therefore an even higher
susceptibility to disease and death.

#3: Exposure to the Elements

Humans are biologically able to survive in bleak or extreme conditions but, having adapted to the ease and
safety of our modern lifestyles, most of us aren’t exactly highly trained for life in the great outdoors. In
hunter-gatherer times, we’d be thrown very far from our comfort zones. And we wouldn’t have long to
wisen up. Could you catch and kill your own dinner? Could youdetermine which plants were safe to drink?
Could you build a shelter strong and safe enough to sleep under? Could you keep yourself warm in freezing
weather? If you’re unsure about any of these questions, you’d probably be in trouble pretty quickly.

#2: The Spread of Disease

The world is a filthy place. Luckily, we have things like antibiotics and industrial cleaners to rid ourselves of
dirt and disease. But before these modern conveniences, debilitating diseases ran rampant. Their
prevalence was due to a lack of basic hygiene and personal care, not to mention dirty water and human
waste. It’s also incredibly easy to get sick from injuries. Without any sort of disinfectant to clean the wound,
and without antibiotics to stave off infection, it’s possible that even a relatively minor cut could grow
infected enough to kill you. It certainly makes youappreciate the resiliency of our ancestors.

#1: A Total Lack of Modern Medicine

Perhaps the most obvious roadblock would be the total lack of modern medicine. People currently suffering
from ailments, like asthmatics and diabetics – amongst many others – would suddenly find themselves
without their pills, shots, treatments or devices. Antidepressants would also be non-existent – along with
any awareness of mental health conditions. You’d also be at the mercy of various stomach-churning - and
thankfully outdated - medical practices, such as using urine as an antiseptic and having a red-hot iron stuck
up your butt to burn away whatever ails you. Some of us may take medicine for granted, but we’d be
praying for its sweet relief if we ever found ourselves transported back in time.

Top 10 BIGGEST Secrets & Mysteries of Ancient Egypt

Conspiracies are one thing, but these are actual mysteries. Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we’ll be
counting down our picks for the top 10 biggest secrets and mysteries of ancient Egypt.

For this list, we’ll be looking at the unexplained historical events, objects, and locales about or related to
ancient Egypt that still puzzle historians to this day.

#10: The Ancient Kingdom of Punt

Ancient Egypt’s skill at building has left behind evidence of other contemporary civilizations whose own
longevity was considerably more short-lived. One such example is the kingdom of Punt, the exact location of
which has remained unknown, despite being often mentioned in Egyptian writings. What is known is that
Punt traded exotic animals and goods with Egypt. Recent findings have helped narrow the location down, as
DNA comparisons with a mummified baboon may indicate that Punt was located somewhere between
present day Ethiopia and Eritrea. Still, even this is speculation and the true location may never be known.

#9: The Lost Egyptian Labyrinth

Ancient Egypt featured many marvelous constructions, and while the most famous are the ones that survive
to this day, the most enduring ones may not have been the most impressive. Numerous ancient historians
and researchers have described a labyrinth that once existed in Egypt. This maze was consistently described
as being several stories tall, with hundreds of rooms, under a roof made of a single massive block of stone.
Although one possible location at Hawara has been identified underground, archaeologists have yet to fully
explore the structure, so the labyrinth’s existence remains unconfirmed.

#8: The Pyramid of Djedefre

Everyone’s familiar with the Great Pyramids of Giza, but Ancient Egypt had several lesser known pyramids as
well. One such megalith was that of the pyramid of the pharaoh Djedefre. Located north of Giza, Djedefre’s
pyramid is actually in ruins. According to records, the pyramid was meant to be the highest, though not the
biggest one of all. Its position on a hill added to its height. Why it now stands in ruin is a matter of some
debate. Was it destroyed, either by invaders or Djedefre’s own people, or merely unfinished? In either case,
it remains a mystery.

#7: The Etruscan Mummy

Most mummies are wrapped in plain bandages, but one unusual example discovered in Alexandria, Egypt
was actually encased in a book made of linen strips. Even more bizarre, the book was written, not in Ancient
Egyptian, but Etruscan, an extinct language once spoken in what is now Italy. Very little of the language is
known today, so no one knows exactly what the book says, although some have speculated that it may be a
religious calendar, given the few words that can be translated. The mummy is thought to actually be a
tailor’s wife from the ancient Egyptian city of Thebes, but why she was wrapped in a foreign text is still
unknown.

#6: The Unidentified Queen

2015 saw the discovery of an Egyptian Queen of the 5th Dynasty in a tomb found close to Cairo. Inscriptions
on the walls indicate that she was the “wife of the king,” and “mother of the king,” which implies that her
son ascended to the throne. The queen has been labeled as Khentkaus III or Khentakawess III, as her name is
inscribed in her tomb. While it’s believed that she was the wife of Pharoah Neferefre and the mother of
Pharoah Menkauhor, given that she was found near tombs devoted to those rulers, her true identity is not
confirmed.

#5: The Great Pyramid’s ‘Hidden Chamber’

The pyramids of Ancient Egypt are arguably the most famous relics of the civilization and none more so than
the pyramids of Giza. The Great Pyramid has long been a locale of fascination for researchers, though for
nearly a century, no new chambers were found within it. Recently, a scan of the structure revealed what
may be a hidden chamber within the massive megalith. What this chamber’s purpose might have been, why
it was designed to be inaccessible, and even if it really exists at all are questions still to be answered.
#4: The Great Sphinx of Giza
There are several mysteries relating to Egyptian sphinxes we could talk about, such as the partial one
located in Israel. Still, none of the statues of the fascinating mythological creatures have fired imaginations
to quite the degree as the Great Sphinx of Giza. Fundamental questions still remain about the Sphinx,
including who precisely built it, when exactly was it constructed, its purpose, and its relation to the nearby
pyramids. Many theories about it abound as well, such as that its face was carved down from a larger one.
Its mysteries may remain for some time too, since the Egyptian government is focused more on preserving it
than uncovering its secrets.

#3: The Vanishing of Queen Nefertiti

Despite a bust of her likeness making her one of the recognizable figures of ancient Egypt, many mysteries
still abound about Nefertiti, such as whether she may have ruled Egypt alone following the death of her
husband, Akhenaten. For many years, it was believed she simply vanished from the historical record during
the pharaoh’s 12th year reigning. However, recent research shows further evidence of her presence after
that. Even so, archaeologists have been unable to locate her tomb, leaving her death just as mysterious as
her life.

#2: How King Tut Died

If Nefertiti is the one of the most famous Ancient Egyptian women, the pharaoh Tutankhamun is one of its
most well-known men. Though speculation about a curse surrounding his tomb abounds, perhaps the
biggest mystery involving the young king was how he died. Only in his late teens at his time of death, King
Tut appears to have suffered from a host of genetic defects and conditions, which may have contributed to
his early demise. In addition, evidence suggests he was also suffering from malaria. A few organs were not
located in his tomb, leading some to conclude he died away from home, possibly in battle. We’ll likely never
know for sure.

#1: How the Pyramids Were Built

The pyramids are literally one of Ancient Egypt’s biggest mysteries. Everything about them has been subject
to intense debate, research, and speculation, especially their construction. How the colossal structures were
constructed with the materials and technology available at the time has been a mystery for centuries.
Conventional wisdom has long held that slaves built them, yet even this has recently been challenged, with
many insisting they were skilled laborers who received compensation. Another recent theory holds that the
massive stones were moved through wetting sand to reduce friction. Given how long their construction has
been debated, we don’t see this mystery being solved any time soon.

Top 10 Darkest Moments in British History

These events cast a long shadow over history. Welcome to WatchMojo UK, and today we’re counting down
our picks for the top 10 darkest moments in British history.

For this list, we’re looking at black marks on the history of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranging from
tragedies at home to unethical conduct abroad. We’re looking for key historical moments rather than
general practices or principles, so Britain’s sweeping policies of colonialism and slavery – while clearly
unsettling – do not qualify.

#10: Bloody Sunday (1972)

There are many instances from “the Troubles” that could’ve made this list, including the Omagh bombing by
the Real IRA in 1998 that killed 29 people and injured hundreds of others. But the tragedy of Bloody Sunday
is perhaps the highest profile example of the conflict, when members of the British army fired on civilians at
a protest march, killing 14. In 2010, the Saville Inquiry publicly labelled the killings “unjustified” and
“unjustifiable,” and concluded that British soldiers had lied about the day’s events in order to cover up their
actions.

#9: The Sinking of the Titanic (1912)

The vice-president of the White Star Line shipping company once famously boasted that the ship was
unsinkable. But that didn’t save the vessel when it struck an iceberg on its maiden journey, resulting in the
deaths of more than 1,500 passengers. One of the deadliest ever maritime disasters, the tragedy was
worsened by factors including an inadequate number of lifeboats and design flaws in the Titanic. The lasting
legacy of the disaster is shown by the way it has been immortalized in both books and films.

#8: The 7/7 Bombings (2005)

On July 7, 2005, four Islamist terrorists carried out suicide attacks on London in one of the worst terrorist
atrocities ever to take place on British soil. Three bombs were detonated on the Underground and one on a
bus, killing 52 people and injuring more than 700 others. It was later revealed that two of the bombers were
already known to the authorities. However, an independent inquest found it would be unfair to accuse MI5
of paying insufficient attention to the terrorists’ ringleader in the lead-up to the attack.

#7: The Massacre at Ayyadieh (1191)

Britain’s participation in the Crusades may be worth its own entry on this list. While estimates vary wildly,
it’s believed that up to 2 million people died in the series of religious wars beginning in the eleventh
century. But we’ve especially highlighted the massacre at Ayyadieh, in the Third Crusade. Following the fall
of the Middle Eastern port of Acre, King Richard I of England held thousands of Muslim soldiers and civilians
captive. When the Saracen leader Saladin stalled over a prisoner exchange, Richard responded by
slaughtering his captives in view of the enemy army.

#6: The First Opium War (1839-42)

In the 1830s, millions of Chinese were addicted to opium, which was being smuggled into the country
principally by British merchants. So, when the authorities confiscated large quantities of the drug, the
merchants complained to the British government. Most British people wanted to halt the sale of opium, but
the government sided with the merchants and sent a fleet to bully the Chinese into submission. At the time,
the future British Prime Minister, William Gladstone, denounced the conflict as a war “to cover this country
with permanent disgrace.”

#5: Exacerbating the Great Famine in Ireland (1845-52)

During the Irish Potato Famine in the nineteenth century, Ireland was part of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland. A significant proportion of Ireland’s population relied on potato crops for survival, yet
the government deliberately delayed sending help to those affected. The official in charge of administering
relief, Charles Trevelyan, believed the famine was an act of God, going so far as describing it as an effective
mechanism for reducing population. Whilst other factors contributed to the disaster, the government’s
inaction worsened a tragedy that killed a million people.

#4: Famine in India (1943)

Britain’s occupation of India gave rise to many dark moments, notably the partitioning of India in 1947 and
the Amritsar massacre in 1919. But an even greater loss of life took place in 1943, when millions of Indians
starved to death while their country was part of the British Empire. As a famine swept Bengal, the British
government refused to send food to the region and even blocked other countries from doing so. Instead,
Winston Churchill reportedly blamed the crisis on the Indians themselves for “breeding like rabbits.”

#3: Boer War Concentration Camps (1900-1902)

During the Second Boer war, the British responded to the enemy’s use of guerrilla warfare by imprisoning
over 100,000 civilians in concentration camps. Around 10 percent of the Boer population died in these
camps from disease or hunger, including thousands of children. Sadly, it seems no lessons were learned
from the tragedy, because Britain employed similar tactics during the Mau Mau uprising in Kenya in the
1950s. Thousands of civilians were reportedly tortured or killed, prompting the British government to agree
to a settlement with over 5,000 victims.

#2: The Black Death (1348-50)

Having originated in Central Asia, the plague swiftly spread across Europe before reaching the southern
coast of England in September 1348. By 1350, it covered the whole of the UK and Ireland, killing between 40
to 60 percent of the entire population. Locally, though, the effects were often even more disastrous, with
some villages all but wiped out by the disease. Nor was 1350 the end of the ordeal, with the plague
returning in 1361 and at various other points in the fourteenth century and continuing into the seventeenth
century.

#1: The Battle of the Somme (1916)

The largest World War One battle on the Western Front, this conflict saw the greatest ever loss of life for
the British army in a single day with 60,000 casualties. The British prepared for the offensive by bombarding
the German lines, but the barrage did not inflict as much damage as had been hoped. Along sections of the
front, the Germans remained well entrenched, so when the British finally advanced, they did so into
devastating machine gun fire. In total, more than a million soldiers died on both sides during the battle as a
whole.

Top 10 Cursed Families

Don’t bring that voodoo on us. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for
the Top 10 Cursed Families.

For this list, we’ll be looking at various families who have allegedly been cursed throughout the years. While
a curse may or may not be a part of the story, these are the families that have gone through numerous
tragedies over the years. We’re just saying: these are some freaky stories.

#10: The Osmond Family

With their bubblegum pop and a clean-cut image, The Osmonds rose quickly to fame in the 1970s. However,
the family has dealt with many secrets, personal demons and multiple health issues throughout the years.
While not part of the performing band, older brothers Virl and Tom Osmond were born deaf; as was the
second son of The Osmonds’ lead singer and bassist Merrill. Both Alan and his son David, have multiple
sclerosis, while Wayne was successfully treated for a brain tumor. Sister Marie was reportedly sexually
abused when she was a teen star and later experienced postpartum depression. Meanwhile, one of her
sons, Michael, killed himself following battles with depression and addiction.
#9: The Brando Family

Considered one of the 20th century’s greatest actors, Marlon Brando left an enduring legacy. But his
personal life was marred by tragedy and health issues. He had an alcoholic actress mother, and he felt he
could never live up to his father’s expectations. The first of his 4 wives, Anna Kashfi, had substance abuse
issues and allegedly arranged for the kidnapping of her and Brando’s son, Christian. Christian later pled
guilty to manslaughter in the death of his half-sister’s boyfriend and died of pneumonia. Cheyenne, Brando’s
daughter by his third wife, was diagnosed with schizophrenia and hanged herself. Brando’s health declined
as he aged; along with Type-2 diabetes stemming from obesity, he also had liver cancer.

#8: The Rockefellers

Even the most insane amounts of money can’t save you from bad luck. The first notable Rockefeller tragedy
occurred in 1951, when John D. Rockefeller’s great-niece killed her two children and committed suicide soon
after. Ten years later, Michael Rockefeller mysteriously died in New Guinea, with rumors circulating that he
was killed and eaten by cannibals. John Rockefeller III was then killed in a car accident in 1978. The curse has
continued as recently as 2014, when Richard Rockefeller died outside of New York after crashing his plane.
Life hasn't exactly been the smoothest of rides for the Rockefellers; that's for certain.

#7: The Nepalese Royal Family

On June 1, 2001, ten people of royalty were massacred at the Narayanhity Royal Palace. The killer, Prince
Dipendra, had been drinking heavily and smoking hash throughout the day, and after he was ordered by his
father to leave the party due to his belligerent behavior, he returned with various weapons and enacted the
massacre. As legend goes, the founder of Nepal rejected some food offered to him by a yogi, with the yogi
then cursing him, saying that his reign would last for ten generations. Dipendra, who killed himself after the
massacre, was technically the tenth descendant to the throne.

#6: The Hemingway Family

Ernest Hemingway is one of the most popular authors in English literature, having written such classics as “A
Farewell to Arms”, “For Whom the Bell Tolls”, and “The Old Man and the Sea”. However, he was constantly
worried about money, and after various institution visits and bouts with alcoholism, he shot himself at 61.
Later evidence showed that Hemingway suffered from hemochromatosis, a disease that deteriorates the
mind. He wasn’t the only person in the Hemingway family to kill himself either; his father, his brother, his
sister, and his granddaughter have all committed suicide, thus totaling five suicides across four generations.

#5: The Habsburg Royal Family

The House of Habsburg was one of the most powerful royal families in Europe, but that royal blood was
seemingly beset with poison. There are various stories as to where the curse originated, including the time
when the Habsburgs cleared their family castle of ravens. The most significant consequence of the curse
came from the marriage of Franz Joseph I and Empress Elisabeth. Their only son, Rudolf, was killed in a
murder-suicide, and nine years later, Elisabeth was assassinated. As a result of Rudolf’s death, his cousin
Franz Ferdinand, took the throne. Ferdinand's 1914 assassination would be the moment that kick-started
World War I.
#4: The Grimaldi Family

The legend of the Grimaldi curse states that Lord Rainier I raped a woman, and to enact revenge, she cursed
the family, saying that a “Grimaldi will never find happiness in marriage.” The curse seems to have finally
taken hold in 1982, when Grace Kelly, wife of Prince Rainier III, died in a car accident. The family’s
relationship troubles don’t end there, as their daughters, Stéphanie and Caroline, have each had multiple
marriages. However, their brother, Prince Albert II, married Charlene Wittstock in 2011, a union which as of
2018 appears uncursed.

#3: The Getty Family

J. Paul Getty is the founder of the Getty Oil Company, and he was declared the richest man in America in
1957. Getty was married five times, and in 1958, his son Timmy died from a brain tumor at age 12. His third
son, John Paul Getty Jr, married Talitha Getty, who allegedly died of a heroin overdose in 1971. Getty Jr.’s
son, John Paul Getty III, was kidnapped in 1973, and after his grandfather refused to pay the ransom, his ear
was cut off and delivered to a newspaper. He later suffered from alcoholism and drug addictions, and
suffered a debilitating overdose in 1981, before dying in 2011.

#2: The Lee Family

The Lee family curse has numerous beginnings, but the popular story is that Bruce Lee’s father was cursed
by a group of merchants who told him that all his sons would die young. That wasn’t exactly true, as Bruce's
brother Robert is still kickin’, and his fencing champion brother Peter lived a long life, but it was certainly
true for Bruce. Bruce Lee died at 32 when he suffered an allergic reaction from a painkiller. Meanwhile, his
son Brandon Lee was accidentally shot while filming a scene for “The Crow,” and despite attempts to save
his life, he died in the hospital. He was only 28.

#1: The Kennedys

JFK and Robert may have been the most famous victims of the Kennedy curse, but there was plenty of
misfortune to go around. Joseph Kennedy Jr. was killed in WWII. In 1948, Kathleen died in a plane crash.
Rosemary Kennedy was left permanently disabled after a lobotomy. In 1955 and ’56, Jacqueline Kennedy
suffered a miscarriage and stillborn, respectively. In 1963, the same year JFK was assassinated, his son
Patrick died just 39 hours after birth, while David, Michael, John Jr., and Mary have all prematurely died
from various circumstances since 1984. Even the family of Jackie's second husband, Aristotle Onassis was
pulled into the fray.

Top 10 Totally Ridiculous Facts About Medieval England

The Middle Ages were a rough time. Welcome to WatchMojo UK and today we’re counting down our picks
for the top 10 totally ridiculous facts about Medieval England.

For this list we’ve looked for the strangest, weirdest and most downright disturbing trivia tidbits about
Medieval England – many of which were missed off of your standard school curriculum.

#10: The Battle of “Near” Hastings

Hark back to your history lessons in high school, and chances are you’ll at least know something about the
famous Battle of Hastings. And if there’s one thing we all know for sure, even if you’ve forgotten all of the
rest, it’s that it definitely took place in Hastings. Right? Sadly, that’s where you’d be wrong. There are
accounts that the Normans came to the battlefield from Hastings, but the fight itself took place around 7
miles northwest of there – at a spot where you’d now find a town called Battle, which was built in memory
of the moment.

#9: Health, Hygiene and X-Rated Hangouts

Despite the era’s reputation for being quite a grimy time, the medieval English really did believe that
cleanliness was next to godliness – with the Church actively encouraging people to go to public baths, and
building a fair few venues to house them. But the practice didn’t quite achieve the soap-sudded, super-
hygienic Utopia that it might’ve done. In fact, far from it. Because the public bathhouses quickly emerged as
a great place for prostitution… which turned the idea of bathing into a pretty sordid affair – prompting many
to lay down their sponges, and boycott the bathhouses altogether.

#8: The Invention of Surnames

There was a time in history when simply having a Christian name was adequate enough, but those times
were over by the end of the Middle Ages. By then, not only did your contemporary peers know Bob's your
uncle, but they could now surmise that Bob's your father's brother, too – because family names were finally
a thing. However, up until that time surnames didn’t exist to officially differentiate one Bob from another.
They first crept in as a symbol of marriage between the richer folk, until eventually your average Joe became
your average Joe someone – to quell the confusion.

#7: The St Scholastica Day Riot

Students love themselves a drink, even back in the 1300s – but the boozing got way out of hand here! This
infamous 1355 riot, dusted up because two students from Oxford University didn’t like the drinks they’d
been served. But, when they issued their complaint with the barman, it did not go down well. Ale was
thrown, fists were flung, and a fully-fledged, two-day riot broke out between the locals and the Oxford uni
attendees. It may sound like something of nothing, but almost 100 people were actually killed in the
incident – and it’s still spoken about today!

#6: Criminal Animals

Believe it or not, there was a point in time where animals could be put on actual trial for crimes that they’d
supposedly committed, and no one would bat an eyelid. Whether it be for criminal damage or even murder,
these cases would have witnesses (human witnesses, that is) and sometimes even trained lawyers, all
determining if Daisy the cow was guilty. And if the animal accused was deemed at fault, they could even find
themselves executed as punishment. So, remember that next time you’ve done something wrong, and you
try to blame the dog.

#5: Trippy Bread

Want to suddenly feel thankful for modern day food hygiene standards? Because even the bread could kill
you back in Middle Ages England. The problem was, when rye crops ran out – which they often did – people
turned to old and mouldy rations of the stuff… Which was a big mistake, as it was often contaminated with
fungus which caused the potentially deadly disease, Ergotism. While the Black Death takes the headlines as
the deadliest of Medieval plagues, the bloody, blistery effects of Ergotism were not for the faint of heart
either. From hellish hallucinations to painful and drawn-out sickness, if your bread was bad then your life
was in danger.

#4: Just a Trim

In Medieval times, your barber wasn’t always just your barber. Because he could also be your surgeon. Yes,
those are two things that require vastly different skill sets, and probably shouldn't be conducted under the
same roof, but that’s what makes it all the more disturbing. Barbers were often asked to amputate the limbs
of anyone who found themselves injured – especially soldiers – simply because they had easy access to
razors. Apparently, if you could style a beard you could cut off an arm, too. The whole process was as you’d
probably expect; unsanitary, unpredictable and unbearably painful.

#3: Mini Cows and Micro Pigs

Medieval farming was drastically different to what we now know, in terms of the crops harvested,
techniques used and even the animals kept. Since scientific, specified breeding hadn’t started yet, the
livestock tended to be quite undernourished, resulting in farm animals far smaller than what we’d expect
today. For example, an adult bull would often only grow to be slightly larger than a modern-world calf. But,
while the thought of a farm full of miniature animals may sound adorable, the fact that none of them were
especially healthy kind of undercuts the cuteness.

#2: Roger Bacon

Plenty of people have tried to predict the future, usually unsuccessfully. So, when someone manages to
correctly guess it several times over, it gets pretty unsettling. According to some reports, the philosopher
and friar, Roger Bacon, was especially gifted when it came to ‘getting the future right’. A leading figure in
science and linguistics during his lifetime, he has since become shrouded in myth and mystery – mostly
because his work seems to pre-empt the existence of cars, planes, submarines and telescopes, long before
they were invented. Various modern scholars have cast some doubt over Bacon’s significance, but his
apparently futuristic foresight feels fairly freaky all the same!

#1: Law and Disorder

Upholding the law in Medieval England was a pretty brutal business. Under the understanding that God
would intervene if the accused were innocent, offenders were subjected to a ‘trial by ordeal’ – which was
essentially the complete opposite of today’s ‘fair trial’ approach. The process boiled down to a basic life or
death situation… if you survived, you were innocent; if you died you were guilty. But, these scenarios
weren’t the easiest things to get out of alive. The trials were typically by combat, fire, water, or poison. So,
you either fought to the death, were burnt to death, drowned, or forced to consume something that would
almost certainly kill you. Ultimately, you were guilty until proven immortal – which rarely ever happened.

Top 10 Amazing Scientific Discoveries Made Recently

What a fascinating time to be alive! Welcome to Watchmojo.com, and today we're counting down our picks
for the Top 10 Amazing Scientific Discoveries Made Recently.

For this list, we’re looking at the most exciting scientific developments and discoveries of the 21st century,
prioritizing those which have occurred most recently.

#10: Our Species Far is Older Than Previously Thought

For the longest time, the popular scientific consensus was that humanity’s roots stretched back to around
200,000 years ago - when humankind originated in Africa. In 2017, however, that long-held timeline was
smashed wide open with the proper identification of human remains dating back another 150,000 years -
nearly doubling the previously believed history of our species. Jebel Irhoud is the Morrocan site where the
remains were unearthed. Interestingly enough, the site was first uncovered in the 1960s, but the remains
were mistaken for a neanderthal. Modern researchers have since confirmed that they are in fact early homo
sapiens, and just like that, we’ve been forced to re-evaluate human history.

#9: Scientists Found Many Planets with Potential for Life

Are we alone in the universe? It’s a question that science and popular media has explored at length without
ever offering a definitive answer. In recent years however, with advancements in space research and
technology, we’ve been given reason to believe that the answer is no - or at least, probably not. In the last
decade alone, we’ve discovered many potentially habitable planets, both far out in space and relatively
close to Earth. In 2015, it was announced that scientific community had found 12 such earth-like planets. In
2016, 3 more were found just 40 light-years away. In 2017, Ross 128b, which is similar in size to Earth, was
spotted at just 11 light-years away.

#8: A Stem Cell Transplant Cured Sickle Cell Anemia

In 2017, something massive happened in the medical field - a widely applicable cure for Sickle Cell Anemia
was discovered. The condition, which affects millions worldwide, is hereditary and, in addition to causing
severe chronic pain, can result in stroke, organ damage and a notably shortened lifespan. Sadly, up until
recently, the only option for a cure was a bone marrow transplant, which had limited applications. In 2017
however, a teenage boy treated by the Necker Children's Hospital in Paris was cured of the disease thanks
to a breakthrough treatment involving stem cell therapy. Since then, the treatment was been given to
children and adults alike with similar results. Scientists hope this can cure all sickle cell anemia sufferers.

#7: Robotic Body Parts

The concept of prosthetic limbs might not be anything new, but in the last few years, we’ve made leaps and
bounds in the field with the development of advanced robotic limbs. It’s more than just putting together a
limb with greater articulation… it’s about producing a prosthetic limb that people can accurately control. In
2018, Johnny Matheny became the first person in the world to have a robotic arm attached to his skeleton
that he can control with his mind as part of a program at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab. His isn’t the
only such experiment however. Robotic arms and legs for amputees and exoskeleton limbs for patients with
neurodegenerative conditions are the future.

#6: We’ve Taken Steps Towards Quantum Computers

Quantum computing has long been theorized as the inevitable future, but it looks as if we’re finally starting
to see it become a reality. 2017 was a BIG year for research into the field, with Google, Intel, Microsoft and
a number of other research institutes making major breakthroughs, moving research off of the page to build
actual prototypes. In quantum computing, quantum bits (or qubits) are used instead of the conventional bits
you recognize from your home computer, and in 2017, 22, 50, 51, and 53-qubit machines were unveiled.
Google has since moved on to a 72-bit machine. The actual applications of quantum computing? Only time
will tell.

#5: Scientists Have Transferred Basic Memories Between Snails

It sounds like something out of science fiction, but this staggering scientific discovery was made in our very
own reality. In 2018, scientists transposed basic reflexive memories between sea snails by extracting RNA
from one snail and injecting it into another. The researchers sensitized snails with a small shock, until they
would retract their gills defensively whenever prodded in that spot without electricity. A second group of
snails were then injected with the RNA of the snails form the first group, and were observed instinctively
retracting their gills whenever prodded despite no prior conditioning. Snails not given the RNA did not.
#4: Scientists Reversed Damage Caused by Alzheimer's Disease in a Human Brain Cell
Medical advancements have dramatically extended the human life expectancy, but unfortunately,
advancements in cognitive health have failed to keep pace. Alzheimer's is now a very real possibility for
many aging individuals, and the scientific and medical community really has little to offer in the way of
preventative measures or treatment, let alone a cure. For the first time however, there’s reason to hope.
Researchers at the Gladstone Institutes in California have identified that a gene known as apoE4 is central to
the condition, and when they altered its structure, they reversed the damage done to those cells by
Alzheimer's. A cure might not be on the immediate horizon, but this a major step.

#3: Fuel from Water

The first water-fueled car was allegedly demonstrated in the 1930s, and Stanley Meyer’s perpetual motion
water fuel cell made waves in the 1980s, but neither have deemed to hold water (so to speak) under
scrutiny. In 2014 however, German clean technology company Sunfire GmbH unveiled a functioning
machine that actually transforms carbon dioxide and water into a usable synthetic petroleum fuel. In 2015,
the company teamed up with Audi to further refine the process, pairing it with renewable energy to power
the conversion process. The end result? Fuel with a carbon footprint close to zero.

#2: Researchers Reversed Signs of Aging in Mice

Immortality… it seems like a lofty and unattainable goal, but that hasn’t stopped humankind from pursuing
it for millennia via supernatural, religious or scientific means. According to a study published in 2018
however, we might finally be making headway. Scientists from Harvard Medical school claim to have
reversed one particular sign of aging, the slowing of blood flow, in mice, by introducing a molecule known as
nicotinamide mononucleotide (or NMN for short). Though this might seem minor, better blood flow
significantly helps the health of entire body, including the heart and brain. In 2018, the University of
Alabama at Birmingham similarly managed to reverse hair loss and wrinkling in lab mice.

#1: Liquid Water on Mars

Though it’s thrilling to contemplate the existence of life on far off planets, our limited capacity for space
flight means that we can’t really go check them out for ourselves anytime soon. Mars, on the other hand, is
well within our reach, and that’s what makes this discovery so thrilling. Researchers had previously
identified signs of possible waterflow on the planet, but in 2018, the European Space Agency MARSIS
instrument identified an underground lake of liquid water. This is a massively exciting discovery in its own
right, but considering the fact that water is a fundamental building block of life, it could also give us great
insight into the possibility of life on Mars, past or present.

Top 10 Insanely Advanced Ancient Technologies

This tech was truly ahead of its time! Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we’ll be counting down our
picks for the Top 10 Insanely Advanced Ancient Technologies.

For this list, we’ll be looking at the pieces of ancient technology that were far more advanced than most of
their contemporaries, or even better than what we have today!

#10: Greek Fire

672 AD
Although often a generalized term applied to any sort of incendiary weapon, the Greek fire invented by the
Byzantine Empire was truly something special. Primarily used at sea, Greek fire, also called sea fire, was a
substance projected through siphons or pressurized nozzles onto enemy ships, which were then ignited.
Though its method of delivery was also highly advanced, what made Greek fire unique was that it could not
be extinguished by water. Its exact composition was such a closely guarded secret that we still don’t really
know what it was made of.

#9: Houfeng Didong Yi

132 AD
Zhang Heng was an ancient Chinese polymath who invented this remarkable device, whose name translates
to "instrument for measuring the seasonal winds and the movements of the Earth". An early seismoscope,
Heng’s invention was a bronze urn-like machine that used a pendulum and cranks to drop a ball in one of
eight directions, which indicated the direction of an earthquake. This allowed the government to quickly
deliver aid to regions affected by the disasters. The houfeng didong yi was able to detect earthquakes from
hundreds of miles away, even if no tremors were felt by those in its vicinity, which was very impressive for
the time.

#8: Hypocaust
350 BC
Central heating is a relatively recent development. Or is it? The hypocaust was a form of primitive central
heating invented by the ancient Greeks and later adopted by the Romans. Meaning “under burnt,”
hypocausts were created with furnaces built under buildings, which fed smoky, hot air into a space built
between the ceiling of the lower room and the floor of the upper one, with pipes and outlets used to heat
walls and upper floors. While some private residences used them, they required lots of labor, usually done
by slaves, to maintain, so they were normally found in public buildings, like baths or temples.

#7: Uunartoq Discs

Pre-11th century AD
Named for the town in Greenland where the first was discovered, Uunartoq discs are compasses that were
used for navigation by the Vikings. The famed mariners and raiders used these discs in concert with
sunstones, which were calcite crystals, to navigate even when the sun was behind clouds or below the
horizon; though the latter was likely less common, as they often sailed above the Arctic Circle, where the
sun rarely sets during certain seasons. The discs and stones allowed Vikings to navigate within a few degrees
of accuracy, and while still not perfect, that was definitely way ahead of its time.

#6: Ancient Metal Plating

Various
They don’t build ‘em like they used to – in fact, they can’t! Numerous metal plating and gilding techniques
of bygone times are far superior to those of our modern day. Ancient metalworkers were able to coat their
metals in films of gold and silver in ways we still don’t understand; creating beautiful, and lasting, works of
art. In addition, some artifacts, such as the Iron Pillar of Delhi, India, are still standing (and rust-free) after
1600 years, due to being constructed with phosphorous, which acts as a better “undercoating” than those
we have today.

#5: Steam-Powered Pigeon

~400-300 BC
Archytas was an ancient Greek philosopher and polymath, and, among other notable developments he
created a bird-like device powered by steam. A hollow wooden contraption attached to a source of steam,
this “pigeon” was filled with pressure to the point where it was launched through the air; allowing it to fly
for a few hundred meters. Besides being an early example of steam power, some have referred to Archytas’
invention as being among the first flying machines or even one of the first robots.

#4: Lycurgus Cup

~300-400 AD
Surely a cup can’t be an advanced piece of technology…right? Well, as it happens, they can be. The Lycurgus
Cup is an ancient Roman cup that changes colors depending on which direction it’s lit, and possibly which
substance is put inside it. This effect is achieved by microscopic gold and silver particles within the glass;
which means that the Romans developed rudimentary nanotechnology over a thousand years ago. Not only
that, but the Lycurgus Cup is arguably more advanced than current technology used for differentiating
different substances within water, and has been inspiring scientists to emulate it. We may think we’re
serious drinkers now, but the Romans took things to a whole other level.

#3: Ancient Chinese Drills & Gas Pipelines

Various
Drilling deep into the ground may seem like a recent human endeavor, but China has been delving the
Earth’s depths for around two millennia. The ancient Chinese drilled into the ground not for oil, but for salt,
which was rare further inland. To find it underground, they developed high sophisticated drilling technology,
capable of reaching hundreds of feet underground and with a variety of drill bits for different situations.
Their excavations also uncovered methane pockets, which, along with the salt water, they harvested and
transported using bamboo pipelines.

#2: Hero’s “Robotic” Cart

60 AD
Hero, or Heron, of Alexandria was in many ways the Leonardo Da Vinci of the 1st century. He created many
things that were centuries ahead of their time, including automatic doors and even a coin operated vending
machine. Arguably one of his most impressive inventions was a programmable cart that some consider to be
one of the earliest robots. Instead of strings of code though, the cart was programmed with literal strings,
allowing it to go forwards and backwards, as well as turn.

#1: Antikythera Mechanism

~205-60 BC
Named for the island it was found off the coast of, this mysterious device was actually an Ancient Greek
analogue computer. Composed of bronze and around the size of a clock, the Antikythera Mechanism could
be used to indicate the location of the stars, the phases of the moon, and the position of the planets the
Greeks knew about years in advance. It could also keep track of the four year cycle of games like the
Olympiad. The device used complex clockwork the likes of which would not be seen again until the 14th and
15th centuries ,and its creation predates most computers by a good 2 thousand years!

Top 10 Coolest Ancient Warrior Weapons

Modern artillery may pack a bigger punch, but these old school tools are truly something to marvel at.
Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 10 Coolest Ancient
Warrior Weapons.

For this list, we’re looking the most interesting weapons from history, and avoiding specific ones that were
only used by one historical figure.

#10: Flaming Arrows

A weapon doesn’t have to be complicated in order to get the job done. Flaming arrows are one of the
earliest recorded uses of incendiary devices, with documented use from as far back as the siege of Lachish in
701 BC. Unlike many of the other weapons on our list, this one kills two birds with one stone by taking out a
single enemy while potentially starting a blaze that hopefully spreads. Over the centuries, different
populations have made advancements to improve the basic concept of flaming arrows, but the tried and
true method can still work destructive wonders!

#9: Atlatl (Spear-Thrower)

The design of this weapon may be simple, but it sure is effective. Atlatl is the Nahuatl (or Aztec) word for
what is more commonly known as a spear thrower. Tools such as these have been used for much of human
history, with traces of this weapon being found in Europe from the late upper Palaeolithic era. The tool
essentially works in the same way as that thing you use to throw balls for your dog to avoid getting slobber
on your hands. An atlatl can be thrown at a range of 110 yards from the user’s target, though it is most
accurate when used to hit a target within 21 yards or the thrower.

#8: Flail
The flail has several different iterations, but even in its most basic form it is a weapon that you do not want
to go up against. The purpose of a weapon with this design (other than looking totally cool) is that with the
right technique, you can wrap it around your opponent’s shield, striking them even when a sword couldn’t.
The peasant flail, which was used in the Late Middle Ages, was actually an agricultural tool that peasants
took to using in combat. Interestingly, due to a lack of physical evidence, it is debated as to whether the
spiked flail, which is so commonly seen in pop culture, ever actually existed.

#7: Twin Hooks

This weapon goes by many different names: the hook sword, tiger head hooks, and in simplified Chinese: fu
tao. Though its design is reminiscent of a shepherd's crook, this martial arts weapon can do some serious
damage. The history behind this tool of war is murky, with some claiming it dates back as far as the Song
dynasty of 960–1279, while others attest that there is only evidence of it having been in use since the Qing
era of the 17th century. Based on the historical facts, twin hooks were never officially used by the Chinese
army, but were rather for civilian use.

#6: Qiang
Quite simply, Qiang is the Chinese word for spear. In ancient China, there were four major weapons used in
battle: the staff, the saber, the sword and the spear. The qiang, or spear, earned the name of "The King of
Weapons". These spears could range from 9 to 21 feet in length, and were characterized by their blades
which were formed in the shape of leaves. Another distinctive feature of the qiang was the red tassel made
of horsehair which served to distract the person being attacked and make it more difficult for them to grab
the spear before it hit them.

#5: Scissor
Scissors? You’re probably wondering how this humble household item ended up on a list of the coolest
weapons in history. However, we’re not talking about scissors, but rather the scissor (singular), a short
range weapon used by a type of ancient Roman gladiator who shared the weapon’s name. This weapon is
put over the wearer’s forearm, and features a handle inside for optimal precision. The top features a
crescent shaped blade which made this a multipurpose tool which could either slash at your opponent, or
block their attacks. Sadly, little is known about this unique weapon, but it sure was cool.

#4: Greek Fire

The inventors of old sure had the right idea when they came up with this incendiary weapon. First used
around the year 672, the Byzantine empire developed a formula that would create fire that could not be
extinguished even when it touched water. This was extremely effective for naval battles and was the cause
of a great number of victories for the Romans. The craziest part? Though historians speculate that it was a
combination of pine resin, naphtha, quicklime, calcium phosphide, and sulphur, even centuries later, no one
knows exactly how Greek fire was made.

#3: Shuriken
The Japanese translation of Shuriken is “hidden hand blade” but we’re guessing you know these handy little
weapons by their westernized moniker: ninja stars. While those who have seen a lot of ninja movies may be
familiar with the star-shaped version of these tiny terrors, they were in fact made in a variety of different
shapes. And in traditional use, their purpose wasn’t necessarily to kill your enemy, but rather to distract
them while using a sword to go in for the final blow.

#2: Mace
Sometimes it’s the simplest tools that do the most damage. A mace is a weapon that can be fashioned out
of nearly anything, which made it an accessible one for people from various social classes. The handle can
be made from sturdy wood or metal; it really just needs a piece on the tip heavy enough to deliver a solid
blow. Maces have been around since prehistory, with evidence of them being found from the Upper
Paleolithic period. A mace isn’t to be confused with a morningstar however, which is the mace-like weapon
that features a spiked ball at its tip.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Mangonel
Halberd
Crossbow

#1: Katana
Despite all of the advances we’ve made in weaponry over the course of history, none of our modern
creations can hold a candle to this one in terms of coolness. Swords in general are pretty awesome, but
none have quite as much mythos and lore attached to them as katanas do. These ancient Japanese blades
are forged with a curved edge, which sets them apart from their Western counterparts. Historians have
called katanas some of the “finest cutting weapons” in the global history of weaponry.

Top 10 Hidden Secrets In The Mona Lisa

There’s much more than a smile hidden in this classic work of art. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today
we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 10 Hidden Secrets in the Mona Lisa.

For this list, we’re looking at details that experts have noted in examining this famous Da Vinci painting. Of
course, all of this is speculation and we’ll never know what the grandmaster really intended.

#10: A Pregnancy

Hundreds of years after this work of art was created, the experts at the National Research Council of Canada
used infrared technology to conduct a 3D scan of the work. Their findings caused Bruno Mottin of the
"Center for Research and Restoration" at the French museum to make a shocking speculation. He says that
these scans show Mona Lisa wearing a guarnello, which is a specific type of veil that was worn at the time by
pregnant women or women who had recently given birth. Considering we still don’t even know for sure who
the subject of the painting was, we’ll probably never know if she was pregnant or not.

#9: A Hidden Menagerie

Ron Piccirillo is an artist himself, and one day in studying the Mona Lisa decided to place the piece on its
side in order to get a new perspective on it. What he found was what he thought to be several images of
animals hidden in the background of the painting. He uses these findings to establish a complex theory
about the theme of envy in the piece. Even Piccirillo himself can’t seem to parse all the clues though, saying
"Da Vinci could have been using horses’ heads as some kind of religious code, but as to why they are hidden
I have no idea.”
#8: The Landscape Came First

In the exhibition "Mona Lisa Secrets Revealed”, many details were uncovered in the painting using modern
technologies. Pascal Cotte, who is behind the project, pointed out that Da Vinci actually painted the
landscape in the background of the painting and then using precise painting techniques, added Mona Lisa’s
transparent veil on top of it. Speaking of the landscape, many have wondered where exactly the painting is
set, and the people of the city of Arezzo in Tuscany have claimed it as their own. You’ll have to decide for
yourself whether this seems accurate!

#7: Sketches Underneath Show Da Vinci Made a Mistake

During the same round of research that discovered the veil painting technique, Pascal Cotte also noticed
something when examining the layers underneath the final painting. It turns out, Da Vinci had a change of
heart about a small detail of the painting. Cotte says, "If you look at the left hand you see the first position
of the finger, and he changed his mind for another position.” He goes on to add that "even Leonardo da
Vinci had hesitation." Hey, no one’s perfect, not even one of the greatest painters of all time!

#6: High Cholesterol

This one may seem like a stretch, but bear with us. In 2010, Dr Vito Franco of Palermo University published a
paper at a Florentine medical conference making some surprising allegations about Mona Lisa’s health. He
says that her depiction shows some biological signs of a condition called xanthelasma, which is linked to
high cholesterol. He also stated that he can see signs of lipoma, or benign tumors under her skin that are
made of fatty tissue. This is just one person’s opinion, so we really can’t be sure how accurate it is!

#5: Evidence That She Isn’t a Prostitute

The same infrared scans by the National Research Council of Canada that revealed Mona Lisa’s potential
pregnancy also quashed a rumor that had been going around since the Renaissance. Because Mona Lisa’s
hair appears to be loose in the image, many have speculated that she was a prostitute, since proper ladies
would never have worn their hair in that manner. These scans showed however that while the naked eye
can’t see it, her hair is actually held back and covered, contradicting many centuries of thought.

#4: She Does Have Eyebrows

One of the other factors that made scholars believe Mona Lisa may have been a prostitute is her obvious
lack of eyebrows, because removing all signs of facial hair was common for sex workers at the time. In 2007,
Pascal Cotte uncovered the fact that Mona Lisa has had eyebrows (and eyelashes) all along, they have just
disappeared over time. Cotte said, "If I can find only one hair, only one hair of the eyebrow, I will have
definitively the proof that originally Leonardo da Vinci had painted eyelash and eyebrow." And his wishes
came true, because with advanced technology, he was able to find that one brushstroke.

#3: Signs She Wasn’t Sick

This could potentially go against Dr. Vito Franco’s claims of Mona Lisa’s various illnesses, but Pascal Cotte
says that some of the markings on the painting that have led some to speculate that Mona Lisa was ill are
actually just varnish accidents. People have read much into blotches on her chin and the corner of her eye,
but Cotte found that these were not actually part of the original painting. We can only speculate when
varnish was allowed to interfere with the integrity of the work, but we’re guessing it was a really long time
ago.

#2: A Smile

One of the things that makes Mona Lisa so enigmatic of course is her smile, or lack thereof. Many have
wondered about what the subject was thinking or feeling to make her express such a subtle yet clear sense
of contentment, and many hours have been spent trying to parse her expression. At least one scholar,
Harvard’s Margaret Livingstone, claims the reason her smile is hard to wrap your head around is that it is
drawn in “low spatial frequencies.” That means it actually looks more like a smile when you’re looking at her
eyes rather than her mouth, or when you’re viewing the piece from afar.

#1: The Code

Spawning both a bestselling book and blockbuster movie, the idea that there is a secret code hidden within
Da Vinci’s work has taken off in the new millennium. While Dan Brown’s book received a fair amount of
criticism for being historically inaccurate, that doesn’t mean there isn’t a grain of truth in his theory. The
Italian National Committee for Cultural Heritage decided to delve into his claims, and did actually find some
letters and symbols within the work. According to Silvano Vinceti, the president of the organization, "To the
naked eye the symbols are not visible but with a magnifying glass they can clearly be seen.” What do they
mean? We may never know.

Top 10 Mistakes That the Human Race Keeps Repeating

They say that the definition of “insanity” is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different
result. Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 10 Mistakes
That the Human Race Keeps Repeating.

For this list, we’re looking at the most dangerous and tragic repeating trends throughout human history.

#10: Pollution

Barring a few notable exceptions, it’s only in the last two centuries or so that humans actually began to
realise they were having a far reaching impact on the world - and not a positive one. Pollution has become a
major issue in recent years; our oceans are filling up with plastic, our air is unsafe to breathe, and our water
is dangerous to drink. To top all that off, carbon emissions are so high that the Earth’s temperature is
steadily increasing, and despite a wealth of scientific evidence supporting this, many of the world’s most
powerful politicians refuse to believe in it, let alone do anything to help.

#9: Gender Inequality

It’s a sad truth that for a long time, roughly half of the population have been regarded as second-class
citizens. While in the western world people have been making leaps and bounds towards gender equality in
the last hundred years, there are still many places around the world where women don’t enjoy basic rights.
Sexism remains extremely present, and violence against women just for being women is seen everywhere.
Even in countries where women have legal rights in law, the gender pay gap persists, with statistics from
2015 showing that American women earn just 80% of what men do in terms of salary.
#8: Dictatorships
In June 2018, Fox News anchor Abby Huntsman made a comment in which she called Donald Trump and Kim
Jong-un “two dictators.” She may have apologized for this highly controversial statement, but it does shed
light on the fact that the modern world isn’t as free from totalitarian rulers as we’d like to think. The term
dictator originates in Ancient Rome, where it wasn’t an explicitly negative concept. In more recent history
however, “dictator” and “tyrant” have become interchangeable thanks to such figures as Adolf Hitler,
Joseph Stalin, Saddam Hussein, etc. Despite the atrocities, war crimes and crimes against humanity
committed by such authoritarian leaders, we keep allowing them to take and maintain power.

#7: Abusing Earth’s Resources

For a long time, humans have been using the fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas. Unfortunately…
these energy sources come at a great cost. The fact that fossil fuels literally come from ancient fossils means
that we have a finite supply of them, while coal smoke and oil spills are deadly pollutants which have
severely damaged the environment. Along with this, mankind’s habit of destroying huge areas of forests has
led to widespread extinctions of native wildlife and habitats, while putting plenty of others – like orangutans
and even bees –at risk of dying out.

#6: Making More Weapons

It’s a fatal error of judgement to think that making more and more weapons will lead to anything other than
said weapons causing more and more deaths. In the mid-20th Century, the arms race between the USA and
the USSR almost led to an all-out nuclear war between the planet’s biggest superpowers, with many
ordinary people fearing that the end of the world was nigh. On a smaller but no less tragic scale, in many
countries, ease of access to weapons is a major problem, especially in the United States, which plays host to
more mass than any other country in the world.

#5: Racism

The reason people have different skin colors is because of the amount of melanin in their skin – the more
melanin someone has, the darker their skin is and the more protection they have from the sun, while the
lighter someone’s skin is, the better they are at absorbing vitamin D. Yet for thousands of years, humans
have been killing, torturing, and enslaving one another solely because of what race they are, and this
problem is far from solved. In America, the Black Lives Matter movement has highlighted how deeply racism
still affects society and how it is unfortunately still thriving, with people of color at risk of discrimination,
attack, and even murder.

#4: Poverty
Wealth disparity not just within western countries but also between those countries and the developing
world is one of the biggest issues we face as a species. In 2017 the richest 1% of the population controlled
50% of the wealth of the world as a whole, and it was carefully calculated that it would cost roughly $175
billion a year to end extreme poverty in two decades. This may sound like a lot, but it’s actually just 0.7% of
the collective income of the 30 countries within the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
Development, who are supposed to be dedicated to ending world poverty.

#3: Religious Conflicts

This biggest three religions in the world – Christianity, Judaism and Islam – may have all originated from the
same place and even share many of the same Abrahamic roots, but that hasn’t stopped them waging wars
against each other for thousands of years. Holy Crusades in the Middle East killed thousands of soldiers and
even more civilians, while earlier in history the Roman invasion of Britain led to the slaughter of many Celts,
dubbed “barbarians.” Today, religious extremism is cited as the cause of the majority of terrorist attacks,
despite the fact that most popular interpretations of these various religious do NOT promote violence.

#2: Genocide
Genocide is the act of killing an entire people with that very intention - which makes it one of the most
appalling concepts in human history. Unfortunately, it’s happened many times, though the word “genocide”
didn’t exist until after Hitler’s mass extermination of 6 million Jews in World War Two. But there have been
despots like this both before and after Hitler; there was the Holodomor between 1932 and ’33 where up to
7.5 million people starved to death in the USSR; there were extensive massacres carried out on Native
Americans by colonizers; and, as recently as 1994, the Rwandan genocide saw up to a million members of
the Tutsi people murdered by rival Hutus.

#1: War
Ultimately, many of the things on this list are causes or symptoms of a much larger issue: war. With very few
exceptions, almost all countries have been involved or touched by war in some way or another. The concept
of war is almost as old as humanity itself, and there are rarely justifiable reasons behind it. More often than
not war is a product of greed, plain and simple. But perhaps the worst thing about war is how the more we
develop as a species the better we become at killing one another, going from clubbing each other to death
with stones to dropping nuclear bombs on Japan.

Top 10 Epic Military and Political Quotes in History

Well... we wouldn’t want to be in a war of words with any of these iconic figures. Welcome to
WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Epic Military and Political Quotes
in History.

For this list, we’re looking at legendary, intimidating or inspiring quotes attributed to real historical political
or military figures.

#10: Fear Itself

Franklin Delano Roosevelt
The 32nd President of the United States of America is widely considered to be one of the greatest leaders in
U.S. history - often compared to Lincoln and Washington. Though he gave many an inspirational speech
during his record-breaking four terms in office, the words he spoke during his very first inaugural address:
“The only thing we have to fear is… fear itself” reverberates the loudest - wise and powerful words from the
man who would lead America through WWII. Of course, they say that behind every strong man is a strong
woman, and Eleanor Roosevelt has a quote to match: “No one can make you feel inferior without your
consent.” Talk about a power couple.

#9: Here I Am
Napoleon Bonaparte
This legendary French leader rose from an artillery office to become the Emperor of France and rule over
much of Europe. Of course, he made many an enemy and was ultimately defeated and exiled not once, but
twice. When he escaped exile the first time, his forces steadily grew as he made his way across the country.
When he reached Grenoble however, he was met by troops assigned to stop his advance. Ever the bold
leader, he reportedly stepped in front of them, opened his coat and loudly proclaimed: “If any of you will
shoot his Emperor, here I am.” As the story goes, they promptly joined his cause, and Napoleon retook the
country (albeit briefly).

#8: Liberty
Patrick Henry
You’ve surely heard this one before. In fact, you’ve likely ironically employed the quote at least once, even if
you never knew who first said it. Well, allow us to acquaint you with the man behind the words - Patrick
Henry. An American lawyer and founding father, this orator’s Second Virginia Convention speech at St.
John’s Church in Richmond was described as “one of the most bold, vehement, and animated pieces of
eloquence that had ever been delivered.” His bold proclamation of “Give me liberty, or give me death!” is
thought to have swayed the assembled body into contributing sorely needed Virginian troops to the
Revolutionary War and, by extension, helped to shape American independence.

#7: To Die For

Martin Luther King Jr.
As arguably the most iconic leader of the American civil rights movement, Martin Luther King Jr.
fundamentally altered the history of America. His leadership inspired a generation to demonstrate in the
name of change. His 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech remains one of the most famous and cited public
speeches, well… ever. But if there’s one single line attributed to Martin Luther King that sends shivers down
one’s spine and gives courage to face insurmountable odds, come what may, it’s this: “If a man has not
discovered something that he will die for, he isn’t fit to live.” Coming from a man who did die for his cause,
those words couldn’t possibly carry more weight.

#6: The End of the Beginning

Winston Churchill
Few historical figures can boast the sort of larger-than-life presence that this British politician, military man
and Prime Minister brought to a room. He led England through WWII, and though his legacy is not without
its major controversies, few can argue against his essential role in winning that war, or his oratory skills.
After suffering numerous defeats, in 1942, the British forces triumphed at El Alamein, and in a rousing
speech, Churchill proudly declared it to be a turning point in the war. Ever the wordsmith, he proclaimed:
“Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the
beginning.”

#5: Go F*** Yourself, Hitler

General Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck
This German World War I general is famous for his East Africa campaign, during which he managed to hold
off a force of 300,000 soldiers with just 14,000 troops of his own. Germany lost WWI, but von Lettow-
Vorbeck walked away a legend. When Hitler rose to power, the General was opposed to the Fuhrer, who
nonetheless offered him a position as ambassador to the Court of St James. Like some other quotes on our
list, the exact wording of von Lettow-Vorbeck’s cannot be verified, but it was an extremely strong “no” -
with the most popular presumed wording being something that roughly translates to ““go f- yourself”. Take
that, Nazis.

#4: Money vs. Honor

Robert Surcouf
Are you ready for a historic burn for the ages? A French privateer in the early 1800s, Surcouf embarked on a
number of paid campaigns against the British in the Indian Ocean. As the story goes, the British weren’t
impressed with the financial motivations of their foes, and after being defeated by Surcouf, one captured
officer aimed to insult the privateer by proclaiming: “You French fight for money while we fight for honor”,
to which Surcouf reportedly replied (likely without missing a beat): “Each of us fights for what he lacks
most.” Ouch.

#3: Alexander > Darius

Alexander the Great
Establishing one of the greatest and largest empires in human history takes confidence, and this legendary
figure had it in spades. After ascending to the throne of Macedon at the age of 20, he embarked on
numerous campaigns, conquering many neighboring lands. After having twice defeated the Persians in
battle, he received word from the Persian King Darius demanding that his family be released. In response,
Alexander wrote: “In future whenever you communicate with me, send to me as king of Asia; do not write
to me as an equal, but state your demands to the master of all your possessions.” Now that’s how you
declare victory.

#2: It Takes More Than That to Kill a Bull Moose

Theodore Roosevelt
Teddy Roosevelt was truly a different breed. The 26th President of the United States of America, Roosevelt
was sick when he was young, and he responded to his limitations by shaping himself into a burly, sporting
outdoorsman type. The many stories of his accomplishments are larger-than-life, but even by his own
absurd standards of toughness, the speech he delivered on October 14th, 1912 remains a standout. Before
he could take the stage, he was shot in the chest. Rather than seek treatment, he began his speech: “Ladies
and Gentlemen, I don’t know whether you fully understand that I have just been shot; but it takes more
than that to kill a bull moose.” Bad-ass.

Before we reveal the identity of our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- “It was for this that I was born!”
Joan of Arc

- “They’ve got us surrounded again, those poor bastards.”

Creighton Abrams

- “It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees!”

Emiliano Zapata

#1: If…
The Spartans
The Greek city-state of Sparta produced some of the greatest warriors the world has ever seen. Boys would
begin their military training at the age of 7, entering service at age 20. In addition to combat skills, they
were also taught to be quick-witted with their words. When Philip II of Macedon (Alexander the Great’s dad)
sent word of his intention to conquer Sparta, he is quoted as warning them: “You are advised to submit
without further delay, for if I bring my army into your land, I will destroy your farms, slay your people, and
raze your city.” To this, the Spartans supposedly replied with one word… “if”. Philip never conquered Sparta.

Another Top 10 Events That Made the World Stand Still

Some things are memorable for all the wrong reasons. Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we’ll be
counting down our picks for Another Top 10 Events That Made the World Stand Still.

For this list, we’re looking at events that caused people to rally together, had a large cultural impact, or had
far-reaching global implications and even caused widespread destruction. We are also excluding more
isolated events like celebrity deaths.

#10: Columbine School Shooting

On April 20th, 1999, one of the most tragic and notorious US mass shootings took place at Columbine High
School, Colorado. Teenagers Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold murdered twelve of their classmates and one
teacher in cold blood. They also injured more than twenty others before finally committing suicide. At the
time it was the worst school shooting in American history, leaving people struggling to understand why two
boys would do something like this. It also refocused serious discussions on gun control in the United States,
as well as conversations on issues like goth culture and extreme antisocialism. Columbine’s bloody legacy is
an unfortunate influence to this day.

#9: The Black Death

This deadly disease is believed to have wiped out over one third of the population of Medieval Europe when
it first reared its head in the 14th Century. As many as 200 million people across Europe and Asia fell victim
to it. For roughly a decade the Plague ravaged the world, characterised by blotchy, pus-filled lumps or a
violent cough. It took two centuries for the world’s population to recover, but horrifyingly this gruesome
infection just won’t stay dead. Outbreaks have continued through the centuries, with one even appearing in
Madagascar in 2017.
#8: The Titanic

Headlines of sheer disbelief and horror dominated European and American newspapers after the
unimaginable sinking of the RMS Titanic on the morning of April 15th, 1912. Over 1,500 of its roughly 2,200
passengers perished on the so-called unsinkable ship after it struck an iceberg and sank within three hours.
The Titanic’s legacy is one of tragedy and horror, as it became a mass grave at the bottom of the Atlantic
Ocean. Its name is regularly evoked when comparing something to an unmitigated disaster. But at least the
tragedy is responsible for governments and companies taking steps to ensure greater maritime safety.

#7: Cuban Missile Crisis

This event was the closest the Cold War ever came to turning hot. By October 1962, the USSR hadballistic
missiles on Cuba ready to fire on almost every major US city. Simultaneously, the US had the same missiles
in Turkey and Italy prepared to do the same thing to the Eastern Bloc. The whole world held its breath,
waiting to see if these two superpowers would finally resort to all-out nuclear warfare, but finally an
agreement was reached to remove the missiles. The fear of annihilation was felt globally, and US Defense
Secretary Robert McNamara is quoted as saying, “I thought it was the last Saturday I would ever see.”

#6: The Chernobyl Disaster

At one point in time nuclear power was seen as the safe future of energy supply, but all that changed when
Reactor No. 4 at the Soviet Union’s Chernobyl power plant in Ukraine went into meltdown. A combination
of poor design and human error was responsible. The reactor explosion was directly responsible for thirty-
one deaths, but the contamination has had long term effects on many more. The delayed evacuation orders
led to even more people being contaminated, and to this day Chernobyl and its surrounding town is one of
the most irradiated places on Earth. Only the Fukushima disaster in 2011 rivals it as the worst nuclear
accident in history.

#5: Pearl Harbor

After the First World War, the attitude in America was that the US should stay out of messy European
affairs. Because of this, it would take an enormous event to sway public opinion in favor of going to war
against the Axis Powers. That event was the surprise Japanese attack on the US naval fleet stationed at Pearl
Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941. The attack killed more than 2300 Americans and injured over 1000.
Pearl Harbor effectively ended American isolationism, and the ensuing Pacific War led to countless
casualties on all sides, and culminated in the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

#4: The Crusades

Hundreds of years ago Jerusalem was thought of as the centre of civilization, and was considered holy by
three major religions, Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. The desire to lay rights to this important city led to
the Crusades. From roughly the 11th to the 15th century, wars raged in the Holy Land to try and seize
control of it. The First Crusade began in 1095 when Pope Urban II encouraged men from every echelon of
society to go and exterminate Muslims because he allegedly claimed “God willed it”. This resulted in the
massacre of Jewish and Muslim inhabitants of not just Jerusalem but also Antioch, Constantinople, and
many other major settlements.
#3: The Rwandan Genocide

A long-running conflict between the rival Hutu and Tutsi tribes turned into a brutal war in 1990. Despite the
signing of a peace accord in 1993, a year later members of the Hutu majority government began one of the
most horrific genocides of all time against the Tutsi. It lasted for 100 days, and the death toll was anywhere
between 500,000 and 1 million Rwandans, while a further 2 million were forced to become refugees. Today
many of the skulls of the victims are kept at the Nyamata Genocide Memorial.

#2: World War I

We now call it the First World War, but at the time it was known as the Great War, with mass killing on an
almost unprecedented scale. An estimated 18 million soldiers and civilians perished between 1914 and
1918. Some one million people died or were wounded during the Battle of the Somme alone, and countless
more suffered through years of brutal trench warfare. This war also showcased the first of many destructive
weapons, like mustard gas, flamethrowers, and tanks, and destabilised Europe to such an extent that it
eventually led to the Second World War. The U.S., which had resisted involvement until 1917, returned to a
fairly isolationist mode after the horrors of this war.

#1: The Holocaust

In terms of total military casualties, including civilian deaths related to famine and disease, World War II
remains the deadliest conflict in history. But of all its victims, the most poignant and tragic were the people
killed by Nazi Germany during the Holocaust. Six million Jewish people were systematically slaughtered by
Hitler’s fascist regime throughout Europe in the late 1930s and 1940s, with the primary goal of wiping out
anyone who was not a pure-blooded Aryan. As well as the Jewish casualties, millions more disabled people,
gay people, Romani, Slavs, Serbians, prisoners of war and Poles were also exterminated.

Top 10 Worst Times to be Alive

There never was a “Golden Age,” and a simple look at history can prove it. Welcome to WatchMojo.com,
and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 10 Worst Times to be Alive.
For this list, we’re looking at both periods of history as well specific regions and major, long-lasting events
that really would have sucked to experience firsthand.

#10: The Wild West

Ah, yes, the Old West. A great time for adventure seekers, and those keen enough to blaze their own trail …
or not. Although it has been fondly rebranded through film and fiction, the Wild West was a bloody and
awful time. Cowboys were not your friend, partner. On the American frontier, lawlessness and corruption
were rampant as These United States found their footing. Unfortunately, that footing stepped squarely on
and over the people already living there. The wholesale slaughter of the indigenous peoples, and the theft
of their land because of so-called Manifest Destiny in the 19th century left indelible scars on North America
that are still seen and felt to this day.

#9: Late Antiquity

The Roman Era was nothing short of impressive in its heyday. While many traditions and cultural facets had
been borrowed from earlier Greek society, the ancient Romans’ contribution to the world in the form of
rational discourse, art, empire building and more is unquestionable. However, by Late Antiquity, things were
tumultuous, to say the least. The military methods that had built the empire were now tearing it apart as
the sense of “Roman identity” was lost under increasingly corrupt and ineffectual Emperors. Numerous
barbarian attacks, civil war, plague, the rise of new religions (such as Christianity), and tense political and
social divides meant that by 476 CE the Western Roman Empire was gone.

#8: The Great Depression

The roaring 1920s was a time of economic prosperity, but also one of financial irresponsibility. Economic
uncertainty after the crash of ’29 led to bank failures, and families lost life savings. The consumer mentality
disappeared, and after a decade of overproduction and overconsumption, businesses began to fail. By
extension, so too did manufacturing, which resulted in mass layoffs. Farming had long been in trouble due
to overproduction and decreased by prices, but when over farming met droughts, it resulted in the Dust
Bowl effect, where nothing could grow, and homes were literally buried in dust storms. In 1933,
unemployment was at 25%, food was scarce and times were seriously tough.

#7: World War I

Following the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, Europe experienced a war the likes of which the
world had never seen. The men in the muddy trenches were as likely to die from diseases as they were from
gunfire. On the western front, battles of attrition sent soldiers to their certain deaths in order to move a line
a few measly yards. The men who came back were never the same. The errors that had started the war
were never resolved, and sowed the seeds for WWII. It was meant to be the “war to end all wars”, but
instead it hurtled the world into an unrecognizable future.

#6: The Crusades

Any time you have to attempt the same military campaign nine times (with a few other half-hearted
attempts scattered throughout)… one can pretty much assume that all parties involved were utterly
miserable. When, the Byzantine Emperor Alexios I called for aid in fighting the Turks, Pope Urban II saw it as
an opportunity tomake a common enemy to unite Europe (and make himself pope of that united Europe in
the process). Fought between 1095 and 1291, the crusades involved long treks, pillaging, terrible living
conditions and incalculable loss of civilian lives. Neither romantic nor noble, the crusades were a truly
terrible time for Muslims, Jews and Christians alike.

#5: The Witch Trials of Europe

Accusations of witchcraft were actually super common in Medieval Europe, with many people just paying a
fine. But every now and then a fanatic would come into power (either locally or at the crown level), and
things would get TRULY medieval. There were many trials, on different scales, often overlapping. The peak
came between 1580 and 1630 in Europe, with literally thousands accused and executed. Up to 85% of those
accused were women, and there is explicit evidence that misogyny and distrust of the intelligence of women
fueled many of the trials. Simply being smart, lucky, or outspoken could have you tortured, humiliated, and
murdered.

#4: The Americas During Colonization

The slave trade and the brutal treatment of indigenous peoples in North and South America remains a
shameful black mark on human history. Populations were wiped out, entire cultures - once complex and rich
- destroyed and reimagined in history to be simple and savage. For centuries under the thumb of the
colonizers, native children were taken from families so they would unlearn/forget everything they knew to
further destroy their ways of life. Kidnapped Africans were brought to America under brutal conditions, and
forced to work for their captors, with their own children often sold again. Stripped of their dignity, when
they fought back, such as in the Stono Rebellion of 1739, conditions became worse.

#3: The Spanish Inquisition

An official office established in 1478, the Inquisition sought to root out non-Catholics – mostly Jews and
Protestants – and suppress other so-called heresies – such as witchcraft, blasphemy, and sodomy. The
accused would be brought before a tribunal. First, you were imprisoned. With so many accused, you could
wait in a cell for years – meanwhile, the inquisition took all your property. Second, came the trial, where you
were meant to confess. Third step, torture. The methods used to extract “confessions” are infamous: The
rack, thumb-screws, and of course boiling, burning, cutting, etc. Over 150,000 people were “processed” this
way, and upto 5000 executed – with still more dying along the way.

#2: World War II

When Nazi armies spread across Europe with the intention of increasing wealth and eliminating Jews and
minorities, the world was plunged back into global war. The atrocities of the Nazi party, and the
industrialized mass murder that was the Holocaust haunt us to this day. Meanwhile, the Pacific Ocean
Theatre saw Japan invading China and Manchuria, with such notorious battles as The Rape of Nanking. The
American campaign would eventually lead to the deployment of nuclear weapons, with over 200,000
civilians total killed in either the blast, or from radiation. Globally, over 80 million people died. That’s more
than the current total populations of Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Switzerland, Ireland, and Iceland
COMBINED.

#1: The Black Death

The pandemic that swept Eurasia was one of the most cataclysmic in history, with anywhere from 75 to 200
million people dying, about 30-60% of Europe’s population, between 1346 and 1353. Because it was the
Middle Ages and medical knowledge was lacking, the causes were at the time unknown, and prevention
almost impossible. After contracting the Bubonic plague from flea bites, painful black buboes, oozing pus
and blood would appear around the infected’s armpits, groin, and neck. This was followed by a fever, and
bloody vomit. Most died within days. Entire towns were wiped out in this horrific manner, and mass graves
– or plague pits – served as their final resting place.

Top 10 Final Resting Places We Will Never Find

Rest in peace…wherever you are. Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we’ll be counting down our picks
for the Top 10 Final Resting Places We Will Never Find.

For this list, we’ll be examining the famous and/or historical figures whose graves or last resting places are
unlikely to ever be definitively identified.

#10: Attila the Hun

The Hunnic ruler and conqueror so famous he put every other Attila to shame, Attila the Hun’s death is as
mysterious as his final resting place. His actual cause of death is a matter of debate, although the most
popular explanation is that he choked on his own blood during a nosebleed. The Hun was reportedly buried
inside three coffins, composed of gold, silver, and iron, in a ceremony so secret that the slaves who buried
him were killed to avert any grave robbing. Although Attila’s grave is believed to be somewhere in Hungary,
the fact that it hasn’t been found means it may have been robbed after all.

#9: Alexander the Great

A famed and brilliant general and king, Alexander the Great died young at 32 of an unknown disease.
Although he expressly did not wish to be returned to be buried alongside his father in Macedonia,
Alexander’s body was sent there despite his wishes. On the way there, it was stolen by one of Alexander’s
generals and buried in Memphis, Egypt, which was the center of his government in the region. It was later
dug up again and reburied in Alexandria. The current location is unknown though, and wild theories place it
everywhere from Venice to even Australia.

#8: Cleopatra
The last ruler of the Hellenic period of the Egyptian dynasty founded by Alexander, Cleopatra is generally
believed to have killed herself by having an asp bite her shortly after the death of her lover Mark Antony.
According to some accounts, the two of them were buried together in a tomb outside of Alexandria. Where
Cleopatra’s remains are today is a matter of debate and speculation. Some believe that her resting place
sank to the bottom of the sea after earthquakes destroyed or relocated parts of Alexandria. Others believe
she is one of many anonymous mummies that have been found in large mausoleums. Wherever she lies, her
legacy remains a memorable one.

#7: Genghis Khan

Founder of the Mongol Empire, Genghis Khan may have made his mark on history, but his grave went
completely unmarked. Although the cause of the Great Khan’s death has been attributed to everything from
falling off his horse to illness to wounds from battle, it’s generally believed that he was returned to his
birthplace in Mongolia to be buried. According to legend, anyone who witnessed the funeral procession was
killed, to protect the secret of its location. But to make extra sure, the soldiers than killed themselves as
well, ensuring the warlord’s resting place would remain a shrine lost to time.

#6: Vlad the Impaler

The infamously brutal prince of the region now called Romania, Vlad the Impaler, also called Vlad Tepes or
Vlad Dracula, died in an appropriately violent way in battle. After his defeat, the cruel ruler was supposedly
cut into pieces, with his decapitated head displayed on a spike. Vlad’s final resting place is unknown. If he
was butchered, it’s likely that his scattered pieces were buried without ceremony. However, some accounts
suggest he was buried in one of several monasteries, including a monastery he established himself that was
located near the site of his death.

#5: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

This world famous composer and musician died after an illness, although whether it was sudden or
protracted is a matter of scholarly debate. In spite of his fame, Mozart was interred in an unmarked grave
with no special trappings. At the time, nobility were the only people to warrant grave markers. It’s assumed
that his grave was later dug up, which was common procedure for those not of the noble class. A
monument was raised in the cemetery where he is popularly thought to be buried, but even that marker
was moved to a different graveyard, leaving Mozart’s true resting place uncertain.

#4: Osama bin Laden

One of the world’s most infamous terrorists and a founder of Al-Qaeda, Osama bin Laden’s death is among
the most well-known events in the recent history. Killed in a compound in Pakistan by a team of US Navy
SEALs, bin Laden’s body was identified briefly in Afghanistan before it was taken out to sea and given a
burial there. This has been criticized as going against Islamic custom, as land burial is prescribed if at all
possible. Osama bin Laden was among the most elusive of criminals in life, and finding his body in the wide
ocean will likely prove even more so.

#3: Jimmy Hoffa

A leader in the American labor union movement with ties to organized crime, Jimmy Hoffa’s final resting
place is among the most mysterious of all the modern entries on our list. Hoffa disappeared in 1975 after
apparently going to meet two members of the mafia. His whereabouts and eventual fate have been a
matter of extensive speculation in the forty plus years since he vanished. Most accounts seem to agree that
Hoffa was killed, either by the mafia itself or by one of his political enemies; although where his body ended
up, we may never know.

#2: Adolf Hitler

Leader of Germany during and prior to the Second World War and head of the Nazi party, Adolf Hitler is
believed by most to have killed himself during the final days of the war, alongside Eva Braun. What
happened afterwards to the bodies is less clear, in large part due to questionable information from the
Soviet Union. That government took custody of the bodies after seizing the bunker in which Hitler had spent
his final days. Most accounts seem to indicate the dictator’s body was burnt and either buried or scattered
into a river.
#1: Amelia Earhart
This female aviator, author, and feminist icon is one of modern times’ most enduring popular figures, in no
small part due to her mysterious disappearance. During her last known flight in an attempt to
circumnavigate the Earth, Earhart vanished somewhere in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. A host of
theories abound about what happened to her, including simply running out of fuel and crashing into the
water, landing on an island, being captured or shot down, or even simply retiring from the public eye.
Earhart’s fate, like her final flight, will forever be up in the air.

Top 5 Apollo 11 Moon Landing Conspiracies

One small step for man, one giant leap for conspiracy theorists the world over. Welcome to
WatchMojo.com, and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 5 Apollo 11 Moon Landing
Conspiracies

For this list, we’ll be breaking down the Apollo 11 moon landing conspiracies that simply won’t go away.
Prepare to get scienced!

#5: No Exhaust Flame

Many conspiracy theorists have pointed to the Apollo 11 lunar module’s lack of an exhaust flame while
departing from the moon as proof that it was actually a model being pulled by strings on a sound stage in
some top-secret Hollywood film studio. As exciting as that sounds, it’s simply not true. You know the old
expression, “it’s not rocket science?” Well in this case, it is. You see the Saturn V rocket that launched Apollo
11 into orbit burnt liquid oxygen and kerosene, the combination of which creates a massive flame. However,
the lunar module used nitrogen tetroxide and Aerozine 50, which produces transparent exhaust gases. Case
closed.

#4: No Crater at the Landing Site

Despite the weight of the lunar module being reduced from 36,100lbs on earth to 6,100lbs during its
decent, people still wondered why it didn’t produce a crater on the moon’s dusty surface. Well, beneath all
that dust is a layer of dense rock, which is far more difficult to leave an imprint on, thus explaining why the
module failed to create a noticeable crater. Additionally, many wondered how Neil Armstrong and Buzz
Aldrin were able to leave footprints on the moon without moisture. Well, friction allows finely grained moon
dust particles to hold their shape when moved around, so that’s why the footprints are still there all these
years later!

#3: Multiple Shadows

Many a conspiracy theorist has claimed that because photographs show multiple shadows of different
lengths and angles, there had to have been an additional light source - such as a large lamp – on sight. Well
actually, because Neil and Buzz were snapping pics on an uneven, brightly lit landscape with the sun
hovering just about the horizon, the ground produced a slew of different shadows. Another theory involves
the stars, or lack thereof. How come there are no stars in the background of all those famous moon
photographs? The answer: nearby objects washed out the film. This is common in nighttime photography,
with bright foreground objects effectively erasing distant background objects from the film.
#2: No Radiation Poisoning

Protecting earth from harmful solar radiation are the Van Allen belts. They form a ring around our planet,
collecting and trapping all that pesky radiation in one place. Conspiracy theorists want to know why the
astronauts on the Apollo 11 mission didn’t succumb to radiation poisoning when they passed through.
While it’s true that there is a lot of radiation in the belts, Apollo 11 passed through them in less than four
hours, and it takes days of exposure to be considered dangerous. “Okay” say some, “but what about
meteors? Surely they would have done some damage!” Due to the density of space, the chances of this
happening are close to zero. Lawyered.

#1: The Waving Flag

One the most infamous Apollo 11 conspiracy theories involve the pictures of the American flag taken by Neil
Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. In the iconic photos, the flag appears to be fluttering in the wind, which is
admittedly odd seeing how there’s no atmosphere and by extension no wind on the moon. The reason Old
Glory appears to be waving is because Neil and Buzz made it so. A wire was inserted in the top of the flag to
keep it steady and the astronauts created the waving effect as they were setting it up. In fact, once the flag
was planted, it stopped “waving” completely!

Top 10 Space Missions to Other Planets

These missions mark our first interplanetary steps out into the universe. Welcome to Watchmojo.com, and
today we're counting down our picks for the top 10 space missions to other planets. For this list, we're
looking at missions and programs that have flown by, orbited, or landed on planets and dwarf planets.

#10: New Horizons

Poor old Pluto hasn’t received a lot of love. Spinning at the edge of the solar system, it was first noticed only
in 1930, and demoted to “dwarf planet” in 2006. But thanks to New Horizons, at least we can say we’ve
visited. In 2015, NASA’s unmanned spacecraft was the first to drop in on our distant neighbour. On the way,
it received a gravity assist from Jupiter, capturing a colossal eruption on its moon, Io. Its flyby of Pluto
revealed a shockingly youthful surface that suggests recent geological activity, and hills of water ice that
float in frozen nitrogen seas. And the craft isn’t finished, currently forging onward deeper into the Kuiper
Belt.

#9: MESSENGER

Hurtling through space in the opposite direction to New Horizons, NASA’s probe MESSENGER became, in
2011, the first spacecraft to orbit Mercury. In 1974, Mariner 10 had flown by the little-explored, innermost
planet, but MESSENGER was able to return much more detail - mapping more of the surface, revealing
evidence of an immense, liquid iron core, and confirming the suspected presence of water ice in the
shadows of craters at the north pole. The craft met a fiery end when it was intentionally crashed into the
planet’s surface, but blazed a trail for future missions, such as upcoming European and Japanese mission
“BepiColombo”.

#8: Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter

NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has become integral in our ongoing exploration of the Red Planet.
Since reaching Mars in 2006, the craft has been mapping the planet’s surface using high-resolution orbital
cameras, conducting reconnaissance for landing sites, and hunting for liquid water. In 2011, it detected
seasonal flows of liquid water on Mars’ surface. Able to beam back information at unprecedented speeds,
the orbiter has provided us with more data than all other planetary probes combined, and together with
fellow orbiter Mars Odyssey, acts as a telecommunications relay for landers and rovers.
#7: Mars Exploration Rover: Spirit and Opportunity
It’s one thing to watch Mars from afar. But how about driving around on the surface? In 1997, NASA’s
spacecraft Mars Pathfinder landed Sojourner, the first rover to operate on another planet, and a proof-of-
concept mission that paved the way for the more advanced rovers Spirit and Opportunity. Landed in 2004,
their intrepid adventures on Martian soil have been watched all over the world, with the robotic geologists
providing stunning visuals of the surface, and further evidence of ancient volcanism and liquid water. Easily
outliving their planned 90 day mission, plucky Spirit trundled on for five years, and Opportunity - joined on
the surface in 2012 by big brother Curiosity - is still going strong.

#6: Pioneer 10 and 11

When Pioneer 10 crossed the asteroid belt beyond Mars, it entered uncharted territory. Launched in 1972,
the interplanetary pilgrim was the first to flyby Jupiter, imaging the planet and its moons, and discovering
that its interior is largely fluid. A year later, its sister ship Pioneer 11 also passed the gas giant, sending back
detailed images of the Great Red Spot, before becoming the first manmade object to encounter Saturn - and
feeling out the road for the soon-to-arrive Voyager missions. Both Pioneers now drift beyond the planets’
orbits, “ghost ships” that bear a gold plaque with our location and anatomies for potential extraterrestrial
discoverers.

#5: Mariner 4
At the dawn of the space age, the Mariner program accomplished an impressive lists of firsts - including the
first planetary flyby in 1962, when Mariner 2 passed Venus. Spurred on by the space race, with the Soviets'
sights set on Mars, NASA’s Mariner 4 beat the competition to become the first successful mission to the Red
Planet, flying by in 1965, providing our first close-up look at the surface - images that revealed a barren,
cratered world very different from the popular images of science-fiction. If there was water or life on Mars,
we would have to search for it. It was a revelatory and revolutionary mission that set the parameters for
future exploration.

#4: Venera 7
The Soviets had been the first to land a spacecraft on the moon, in 1966. In 1970, they were also the first to
land on another planet. As Venera 7 drifted down toward the scorched, hellish surface of Venus, its
parachute ripped and collapsed, and it freefell for 29 minutes. But the hardy probe survived, and
transmitted valuable data back to Earth. It was the first manmade object to ever land on another planet.
Subsequent Venera missions had smoother landings, and in 1975, Venera 9 beamed back our first images of
another planet’s surface.

#3: Cassini-Huygens
What it would be like to fly behind Saturn’s rings? Where did they come from? And what secrets hide inside
its many moons? These were the ambitious questions behind Cassini-Huygens, a landmark collaboration
between US and European space agencies. From 2004 on, the Cassini orbiter examined Saturn’s rings,
uncovered seven new moons, and discovered evidence for an internal ocean in the moon Enceladus - the
source of Saturn’s E Ring. Cassini’s lander Huygens also revealed liquid methane lakes and rivers on the
moon Titan. The mission was a triumph, and in 2017, the orbiter went down down in a blaze of glory - burnt
up in Saturn’s atmosphere to avoid contaminating its moons.

#2: Viking 1 and 2

Thanks to the Mariner missions, we had watched Mars from above. It was time to explore the surface. The
Soviets’ Mars 3 had soft landed in 1971, but broke down within seconds inside a global dust storm. So when
NASA’s Viking 1 lander touched down on Martial soil in 1976, it became the first to successfully operate on
Mars - and returned our first clear ground-level images. Its tests for life returned ambiguous results, as did
those of Viking 2, landed just months later. But the Viking orbiters discovered ancient river and lake beds,
keeping hope alive. It would be two decades before another successful landing - when NASA’s Mars
Pathfinder delivered the rover Sojourner.
Before we reveal the identity of our top pick, here are some honorable mentions:
Dawn (Vesta and Ceres)
Galileo (Jupiter)
Magellan (Venus)

#1: Voyager 1 and 2

Their epic odyssey took them through - and beyond - our solar system. Launched in 1977, NASA’s Voyager 1
and 2 returned revolutionary data on the outer planets - discovering Jupiter’s rings, volcanism on its moon
Io, and the first signs of a subsurface ocean inside Europa. The Voyagers then studied the complex structure
of Saturn’s rings and the enigmatic atmosphere of its moon Titan. While Voyager 2 became the first and
only spacecraft to flyby Uranus and Neptune, Voyager 1 headed straight for interstellar space - becoming in
2012 the first spacecraft to enter the great unknown beyond our solar system.

Top 10 Emperors in History

Whether they created the empire or ruled over it, these names will always be remembered. Welcome to
WatchMojo.com and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 10 Emperors in History.

For this list, we are not necessarily looking at the greatest emperors in history, but rather the most famous
ones.

#10: Nicholas II of Russia

The Russian Empire, which lasted for nearly 200 years, had several famous emperors, including Alexander II,
who emancipated Russia’s serfs and sold Alaska to the United States. It’s their last emperor, Nicholas II, who
makes our list, however. Nicknamed Nicholas the Bloody, he reigned during a period of several Russian
military defeats. The ruler was also blamed for the poor management during the First World War, which
resulted in the loss of more than 3 million Russian lives. He was eventually forced to abdicate following the
February Revolution, and was executed along with his family by the Bolsheviks in 1918.

#9: Marcus Aurelius

The last of the five good emperors, Marcus Aurelius ruled over Rome for 19 years during the mid-second
century AD. He led Rome to multiple military victories, including a large victory over the Parthian Empire. He
was best known for his stoicism, however, and as such has been nicknamed “The Philosopher” by
biographers. Aurelius’ writings, titled “Meditations,” are still held in high esteem to this day, although his
assumed role in persecuting Christians is not. Many historians believe that his death in 180 ended the long
era of peace in Rome, and marked the beginning of Rome’s end.

#8: Moctezuma II
Evaluating Moctezuma’s legacy is slightly tricky. On one hand, he led the Aztec Empire to its greatest size
thanks in part to several key military victories. On the other hand, it was his decision to appease Cortes and
the Spanish that ultimately brought the Empire to ruin. The Aztec emperor invited them to live as guests,
before he was eventually imprisoned by the Spanish inside his own palace. Not long after conflict broke out
between the Aztecs and Spanish, Moctezuma was killed, with both sides claiming the other delivered the
fatal blow.

#7: Constantine the Great

Today, Rome is known as one of the Christian hubs of the world. It wasn’t always like that, however, as
Christians were persecuted in Rome for centuries. It was Constantine that ended the persecutions and
instituted the beginning of Christianity’s influence in Rome. Some reports say that he even saw a sign of
Christ in the sky before a major battle. He also established the city of Constantinople, which would
eventually become the new capital of the Empire and survive long after the fall of Western Rome. Equally
important, he led Rome in reclaiming former territories that the Empire had abandoned in previous years.

#6: Hirohito
Referred to as Emperor Shōwa within Japan, Hirohito reigned for over 62 years. He is most famous for his
role, or lack thereof, in Japan’s military operations in the 1930s and 40s. Some historians have claimed that
he was opposed to bombing Pearl Harbor and did not want an alliance with the Axis Powers. Others state
that he was actively involved in the decision-making process and his blame should not be minimized.
Whichever is the case, he avoided prosecution for war crimes after the war. Hirohito is notable for helping
lead Japan’s post-war recovery and assisting in the country’s transition into a constitutional monarchy.

#5: Peter I
Another Russian emperor to make our list, Peter I, or Peter the Great as he’s better known, helped guide
Russia into becoming a major power. He did so, of course, by engaging in several successful wars, including
the Great Northern War against Sweden. He also helped improve the cultural side of Russia. Influenced by
the Enlightenment, he adapted the Russian political and social systems and made them more modern. For
example, he sought to end arranged marriages and also issued a decree for all children of noble birth to
receive an education.

#4: Qin Shi Huang

The founder of the Qin dynasty, the first dynasty of Imperial China, Qin Shi Huang was the country’s first
ever emperor, a title he actually invented. The Emperor helped expand and unify China’s territory
significantly through a number of military conquests. However, he is perhaps best remembered for
combining several different walls into one massive wall, also known as The Great Wall of China. While
there’s no doubting his many impressive feats, his death is a tad embarrassing: The Emperor allegedly died
of mercury poisoning after drinking an elixir that was supposed to make him immortal.

#3: Napoleon Bonaparte

You had to know a list of the most famous emperors in history would include Napoleon Bonaparte.
Napoleon rose to power following the French Revolution and built a massive empire that ruled over most of
Europe in the early 19th century. In fact, his defeat of the Third Coalition ultimately resulted in the
dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire. Despite being an outstanding general, his invasion of Russia resulted
in disaster, thanks in large part to the harsh Russian winter. Napoleon’s political and social influence can still
be felt today, as he was a strong supporter of equality inregards to the law, and religious toleration.

#2: Augustus
The first emperor of the Roman Empire, Augustus’ reign initiated an extended period of peace for Rome
following multiple bloody civil wars, the last of which saw Augustus defeat Mark Antony and Cleopatra.
Augustus annexed several territories, including Egypt, to help expand the Empire’s frontiers. He also
commissioned the construction of a series of roads to help make communication across the Empire easier
and even established police and fire-fighting organizations. He was such an influential emperor that we even
have a month named after him in our calendar.

Before we unveil our number one pick, here are a few honorable mentions:

Tiberius
Charlemagne

Justinian I

#1: Genghis Khan

Although it doesn’t quite receive the publicity that the British and Roman Empires get, the Mongol Empire
was one of the greatest in history. Eventually, it was the biggest contiguous empire ever. And Genghis Khan
was the one who started it all. He bought the nomadic tribes of Northeast Asia together, and used them to
conquer almost all of Eurasia, including China. Although known for his brutality, Genghis Khan did
encourage religious tolerance across the Empire, and even founded a writing system based on the Uyghur
script. As such, he has been revered for years by the Mongols and remains a respected figure in Mongolian
history.

Top 10 Disturbing Facts About Victorian England

Think you know your Victorian history? Think again. Welcome to WatchMojo UK and today we’re counting
down our picks for the Top 10 most disturbing facts about Victorian England.

For this video we’ve oggled the annals of history and heritage to serve you some of the most shocking, eye-
watering and downright disturbing facts about Victorian England.

#10: Filthy Streets

No matter how factually accurate a film or TV show set in the Victorian era claims to be, chances are it’ll
never show us main characters wading through heaps of horse manure. But that was the reality for a lot of
people. With hundreds of thousands of horses in London alone, and young children hired to scoop up the
dung as best they could, the problem proved perpetually hard to beat. As the streets were also covered in
mud and litter, you can only imagine the smell and the sheer horror that walking from one place to another
must have triggered.

#9: Meat Face Masks

People have done, and still do, some crazy things in the name of beauty. And in Victorian times, beauty
regimes were not for the faint of heart. Strange face masks were a typical part of skincare routines, aiming
to maintain a person’s complexion and keep their youthful looks. One mask forced the user’s face to sweat
throughout the night, another claimed to let poisonous gases out but, weirdest of all, some wearers would
willingly strap raw meat to their face. Even if it didn’t restore youthful skin, it certainly turned heads!

#8: Grave Diggers

Graveyards were kinda cramped in Victorian times, and because so many people were often buried in one
place, the most recently buried could be only inches from the ground above. And since they were so easy to
get to, grave diggers were often tasked with digging up the bodies, and pinching possessions - even going so
far as to break down the coffin and sell it on as firewood. Grave digging was an accepted fact too, with
diggers regularly discarding unwanted bones around the burial site they’d just pilfered. They weren’t known
for being polite, clearly.

#7: Workhouses
A more infamous fact than others, those in the Victorian era without jobs or a place to live could be housed
in workhouses. There, along with orphaned children and anyone deemed physically or mentally ill, they
lived in horrible conditions and were forced to work harsh jobs for long hours. And while some film
adaptations of Charles Dickens’ “Oliver Twist” do make light of the ruthless reality, living in these places was
definitely not a song and dance. And despite various reformations to existing Poor Laws, the houses proved
little more than prisons.

#6: Surgery
The thought of having surgery can make lots of us feel uncomfortable. But be thankful for modern medicine,
because Victorian surgery was hellish in comparison. First off, there was usually a bunch of students
overseeing, but bringing all kinds of dirt and germs to the operating table - as nothing was sterilised. But
worst of all, without the invention of anaesthetic until the mid-1800s, procedures were as quick as possible
but seriously painful. And even though major operations sometimes took less than a minute to execute, the
brutal nature of surgery meant that the chances of making it out alive were slim.

#5: The Racist English Gentleman

By day, the stereotypical Victorian gentleman seemed an upstanding sort, pursuing worthwhile professions
in law, medicine and politics. But many also gathered for evening groups like The Cannibal Club, to indulge
some outlandish beliefs. In the Cannibal Club’s case, they didn’t actually live up to their name… But they did
encourage widespread racism based on the idea that some humans had more superior ancient ancestors
than others, and that they should be lauded in the present. They also believed you could deduce whether
someone was a criminal by measuring their skull. Which says it all, really.

#4: Child Labour

A child’s childhood throughout the 1800s was quite different to what we might expect today. Wealthy
children were predominantly raised by a nanny, while children in poorer families were typically sent out to
work as early as possible, even at ages four or five - and especially once the Industrial Revolution kicked in
fully. As such, a lot of kids didn’t receive much of an education, instead spending their time employed in
dangerous factories, down equally dangerous mines, or as chimney sweeps… The list goes on. The death
rate was alarmingly high, meaning life expectancy was despairingly low. Don’t take modern life for granted,
kids.

#3: Death Photography

As we’ve already seen, the Victorians are well-remembered for the more macabre elements of their society.
The new-fangled art of photography wasn’t particularly common back then, but they did enjoy a nice family
portrait - if they could afford it. Only, a lot of these snapshots were taken after someone had died, and the
recently deceased would actually be in the picture. Death photography proved an especially gruesome
cultural trend, wherein dead bodies were posed and made to look like they were still alive - with their eyes
either propped open, or painted on afterwards! Creeped out yet?

#2: Female Hysteria

In a time before the Women’s rights movement gathered serious pace during the late-1800s, if ever a
Victorian woman acted in any way unexpectedly, or showed any form of dissatisfaction, they were
diagnosed with Female Hysteria. Doctors argued that the stress of female life caused it, and the grounds for
diagnosis were so broad that one physician wrote a seventy-five-page list of possible symptoms. The
treatment was equally as insane. Female Hysteria sufferers could be kept in mental hospitals, given a
hysterectomy, or they might receive a pelvic massage from their doctor, supposedly to speed-up recovery.

#1: Contaminated Food

Clearly, Victorian England wasn’t the cleanest of times. Rivers were often thick with sewage which meant
filthy drinking water, leading lots of people, including children, to drink beer instead - because it was
cleaner. But contaminated food was an even bigger issue. Chalk was used to make bread whiter, boric acid
was added to milk to dull the sour taste, and arsenic was found in far more food products than it should
have been. Traders often added inedible ingredients to make food cheaper to buy, and more profitable to
sell. Essentially, every meal posed a massive risk. It’s a wonder anyone survived, really.

Top 10 Common Misconceptions About World History

Even serious history buffs may not know that some of these facts are actually myths. Welcome to
WatchMojo.com, and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 10 Common Misconceptions
About World History.

For this list, we’re looking at commonly held beliefs about various historical events that are completely
untrue.

#10: The Vikings Wore Horns on their Helmets

Horned helmets have been worn by various populations throughout history, but curiously enough, the
vikings weren’t one of them. Even though they have become the culture with which these helmets are most
strongly associated, there is not actual historical proof of them ever wearing them. It seems as though the
19th century opera cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen is to blame for this one! In similar headgear
misconceptions, cowboy hats were nowhere near as ubiquitous in the Old West as they’re usually made out
to be. At the time, cowboys would actually wear hats more similar to bowlers or derby hats.

#9: Santa Claus Was Invented by Coca Cola

Many people think that the modern image we have of Santa Claus, a jolly white bearded man in a red suit,
was actually a total construction by The Coca Cola Company in the 1930s. While it is true that Coke began
using the image of Santa Claus in their marketing at that time, lots of other companies has already used the
visual representation of the Santa we know and love in their own ads. Over the years, Santa Claus, or Saint
Nicolas, had been given different physical characteristics, but by the 30s his modern iteration had already
been established in pop culture.

#8: Marco Polo Brought Pasta to Italy

In the 13th century, Italian merchant Marco Polo did indeed travel to China, and recorded his journeys in his
“Book of the Marvels of the World”. Because he describes something similar to lasagna in these accounts,
many credit him with having brought the concept of pasta back to his home of Italy around that time.
However, Arabic peoples actually introduced the idea many centuries earlier while they were invading Sicily.
And for that we have to thank them, because where would we be without pasta?

#7: Immigrants' Surnames Were Changed at Ellis Island

If you’ve watched enough historical fiction movies, you’ve probably witnessed the common trope of
immigrants arriving in the new world trying to change their fortune. They have to pass through officials at
Ellis Island who decide their names aren’t “American” enough and therefore change them to something
more homogenous. The thing is though, no records were even kept at Ellis Island, and they weren’t creating
any paperwork with new names or in fact, any information at all. At the time though, anyone could change
their name in New York simply by using whatever name they wanted, so your family’s story of a forced
name change is most likely a myth.
#6: Columbus Discovered That the Earth Was Round

When Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492, some say that he set out to prove that the world was round,
and that he surprised many when he returned with this information. In fact, according to one historian, “no
educated person in the history of Western Civilization from the third century B.C. onward believed that the
Earth was flat.” Key figures like Pythagoras and Aristotle had discovered that the earth was not flat nearly
two thousand years earlier! In the Middle Ages, this information was still retained by most.

#5: Life Expectancies Were Extremely Low in the Middle Ages

Many people think of the Middle Ages as a dark time where people could barely make it into their 30s
before kicking the bucket. In fact though, many commonly held life expectancy facts are based on high
infant mortality rates, not to mention major diseases like the bubonic plague. It’s hard to come up with
exact numbers, but one source says that a man who had made it to the age of 21 without succumbing to
childhood illness was likely to live to 64. Also, these “dark ages” weren’t dark everywhere. Outside of
Europe, many societies were thriving and innovating.

#4: Albert Einstein Failed Math

When people are trying to prove that you can always succeed even after failure, they often cite the fact that
Albert Einstein failed math before going on to become one of the most important mathematicians of all
time. While this may seem inspirational, it’s totally made up. In fact when Einstein himself heard this rumor
he said, “"I never failed in mathematics... Before I was fifteen I had mastered differential and integral
calculus." And you know what, we believe him! He did fail the entrance exam for Zurich Polytechnic, but he
was taking it early and did just fine on the math section.

#3: Napoleon Bonaparte Was Short

Unfortunately for him, this rumor was unintentionally perpetuated by Napoleon himself. Upon his death,
officials recorded his height as 5 feet 2 inches, which was admittedly short for a man, even in the early 19th
century. Here’s the thing though, that measurement was in “French feet” which was part of the “Mesures
usuelles” that Napoleon himself introduced! In our modern measurements, this would translate to
approximately 5 feet 7 inches, which is slightly under average today, but in the 1800s would have been
totally normal.

#2: Women Were Burned at the Stake in Salem

Sadly, the Salem Witch Trials were very much real, but the manner in which women were punished for
witchcraft is not what most people think. The pervasive image in pop culture is of alleged “witches” being
burned at the stake, but in fact this never once happened in Salem. Twenty people in total were executed
after the trials (including some men), but all of them, with one exception, were killed by hanging. Some of
the accused also died in prison. We’re not sure where this rumor came from, but it sure did stick!

#1: Marie Antoinette Said “Let Them Eat Cake.”

This is one of those pop culture myths that people have speculated must be false, but we’re here to
definitively tell you it’s not true. In fact, we can trace the exact source of this rumor. In 1765 Jean-Jacques
Rousseau completed his autobiography, “Confessions”, in which he tells a story of a “great princess” who
said, "Then let them eat brioches” when she heard that the peasants had no bread. It then went on to be
attributed to Marie Antoinette, even though it was written years before she became queen or even came to
France. In actuality, Marie Antoinette expressed sympathy with the lower classes and would likely not say
something so callous.

Top 10 Places and Landmarks Destroyed by Nature

Humans build . . . Mother Nature laughs. Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we’ll be counting down
our picks for the top 10 places and landmarks destroyed by nature.
For this list, we’ll be looking at locations and landmarks, both manmade and natural, which were destroyed
by natural forces.

#10: Azure Window

Located on an island off the coast of Malta, the Azure Window was a natural rock archway that extended
into the ocean. The scenic beach landmark has memorably featured in several television shows and films,
such as “Game of Thrones.” Over the last 30 years of its existence, slabs had fallen away from it, partially
due to actions by humans, both accidental and intentional. But the Azure Window’s final collapse occurred
because of powerful storms in March 2017, sending the once proud feature of Malta down to the ocean
floor.

#9: Helike, Greece

A city in ancient Greece, Helike was once a major religious center, with special patronage to the sea god,
Poseidon. In the winter of 373 BC, it was reported that all the animals left the city. Five days later, an
earthquake struck, sinking the city immediately below ground and instantly killing all its residents. Not only
that, the collapse was so tremendous, it sent powerful reverberations into the surrounding water and
caused a tsunami that flooded the hole and buried Helike twice over in a literal watery grave. The city’s
contemporaries attributed its devastation to the wrath of Poseidon.

#8: Petra, Jordan

Located in a canyon in present day Jordan, Petra (formerly known as Raqmu), was once the capital city of
the Nabataean Kingdom, notable for its intricate stone architecture and a key hub of trade in the region.
While the city began to decline after being conquered and the loss of trading sea routes, it was a natural
disaster that sealed its fate. In 363 AD, a large earthquake hit the region, which demolished many of its
buildings, as well as cutting off its primary water supply. Parts of Petra still stand today though, and have
been made famous by films, such as the third “Indiana Jones.”

#7: Arg e Bam

Translated to English as the Bam Citadel, the Arg-e Bam is a large adobe fortress located in present-day Iran,
and is the biggest adobe building in the world. Named for its once-impressive tower, the Arg-e Bam is over
2000 years old, though precise figures as to its exact age are difficult to find. Much of the castle (and the
rest of Bam) was destroyed in a deadly earthquake in 2003, as its position atop a hill made it especially
vulnerable. Restoration efforts are currently underway, with the site being declared a world heritage site by
UNESCO.

#6: Akrotiri, Greece

An unnamed Minoan Bronze Age settlement on the island of Santorini (or, Thira), Akrotiri is so-named due
to a nearby modern town. First settled around 5000 BC, Akrotiri was remarkably advanced for its time,
featuring paved streets and drainage systems that would not become commonplace for hundreds and
hundreds of years. It was destroyed in the enormous volcanic eruption of Santorini, in 1627 BC. However,
unlike some other volcanically destroyed towns, Akrotiri features no preserved human remains, indicating it
was likely evacuated. Akrotiri’s technical advancements, unknown name, and sudden fall have made it a
popular suggestion fas to the true identity of Atlantis.

#5: Port Royal

This Jamaican town was once the largest port city of the Caribbean, thanks in no small part to the influx of
funds acquired, and spent, by pirates. However, Port Royal’s residents built tall buildings on sandy ground,
which made it no surprise when it was destroyed by, yes, an earthquake, in 1692, at around 11:43 a.m. It
killed half the city's population and sank it beneath the waves. Though a town survives there, Port Royal
never recovered its former glory. Now a popular site for underwater exploration, a diver even found a
pocket watch from the sunken city, which is how we now know the time of its destruction.

#4: Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, Turkey

An elaborate tomb for a Persian satrap, or governor, this “mausoleum” actually gave rise to that term, as it
was named for its occupant, Mausolus. Constructed around 350 BC, the building was designed as part of a
collaboration between four Greek architects. The fantastic design was considered one of the Seven
Wonders of the Ancient World and is the most recent of the six to have been lost. The Mausoleum at
Halicarnassus was felled by a series of earthquakes between the 12th and 15th centuries AD. Its remains
were repurposed to construct a nearby castle, so only a few fragments are still standing.

#3: Lighthouse of Alexandria, Egypt

Constructed off the coast of Alexandria, during the middle of the 3rd century BC, the Lighthouse of
Alexandria is another one of the Ancient World’s Seven Wonders. Also known as the Pharos of Alexandria, it
was the tallest human-made structure in the world for centuries, standing at around a whopping 330 feet
tall. It’s also thought to be the model upon which nearly every subsequent lighthouse has been based.
Unfortunately, its own light was extinguished by a series of earthquakes over several hundred years that left
it in ruins by the 15th century AD.

#2: Colossus of Rhodes, Greece

Yet another one of the Seven Ancient Wonders, the Colossus of Rhodes also stood in a harbor; that of its
eponymous city. Constructed of iron and bronze (though accounts differ as to its exact composition) the
statue depicted Helios, the Greek titan god of the sun, and was around 108 feet high. Built in 280 BC, the
Colossus stood for a mere 50 years before its legs were snapped by an earthquake; the people of Rhodes
never rebuilt or repaired it, out of superstition that they had angered Helios, leaving its metals to be sold off
by conquering armies.

Before we get to our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
Old Man of the Mountain, USA

Elephant Rock, Canada

#1: Pompeii, Italy

Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD, blanketing the Roman colony city of Pompeii in ash and debris, killing its
11 thousand inhabitants very quickly. Due to sudden nature of the event, many of the town’s residents,
items, and buildings were preserved incredibly well. This has caused the site to become one of the most
important and enduringly fascinating archaeological sites in history, since it has allowed us to intimately
understand how people of the period lived. While other cities, such as the nearby Herculaneum, were also
preserved in a similar manner, Pompeii’s fame, and importance to the study of history, had to make it our
top pick.

Top 10 Old-Timey Diseases That Are Coming Back

Once upon a time, these afflictions were common, then they all but disappeared. So why are we suddenly
hearing about them again? Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’ll be counting down our picks for
the Top 10 Old Timey Diseases That Are Coming Back.
For this list, we’re focusing on diseases that many associate with bygone eras but still continue to affect our
modern world.

#10: Syphilis
Back in the day, this sexually transmitted disease was BAD NEWS. We’re talking about open sores, crippling
pain, and eventually, brain damage and death. Just ask iconic gangster Al Capone, who famously contracted
syphilis and saw its effects worsen each year. Thankfully, with the discovery of penicillin, the world was
handed a simple cure to this sexually-transmitted scourge - no need to think about worst case scenarios
anymore. Unfortunately, syphilis not only continues to spread, but lso is actually on the rise again. Why?
The culprit is likely poor sexual practices. It’s treatable, of course, but this old-timey disease will continue its
comeback unless people actually get tested and treated.

#9: Leprosy
Throughout history, the term “leper” has been used to denigrate outsiders. It came from the idea that
people with leprosy were highly contagious, which, unfortunately for generations of isolated victims, is a
gross exaggeration. Though the disease is transferred between humans, the infection rate remains relatively
low. Nowadays, Multidrug Therapy is used to cure patients, but unfortunately, it remains an issue in many
countries. Believe it or not, armadillos have been associated with spreading the disease in the United States.
A spike in infection rates in Florida has forced many to acknowledge the condition’s relevancy in a 21st
century world, and encouraged others to re-evaluate its history.

#8: Dengue Fever

If you don’t live in a tropical climate, then this mosquito disease may not seem like an issue. But after World
War II, Dengue Fever became much harder to ignore, as displaced people spread the disease, forcing the
international community to invest in research and measures to control mosquito populations. Despite these
efforts, Dengue Fever remains a timely problem, especially in Southeast Asia where children are at serious
risk. This old-timey disease is highly infectious, but thankfully, is unlikely to be fatal if appropriate medical
attention is given. Then again, as is so often the case, treatment can be hard to come by in impoverished
areas.

#7: Cholera
In the 19th century, this intestinal disease was responsible for pandemics all over the world, claiming
millions of lives in the process. Thankfully, a simple but effective treatment exists in the form of oral
rehydration therapy. Unfortunately, the disease is contracted through contaminated water, which
meansthat underdeveloped countries are at serious risk regardless, as evidenced by the 2010 outbreak in
Haiti. For North Americans, cholera is indeed quite rare, yet it’s certainly not a disease that should be
dismissed as irrelevant. With so many people on the move, cholera outbreaks persist and continue to
spread. Considering it claims 28,000 to 130,000 lives per year, we can’t afford to take it lightly.

#6: Bubonic Plague

Whereas many associate “The Plague” with a bygone era, the “Bubonic Plague” continues to kill. Whether
it’s through fleas or little animals, bacteria can easily spread from person to person, which is what ultimately
caused the European “Black Death.” These days, immediate treatment prevents worst-case scenarios, but
there are still around 1 to 17 cases per year in the United States alone, mostly in the western region.
Affected individuals have flu-like symptoms, and Bubonic Plague can be fatal if not treated within the first
24 hours. As recently as 2014, an outbreak killed about 40 people In Madagascar, proving that it’s not just a
historical anecdote - it’s a legitimate threat.

#5: Tuberculosis
Whereas cholera targets the intestines, this old-timey disease mostly affects the lungs. Tuberculosis was
officially identified in the early 19th century, and it became a common disease amongst the poor over the
following 100 years. It’s one of those diseases that doesn’t have obvious symptoms, and it’s been estimated
that approximately one-third of the world’s population is currently infected with latent TB. Nowadays,
tuberculosis is most prevalent in Africa and Southeast Asia, with most American cases being reported in
California and Texas.

#4: Poliomyelitis [aka Polio]

This old-timey disease originates with the spread of infected fecal matter. While that concept may be a
head-scratcher today, it made perfect sense in the early 20th century given the less than sanitary conditions
across America. Because of extensive research and treatment, however, there’s now a literal Polio Hall of
Fame, which honors the most influential scientists that helped combat the disease. Even so, the disease
continues to affect the countries of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria, which means that everyone’s at risk.
Given the mass displacement of Nigerians within their own country, polio outbreaks are a timely, societal
issue in West Africa.

#3: Pertussis [aka Whooping Cough]

Imagine coughing so hard, and so violently, that you break your own ribs. That’s more than just a cough –
that’s a Whooping Cough. Fortunately, Leila Denmark began researching the flu-like disease in 1932, igniting
decades of conversations about proper vaccines and side effects. The spread of Whooping Cough has been
connected to wild animals, mainly gorillas, and it remains a serious issue in underdeveloped countries. Then
again, it’s a common disease in the United States, too, with nearly 50,000 cases reported in 2012 alone. And
so, Whooping Cough still poses a serious threat to young children.

#2: Scarlet Fever

In the early 20th century, this disease was a perpetual killer. At least until Gladys Henry Dick and her
husband invented a test to identify those who were susceptible to contracting the rash-y disease. Despite
these efforts, her proposed vaccine was ultimately a failure, which means that Scarlet Fever remains a very
real threat, both in the U.S. and around the world. Today, it’s common amongst children, and outbreaks are
still a yearly occurrence. In the United Kingdom, Scarlet Fever makes headlines year after year, and it’s a
common disease all across Southeast Asia.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Rickets

Typhoid Fever

Diphtheria

#1: Measles
While this contagious disease may not seem “old-timey,” it’s not quite what it used to be either. In the mid
20th century, Measles was a fatal problem for the world’s youth. Fortunately, a vaccination was developed
in 1963, making parents a little less stressed about symptoms. In fact, it seemed to be gone forever by the
year 2000, at least in America. Nowadays, the MMR vaccine is highly efficient, and is usually given alongside
the vaccine for disease called the Mumps. But, Measles disease hasn’t gone away entirely, and an anti-
vaccination movement has been linked to a resurgence of outbreaks. The 2017 European outbreak reminds
that vaccinations are crucial, even if Measles may not seem like a serious threat.

Another Top 10 Historical Objects Ruined by Morons

Well, so much for that priceless artifact. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our
picks for another Top 10 Historical Objects Ruined by Morons.

For this list, we’ll be looking at more historical objects and artifacts that were destroyed by some pretty
inconsiderate, ignorant, or clumsy people. We will be ranking our picks based on the importance of the site
and/or artifact, and the level of idiocy involved in its destruction.

#10: The Nazca Lines

The Nazca Lines are brilliant artistic designs made in the desert grounds of southern Peru. The designs were
created between 500 BC and 500 AD and range from geometric patterns to depictions of human, animal,
and natural life. These can stretch over 1,000 feet in length and can clearly be seen from the air and from
nearby hilltops. However, many of the lines have been damaged in recent years by squatters, construction
machinery, careless Greenpeace activists who walked over the site with sneakers, off-road vehicles, and a
truck driver who accidentally drove over numerous lines.

#9: Dunster’s Cobblestone Paths

Dunster, Somerset is known for being an extremely well-preserved example of a medieval English village. It
houses a 1,000-year-old castle and contained beautiful cobblestone paths that dated back to the Bronze
Age. However, after numerous reports of people tripping on the ancient stones, the village’s council decided
to rip up the millennia-old cobblestones and replace them with smoother paving stones. The villagers, who
initially supported the idea, then showed their intense hatred of the new paving stones by complaining to
the media. The council then decided to rip up the slabs at significant cost and replace them with stones that
fit more with the village’s aesthetic.

#8: A 5,000-Year-Old Rock Carving

Well, we suppose they had good intentions. The Norwegian island of Tro houses a 5,000-year-old rock
carving depicting a man on skis. This carving is one of the world’s earliest indications of skiing, and it
inspired the symbols of the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics. However, it was ruined in 2016 when two
teenagers carved over it in an attempt to make it appear brighter and clearer. The teenagers, not realizing
what a serious infraction they had committed, turned themselves in amidst the intense media frenzy. The
two then faced criminal charges and prosecution under the country’s Cultural Heritage Act.

#7: King Tut’s Beard

Chalk this up to Tutankhamun’s curse. Tutankhamun was an Egyptian pharaoh who ruled from 1332 to 1323
BC. His tomb was finally discovered in 1922, and the mummy of Tutankhamun was uncovered three years
later. While the chin was initially found broken off his death mask, it was permanently reattached in 1944.
Or so everyone thought. In 2014, it was accidentally broken off and hastily glued back on, a process that
caused irreparable scratches to the beard. After people began to notice the botched glue job, the mask was
professionally fixed, and eight people faced criminal charges for their negligence in “repairing” the priceless
mask with superglue.

#6: A 126-Year-Old Statue of Dom Sebastian I

And here we have another tragic case of a selfie ruining a beloved piece of art. A child-sized statue of
Portuguese king Dom Sebastian I stood outside the Rossio railway station in Lisbon, Portugal. This statue
lasted for 126 years before it literally fell to a selfie. A 24-year-old man climbed the façade outside the
Rossio station to take a picture with the statue. However, he accidentally knocked the statue over, and it
shattered to pieces upon contact with the ground. The man tried to run away, but he was apprehended by
police and faced prosecution for destroying a century-old artifact.

#5: A Neolithic Tomb

In 2015, workers in the Spanish town of Cristovo de Cea accidentally filled in a 6,000-year-old tomb with
concrete and topped it off with a picnic table. They thought the tomb’s slabs were a stone bench that had
fallen into disrepair, so they wanted to erect a fancy picnic table in its place. The town’s mayor said that he
wasn’t aware of the site’s historical significance, and the site wasn’t marked or protected in any way. People
better have some damn good picnics on that bench, because it cost history a 6,000-year-old tomb to put it
there.

#4: The Second Temple of Artemis

While the original Temple of Artemis was destroyed in a flood, it was rebuilt in a more extravagant manner
around 550 BC. It stood nearly 400 feet long and 150 feet wide, contained 40-foot tall columns, and was
allegedly the first Greek temple to be made from marble. It was a notable attraction for almost two hundred
years, but it was burned to the ground in 356 BC by some snot-nosed punk named Herostratus, who simply
wanted to be famous. He was subsequently tortured on the rack and executed, and his name was banned
from being spoken or written with the intention of erasing him from history. It didn’t work.

#3: Troy

Troy is an ancient city depicted in Homer’s “Iliad,” said to be the site of the famous Trojan War. The
historical city of Troy is located in modern-day Turkey and was partially excavated by Heinrich Schliemann in
the 1870s. However, Schliemann was wasn’t a great archaeologist, and he proceeded to blast away the
walls and layers of Troy and carved massive trenches in the ground that remain to this day. As one scholar
stated, Schliemann “destroyed a phenomenal amount of material.” And this is why inexperienced
archaeologists are not allowed to excavate millennia-old cities.

#2: Buddhas of Bamiyan

The Buddhas of Bamiyan were two enormous statues of buddha that were carved out of a cliffside in
Afghanistan. The statues were carved in the 6th century, and they were reportedly decorated with
elaborate jewelry by the year 630. The statues persisted for over 1,000 years until they were destroyed by
the Taliban in March of 2001. The statues were bombarded with anti-aircraft weaponry, dynamite, artillery,
and mines before the Taliban repelled down the cliff and placed explosives inside the monuments. The
commander of the Taliban, Mohammed Omar, stated that, “It has given praise to Allah that we have
destroyed them.”

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few dishonorable mentions.

1870s Martin Guitar

Rock Art at Lake Mead National Recreation Area

The Colosseum

#1: Many Ancient Sites Destroyed by ISIS

Throughout the years, ISIS has destroyed many notable ancient sites with bulldozers and explosives. They’ve
destroyed religious sites like the Mar Elian and Mar Behnam monasteries, and the Mosque of the Prophet
Yunus. They’ve destroyed numerous historic pieces of architecture, including the Imam Dur Mausoleum.
They’ve bulldozed historic cities like Nimrud, an Assyrian city that flourished between 1350 and 610 BC, and
Nineveh, which was at one point the largest city in the world. Even UNESCO World Heritage Sites weren’t
safe, as the site of Hatra was extensively damaged by ISIS in 2015.
Top 10 Weapons that Won World War II

It took more than love and friendship to win this war. Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we’ll be
counting down our picks for the Top 10 Weapons that Won World War II.
For this list, we’re looking at weapons that played a deciding factor in the outcome of World War II.

#10: Bazooka
When up against a massive tank, an infantry unit is obviously at a huge disadvantage. As most weapons did
not pack a big enough punch to put a dent in these armored vehicles, the U.S. Army developed the M9A1
Rocket Launcher for the specific purpose of taking down tanks and strongholds. Nicknamed the Bazooka by
radio-personality Bob Burns, this weapon launched rockets carrying a dangerous substance called pentolite,
resulting in an explosion capable of penetrating around 5 inches of armor. Easy to mass produce and
relatively lightweight considering their power, the Bazooka was hailed as a key factor in winning the war by
President Dwight Eisenhower.

#9: M2 Browning
Designed towards the end of World War I, John Browning's M2 machine gun has been employed in nearly
every major conflict since the 1930s. Equipped with .50 BMG cartridges, the M2 boasted firepower and
accuracy; but, more importantly, the Browning was rather flexible. The M2 was not only used by the
infantry, but the gun served as the primary or defensive weapon for many armored vehicles and patrol
boats. Due to its stopping power, the Browning was also involved in aerial warfare, allowing the P-51
Mustang to take down enemy aircrafts and damage naval destroyers.

#8: P-51 Mustang

Produced by North American Aviation before being employed by the British Royal Air Force and U.S. Army
Air Forces, this single-engine aircraft is considered the best mass-produced piston-engined fighter of World
War II. The P-51 Mustang was powered by a liquid-cooled in-line Allison engine - an experimental decision
which paid off by greatly improving the aircraft's range and mobility - and later, the Rolls-Royce Merlin .
Equipped with six machine guns, the P-51 could travel over 1000 miles (or over 2000 with two drop tanks),
making it the perfect choice to protect American Bomber fleets. In addition to boasting serious destructive
capabilities, the aircraft was crucial in gathering intel by flying over enemy territory.

#7: B-17 Flying Fortress

With a whopping four-engines keeping it in the air, the B-17 lived up to its name. Designed and financed
entirely by Boeing, the Flying Fortress was mass produced after the events of Pearl Harbor. Originally armed
with five .30-caliber machine guns, the B-17 could carry around 9,600 lbs worth of bombs. Capable of taking
a vicious beating, the Flying Fortress and P-51 Mustang formed one hell of a team, leading to the Allied
forces dominating the skies. Over the course of three years, the B-17 was used to deliver crushing blows to
Rome, Berlin, and multiple Pacific theaters.

#6: M4 Sherman Tank

Sometimes in war, quantity trumps quality. With the Panzer tanks giving Germany an advantage on the
ground, America produced the M4 Sherman as a capable alternative. While less resistant and combat
efficient, the M4 Sherman benefited from how quickly and easily it could be manufactured and maintained.
During the latter years of the war, nearly 50,000 tanks were deployed, allowing for Allied forces to breach
deep into areas controlled by Axis troops. What the M4 Sherman lacked in fire-power, it made up for in
speed and mobility, including a Duplex-Drive version that allowed the tank to travel in water while keeping
the turret above sea level.

#5: Hawker Hurricane

Best described as a workmanlike aircraft fighter, this is the plane that helped Allied forces through the early
days of World War II. Speaking purely in terms of performance, the Supermarine Spitfire had an edge over
the Hawker Hurricane, but the latter greatly outnumbered the former. During the Battle of Britain, 1,715
Hurricanes took to the skies, with many ordered to take down German bombers, while Spitfires usually
focused on the fighter planes. Hurricanes are credited with taking down more than half of enemy aircrafts
during the Battle of Britain.

#4: Essex Class Carriers

The Pacific War was decided just as much in the shipyard as on the battlefield. By 1943, America was
starting to take the upper hand against Japan, but they were running low on ships. Right when they were
needed the most, a new class of carriers hit the scene and turned the tide squarely in America's favor. With
an improved radar system and requiring less time to manufacture, the Essex class was a substantial
improvement over its predecessor. Between 1943 and 1950, 24 units were created, each capable of carrying
around one hundred planes.

#3: T-34 Tank

This is the tank that halted Nazi Germany's dominance. Growing suspicious of Joseph Stalin, Hitler set out to
conquer the Soviet Union by launching Operation Barbarossa. While initially met with success, this
operation quickly turned sour when the Soviets introduced the T-34 Tank. Capable of besting a Panzer on
any day of the week, at least prior to the introduction of the Panzerfaust, the Russians kept the invading
forces at bay with sheer efficiency. During the war, over 50,000 T-34 tanks were produced, greatly
outnumbering the Panzers and overwhelming the enemy troops.

#2: M1 Garand Rifle

In a fight between a semi-automatic and bolt-action rifle, there will only be one winner. The M1 Garand rifle
was used exclusively by the American forces, providing a huge advantage against German and Japanese
troops. Capable of firing eight rounds without interference, soldiers equipped with the M1 Garand could
simply do more damage than their bolt-action counterparts. The weapon's straightforward design allowed
the combatant to easily maintain it. Alongside the M1 Thompson – a submachine gun with a 30-round
capacity – the M1 Garand served as America's primary infantry weapon during World War II.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

The Higgins Boat

Katyusha Rocket Launcher

Avro Lancaster Bomber

#1: The Atomic Bomb

An explosion heard around the world. Based on Albert Einstein's theories, an atomic bomb works by
splitting an atom's nucleus with a single neuron, creating a devastating reaction. The Manhattan Project
started in 1939, but the bomb was not completed until 1945. While Germany had already surrendered, a
much weakened Japan was unwilling to end the war. Instead of dispatching an army, President Harry
Truman approved the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which killed over 200,000
people. Emperor Hirohito announced Japan's surrender soon after, bringing World War II to an end.

Top 10 Innovators who Changed the World

The world would look pretty different without the breakthroughs of these great innovators. Welcome to
WatchMojo.com, and today we're counting down our picks for the Top 10 Innovators who Changed the
World.
For this list, we're looking at inventors, entrepreneurs, and visionaries whose groundbreaking ideas altered
the course of history, ranked according to creativity, ingenuity, and influence.

#10: Sir Tim Berners-Lee

Without him, you wouldn’t be surfing the internet. Tim Berners-Lee is the English computer scientist who in
1989 invented the World Wide Web - the system of interlinked hypertext documents that allows us to
browse the internet. At the time, Berners-Lee worked for CERN, and wanted a way for scientists to keep
track of and share research information. But the World Wide Web soon became one of the most important
communications medium of all time - connecting people all over the world. Since then, Berners-Lee hasn’t
rested on his laurels; he holds positions at MIT and Oxford, is director of the World Wide Web Consortium,
and a leading advocate of net neutrality.

#9: Galileo Galilei

Disgraced in his time, but celebrated today, Italian polymath and intellectual rebel Galileo Galilei is
sometimes called “the father of the scientific method”. He’s best known for arguing that the Earth orbits the
Sun, a proposal that aroused fierce scientific and religious opposition. Nicolaus Copernicus had proposed a
heliocentric model in the sixteenth century, but Galileo had hard evidence, having made his own telescope
and observed moons orbiting Jupiter rather than Earth. The Roman Inquisition found his theory foolish,
absurd, and heretical, and condemned Galileo to house arrest for the rest of his life. But his ideas lived on,
and we know now he was right all along.

#8: The Wright Brothers

Man has dreamed of flying for millenia. But it was American brothers Orville and Wilbur Wright who made it
possible for us to soar like the birds. Until the Wrights built and flew the world’s first successful airplane in
1903, human flight was restricted to kites, gliders, hot air balloons, and hydrogen dirigibles. Their designs
revolutionized aviation, in particular their invention of three-axis control - giving pilots direct control over
the pitch, yaw, and roll of the plane. Through dogged persistence, they achieved the world’s first powered
flights, making modern aviation possible. Not bad for men who built and tested their ideas in a bicycle shop.

#7: Marie Curie

Marie Curie was not only the first woman to receive a Nobel Prize, she was also the first person to receive it
twice - in both physics and chemistry. Born in Poland, Curie studied and worked in Paris, where she
pioneered research into radioactivity, and with her husband Pierre discovered the elements polonium and
radium. At a time where all the odds were stacked against female scientists, Curie blazed new trails.
Although radiation probably caused her early death at 66, her research paved the way for radiation therapy
and atomic energy, earning her the moniker the “Mother of Modern Physics”.

#6: Steve Jobs

For some, Apple has become something of a religion. But whether you’re an acolyte, or an Android user, it’s
difficult to deny the impact Apple’s founder Steve Jobs has had on the modern world. A central figure in the
home computer revolution, Jobs was pushed out of Apple in 1985, but returned in triumphant fashion a
little over a decade later to oversee the rollout of the iMac, iPod, iPhone, and iPad. As a person, Jobs has
often been described in less than flattering terms - but without doubt, his uncompromising vision and flair
for design have radically changed the way we use technology.

#5: Henry Ford

The first automobiles remained the extravagant playthings of the upper class - until American industrialist
Henry Ford revolutionized production. In 1903, at age 39, Ford founded the Ford Motor Company, and in
1908 introduced the iconic Model T, priced at just $825. By creating the world’s first moving assembly lines,
Ford was able to minimize costs, maximize production, and at the same time pay his workers decent wages.
Within a few years, the price of the Model T dropped to $360 and, for better or worse, automobiles took
over the roads. Ford’s anti-semitism would leave a permanent stain on his reputation. But his method of
mass production formed one of the cornerstones of modern economic systems.

#4: Charles Babbage

Charles Babbage was an English polymath with fingers in pretty much every intellectual pie imaginable. A
professor who preferred learning over lecturing, he busied himself with breakthroughs in mathematics,
astronomy, and cryptography, but it was his design in 1837 of the first general-purpose mechanical
computer that earned him lasting fame. Although it relied on gears and punch cards, Babbage’s Analytical
Engine had the same logical structure as a modern digital computer, and he’s remembered today as a
prophetic visionary ahead of his time - inventing the computer almost one hundred years before Alan Turing
conceived of the Turing Machine.

#3: Thomas Edison

What do the light bulb, the motion picture camera, and the phonograph have in common? We owe modern
designs to American inventor and entrepreneur Thomas Edison, whose innovations were so miraculous he
was dubbed “The Wizard of Menlo Park”. An astute businessman as well as a hands-on tinkerer, he held a
staggering 1093 patents, and had a special talent for marketing his contraptions and developing existing
ideas into practical realities. While his vicious feud with rival Nikola Tesla isn’t winning him many fans these
days, Edison’s combination of ingenuity and business acumen fundamentally shaped the modern world.

#2: Nikola Tesla

Brilliant, eccentric, and prolific, Serbian-American inventor Nikola Tesla’s technologies power our homes
and contributed to wireless communication. Born in the Austrian Empire, Tesla arrived in the US with little
to his name, but soon quit a position at Thomas Edison’s Machine Works to strike out on his own. His
alternating current induction motor emerged the eventual victor in the War of the Currents between
himself and Edison. Tesla dreamt big, but sometimes struggled to finance his schemes, a fact embodied in
his most ambitious experiment - Wardenclyffe Tower, meant to transmit power around the world, but
demolished for scrap when funding collapsed. Still, it’s thanks to Tesla we can safely transmit electricity over
long distances today.

Before we reveal the identity of our top pick, here are some honorable mentions:

Benjamin Franklin

Alexander Graham Bell

Bill Gates

#1: Leonardo da Vinci

A painter, sculptor, architect, engineer, and inventor, Italian artist and scientist Leonardo Da Vinci mastered
more skills in his lifetime than many of us put together. In art, his attention to tone gradation, experiments
with light and shade, and innovations in perspective and composition changed painting forever. He used
meticulous anatomical studies to capture gestures and emotional expressions in rich, lifelike detail. In his
spare time, he sketched inventions both practical and impossible - ranging from a parachute, tank, and
helicopter, to a batlike flying machine and shoes for walking on water. Today, his iconic “Mona Lisa” attracts
millions of visitors a year, and he remains an enduring symbol of universal genius and the Renaissance.

Top 10 Historical Objects Ruined by Morons

They survived the ravages of time - but not acts of stupidity. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we're
counting down our picks for the top 10 historical objects ruined by morons.

For this list, we're looking at iconic or valuable objects and things from the past that have been broken,
damaged, or completely destroyed by inane decisions.

#10: Chinese Vase

Ever looked at Chinese porcelain hundreds of years old and thought, “Man, this would sure make a nice
table lamp?” Well, that’s what must have happened before someone drilled a hole in this Qing Dynasty vase
to push an electrical cable through. Decades later, a woman who had inherited the vase took it to be valued,
only to be told that the hole had dramatically decreased its value, down from a potential £50,000, to a few
thousand. So before repurposing some old vase that’s been lying around the house forever – go get an
appraisal.

#9: Statue of the Two Hercules

We’ve seen a spate of selfie mishaps in the early 21st century, from costly accidents to tragic deaths. It
seems people will do anything to get the perfect snap. A 300 year old statue featuring two depictions of
Hercules has long been a symbol of the city of Cremona, Italy. But the legendary hero’s statue was no match
for the selfie obsession of two tourists who decided to climb it for a quick photo. The men toppled and
shattered the marble crown on the emblem held by the pair of Hercules figures – and unfortunately this
wasn’t the first time holidaymakers have damaged historical Italian monuments.

#8: Star-Spangled Banner

At the Battle of Baltimore during the War of 1812, the British navy bombarded American forces at Fort
McHenry through the night. Detained on a British troopship, American poet Francis Scott Key watched in
dismay as the heavens seemed to rain down a sea of fire. But at dawn, an enormous American flag was
raised defiantly over the fort, a moment that inspired him to pen the American national anthem. This iconic
flag came into the possession of one Georgiana Armistead Appleton - who cut off snippets as gifts, before
the remains were whisked away to safety by the Smithsonian Institution.

#7: 5,000 Year Old Cave Painting

Thousands of years ago, one of our ancestors drew this mysterious long-armed figure in Los Escolares Cave
in Southern Spain. Hidden away from modern eyes until its rediscovery in 1973, it withstood the ravages of
time for millennia as civilizations rose and fell. But it couldn’t survive the shoddy work of thieves, who in
2014 sheared away part of the artwork in an attempt to steal it. This is a huge blow, as the damage is
irreparable, but it also points out another problem. Although the cave system housing the picture is listed as
a UNESCO World Heritage Site, there’s no practical way to protect it against such acts.

#6: The Senator

It was one of the oldest trees in the world, predating Jesus by 1,500 years. This bald cypress towered 125
feet high in Big Tree Park, Florida, and was a landmark for Native Americans and early settlers. But in 2012,
26 year old Sara Barnes, who proclaimed herself a “nature enthusiast” on her modeling page, lit a fire to
better see the methamphetamine she was about to smoke. Things got a little out of hand, and today, a
charred stump of wood is all that remains.

#5: Monet Painting

Ever struggled to get art? Maybe Irish vandal Andrew Shannon felt pretty frustrated about a Claude Monet
painting hanging in the National Gallery of Ireland in Dublin. Valued at €10 million, the Impressionist work,
"Argenteuil Basin with a Single Sailboat", depicts an idyllic scene on the Seine River. But it apparently
enraged Shannon, who in 2012 punched a hole right through the canvas. He initially told cops he was trying
to “get back at the state,” but would claim in court that it was an accident and that he stumbled, due to a
health condition. Witnesses claimed otherwise, and he served 5 years in the slammer. Thankfully, the
painting was later restored - after 18 painstaking months of work.

#4: El Paraíso Pyramid

“This pyramid would sure be a great spot for a swimming pool!” Maybe that’s what property developers
were thinking when they illegally bulldozed a 20 foot tall, four thousand year old pyramid at El Paraíso, Peru.
They then lit the remains on fire, for good measure. The site is one of the oldest and largest archaeological
sites in Peru. As a matter of fact, it predates the rise of the famous Incan Empire. Onlookers prevented them
from destroying other pyramids, and the developers were hit with criminal charges.

#3: Chilean Geoglyphs

The Dakar Rally: the annual off-road race where affluent drivers tear through untouched wilds. Before
moving to South America in 2009, the rally took place in Africa, where it attracted criticism for its impact on
locals and the environment. Archaeologists in Chile have also condemned the event. The route through the
Atacama Desert damaged protected sites, including ancient geoglyphs, which are works of art that are
carved into the ground. Some of these are well over a thousand years old. That doesn’t seem to matter of
these off-road enthusiasts, some of whom think nothing of driving across these priceless artifacts from
another era.

#2: Belize Pyramid

Belize is rich with relics left by the Mayans, whose civilization flourished in Central America for centuries
until beginning a serious decline after 950 AD. But in 2013, the country lost one of these riches when
construction crews used the stones of an ancient pyramid for road fill. The pyramid, called Noh Mul and
built in 250 BC, stood almost 60 feet tall, but was quickly broken down by the crew, who were later charged
and fined. Such destruction isn’t uncommon in Belize, where Mayan mounds are tempting targets for
construction workers.

#1: Ancient Chinese Tombs

Construction crews strike again. In 2007, workers building an IKEA branch in Nanjing, China, destroyed 10
ancient tombs dating back almost 1,800 years. It was claimed that this was all a mistake and the crews
didn’t know about the tombs. Ooookayyy…. But in 2013, contractors working on a metro line in Guangzhou
demolished imperial tombs, which had been clearly cordoned off by the Guangzhou Archaeology Research
Centre. Some of the tombs were 3,000 years old. The destruction of all these tombs is a huge loss for those
seeking to better understand China’s history.

Top 10 Most Evil Queens in History

These ruthless rulers are responsible for some of history’s darkest hours. Welcome to WatchMojo UK and
today we’ll be counting down our picks for the top 10 most evil queens in history!
For this list, the individuals do not necessarily have to have held the title of queen, as we’re including
anything equivalent in power - from wicked regents to unforgiving empresses.

#10: Empress Zhao Feiyan of China

32-1 BC
Heading back to the Han Dynasty, Zhao Feiyan and her sister Zhao Hede were born to Imperial servants, but
both rose through the ranks to become favoured consorts of Emperor Cheng. Feiyan became Empress, but
as neither her nor her sister bore Cheng an Imperial heir, they reportedly went to great and grisly lengths to
ensure that no other concubine could produce a son - from forced abortions to infanticide. Upon Cheng’s
death, Zhao Hede committed suicide, while Zhao Feiyan clung to power for a further five years – until she
killed herself at 31.
#9: Olga of Kiev
890-969
A princess who became a saint, Olga probably has a better reputation than most on today’s countdown –
but she also led one of the most brutal revenge missions ever. In the year 945, her husband Igor of Kiev was
killed by his enemies, the Drevlians. So, Olga hatched various schemes to settle the score. She had 20
Drevlian messengers buried alive; she had another delegation of 20 burned to death; she attended a
Drevlian feast and oversaw the slaughter of 5,000 more; and she supposedly burned down an entire city by
lacing pigeons with sulphur. That’s one way to vent your anger.

#8: Catherine de’ Medici, Queen of France

1519-1589
Queen of France between 1547 and 1559, Catherine de’ Medici had some influence over her husband Henry
II’s reign, but when he died her powers grew. As Regent, she guided the turbulent rule of her three sons,
during a series of Huguenot rebellions. The throne’s increasingly harsh policies are often attributed to
Catherine, culminating in the St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre – a weeks-long killing spree which resulted in
thousands of Protestant deaths. Rumoured links with the Occult also surrounded the former Italian
noblewoman, who owned a talisman created by Nostradamus. Master manipulator or blatant witch? You
decide.

#7: Mary I of England

1516-1558
Given that history has dubbed her ‘Bloody Mary’, this queen carved quite a reputation during her five-year
reign. Determined to reverse the Reformation instigated by her father, Henry VIII, she sought to reinstate
Catholicism across the realm. Almost immediately upon ascending to the throne, Mary had leading
Protestant clergymen imprisoned, while hundreds more were forced into exile. She then arranged the
execution of over 250 prominent Protestants, forcing many to watch their peers be burned at the stake
before suffering the same fate.

#6: Isabella I of Castile

1451-1504
As one half of The Catholic Monarchs, Isabella of Spain was a prominent figure behind the Spanish
Inquisition, and the expulsion of Muslims and Jews from the country. Alongside Ferdinand II of Aragon, she
turned Catholicism into a compulsory faith, forcing up to 200,000 people to convert, or else flee. Those who
continued to practice alternative religions in secret were imprisoned, often tortured and sometimes burned
alive. And Isabella was keen to see her hard-line policies adopted elsewhere, as she and Ferdinand financed
Christopher Columbus and the colonization of the Americas.

#5: Agrippina the Younger

15-59
The fourth wife of the Roman Emperor Claudius, directly following Valeria Messalina who supposedly
sought to execute Claudius herself, Agrippina was also Caligula’s sister – so you could say evil was in her
blood. She was actually exiled for plotting against Caligula, but returned following his death, and married.
Agrippina quickly sought to eliminate her rivals in variously ruthless ways, and in a bid for long-lasting power
she persuaded Claudius to adopt her son, Nero. She allegedly poisoned her husband soon afterwards, and
Nero became Emperor. But it also ended badly for Agrippina, who was ultimately assassinated by her son.
Families, eh!

#4: Irene of Athens

752-803
Assuming power over the Byzantine Empire as Regent for Constantine VI – who was just nine-years old
when he inherited the throne – Irene of Athens is remembered for her controversial efforts to restore the
worship of religious icons. A divisive figure then and now, maintaining power was everything to her – no
matter the cost. When Constantine was old enough to rule, she proved an exceptionally overbearing
mother, until he sought to break free from her authority. Their rivalry was ended when Irene framed her
son for conspiracy; Constantine had his eyes gouged out as punishment. Brutal.

#3: Fredegund of Soissons

545-597
Queen Consort with Chilperic I, a sixth-century Frankish king, and Regent for her son Chlothar II, Fredegund
rose through the ranks from royal servant, to the King’s mistress, to a cold-blooded murderer ready to kill
whenever necessary. Amongst other things, she arranged for Chilperic’s previous wife to be strangled; she
started a fierce 40-year feud with that woman’s sister, Brunhilda; and she tried to crush the skull of her own
daughter, using a treasure chest. If you got on her bad side, you were usually killed – and often in an
unpleasant manner.

#2: Wu Zetian of China

624-705
Taking control of China after millennia of male rule, and steering the empire through a relatively stable
period in its history, Wu could well be judged as a very successful leader. However, her time at the top was
drenched in blood. She employed a secret police to find and murder potential opponents, and she had no
qualms with attacking her own. She’s heavily implicated in the death of her own infant daughter – who was
supposedly strangled so that Wu could frame a rival – and her accusations of witchcraft or treason led to
various executions, including those of most of her own family.

#1: Ranavalona I of Madagascar

1778-1861
Also known as the Mad Queen, Ranavalona entered into the Madagascan royal family a commoner, but
fought off various claimants to the throne, and eventually ruled for over 30 years. Remembered for her
fierce policies, such as banning Christianity, she led an exceptionally harsh regime, characterised by forced
labour practices and brutal executions. Cross Ranavalona and you were beheaded, boiled alive, or thrown
into a ravine. Estimates say that up to 75% of the Madagascan population died during her reign, through
war, disease or by Ranavalona’s own orders.

Top 10 Lost Treasures in the World

These treasures remain unfound but not unwanted. Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we’ll be
counting down our picks for the Top 10 Lost Treasures in the World.

For this list, we’ll be looking at the most valuable and/or famous caches of treasure that remain hidden or
else that have been lost to the world. We won’t be including treasures or locations that most agree are
fictional, like the sunken Atlantis.

#10: The Oak Island Money Pit (~1500-1700)

Located on an island off the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada, the Oak Island Money Pit is a mysterious pit of
loose soil that is among the most excavated treasure sites in the world, (and has obsessed even famous
people like U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt). Various plagues, stones and markers in the location have
given strong hints about possible buried treasure. Over the years, the stories of what the supposed treasure
actually is have varied wildly, ranging from a pirate hoard belonging to Captain Kidd or Blackbeard to
Shakespearean folios to royal jewels. Whatever its contents, the Money Pit remains an enduring and
enticing mystery.

#9: The Missing Kruger Millions (1890s-1900)

The Boers were the South African descendants of Dutch settlers. When they fought the British in the second
Anglo-Boer War and realized they would lose the war and be overrun, it reportedly prompted Boer leaders
to gather as much gold (and diamonds) as they could. Supposedly, the last president of Boer-era South
Africa, Paul Kruger, hid this treasure well in South Africa before fleeing the country. In today’s currency, the
value of the gold is estimated at around . . . half a billion dollars. While parts of the gold may have been
found over the years, the total truth of those claims has not been verified and the treasure remains
unaccounted for.

#8: The Treasure of the Copper Scroll (~100 BC)

The oldest treasure on our list, the Copper Scroll is one of the famous Dead Sea Scrolls and is completely
unique compared to the rest, as it is essentially a treasure map. Recorded on it are dozens of sites where
gold and silver were hidden by the crafters of the scroll, who are thought to be members of an early Jewish
temple or military group. The directions are written in such a way that they assume that any readers would
be familiar with the locations described; considering the fact that the locales are over 2000 years out of
date, this makes finding the treasures borderline impossible.

#7: The Victorio Peak Treasure (1937)

In the state of New Mexico in the 1930s, a man named Doc Noss claimed to have found a huge cache of gold
bars or rods in the mountains of Victorio Peak while hiking (the claim has never been proven). After
removing some treasure, Noss later returned to the cave where he had found them and tried to use
dynamite to widen the narrow entrance. Predictably, Noss’ efforts only served to seal up the cave. Since
then, many have tried to rediscover the treasure, including the US army during the 1950s nuclear tests.
However, the gold’s location, as well as its origins, remains a buried secret to this day.

#6: Forrest Fenn's Million-Dollar Buried Treasure (~2010)

Forrest Fenn is a controversial art and antiquities dealer. After being diagnosed with cancer in the 1980s,
Fenn decided to bury roughly a million dollars worth of treasure in a chest somewhere in the Rocky
Mountains. He survived his cancer, but later buried the treasure anyway. Fenn has put out an enigmatic
poem containing hints about where the treasure can be found. According to Fenn, when the growing value
of the chest’s contents reaches 10 million dollars, he will unearth it. Nevertheless, the story and riddle map
have inspired many to search for it, and several people have even died in their pursuit of Fenn’s treasure.

#5: The Lost Fabergé Eggs (1917-29)

The world-famous Fabergé Eggs are a group of exquisite ornaments shaped like eggs and made from items
like gold, glass and enamel, often encrusted with jewels. The majority of them were made for the Russian
Royal Family, although a few others were made for select individuals. When the Russian Revolution toppled
the monarchy in Russia, some of the eggs were stored securely, while some were later sold or lost.
Currently, 7 of the Fabergé Eggs are unaccounted for, but there is still hope that they may be found – after
all, there have been several finds in recent years.

#4: The Amber Room (1943)

Considered one of the wonders of the world by some, the Amber Room was an elegant room constructed of
gold, jewels, and, as its name implies, amber paneling. First built for a palace in Prussia, the room was later
moved to Russia, but was taken by Germany during the Second World War. In the chaos surrounding the
end of the war, the Amber Room was lost. Most signs point to it being somewhere in central Europe, and its
value is estimated to be around 200 million dollars. . . at least. While only time will tell if the room can be
found again, a recreation was recently unveiled in Russia, made from comparable materials.

#3: The Lufthansa Heist (1978)

Made particularly famous in pop culture in the great Martin Scorsese movie “Goodfellas,” the Lufthansa
Heist is believed to be the largest cash robbery in American history. Cash and jewels worth over 21 million
dollars in today’s currency were stolen from a Lufthansa cargo building at JFK airport in 1978. Despite being
one of the most thoroughly-investigated crimes in the United States, none of the stolen money or jewels has
ever been recovered. Why has this been the case? Well, perhaps due to the heist’s architect, gangster
Jimmy Burke, making most brutally certain that there were no information leaks.

#2: The Treasure of the Flor de la Mar (1511)

The Flor de la Mar was a Portuguese warship that was wrecked off the coast of Sumatra. According to
historical accounts, the vessel was laden with the largest treasure ever collected by that nation’s navy,
composed of valuables taken from Malacca, (what is now Malaysia) as well as tribute from the King of Siam
(what is now Thailand). The total value is estimated to exceed 2.5 billion dollars, making it one of the
greatest unfound sunken treasures in the world (along with Spain’s famous Lost 1715 Treasure Fleet).

#1: The Treasure of the Knights Templar (1307)

The Knights Templar was a Christian military order that accrued a huge amount of wealth, in part due to
using a primitive kind of banking. In addition, the order was supposedly entrusted with many legendary
religious relics, such as the Holy Grail and the Ark of the Covenant. When the Knights Templar fell out of
favor, they were demonized and much of their assets were seized. However, much of their treasure remains
lost and while it’s hard to say where it is or how much it’s worth, it could easily be in the billions; or if they
truly had holy objects – priceless.

Top 10 Most Important Moments in British History

Ready for a history lesson? Welcome to WatchMojo UK and today we're counting down our picks for the
Top 10 Most Important Events in British History.

For this list, we’re looking at some of the key the Moments that have propelled Britain forward in the last
thousand years. Obviously we can’t cram a millennium’s worth of history into one video so don’t be
surprised if there are some significant events we haven’t covered just yet!

#10: The Failure of the Commonwealth (1659)

The Protectorate was a period that took place during the Commonwealth when England, Ireland and
Scotland were under the rule of Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell and subsequently his son, Richard
Cromwell. This was the only time in history that England had republican rule. Monarchists refer to this
period as the Interregnum, a time when there was no ruler on the throne of England. This resulted in the
Restoration, which took place the following year. The demise of republican rule still allowed many of the
recently established democratic institutions to remain which have endured until modern times.

#9: American Colonies Declare Their Independence (1776)

Prior to 1776, what we now know as the United States of America was simply a collection of thirteen
colonies on the east coast bordering the Atlantic. Residents there were becoming increasingly dissatisfied
with British rule and had been waging war on the Brits for more than a year. Finally, by the summer of 1776,
all thirteen of the colonies had agreed to segregate from England. Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration
of Independence when was then adopted by Congress. The American War for Independence was not yet
finished- it would go on for another five years.

#8: Great Fire of London (1666)

In the summer of 1666, a blaze engulfed the city of London, destroying almost everything in its path. 13, 200
houses were taken as well as 87 churches. It is estimated that the vast majority of London residents lost
their homes to the fire. Strangely, amid all of this destruction there are hardly any reports of deaths taking
place due to the fire. Historians have established several reasons for this: firstly, the deaths of commoners
were not always recorded and secondly, the bodies may have been completely incinerated, leaving no
evidence of how many really perished. The city had to be entirely rebuilt and some historians believe that
the fire was actually beneficial in a way because it eliminated many unsanitary and plague infected
buildings.

#7: The Peasants Revolt (1381)

In the 14th century, British commoners had a lot to be upset about. The plague had recently wiped out a
huge portion of the population which meant that laborers were able to demand more money because
workers were no longer so readily available. The government however set the Ordinance of Labourers which
cemented wages at the low amounts they were before the Black Death. They also levied a poll tax to fund
the war against the French which ate up even more of the peasants wages. All of this led to The Great Rising
of 1381 which had an impact on the Hundred Years' War because authorities were not able to raise taxes for
funding as they had for prior conflicts.

#6: The Suffragette Movement is Formed (1903)

Though the women’s suffrage movement had been underway for several years already, 1903 marked
an important event in British history. The Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) was created by
Emmeline Pankhurst and others, which took direct action to further their goals. The First World War put a
pause on suffrage campaigning though there was still some progress. Many cite 1918 as the year that
women in the UK gained the right to vote but in fact at that point it excluded women under the age of 30 as
well as those who did not independently own property. It was only a decade later in1928 that all women
were granted the right to cast a vote.

#5: End of WWII (1945)

The entire period of the Second World War ranging from 1939 to 1945 was evidently a remarkable
time in the history of the United Kingdom. Of the many things that came of the war, one of
the most notable was a push for a bigger and more intervening government. The welfare of the people
during wartime had become a government problem that was dealt with to the satisfaction of the
population. A spirit of community-mindedness was also fostered by the difficult times of war and the English
people came out of the conflict with strengthened class relationships which would lead to more left leaning
social policies moving forward.

#4: Henry VIII Severs Ties with Church (1529)

Henry VIII is probably most famous for his six wives (two of whom he had beheaded) and it was his desire to
end his marriage with his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, that spurred on one of the key
events in British History. Catherine was unable to give Henry the male heir that he so needed, so he
petitioned Pope Clement VII to annul his marriage. When he was refused, he took the radical step of
severing ties with Rome and starting the English Reformation. He named himself Supreme Head of the
Church of England and was excommunicated from the Roman Catholic Church though he always remained
true to his Catholic upbringing.

#3: The Magna Carta Was Signed (1215)

The Magna Carta (which can be translated to “The Great Charter”) is one of history’s most revered and
renowned documents. It was instituted by King John of England and the premise behind it was to ensure
that every citizen (including the monarchy) would be subject to the law of the land. Much of the text has
been edited since its inception and very few of the clauses remain in modern law, but nonetheless The
Magna Carta is the basis of the British Constitution. Many principles represented in the document have
been influential in bills of rights around the world.

#2: Battle of Waterloo (1815)

On June 18th, 1815, Napoleon and his army marched on the Belgian village of Waterloo to fight against the
Duke of Wellington and his army of Brits, Germans and Belgians. Napoleon made some critical strategic
errors which led to his troops losing the battle. This victory for England marked the end of France’s
dominance in Europe and a return to the previous power Britain had exerted for centuries. The result of this
conflict is thought to have had an impact on world history as well, bringing in a period of relative peace,
which allowed for technical innovations and prosperity.

#1: Battle of Hastings (1066)

Nearly a thousand years ago, the face of England was forever changed. In a battle won by William the
Conqueror, the Anglo-Saxon King Harold was killed with an arrow through the eye. The outcome of the
Battle of Hastings impacted British life, culture and language in innumerable ways. The language of official
documents became Latin, but of even more impact was the influence of the French language over English
especially in the tradition of names. Traditional Anglo-Saxon names began to disappear in favor of French
names that we today consider inherently English like William, Henry and Robert…
Top 10 Most Controversial Political Figures

We recommend not getting into arguments about any of the following politicians; it’ll probably get ugly.
Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Most Controversial
Political Figures.

For this list, we’re looking at the lawmakers and leaders that evoke intense reactions from their supporters
and their haters. In order for someone to be considered, they can’t be universally hated or acknowledged as
pure evil, like Adolf Hitler. They have to have a base that supports them, and detractors that point out their
flaws.

#10: Hillary Clinton

Hillary has a list of achievements that puts many other politicians to shame. She was First Lady for 8 years,
Senator from New York, Secretary of State under former Presidential rival President Obama, and the first
woman in a major U.S. political party to be nominated for President. For many, she is a powerful feminist
figure in politics and particularly loved by the left, but she is also equally vilified. Perhaps most infamous is
her handling of Benghazi and her private email server. Many feel that choosing such a polarizing candidate
ultimately cost the Democrats the 2016 US election.

#9: Benjamin Netanyahu

The man they call “Bibi” is a juggernaut in Israeli politics. He was Israel’s ambassador to the UN from 1984 to
1988, and was elected four times as the country’s Prime Minister. But as popular as Netanyahu is among
Conservatives in both his own country and abroad, he is less liked by parts of the left and groups that
oppose the continuing violence of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He also clashed with President Obama on a
few occasions, over issues like the continued building of Israeli settlements, and the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.
As long as Bibi stays popular in his homeland though, it doesn’t look like he’ll be going anywhere.

#8: George W. Bush

Dubya’s Presidency was controversial from day one, as he lost the popular vote and was chosen as the
ultimate winner of the 2000 election by the Supreme Court. Though his sky-high poll numbers following
9/11 gave him unprecedented popularity and power, he chipped away at that goodwill throughout the rest
of his administration. The Iraq War became a costly, seemingly endless endeavor, his handling of Hurricane
Katrina was considered generally weak, and he ended up presiding over the worst American economy since
the Great Depression. While nobody would argue against his leadership skills in the aftermath of September
11th, almost everything he did after that was seen less than positively by the masses.

#7: Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

During Erdogan’s 11 year prime-ministership in the 2000s, he attempted to bring Turkey into the 21st
century by negotiating the country’s acceptance into the European Union, improving the economy, and
reducing the power of the Turkish military. But shortly before Erdogan became President in 2014, he was
caught up in corruption scandals and even accusations of abuse of power against dissident groups. By the
time he assumed the Presidency, the situation in Turkey had become downright volatile, with Erdogan
reportedly repressing the power of the free press and media, leading to an unsuccessful coup in July 2016.
Following a 2017 referendum that basically granted him unlimited presidential power, many see him as a
dictator-in-the-making.

#6: Silvio Berlusconi

A media titan before he was a major political player in Italy, Berlusconi’s three non-consecutive terms made
him the longest serving Prime Minister of post-war Italy. But... despite his victories, his tenure in office was
marred by corruption scandals and a struggling economy during his third and final term. That being said,
Berlusconi is probably more known for all the mayhem he caused out of office. It would take too long to run
down everything he’s infamous for, but some of the lowlights include his involvement in an underage sex
scandal, possible ties to the Mafia, and his legendarily outspoken demeanor, which has landed him in hot
water more than a few times.

#5: Richard Nixon

It’s easy to forget all the progress Nixon made in the early years of his Presidency. He was the first US
President to visit the People’s Republic of China, initiated détente with the Soviet Union, and finally ended
US involvement in Vietnam. Despite his massive popularity going into his second term, he was brought
down by one infamous compound word: Watergate. The break-in and ensuing scandal destroyed trust in
the federal government, and Nixon specifically. It was, as his successor called it, a “long national nightmare.”
In the end, Nixon’s legacy is split: some admire the progress he made in his early years, while others revile
the mistakes he made in his later ones.

#4: Vladimir Putin

The man who put Russia back on the road to being a superpower, Putin is beloved by many in his home
country, where he’s portrayed as some sort of superhero. But internationally, and in leftist Russian circles,
the view of him is much less favorable. Putin’s cold, brutal rule has resulted in what many see as
suppression of liberties in Russia, specifically his antagonism against journalists and the free press. He’s also
supportive of regimes that have blatantly violated human rights, such as Bashar Al-Assad’s in Syria. A lot of
times, it seems like Putin is unafraid of returning to the status quo of the Cold War, and that scares a lot of
people.

#3: Margaret Thatcher

When the UK was at its lowest point in the late 70s, its first female Prime Minister came along to try to set
things right. Regarded equally for her leadership and her status as an icon for women, the Iron Lady brought
Britain out of a period of economic stagnation by rejecting the post-war consensus and lessening the
country’s reliance on welfare. These policies later became known as “Thatcherism”. However, despite her
success at the time, harsh critics of Thatcherism remain vocal, referring to the fact that even though the
economy may have improved, unemployment did not. Despite her looming stature in Britain’s history,
Thatcher remains a polarizing figure in her homeland.

#2: Fidel Castro

Years after the Cuban Revolution, the impact and legacy of Fidel Castro’s decades-long rule continues to be
debated. Despite cutting off his country from the rest of the world, he brought Cuba into a new era, freeing
it from the hand of American imperialism, and becoming iconic among anti-capitalists and members of the
far-left. Still, his cult of personality was evidence of a totalitarian rule in his country. Despite his
responsibility in raising parts of the standard of living in Cuba, Castro is also characterized as a ruthless ruler
- not only supposedly suppressing liberties, but also aligning himself with regimes like the Soviet Union, an
alliance that almost led to full nuclear war in 1962.

Before we get to our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- Tony Blair
Prime Minister of the UK (1997-2007)

- Robert Mugabe
President of Zimbabwe (1987-)

- Rodrigo Duterte
President of the Philippines (2016-)

#1: Donald Trump

He didn’t have any political experience. He lobbed insults like they were going out of style. He endured so
many scandals that would have ended anyone else’s career. He was up against a qualified but equally
polarizing candidate. Despite it all… Donald Trump became President. He was able to tap into something in
Americans and ride it to the top. His White House tenure has proven equally polarizing, with continuing
scandals, personnel turnovers, and rampant Twitter rants driving him to the lowest approval ratings of any
US President. Yet, his supporters stand by him, ensuring that President Trump continues to be one of the
most controversial figures in political history.

Top 10 Historic People Who May Have Been Superheroes

The history of humanity has been shaped by incredible human beings doing unbelievable things. Welcome
to WatchMojo.com, and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 10 Historic People Who May
Have Been Superheroes.

For this list, we’re looking at individuals throughout history who have demonstrated unbelievable skills and
abilities or achieved accomplishments beyond those of any typical person. These incredible individuals have
earned themselves a place in the history books, and could very well have been real life superheroes.

#10: Angus MacAskill

Super Size & Super Strength

At 7 feet 9 inches, MacAskill was the tallest “natural giant” in recorded history. Although the tallest man,
Robert Wadlow, and woman, Zeng Jinglian, were well over 8 feet, both were diagnosed with gigantism, a
hormonal condition. MacAskill’s proportions were consistent with the average man - just massive. Born in
Scotland in 1825, his family moved to Nova Scotia when he was a child. He was of normal height until he hit
puberty. As an adult, he weighed an estimated 425 lbs and was quite healthy. Among the strongest men in
history, he reportedly lifted a 2,800-pound anchor to chest height and could tip over a two-ton boat to drain
it of bilge water.

#9: Amelia Earhart

Courage & Ambition

Some heroes are super as a result of uncommon courage, willpower, and single-minded commitment to
their goals. Amelia Earhart is the most famous and accomplished aviatrix of the 20th Century. Just by virtue
of her uncompromising pioneering spirit in a male dominated world, she achieved Agent Peggy Carter levels
of badassery and respect. But she didn’t simply fly planes - she broke records, both in female aviation and
aviation… period. She set the speed record for 100km or 62 miles, and was the first person to pilot an
autogyro across America. She pushed the boundaries of aviation and had she completed her final journey, it
would’ve been the longest of its kind the world had ever seen.

#8: Miyamoto Musashi

Master Swordsman

Separating fact from fiction can be tough when it comes to the life of this lone samurai or “Rōnin.” His fame
during his own lifetime, from about 1584 - 1645, was so great that it inspired artists and writers to create
fictionalized accounts of his exploits, turning him into a “living legend.” But a few things are considered fact.
He was one of the greatest swordsman to ever live, and was unparalleled in his two sword technique. He
won a record breaking 60 duels. Despite his many activities, he died in his 60s of natural causes, cementing
his reputation as an “invincible” swordfighter. His philosophical and martial arts-based “Book of Five Rings”
is still studied today.

#7: Masutatsu Ōyama [aka Mas Oyama]

Super Strength & Super Stamina

Born Choi Yeong-eui in Korea under Japanese occupation in 1923, Mas Oyama was a master martial artist,
and founded the influential Kyokushin style of karate. He credits Musashi’s “The Book of Five Rings” as his
greatest inspiration. Oyama earned his nickname, “The Godhand” with his “one punch - certain kill”
technique, which is... exactly what it sounds like. He fought bulls to the death barehanded, or, as happened
on some occasions, with a single punch to the face. He also invented the 100-man Kumite, which consisted
of one hundred 2 minute rounds of sparring. He once performed this feat three times back to back over
three consecutive days - a truly inhuman showing of endurance.

#6: Jesse Owens

Super Speed

Mankind may never run as fast as The Flash, but this track and field star proved man capable of running
much faster than ever previously imagined. At the 1935 Big Ten meet in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Jesse Owens
broke three world records and tied a fourth one… in less than an hour. This achievement has been dubbed
the “the greatest 45 minutes ever in sport.” At the 1936 Summer Olympic games, he won gold in 100
meters, 200 meters, long jump, and the 4 × 100 meter relay. Held in Berlin, these Olympic games were
viewed by Hitler as an opportunity to showcase Aryan supremacy - any hopes of which the African American
Jesse Owens certainly dashed.

#5: Theodore Roosevelt

Various Superhuman Qualities & Endeavors

Born a sickly asthmatic child, he became one of the most accomplished men in American history, not to
mention President of the United States. A jiu-jitsu and boxing practitioner, Theodore Roosevelt was also a
respected author and scholar. As Police Commissioner in NYC, he went undercover as a beat cop to weed
out corruption. He personally led the charge at the Battle of Kettle Hill. He was shot in the chest while
campaigning, and still gave his scheduled 90 minute speech. His mediation of the treaty to end the Russo-
Japanese War earned him a Nobel Peace Prize. And he once rode 100 miles on horseback, at the age of 51...
just to prove a point.

#4: Louis Cyr

Super Strength

Canadians must be feeding their kids right, because this is the second famous strongman to make our list
who grew up in the Great White North. A French Canadian from Quebec, Louis Cyr is known as “the
strongest man ever to have lived.” Some modern world champion weightlifters may claim to have him beat,
but since he lived 1863 to 1912, it’s hard to judge fairly. What we can say is that his most staggering feats of
strength include backlifting between an estimated 4,337lbs and 6,678lbs (based on varying accounts), and
lifting 500 lbs with a single finger. He worked as a cop for 2 years. Talk about “striking fear in the hearts of
criminals.”

#3: Albert Einstein

Super Genius

Not every superhuman ability is physical in nature. There have been a number of super geniuses over the
course of history. Sir Isaac Newton gave us our understanding of gravity and the three “Laws of Motion,”
which would function as the governing rules of our universe until Einstein presented his theory of relativity.
Comparing the relative intelligence of geniuses from different lifetimes achieves very little. Einstein isn’t
necessarily more of a super genius than Newton, but there’s no denying his role as the most iconic super
genius, whose cognitive abilities some have called - superhuman. An autopsy of his brain revealed a number
of irregularities to support that idea.

#2: Bruce Lee

Super Reflexes & Super Strength

The untimely demise of Bruce Lee meant that the world never got to see him realize his full potential - in
film, pop culture, or martial arts. But in his relatively short life, Lee, a prodigy of the legendary martial arts
master Yip Man, proved himself an extraordinary fighter, and truly one of a kind. His strength and reflexes
seemingly exceeded human standards. He could reportedly snatch grains of rice out of the air with
chopsticks. Cameramen complained that he moved too fast for traditional cameras. His reputed two-
fingered push-ups, one armed pull ups, and “dragon flag” core exercise could break even the most serious
of fitness buffs. His one inch punch… sure looks superhuman.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Rathakrishnan Velu [aka King Tooth]

Super Strength

Leonardo da Vinci
Super Genius & Super Creativity

Muhammad Ali
Super Speed & Reflexes

#1: Jim Thorpe

Super Athlete

He might be exactly what scientists in “Captain America” were aiming for - the perfect physical specimen.
Jim Thorpe performed like a superhuman, but he wasn’t created in a lab. Born near Prague, Oklahoma, to
parents of Native American and European ancestry, in the Sac and Fox Nation, he is considered one of
history’s greatest athletes, and undeniably, its most versatile. In 1950, the Associated Press named him the
greatest athlete of the first half of 20th Century. At the turn of the 21st century, ABC Sports declared that to
still hold true. In his lifetime, Thorpe played football at the college and professional level, as well as baseball
and basketball professionally. In 1912, he won two gold medals in Track and Field.

Top 10 Unsolved World War I Mysteries

It may have been known as the war to end all wars, but these conundrums still exist in the minds of many.
Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Unsolved World War
I Mysteries.

For this list, we’re ranking the most well known, yet enigmatic situations that arose during the first World
War. The secrets behind some of these mysteries are shrouded in obscurity, while others might never be
solved, but that hasn’t stopped historians from trying to uncover their secrets.

#10: Who Killed the Red Baron?

Nope, not that Red Baron! We’re talking about the German flying ace also known as Manfred von
Richthofen. Von Richthofen was a talented and celebrated fighter pilot with over 80 confirmed victories to
his credit, but there’s large amount of controversy regarding his death. What isn’t debated is that The Red
Baron was shot in the chest during a dogfight with two Canadian pilots on April 21st, 1918. Instead, the
question is who shot the fatal bullets into the incredibly resilient von Richthofen? The U.K.’s Royal Air Force
officially recognizes one of the Canadians, Captain Arthur Brown, as the shooter, but other sources have
named no less than four other men who might’ve made history that day.

#9: John Parr and the First Shot

John Parr is believed to have been the first British soldier killed in the line of duty during WWI, but the
identity of exactly who fired the first shot of the conflict remains a mystery. Furthermore, there’s also a
mystery behind exactly which person was responsible for Parr’s death, as there were a rash of friendly fire
incidents early on in the war. It’s believed that the army Private was killed by a German patrol while on a
reconnaissance mission in Belgium, but theories have also surfaced that Parr may’ve been accidentally killed
by British forces, or by opposition at the Battle of Mons, not far from where he was stationed.

#8: World War I’s Mystery Artist

During the 1960s, the University of Victoria in British Columbia came into possession of a collection of
mysterious, yet beautifully rendered sketches dating back to World War I. The signature on the pieces
belong to a "JM," and there is an additional dedication to a daughter named "Adele". These are the only
clues to the artist’s identity. The art used both watercolors and pen and ink methods, and depicts the harsh
realities of war, such as the effect of chemical weapons upon horses. It’s believed that "JM" was a British
soldier, but that’s all researchers have as yet uncovered about this mysterious artist whose work continues
to affect audiences to this day.

#7: The Florentine Diamond

This priceless jewel has a convoluted history of ownership, having passed through numerous hands,
beginning with – by many accounts – Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy. It’s not who owned which fuels
the mystery behind the Florentine Diamond, however, as the jewel was lost in the aftermath of World War I.
Historians believe that the Florentine Diamond was initially brought into Switzerland by the exiled Charles I
of Austria, before disappearing from history in 1918. Theories abound as to who took the diamond, and
where it eventually ended up, with some believing it was smuggled into the United States, and re-cut
thereafter.

#6: Krech, the Sub and the Sea Monster

It was 1918 when Günther Krech and the crew of his German U-Boat surrendered to the British Navy in a
panic, relaying a story that a horrible sea monster had attacked them and left their vessel in shambles. Or
did it? A Daily Mail article from 2016 claims that it was actually Krech’s desire to install a heater in his
quarters that resulted in his boat taking on water during an intentional crash-dive, its cables preventing a
tower hatch from being completely sealed from water. Still, there are also those who believe Krech’s story,
including Loch Ness Sightings Record Keeper Gary Campbell, who thinks that, just maybe, Nessie’s cousin
was doing her part for the war effort!

#5: The Kinmel Park Mutiny

The First World War was already over when the Kinmel Park Mutiny took place at a Welsh military complex
on the fourth and fifth of March, 1919. Five Canadian soldiers died and 23 were wounded during riots which
took place in the camp, likely due to overcrowding, poor living conditions and the delays in getting the
soldiers back home to Canada. There were 78 arrests made during this time, with a third of that number
receiving military convictions for mutiny. The mystery remains, however: what happened to the five soldiers
who died? How did it happen, and who was responsible? The answers may be lost to history.

#4: The Mysterious Fate of the USS Cyclops

We may never know what happened to the USS Cyclops after the American naval vessel disappeared
somewhere in the Bermuda Triangle during March 1918. The disappearance of the Cyclops remains the
largest Naval loss of life outside of combat, given that a crew of over three hundred was lost with the ship.
Some historians feel that the Cyclops was sunk by some sort of terrible storm, while others believe it went
down in battle against German opposition, but as of yet no actual proof has been uncovered to reveal the
ship’s fate. The Cyclops’ sister ships, Proteus and Nereus, were also lost at sea over twenty years later,
during World War II.

#3: The Zebrina and Her Missing Crew

Yet another tale of naval disaster, only this time with a boat...but no crew. The Zebrina was a trade vessel
whose remnants were found washed ashore near the French coast in 1917. Although the ship’s rigging was
found to be a bit out of order, there were no other outward signs of damage. This left some historians to
believe that her crew was picked up by a German U-Boat along the way, but later sank or was lost at sea.
Still, the fact that we may never know exactly what happened to the Zebrina makes it one of the First World
War’s most eerie mysteries.

#2: Recovering the Lost Treasure of the Tsars

Is the lost gold of the Tsarist Russian Empire lurking at the bottom of Lake Baikal, the world’s largest
freshwater lake? Perhaps, according to a 2010 Daily Mail article, which detailed the results of a mapping
expedition which claimed to have spotted numerous "shiny metal objects" over a thousand feet below the
lake’s surface. This priceless historical treasure dates back to World War I and the collapse of the Russian
Empire, as conflicting legends claim either retreating troops or derailed White Army trains resulted in the
gold sinking to the bottom of Baikal. The Lost Treasure of the Tsars remains one intriguing mystery, and one
we hope will someday be solved.

#1: Béla Kiss

Hungary’s Béla Kiss was drafted into World War I shortly after it began, yet it was what he left behind that
would make him infamous. Local authorities found the strangled bodies of local women tucked into alcohol-
filled drums on Kiss’ property. The bodies featured puncture wounds, had been drained of blood and were
left to pickle in the barrels. The mystery deepened when Kiss avoided police by trading places with a dead
soldier while in a Serbian hospital, and all other attempts to capture Kiss were unsuccessful. Sightings of Kiss
would be reported as late as 1932, with one New York City detective claiming to have seen the serial killer in
Times Square. However, his fate remains unknown.

Top 10 Things You Didn’t Know About the Attack on Pearl Harbor

Despite the extensive coverage of the event, these are things you may not have known about the fated day
of December 7, 1941. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the top
ten things you didn’t know about the attack on Pearl Harbor.

For this list, we’re discussing various facets of the attack on Pearl Harbor that you may not be aware of.

#10: American Radar Detected Approaching Plane

The Americans had about a one-hour warning that danger was imminent, but a combination of
miscommunication and inexperience prevented the warning from reaching the right people. George Elliot
and Joseph Lockard spotted the approaching first wave using the SCR-270 radar. This reached the ears of
Lieutenant Kermit Tyler, but due to his inexperience and the fact that the operators failed to mention the
sheer number of targets, he thought it was the scheduled B-17 bombers and ignored the warning. He was
wrong. And this was after Americans spotted and attacked an approaching Japanese submarine!

#9: The U.S. Captured Its First P.O.W. At Pearl Harbor

His name was Kazuo Sakamaki, and he was a Japanese naval officer. Sakamaki attacked Pearl Harbor in a
midget submarine, but it was soon disabled and trapped on Waimanalo Beach. He attempted to blow it up,
but the charges failed to go off. He then swam underneath the sub to investigate the charges but passed out
mid-investigation. He was found by David Akui and became the first Japanese prisoner of war. In turn, the
Japanese struck his name from record and pretended that he never existed - though he was eventually
allowed to return home after the war, where he later worked for Toyota before dying in 1999.

#8: 23 Sets of Brothers Died in the Attack on the USS Arizona

Pearl Harbor had themselves a real “Saving Private Ryan” situation. Before World War II, it was common
practice for brothers to serve on the same ship. Such was the case for the USS Arizona, which saw 37 pairs
or trios of brothers, a total of 77 men. However, only 15 of them survived, with 23 sets of brothers perishing
in the attack. The effect on family members was so noticeable that the military attempted to stop the
practice of placing blood relatives on the same ship, but it largely continued throughout the remainder of
the war.

#7: The Attack Left an Enormous Environmental Effect on Pearl Harbor

Turns out that Mother Earth was a victim of Pearl Harbor as well. In 1992, Pearl Harbor was added to the
Environmental Protection Agency’s National Priority List. The major contributing factor to its status as a
priority is the massive subsurface oil plume. Current estimates say that over 5 million gallons of oil have
been spilled, and the plume is roughly 15 football fields long, although officials have said that it is stable and
contained. On top of that, the sunken USS Arizona is STILL leaking fuel today, at a rate of about 2-9 quarts
every day.

#6: A Senior Japanese Official Opposed the Attack

Turns out that the Japanese decision to attack Pearl Harbor was not a unanimous one. Osami Nagano served
as the Chief of the Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff from April 1941 to February 1944, and he
vehemently opposed an attack on Pearl Harbor. He and Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto fought with each other
regarding the attack, and Nagano finally gave his consent after Yamamoto threatened to leave his position
as commander. And wouldn’t you know it, not only did the attack fail to go as planned, but it was widely
considered a disappointment. Nagano was later tried as a war criminal but died from a heart attack before
its conclusion.

#5: One Member of Congress Voted Against War with Japan

After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the government needed to act fast. At 12:30 p.m. on December 8 (only
one day after the attack), president Roosevelt requested a declaration of war to both Congress and the
nation. The vote passed the House by 1:10 that same afternoon with a vote of 388-1. That one person was
the fervent pacifist and first woman in Congress, Jeannette Rankin. Her vote reportedly resulted in hissing
(yes, hissing) from her peers, and many desperately tried persuading her to change her vote. However, she
stuck to her guns, saying, “As a woman, I can’t go to war, and I refuse to send anyone else.”

#4: Roosevelt Almost Didn’t Use the Word “Infamy” In His Speech
Roosevelt’s Infamy Speech is often considered to be one of the finest American speeches in political history.
It was only seven minutes long, but its impact was immediate. Congress declared war on Japan within an
hour after the speech was finished and the public became highly supportive of the war effort, inundating
the white house with letters of praise and support. The line, “A date which will live in infamy” has become
engrained into the public conscience, but that was almost not the case. The original line was, “A date which
will live in world history,” but Roosevelt personally scratched it out and added “infamy” in its place. It was a
good decision.

#3: Elvis Presley Helped Raise Money for the USS Arizona Memorial
The USS Arizona memorial sits on top of the sunken USS Arizona. Over two million people visit the memorial
on an annual basis, and visiting it is considered a highly emotional experience - and we have Elvis Presley to
thank (at least in part) for its existence. President Eisenhower approved the memorial’s creation in 1958,
but it was stipulated that it be privately financed at a cost of $500,000 (about $4.25 million today). On
March 25, 1961, Elvis put on a benefit concert which raised $64,000, or nearly 13% of the structure’s cost.
Construction went ahead, and the memorial was opened on May 30, 1962.

#2: The Ashes of a Soldier’s Daughter Went Down with the USS Utah
During the attack, the USS Utah was hit by Japanese torpedoes, which caused the ship to quickly take on
water and sink. 64 people were killed in the attack, and, like the USS Arizona, the dead remain entombed
with the ship. One of its occupants are the ashes of a baby girl. Nancy Lynne Wagner died when she was
two-days-old, and her father, Albert Wagner, had taken her ashes on the ship with the intention of
scattering them at sea. However, the ship was attacked before he had the chance, and her ashes remain in
Wagner’s locker to this day. In 2003, a funeral service was held at the site of Utah in her honor.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
- Japanese Tourists Visit Pearl Harbor on an Annual Basis
- Most of the Sunken Battleships Were Salvaged
- The Japanese Attempted to Attack Pearl Harbor Again on March 4, 1942

#1: Survivors of the Attack May Be Laid to Rest at Pearl Harbor

Survivors of the USS Arizona have the option of being buried with their fellow soldiers aboard the sunken
ship. If they choose that option, a diver takes an urn containing their ashes down to the ship, where it is
then placed under the gun turret. Over 30 survivors have been taken down since the possibility was opened
in 1982. However, they’re not the only ones with this option. Those who served on the Arizona before Pearl
Harbor may have their ashes scattered on the water’s surface, and those who survived the other ships may
be scattered at the site where their ship was located.

Top 10 Scariest Nuclear Bombs

It’s about time we had a talk about just how dangerous these things are. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and
today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 scariest nuclear bombs.

For this list, our focus is not necessarily on the biggest bombs ever created, but on the bombs that have
done the most damage, harmed the most people, and inspired the most fear. We’ve also decided to rank
nuclear bombs, including atomic and hydrogen bombs, while excluding other nuclear weapons, like
missiles.

#10: Trinity (Manhattan Project)

It was in a remote location in New Mexico that the world experienced its first nuclear explosion. Eager to try
out their then-new design in an effort to end the Second World War, the U.S. Army began assembling “The
Gadget” (as the bomb was nicknamed) in a ranch house on July 13, 1945. They hoisted it onto a 100-foot
firing tower, from which they dropped it at 5:30 a.m. on July 16th. The tower vaporized, the desert shook
under a searing blast wave, and a mushroom cloud formed. Though a simple test, it was that bomb that
triggered the Nuclear Age, which was a period characterized by suspicion, paranoia, and fear.

#9: B-41
Also known as the Mk-41, this bomb was called the most efficient weapon ever built at the time of its
creation - when comparing its weight to its yield, or the amount of energy it emits at detonation. In fact,
with a maximum yield of 25 megatons, this bomb has the ability to release the same destructive power as
25 million tons of TNT. Had it been detonated, it would have produced a fireball almost 4 miles wide,
burned people to the third degree about 32 miles away and annihilated most structures within 15 miles.
Although never used in actual warfare, the B-41 remains the most powerful nuclear bomb ever created by
the United States.

#8: Cherokee (Operation Redwing)

With a yield of simply 3.8 megatons, this bomb was far from the biggest to be dropped by the United States
at Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands. Detonated during the military’s Operation Redwing, which saw 17
nuclear test discharges in 1956, Cherokee was, however, the country’s first hydrogen, or thermonuclear,
bomb to be delivered and dropped by air. What made this weapon even more terrifying was the navigation
error that landed it almost 4 miles off its target, raising the ironic question of how safe nuclear bomb tests
really are, even when performed by trained personnel.

#7: Baker (Operation Crossroads)

For America’s first deployment of a nuclear bomb underwater, the weapon was detonated at a depth of 90
feet on July 25, 1946 as part of the Baker test, somewhere near Bikini Atoll. Despite the underwater
detonation, the effects of Helen of Bikini were just as destructive - the target naval ship vaporized and a
total of 10 ships were sunk, including a damaged heavy cruiser that sank 5 months after the test - as a result
of irreparable hull damage. Despite plans to test another bomb named Charlie in the area, severe
decontamination problems brought the project to a halt 16 days after the blast, as the bomb had covered
an unprecedented area with a catastrophic amount of radiation.
#6: Storax Sedan
Although this nuclear detonation at Yucca Flat, Nevada, was supposedly performed to measure its
effectiveness for mining and other peaceful, practical purposes... it didn’t do much more than cause a lot of
damage. Buried over 600 feet below the earth and exploded on July 6, 1962, the bomb removed 11 million
tons of dirt and created the biggest man-made crater in the country. For perspective… it’s visible from outer
space. The bomb caused the greatest radionuclide activity our atmosphere had ever experienced and
contaminated more American civilians with radiation than any other nuclear test in history. Its failure
ultimately helped spur the development of the 1963 Partial Nuclear Test Ban treaty.

#5: Starfish Prime (Operation Fishbowl)

It was in the midst of the Cold War, that, despite a moratorium on atmospheric tests of nuclear weapons,
the Soviet Union and the United States resumed the testing of nuclear weapons. On July 9, 1962, the
American military detonated a nuclear warhead some 250 miles over the ground, as part of their Operation
Fishbowl. Although scientists had expected an electromagnetic pulse, or EMP, after the explosion, the sheer
power of the ensuing EMP was shocking. One third of all active satellites were damaged by the pulse, and
about 900 miles away in Hawaii, hundreds of streetlights, telephones, alarms, and radios blew, causing
outages and blackouts.

#4: SHRIMP (Castle Bravo)

Set off on March 1, 1954, this lithium-deuteride-fueled hydrogen bomb exceeded the military’s expectations
and ended up becoming the most powerful thermonuclear weapon ever dropped by the United States. To
give you an idea of just how destructive the SHRIMP was, its blast was about 1,000 times more powerful
than the atomic bombs used on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during the Second World War. Although a
significant radioactive fallout was expected, due to an error made by designers, the yield of 15 megatons of
TNT (much higher than the expected 5-6 megatons) caused enormous environmental contamination for
years to come, as well as deaths and illness in over 1000 of the locals.

#3: Fat Man

It was the second, and thankfully, last nuclear weapon ever used in warfare, and it was dropped over the
city of Nagasaki in Japan on August 9, 1945 during the Second World War. Between 35-40,000 people died
instantly during the explosion, while an estimated 80,000 died in total as a result of leukemia, radiation
poisoning, and burn injuries. The vast majority of these casualties were civilians and industrial workers.
Much of the industrial production in the city took months and even years to repair. But in the end, it was
just 6 days after this bomb was dropped that Japan announced its surrender.

#2: Little Boy

It’s codename sounds innocent, but this bomb was anything but, as it was the first of the only two nuclear
weapons ever used in war – and the most destructive in terms of human casualties. Coming less than a
month after the Trinity test, Little Boy was dropped over the Japanese city of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945.
Although a less powerful bomb than its successor, with a yield of 15-16 kilotons, the flat terrain of the city
and the firestorm that ensued ultimately resulted in more deaths, with 66,000 people dying in the initial
blast, and tens of thousands more perishing in the aftermath due to illness. Though these two bombs
arguably ended the war… they came with an unfathomable cost.

#1: Tsar Bomba

Some of the most powerful nuclear detonations in history have been from the Soviet Union; and this is the
biggest of them all. Detonated shortly after Nikita Khrushchev's promise to show the United States what
they’ve got, Tsar Bomba (also nicknamed Vanya and Big Ivan) was dropped on October 30, 1961, north of
the Arctic Circle over the Novaya Zemlya archipelago. The yield of the bomb was over 50 megatons, or 50
million tons of TNT. The mushroom cloud grew to a height of seven Mount Everests, and the blast was so
strong it broke windows 560 miles away. The Tsar Bomba showed, more than anything else, the capacity of
humankind’s destructiveness.

Top 10 Craziest JFK Conspiracy Theories

The truth is out there - but these conspiracy theories are way, way out there. Welcome to WatchMojo.com,
and today we're counting down our picks for the top 10 craziest JFK conspiracy theories.

For this list, we're looking at the most extraordinary explanations that people have offered for the
assassination of 35th President John F. Kennedy.

#10: Ted Cruz’s Dad

The messy events of the assassination left a lot of questions. How did one bullet pass through so many
points? Why did nightclub operator Jack Ruby kill the assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald? And was there a second
shooter on the grassy knoll? But until Donald Trump’s election campaign, few people had asked: was
Trump’s rival candidate Ted Cruz connected to the murder? Trump had seen a photo in trusted new source
the National Enquirer that supposedly showed Cruz’s father, Rafael, and Oswald together. That was enough
for Trump. Ted Cruz responded with his own revelations.

#9: Itchy Trigger Finger

On November 22, 1963, three shots rang out in Dallas, Texas. According to the Warren Commission, the first
shot that hit Kennedy went through both the President and Texas Governor John Connally. This is the
“single” or “magic bullet theory.” Another bullet exploded the right side of Kennedy’s head. In the 1970s,
Baltimore gunsmith Howard Donahue argued this shot was actually fired by Secret Service agent George
Hickey, whose finger must have slipped on the trigger of his AR-15. He based his accusation on the
trajectory and bullet fragmentation of the fatal shot. Critics wonder at the likelihood of Hickey accidentally
aiming at the President’s head, and how the shot was overlooked by witnesses.

#8: Bad Driver

What if the fatal shot didn’t come from Oswald, or the car behind . . . but from the President’s own
limousine? Some witnesses claimed that when Secret Service agent William Greer heard the first shot, he
slowed down instead of speeding up. He also turned to look back at the President before hitting the
accelerator - a delay for which he would later tearfully apologize for to Jacqueline Kennedy. On this basis,
conspiracy theorist Milton William Cooper argued in his book “Behold a Pale Horse” that Greer killed
Kennedy. How? Simple! Some think Greer had a gun. But Cooper claims he used a “gas pressure device
developed by aliens.”

#7: Jackie O & the Gun in the Flowerpot

As the presidential motorcade passed, Abraham Zapruder caught the assassination on a home movie
camera. Some conspiracy theorists claim that smoke or vapor can be seen moving past the left side of JFK’s
head - showing that his own wife was the shooter. She then hid the gun in a flowerpot. Her motive?
Revenge for her husband’s indiscretions . . . or maybe the CIA had hypnotized her. Jackie’s image hasn’t
been helped by rumors she slept with one, or two of her dead husband’s brothers. Still, it isn’t exactly the
most subtle way to kill a president - in an open car in front of thousands of witnesses.

#6: The Umbrella Man

During the assassination, an unknown man was standing in the sun under an open umbrella. Did he wave
the umbrella to signal the shooter? Or could the umbrella itself have been a weapon? It actually wouldn’t be
the first time an umbrella gun has been used for assassination; Bulgarian dissident writer Georgi Markov
was killed by one in 1978. But during the United States House Select Committee on Assassinations, a man
called Louie Steven Witt came forward as “the umbrella man.” He had been protesting Kennedy’s father’s
support for British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, who had sought to appease the Nazis and often
carried an umbrella.

#5: It Was the CIA

Lee Harvey Oswald was a former marine who had defected to the Soviet Union: the perfect cover story for a
secret CIA operative. The CIA had reason to be mad at the President, who had pulled air support from their
botched Bay of Pigs Invasion in 1961. This has led some to theorize that Oswald had been brainwashed,
possibly using LSD, through the CIA’s MKUltra mind control program. Some further allege that George H. W.
Bush was involved, and rewarded by being made CIA Director about a decade later.

#4: A Baseballer's Revenge

Hell hath no fury like a baseballer scorned . . . apparently. Legendary baseballer Joe DiMaggio never stopped
loving Marilyn Monroe after their nine month marriage. But as rumous have it, after their divorce Monroe
slept with either JFK, his brother Robert, or both. Some sources have claimed that DiMaggio believed the
Kennedys had had her murdered. How did a baseball player have the means to initiate a criminal conspiracy
to kill a President? Conveniently enough, we’ll probably never know. But if a guy is connected enough, lots
of things can happen.

#3: Blame Sugar

We seem to blame sugar for everything these days. Obesity . . . diabetes . . . and the murder of JFK. After the
assassination, Oswald was seen drinking a Coca-Cola. This interested writer and organic food advocate J. I.
Rodale, who led the charge of the organic movement in the US from the 1950s on. He wrote in an editorial
for his magazine “Prevention” that Oswald was not responsible for his actions: his brain was confused
because he was a “sugar drunkard.” He called for a full investigation into the link between sugar and crime.

#2: The Illuminati Pulled the Strings

The Illuminati are everywhere, it seems - behind both Lady Gaga’s fashion choices, and famous historical
events. According to this theory, the Illuminati had JFK killed because he outed them in a speech that, for
most people, was actually about the Soviet Union and the Cold War. Another motive was his issuance of
Executive Order 11110, which delegated his authority to issue Silver Certificates to the Secretary of the
Treasury. Allegedly, Kennedy planned to replace Federal Reserve Notes with Silver Certificates, threatening
the power of the Illuminati-controlled Federal Reserve. Of course, Kennedy actually signed legislation to do
the opposite - phase out Silver Certificates in favor of Federal Reserve Notes - but hey, conspiracies are
complicated.

#1: UFO Cover-Up

We’re not saying it was aliens . . . but, well, it was because of aliens. In 1999, UFO researcher Timothy
Cooper claimed to have received a partially burned memo in which the CIA Director worried about
Kennedy’s “inquiries” into the organization’s activities. Author William Lester added another piece to the
puzzle in 2010, claiming that ten days before Kennedy was murdered, Kennedy asked the CIA Director to
review UFO intelligence, in order to identify what could and couldn’t be shared with the Soviets. Lester even
has an official looking letter to back it up. Was JFK killed as part of a UFO coverup?

Top 10 Rare Languages Still Spoken Around the World

Fancy yourself a linguist? Why not brush up on one of these obscure tongues? Welcome to WatchMojo.com
and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Rare Languages Still Spoken Around the World.

For this list, we’re looking at the rarest “organic” languages, meaning those that arose naturally, and were
not intentionally created – like Esperanto or Lincos – or created for TV or movies, like Klingon or Na'vi.
#10: Friulian
While this Romance language is spoken by roughly 600,000 people worldwide, the vast majority of speakers
are found in northern Italy near the Slovenian border. Related to Ladin (spelled with a “d”, not a “t”), the
language took on its own identity over the centuries under the influence of Slovene, Italian, German, and
Venetian. Oddly, despite originating deep in alpine Italy, the language is thought to be more similar to
French in construction than Italian. Though once very much isolated to the province of Udine, poverty in
that region has seen Friulian-speaking Italians move across the globe and generate more interest in the
distinct language.

#9: Tuyuca
This uncommon language is spoken by the Tuyuca, an indigenous people located near the Papurí, in Inambú
and Tiquié rivers in South America. It is a polysynthetic language, meaning that complex words are created
by staking simple words together, and as a result, it is notoriously hard to learn. With about 50 to 140
genders or noun classes, it is considered one of the most difficult languages in the world. You really have to
be immersed in it daily to even begin to get it right. Not to mention that there are tones to worry about. So,
unless you are one of the 500-1000 native speakers, good luck.

#8: Yupik
Like in the previous entry, the Yupik lexicon is polysynthetic, and largely created with combinations. The
new words can have very, very specific meanings. You can basically create sentences out of a single word.
An often-cited example is, well, this word [“Tuntussuqatarniksaitengqiggtuq,”] which means “He had not yet
said again that he was going to hunt reindeer.” It’s spoken by the Yupik peoples in Alaska and far eastern
Russia, where more than 75% of the population is fluent in this language, or rather, some form of it. You
see… “Yupik” isn’t one language but rather a collection of similar but distinct languages, one of which is
actually extinct.

#7: Pawnee
Another polysynthetic language, this one is perhaps the big boss of them all. The language – spoken by
Native Americans of the same name who reside predominantly in what is now Oklahoma – has a fairly
simple alphabetical set up, with only eight vowels and nine consonants. However, most sentences will have
at least one word with more than ten syllables, with some words containing as many as 30! With the
number of native speakers shrinking as the population ages, the Pawnee Nation has developed programs to
teach the language to youth and adults alike in hopes of saving it from extinction.

#6: Archi
Spoken almost exclusively in the village of Archib and the six, smaller, nearby villages in southern Dagestan,
Russia, this one is seriously rare. For a long time, there was no writing system, and it wasn’t until 2006 that a
Cyrillic-based alphabet was created for this Northeast Caucasian language. It has a ton of phonemes (or
distinguishing sounds), and an incredible morphological system, with many irregularities. For every verb
root, there are over 1.5 million forms to be derived. And you thought your “Intro to Spanish” class was hard.

#5: Pirahã
As a change of pace, here is a much simpler language. In fact, it is often thought to be one of the simplest
languages in the world, with ten or less phonemes. Sometimes there are no words at all, only hums. It is also
lacking many descriptors common in other languages. There don’t seem to be any words for colors,
numbers, or past and future tenses. The language of the isolated Pirahã people of Brazil, it is the only
remaining dialect of the Mura language, which once had a robust speaking population of 30-60,000, but has
dwindled to just about 300 native speakers.

#4: Basque
A language isolate, Basque is its own language family, and there is nothing else like it in the world. Basque
speakers are mainly found near the western Pyrenees mountains, between Spain and France. Predating
almost all Indo-European languages, the origins of Basque are shrouded in mystery. It was once even
postulated that Basque dated back to prehistoric Europe, based off the theory that many of the words for
various tools contained the root word for “stone,” suggesting a Stone Age beginning. This is now known as
the Aizkora Controversy, and widely debated. The language was strongly discouraged during the Franco
regime in Spain, but in the 1960s measures were taken to strengthen this ancient language.

#3: Welsh
Developing out of Common Brittonic, and likely arriving in Britain during either the Bronze or Iron Age, this
Insular Celtic tongue has enjoyed a revival, thanks in large part to grassroot efforts to reclaim the language.
Like many Celtic languages, by the 20th Century the populations of native speakers were dwindling sharply,
in large part due to old English laws and practices that sought to wipe them out. In 2011, the ‘Welsh
Language Measure’ granted this Brittonic language official status. This makes it the only other official
language in Britain outside of English. Some words are a bit tricky, so you might need a little practice in
order to achieve fluency, however.

#2: Taa
One of the many Khoisan languages, which incorporate clicks, Taa is spoken by native peoples living
Botswana and to a much lesser degree, Namibia. It is perhaps most famous for being the language with
likely the most number of phonemes, as it incorporates not only vowel and consonant sounds, but also
many clicks, and tones within those clicks. It is the closest living relative, so to speak, to the traditional South
African “Nǁng” language, which, sadly, is all but extinct, with only three native speakers left as of 2013.
Despite its sound range, Taa is assembled in a common Subject-Verb-Object agreement – the sentence
structure shared by many other languages, including English, French, and Chinese.

Before we unveil our number one pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- Xhosa

- Sentinelese

#1: Silbo Gomero

This incredible language is composed entirely of whistles. The rising and falling pitches replace words
completely, with the quick trills constructing full sentences. In its native location on the Canary Islands, the
people developed it as a way to quickly send messages up and down the mountainous terrain. Done right, it
can be heard up to 3 miles away! Long before the days of cellphones, it was a quick way to send invitations,
public announcements, or just to ask if someone had seen persons x, y, or z. Of course, everyone else can
hear your message, so maybe keep any mean tweets to yourself, right?

Top 10 Civilizations That Mysteriously Faded Away

And like that, they were gone. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for
the Top 10 Civilizations That Mysteriously Faded Away.

For this list, we’re looking at civilizations, cities or groups of people, that for one reason or another,
dwindled, declined or gradually disappeared from the face of the earth due to reasons that aren’t always
known or haven’t been fully confirmed.

#10: The Aksumite Empire [aka Kingdom of Aksum]

Located in what is now Ethiopia and Eritrea, the Kingdom of Aksum lasted for over 800 years. Emerging
around 100 AD, the civilization grew to become an important trading partner with the Roman and Persian
Empires. Their prosperity afforded them the opportunity to produce their own coinage, becoming one of
the first African cultures to do so. However, according to local legend, the empire was defeated in 960 AD by
a mysterious Jewish queen, who is said to have destroyed the Aksumites’ religious and cultural
achievements. This story is often debated by scholars, with many instead blaming starvation, climate change
and a lack of trade for the decline of the Aksumite Empire.

#9: Nabataeans
The Nabataeans emerged around the fourth century BC in what is now the countries of Jordan, Syria, Saudi
Arabia and Israel. They are responsible for building the carved city of Petra, which is a prime example of
their architectural achievements. And it’s worth noting that slavery was not as widely practiced among the
Nabataeans as it was among other civilizations of the time. Little is known about why the Nabataeans
disappeared, possibly because they were a secretive culture to begin with. However, it has been suggested
that, over the years, they may simply have melted into the larger Greco-Roman culture that surrounded
them.

#8: Cucuteni-Trypillia Culture

We’re going way, way, way back with this. The Cucuteni-Trypillia society prospered between approximately
5500 BC and 3000 BC, and they had some traditions that would be considered bizarre by today’s standards.
Their settlements were quite large, with thousands of structures and populations in the tens of thousands.
However, every 60 to 80 years they intentionally burnt these settlements to the ground and built new ones
on top of them. But for nearly 2500 years the Cucuteni-Trypillia culture flourished… until of course, they
mysteriously declined. Some believe they were conquered by the neighboring Kurgans, who had an affinity
for violent confrontations, while others postulate that it was due to severe climate change.

#7: Turquoise Mountain [aka Firozkoh]

Turquoise Mountain was the capital city of the Ghorid dynasty. Located in modern day Afghanistan, it was
said to have been a pillar of prosperity in the region. The city was a melting pot of different ethnic and
religious cultures, but that didn’t stop it from flourishing for hundreds of years. Today all that is left of
Turquoise Mountain is a massive stone structure in central Afghanistan known as the Minaret of Jam. So
what happened to this seemingly bustling metropolis? Most accept that Genghis Khan’s son destroyed it in
13th century AD, but we may never know for sure.

#6: Olmec Civilization

Located in what is now Mexico and Guatemala, the Olmec Civilization was the first of its kind to emerge in
that particular region. Beginning around 1500 BC and lasting until roughly 400 BC, the Olmecs were skilled
artisans, and are responsible for constructing the now famous “colossal heads,” massive stone carvings that
still exist to this day. Widely regarded as the first Mesoamerican civilization, the Olmecs are often credited
with popularizing such cultural staples as a calendar, the concept of zero and even a basic ballgame. The jury
is still out on why this thriving society ultimately disappeared, although one theory is that a volcanic
eruption forced them to leave.

#5: Çatalhöyük
Considered one of the oldest settlements ever discovered, Çatalhöyük is believed to have existed between
7500 BC and 5700 BC. This Neolithic society was situated in what is now southern Turkey, a region that’s
home to another mysterious ancient wonder, the temple of Göbekli Tepe. While this was an illiterate
society, it didn’t stop them from creating works of art and complex structures. In fact, the layout of the
proto-city was quite unique. Instead of roads, the homes were built side by side, with ladders and sidewalks
built along the rooftops. Why did Çatalhöyük mysteriously disappear? No one knows and few clues exist to
make an educated guess.

#4: Minoan Civilization

This ancient civilization is often credited as the first of its kind in Europe. Located in present day Greece, the
Minoans occupied the island of Crete as well as many other Aegean islands. They existed between 2600 BC
and 1100 BC and were considered the preeminent traders and artists of their particular region. In fact, they
left behind numerous artifacts and buildings that still exist today. The Minoans were unlikely to have been a
military power and that fact is key to one suggestion about why they disappeared. Some theorize they were
lost to both a Mycenaean invasion and a massive volcanic eruption.

#3: Rapa Nui [aka Easter Island] Civilization

Easter Island is noted for its remoteness, scarce population and the 887 monolithic stone statues of human
faces that dot its coastline. But did you know that it was once home to a bustling and prosperous
civilization? The island was settled by Polynesians between 700 AD and 1100 AD and at one point may’ve
had up to 15,000 people living there. The Polynesians were famous for their maritime navigation skills as
well as their seemingly unexplainable ability to create massive stone monuments. However, their
population soon dwindled. It’s been theorized that they used up all the island’s resources to the point that
there were simply no more trees available, with European arrival, Peruvian slave trading and diseases likely
exacerbating the situation.

#2: Indus Valley [aka Harappan] Civilization

This civilization was one of the largest in existence during the Bronze Age. It began around 3300 BC and
lasted for roughly 2000 years in the area that is now Pakistan and parts of India and Afghanistan. The Indus
had a knack for city building and at one point claimed to rule hundreds of different towns. These towns
were extremely complex, with running water, plumbing and indoor toilets. At its height, the Indus Valley
civilization had a population that numbered in the millions. However, seemingly out of the blue, this once
thriving society disappeared. Many postulate that it was due to climate change, which led to long lasting
droughts in the area. Just another unexplained mystery of history.

#1: Maya Civilization

As one of the most sophisticated societies to have ever existed, the Maya made incredible strides in
mathematics, astronomy, writing and architecture. Their massive pyramids still stand to this day in what is
now southern Mexico. For over 2000 years, the Mayan people ruled with unquestioned authority… until one
day, they didn’t. Much has been made of their gradual demise, with many questions and very few answers.
However, their rapid decline around the 9th century is believed to have been a reaction to drastic climate
change and political collapse that triggered tribal warfare, which in turn caused them to abandon their great
cities. Spanish conquest is said to have taken the last independent Maya city in the late 17th century,
though some small villages remained for a while longer.

Top 10 Crazy Things You Didn’t Learn In History Class

It seems like many school systems have left out a few important lessons from the past. Welcome to
WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 things you didn’t learn in history
class.

For this list, we’re looking at remarkable moments and facts from the past that are seriously under-
represented in the history books. Though you may be familiar with some of these lessons, if they made the
list, they’re far from common knowledge, and you likely didn’t learn them in school.

#10: A Treatment for Female Hysteria

In the 16th century, doctors found that orgasms were a great way to treat hysteria in women. Of course,
they didn’t call them “orgasms”; they were dubbed “paroxysms,” because it was believed women couldn’t
experience sexual feelings. Horseback riding or “intimate massage” sessions administered by doctors was
recommended. The 19th century saw the invention of the first vibrator, which was a huge relief to doctors,
who’d started developing chronic tendinitis from the repeated wrist movements. You see, women weren’t
allowed to relieve themselves, since hysteria was perceived as an illness that could only be treated by
science. Hmmm, while this is certainly a stimulating fact, we understand why it wasn’t addressed in history
class!

#9: Dividing Your Sleep in Two

According to several historians, our ancestors had very different sleeping patterns than us. In the Middle
Ages, people used to divide their sleep into two phases. They would sleep for roughly 4 hours, then would
wake up to do different activities: go see neighbors, pray, read, make love, etc. Then, they would go back to
bed for another 4 hours or so of rest. However, we should specify that they used to go to bed rather early
by our standards. Without any electricity, the potential activities were pretty limited after dusk!

#8: Mad Hatters

Did you know that hat makers back in the day used to make their felt hats using mercury? And
unfortunately, in the 19th century, the significant health hazards associated with being exposed to this
substance were unknown. Breathing in the mercury vapors regularly, hat makers suffered from
hallucinations and excessive anxiety, and often exhibited unpredictable behavior. In some cases, they even
experienced slurred speech. These poor artisans were then classified as lunatics. Now we understand the
behavior of the Mad Hatter in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Lewis Carroll’s wonderfully weird story
might’ve been strange, but the hatter wasn’t actually that far from reality.

#7: Art Competitions in the Olympics

Between 1912 and 1948, the Olympics were not an exclusively sports-based competition. They also
recognized the highest levels of skill in the following categories: painting, sculpting, architecture, literature
and music. The only condition was that these pieces of art be somehow associated with sports. Just like
athletes, medals were awarded to the winning artists. The founder of the project, Pierre de Coubertin,
thought the mind and body should go hand in hand. While he’s not necessarily wrong, nowadays, it’s hard
to imagine a painter showing off his gold medal alongside Usain Bolt!

#6: Sparta’s Money

The ancient Greek city-state of Sparta was well-known for its strong emphasis on physical strength and
warrior culture. What few are aware of however, is the relationship this society had with money. They
strongly discouraged the cultivation of wealth, to the point where silver, gold and other such precious
metals were actually banned. The official currency was iron, and these bars were so heavy that it was a real
burden to move even small amounts. For any would-be time-travelling tourists out there who love
shopping, the city of Sparta might not be the destination for you.

#5: Great Fire of London

In 1666, a devastating fire effectively burned London to the ground. An estimated 13,200 houses, 87
churches, as well as the iconic St-Paul’s Cathedral were wiped off the map. What we don’t hear about
however, is the very low death toll. Though an exact figure is hard to pin down, it’s been estimated that
fewer than 10 people died during the fires, which is a good thing! But it’s still pretty astonishing that a fire of
that magnitude, lasting more than 3 days, only killed a small number of people. For further perspective,
consider the fact it left 7 Londoners out of 8 homeless.

#4: Heroin Was Used to Treat Coughs

In the 19th century, chemist Heinrich Dreser was looking for a substitute to codeine, which is
pharmacologically similar to morphine. His experiments led him to create heroin, which ended up being
stronger than morphine and was ultimately used as a morphine substitute and as a cough suppressant.
Dreser tested his miracle drug on animals, his colleagues, and himself. Produced and distributed by Bayer, it
became a massive success. At the turn of the century however, the addictive qualities of heroin revealed
themselves to such a degree that it could only be sold for medical purposes; by 1924, it was banned
completely. Can you imagine taking heroin for a cough? The field of medicine has come a long way.

#3: Spy Kittens

The adorably-named “Acoustic Kitty” was a project created by the CIA to spy on Russians in the 1960s.
During the Cold War, Americans had the brilliant idea to use house cats to collect information on the
Kremlin. These professional spies implanted a microphone in the cat’s ear and a small radio transmitter in
the skull in order to record conversations without raising suspicion. More than $20 million went into the
eccentric experiment. After several attempts, the CIA ultimately deemed the project a bust, and redirected
their efforts. Poor kitties! All that for nothing.

#2: Dancing Plague of 1518

In 1518, hundreds of residents in Strasbourg were affected by a strange illness. For about a month, these
people were taken over by a sudden urge to dance. Many of them died from heart attacks or exhaustion as
a result of this uncontrollable compulsion. Though this epidemic eventually subsided, a cause or explanation
was never uncovered. Some doctors at the time believed those people were afflicted by “hot blood”.
Modern day historians, on the other hand, believe the behavior to be caused by ergot; an hallucinogenic
fungus found in wheat grains like rye, which resembles LSD!

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
- Leif Erikson: The Actual 1st Explorer to Reach the Americas
The 1st European to discover North America was not Christopher Columbus, but Leif Erikson, a Norse
Explorer who arrived in c. 1000

- Anglo-Zanzibar War: The Shortest War in History

This 1896 military conflict between the Zanzibar Sultanate & the UK lasted 38-45 minutes, with British
canons neutralizing the enemies in record time

#1: Post-Mortem Photography

Be warned: our top pick is quite morbid. In the 19th century, it was relatively common practice to hire a
photographer to shoot photos of the dead. This helped families mourn and gave them a souvenir with which
to remember their loved ones. The photographers placed the deceased in a way that gave the impression
they were still alive, and perhaps sleeping. Children were often shot with a toy, others were sitting and
surrounded by their family members. Though it’s undeniably hard to say goodbye, this process sounds a lot
more painful and unnerving than anything else these days.

Top 10 Things You Didn't Know About the Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

With the flick of a switch, the way humanity thought of the bomb was changed forever. Welcome to
WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 things you didn’t know about the
bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

For this list, we’re looking at little known or thought-provoking facts about the bombings. It’s likely there
will be photos and videos that some find disturbing or upsetting; viewer discretion is advised.

#10: The Bombs Birthed Godzilla

Oddly enough, this tragedy inspired one of the most famous movie monsters of all time. Nearly ten years
after both cities dealt with the tragedy and destruction of the bombings, and following the Lucky Dragon 5
incident, Godzilla was brought to life on the big screen. A metaphor for nuclear weapons and the
destruction they bring, the ancient dragon-like monster is disturbed in his underwater home following
hydrogen bomb testing. The destruction brought about by Godzilla was intended to parallel, and serve as a
reminder of, the destruction caused in the bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima.
#9: Ginkgo Trees in the Area Survived (And Are Still Growing Today)
Few plants lived through the bomb in Hiroshima, and it’s not hard to see why: according to some sources,
for the first few seconds of the explosion, the heat felt within roughly 2 miles of the blast site was
approximately 40 times hotter than the sun. However the gingko tree was one of the few plants to survive
the attack. At over 270 million years old, this species of tree is considered a living fossil and is incredibly
resilient to disease and damage. Six gingko trees were growing within about a one-mile radius of where the
bomb dropped, and shockingly enough, they survived with mild charring. They fully recovered shortly
afterwards, and you can still visit them today.

#8: The Hiroshima Peace Flame Will Burn Until All Nuclear Weapons Are Destroyed
As the saying goes: those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it. To serve as a reminder of the horrors
of atomic war and a memorial to the bombing victims, the Peace Flame was built on the remains of
Hiroshima’s commercial and residential district, and lit in 1964. Burning at Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial
Park, the flame will remain lit until all nuclear weapons in the world are destroyed and the world no longer
faces the threat of a nuclear “D-Day.”

#7: Nagasaki Was Not the Original Target

Sometimes, the fate of thousands is decided by a single person. Before the bomb was dropped, a Target
Committee was created, to organize and execute the specifics of the bombing. The original five targets for
the bomb were Hiroshima, Kokura, Yokohama, Kyoto, and Niigata. However the Secretary of War, Henry L.
Stimson, had spent his honeymoon in Kyoto and was so fond of the city that he insisted it be taken off the
list. When searching for a replacement city, the Committee decided on Nagasaki.

#6: The Bombs’ Codenames Were Inspired by “The Maltese Falcon”

“Little Boy” and “Fat Man” are generally well known as the nicknames for the atomic bombs dropped over
Hiroshima and Nagasaki respectively, but the inspiration behind these monikers is not as famous. The
names were chosen based on the shape of the bombs, with the Hiroshima bomb being slim and
streamlined, and the Nagasaki bomb being round and fat. What’s more, “Fat Man” was inspired by the
character Kasper Gutman in the movie “The Maltese Falcon,” with its companion “Little Boy” being named
after the character played by Elisha Cook Jr. in the same film.

#5: The First Flower to Bloom After the Bombing Became Hiroshima’s Official Flower
In the wasteland left behind by the bombs, it took a long time before anything living poked through the
rubble – in fact, some thought it would take at least 30 years before any plant life sprouted. However,
within a year of the explosion, the Oleander became the first flower to bloom. It’s a shrub with bright pink,
red, or white flower that’s hearty enough to weather the difficult soil conditions and thrive despite the
debris. Because this flower was the first to grow through the rubble after the destruction of Hiroshima, and
therefore inspired residents, it was named as the city’s official flower.

#4: The Japanese Detected the Bomber

Shortly before midnight on the day of the Hiroshima bombing, Japanese radar detected the arrival of a
group of American planes. An alert was sounded in Hiroshima and air raid sirens were set off, while the
aircraft accompanying the bomber Enola Gay flew over the city. When nothing came of it, the coast was
declared clear and the warning was lifted. An hour before the bomb dropped, a second warning was set off,
but the all clear was given again. One hour later, at 8:15am, the Enola Gay dropped “Little Boy.”

#3: “Duck and Cover” Apparently Saved the Lives of Nagasaki Police
After the bombing of Hiroshima, some survivors fled to the neighboring city of Nagasaki. One of these
survivors was a policeman from Hiroshima, who’d witnessed how “ducking” after the atomic flash
minimized injury caused by the ensuing shock wave. He taught the Nagasaki police force the importance of
the “duck and cover” method, which involved lying flat on the ground after a bomb explosion to reduce the
risk of burns or fatal injuries. As a result of this instruction, it’s said that zero policemen were killed in
Nagasaki when “Fat Man” was dropped. Unfortunately the general population didn’t receive this lesson, and
many were injured while looking to the sky for the source of the blast.

#2: Tsutomu Yamaguchi Survived Both Bombs

Is his luck terrible or fantastic? Yamaguchi was staying in Hiroshima on a business trip before the bombing.
He was leaving Hiroshima on August 6th, when he realized he’d forgotten his travel stamp. While walking
back from retrieving it the bomb went off, leaving Yamaguchi badly burned and injured. He spent the night
in an air raid shelter with colleagues who’d also survived the bomb, then traveled to Nagasaki where he
reported for work on August 9th – despite his severe injuries. That morning Nagasaki was bombed, though
this time Yamaguchi was thankfully unhurt. He lived to age 93 and is the only person officially recognized by
the Japanese government to have survived both explosions.

#1: The U.S. Dropped Warning Leaflets on Japan Before the Bombings
Not only did the Japanese detect the bombers ahead of time; the American Air Force also warned the
Japanese that the bombs were coming… kinda. Believing it would increase the associated psychological
damage, Curtis LeMay – commander of the B-17 Flying Fortress unit, the 305th Bomb Group – had leaflets
written up by Japanese POWs and dropped over major cities. Dates about the last pamphlet drops are
conflicting, with some sources stating they stopped in early-July and other survivors reporting they received
leaflets just days before Hiroshima was bombed. Either way, they warned about air raids and fire bombings,
encouraged evacuation and surrender, and listed major cities as potential targets – with the exception of
Hiroshima. However, they never threatened atomic warfare.

Top 10 Greatest Triumphs in Space Exploration

The Universe is a very big place, and these are the best efforts humankind has made to explore it so far.
Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 space exploration
achievements!

For this list, we’re looking at the greatest achievements in the history of space travel and the moments that
have most advanced scientific research and our understanding of space to date.

#10: Sputnik 1
October 4, 1957
The successful launch of Sputnik 1 by the Soviet Union was the first major move in the twentieth century
space race between the USSR and the USA. As the first artificial Earth satellite, the now-iconic spherical
design of Sputnik 1 caught global attention as a Soviet-made ‘star’ in the sky. It was a symbol of hope and
scientific endeavor for many, but it also prompted Cold War concerns in America. The 184-lb spacecraft
orbited Earth once every hour and 36 minutes, travelling at 18,000 mph, for 92 days. When it eventually
burned up re-entering Earth’s atmosphere on January 4th 1958, it had travelled more than 40 million miles.

#9: The First Space Station

April 19, 1971
After America’s history-making Apollo 11 mission, the Soviet Union changed direction with its space
program and focused on the creation of the first space station. Salyut 1 was launched in April 1971, more
than two years before USA could launch their own SkyLab program. An unforeseen design issue meant that
the first mission sending cosmonauts to the station was aborted, but success came on the second attempt
with the 3-man Soyuz 11 crew able to complete docking and stay on Salyut for 23 days. The mission ended
in tragedy however, when a faulty valve led to the depressurization of the Soyuz capsule upon re-entry into
the Earth’s atmosphere, killing all three crewmen.
#8: New Horizons’ Flyby of Pluto
July 14, 2015
NASA’s New Horizons space probe has certainly lived up to its name. As the first mission launched in the
New Frontiers program, in July 2015 it became the first ever spacecraft to flyby Pluto, getting as close as
7,750 miles and collecting never before seen images and data. Pluto was always the primary target for the
mission, but New Horizons’ journey to the outer edges of our Solar System has seen other major successes
as well. In 2006 alone it passed the orbit of Mars, tracked a small asteroid for two days and photographed
Jupiter. And the journey didn’t stop at Pluto; during the summer of 2016, NASA announced plans to extend
the mission into the Kuiper Belt.

#7: The Start of the Space Shuttle Era

April 12, 1981
For 30 years, the Space Shuttle program was America’s ticket to the stars. The five shuttle fleet of Columbia,
Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis and Endeavour flew a combined 135 missions, beginning with Columbia’s
inaugural launch in April 1981. As the first reusable spaceship, the shuttles of the Space Transportation
System flew over 542 million miles, made over 21,000 Earth orbits and carried over 350 people into space.
They played a role in building the International Space Station and the triumph of the Hubble Telescope. The
vast majority of shuttle missions were a success, but there were two tragic events: a combined 14
astronauts were killed during the Challenger and Columbia disasters. When the Atlantis landed for the last
time in July 2011, it was the end of an era.

#6: The Voyager Programs

August 20, 1977 & September 5, 1977
The Voyager program started with two crafts built to last five years, sent to explore Jupiter and Saturn.
Today, roughly four decades since launch, Voyager 1 and 2 are still out in space, exploring more of the great
unknown than anything has ever done before. The probes have visited all of the outer planets of our Solar
System plus 48 moons, and both are now far beyond Pluto. Voyager 1 created history when it entered
interstellar space in August 2012, and it’s now hurtling to the outermost edges of the Sun’s influence. The
probes are even prepared for the eventuality that they come into contact with alien lifeforms – both contain
images and audio - via the Voyager Golden Records - showing life and culture on Earth.

#5: The Hubble Space Telescope

April 24, 1990
When the space shuttle Discovery set the Hubble Telescope into orbit around the Earth, it initiated perhaps
the most significant advance in astronomy since Galileo crafted his telescope in the early 1600s. Since its
1990 launch, Hubble has journeyed more than 3 billion miles and taken more than 1.2 million observations.
Data collected from the HST has helped refine estimates on the age of our universe – to around 13.7 billion
years old. It has also been used to further our knowledge of black holes and broaden our understanding of
how big the universe actually is. In March 2016, Hubble was used for the discovery of GN-z11, the farthest
known galaxy to humankind – so far.

#4: The Mars Exploration Rover

June 10, 2003 & July 7, 2003
Since their 2003 launch, the twin rovers Spirit and Opportunity have exceeded their targets for the Red
Planet, and have spearheaded NASA’s twenty-first century Mars ambitions. The rovers are designed to
analyze soil and rock samples to determine whether there is, was or ever could be life on Mars. Although
contact with Spirit was lost in 2010 and its mission ended in 2011, both rovers have also exceeded their
planned mission times. Opportunity continues to explore a planet it now shares with 2012’s Curiosity rover.
The images and data sent back by Opportunity have proven vital in humankind’s quest to learn more about
Martian history, and have further boosted future hopes for manned missions to visit our neighbor.
#3: First Man in Space
April 12, 1961
Having already earned a lead in the space race with Sputnik 1, the Soviet Union further stretched the
boundaries of human possibility in 1961, when Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space. America had
been striving to launch an astronaut of its own, but was narrowly beaten by its rival once again. Gagarin
took to the skies in Vostok 1 and circled Earth once during a flight that lasted 108 minutes. He became a
national hero and the most talked about person on the planet. A global tour followed, as crowds gathered
to catch a glimpse of him. The cosmonaut proved quite the public speaker too, and was said to have a smile
that “lit up the Cold War.” Two years later, Valentina Tereshkova would be the first woman to fly in space
via the Volstok 6.

#2: First Space Walk

March 18, 1965
Having put the first ever satellite, man and woman into space, the Soviet Union is also responsible for the
first ever spacewalk. Alexey Leonov left the Voskhod 2 spacecraft in March 1965 to float above our planet
with only a 16 foot cord keeping him from certain death. While the mission was a success in the end, there
were endless problems. During the walk, Leonov’s spacesuit inflated, causing massive difficulties when he
tried to return to the ship. After the walk, a rise in oxygen levels meant Voskhod 2 became highly
flammable. And problems during re-entry stranded Leonov and his partner, Pavel Belyayev, in Siberia. So,
not only was the mission a feat of science, but it also proved a problem-solving masterclass.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
- Expedition 1 – First Long-Duration Stay of a Crew on the ISS
November 2, 2000

- SpaceShipOne – First Manned Private Spaceflight

June 21, 2004

- Alan Shepard – First American to Travel Into Space

May 5, 1961

#1: First Human on the Moon

July 20, 1969
NASA’s Apollo program made many a mark on the history of space travel. The Apollo 8 moon orbit might’ve
made today’s top spot, but Apollo 11 is humankind’s most momentous moment in space. If Sputnik 1
started the space race, then Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins ended it on July 20th, 1969.
Armstrong’s first steps onto the Lunar surface and his immortal words made for one of the most iconic
moments in modern times. Aldrin and Armstrong collected soil and rock samples and planted the American
flag, before leaving various mementos, including an Apollo 1 mission patch and a Soviet medal
commemorating Yuri Gagarin. “One giant leap for mankind,” Apollo 11 still sets the benchmark for space
exploration.

Top 10 People Who Took HUGE Secrets to the Grave

Believe it or not, some secrets never get out. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down
our picks for the Top 10 People Who Died with Huge Secrets.

For this list, we’re looking at famous people who died taking either a personal or scientific secret to the
grave.

#10: Benjamin Franklin

This founding father had a bit of a reputation with the ladies, and in the process ended up with a son of
mysterious origin: William. Franklin was very secretive about who William’s mother was. Some suspect that
he was born before Ben married Deborah Read, making him illegitimate. Another theory posits that he was
the result of one of Franklin’s many escapades with prostitutes. William Franklin did make a name for
himself by helping his father in his famous kite experiment, opposing him in the Revolutionary War, and
eventually settling in England. Even so, his mother’s name was never released.

#9: Capt. William Thompson

In 1820, during the Peruvian War of Independence, the city of Lima needed to keep its riches secure, and
decided to move the fortune to Mexico. Captain William Thompson and his crew were to transfer the
treasure, valued at around $208 million. But, they went rogue, killing the guards and priests onboard, and
snagging the loot for themselves. They supposedly buried it on Cocos Island – near modern-day Costa Rica –
but were then captured. Thompson and his first mate were allowed to live if they showed the treasure’s
location to the Spanish. When they got to the island though, they escaped and were never heard from
again, taking the secret of the treasure’s location with them.

#8: Maurice Ward

Back in the 1980s, ex-hairdresser Maurice Ward invented something that could’ve changed the world. After
the Manchester Air Crash, Ward was inspired, and began mixing non-toxic, heat-resistant plastics.
Eventually, he produced a material with amazing heat dissipating properties. This invention, named Starlite
by his granddaughter, could withstand blowtorches and lasers. Although numerous companies contacted
him regarding the formula, Ward declined to sell, believing Starlite to be too valuable. He unfortunately
passed away in 2011, taking his secret with him. Not even his wife or kids seem to know how to replicate it,
and so it seems Starlite has faded into the night.

#7: Johann Bessler

Many inventors have tried to create a perpetual motion machine, but most have failed. Hundreds of years
ago however, Johann Bessler, aka Orffyreus, may very well have done it – or so he claimed. Back in 1712,
the German innovator showed off a self-spinning wheel that was able to lift weight off the ground and keep
going. By 1717, word of his invention had spread, captivating scientists and common folk alike. Bessler’s
wheel was said to have spun for 54 days straight with no energy source. Being extremely paranoid however,
he destroyed the machine, and in 1745, Bessler fell off a windmill to his death.

#6: Pope John Paul II

In the Catholic Church, the Pope appoints cardinals. However, on rare occasions, cardinals are named in
pectore, signifying “in the breast.” This means the Pope names them in secret, a move typically made when
the clergyman in question is from a hostile country where such a position could put them in danger. During
his lifetime, Pope John Paul II appointed and later revealed in pectore cardinals from China, Ukraine, and
Latvia. A fourth was appointed, but John Paul II passed away before the cardinal was made public. As a
result, this cardinal’s appointment technically expires, and we’re left to guess who the Pope had selected.

#5: Ludwig van Beethoven

After famous composer Ludwig van Beethoven died in 1827, a love letter addressed to the German’s
“Immortal Beloved” was found. Beethoven had written the 10-page letter around 1812. But who was his
“beloved”? Scholars suggest it could have been Antonie Brentano, despite Ludwig being good friends with
her husband. Others propose Josephine Countess von Brunsvik as the most likely candidate. Beethoven had
written her many love letters, but because he was of lower social standing, she could never be open about
their relationship, and eventually pulled away. Theorists have suggested other potential recipients, but only
Beethoven knew the real answer.

#4: Antonio Stradivari

No one could make ‘em like Stradivari. Literally! Italian Antonio Stradivari was known for crafting stringed
instruments – violins in particular – that produced exceptional sound. But how did he craft these remarkable
instruments? Well, Stradivari died without leaving any notes, so his secret is lost to us. Scientists believe it
was a mix of the shape, the resins, glues, and varnishes, but haven’t been able to replicate it. Stradivari
made around 1100 instruments, but only 650 are still around – and they fetch exorbitant prices. His Messiah
Stradivarius, made in 1716, is valued at an estimated $20 million! Clearly, everyone’s mad for Strads.

#3: Arne Beurling

This is code-cracking at its finest. Back in 1940, as part of their expansion, Germany set their sights on
Norway. As a countermeasure, Russia was trying to take Finland. Sandwiched in between, the neutral
Swedes feared for their safety. Listening to the German Siemens & Halske T52 secret teletypewriter, they
attempted to decipher what was considered the most impossible code to crack at the time. Then, only two
weeks after being assigned the task, mathematician Arne Beurling solved the riddle using nothing more than
paper and pen. Having cracked the code, Beurling enabled the Swedes to create a device to decipher the
code. What he refused to divulge, however, was HOW he cracked it.

#2: Jerome of Sandy Cove

This man was basically one big secret. He was found on a beach in Nova Scotia, but proved incapable of
speech, possibly due to brain injury. When asked his name, he reportedly responded with something that
sounded like “Jerome” and that stuck. That’s not all though... he was found with both legs amputated to the
knee, but bandaged. Some suspect that he was a sailor who got his legs chopped off for mutiny. One
historian tied him to the story of a European man who suffered from gangrene in New Brunswick. He was
moved from family to family, and died in 1912 without ever telling his story.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- Jan Sloot
Advance in Data Compression

- Edward Leedskalnin
Moved Tons of Stone with Little Equipment

#1: Nikola Tesla

Inventor and engineer Nikola Tesla wanted to change the world by providing wireless energy across the
globe. To do this, he would build the Wardenclyffe Tower – financed by J. P. Morgan – and use Earth’s
atmosphere as a conductor to make the dream a reality. Unfortunately, he faced scepticism from investors
and the press. With J. P. Morgan refusing further funding, and Tesla himself in debt, the project fell apart,
thus marking the beginning of the end for Nikola Tesla. When he died in 1943, his plans for global wireless
electricity and countless other concepts died with him.

Top 10 Failed Doomsday Predictions

There’s nothing like a good doomsday prediction to bolster ratings or sell more newspapers. Welcome to
WatchMojo.com and today we’re counting down the Top 10 False Doomsday Predictions.

For this list, we’re looking at some of the most outrageous prophecies that turned out to be hoaxes, lies, or
just plain misinterpretations.

#10: The Prophet Hen of Leeds

Imagine how surprised you’d be if your hens suddenly started laying eggs with messages on them. We’re
not talking cute Charlotte’s Web type messages here either; we’re talking eggs with the ominous phrase
“Christ is coming” on them. Well, that’s exactly what happened in the English town of Leeds in the early
1800s. Being reasonable townsfolk, they assumed this message obviously meant Judgment Day was near.
And just their luck, Sarah Connor wouldn’t be born for another hundred years. But in the end, it turned out
that Mary Bateman, dubbed the Yorkshire Witch, was handwriting these messages with acid and putting
them back into a hen.

#9: Wind Up in 56 Years

In 1835, during a casual conversation with god, Mormonism founder Joseph Smith learned that Jesus would
return within the next 56 years, at which point the End Times would begin. Seeing as this meant more war
and natural disasters like earthquakes, hurricanes and tornadoes, people were worried. Luckily for all of us
today, the world didn’t end in 1891. At least, not that we know of. Over the years, there’s been a lot of
debate as to whether this statement of Smith’s should count as an actual prophecy or not. But don’t feel
bad for Joseph Smith - he went on to have many, many more prophecies.

#8: Advent [aka Great Disappointment]

After extensively studying the Old Testament, Baptist minister William Miller determined that Christ would
return to earth sometime between March of 1843 and March of 1844. William Miller, it turns out, was a
very persuasive man and managed to convince over 50,000 to believe him. Many of his followers sold their
possessions in preparation for the upcoming end of the world. Hopefully these Millerites kept their receipts,
because the world didn’t end between those dates. Miller later claimed he’d made a simple math error and
recalculated the date to be in April, and then in October of 1844. When the world kept on truckin’, Miller
acknowledged his disappointment and resigned himself to seclusion, but was still convinced that Jesus’
return was just around the corner.

#7: Blood Moon Prophecy

“The sun will turn into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord
comes.” Or so says the book of Joel in the Bible. A blood moon results during a total lunar eclipse and is
when light interacts with the atmosphere in such a way that the moon can sometimes appear red or orange.
Christian ministers John Hagee and Mark Biltz took the previous passage to mean that the world would end
after 4 straight blood moons would coincide on several Jewish holidays in 2014 and 2015. In actuality, a
tetrad, which is a series of 4 consecutive blood moons, is not that uncommon: 62 tetrads have occurred
since the first century AD, according to the website EarthSky.

#6: Joanna Southcott

At around 42 years old, Joanna Southcott started to hear voices... usually not a good sign. These voices told
her of upcoming droughts, crop failures, and famines. Claiming she was the “Woman of the Apocalypse,”
she amassed over 100,000 believers. She also began selling “seals of the Lord,” pieces of paper which
guaranteed Southcottians a place among those selected for eternal life. At 64 years old, proclaiming herself
to be a virgin, Southcott revealed she would be giving birth to the next messiah – which is typically a sign of
end days to come. But she died before her prophecy could come true.

#5: Halley’s Comet

Passing the Earth every 75-76 years, Halley’s Comet is believed to have been recorded by astronomers since
Babylonian times. In 1881, spectroscopic analysis revealed that the tails of comets are made up of deadly
cyanogen gas. Fast forward to 1910 when people realized that the comet was going to pass closer than
usual and that the Earth would travel through its tail. When newspapers started printing inflammatory
headlines, people got really worried. One unsubstantiated story even claims some Oklahomans tried to
sacrifice a virgin in order to stave off Earth’s impending doom. The comet did pass by and we did pass
through its tail, but there was no apparent effect.

#4: Planetary Alignment

There are several doomsday prophecies related to planetary alignments, which are periods of time when all
the planets are roughly in a line. Mathematician Johannes Stoffler predicted a great flood would cover the
planet on February 20, 1524, reportedly coinciding with the alignment of the planets. In 1974, astrophysicist
John Gribbin and astronomer Stephen Plagemann believed the upcoming aligning of planets in 1982 would
create massive stress on the planet’s tectonic plates and cause severe earthquakes. Richard W. Noone, an
author with a suspicious name, predicted that the world would be covered in ice because of the 2000
alignment. All three of these predictions would end up coming true. No, wait, none of them did.

#3: Heaven’s Gate

In the 1990s, former music teacher Marshall Applewhite convinced his cult followers that a UFO was hidden
behind the tail of the Hale-Bopp comet. Applewhite and his cult believed that the Earth was about to be
recycled and the only way to survive was to hitch a ride on that UFO. In order to do so, the group had to be
released from their bodies so that their spirits could rise up. This lead to one of the most chilling and
unsettling mass suicides in recent memory as ultimately 39 of the members killed themselves while wearing
identical clothing.

#2: Y2K [aka Year 2000 Problem]

Also known as the millennium bug, this idea began to crop up as we got closer and closer to the year 2000.
In order to save space, computers had been using two digits instead of four to signify years. This meant that
there was no differentiation between the year 1900 and 2000. Some people began to worry that this could
cause problems for many of our computer systems when the New Year arrived. Soon these hypothetical
problems blossomed into full-fledged doomsday predictions. People worried that airplane control systems
would shut down midflight or nuclear missile launch codes would somehow be deployed. Of course, nothing
happened except for a few computers displaying the incorrect date.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- “Preparing for the Kingdom of God – Book 1”
- Montanism [aka New Prophecy]
- Large Hadron Collider Will Create Earth-Destroying Black Hole

#1: The Mayan Apocalypse [aka 2012 Phenomenon]

Unlike Abrahamic religions, the Mayans believed the world worked in cycles. These cycles consisted of the
small stuff we’re used to today like hours, days, and weeks but it also consisted of “Great Cycles.” The end
of one such cycle or count was set to occur on December 21, 2012. Many people misinterpreted this to
mean that the end of the world was going to occur on that date. They thought Earth might collide with a
hidden planet called Nibiru or there would be tidal catastrophes related to planetary alignments. None of
this happened, since the calendar simply indicated that a new cycle was starting.

Top 10 People Who Survived the MOST Assassination Attempts

These men and women had a knack for attracting the attention of professional killers. Welcome to
WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 people who survived the most
assassination attempts.

For this list, we’re looking at people who were put in immediate danger more than once by those who
would do them harm, but repeatedly survived such attempts. So although there were numerous plots to kill
President Barack Obama, for example, the would-be killers never came close.

#10: Yasser Arafat

A freedom fighter to some and a terrorist to others, Arafat had powerful enemies. His leadership of the
Palestinian Liberation Organization and the Palestinian National Authority put him in the crosshairs of many
would-be assassins. In 1985, Israeli fighter planes bombed his headquarters in Tunis, killing many. But Arafat
survived, having stepped out for a morning jog. He later claimed that he never slept in the same place on
two consecutive nights in order to avoid assassins, who reportedly made a number of attempts on his life
over the years. After Arafat’s death, many claimed he’d been poisoned by polonium, but forensic teams
provided conflicting reports.
#9: Josip Broz Tito
As a soldier, communist revolutionary, and resistance fighter against the Nazis, Tito defied death
innumerable times. Later, as Prime Minister and then President of Yugoslavia, he refused to submit to Soviet
control, creating friction with one-time ally Joseph Stalin. “I will shake my little finger,” Stalin declared, “and
there will be no more Tito.” He backed that statement up by sending assassins after the Yugoslavian leader,
prompting Tito to write to Stalin: “Stop sending people to kill me. We’ve already captured five of them.” Tito
threatened that he would send a killer to Moscow if Stalin’s attempts didn’t cease. A few years after the
exchange, in 1953, Stalin died, 27 years before Tito.

#8: Alexander II of Russia

During his reign, Emperor Alexander II instituted many modernizing reforms, including the emancipation of
Russian serfs, which saw some 23 million people receive full citizenship rights. But his rule faced increasing
opposition from revolutionaries and Polish nationalists, who tried to shoot or blow him up at least six times.
These attempts began with revolutionary Dmitry Karakozov, who tried to gun him down outside the
Summer Garden in St. Petersburg. Miraculously, someone in the crowd bumped his elbow and the shot
missed. After surviving four more attempts, Alexander’s luck finally ran out: he was blown up in the street
by members of the revolutionary socialist organization Narodnaya Volya.

#7: Abraham Lincoln

Before being fatally shot by John Wilkes Booth in 1865, the 16th U.S. President and hero of the Civil War
survived at least five assassination plots. The plans included anything from schemes in Baltimore to knife
him down, another to send him yellow fever and smallpox-infected clothing, two attempts by shooters, and
a plot to blow up the White House. On one occasion, while out riding alone, Honest Abe lost his hat when a
gunshot spooked his horse. The hat was later found with a bullet hole through it.

#6: Queen Victoria

There are some serious downsides to being royalty. Sure, you get to lead a life of luxury but people often try
to shoot you whenever you leave the palace. Queen Victoria survived many assassination attempts, an
estimated 8 in total, most which took place while she rode about in horse-drawn carriages. Her would-be
assassins included mad men, a hunchback by the name of John William Bean, and a disgruntled poet, just to
name a few. Fortunately for the Queen, these shooters either had guns with powder but no bullets, or
terrible aim, and her reign lasted for over 63 years.

#5: Pope John Paul II

Someone was watching out for this Pope. In 1981, he was shot four times and critically wounded in St.
Peter’s Square by a member of Turkish nationalist organization Grey Wolves. Some speculated that the KGB
had ordered the attempt. The Pope later forgave and befriended the gunman. The next year, he survived
another attempt when a former priest tried to stab him with a bayonet, but was stopped by security guards.
It seems like everyone wanted their turn - in 1995, Islamic terrorists funded by Osama bin Laden plotted to
dress a suicide bomber as a priest and blow up the Pope. However, they foiled their own plan by starting a
chemical fire, alerting police.

#4: Adolf Hitler

Both in the lead-up to WWII and during it, killing Hitler was a very real mission. In fact, many of Hitler’s
would-be assassins were actually Germans who believed he was leading the country to disaster. Though
there were dozens of attempts made on his life, the most famous was the 20 July plot in 1944, part of
Operation Valkyrie. One-eyed war veteran Lieutenant Colonel Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg tried to
kill the Nazi leader using a bomb hidden in a briefcase. Unfortunately, the leg of the conference table
shielded Hitler from the blast, and it only singed his trousers.
#3: Charles de Gaulle
De Gaulle is remembered for his heroic defiance of the Nazis as the French leader of the government-in-
exile during WWII. A soldier who fought the Germans in both world wars, De Gaulle was eventually elected
President of France, an office he held for a decade. However, he was targeted by the Organisation armée
secrète, or OAS; a French terrorist group that opposed his decision to grant Algeria independence from
colonial rule. In 1962, the OAS raked his car with machine gun car. He survived, and is said to have
remarked: “They shoot like pigs!” All in all, he reportedly survived some 31 attempts on his life.

#2: Zog I of Albania

Rising from Prime Minister, to President, to King, Zog I allegedly survived a staggering 55 attempts on his
life. During his rule, he tried to unite the country, but in so doing severely suppressed civil liberties, making
plenty of enemies in the process. He was once shot inside the Albanian Parliament, and again on a separate
occasion when leaving the opera, prompting him to fire back and drive off his attackers. Despite these
attempts, and smoking 200 cigarettes a day, Zog somehow managed to die of an unspecified condition in a
French hospital at age 65. His resilience must have run in the family: his son Leka once saw off attackers
surrounding his plane by brandishing a bazooka.

#1: Fidel Castro

Castro wins this one by a mile. He survived not ten plots to kill him... not one hundred…. but an estimated
638! In the 1960s, the CIA tried to kill the Cuban revolutionary and leader by every means imaginable,
including poison cigars, an exploding seashell, and even a femme fatale, Castro’s lover Marita Lorenz.
According to Lorenz, Castro figured out the plot when she arrived back in Havana, and handed her his pistol,
saying “You can’t kill me. Nobody can kill me.” Then… they made love. Despite continued assassination
attempts in the ensuing decades, Castro lived to the ripe old age of 90.

Top 10 Historical Predictions That Actually Came TRUE

These predictions may have sounded ridiculous at the time, but turned out to be right on the money.
Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Historical Predictions
That Came True.

For this list, we’ll be looking at predictions from the incredible thinkers that actually became a reality.

#10: The Atomic Bomb

H. G. Wells
Literature is full of wonderful predictions, especially when it comes to science fiction. While many sci-fi
stories deal with potential apocalyptic destruction, one story had the method down to a tee. That would be
“The World Set Free,” a novel written by H.G. Wells, which was released in 1913. In the story, Wells
describes an atomic bomb, which made a thunderous noise in the sky and released radioactive vapor that
stayed dangerous long after the bomb exploded, ensuring an even greater number of deaths. Of course, 32
years later, the United States dropped two atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
with scarily similar results.

#9: Television
John Elfreth Watkins Jr.
At the turn of the 20th century, a man named John Elfreth Watkins Jr. submitted an article to “The Ladies’
Home Journal,” titled “What May Happen in the Next Hundred Years.” The list included everything from the
height of the average American to ready-cooked meals, but his most impressive prediction without a doubt
was the invention of the television. Watkins wrote: “Man will see around the world. Persons and things of
all kinds will be brought within focus of cameras connected electrically with screens at opposite ends of
circuits, thousands of miles at a span.” Today, more than half of the homes in the United States have at least
three television sets.
#8: The Periodic Table
Dmitri Mendeleev
In 1863, scientists had discovered 56 known elements. Several people at the time hoped to organize these
elements by creating a table of periodic elements, but none did so quite like Dmitri Mendeleev. A Russian
chemist, Mendeleev published his periodic table in 1869, but left gaps in it for future elements. He then
claimed that he had a dream where he saw a table with places for including 10 then-unknown elements. By
arranging the elements in a periodic way, he was able to predict characteristics of the elements that would
fill in the missing gaps. Remarkably, 7 of his 10 predicted elements were eventually discovered and added to
the table.

#7: Debit Cards

Edward Bellamy
Sci-fi writer Edward Bellamy released a utopian novel entitled “Looking Backward: 2000-1887” in the late
19th century. In it, one character explains to another that, in the new world, everyone will “have a credit
card issued him with which he procures at the public storehouses, whatever he desires.” Bellamy was spot
on, although his credit cards function more like current debit cards– but it was still an incredible prediction,
considering that today, just about every person with a bank account has a debit card.

#6: Organ Transplants

Robert Boyle
Considered today to be the first modern chemist and one of the founders of modern chemistry, Robert
Boyle is perhaps best known for Boyle’s Law, an experimental gas law concerning the pressure and volume
of gas. He’s also known, however, for predicting that organ transplants would someday be real. Writing in
the mid-17th century, Boyle described “the cure of diseases at a distance or at least by transplantation.” In
1954, the first successful organ transplant was completed at Brigham Hospital in Boston– which means that
Boyle amazingly predicted the first organ transplant 300 years early.

#5: Mark Twain’s Own Death

Mark Twain
One of the greatest writers in the history of English literature, Mark Twain wrote “The Adventures of
Huckleberry Finn,” considered by many to be the great American novel. He was born on November 30,
1835, just after a visit by Halley’s Comet. Sometime later, Twain wrote “I came in with Halley’s Comet in
1835. It is coming again next year, and I expect to go out with it…They came in together, they must go out
together.” Remarkably, on April 21, 1910, the day after the comet returned, Twain died of a heart attack in
Redding, Connecticut.

#4: Wi-Fi / Wireless Devices

Nikola Tesla
One of the most enigmatic men in history, Nikola Tesla is best known for his role in the ‘War of the Currents’
with Thomas Edison and his contributions to the AC electricity supply system. Tesla also had several strong
ideas about the future and how the world would change in the coming years. In 1909, he told The New York
Times that “it will soon be possible to transmit wireless messages all over the world so simply that any
individual can own and operate his own apparatus.” Several decades later, the first wireless devices were
created, and in 2007 the first iPhone was released, proving Tesla right.

#3: The Great Fire of London

Nostradamus
The name Nostradamus is synonymous with predictions. A reputed seer, he’s best known for his book “Les
Prophéties,” containing a number of prophecies concerning future events. One of these predictions went as
follows: “The blood of the just will be lacking in London, burnt up in the fire of ’66, the ancient Lady will
topple from her high place, many of the same sect will be killed.” Of course, London was engulfed by fire
from September 2nd to September 5th, 1666. It decimated the city, destroying more than 13,000 houses as
well as landmarks like St Paul’s Cathedral.

#2: The Titanic Disaster

Morgan Robertson
In 1898, Morgan Robertson wrote a novella called “The Wreck of the Titan: Or, Futility.” The plot revolved
around the Titan, a British luxury liner that hit an iceberg and sank while crossing the northern Atlantic. The
ship was considered unsinkable, but hit an iceberg some 400 miles off the coast of Newfoundland in the
month of April. Of course, in 1912, the Titanic sank in similar fashion, hitting an iceberg some 400 miles off
the coast of Newfoundland in April. Strangely, both ships were between 800-900 feet long, and in both
accidents the lack of lifejackets and lifeboats resulted in a significant loss of life among passengers and crew.

Before we unveil our number one pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- Netflix
Roger Ebert

- Assassinations of MLK & JFK

Jeane Dixon

#1: The Moon Landing

Jules Verne
In 1865, legendary sci-fi author Jules Verne wrote a short story entitled “From the Earth to the Moon.”
Verne did more than just predict that we would eventually go to the moon, however. He included some
rough calculations that were remarkably similar to the real figures. He placed the rocket launch in Florida,
the same site as the Apollo 11 launch, and he also predicted the feeling of weightlessness the astronauts
would experience despite not knowing there would be no gravity in space. To top it off, the story was
released a century before the actual launch.

Top 10 Most Destructive Weapons Ever Created

You don’t want to be the target of any of these weapons. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re
counting down our picks for the Top 10 Most Dangerous Weapons Ever Created.

For this list, we’re looking at weapons that can cause a lot of damage and what specifically makes them
dangerous. Each entry is our pick for a particular “class” of weapon.

#10: Barrett M82 Sniper Rifle

Nicknamed the “Light Fifty,” this semi-automatic, .50 caliber rifle made by Barrett has been used by the U.S.
military in the Gulf War, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Weighing about 30 pounds, the M82 is considered
lightweight, and its attached muzzle brake is said to reduce recoil when fired. Traveling 2800 feet a second,
its ammunition can hit through bricks and concrete, so this anti-material gun can pack a wallop. With an
effective range of 5,900 feet and a maximum range of over 21,000 feet, it’s hard to escape this highly
accurate sniper rifle.

#9: Rocket-Propelled Grenade (RPG)

Inspired by the Panzerfaust used by the German army in World War II, this weapon you can fire from your
shoulder was designed to cause serious damage to a tank. When the RPG-7 was introduced in 1961, its
HEAT warheads could break through 10 inches of armor. Contrary to popular belief, the RPG did not
originally stand for “rocket propelled grenade,” but the Russian term “ruchnoy protivotankovy
granatamyot,” which roughly translates to “handheld, anti-tank grenade-launcher.” It’s been used by the
Viet Cong against US troops in Vietnam, and by the Mujahideen against the Soviets in Afghanistan.
#8: Napalm Bomb
Napalm is a combination of gasoline or similar fuel and a thickening agent, which makes it easier to stick to
its target. Capable of creating heat up to 2200 degrees Fahrenheit, napalm can cause second-degree burns
with the slightest touch. Due to these deadly factors, bombs containing napalm were a popular weapon of
choice used by the U.S. during the Vietnam War. When napalm bombs are dropped, they take carbon
dioxide in the air and turn it into carbon monoxide. Due to its deadly nature, in 1980, the United Nations
made it illegal for anyone to use napalm against civilians.

#7: M 134 Minigun

Though the M-2 .50 caliber machine gun is quite dangerous in its own right, we’ve got to go with the M134
minigun here. First created by General Electric in the 1960s as a smaller version of the 20mm M61 Vulcan,
the M134 has six rotating barrels that can put out up to 6,000 rounds a minute. The automatic weapon is
powered by an electric motor and is designed to be mounted on an aircraft or vehicle. So contrary to what’s
shown in action movies, you can’t just strap one on and start blasting everything in sight.

#6: Boeing AH-64 Apache

Equipped with two 1,696 horsepower gas-turbine engines that can go 227 mph, this attack helicopter that’s
manufactured by Boeing has seen its share of action in Desert Storm and the U.S. war in Afghanistan. It also
includes a deadly arsenal of firepower, including AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, 70mm rockets, and an M230
30mm chain gun that can unload 1200 rounds in less than two minutes. This helicopter has impressive
sensor equipment, such as the integrated helmet and display sighting system, or IHADSS, which helps guide
the pilot to find his intended target.

#5: Tank
These armored vehicles have been rolling down the battlefield for decades and come in different varieties.
Unlike the other entries on this list, tanks have seen so many different models over the years; it’s impossible
to single one out as the deadliest. The M1A2 Abrams tank from the United States has uranium depleted
armor almost three feet thick and a 120 mm cannon. The Leopard 2 from Germany weighs 68.7 short tons,
and its armor helps it withstand attacks from RPGs and improvised explosive devices. The K2 Black Panther
from South Korea has a fire control system that allows the tank to locate objects without input from the
operator, and it has a cruise range of 280 miles.

#4: General Atomics MQ-1 Predator

While the age of killer robots hasn’t reached us yet, this aircraft may be a sign of things to come. Used for
surveillance, combat, and recon missions, this Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, or UAV, can be controlled by a pilot
or a small crew thousands of miles away. The vehicle has been used by Italy, Morocco and Turkey. More
controversially. the CIA has used it to conduct strikes in Yemen against the suspected terrorist behind the
USS Cole and Anwar al-Awlaki, an alleged Al Qaeda spokesperson. The US Air Force announced plans to
retire the Predator as early as 2018, replacing the drone with the MQ-9 Reaper, also known as Predator B.

#3: AK-47 [aka Kalashnikov]

Designed by Mikhail Kalashnikov shortly after World War II, this tried and true assault rifle has been used by
militaries, guerrillas, and terrorist groups throughout the years. The weapon is so iconic that it is featured on
the flags for Mozambique and Hezbollah. The AK-47’s popularity stems from its being easy to mass-produce
and not requiring much training to handle. Gas operated with a rotating bolt system, these firearms are
durable, able to last anywhere from 6,000 to 15,000 rounds, and they hold up in tough weather conditions.

#2: Sarin Gas

Developed in Germany as a pesticide in 1938, sarin is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas. This nerve agent
has been used in two separate terrorist attacks in Japan in the mid ‘90s, as part of chemical warfare in the
Iran-Iraq War, and during the Syrian Civil War in 2013 and 2017. When sarin is introduced to an area, it can
spread quickly, infecting the air people breathe and the water they drink. According to the CDC, exposure in
significant amounts can lead to convulsions, paralysis, and possibly fatal respiratory failure.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are some honorable mentions.
- Mines
- Flamethrower

#1: Hydrogen Bomb

Also called a thermonuclear weapon, hydrogen bombs are much more powerful than atomic bombs and can
cover more area. Unlike atomic bombs, which require splitting big atoms like uranium, h-bombs work by
fusion. When a hydrogen bomb is set off, it gives off high temperatures that cause hydrogen isotopes to
fuse together, resulting in a much bigger explosion. The most powerful hydrogen bomb that has been tested
is the Tsar Bomba, which set off an explosion of 50 megatons of TNT, as compared to the atomic bomb
dropped over Hiroshima, which was only 15 kilotons. In 2016, North Korea claimed to have tested a
miniaturized hydrogen bomb, which, if true, would be a frightening prospect.

Top 5 Myths About Ancient Egypt

What do you get when you combine mysterious tombs, massive structures and cryptic symbols? A whole lot
of exaggerations. Welcome to WatchMojo’s Top 5 Myths. In today’s instalment we’re counting down the
top five myths about Ancient Egypt that should be mummified - and (spoiler) none of them have anything to
do with aliens.

#5: Cleopatra Was A Great Beauty

Historically, cultures have strongly disagreed on the standards of beauty. But Cleopatra’s looks were the
stuff of legend, both in her time and in centuries since. Her beauty was described as unparalleled and utterly
captivating – and surely she must have been to catch the attention of both Caesar and Antony. But her face,
as depicted on ancient coins, had a sharp, hooked nose and arguably mannish features. The Greek historian
Plutarch, on her beauty, said it was “in itself not altogether incomparable, nor such as to strike those who
saw her”. The general consensus? She probably had an unremarkable physical appearance - but her
charisma, charms, wit and power made her incredibly attractive. Fun fact: Though she ruled Egypt, she was
of Macedonian descent.

#4: Napoleon and His Troops Shot Off The Nose Of the Sphinx
Speaking of noses… how exactly did this mythical, riddle-asking beast lose his? The monuments of Ancient
Egypt are architectural marvels that have stood the test of time and captivated the attention of travellers
from the around the globe for centuries. Meaning that if you mess with them… the world does not forgive.
And Napoleon is a historical figure who needs little help inspiring dislike. Blame him for breaking countless
treaties, reinstating slavery in Haiti and the death of some 6 million Europeans, but not the sphinx’s botched
rhinoplasty job. Napoleon embarked on an Egyptian Campaign in 1798, and so the damage was attributed to
him retroactively. But sketches of the sphinx published in 1757 already included a missing nose, a timeline
other accounts from that time can corroborate.

#3: When a Pharaoh Died, Their Servants Were Buried With Them
It just takes a few eccentrics to tarnish the reputation of an entire civilization. We’ve all seen it in movies
and television - a pharaoh is embalmed, placed in an ornate sarcophagus, and then buried in a massive
tomb worthy of their status. Their servants place their greatest possessions around them, and then the
tomb is sealed… with the servants inside! Up until the inclusion of the servants, this account of a ritualised
pharaoh burial was accurate. But most pharaohs took small figurines with them to the grave, known as
“shabtis”, symbolic servants to serve them in the afterlife. Only two or three pharaohs of the first dynasty
insisted on bringing real servants along, but the discovery of these specific tombs inspired generalisations
about the practice.
#2: Egyptians Invented Hieroglyphs
Ancient Egypt has certainly provided modern researchers with an ample reading material to study in the
form of hieroglyphs. This pictorial language, first deciphered by Jean-Francois Champollion in 1820 using the
Rosetta Stone, was the formal writing system of Ancient Egyptians. For many years, it was considered the
oldest written language. But there is a curious lack of proto-glyphs in Egyptian artefacts - the glyph system
appears suddenly in their history between 3400 and 3000 BCE, already fully developed. Contemporary
scholars now believe that this language, or at least, the concept of a pictorial script, was introduced to Egypt
by the Sumerians, whose cuneiform seemingly predates Egyptian hieroglyphs. According to the Ancient
Egyptians however, the god, Thoth, invented it.

#1: Slaves Built The Pyramids

You have the Greek historian Herodotus to thank for this myth, who first described the pyramids as “slave
built” around 450 BCE. He was, however, known to exaggerate. He also claimed they used a workforce of
100,000 men, when it was actually closer to 30,000. The construction of the pyramids was certainly
backbreaking labour, but it was carried out by skilled artisans and paid workers. In the 1990s, the tombs of
these workers were discovered near the pyramids, and the respect with which they were buried was well
above the “slave standards” of the time. According to Amihai Mazar, an archaeologist at the Hebrew
University of Jerusalem, the idea that Hebrew slaves built the pyramids is a work of fiction, which
Egyptologists blame Hollywood films for popularizing.

Top 10 Expeditions Gone Horribly Wrong

These tragic tales may have you second-guessing your desire for an adventure! Welcome to
WatchMojo.com and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Expeditions Gone Wrong.

For this list, we’re looking at some of the most notorious explorations that didn’t go according to plan, and
remain cautionary tales.

#10: Burke & Wills Expedition

During the mid-19th century, South Australia’s government put out a reward of 2,000 pounds for anyone
who could cross the south-north interior of the Australian continent. Two men named Robert Burke and
William John Wills took on the challenge of traveling across Australia, a distance of over 2,000 miles. Despite
having no exploration experience whatsoever, Burke was selected to head up the expedition of 19 men.
While the team did reach the Gulf, their return trip coincided with monsoon season, and they faced vitamin
deficiency. Overall, seven men died, including Burke and Wills, with only one man surviving to come back to
Melbourne.

#9: 1996 Mount Everest Disaster

Climbing Mount Everest is a significant feat, but almost 300 people have died attempting to reach the
summit. One of the worst disasters occurred on May 11, 1996: over 30 people were attempting to reach the
summit on May 10th, causing a backlog of climbers waiting for ropes to be fastened. The delay resulted in
an oxygen shortage, slowing the climbers even further. By the time several of the groups had started to
climb down, weather conditions had declined, and the teams found themselves in the middle of a blizzard.
Several died, including expedition leader Rob Hall, who had reached the summit of Everest four other times
during his life.

#8: The Darien Scheme

Through the late 17th century, England was dominant in terms of trade, and Scotland lived in its shadow.
Desperate to prove its worth, Scotland sought to create a colony on the Isthmus of Panama on the Gulf of
Darién, named “Caledonia.” The colonization got off to a rough start, however: they began with 1200
settlers, but soon lost 10 people per day to disease and sickness. After eight months, the surviving 300
people deserted the colony, but many were disowned by their families upon return. A second expedition
was launched, unaware of what had happened the first time. It suffered a similar fate and resulted in the
near financial ruin of the country.

#7: Percy Fawcett’s Lost City of Z Expedition

Unlike some of the other entries on our list, Percy Fawcett was a seasoned and successful explorer; in the
early 20th century, he made several expeditions through South America. During his research, Fawcett
formulated an idea about a “Lost City of Z” in Mato Grosso, Brazil. Together with his son and his son’s friend,
the team set out on April 20, 1925 to locate this city. Fawcett communicated with his wife for over a month
before vanishing. While no one knows exactly what happened to the men, some assume they were killed by
native tribes in the area. Sadly, nearly 100 people have died in subsequent attempts to uncover the truth
about his demise.

#6: Pánfilo de Narváez’s Mexico & Florida Expeditions

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. In the case of Pánfilo de Narváez, however, perhaps he should’ve
learned from his first experience. Narvaez first failed to stop Hernán Cortés from taking over Mexico, even
though his army was triple the size of Cortés’. This embarrassing failure somehow earned him the
opportunity to go occupy Florida. Narvaez left Spain in 1527 with five ships and 600 men. However, a severe
storm destroyed several of the ships, and those who made it to Florida weren’t given a warm welcome.
With numbers decimated, Narváez planned to return to sea. Another storm prevented that, however, and
killed even more men, including Narváez. In fact, only four people lived to tell the tale.

#5: Henry Hudson’s Bay Expedition

The Hudson Strait, River and Bay are all named for this English explorer. But Hudson’s main aim was to find
a route in the Northwest Passage to reach China, and he tried to do so multiple times. He set out on his final
voyage in 1610, making it as far as James Bay before getting caught in the ice. When spring came and
Hudson and his crew were freed, Hudson expressed his intention to continue his search. This didn’t sit well
with the team, who just wanted to go home. The crew ultimately mutinied, leaving Hudson, his son, and
seven other men stranded in a small boat in the middle of Hudson Bay.

#4: S. A. Andrée’s Arctic Balloon Expedition

Many people have tried to reach the North Pole, but few have attempted to do so via hydrogen balloon. But
that’s exactly what Swedish explorer S. A. Andrée attempted in 1897. The goal of the expedition was to fly
from the Svalbard archipelago to Russia or Canada, with his planned route taking him over the North Pole.
Andrée’s high hopes were dashed two days after takeoff, however, when the hydrogen leaked out of his
balloon, leading it to crash on the icy sea. Although Andree and his two companions were not injured in the
crash, they were ill prepared to handle the harsh journey southwards across the ice, and all three soon
perished.

#3: John Franklin’s Lost Expedition

An experienced explorer, Sir John Franklin captained an expedition consisting of two ships and 128 other
men to voyage the last unexplored part of the Northwest Passage in 1845. Through extensive research after
the fact, it became clear that both ships got stuck in the ice off King William Island in 1846, stranding the
entire expedition. Several crewmembers died while on King William Island, including Franklin himself who
perished in 1847. The rest died while attempting to walk toward the Back River in Canada’s Northwest
Territories and Nunavut.

#2: Donner-Reed Party

One of the stranger expeditions gone wrong on our list, this group of American migrant pioneers was
conducted by George Donner and James F. Reed in 1846. 87 people undertook this arduous journey, hoping
to cut down on the distance by taking a shortcut, but this decision led to their doom. The rough
environments caused the destruction of multiple wagons and a loss of cattle. Relations within the group
became tense, and Reed himself was ejected from the party. In November, the colonists got shut in near
Truckee Lake by insurmountable snow. After being trapped for four months, only 48 of the original 87
ended up arriving in California. Many of them had eaten their dead companions for sustenance.

#1: Terra Nova [aka British Antarctic Expedition]

We’ve already had two disastrous Arctic expeditions on this list, but attempting to explore the opposite pole
has proved just as difficult. The Terra Nova Expedition began in 1910, headed by Captain Robert Falcon
Scott, who had successfully led an expedition to the Antarctic just six years prior. Despite obstacles, Scott
and his team reached the South Pole on January 17, 1912. The return journey, however, took a toll on the
group, and eventually claimed all their lives. A huge drop in temperature and the failure of the dog team to
reach the group essentially sealed their fate. In Scott’s journal, the final thing he wrote on March 29, 1912
was “The end cannot be far.”

Top 10 Strangest Unsolved Mysteries of World War II

Will these burning questions ever be answered? Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting
down our picks for the Top 10 Unsolved Mysteries of World War II.

For this list, we’re ranking high profile stories from the Second World War that are surrounded by mystery.

#10: Foo Fighters

Yes, it’s the name of a famous rock band, but the term “foo fighter” actually refers to some mysterious
aerial phenomena reported by Allied aircraft pilots during WWII. Soldiers claimed to encounter balls of
bright light while flying over Europe and Japan during the conflict, lights that usually moved at a pace equal
to or faster than the planes they were tailing. Modern-day theorists point to lightning or the upper level
electrical phenomena known as St. Elmo’s Fire as possible explanations. But pilots who were there maintain
that these unidentified flying objects were like nothing they’d ever seen.

#9: Who Were the British 17?

There’s a lot of speculation behind this next unsolved mystery, which concerns a document uncovered at
the site of the notorious Auschwitz Concentration Camp. Unearthed in Poland in 2009, it lists seventeen
British soldiers, some with checkmarks next to their names, with words written in German on the back.
Some claim these soldiers were executed POWs, while others point to the possibility that these Brits were
part of a secret SS outfit working for the Nazis. The existence of the British Free Corps, an actual English SS
unit during the war, means this latter claim is possible, but so far this one’s got no definitive answer.

#8: Hitler’s Globe

One common thread that unites many post-WWII stories is the subject of lost or missing Nazi artifacts, many
of which simply disappeared following the war’s end. Hitler’s Globe is one such artifact. It was a huge,
custom-built model found inside the Fuhrer’s personal office. The Red Army successfully overtook Berlin,
and it’s commonly theorized that the country’s Minister of Internal Affairs had the globe brought back to
the Soviet Union as a spoil of war. To this day, Russia hasn’t confirmed or denied any of these accusations,
and it’s highly unlikely that anyone will be coming forward with pertinent information on the matter any
time soon.

#7: The Disappearance of Raoul Wallenberg

Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg may not be a household name around the world, but his efforts during
WWII nevertheless saved thousands of lives. Wallenberg assisted Jewish citizens by offering them passports
and shelter during his time as an envoy in Hungary, but it was his mysterious disappearance that perhaps
serves as the most tragic aspect of his story. The Swede originally went missing in 1947 during a siege in
Budapest, captured by the Soviets who later reported his death. But how did he die? Execution, poisoning
and heart failure have all been suggested. And what about the many stories that reported him alive as late
as 1987?

#6: Blutfahne Flag

Another lost Nazi relic, the infamous Blutfahne Flag was used in Hitler’s Beer Hall Putsch in 1923. The
swastika flag was marked by the blood of Hitler’s group in their failed attempt to overtake the Bavarian
capital of Munich and was considered one of the Nazi party’s most revered artifacts. It was last seen in
1944, and was widely believed to have been lost during the furious Allied assaults on Munich. The fact that
the Blutfahne was considered so sacred to the Nazis, however, makes it very possible that it could’ve been
recovered or otherwise preserved. However, today, it’s still missing in action.

#5: The Pearl Harbor Ghost P-40

Better late than never? A year after 1941’s Battle of Pearl Harbor, a P-40 fighter jet was spotted flying in
from the direction of Japan. Reports from intercepting pilots claimed that the P-40 was missing landing gear,
severely damaged from anti-aircraft fire and included a bloodied pilot at the controls. Not surprisingly, the
plane soon crashed. Rescue efforts uncovered no sign of a pilot, but did find a diary reporting that the
plane’s stationed position was over a thousand miles away. The P-40 hadn’t been in use for a year by this
point, and this one was certainly in no shape to get off the ground. So what exactly happened? We may
never know.

#4: The Amber Room

Although a replica of this priceless relic currently exists on Russian soil, the pieces of the original Amber
Room are thought to be lost to time. Originally owned by Russian Tsar Peter the Great, the room was moved
by Axis forces to Prussia. But post-WWII, this elaborate room of gorgeous amber panels, mirrors and
precious stones disappeared. Was it destroyed by furious Allied bombing? Or did Hitler’s order that all relics
be removed from the city result in pieces being dispersed all over the area, never to be found again? This is
by far one of the war’s most tantalizing unsolved mysteries for treasure hunters.

#3: Erwin Rommel’s Secret Treasure

Speaking of treasure, the location of an incredible stash of priceless art, gold and gemstones is believed to
lie out there, somewhere deep within the Mediterranean Sea. This treasure is said to have belonged to the
infamous Nazi commander Erwin Rommel, and was ordered buried as it became clear that Nazi Germany’s
days were numbered. Although a breakthrough occurred in 2007 when coordinates led a British treasure
hunter and researcher to an area off the coast of Corsica, as of yet Erwin Rommel’s secret treasure remains
lost beneath the waves.

#2: Who Turned in Anne Frank?

It was a telephone tip that ultimately led to the capture of young Anne Frank and her family by German
officials in 1944. But who left that tip? Who turned in Anne Frank, the young Jewish girl who along with
seven others had hidden for two years from the Nazis? It was the SS officer Julius Dettman who originally
took the phonecall, and who put the apprehension orders into motion. However, Dettman committed
suicide near the end of the war, having never revealed who the caller was. Many theories have been put
forth, most involving workers from the complex where Anne was hidden. But no one knows for sure who
placed that fateful call.

#1: The Disappearance of Flight 19

The Bermuda Triangle is said to have caused the disappearance or malfunction of many unlucky aircrafts
over the years. One such tale is that of Flight 19, a group of five Navy planes that flew out on a training flight
shortly after the war’s conclusion. The pilots reported compass error before finally disappearing without a
trace after presumably running out of fuel. A PBM flying boat was sent out to find the missing Flight 19, and
this, too, disappeared. Although officials point to the PBM’s flammable nature as a probable cause for its
demise, the Flight 19 bombers and their crew remain unaccounted for to this day.
Top 5 Myths About Religion

Religion sets out to answer bigger questions about our existence, ascribe importance in a higher being, and
lay the groundwork for a moral life. Welcome to WatchMojo’s Top 5 Myths, the series that finds the biggest
myths that people actually believe and dispels them one by one. In today’s instalment we’ll be looking at
misconceptions surrounding major organized religions, along with the beliefs followers subscribe to. So step
aside Hozier, it’s time to take these people to church.

#5: Islam is the World’s Largest Religion

As the overwhelmingly predominate religion in many different countries; particularly in the Middle East, it’s
understandable to conclude that Islam is in fact the largest religion in the world. With 1.3 billion members,
it’s one of only two to break into the billion-member club, but Christianity takes the cake at this time in
history with 2.1 billion members. These numbers are already dated, and macro trends suggest a change in
this status in the near future. The Pew Research Center believes that Islam will surpass Christianity by 2050
due to its standing as the fastest growing region in the world.

#4: Chanukah is the Most Important Jewish Holiday

It’s like Jewish Christmas, right? Well my gentile friends, this is certainly not the case. Perhaps
commercialization of the holiday, or simply a need to have an experience of their own during Christmas led
to this misconception about Hanukkah, but the celebration of Jerusalem’s Holy Temple doesn’t even crack
the top three major Jewish holidays despite what you may have heard. Most practicing Jews will agree that
Yom Kuppur, Rosh Hashanah, and Passover are the religion’s most important holidays, with the latter
observing the liberation of God’s chosen people from Egypt. While educating students about this holiday
stems from noble intentions, its focus over major Jewish holidays takes away from important aspects of the
religion.

#3: Atheism is the Opposite of Religion

Bear with us on this one. Religion can be defined as an interest, belief, or activity that is very important to a
person or group. Atheism means not believing in the existence of God, which directly contrasts with theism.
But some major religions don’t necessarily require belief in a God; particular, Buddhism and Taoism. Instead
of actively promoting the existence of a creator, they focus on achieving enlightenment, piety, and harmony
with the world at large. Some may argue that you cannot be religious, and an atheist, but if you were to
draw a Venn diagram of the two ideologies, there would be a small overlap based off of current
understandings.

#2: Religious People Never Support Same-Sex Marriage

Speaking of Venn diagrams, some may be under the assumption that organized worship of an omnipotent
being is mutually exclusive with acceptance of marriage between two men or two women. Statistics show
otherwise, with a 2016 study by the Peer Research Center indicating that 58% of U.S. Catholics and 77% of
U.S. Jews support gay marriage. Contrasted with the 55% acceptance among all U.S. citizens, major religions
appear more progressive than presented throughout public opinion. There are certainly religious
demographics who weigh down this median, but two of the largest religious groups in the U.S. have clearly
spoken about their opinions on this issue.

#1: Jews, Christians, and Muslims Share Nothing in Common

This myth may not be frequently vocalized, but conflicts throughout the world indicate that the three
central monogamous religions couldn’t be more different from each other. Aside from their belief in a
singular deity, there’s quite a few commonalities among these religions. In particular, Abraham is a
significant religious figure in each of their teachings, and all three consider Jerusalem a holy city. The Torah
contains the first five books of the Bible, and the Koran mentions Jesus on multiple occasions. With all this
talk of Venn diagrams, we can only hope a religious authority will take the time to map out all the areas
Judaism, Christianity, and Islam overlap!
Top 10 Weirdest Weapons of War You Won't Believe Were Invented

War may be hell, but sometimes it's also downright weird. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we're
counting down our picks for the Top 10 Weird Weapons of War.

For this list, we'll be ranking the strangest and most bizarre attempts at creating a unique style of weapon.
Humanity has been engaged in war for as long as we've been on this planet, and as a result, there have been
some very left-field ideas when it's come to shifting how we view battle. [Here are some of the most "out
there" examples we could find.]

#10: Project Habakkuk

Need to build an aircraft carrier but steel and aluminum are in short supply? Construct it out of ice! Or, at
least this was the idea proposed to England's Winston Churchill by inventor Geoffrey Pyke in a plan he
dubbed Project Habakkuk. Pyke rationalized that a large ice carrier could easily operate while under torpedo
attack, as the missiles would only damage small sections of the ship's hull. A mixture of ice and wood pulp
called pykrete was used to make the carrier stronger and more resilient, pushing Project Habakkuk to the
point where a smaller-sized test ship was built. Unfortunately, its slow speed and the high demand for
materials doomed the project before it could start.

#9: Dazer Laser

Sometimes, it isn't about killing your opponent, but rather just incapacitating them for a bit. This is where
the idea of non-lethal weapons comes in, with the Dazer Laser being one of the most bizarre of the bunch.
There were three different designs made of the Dazer Laser: a small pistol, a baton and a larger, multi-
function weapon. All of them emit what is called a "MEAN Beam," a mixture of modulating pulses and light
which, when combined, can induce feelings of nausea, vomiting or disorientation within their target. You
may have heard the Dazer Laser be referred to as a "Puke Ray," and, although this may not be the weapon's
intended function, it sure could prove to be handy bonus in battle.

#8: Windkanone
The term "Wunderwaffe" refers to covert German plans for the development of so-called "super weapons"
during World War II. One of these proposed weapons was known as the Windkanone, which, roughly
translated, could be described as a "Wind Cannon." The Windkanone was a ground-based cannon that was
packed with a mixture of hydrogen and ammonia (though some sources say oxygen). It was designed to
shoot out a shell of compressed air at its targets, with the intention of grounding planes or otherwise
disturbing airborne threats. Windkanones were tested, but their effects against targets weren't to the liking
of German officials, and anyone manning it was essentially a sitting duck - so the idea was scrapped.

#7: Who Me
The next weird weapon on our list possesses a strange name for an equally strange idea. Who Me was an
idea that first came to light thanks to the proto-C.I.A. agency known as Office of Strategic Services. This
American intelligence sector designed the horrible smelling stench weapon known as Who Me for the
French Resistance fighting against Germany in World War II. The compound was placed within small
atomizer devices similar to a cologne dispenser, and was intended to disorient its target with the
overwhelming stench of feces. Unfortunately, the spraying of Who Me often backfired against its user,
making it yet another quickly discarded idea in the ever evolving fight against Nazi Germany.

#6: Novgorod
The Russian monitor Novgorod was a circular, flat-bottomed warship whose intentions were to be a heavily
armored protector ship, with the ability to carry a large amount of artillery on board. Built in 1871, the
reality of its strange design made Novgorod almost impossible to maneuver effectively in anything other
than perfect weather conditions. Its circular shape also meant that it could take nearly an hour for Novgorod
to make a U-Turn, thanks to an incompatible rudder system. To be fair, although Novgorod holds a
reputation as one of the worst wartime naval ships ever constructed, it actually achieved its intended aim
for coastal defense...even if it might've looked a tad silly while doing so.

#5: Man Catcher

The image of this old school European weapon could be considered to be the stuff of nightmares. The Man
Catcher possessed a relatively simple design, consisting of a spring-loaded trap, located at the end of a long
stick or pole. Its main purpose was to drag enemy targets from horseback and restrain them, presumably for
such ends as capture, interrogation or ransom. One particularly devious aspect of the Man Catcher were the
sharp spikes located within the spring trap, which could prove intensely painful or even fatal, should the
target not being wearing some sort of protective armor.

#4: Japanese Fire Balloon [aka Fu-Go]

There was seemingly no end to the innovation of offense during the Second World War, with this Japanese
invention serving as one of the least effective, yet potentially deadly weapons of the conflict. In some ways,
the Japanese Fire Balloon was frighteningly successful, as these quick moving, hydrogen balloons actually
did make their way to North American shores. This was the longest ranged war attack recorded at the time,
despite the fact that the balloons caused little damage with their incendiary contents. Officials were worried
about the potential for biological or chemical warfare with the balloons, however, leading to a government-
initiated, press cover up concerning their existence and success.

#3: Gay Bombs [aka Halitosis Bombs]

In what could only be described as one of the most head-scratching weapons proposals on our list, the Gay
Bomb was an idea dreamt up by scientists in Ohio's Wright Laboratory. The idea behind their proposed Gay
Bomb was to utilize female sex pheromones as a biological weapon, spraying them over enemy soldiers in
order to make them sexually attracted to each other. The fact that this idea was concocted during the mid-
nineties makes it all the more anachronistic, with Wright Laboratories going on to receive an "Ig Nobel
Peace Prize" by scientific humorists in 2007 as a satirical jab at this most bizarre plan.

#2: Flaming Pigs [aka Incendiary Pigs]

The practice of using immense war elephants on the battlefield was a common sight during the age of
Roman warfare, with the beasts' effectiveness as mounts leading to research for a way to combat their
advantage. A simple, if troubling solution was found when it was discovered that elephants were intensely
frightened and disoriented by the sound of a pig's squeal. The idea? Cover an array of war pigs in oil, set
them on fire, and let the enemy elephants trample the opposing forces to death as they tried to get away. It
may not have been animal-friendly, but it was certainly effective.

#1: Bat Bombs

No, Bruce Wayne didn’t develop these… Bat Bombs were an idea developed by the United States during
World War II in an attempt to infiltrate Japanese territory. This was proposed to be achieved by arming bats
with incendiary devices, letting them loose at dawn to roost, and later detonating those bombs. Although
initial tests led to a massive explosion when the bats roosted under the fuel tank of a New Mexico Air Force
base, another test in Utah was more successful. The Bat Bomb project was dropped due to rising costs and
implementation delays, although its developer, dentist Lytle S. Adams maintained its use could have
circumvented America's dropping of the Atomic Bomb in 1945.

Top 10 Most Important Votes That Altered History Forever

When people go to the polls, history is made. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down
our picks for the top 10 world-changing votes in history.

For this list, we’re looking at the decisions that changed world attitudes, sparked massive conflicts or shaped
entire nations.

#10: United States Declaration of War on Japan

December 8, 1941
One day after Japan’s surprise attack on Hawaii’s Pearl Harbor, President Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered
what’s now known as the Infamy Speech before Congress and the nation. In the seven-minute address, he
called December 7th “a date which will live in infamy,” and officially requested that Congress declare war on
Japan in retaliation. As a result, it was brought to a vote, and less than an hour after Roosevelt’s speech
ended that vote had passed 82-0 in the Senate and 388-1 in the House. That vote officially brought the
United States into WWII, shaping the events to come and perhaps shifting the tides of war.

#9: Indian Provincial Elections

January 1946
Although this was simply a vote by British India to elect representatives to the legislative council, it ended
up sparking enormous changes in the Indian subcontinent, the effects of which were felt for generations.
Leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had long been proponents of an
independent – and united – India, but the 1946 elections effectively killed that dream. While they only
finished second with one-third of the overall votes, the Muslim League succeeded in unifying the country’s
Muslims. This destabilized India, ultimately leading to the partitioning of the country and the creation of the
Muslim state of Pakistan in 1947.

#8: South Sudanese Independence Referendum

January 9-15, 2011
Bloody civil wars raged through Sudan from 1955-72 and again from 1983-2005 between the government of
central Sudan and guerrilla forces representing South Sudan, with the non-Islamic South seeking increased
representation and sovereignty from the Islamic state of Sudan. Although they were granted relative
autonomy, a referendum was eventually held in January 2011 to decide whether South Sudan would
separate from Sudan. 98.83% voted for independence, and at midnight on July 9th, 2011 the Republic of
South Sudan was formed. Unfortunately, 2013 saw the beginning of another civil war in South Sudan, this
time between the government and its opposition, with hundreds of thousands of people killed and millions
displaced as a result.

#7: United Kingdom European Union Membership Referendum [aka Brexit]

June 23, 2016
A 1975 referendum saw over 67% of UK voters choosing to join what would eventually become the
European Union. But as decades progressed, political figures of all stripes began publicly promoting
withdrawal from the EU, and in June 2016 citizens went to the polls. Ultimately, almost 52% of the 33.5
million voters chose to leave, with most people in England and Wales voting to go and Scotland and
Northern Ireland primarily opting to stay. Although the long-term effects of this decision remain to be seen,
financial markets took an immediate and significant hit. In addition, the Brexit vote inspired countries like
France, the Netherlands, Austria, Finland and Hungary to consider withdrawing from the EU as well.

#6: United States Presidential Election

November 6, 1860
Although Barack Obama’s 2008 election as the United States’ first African-American president was
significant, the presidential election of 1860 could be considered even more earth shaking. The years
leading to that vote saw the nation split on the issue of slavery, and the election of the anti-slavery
Republican candidate Abraham Lincoln deepened the rift. In fact, before Lincoln was even inaugurated,
seven slave states seceded from the Union, declaring independence and eventually forming the Confederate
States of America with four additional states. This, in turn, led to the American Civil War; the bloodiest war
in the history of the U.S. and a conflict that changed the country’s course forever.
#5: Ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
August 18, 1920
The United States was founded in 1776, but it wasn’t until 1920 that the country allowed women to vote.
The suffrage movement surfaced in the 1840s but really gathered steam during the Reconstruction Era,
fighting for women’s rights at both state and national levels. Although the Nineteenth Amendment was
introduced in 1878 and some individual states had already granted suffrage to women, the battle was finally
won nationwide in 1920 when the amendment was ratified by the number of states necessary and added to
the Constitution. This not only prevented citizens from being blocked from voting based on their sex; it also
contributed to a shift in attitude toward women’s rights worldwide.

#4: United Nations’ Vote on Partition Plan for Palestine

November 29, 1947
Palestinian Arabs and Jews have been fighting for centuries, with each group laying claim to the area. By the
1940s, the conflict had become increasingly violent in the British-controlled region, so the United Nations
were brought in to broker a solution. On November 29th, 1947, the UN voted to partition Palestine,
meaning separate Arab and Jewish states would be formed and Jerusalem would be treated separately due
to its shared religious significance. The plan was accepted by the Jews but rejected by the Arabs, who
asserted it was in violation of the UN Charter’s principle of self-determination. Violence and eventually civil
war ensued, and the partition was never put into practice.

#3: German Federal Election

March 5, 1933
President Paul von Hindenburg had already appointed Adolph Hitler Chancellor of Germany in January 1933,
effectively allowing the Nazi Party to seize control of the country. But the March 1933 election more firmly
established Hitler’s leadership, allowing the Nazis to pick up 92 seats more than they had in the previous
election. Even so, they did not have a majority government, but they did have enough power to see that the
Enabling Act was passed. This was the piece of legislation that essentially awarded dictatorial powers to
Adolph Hitler, allowing him to pass laws without the approval of Parliament. Before long, Hitler outlawed
other political parties, dissolved parliament and started WWII.

#2: South African Apartheid Referendum

March 17, 1992
When State President of South Africa, F. W. de Klerk, first addressed parliament, he proposed some startling
changes: the prohibition of certain political parties would be repealed, Nelson Mandela would be discharged
from prison, capital punishment would be stopped, and the country’s state of emergency would end.
What’s more, he also planned to end the system of established racial segregation and discrimination that’d
existed in South Africa since 1948. However, many of these changes hinged on a 1992 referendum, in which
only white voters could decide whether the apartheid system should be abolished. The “Yes” side won
decisively with almost 69% of the vote, leading to multi-racial elections that ultimately saw Mandela elected
as South Africa’s first black President.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- Paris Agreement on Climate Change
April 22, 2016

- Quebec Referendum
October 30, 1995

#1: Soviet Union Referendum

March 17, 1991
“Do you consider necessary the preservation of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics as a renewed
federation of equal sovereign republics in which the rights and freedom of an individual of any nationality
will be fully guaranteed?” This was the question posed to hundreds of millions of Soviet citizens in an
attempt to avert the collapse of the Soviet Union. Almost 150 million voted in favor of the USSR’s
reorganization into a confederation known as the Union of Sovereign States. However, before the country
could be restructured, an attempted Communist coup destabilized the country’s government. While that
coup failed, it did contribute to the dissolution of the Soviet Union on December 26th, 1991.

Top 10 Countries That No Longer Exist

Now you live in them, now you don’t. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our
picks for the Top 10 Countries That No Longer Exist.

For this list, we’ll be looking at nations, republics, states and countries that were divided, replaced,
absorbed or otherwise ceased to be – flags and all.

#10: Weimar Republic

1919 - 1933
From 1919-33, Germany was unofficially called the Weimar Republic, and officially Deutsches Reich. Formed
between the Second and Third Reichs, this attempt at a republic was doomed from the start. At the end of
the First World War, the Treaty of Versailles imposed harsh penalties on Germany, which contributed to
issues with hyperinflation and warring Communist and right-wing nationalist paramilitary movements. It
wasn’t all bad, though, as the government ended up helping German currency and railways, and got out of
most of the imposed restrictions from the Treaty. But it was all for naught, however, because after the
Reichstag fire, a certain Chancellor influenced the government to call a state of emergency, effectively
ending the republic and beginning Germany’s Nazi period.

#9: East Germany

1949 - 1990
After World War II, Germany was reeling from their losses, and their territory was divided up by the Allies.
West Germany ultimately stayed connected with the rest of Western Europe. East Germany, officially the
German Democratic Republic, or GDR, was snatched up by the USSR as a Soviet Satellite state, and occupied
by Soviet forces for decades. They built the infamous Berlin Wall in 1961 to stop emigration, and killed many
defectors. Despite having the best economy of the Eastern Bloc states, it was a grim situation. The Berlin
Wall finally came down in 1989, and a year later, as the USSR was dying, the GDR was absorbed into a
unified democratic Germany.

#8: Prussia
1525 - 1947
Wow, Germany’s had more names than Puff Daddy. This iteration was called Prussia. Starting out as a
duchy, it became a kingdom in 1701 under Frederick I, and became famous for its military strength, most
notably under Frederick the Great and Otto von Bismarck. At its peak, Prussia covered parts of what are now
8 European countries. After German unification in 1871, Prussia was the largest state in the German Empire,
but ceased to be a kingdom after WWI. It later lost independence after the Weimar Republic dismissed
Prussia’s cabinet, and by 1934, their powers had been completely stripped by the Nazis. After WWII, the
Allies effectively dissolved Prussia, with Poland and the USSR taking the spoils and kicking the Germans out.

#7: United Arab Republic

1958 - 1961
This ill-fated project was a union between Egypt and Syria. The United Arab Republic, or UAR, was the first
move towards eventually forming a larger pan-Arab state. It was also an attempt to subdue that pesky
Communist influence in the area. The project was short-lived though, as Syria became independent again in
1961 after a coup d’état. Egypt kept the name UAR for another 10 years before realizing they weren’t united
with anyone. They officially changed back to Egypt in 1971, shortly after the death of their president and
founder of the UAR, Gamal Abdel Nasser.
#6: Ceylon
1505 - 1972
Just off the coast of India, Ceylon was the converted name given to Sri Lanka after the Portuguese landed
there in the early 16th century. Like a lot of countries during the Age of Discovery and New Imperialism,
Ceylon went through its fair share of European overlords, ending with the British, who consolidated rule
over the island starting in 1815. Fast-forward to 1948, and Ceylon became a dominion, fully independent of
Britain, but still recognizing the British monarch. It stayed this way until 1972, when it became a republic
and its name was changed to Sri Lanka. Today, parliament plans to erase most references to the country’s
old name.

#5: Czechoslovakia
1918 - 1993
After the Central Powers were defeated at the end of WWI, the Austro-Hungarian Empire was dissolved and
split into a bunch of successor states. One of these was Czechoslovakia, one of the few countries in Europe
that was a democratic republic at the time. They had a good thing going until the Nazis gobbled it up, and
later, of course, the Soviets. During the Velvet Revolution in 1989, the Czechs deposed their government
and restored their democracy, but things weren’t all rosy. By 1993, nationalist tensions between Czechs and
Slovaks caused the country to peacefully split into two: the Czech Republic in the West, and Slovakia in the
East, effectively making them... Czechmates.

#4: Rhodesia
1965 - 1979
Starting out as the British colony of Southern Rhodesia and named after Cecil Rhodes, the British
businessman who exploited the region, this southeast African state had a history mired in blood. In 1965,
the minority whites signed a declaration of independence from the UK, which was declared illegal, as Britain
only allowed the majority to make such a declaration. After British sanctions, and a 15 year civil war
between Robert Mugabe’s ZANU, Joshua Nkomo’s ZAPU, and Ian Smith’s Rhodesian government, Rhodesia
buckled: universal suffrage was granted and the state was named Zimbabwe Rhodesia. Elections were held
in 1980, and Robert Mugabe and ZANU won. The European name of Rhodesia was replaced with just
Zimbabwe, and Mugabe has been in control, first as Prime Minister and now as President, ever since.

#3: Ottoman Empire

1299 - 1923
With an over 600-year existence, the Ottoman Empire’s run was one of the longest in history. They officially
ended the Byzantine or Eastern Roman Empire by taking Constantinople, annexed much of the Middle East
under Suleiman I, dominated the lands surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, and were instrumental in
causing European nations to modernize their weaponry. They had a good run, barring multiple genocides,
but political ineptitude, internal revolts, and the sheer vastness of the Empire caused it to decline. Allied
with Germany during WWI, the loss saw the Empire dismantled. With the Turkish War of Independence, the
sultanate was abolished and the Republic of Turkey took the Empire’s place, while its legacy was whittled
down.

#2: Yugoslavia
1918 - 1992
Along with Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia was another remnant of the old Austro-Hungarian Empire. Unlike its
peer, which adopted democracy, Yugoslavia became a Kingdom. That kingdom was invaded by the Nazis in
1941, as was the trend in Europe. At the end of WWII, it became a socialist federal republic unaffiliated with
the USSR, under the leadership of Josip Tito. It was a federation of 6 different republics that, after Tito’s
death in 1980, wanted independence because of ethnic differences. Some republics declared independence
in the early 1990s, effectively dissolving Yugoslavia into what is today 7 different countries, including
Croatia, and Serbia. The story doesn’t end there though, as the Yugoslav Wars unfortunately continued
throughout the 1990s.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- Austro-Hungary
1867 - 1918

- Sikkim
1642 - 1975

- South Vietnam
1955 - 1975

#1: Soviet Union

1922 - 1991
The latter half of the 20th century saw the planet turn into a chessboard with America on one side and the
Soviet Union, the largest state in the world, on the other – and that division still exists today. Along with the
United States, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics or the USSR influenced world politics to such an extent
that the effects can still be felt in our modern world, with areas like Asia, South America, the Middle East,
North Africa, and the Caribbean all feeling the effects. Ultimately, because of economic failure, most Soviet
satellite states in Eastern Europe replaced their Communist governments, and eventually the USSR’s
republics followed suit in the ‘90s. They are now 15 independent states, including the territory that is
Russia, or the Russian Federation, which is the USSR’s legal successor.

Top 10 Declassified Secrets That Will SHOCK You

These were the rumors you couldn’t believe were true – until it was revealed they were. Welcome to
WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 shocking declassified secrets.

For this list, we’ll be focusing on pieces of information that were once top-secret, but have since been
revealed to the public. For the record, we’re not passing judgment on these secrets, but rather discussing
how potentially shocking their declassification was to society as a whole.

#10: Avro Canada VZ-9 Avrocar

Have you ever seen what you thought was a UFO in the night sky? Well, if the creators of the Avrocar had
had their way, there may’ve actually been flying saucers in the air. The Avro Canada VZ-9 Avrocar was an
experimental military collaboration between the United States and Canada during the Cold War, and it
entailed building a fighting aircraft whose design resembled a flying saucer typically found in 1950s sci-fi.
Work on the project was reduced over the years, however, and eventually abandoned in 1961 thanks, in
part, to disappointing stability performances with its vertical takeoff and landing.

#9: Atomic Bombs Over North Carolina

This former military blunder has gained a higher profile over the years, thanks to a number of major news
sources like CNN and Fox News running the story of a near-nuclear disaster. In what is now referred to as
the 1961 Goldsboro B-52 Crash, a bomber jet containing two finished nuclear bombs crashed over North
Carolina on January 24th of that year, and actually dropped both bombs to the ground during the process.
Although a parachute did deploy over one of the bombs, the other fell to the ground. Thankfully, safety pins
had been removed from the first bomb, while impact from the crash only damaged the second, sparing the
entire country from potential destruction.

#8: The Lost Children of Francoism

The dictatorial rule of Spain’s Generalissimo Francisco Franco was one marred by multiple human rights
violations, censorship, and violence. One other shocking secret behind his reign, however, was that some
children born to parents who either opposed Franco’s ideals or were otherwise seen as inferior to the
General’s racial views, were stolen. An estimated 300,000 children were reportedly stolen by hospital staff,
nuns, and priests over the course of 50 years, with some parents told that their babies had died shortly after
birth. Accusations of human trafficking and illegal adoption were leveled at Franco’s regime, as well as the
Catholic Church, who were said to have sold these children to other parents across the country.

#7: Dark Alliance

The term “Dark Alliance” refers to a series of investigative articles published by journalist Gary Webb in
1996 for the San Jose Mercury News. Webb’s articles called attention to the influx of crack cocaine into the
Los Angeles area - specifically its connection to Contra rebel groups in Nicaragua. Webb also accused the CIA
of supporting the Contras in his work, leading to a major government investigation and news coverage
across the country. There were doubts and criticism leveled at Webb’s work, however, with both the
Mercury News and the Los Angeles Times claiming inaccuracies and exaggeration. Webb would resign from
his position, working freelance and writing a book on the “Dark Alliance,” before committing suicide in 2004.

#6: Operation Neptune Spear

The U.S. government had a name and face for their “most wanted” list, in the aftermath of the September
11th terror attacks. That name and face belonged to Al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden, and his death was
the subject of a covert, classified operation known as Operation Neptune Spear. In this operation, a group of
airborne military, CIA operatives, and Navy SEALs tracked bin Laden to Pakistan, whereupon he was killed
and his body buried at sea. The controversy behind Neptune Spear is due largely to the lack of any physical
or DNA evidence of this killing, as well as reports that bin Laden was unarmed at his time of capture. These
reports continue to fuel conspiracy theories to this day.

#5: Global Surveillance Disclosures

Patriot or Traitor? These are the opposing labels assigned to Edward Snowden, a former NSA contractor
who rocked the world in 2013 when he released thousands of top-secret documents and files from the
United States, Canada, Australia and the U.K. These leaks drew international attention and scrutiny, with
one of the main takeaways being the individual’s right to privacy from the government. Snowden took
temporary asylum in Russia from the charges of theft and espionage laid against him by the U.S. in 2014.
Meanwhile, critics of his actions, like President Barack Obama, claimed that Snowden’s actions put the
country and its citizens at risk to enemies, and that leaking these secrets did little to keep people safe.

#4: Project MKUltra

Can a government develop mind-control techniques over their citizens? This was what the United States
attempted to find out during the 1950s and '60s with a series of experiments known as Project MKUltra.
These programs experimented on subjects using psychedelic drugs, hypnosis, and chemical agents,
reportedly to acquire some sort of mental control or dominance. Some historians have theorized that
MKUltra was designed to create assassins who would be used for long distance espionage, while others just
chalk up the whole thing to an expensive study in LSD drug trips. MKUltra’s usage of unwilling or unwitting
test subjects, however, led to the project’s ultimate dissolution in 1973.

#3: Unit 731

There are war crimes, and then there was Unit 731. This Japanese research group committed unthinkable
human atrocities during World War II, experimenting with physical, medical, and chemical torture on some
3000 people, many of them Chinese prisoners. Furthermore, there’s evidence found in Chinese and
Japanese documents that show the U.S. traded immunity for data in the years following the war’s end. This
is particularly shocking given the brutality associated with the methods of Unit 731, which were said to have
included live vivisection, germ warfare, and use of a gas chamber. The sheer magnitude of Unit 731 and the
associated crimes has led some to call the era “The Asian Holocaust.”

#2: Operation Northwoods

A quote from Alan Moore’s “V for Vendetta” states that “People shouldn’t be afraid of their government.
Governments should be afraid of their people.” But maybe it’s the other way around. Operation
Northwoods was a shocking plan during the 1960s for the United States to actively engage in homegrown
terror attacks, in order to incite public demand for a war in Cuba. The U.S. was determined to oust the
Communist government of Fidel Castro from Cuba after the failed Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961, and was
seemingly willing to do whatever it took to achieve these ends. President Kennedy rejected this proposal
from his Joint Chiefs of Staff, however, and Operation Northwoods was thankfully never put into use.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are few declassified honorable mentions.

- Plame Affair
- Operation Gladio
- The Vatican & the Knights Templar

#1: Operation Paperclip

Enemies were turned into allies under the rules of Operation Paperclip; a shocking secret whose details
remain almost inconceivable to this day. The program was conducted after World War II by the United
States Office of Strategic Services, under the approval of President Harry Truman during the Cold War.
Operation Paperclip involved over 1,500 scientists and engineers who originally worked under the Nazi
regime in Germany being brought into the U.S. to assist in weapons research and development. Although
Truman specified that no Nazi members or sympathizers were to be included, the OSS destroyed the critical
evidence that would’ve proven their Nazi status, believing that the results achieved as a result of Operation
Paperclip would be crucial to homeland security against the Soviet Union.

Top 10 Most Powerful Public Speakers in History

They captured the public’s attention with the power of their words. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and
today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Most Powerful Public Speakers in History.

For this list, we’ll be ranking the most influential historical personalities who used their oratory talents for
major social change during their lives – for better or worse.

#10: Mahatma Gandhi

It isn’t always wild gesticulations and booming voices that grab a crowd’s attention. Case in point? Mahatma
Gandhi, a leader for Indian independence, who was known for his soft-spoken demeanor and policies of
non-confrontational civil disobedience, or ahimsa. One of Gandhi’s most famous speeches, “Quit India,” saw
the leader call upon Indians to utilize passive resistance against British occupation of the country and
decline to participate in WWII. This practice involved boycotts of British products, including government
schooling, while Gandhi himself went on fasts and hunger strikes, which often left him severely weakened.
Nevertheless, Gandhi caused significant social change by backing up his compelling speeches with actions,
making him an enduring figure in historical public speaking.

#9: Marcus Tullius Cicero

Ancient Rome, a legendary empire, hailed itself as the pinnacle of government and culture, and in turn
influenced Western civilization. The texts from this era that survive give an idea of the compelling
arguments used by preeminent figures of the day; one of these was orator Marcus Tullius Cicero. He was
taught in both Latin and Greek, meaning he learned from yet another important culture, which had great
speakers like the “First Citizen of Athens,” himself, Pericles. It was that grasp on language allowed Cicero to
translate much of Greece’s rhetoric into Latin. Cicero was also involved in government and law, where he
utilized rhetoric to convince all who listened of his arguments – including the generations of politicians,
lawyers and public figures who study his work today.
#8: Margaret Thatcher
Early in her career, Thatcher was quoted as saying, “I don’t think there will be a woman prime minister in
my lifetime,” but she was obviously proven wrong. Taking office in May of 1979, Thatcher was quickly
nicknamed “The Iron Lady.” Thatcher was the first woman to be British Prime Minister, and also held the
position the longest out of anyone in the 20th century. Thatcher’s longevity as PM is in part thanks to her
controversial and unyielding style of speech and leadership. Indeed, public opinion of Thatcher’s policies on
deregulation, labor and privatization of businesses was so strong that her influence continues to be felt
today, both in Britain and around the world.

#7: Ronald Reagan

The 40th President of the United States may’ve first found the fame as an actor, but his legacy as America’s
Commander in Chief earned him the nickname “The Great Communicator.” This moniker was merited, in
part, thanks to Reagan’s ability to connect with an audience during his speeches. This was largely due to the
perception that the former President came across as sincere, simple and honest, using terms people could
understand, but also being succinct and quotable. The country may not have always agreed with Reagan’s
policies, but they almost always paid attention whenever he took the podium for a speech.

#6: Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela gave a speech in 1964 while on trial in Apartheid South Africa that remains of the most
important and iconic addresses of the 20th century. Speaking for three hours, this activist used the power of
the spoken word to resonate with his supporters and to challenge those who had put him on trial. Mandela
stressed that he was willing to die for his ideals of a democratic South Africa, and it was this passionate
belief behind his words that made Mandela a hero to many around the world. Though some have criticized
Mandela’s switch to armed protest with the Spear of the Nation after first espousing peaceful, non-violent
solutions, the leader’s legacy remains firmly entrenched within the culture of South Africa.

#5: Franklin D. Roosevelt

Roosevelt’s public speaking style is perfectly encapsulated by the Fireside Chats, a series of radio broadcasts
that he used to discuss such issues as unemployment, finance and the costs of fighting a war overseas
directly with the American people. These chats led the United States through both the Great Depression and
World War II during his tenure as President. It was the perceived intimacy of these chats that likely led to
Roosevelt’s popularity among his supporters, as they served as a comforting presence during times of
troubling uncertainty and danger. His presence and assurance were especially needed following the attack
at Pearl Harbor in 1941; in under eight minutes, he gave what is known as the Infamy Speech, convincing
almost everyone that it was time to proclaim war.

#4: Adolf Hitler

The rise of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi movement continues to be a chilling reminder of how powerful a
zealous oratory presence can be in persuading a population. Indeed, Hitler made over five thousand
speeches in his lifetime, and was instrumental in one of the most deplorable periods in history through an
almost supernatural ability to tap into the fears and prejudices of an entire nation. Charisma and presence
were just two of the ingredients needed to spark the powder keg that became World War II Germany.
However, it was also Hitler’s ability to find the right things to say at the right times that managed to strike at
the hearts of German citizens.

#3: Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin Luther King Jr.’s talent and knowledge in public speaking made him more than just an icon of the civil
rights movement that included other powerful speakers like Malcolm X. MLK’s iconic status as an orator is
due not only to the passion of the words he chose, but also the manner with which they were delivered.
Like the true preacher he was, King always appeared confident at the podium, and spoke with a relaxed
cadence that seemed to put audiences at ease. Add to this the fact that King added to that impression of
genuineness by rarely referencing his prepared materials during famous moments like his “I Have a
Dream...” speech, and you have a recipe for one of history’s finest public speakers.
#2: John F. Kennedy
American presidents are often placed front and center as some of history’s greatest public speakers. John
Fitzgerald Kennedy may not have served as his nation’s president for long, but in his almost three years in
office he managed to make a lasting impact on the country – a significance that still resonates today. This
was not only due to Kennedy’s youthful demeanor and natural body language, but also in his ability to use
the tone and volume of his voice in a constructive way to strengthen his message. JFK utilized all of these
skills to make famous speeches like his 1961 Inaugural Address and his “Moon” speech at Rice University a
year later, both of which became milestones of his short, but memorable presidency.

Before we name our most impactful public speaker, here are a few honorable mentions.
- Abraham Lincoln
- Harvey Milk
- Charles de Gaulle

#1: Winston Churchill

Public speaking can leave some people absolutely petrified, and this fear can afflict even the most talented
orators, like former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. He conquered his fear through dedicated
practice, and became PM in the thick of World War II. His first speech in the position positively inspired
British Parliament. Then before the Battle of Britain, Churchill roused troops for their fight against Nazi
Germany, aligning himself with them and motivating them. Churchill carefully chose every word for his
speeches, meticulously editing and making sure to maximize their impact on his audience. He was obviously
successful, and as a result Churchill solidified his position as one of history’s master orators.

Top 5 Myths About the Crusades

When the Pope offers redemption through aggression, you know it’s going to get ugly. Welcome to
WatchMojo’s Top 5 Myths, the series that finds the biggest myths people actually believe, and dispels them
one by one. In today’s instalment, we’re taking a look at some common misperceptions about The Crusades.

#5: The Crusaders Exclusively Fought Muslims

What were “The Crusades?” Well, how about this: Christians! Conversion! And War against Muslims! Well,
hold up now, because the Crusaders didn’t wage battle exclusively against Muslims like you might believe.
Essentially, The Crusades were about territory. And the First Crusade transpired when Pope Urban II
organized a mass pilgrimage to the Holy Land. “Deus Vult” or “God Wills It” functioned as the11th century
hashtag of the time, yet the primary goal for many wasn’t to fight Muslims – it was to wash away their own
sins in the name of Christianity. And while large numbers of Muslims were killed, Jews were also murdered,
most notably when the German Count Emicho initiated community slaughters within his own country. And
by the end of the 4th Crusade, even Orthodox Christians were murdered during the Sack of Constantinople.

#4: All Crusaders Wore White with a Red Cross

Believe it or not, there was no official dress code for The Crusades. And given that peasants and plenty of
sketchy individuals were recruited for the First Crusade, well, they just wore what they had. Remember, one
of Pope Urban’s promotional tools was the offering of indulgences. Meaning, the most troubled of peasants
could be forgiven for their sins. Of course, the popular image associated with The Crusades involves some
white threads, complemented by a blood red cross. And sure, plenty of folks dressed up as such – they were
called rich knights. So, Christian crusaders weren’t exactly turned away for their weak or questionable style.

#3: The "Children's Crusade" Was a Thing

If you’ve seen the 1987 film “Lionheart” or even “The Gates to Paradise” by the great Andrzej Wajda, then
perhaps you’re familiar with the supposed Children’s Crusade of 1212. After all, it’s a well-known tale. On
paper, the narrative is intense: 11thcentury German kids feel inspired and embark on a rather lengthy hike
to The Holy Land via Italy. But they had one major obstacle: the Mediterranean Sea. Yet, the entitled
“Children Crusaders” apparently expected the water to dry up for them. And, well, it didn’t.
In reality, this crusade is documented as being a “youth” movement rather than a child one – and
furthermore, it wasn’t officially sanctioned by the pope so…it…wasn’t exactly a crusade to begin with.

#2: The Crusaders Lost More Than They Won

Let’s be clear: the Crusaders lost from time to time. And given some of the major fails of the Third and
Fourth Crusades – i.e. the failure to take Jerusalem – it’s easy to designate the Christian crusaders as just a
bunch of violent nuts that freaked out over religion and territory. Yet the Crusaders had enormous success
early on, especially given the internal conflict within the Seljuk Empire. In fact, the Crusaders DID manage to
secure Jerusalem in 1099, closing out the First Crusade and establishing Crusader “states” in Tripoli, Antioch,
Edessa and, of course, Jerusalem. And so, the concept of “crusading” only grew from there, as politics,
religion and territorial control evolved into a larger beast of burden for everybody involved. And by the
Third Crusade, Richard the Lionheart employed only knight crusaders, a tight little unit that understood
strategy. They lost quite a bit, but their synergy and affinity for castles gave them an upper edge over their
more disorganized enemies.

#1: The Crusades Were Exclusively a Holy War

It’s impossible to get inside the head of Pope Urban II. But as the First Crusade began, the ultimate goal was
to bring Christianity to the Holy Land. As mentioned, the Crusaders slaughtered Jews and they most
definitely killed Muslims in their quest. Territory was the name of the game, and the various factions of
crusaders bonded through a shared interest towards a common goal. And while religion was obviously part
of the conversation, the crusaders didn’t seek to convert Muslims or Jews, nor did they pillage and provoke
them based solely on religion. Of course, this was made blatantly clear by the end of the Fourth Crusade, as
the crusaders sacked the Byzantine-controlled Constantinople, which didn’t go over too well back in Rome.
And so, The Crusades were not a holy war, but a war for territorial control.

Top 10 Events That Were Completely Overshadowed By Other Events

So much news, so little time. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for
the top 10 events that were completely overshadowed by other events.

For this list, we’re taking a look at significant events that could’ve been top news stories any other day, but
flew under the radar due to another event that received the lion’s share of the media coverage.

#10: The War on Waste

Overshadowed by: 9/11 Terrorist Attacks
On September 10, 2001, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld held a press conference, announcing that
the US Defense Department had been unable to trace $2.3 trillion. Rumsfeld came down on Pentagon
bureaucracy, stating that wasted funds could be a matter of “life and death.” But this crackdown on
misspending was stopped dead in its tracks the very next day. Tragically, two hijacked planes crashed into
the World Trade Center on the morning of September 11th while a third was flown into the Pentagon and a
fourth crashed in a Pennsylvania field. Compared to the thousands of deaths on 9/11, the missing $2.3
trillion suddenly seemed like an inconsequential loss. The War on Waste ultimately took a backseat to the
War on Terror, which cost an estimated $5 trillion.

#9: The Death of Groucho Marx

Overshadowed by: The Death of Elvis Presley
The world lost a comedic legend on August 19, 1977 when Groucho Marx died at age 86. His death was
somewhat overlooked by the media, however, as Elvis Presley had died from a heart attack three days
earlier. Elvis was only 42 years old and arguably the biggest solo musical artist in the world and his death
triggered a massive outpouring of emotion from fans worldwide. While Elvis had never really left the
limelight, Marx had become an elder statesman of comedy and vaudeville, and as such hadn’t really been in
the spotlight for nearly a decade. While both men left behind rich legacies, media attention tended to latch
onto the younger, charismatic and revolutionary figure that was Elvis Presley.

#8: Beirut Terror Attacks

Overshadowed by: Paris Terror Attacks
When ISIS bombed a local refugee camp on November 12, 2015, Beirut, Lebanon suffered its most severe
terrorist attack since the Lebanese Civil War. With 43 total casualties, this tragedy likely would’ve been all
over the news and social media if it weren’t for another act of terror committed one day later. On
November 13, ISIS bombed Saint-Denis, a northern suburb in Paris, France, leaving 130 people dead and
hundreds more injured. Given the higher death toll, the Paris attacks caused many people to forget about
the Beirut attacks. Nevertheless, there’s no denying these were two incredibly dark days for humanity that
mustn’t be ignored.

#7: “Doctor Who” Pilot

Overshadowed by: The Death of John F. Kennedy
Although “Doctor Who” would develop a passionate cult following over time, it had the misfortune of
premiering the day after three influential individuals died. On November 22, 1963, fantasy author C.S. Lewis
and novelist Aldous Huxley passed away. The most talked about news story that day, however, was the
assassination of American President John F. Kennedy. Kennedy’s death shocked the world and remains one
of the darkest moments in U.S. history. Coverage of the assassination briefly delayed the debut of “Doctor
Who” the next evening, and led the BBC to repeat the episode the following week. It may not have had the
full attention of its audience at the start, but “Doctor Who” managed to become the longest-running sci-fi
series ever – bad omens aside.

#6: Harriet Quimby’s Flight

Overshadowed by: The Sinking of the Titanic
In addition to being the first woman in the United States to attain a pilot’s license, Harriet Quimby was also
the first female aviator to fly across the English Channel. Taking off in Dover, England on April 16, 1912, she
reached her destination in 59 minutes, landing on a beach in northern France. But where Quimby
successfully completed her voyage, the same couldn’t be said about the RMS Titanic. After hitting an
iceberg, this passenger liner sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on April 15, 1912, claiming over 1,500 lives.
Overshadowed bythis disaster, Quimby never got her moment in the sun and died in an aviation accident a
couple of months later, leaving many to consider her an unsung hero.

#5: The Death of Mother Teresa

Overshadowed by: The Death of Princess Diana
Mother Teresa and Diana, Princess of Wales had a great deal in common. Both were known for their charity
work, helping to raise awareness of leprosy and HIV/AIDS. Princess Diana notably visited Mother Teresa at a
New York convent in June of 1997. On August 31, just a couple of months after their meeting, the 36-year-
old Lady Di died following a car crash in Paris. Less than a week after her untimely death, Teresa passed
away due to heart failure on September 5. But with the public already coping with the sudden loss of Diana,
Teresa’s death didn’t receive nearly as much media attention. Nonetheless, these two women are still
remembered for their dedication and compassion, ultimately making the world a better place.

#4: Man Rowing Across an Ocean

Overshadowed by: Man Walking on the Moon
John Fairfax became the first man to row solo across an entire ocean, with the journey taking 180 days.
Starting his adventure at the Canary Islands, Fairfax crossed the Atlantic and arrived in Florida on July 19,
1969. Unfortunately, this just so happened to be the day before Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the
first humans to land on the moon. Armstrong’s one small step for man might have eclipsed John Fairfax’s
crossing, but his incredible feat didn’t go completely unrecognized. The Apollo 11 crew themselves sent
Fairfax a congratulatory message, stating, “As fellow explorers, we salute you on this great occasion” – but
few others took notice.

#3: The Death of Farrah Fawcett

Overshadowed by: The Death of Michael Jackson
Following a battle with cancer, Farrah Fawcett died on June 25, 2009. Although Fawcett’s deteriorating
health was among the most widely discussed topics in the news, she ultimately had to share the spotlight
with Michael Jackson, who was pronounced dead the same day. While Fawcett was still heavily mourned,
the King of Pop’s passing dominated popular culture: MJ’s death was front-page news, but Fawcett’s was
relegated to back pages and entertainment sections. Worse still was the Oscars’ “In Memoriam” segment
the following year, which featured Jackson but saw Fawcett controversially excluded.

#2: 1994 NBA Finals

Overshadowed by: O. J. Simpson’s Car Chase
The idea of a major league final getting overshadowed might seem unthinkable, but that’s exactly what
happened during the telecast of the 1994 NBA Finals. On June 13, 1994, O.J. Simpson’s ex-wife, Nicole
Brown Simpson, and friend Ron Goldman were discovered murdered in Los Angeles, and O.J. quickly
became the prime suspect. Simpson was to turn himself into police custody on Friday, June 17, but instead
fled in his white Ford Bronco, triggering the now infamous low-speed chase. With CNN, ABC, and CBS
covering the liveevents, NBC followed suit— interrupting Game Five between the Houston Rockets and New
York Knicks. While the game was still aired via split screen, the Juice breaking loose was clearly the bigger
story.

Before we get to our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- Ayatollah Khomeini’s Death, First Free Elections in Poland, Gas Explosion in Russia
Overshadowed by: Tank Man

- Electric Traffic Lights Introduced

Overshadowed by: Germany Invades Belgium

#1: The Capture of Rome

Overshadowed by: Operation Overlord
Even if you never paid attention in history class, you’re familiar with Operation Overlord, aka D-Day. Taking
place on June 6, 1944, this operation commenced the Invasion of Normandy, with Allied forces storming
French shores. D-Day, however, occurred only a couple of days after American troops seized Rome on June
4. Unlike the Normandy Invasion, however, this mission wasn’t entirely successful in the long run, as it
resulted in German forces escaping due to a miscalculation that later resulted in Allied casualties. The
Normandy landings, meanwhile, remain the largest beach invasion ever, with that day proving to be a major
turning point in the course of the Second World War.

Top 10 Spectacular Historic Events We Wish We Had On Film

Caught on tape? If only. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top
10 Spectacular Historic Events We WishWe Had On Film.

For this list, we’re ranking the most important historical and pre-historical events that either occurred prior
to the invention of moving film, or were otherwise not captured by the medium. For the record, we’re not
arguing for or against some of the more controversial events on this list, but simply recognizing their
relevance and how each of them shaped the course of history.

#10: Extinction of the Dinosaurs

There are many theories as to what killed off arguably the most impressive species of creature to ever walk
the earth. Was it a giant meteor strike, climate change, a lack of a sustainable food source? The answer
remains one of life’s great mysteries, despite tons of reputable scientific research lending credence to some
of these aforementioned theories. And, while it would be great to have recorded documentation of the
dinosaurs’ extinction, imagine how brave and/or stupid one would have to be to film these beasts live and in
the flesh. Braver than us, that’s for sure.

#9: Creation of the Vredefort Crater

The history behind this gigantic crater can be traced back over two billion years, when one of the largest
asteroids to ever strike the earth’s surface made impact upon what is now South Africa. The Vredefort
Crater possesses a diameter of almost two hundred miles, and can be seen from space. Three towns are
contained within its massive central dome, with Parys offering visitors tours of the general area. Even so,
much of the original impact made by the meteor had eroded over time, so it would be astounding to see the
caldera in all its former glory. Just imagine how fearsome the original disaster might’ve been to anyone
unfortunate enough to be caught in its path.

#8: Eruption at Toba and the Aftermath

Some sixty to seventy thousand years ago this massive volcanic eruption occurred in the area of Lake Toba,
in what is now the Sumatra region of modern day Indonesia. For a long time, some scientists theorized that
the impact of this super explosion had a worldwide effect. It was hypothesized that it brought about what is
known as a volcanic winter – a drastic reduction in global temperature – due to the excess of volcanic ash
obscuring the sun. More recent findings discounted a lot of these claims, but did prove that the volcanic
debris traveled twice as far as previously thought. Toba’s eruption was likely an impressive sight, and had it
been caught on film, we would’ve had an even better idea of its effects.

#7: Construction of the Pyramids of Egypt

Humanity has constructed a great many marvelous buildings and structures over the course of history, yet
the Great Pyramids of Egypt remain among the most impressive. Specifically, the Great Pyramid of Giza is
one of the ancient Seven Wonders of the World, and the only one to stand relatively intact, despite its age
of over four thousand years. What’s particularly fascinating about the pyramids, however, is their iconic
shape, the construction of which likely took between ten and twenty years to complete. This complicated
construction process makes the Egyptian pyramids some of the most mysterious structures in the world,
and an undertaking we would’ve loved to have seen documented on film.

#6: Battle of Waterloo

Napoleon Bonaparte was one of history’s most celebrated and successful military minds, having conquered
many opposing armies during his tenure as Emperor in the years following the French Revolution. The Battle
of Waterloo, however, proved that not even Napoleon was invincible on the battlefield. This complex and
fascinating military campaign resulted in Bonaparte’s defeat against a combined Prussian and English
offensive. The opposing armies, led by Prussia’s General field marshal Blücher and the British future Duke of
Wellington, routed Napoleon on that fateful 18th day of June, 1815. Yet Waterloo was, by all accounts, a
clash between great military minds of the era, a battle that modern day historians surely wish has been
preserved for posterity.

#5: Carrington Event

This 1859 historic event certainly wasn’t captured on film; however, the potential of it happening again in
humanity’s lifetime makes it feasible, yet hopefully unlikely, that we could get another shot. The massive
solar storm is referred to as the Carrington Event after one of the astronomers who observed the sunspots
and flashes in the sky. The event resulted in heavy, electromagnetic damage to electronic equipment
around the world. A similar solar storm disaster today would be even more severe, as so many aspects of
our current society rely upon electricity. A storm of similar size and magnitude actually came dangerously
close to the Earth in 2012, though thankfully missed impact by a scant nine days.

#4: Battle of Thermopylae

This epic battle between the Persian Empire and a combined force of Greek city-state soldiers was famously
dramatized in director Zack Snyder’s 2006 film “300.” The film was itself based upon a graphic novel from
Frank Miller and Lynn Varley which covered the Battle of Thermopylae, one of history’s most famously
doomed final stands against decisive odds. The battle itself placed a comparatively small rear guard of 300
Spartans and just over a thousand fellow Greeks against a Persian army numbering over 100,000. Sparta’s
King Leonidas and his men boldly held off Persia’s invading Xerxes I for as long as they could, before betrayal
and insurmountable numbers doomed the defense to death. If the real thing was anything like “300,” it
would’ve been an event made for film.
#3: Life and Death of Jesus Christ
There have been numerous, dramatic depictions of the life and death of Jesus Christ on the silver screen,
from the reverential to the controversial. Yet for many Christians the chance to have recorded film of Jesus’
actual existence is something whose worth would be indescribable. Biblical scholars agree that Jesus existed
historically, but there is disagreement about which aspects of his recorded life are factual. A film record
might help to settle some of these questions, both for Christians and for those from other religions who are
impacted by his influence. The Life and Death of Jesus Christ is something which intellectuals from both
religious and secular sectors find compelling to this day.

#2: Eruption of Vesuvius and Destruction of Pompeii

The eruption of Italy’s Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD is one of the few historic events on our list with a written
account, detailed in the letters of the man known as Pliny the Younger. The Roman born lawyer and
magistrate wrote two epistles on the volcano’s eruption, explaining in great detail the ash, smoke and lava
which destroyed Pompeii, Herculaneum and many surrounding cities. These letters give incredible details as
to just how disastrous and apocalyptic the Vesuvius Eruption was to anyone unlucky enough to have been
caught in its path, but we still wish we could have caught a glimpse.

Before we reveal our top historic event, here are few honorable mentions
- French Revolution
- Gladiatorial Battles
- Mongol Invasion of China
- Fall of Constantinople
- Construction of Stonehenge

#1: The Big Bang

We know you’re probably thinking: “How could anyone have been there to film the origins of the universe?”
And we know, you’re right, but how mind-blowing would it be to have recorded evidence of the moment
when the universe expanded, cosmic density gave way, and then BAM! Existence? As impossible as filming it
may’ve been, such a film record could give us answers about where we come from, how we got here, and
where we’re going. These things unite us and keep us moving forward, with The Big Bang representing that
moment of fantastic, universal possibility. Too bad God didn’t have a camcorder.

Top 10 Greatest Medieval Battles

This is one for the history books. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for
the top 10 greatest medieval battles.

For this list, the Medieval period refers to that chunk of European history from the collapse of the Western
Roman Empire until roughly the fall of the Eastern Roman Empire a thousand years later. So anything
outside that time and place (roughly the 5th through to the 15th century) won’t be included.

#10: Battle of Crécy [aka Battle of Cressy] (1346)

Hundred Years’ War
Though the Hundred Years’ War began as a simple feud between the ruling families of England and France,
it forever changed the way war was fought in Western Europe. The Battle of Crécy was the first of England’s
decisive victories, and they won it by bucking the trend of relying on heavy cavalry and instead focused on a
combined-arms approach, the key to which was their longbow infantry. Though the French force was much
larger, they couldn’t compete with the longbow’s firepower, and the day was won not by noble knights, but
by tactical use of well-trained peasants.

#9: Battle of Stirling Bridge

First War of Scottish Independence (1297)
This was the first important victory of the Scottish rebellion. William Wallace was besieging the last English
castle in central Scotland when he heard of an advancing army and went to intercept them at a narrow
wooden bridge over the river Forth. King Edward's treasurer persuaded the English commander to take the
quickest, cheapest route, even though there was another way around. So the Scots just let as many of the
enemy cross as they could handle, then cut them off and fell on them as they struggled in the marshy
ground. The remaining English forces smashed the bridge and retreated.

#8: Battle of Mohi [aka Battle of the Sajó River] (1241)

Mongol Invasion of Eastern Europe
Though several of Hungary’s neighbors had succumbed to Mongolian attacks, many nobles would’ve
preferred to see their unpopular new king defeated rather than risk their necks against what they
considered a minor threat. Turns out they were super wrong. Troops were mobilized to Mohi, and the first
few skirmishes went well. But by the time the full Mongol force finally revealed itself, the Hungarians had
been lured even deeper into their false sense of security. Almost the entire Hungarian army was destroyed,
and the ensuing countrywide devastation saw up to a quarter of the population slain. Europe took the
Mongols a little more seriously after that.

#7: Battle of Hattin (1187)

Ayyubid-Crusader War
88 years after the end of the First Crusade, Europeans ruled Jerusalem, but the Kurdish Ayyubid sultan
Saladin controlled the surrounding territories. Crusaders make poor neighbors, and after diplomacy failed,
both sides mustered their largest armies yet. Though Saladin’s was larger, he drew away to attack
undefended Tiberias and lured the crusaders from their fortifications. On open ground, Saladin cut off their
retreat, harried them long enough to force them to camp without water, and lit fires around them to dry
their throats. The next day saw a vicious back and forth; some crusaders escaped, many died, and the rest
surrendered. Saladin then conquered Jerusalem, prompting a third crusade.

#6: Fall of Constantinople (1453)

Byzantine-Ottoman Wars
In early 1453, Constantinople was on the ropes. Cut off from their allies and with Europe reluctant or unable
to help, they were pretty much on their own, but they weren’t beaten - yet. Their walls were among the
best in existence, and they had run a giant chain across the Golden Horn to block naval access. That said, the
Ottomans got around this by dragging their ships overland across a makeshift road of greased logs, and once
assembled they outnumbered the defenders about 7 to 1. The siege lasted 53 days, and ended with the
Ottomans attacking the walls until they fell, snuffing out the glory of Rome once and for all.

#5: Siege of Orléans (1428-29)

Hundred Years’ War
91 years into the war, England controlled northern France, and just needed Orléans to begin invading the
center. Their assault started off well but soon lost momentum, so they decided to starve the city, building a
loose ring of fortifications around it. Not much happened for the next 6 months or so - that is until one Joan
of Arc arrived with reinforcements. Prophecies had been swirling about her, and her presence galvanized
the citizens to take up arms. With her, France dismantled the English siege, fort by fort, forcing them to
abandon the whole endeavor. There Joan’s legend began, inspiring the French cause to be reborn.

#4: Siege of Jerusalem (1099)

First Crusade
Finally at Jerusalem, the First Crusade was in tatters, functionally leaderless, and with several powerful lords
(the ones who hadn’t quit by this point) all vying for control. Moreover, the surrounding countryside had
been stripped bare, meaning no food, water, or lumber for siege equipment. The first assault failed, but
coincidentally a bunch of Genoese sailors soon appeared, and with nothing better to do, they dismantled
their boats to build siege engines. Equipped and restocked, the crusaders launched a two-pronged attack
that breached Jerusalem’s walls, resulting in an excessively brutal civilian massacre even by medieval
standards. Hard to believe this was the most successful crusade ever.

#3: Battle of Agincourt (1415)

Hundred Years’ War
After a couple of generations of mandatory archery training, English longbowmen were truly a potent force
by this point in the Hundred Years’ War. Outnumbered and in a race against time, Henry V’s army chose a
position at one end of a muddy field, with forests protecting their sides, forcing the heavily armored French
knights to slog through mud under a hail of arrows. When they finally reached the English position, the few
exhausted survivors were easily beaten, some only needing to be pushed over! By this time in history, both
nations were increasingly relying on professional soldiers like we have today, and England’s archers proved
that to be the way of the future.

#2: Battle of Tours [aka Battle of Poitiers] (732)

Islamic Invasion of Gaul
This one pitted the Franks and Burgundians against Umayyad Arabs and Berbers invading from the Iberian
Peninsula. By avoiding the main roads, the Franks managed to intercept the Umayyads by surprise, choosing
a defensible position right in their path with trees to mask their numbers. In a tight phalanx, they needed
only to wait for their opponents to either go home, freeze in the coming winter, or else charge uphill
through rough terrain - which they did and ultimately failed. The Franks probably didn’t know this, but they
were the likely the best defense Europe had at the time.

Before unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
Battle on the Ice (1242)
Northern Crusades
Battle of Grunwald [aka First Battle of Tannenberg] (1410)
Polish-Lithuanian-Teutonic War
Battle of Towton (1461)
Wars of the Roses
The Night Attack of Târgovişte (1462)
Wallachian-Ottoma Wars

#1: Battle of Hastings (1066)

Norman Conquest of England
Following the death of a childless king, several challengers arose to claim the crown of England from the
dead king’s successor. Having deflected one set of invaders from Norway, the Anglo-Saxon defenders then
had to rush south to face the Normans. Though they held the line for most of the day, the more experienced
Normans lured them into a charge, then fell upon them and secured victory. If the subsequent rise of the
world-spanning British Empire resembled Roman practices more than Scandinavian ones, it can be
attributed to William the Conqueror bringing England back under the influence of mainland European
culture.

Top 10 Alexander The Great Facts

He is one of history’s most influential rulers and conquered Asia before his 30th birthday. Welcome to
WatchMojo.com and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 fascinating facts about Alexander
the Great.

For this list, we’re looking at the most interesting tidbits regarding one of the greatest military minds the
world has ever seen.

#10: He Had Heterochromia Iridum

Alexander’s appearance is best represented by statues and coins, but neither of those accurately portray his
most distinguishing feature – his different colored eyes. The condition, known as heterochromia iridum or
iridis, affects approximately 6 out of 1,000 people. Alexander had complete heterochromia, where one iris is
a completely different color from the other. Arrian, a famous Greek historian, wrote “he had one eye dark
as the night and one blue as the sky.” This was echoed by British historian Peter Green, who reviewed
several ancient documents and determined that one of his eyes was blue and the other was brown.

#9: Alexander’s Royal Steed Was Also Noteworthy

No legendary commander is complete without a noble steed upon which to ride into battle. According to
Plutarch, Alexander won the horse when he was about 12 years old by making a wager with his father Philip,
who agreed to purchase the animal if Alexander could tame it. The horse, called Bucephalus, was a mighty
steed who possessed a mighty temper. Alexander, realizing that the horse simply feared his own shadow,
lured the horse towards the sun and successfully calmed the animal. Bucephalus served Alexander in
multiple battles before eventually dying during the Battle of the Hydaspes in June 326 BC.

#8: The Conqueror Liked to Put His Name on Cities

Speaking of Bucephalus, Alexander actually named a city after his horse in 326 BC on the Hydaspes, now
known as the Jhelum. In fact, he founded or renamed up to 70 cities during his conquest. Naturally, he
named almost every single one after himself, calling them all Alexandria. The most famous Alexandria was
founded at the mouth of the Nile River in 331 BC. Once the home of Cleopatra and the wondrous Great
Library, it is currently the second largest city in Egypt.

#7: He Was Aristotle’s Student

Whether you study classical history or not, most people are familiar with the name Aristotle. One of
history’s greatest philosophers, Aristotle wrote on many subjects and is considered by some to be the first
genuine scientist in history. He also spent three years tutoring Alexander. Aristotle was hired by Alexander’s
father, Philip, who agreed to rebuild the teacher’s hometown of Stageira as payment. It is believed that
Alexander developed his passion for the works of Homer while studying under Aristotle. The philosopher
even gave the great conqueror an annotated copy of the Iliad, which Alexander took on his campaigns.

#6: Roxana Was Pretty Great Too

Alexander the Great had many impressive accomplishments in his life, including the remarkable capture of
Sogdian Rock in 327 BC. While surveying the captives, he noticed Roxana – also known as Roxanne - the
daughter of a Bactrian nobleman. Despite opposition from his generals and friends, Alexander married
Roxanne in a traditional ceremony, and she would go on to give birth to a son. Alexander also had other
Macedonian men take Persian wives and adopted several aspects of Persian culture, including their dress,
thanks to Roxana’s influence.

#5: He May Have Been Involved in a Plot to Kill His Father

Alexander and his father had a strong relationship when he was a child, but that slowly deteriorated over
time. It didn’t help when Philip decided to marry Cleopatra Eurydice, putting Alexander’s right to the throne
in jeopardy. Mysteriously, however, Philip was assassinated at a wedding banquet in 336 BC by his own
bodyguards. With the throne open, Alexander was proclaimed king at just 20 years old and immediately had
all potential rivals removed, including his own cousin. Although there is no proof, many people believe that
either Alexander and/or his mother Olympias were involved in Philip’s murder.

#4: Alexander Could Cut to the Heart of the Matter

The Gordian Knot was an intricate knot used by Gordius and tied by his son Midas to keep his ox-cart
secured. It was better known by the famous prophecy that predicted that whoever untied the knot would
become the king of Asia. Over the years, many people attempted to untie the knot, but none succeeded.
However, this changed when Alexander reached the town of Gordium. Ever the problem solver, the story
goes that Alexander grew frustrated with the knot, and immediately pulled out his sword and sliced it in
half. He would eventually fulfill the prophecy by conquering Asia as far as the Oxus and the Indus.

#3: He Brought Down the Persian Empire

Alexander faced the Persian King Darius III in three famous battles and boldly refused truce terms in his
audacious letters to Darius. The last of the three battles resulted in the fall of the Persian Empire. In the
Battle of Gaugamela, also known as the Battle of Arbela, the Macedonian army was outnumbered by the
Persians, but they succeeded due to their phalanx formation, which they perfected under Alexander’s
leadership. This formation involved a tight grouping of soldiers carrying shields and spears, making it
difficult to penetrate. The defeat of the Persians exposed some of Alexander’s vices, including his
alcoholism. A heavy drinker, he got so drunk that he burned Persepolis, one of the biggest cities of the
Persian Empire, though whether it was by accident or on purpose is not known.

#2: He Never Lost a Battle

Alexander won his first military victory at just 18 years old, and the wins just kept on coming. He took on the
Persian Empire at just 22 years old and defeated them in three major battles resulting in their destruction
less than 3 years later. Eventually, Alexander moved into India and defeated King Porus in an epic battle in
326 BC. He even conquered the coastal base of Tyre by building a causeway over half a mile long to access
the island. Although Alexander’s armies were usually outnumbered, his bold tactics, military speed, and
superior leadership allowed him to defeat any enemy he faced.

No honorable mentions this time around.

#1: Alexander’s Death Was Suitably Mysterious

By the time he was 32, Alexander had accomplished more than many could have in three lifetimes.
Unfortunately, he suddenly died in June 323 BC. Sources differ on the cause, with some claiming that he
developed a fever after a day of drinking that was so severe he was unable to speak. Others claim that he
may have been poisoned, with one source even going as far to say that Aristotle was involved. Natural
causes like typhoid fever or malaria have also been suggested, but we likely will never know the real cause.

Top 10 Real Life Secret Societies

Not much is known about these groups, yet they all might be controlling the world from behind the scenes.
Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for top 10 real life secret societies.

For this list, we are only considering secret or secretive societies that are known to exist. So, despite their
popularity and influence, myths such as Pierre Plantard’s Priory of Sion and the Elders of Zion are out.

#10: Unification or Death [aka the Black Hand]

The rebel influence is real. The Unification or Death Group – more popularly known as the Black Hand – was
founded in 1901 by Serbian military rebels. A military conspiracy group, The Black Hand’s main goal was the
unification of all European Slavic people under one country, and they were ready to strike dead any who
stood in their way. Having already seen to the murders of Serbia’s royal couple in 1903, the group is also
credited with assisting in the start of WWI, as they are rumored to be behind the assassination of Austrian
Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

#9: Ḥashshāshīn
Initially founded during the late-11th century, the Hashshashin was an offshoot of Islam known as Nizari
Ismailis, with members primarily in Persia and Syria. The fidai class of Hashshashin was famous for their
work as covert murderers, and the group saw to the deaths of many viziers, rulers and Crusade leaders –
with civilian casualties kept to a minimum thanks to expert planning and preparation. The group’s name is
thought to come from a translation of the term “users of hashish,” though there’s little proof that they used
hashish regularly. In fact, most of the information regarding the group was lost when their library was
torched, which piques our interest as to what secrets were lost in that fire.

#8: Ordo Templi Orientis

It’s time to move away from assassinations and travel to the spiritual side of things. Created as a mystical
organization in the early-20th century, Ordo Templi Orientis – or Order of the Temple of the East – was
intended to be a secret society similar to Freemasonry in Europe. Sounds plausible, right? Unfortunately,
the most notable member was Aleister Crowley, the famous occultist. Crowley became a leader of the
organization and used it to popularize a religion based upon philosophical law Thelema. Crowley,
incidentally, considered himself the prophet of Thelema. Conflict of interest, anyone? Many religious groups
adapted its principles, but critics say O.T.O. resembles a cult, with some even labeling it a “Satanic sex cult.”

#7: Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn

Let’s see what Great Britain has to offer in the world of mysticism. Created by Freemasons William Robert
Woodman, William Wynn Westcott, and Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers, the Golden Dawn is widely
credited as the major influence for Western occultism in the 20th century. Essentially a magical order, the
Golden Dawn focused on personal and spiritual development, encouraging members to expand their mind
through ritual and divination. Fun fact: though its setup was based on that of Masonic Lodges, women were
included on an equal playing field as men – unlike many masonic groups. Hey, women want to be secretive
too right?
#6: Knights Templar
Sorry “Assassin’s Creed:” your Knights Templar have nothing to do with the real deal. Initially an order of
knights helping travelers on holy journeys, the Knights Templar grew in prominence and fame as their
numbers increased. Eventually they became known as the protectors of Christianity, as well as the world’s
first bankers. Many theories have risen about the group’s ulterior motives, including speculation that they
possessed the blood of Jesus Christ, but those have yet to be proved. Though the group was practically
wiped out in a mass arrest on Friday the 13th of October 1307, and was officially disbanded in 1312, a
modern Knights Templar society does exist today, though they don’t associate themselves with the original
sect.

#5: Order of the Solar Temple

Nothing goes hand in hand with secret societies like murder and deception. The youngest group on our list,
The Order of the Solar Temple was created in 1984 by Joseph Di Mambro and Luc Jouret in Switzerland. The
Order draws its beliefs from certain sects of the ever-popular Knights Templar; however, perhaps the most
prominent idea in the Solar Temple was that the Earth would be subjected to a huge disaster in the mid-
1990s. Unfortunately, this resulted in mass murder-suicides of members in Canada and Switzerland
beginning in 1994, reportedly so the members could ascend to a higher spiritual plane prior to the
catastrophic event.

#4: Bilderberg Group

Sometimes you can be secretive right out in the open. The Bilderberg Group is an annual summit attended
by world leaders from various countries as well as experts in fields of economy and marketing. With an
original goal of promoting increased U.S.-European relations, it is understood that the Bilderberg Group now
meets once a year to discuss free market standards across multiple countries. Though it’s not asecret
society in the traditional sense, conspiracy theories surrounding the annual meetings abound due to the
lack of press, with one theory starting that the members are lizard aliens in disguise. Whatever’s discussed
in these meetings must be secret for a reason, though many are critical of the lack of transparency.

#3: Skull and Bones

Molding the minds of undergrads since 1832, the Skull and Bones is the most prestigious society for senior
undergraduates at Yale University. In order to be selected as a Bonesman, you have to show the attributes
of being a campus leader. While this not so secret society’s membership has been revealed, their practices
are still a mystery. Many politicians have been members of this society, including John Kerry and both
George Bush Sr. and George W. Bush. Conspiracy theories claim that the Skull and Bones is designed to
breed the political elite or to serve as an incubator for the CIA. But who knows: maybe it’s nothing more
than a frat house.

#2: Illuminati
By far the Internet’s favorite secret society, the society we most often refer to as the Illuminati – called the
Bavarian Illuminati – originated during the Enlightenment period in 1776 and focused on freethinking ideals.
Unfortunately, the Illuminati was outlawed by Charles Theodore of Bavaria. By 1790, the group was seen as
radical and disbanded a few years later. Theorists think the group continued to exist underground,
manipulating the world’s events and infiltrating governments and corporations worldwide. Proponents
claim their lengthy membership list including President Barack Obama, Kanye West, and Angelina Jolie. A
fantasy, of course. They couldn’t control everything right underneath our noses...could they?

Before we reveal the existence of our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- Rosicrucians
- Sons of Liberty
- Opus Dei
- Knights of the Golden Circle
- Thule Society

#1: Freemasons
Believed by some to be plotting to conquer the planet with a New World Order, using symbols to
communicate their ideals, the Masons were officially founded in 1717 London as a decedent of
stonemasons. However, rumors suggest the Freemasons were operating in the shadows many years prior,
making them one of the longest-lasting secret societies known to the public – though they might not label
themselves as such. And, considering they are a “secret society,” their secret handshakes, rituals, and order
of ranking are part of popular culture. In reality, their beliefs are based upon shared philosophical ideals of
charity, kindness and a general acceptance of one Supreme Being, meaning any members from any religion
are welcome in the Lodge.

Top 10 Famous Last Words

We'll all have them, but these guys really made them count. Join WatchMojo.com as we count down our
picks for the Top 10 Best Famous Last Words.

For this list, we’ve collected the best, most profound and most memorable last utterances before deaths
ever documented. We have not included anything Biblical, however, and last words based on myths or
legends do not qualify.

#10: “One last drink, please.”

Jack Daniel
Jack Daniel is so embedded in the history of American liquor; even his last words are related. The exact
circumstances of Mr. Jack’s death are contentious, but the majority of sources report that the great distiller
died from infection, gained after kicking his safe in frustration as he couldn’t remember its code. The
infection spread from his toes through his body, and in his final minutes he presumably needed something
to take the edge off the experience. For Jack, whiskey was a lifelong dedication, and his dying wish.

#9: “Pardon me, sir, I meant not to do it.”

Marie Antoinette
An Austrian Archduchess who married into the French Royal family, Marie Antoinette is a famous figure,
due partly to her supposedly extravagant lifestyle and partly to her bitter end. A Royal who lost significant
favor with her public before her demise, “the Austrian Woman” – as she came to be known – was an
important character in the French Revolution. After house arrest, an escape attempt and imprisonment, it
was finally her conviction of high treason that led to her death. Her contrite final words were not atonement
for her supposed crime, however; they were an apology to the executioner for stepping on his foot.

#8: “They couldn’t hit an elephant at this distance.”

John Sedgwick
Well-known for the sad irony of his final comment, Civil War general John Sedgwick stated this phrase right
before he was shot by a Confederate bullet. Moments before falling to his death, Sedgwick was documented
to be questioning his men; asking them why they were flinching and ducking for cover during the Battle of
Spotsylvania. “Why are you dodging like this?” is what preceded his memorable last words. Somber as it is,
Sedgwick answered his own question.

#7: “Damn it! Don’t you dare ask God to help me!”
Joan Crawford
Famous last words rarely get more badass (or blasphemous) than Joan Crawford’s, who remained defiant
until the last. Reportedly spoken in response to a nearby maid who offered prayer at the actress’ bedside,
Crawford was not going to let religious faith infringe upon her final moments. Even though she identified as
a Christian scientist later in life, the Golden Age icon was set on stepping into the great unknown entirely
unaided and independent. And besides, what’s one last curse between a woman and her maker?

#6: “Thomas Jefferson still survives.”

John Adams
The second president of the United States, John Adams’ final words refer to the nation’s third leader. Adams
and Thomas Jefferson were among the last surviving signatories of the Declaration of Independence when
they both died exactly 50 years later on July 4, 1826. The pair had been political rivals through much of their
lives, before mutual respect won out and they became friends in old age. Adams’ final phrase was difficult
to discern, but is often cited as “Thomas Jefferson still survives.” Unbeknownst to Adams though, Jefferson
hadn’t survived him, as he had died earlier that day.
#5: “Let’s cool it brothers. Brothers, brothers please. This is a house of peace.”
Malcolm X
The exact phrase spoken by Malcolm X seconds before he was fatally shot varies from source to source, but
his meaning is clear. An extremely influential civil rights leader, Malcolm X was assassinated on February
21st, 1965, by the Nation of Islam movement, of which he had previously been a member. Killed shortly
after his own Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, he had exhaustively rallied for equality throughout his life, but
sadly was still calling for peace at the moment of his death.

#4: “I know you are here to kill me. Shoot, coward, you are only going to kill a man.”
Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara
A leader of the revolution until his last breath, when Che Guevara came face to face with his executioner, he
understood that despite his own imminent death, his ideas would survive. The socialist icon was captured by
U.S.-backed Bolivian forces on October 8th 1967, before being held overnight and shot the next day. Mario
Terán, who had lost three friends in a fight with Guevara’s forces, volunteered to carry out his execution.
Just before Terán fired, Guevara parted with a reminder that a man’s principles do not necessarily die with
the man himself.

#3: “Of course I know who you are. You’re my girl. I love you.”
John Wayne
An undisputed American icon, John Wayne’s final words are perhaps the most touching of all in today’s top
ten. The model of masculinity, he succumbed to stomach cancer in June 1979, but not before leaving his
daughter Aissa with a heartfelt final message. Wayne’s condition had deteriorated during the days leading
up to his death, and he had been slipping in and out of consciousness. The desperate situation caused Aissa
to ask “Do you know who I am?” Wayne’s answer was beautifully simple and simply beautiful.

#2: “Last words are for fools who haven’t said enough.”
Karl Marx
One of the most important and influential people of the 19th century, if not human history, Karl Marx
certainly spoke and wrote more powerfully than most during his lifetime. The author of the “Communist
Manifesto” and “Das Kapital,” Marx’s theories and thinking had a profound influence on modern political,
economic and social thought. His final words were Joan Crawford-like, in that they were spoken in
frustration at his housekeeper. When pressed for his final thoughts, Marx clearly felt as though he’d already
said enough already – and it’s difficult to disagree.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:

“I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.”
Nathan Hale

“Tomorrow, I shall no longer be here.”

Nostradamus

“I am perplexed. Satan, get out!”

Aleister Crowley

“Drink to me, drink to my health. You know I can’t drink any more.”
Pablo Picasso

#1: “I’m bored with it all.”

Winston Churchill
The Prime Minister of Great Britain during World War Two, Winston Churchill is most famous for his rousing
speeches and “never give up” philosophy. That makes his final words all the more potent. The wartime
leader reportedly relayed his boredom shortly before slipping into a stroke-induced unconsciousness from
which he would never wake. Churchill died aged 90, but had already offered his thoughts on death, 15 years
previous. “I am ready to meet my maker,” he’d said, “Whether my maker is prepared for the ordeal of
meeting me is another matter.” Clearly, death did not worry Winston!
Top 10 Famous Military Ships

The sea has always been an important part of human history, so naturally humans found a way to fight on it.
Welcome to http://ww.WatchMojo.com and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 famous
military ships.

For this list, we’re taking a look at sea-faring vessels that fought for militaries around the world, and gained
fame thanks to their service.

#10: USS Nimitz (CVN-68)

What better way to start our list than with the USS Nimitz, which is currently one of the largest warships in
the world? Nicknamed Old Salt, she’s over 1,000 feet long and can travel at speeds as high as 31.5 knots.
After first being deployed in the 1970s, Nimitz has provided support during both the Persian Gulf War and
the War in Iraq. In 2010, she was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation for her service in both Iraq
and Afghanistan in the mid-2000s. Ships like the Nimitz are why the United States Navy is so powerful.

#9: Battleship Potemkin

It’s the ship responsible for starting the Russian Revolution. Okay, that might be going a bit far, but when
the crew rebelled against the officers in 1905, the flames of revolution were definitely fanned. Of course,
the Potemkin wasn’t just the setting of a famous rebellion or brilliant propaganda film; she also had a long
military career, particularly during World War I, where she assisted with the bombardment of Ottoman
fortifications on the Bosphorus strait in 1915 and helped Russian troops capture Trebizond in 1916. Those
are just a few reasons why she was considered the pride of the Imperial Russian Navy’s Black Sea Fleet.

#8: USS Enterprise (CV-6)

The first of several ships from World War II on our list, the USS Enterprise (CV-6) was involved in more naval
engagements with Japan than any other U.S. ship. Known as the “Big E,” she became something of a
mythological ship to the Japanese: they believed they had sunk her on numerous occasions only to find
themselves squared off against the Enterprise again in the next naval battle. She was decommissioned in
1947 and finished the war with 20 battle stars, more than any other American ship in World War II.

#7: CSS Virginia & USS Monitor

We’re cheating a little here, but considering the fact that both of these ships played a large role in making
the other one famous, we decided to combine them as one entry. The CSS Virginia and USS Monitor were
two ironclad warships who squared off against each other during the American Civil War. Called the Battle
of Hampton Roads or the Battle of Ironclads, it was the first time in history that two ships made from iron
engaged each other. The Union-controlled Monitor and Confederate-controlled Virginia fought for hours,
but neither side emerged victorious. Although the battle may not have been glorious, it marked a significant
change in naval warfare.

#6: USS Constitution

The USS Constitution first set sail from Boston Harbor in 1797, and remarkably you can still find her there
today. Perhaps best known as “Old Ironsides,” she became famous during the War of 1812 where she
fought against Britain and defeated five British warships, including the frigates HMS Guerriere and HMS
Java. This was especially impressive as the British Navy was considered the most powerful in the world at
the time. She officially retired in 1881, but is still fully commissioned and equipped with a 60-man crew.

#5: USS Maine (ACR-1)

“Remember the Maine, to Hell with Spain!” That was the rallying cry after the USS Maine exploded and sank
in 1898. The Maine, which was equipped with a range of guns including 4 Gatling guns, 4 Hotchkiss guns,
and 4 torpedo tubes, was anchored in Havana Harbor during the Cuban revolt against Spain. On February
15th 1898, however, she exploded, which resulted in the deaths of more than 260 people. This was the
catalyst for the Spanish-American War, as the Spanish were blamed for causing the explosion by “yellow
press” such as William Randolph Heart and Joseph Pulitzer. The Spaniards’ culpability has never been
proven, however, and the incident remains a source of controversy.

#4: USS Missouri (BB-63)

Also known as Mighty Mo or Big Mo, the USS Missouri was the site where World War II officially ended. She
participated in numerous battles in the Pacific Theatre, including assisting with the Battles of Iwo Jima and
Okinawa. Not long after, the Japanese officially surrendered and the documents making this official were
signed on board. Her service wasn’t done yet, however, as she participated in the Korean War and provided
support during Operation Desert Storm. Today, the 45,000-ton battleship is located in Pearl Harbor and
serves as a war memorial and museum.

#3: HMS Victory

A truly majestic ship, the HMS Victory is one of the largest wooden ships ever built and represents the
remarkable power of the Royal Navy during the 18th and 19th centuries. Serving as Lord Nelson’s flagship at
1805’s Battle of Trafalgar, the Victory helped lead the British to victory over the Spanish and French, despite
the British being outnumbered. The ship was allegedly saved by the First Sea Lord’s wife, who was moved to
tears upon hearing of its proposed destruction. Currently, the Victory serves as a museum in Portsmouth,
England, and remains the oldest commissioned warship in the world.

#2: USS Arizona (BB-39)

Whether you are an avid military history buff or not, you’ve probably heard of the USS Arizona.
Representing American resolve and sacrifice, the Arizona was hit by a Japanese bomb during the surprise
attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941. She was blew up and sank, killing 1,177 people and pushing
the United States into World War II. She could not be salvaged, and today she remains at the bottom of
Pearl Harbor below the USS Arizona Memorial, which attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors a year.

Before we unveil our number one pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- HMS Beagle
- Yamato
- CSS H. L. Hunley
- HMS Bounty

#1: Bismarck
For hundreds of years, the Royal Navy was the most feared fleet in the world. But in 1941, they met their
match. The Bismarck was over 800 feet long and could travel at a speed of 30 knots, making it one of the
biggest and fastest ships in the world at the time. She sank the near-invincible HMS Hood and badly
damaged the HMS Prince of Wales, sending the Royal Navy in hot pursuit. The Bismarck abandoned the
Atlantic due to damage, however, and was attacked by the British off the coast of France just days later. She
was scuttled by her crew, and the wreck was finally found in 1989 by Robert Ballard, the same man who
found the Titanic.

Top 10 Famous Pirates in History

Drink up, me hearties, yoho! Join WatchMojo.com as we count down our picks for the Top 10 Most Famous
Pirates in History.

For this list, we’re defining piracy as crimes and violence at sea. However, we will also include some
historical figures that were officially privateers —that is, they were exactly the same as pirates, but the
government sanctioned their actions, making them legitimate acts of war as opposed to criminal offences.
While pirates and privateers were technically different, the line between them was often blurred, and what
one country would call an honorable privateer, another would call a bloodthirsty pirate.

#10: Sir Henry Morgan

c. 1635 - 1688
Though he was actually a British privateer, Sir Henry Morgan was such a fearsome and successful raider that
the Spanish called him a pirate. Throughout his career, he attacked ships all through the Caribbean and
eventually fought in an epic battle to capture Panama City, commanding 1200 buccaneers and thirty ships.
The battle led to Morgan be arrested and dragged back to England, but the British King reacted by knighting
him and making him Deputy Governor of Jamaica!
#9: Mary Read
c. 1691 - 1721
At a time when women were seen as little more than property, Mary Read wasn’t going to let that stop her.
Being used to dressing up as a boy for various reasons throughout her childhood, Read disguised herself as a
male to join the British Military and built a reputation for herself as fierce and skilled in battle. When peace
times stilted her life in the military, Read quit and became a pirate instead! Well, more like, she was forced
to, after the ship she boarded was captured. But from then on she sailed, fought and drank as hard as the
male pirates. Pretty hard-core for a 17th century girl!

#8: François l’Olonnais

c. 1635 - c. 1668
Jean-David Nau, known as Francois L’Olonnais, was a true pirate of the Caribbean. Vicious and sadistic, he
didn’t limit himself to raiding ships—no, he was most successful at pillaging towns. They say he ate a
Spanish soldier’s heart straight from his chest! But what goes around comes around, and eventually he met
a death even more gruesome than the ones he dished out—he and his crew were captured and eaten by a
cannibalistic tribe in Panama.

#7: Samuel Bellamy

1689 - 1717
‘Black Sam’ Bellamy wasn’t just a pirate; he was a romantic. He started out as a poor sailor, but when he fell
in love with the beautiful Maria Hallet, he turned to piracy in the hopes that riches would win her parents
over. Even when he crossed over to the wrong side of the law, he was never a violent, bloodthirsty
buccaneer. He captured a slave ship and proceeded to free the slaves, giving them the option to join his
crew if they wanted.

#6: Anne Bonny

c. 1700 - c. 1782
Anne Bonny was only around 16 when she ran away with her pirate lover, the infamous Calico Jack – while
still married to small-time pirate James Bonny. Dressed as a man, she terrorized the Caribbean at his side,
having divorced her husband and married her new lover. She was apparently more bloodthirsty—and better
at holding her liquor—than most of the crew (which included the previously mentioned Mary Read!).
Though they were eventually arrested and sentenced to hang, it seems that Anne managed to escape that
fate. No one knows if she returned to her family or if she took up a new identity and set back out to sea.

#5: Henry Every

1659 - after 1696
The man they called Long Ben was also known as the King of Pirates. He started out in the British Royal
Navy, then later staged a mutiny while working on a warship and became a pirate captain. Even though he
was a pirate for only two years, he amassed incredible wealth and was feared all across the Red Sea and the
Indian Ocean. After two years, he was so rich that he retired, and spent the rest of his life in hiding, probably
living it up on an island drinking rum out of a coconut—or perhaps a skull.

#4: Sir Francis Drake

c. 1540 - 1596
Francis Drake was a privateer under Queen Elizabeth I, but that didn’t make him any less violent and
ferocious than illegal pirates. He was, in fact, seen as a role model for the pirates of the later Golden Age,
and one of the only pirates known to have actually buried treasure. His particular enemy was Spain, and he
fought the Spanish so viciously that they dubbed him El Draque.

#3: Blackbeard
c. 1680 - 1718
Edward Teach, better known as Blackbeard, wasn’t just a pirate—he commanded a pirate army, and he was
known to charge into battle with a sword in each hand, several loaded pistols, and lit fuses under his hat. No
wonder he was feared and admired throughout the West Indies! His ship, “Queen Anne’s Revenge”, is one
of the most famous pirate ships in history. Legend has it that when he was finally defeated and beheaded,
his headless body swam around the ship several times before sinking.

#2: Ching Shih

1775 - 1844
Ching Shih wasn’t just a powerful pirate captain; she was also one of the most badass women in history.
With her adopted son-turned-husband, Cheung Po Tsai, she had control of over 1,500 ships and
80,000pirates—which makes her pirate army one of the biggest naval armies in history. Together, they
plundered ships and towns all through the South China Sea. Eventually, the desperate government offered
her amnesty in exchange for peace, so she retired from piracy and started running a casino instead.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- William Kidd
c. 1645 – 1701
- Hayreddin Barbarossa
c. 1678 – 1546
- Edward Low
c. 1690 - c. 1724

#1: Bartholomew Roberts

1682 - 1722
Bartholomew Roberts, or Black Bart as he posthumously became known, sailed during the Golden Age of
Piracy, and he was the most successful pirate of his time. Though not terribly bloodthirsty, he was cold-
blooded, calculating and shrewdly practical, and he plundered over 470 ships during his reign—an all-time
record for pirates! Though his crew called him “pistol proof”, he did eventually die in battle, and his death is
said to mark the end of the Golden Age.

Top 10 People Who Have Survived Assassination Attempts

Killing these famous figures wouldn't be as easy as their would-be assassins first thought! Join
WatchMojo.com as we count down our picks for the Top 10 People Who Survived Assassination Attempts!
For this list, we’re looking at the most significant failed assassinations in history. To qualify, however, the
target has to have been directly involved in the attempt, and under immediate danger because of it. We are
not including assassination plots that were foiled or that failed before any action of consequence was
carried out.

#10: Franklin D. Roosevelt

1882 – 1945
Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States, and the first that anybody tried to kill…
While Abraham Lincoln was also targeted, 4 years prior to his actual assassination! But Franklin D. Roosevelt
takes our tenth spot! In February 1933, FDR was shot at by disgruntled bricklayer, Giuseppe Zangara, during
an impromptu speech in Miami, Florida. The attack, during which the Mayor of Chicago was fatally
wounded, happened less than a month before Roosevelt assumed his historic presidency!

#9: Gamal Abdel Nasser

1918 - 1970
The second president of Egypt, Gamal Abdel Nasser fell under fire during a publicly broadcast radio address,
held on October 26th, 1954. Eight shots were fired at him by a member of the opposition group, the Muslim
Brotherhood, but they all missed. An event that might’ve ended Nasser’s life, it actually proved a pivotal
moment on the road to his presidency. Following the attack, he administered an ultra-hard line against
dissenters… Arresting thousands, dismissing hundreds, and executing extreme cases, until he became
Egypt’s undisputed leader!

#8: Benito Mussolini

1883 - 1945
The fascist ruler of Italy for over 20 years, the early stages of Benito Mussolini’s term were littered with
assassination attempts. He survived the first on April 7th, 1926 (delivered by Violet Gibson), and also
emerged unscathed after Italian anarchist, Gino Lucetti, threw a bomb at his car in Rome, in September of
that same year. Perhaps the most notorious attempt on Mussolini’s life came on October 31st of 1926,
however, when 15 year-old Anteo Zamboni shot at him in Bologna, and was lynched on the spot!
#7: Malala Yousafzai
1997 -
An activist for female education in Pakistan from an early age, Malala Yousafzai was subject to an
assassination attempt when she was just 15 years old! She first gained attention via a BBC blog - written
under a pen name - detailing school life under the influence of the Taliban, and gradually her voice became
more and more prominent… Too prominent for the Taliban, who shot her in the head while she rode the
bus home from an exam! Miraculously, Yousafzai recovered, and is now one of the world’s most influential
human rights campaigners!

#6: Vladimir Lenin

1870 - 1924
The survivor of two assassination attempts, it’s widely suggested that the second stunt against Lenin’s life
actually did contribute to his eventual death! The Russian leader was first targeted in January 1918, when
his car was ambushed in Petrograd… Unhurt from that episode, he was shot at three times by Socialist
Revolutionary, Fanya Kaplan, who considered him a ‘traitor to the Revolution’. Lenin survived, but it’s
believed that the bullet wounds massively contributed to his later strokes, which eventually killed him!

#5: Ronald Reagan

1911 - 2004
Our highest-ranking American to survive assassination, Ronald Reagan was shot by John Hinckley Jr. just 69
days into his presidency! He suffered a wound to his right arm, a punctured lung, and severe internal
bleeding, but reportedly remained in good spirits while on the operating table! Hinckley had been
psychotically obsessed with the actress Jodie Foster, and had carried out the would-be-killing in an attempt
to earn her attention… In his opinion, it was ‘the greatest love offering in the history of the world’!

#4: Fidel Castro

1926 -
Fidel Castro himself once quipped, ‘If surviving assassination attempts were an Olympic event, I would win
the gold medal’… And he was right! During the ‘60s especially, the Cuban leader was a primary target for the
American Foreign Intelligence Services known as the CIA, and therefore under constant threat! The list of
potential assassination plots and methods reads like a James Bond script...! Exploding cigars, booby-trapped
seashells, hypodermic syringes disguised as ball-point pens… But Castro evaded all of that, and hundreds
more! He was hunted at an unprecedented level!

#3: Charles de Gaulle

1890 - 1970
Another world leader who worked under constant threat, the most famous attempt on French President
Charles De Gaulle’s life was lodged on August 22nd, 1962. Targeted by extremists because he had allowed
Algerian independence, De Gaulle and his wife were showered with machine gun fire, while driving through
Paris. The pair ducked out of immediate harm’s way, but were further saved because of the superior
suspension system on the Citroen DS car they were riding in! Their driver manoeuvred out of a potentially
catastrophic 70mph skid, and chauffeured the De Gaulles to safety!

#2: Pope John Paul II

1920 - 2005
Unlike many of today’s would-be assassins, the man who targeted Pope John Paul II, in 1981, was actually
very accurate! Mehmet Ali Agca had already successfully murdered one Turkish left-wing journalist in 1979,
before he fired multiple bullets at the Pope, causing the religious leader near-fatal injuries. The Pontiff did
recover, however, and would remain Pope for close to another quarter of a century! John Paul II even
forgave his assassin, when he met with him two years later, while Agca was serving his prison sentence!

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
- Gabrielle Giffords
1970 -
- Larry Flynt
1942 -
- Wolfgang Schäuble
1942 -
- Queen Victoria
1819 - 1901
- Pervez Musharraf
1943 -

#1: Adolf Hitler

1889 - 1945
While it’s a relief that some of our assassin escapees went unharmed, that can’t be said for today’s top
choice! Throughout his career, Adolf Hitler held off numerous attempts on his life – some dating as far back
as 1930, before the Nazi leader had even assumed power in Germany! Operation Valkyrie and the 20 July
Plot picked up majority attention, despite their failure falling quite late in Hitler’s history, in 1944. In
contrast, the Oster Conspiracy of 1938 never really got off the ground… If only it had, how different would
the world be then??

Top 10 Iconic Pieces of Architecture

For these marvelous structures, inspiring awe and wonder is as simple as just being there. Join
WatchMojo.com as we count down our picks for the Top 10 Iconic Pieces of Architecture.

For this list, we’re taking a look at the world’s most famous artificial structures and are basing our choices
on a mix of their design aesthetics, their capacities to influence and inspire, and of course, their iconic
statuses. However, we’re excluding skyscrapers from this list since they can easily be put on a list of their
own.

#10: Statue of Liberty

New York City, USA
Designed by French sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, this colossal effigy of the Roman Goddess, Libertas,
was a gift from the people of France to the U.S. following the Union’s victory in the Civil War and the
resulting abolition of slavery. An icon symbolizing both freedom and the United States, Lady Liberty has
served well as a welcoming sight for millions of immigrants throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. Today,
she stands as one of New York’s most popular tourist hotspots, and, with her countless cameos in numerous
postcards, TV shows, and films, there’s no denying her a place on this list.

#9: Elizabeth Tower [aka Big Ben]

London, England
While the historical Tower of London and the majestic Buckingham Palace are just as beautiful and iconic,
Big Ben towers above the two, literally and figuratively, as the quintessential symbol that lets onlookers
know they’re in London. Commonly referred to by its nickname, “Big Ben”, the tower was officially known as
“the clock tower” before being renamed after Queen Elizabeth II as part of her Diamond Jubilee celebration.
One of the most prominent structural masterpieces not only in England but in all of Europe, Elizabeth Tower
is a piece of architecture familiar to billions, serving as a popular establishing shot for many movies, English
or not.

#8: Sagrada Família [aka Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família]

Barcelona, Spain
Breaking ground over 130 years ago, this famous Spanish basilica remains an actively constructed work that
won’t be completed at least until 2026. With its three façades beautifully adorned with layers of sculptures
and its interior designed to mirror objects in nature, this Gothic structure is made even more beautiful,
eccentric and wondrous thanks to its eclectic architectural style. Considered the magnum opus of Antoni
Gaudi, this heavenly shrine continually draws in an estimated two-and-a-half million visitors a year, with the
revenue and donations collected going towards her completion.

#7: Sydney Opera House

Sydney, Australia
Completed in 1973, this performing arts center stands as one of the later, but more iconic examples of
expressionist architecture. Situated on the edges of Sydney Harbor, the work from Pritzker Prize winning
Danish architect, Jørn Utzon, is a house of multiple multi-use venues with key residents that include Opera
Australia, the Sydney Theatre Company, and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. As one of the most popular
tourist attractions in the country and in the world, the Opera House sees as many seven million visitors each
year, with one-and-a-half million being patrons of one of the 15 thousand performance events held
annually.

#6: Taj Mahal

Agra, India
With a name that translates to “Crown of Palaces”, this seventeenth century white marble mausoleum was
commissioned by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as a monument to commemorate the death of his favorite
wife. It is undoubtedly the Mughal architectural style’s most famous structure, attracting approximately
three million visitors a year, and landing it on numerous must-visit destinations lists on multiple tourist-
voted polls. Engulfed with priceless artifacts and a rich history, the Taj Mahal was aptly designated as an
UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 and at the turn of the new millennium was declared one of the new
Seven Wonders of the World by the New7Wonders of the World project.

#5: Cathedral of Vasily the Blessed [aka St. Basil’s Cathedral]

Moscow, Russia
While this religious building – officially known as the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Most Holy
Theotokos on the Moat – may’ve been constructed on the orders of one of history’s not so reputable rulers,
there’s no denying the exalted reverence and curiosity that this colorful cathedral can provoke. Shaped to
resemble a bonfire rising to the sky, this unique style has no direct roots from previous Russian architectural
works, making it stand out all the more, historically and from its surroundings. First known as the “Trinity
Church”, the building is presently affiliated with the Russian Orthodox Church, though it is primarily used as
a state historical museum, hence its status as a tourism hot-spot and its prestige as one of Russia’s most
famous and most visited buildings.

#4: Great Wall of China

China
Built as a means of protecting China’s borders from the invasions of numerous Eurasian Steppe tribes, the
initial wall’s construction began as early as the 7th century B.C. with the majority of the existing wall
enhanced and maintained by the Ming Dynasty. It’s nicknamed “The 10,000-Mile Long Wall”; however, a
recent archaeological study measured its entirety to be somewhere closer to 13,000 miles - and you thought
your local marathon was brutal! Named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987, the Great Wall was easily
given a place among the new 7 wonders - not that it needed any more approval.

#3: Eiffel Tower

Paris, France
Erected in 1889 to greet patrons at the entrance of the World’s Fair, this tour-de-force designed by engineer
Alexandre Gustave Eiffel’s company has since become the City of Light’s tallest man-made structure and a
global icon attracting millions to its grandness. Fitted with extravagant restaurants and observatory
platforms, the tower has seen more than 250 million visitors since her completion, all willing to pay a
premium to see this iron structure up close. Having appeared in hundreds of different pieces of media, the
tower’s potency and influence on the world speaks for itself, with even a downsized replica featured at the
Paris Hotel in Las Vegas.

#2: The Colosseum

Rome, Italy
Two things the Romans knew how to do right: brute force tactics and architecture. Located in the heart of
Italy, this titanic amphitheater is the largest in the world, with the capacity to hold an estimated fifty to
eighty thousand spectators in the years it was in use. In its heyday, the Colosseum was the ultimate
entertainment destination, showcasing re-enactments of famous Roman skirmishes, mock sea battles, and
of course, gladiatorial confrontations. Today, it’s one of Rome’s most popular tourist attractions, equipped
with a museum as well as newly restored subterranean passageways and gallery spaces ready to be
explored.
Before we pay a visit to our #1 pick, let’s take a look at some honorable mention:
- Hagia Sophia
Istanbul, Turkey
- Notre Dame de Paris
Paris, France
- Westminster Abbey
London, England
- Alhambra
Granada, Spain
- Leaning Tower of Pisa
Pisa, Italy

#1: Great Pyramid of Giza

Giza, Egypt
While there’s something intriguing about the pyramid-inspired buildings like the Ryugyong and Luxor hotels,
nothing can compare to these massive monuments and cultural icons of Giza. Located on the outskirts of
Cairo, these awe-inspiring structures are emblems of the ancient world that have sparked the imaginations
of filmmakers, writers, artists, and of course architects, for centuries. Designated as an UNESCO World
Heritage Site in 1979, it’s the only entry on our list to feature an icon from the original seven wonders and
serves as Egypt’s most popular tourist attraction, continuing to draw in millions of visitors after over four-
and-a-half millennia in existence.

Top 10 Famous Inventors

They say great minds think alike… But only the greatest minds make today's list! Join WatchMojo.com as we
count down our picks for the Top 10 Famous Inventors!

For this list, we’ve looked at those inventors that have had the most important, most popular, most
definitive effect upon the modern world. We’re interested in those responsible for the inventions without
which modern life would be very different!

#10: Guglielmo Marconi

1874 – 1937
He was not the first person experimenting with wireless technology, but Marconi can be credited with
turning the idea of radio waves into a commercial, practical reality. Marconi remodeled wireless apparatus
throughout his early career, lengthening the distance between which messages could be sent and received.
Best known for being the first person to successfully send a transatlantic message, Marconi’s radio was also
crucial in monitoring the 1912 sinking of the Titanic, and saving at least some survivors!

#9: James Watt

1736 - 1819
A steam power pioneer, James Watts’ work became a foundation for the Industrial Revolution which swept
across the UK and the U.S. in the 18th and 19th centuries, and eventually reached the entire planet. When
Watt was a young man, the Newcomen engine was used by most major factories… But he realized that that
system was wasting large amounts of energy… Cue endless experimentation, until eventually Watt
developed an efficient method for continuous rotary motion, and unprecedented power. A ‘rise of the
machines’ magnificently followed!

#8: Benjamin Franklin

1706 - 1790
A Founding Father of the United States, Benjamin Franklin was a master of many trades! Inventing-wise, his
efforts were widespread, but his most famous experiment centered around his casting a kite into a lightning
storm, drawing electrical charge, and subsequently developing the ‘lightning rod’ as a means of ensuring
safety in tall buildings. Other inventions that can be attributed to Franklin include a glass harmonica, bifocal
eyeglasses, and a urinary catheter with added flexibility… As we said, ‘his efforts were widespread’!
#7: The Wright Brothers: Orville & Wilbur
1871 - 1948; 1867 - 1912
Orville and Wilbur Wright are probably the most important names in the history of aviation, and heavier-
than-air flight. In the very early 1900s, inventors across America and the world were racing to develop a
reliable and practical machine in which human beings could controllably fly; the Wright Brothers won that
race! Their invention of a three-axis control, enabled multi-dimensional movement on a fixed-wing aircraft,
far outstripping any innovation of their peers. From there, the sky really was the limit!

#6: John Logie Baird

1888 - 1946
One of many great minds associated with the development of television, John Logie Baird seemed always
prominent when the most significant advances were made. Many historians credit him with being the first
to produce a live, moving, greyscale TV image… And he’s also noted as the man behind the first publicly
demonstrated color TV system, transmitted on July 3rd, 1928. A similar figure to Marconi in radio, Baird also
worked to lengthen the distances between which TV could be broadcast, leading the way for the
international applications that it has today!

#5: Archimedes
c. 287 BC - c. 212 BC
Of course, inventors were inventing things in ancient times as well, and none more so than Archimedes! The
brains behind the self-titled, and still widely used ‘Archimedes Screw’ – a device enabling efficient pumping
of water – the Ancient Greek engineer is probably best remembered as a mathematician. The most famous
Archimedes anecdote involves his creating a method to measure the volume of an irregularly shaped object.
Upon working it out in the bath, he ran down the street naked shouting ‘Eureka!’ – which is now the
unofficial catchphrase of inventorseverywhere!

#4: Leonardo da Vinci

1452 - 1519
Another indisputable genius, Leonardo da Vinci’s inventions are often overlooked, or at least
overshadowed, because of his legendary artwork… But da Vinci was more than just the “Mona Lisa”! In fact,
many of his ideas were so advanced; they weren’t physically possible for hundreds of years after his death…
Within his designs, a ‘helicopter’, a calculator, and even suggestions of solar power! His technical and
anatomical drawing was also largely unrivalled! He was more than ‘outside of the box’; he was intellectually
adrift from the entire human race!

#3: Nikola Tesla

1856 - 1943
The archetypal ‘mad scientist’, throughout much of the twentieth century Nikola Tesla’s work went a little
underappreciated… But, in recent times, efforts have been made to better preserve his story, and the
impact he had on electrical engineering especially! Tesla was most taken with the idea of wireless
technology, and he’s best known for his work on alternating current electricity… The enduring images are
those of him sitting and studying within highly charged laboratories, cleverer and crazier than almost
anybody else that ever lived!

#2: Alexander Graham Bell

1847 - 1922
The telephone is one of the cornerstone inventions of modern existence, and Alexander Graham Bell was
the man who made it possible! Starting out his professional life by working with the deaf and hard of
hearing, Bell harbored a lifelong fascination with sound and speech. He first began working on the
telephone in the early 1870s, and the first successful bi-directional transmission of clear speech was
conducted on March 10th 1876… When Bell called his colleague to say, ‘Mr. Watson, come here, I want to
see you.’

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
- Johannes Gutenberg
c. 1398 - 1468
- Samuel Morse
1791 - 1872
- Alfred Nobel
1833 - 1896
- Galileo Galilei
1564 -1642
- Hero of Alexandria
c. 10 - c. 70 AD

#1: Thomas Edison

1847 - 1931
The holder of an incredible 1,093 US patents, Thomas Edison was an extreme inventor! A real rags-to-riches
story, he’s probably best known for his ultimate, and original, ‘light bulb moment’! Edison worked to install
his electric light into towns and cities across the globe, demonstrating a knack for big business as well! The
phonograph was also his creation, the alkaline storage battery, he screened early motion pictures, and he
even drew up ideas for an electric car! If Edison thought about it, he did it… And he usually did it well!

Top 10 Bizarre Alternate Theories of History

For every intelligent, logical theory about the world's history, there's one that is just strange. Join
WatchMojo.com as we count down our picks for the Top 10 Bizarre Alternate Theories of History.

For this list, we’re looking at those theories that people once, or somehow still do, believe about the past.
However, we’re not including prophecies, such as the prediction of the end of the world in 2012, nor are we
including creation myths, like the idea that we all live on the back of a turtle.

#10: Garbage Theory

Many bizarre theories of history involve aliens in one way or another, but none is as gross as the garbage
theory. Suggested by Thomas Gold of Cornell University, this theory states that humans essentially evolved
from garbage that was left on Earth by visiting aliens thousands of years ago. We guess this could explain
why humans produce an enormous amount of trash – perhaps it’s just in our DNA?

#9: Zoo Hypothesis

From one alien theory to another, the zoo theory suggests that aliens not only exist, but are also completely
aware of the human species on Earth. It even goes so far as to say that aliens won’t make contact with us
until we reach a specific technological, political, or ethical standard. Essentially, we are like animals in a zoo
– if the animals had no idea that they were being watched by thousands of people.

#8: ‘The Matrix’ Theory or ‘Simulation Hypothesis’

Is there a chance one of us could be Neo? According to this theory, yes. Yes, there is. Some scientists have
hypothesized that we actually live in a computer program and human life is essentially one large simulation.
Basically, life is just one big game of “The Sims”. Of course, we have no way of knowing whether this is true
or not, because these computers stimulate our minds and create our reality, making us think that what we
are experiencing is real.

#7: Expanding or Growing Earth Hypothesis

Believe it or not, this theory was first suggested by Charles Darwin. Hey, even geniuses have an off day.
However, if you ignore plate tectonics, this theory could make some sense. It states that the Earth is always
expanding. The continents were originally part of a large super-continent, but instead of drifting apart, they
separated because the Earth expanded. Surprisingly, there are still present day advocates of the theory,
proving that some people will believe absolutely anything. At least this theory is slightly more plausible than
the geophysical global cooling hypothesis, which claims that the Earth is contracting.

#6: The Sky Is a Ceiling

Essentially, the idea here is that Earth is one giant box or container that we live in, and that the sky is the
top, or uppermost limit, of that box. In other words, the sky is a ceiling. This is a notion that goes back to
Ancient Egypt. Of course, the invention of the telescope and eventually space travel disproved this theory.

#5: Hollow Earth Hypothesis

Okay, so we know that the sky is not a ceiling. But what if what we saw in the sky was actually located in the
center of the Earth? That’s the basis for this theory, which was hypothesized as far back as the late 17th
century, perhaps even earlier depending on your sources, but became popular in the early 19th century
thanks to John Cleves Symmes, Jr. The U.S. army officer and lecturer stated that the Earth was a shell over
800 miles thick with openings at both poles. U.S. President John Quincy Adams even supported a potential
expedition to the North Pole hole, but thankfully Andrew Jackson stopped it before it could even begin.

#4: Anunnaki Aliens

Thanks in large part to the History Channel; many people believe that aliens were somehow involved with
ancient civilizations. Could it have been an alien race known as the Anunnaki? The Anunnaki were the gods
in Mesopotamian cultures, in particular the Sumerian pantheon, but this theory suggests that they were
actually a race of aliens that settled on planet Earth to mine gold. The real question is – why did aliens need
gold?

#3: The Illuminati Through History

You may be surprised to learn that there once was an actual group considered to be the real Illuminati.
While today the term applies to several groups, it usually refers specifically to the Bavarian Illuminati, a
secret society that was founded in 1776. While most people believe that the society essentially ended by
1790, some theories suggest that the group survived and was responsible for several important historical
events, including the French Revolution and the assassination of JFK. Several modern organizations also
claim to be related to the original group.

#2: Lemuria and Atlantis

Most people know the story of Atlantis, an island that allegedly submerged into the Atlantic Ocean. Lemuria
has a similar story – supposedly, it was a landmass that was located in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. The
theory of Lemuria was suggested by Philip Sclater in an attempt to explain the presence of similar fossils in
India and Madagascar. Although there is proof that several sunken continents do exist, the theories of
Lemuria and Atlantis have largely been dismissed, although their myths are still relatively popular.

No honorable mentions this time around.

#1: Flat Earth Model

Of course, we have to end with one of the most famous theories about the Earth. This notion claims that the
Earth isn’t round but rather flat, and that it’s possible to sail off the end of the world. Of course, it’s almost
universally known that this theory is false, and that the Earth is indeed round, but some proponents of this
idea still exist, such as the group known as the Modern Flat-Earthers. Guess these people have never looked
at a picture of the Earth from space.

Top 10 Books That Have Been Banned

You just can't put these books down... But at one stage you weren't allowed to even pick them up! Join
WatchMojo.com as we count down our picks for the Top 10 Books that Have Been Banned!

For this list, we've looked at books that have been banned from sale in some capacity. It doesn't matter
where the book was banned, why it was, or how long for... If it was ever taken off the shelves, then it could
feature on today's reading list.

#10: "Lord of the Flies" (1954)

William Golding

Regularly described as one of the greatest novels of the twentieth century, "Lord of the Flies" is also one of
the most brutal depictions of human character ever written! A regularly challenged book and ranked at #68
on the American Library Association's list of frequently banned classics, it details the barbaric demise of a
once civilised group of boys. A tale that takes all of the worst aspects of human nature and watches them
war with one another, it's an uncomfortably 'un-put-down-able' read!
#9: "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" (1884)
Mark Twain

The oldest book to feature today, and regularly listed as one of the 'Great American Novels', "Huckleberry
Finn" has forever been subject to sanctions. The direct sequel to Twain's "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer",
it comes most under fire for its language, and specifically for frequent racial slurs. Depicting a Southern
Antebellum society the likes of which no longer existed at the time of publishing, its vocabulary was a little
out-dated, even in the late 1800s... Nowadays, some "Huck Finn" terms are considered hugely offensive,
and subsequently censorable.

#8: "Nineteen Eighty-Four" (1949)

George Orwell

An author banned on more than one occasion, George Orwell struggled to get "Animal Farm" published
because of its thinly veiled criticism of the USSR... But we've selected "Nineteen Eighty-Four" as Orwell's
best banned book - if only for the irony! The novel's almost-hero, Winston Smith, lives in a society ravaged
by war and revolution, under constant surveillance. As he contends with the ultra-restrictive Big Brother,
Smith's plight is appropriately paralleled by various governments (including the Soviet Union themselves)
banning the book entirely.

#7: The "Harry Potter" series (1997-2007)

J. K. Rowling

It's the best-selling book series in history, it's been translated into seventy-three languages... But that
doesn't mean that Harry Potter is beyond the ban! The tales of the 'boy who lived' have also picked up a fair
amount of criticism, particularly relating to the increasingly dark nature of the latter instalments. Various
religious groups have challenged the books, claiming they promote ideas of witchcraft, the occult and
Wicca. According to the ALA, they're the most challenged books of the twenty-first century!

#6: "American Psycho" (1991)

Bret Easton Ellis

It's a novel deemed 'harmful to minors' in Germany, only available to buy or rent if you're over eighteen in
Australia, and generally sold shrink-wrapped in New Zealand. In short, "American Psycho" caused, and
causes, quite a stir! Famous for its unflinching portrayal of extreme violence, Bret Easton Ellis actually
received death threats upon its initial publication! A story since adapted to the big screen with critical
acclaim, it's a really tough read and a nightmare tonic for almost anybody!

#5: "The Satanic Verses" (1988)

Salman Rushdie

One of the most controversial novels ever written, Salman Rushdie's "The Satanic Verses" brought about an
actual assassination, such was the level of offence that it caused! Rushdie was accused of misusing his
'freedom of speech', of mocking Islam, and of referring to the prophet Muhammad in a derogatory
manner... Subsequently, in 1989, the Iranian government issued a fatwa calling on all Muslims to execute
anybody involved in the book's publication... Rushdie himself survived several assassination plots, but in
1991 the novel's Japanese translator, Hitoshi Igarashi, was stabbed to death!

#4: "Mein Kampf" (1925-26)

Adolf Hitler

The autobiographical manifesto of probably the most infamous man ever to have lived, Adolf Hitler's "Mein
Kampf" is one of the most heavily vetted texts on the planet. Though translations are available in most
countries, they can prove difficult to obtain at times... In Austria the printing and/or owning of "Mein
Kampf" is prohibited, while in Germany the book's copyright is owned by the state of Bavaria, which tries to
prevent any reprinting. However, in 2016 that copyright is scheduled to expire, meaning that more copies
could become available...
#3: "Lolita" (1955)
Vladimir Nabokov

Our next novel took its author five years to write, and a further two years to publish! Vladimir Nabakov
finally settled for a French publication house of questionable reputation, releasing "Lolita" in 1955...
Following outraged reviews on the book's erotic themes and the central adult-child relationship, the British
government swiftly banned the import of "Lolita", and France soon followed suit. It eventually appeared in
America in 1958, and reappeared in Britain in '59... Arguably as controversial now as it was then, "Lolita" is
definitely not a 'light read'!

#2: "Brave New World" (1932)

Aldous Huxley

An ironic title if ever we've read one, Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World" is actually considerably bleaker
than billed...! It's so bleak, in fact, the novel's dystopian drive has led to it being challenged the world over!
In 1932, it was banned in Ireland for anti-religious language; Between '32 and '37 - banned in Australia; in
India in '67, Huxley was labelled a 'pornographer'; and in 1980 it was removed from classrooms in Missouri,
USA. Continuing a by-now-established trend, however, it's also consistently ranked as one of the greatest
novels ever written!

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

"A Clockwork Orange" (1962)

Anthony Burgess

"Fahrenheit 451" (1953)

Ray Bradbury

"The Grapes of Wrath" (1939)

John Steinbeck

"Heather Has Two Mommies" (1989)

Lesléa Newman

"The Anarchist Cookbook" (1971)

William Powell

#1: "The Catcher in the Rye" (1951)

J. D. Salinger

Holden Caulfield has long since established a legendary status within literature, as the epitome of teenage
angst... But Caulfield's language, family values, moral codes, and rebellious habits have landed J. D. Salinger
and "The Catcher in the Rye" in very hot water, very frequently! An incessantly challenged book, teachers
have actually been fired for assigning it... And murderers have actually claimed inspiration after reading it!
In 1981, it achieved a curious balance as the most censored and second-most taught book in US public
schools... And today it's our undisputed 'best of the banned'!

Top 10 Infamous Real Life Executions

These people might actually be remembered best for their deaths rather than the lives they lived. Welcome
to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 infamousreal life executions.

For this list, we are looking specifically at official executions as ordered by the state or government
throughout history and across the world.

#10: Ernst Kaltenbrunner

1903 – 1946
Several Nazi officers were captured and executed following the end of World War II, but none was more
prominent than Ernst Kaltenbrunner. As a high-ranking official with the SS, it was believed that he had direct
knowledge of the workings of the concentration camps that resulted in the deaths of millions of Jewish
captives. At the Nuremberg Trials, Kaltenbrunner was charged with conspiracy to commit war crimes and
crimes against humanity and was then sentenced to death. He was executed by hanging on October 16th,
1946.

#9: Julius & Ethel Rosenberg

1918 - 1953; 1915 - 1953
While spies and double agents make for exciting fiction, they posed a serious threat to the United States
and its Western allies during the Cold War. Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were two alleged Soviet spies
captured by the United States and charged with passing along information about the atomic bomb. Their
trial began in 1951 and captured the attention of the nation. The married couple was found guilty of
espionage and executed by the electric chair. While Morton Sobell, another American found guilty of spying
during the trial, claimed that Julius acted as a courier for the Soviets, he didn’t claim the same for Ethel.

#8: Sir William Wallace

c. 1270 - 1305
One of the most famous figures from the Medieval Period and a leading member of the Scottish rebellion
against England, William Wallace has become one of the most recognizable names in history. Despite
leading his people to several key victories during the Wars of Scottish Independence, he was betrayed and
turned over to the English in 1305. Wallace was tried for treason and was sentenced to be executed. He was
dragged naked through the streets, strangled by hanging but not till death – after which he was
emasculated, disembowelled, decapitated and drawn and quartered.

#7: Guy Fawkes

1570 - 1606
Remember, remember, the 5th of November. Considered “the last man to enter Parliament with honest
intentions,” he was a member of a group of English Catholics who attempted to blow up Parliament with
gunpowder in 1605. The main goal of the Gunpowder Plot was to kill King James and replace him with his 9-
year-old daughter, Princess Elizabeth. The plot was uncovered, however, and Fawkes was captured. While
his steadfast manner earned him the admiration of King James, he was tortured, sentenced to death by
hanging and quartered.

#6: Anne Boleyn

c. 1501 - 1536
One of the most famous womanizers in history, Henry VIII of England was married a total of six times. Of all
his wives, however, perhaps none is more famous than Anne Boleyn. Considered a heroine of the English
Reformation, she was married to Henry for three years. She was unable to produce a son to serve as Henry’s
heir, however, and she was eventually charged with adultery, incest, and treason. Imprisoned in the Tower
of London, she was eventually beheaded on May 19th, 1536.

#5: Marie Antoinette

1755 - 1793
The French Revolution wasn’t kind to the aristocratic class in France. While King Louis XVI was arrested and
executed, the most famous casualty of the Revolution has to be his wife Marie Antoinette. She was faulted
for the economic crisis in France at the time thanks to her extravagant expenditures. She was eventually
placed under house arrest with the rest of the royal family. Her fate was essentially sealed after the
execution of Louis XVI, and she was charged with treason and executed by guillotine in 1793.
#4: Ted Bundy
1946 - 1989
One of the most infamous serial killers in American history, Ted Bundy admitted to being responsible for
killing 30 women throughout the 1970s, although the actual number is likely much higher. He used his good
looks and charming personality to lure young female victims before assaulting them. Bundy was ultimately
captured in Florida and received three death sentences, and he died in the electric chair on January 24th,
1989. An estimated 2,000 people celebrated with songs, dancing and fireworks in a field across the street
from the prison immediately after the execution.

#3: Saddam Hussein

1937 - 2006
Known as “The Butcher of Baghdad”, Saddam Hussein served as the fifth President of Iraq for over 20 years.
He was widely condemned in the western world due to his brutality, which included killing political
opponents and using chemical weapons against his own people. In 2003, a coalition led by the United States
invaded Iraq to remove Saddam from power, and he was eventually captured and hanged. Video of the
execution was leaked online and became the subject of global controversy.

#2: Joan of Arc

c. 1412 - 1431
“The Maid of Orleans” is a heroine of France who helped lead her people to victory in several battles against
the English during the Hundred Years’ War. She was eventually betrayed, however, and handed over to the
English by the Burgundians. She was tried on a number of charges, including cross-dressing, and despite a
lack of evidence, was sentenced to death and burned at the stake at just nineteen years old. She was
declared a martyr 25 years after her death and is one of the nine secondary patron saints of France.

Before we unveil our number one pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- Mary, Queen of Scots
1542 - 1587
- Timothy McVeigh
1968 - 2001
- Aileen Wuornos
1956 - 2002
- Gary Gilmore
1940 - 1977
- Troy Davis
1968 - 2011
- House of Romanov
1613 -1917

#1: Jesus
c. 7-2 BC - 30-33 AD
While some may debate the religious aspect, Jesus is widely considered to be a historical figure that did
exist. A preacher in the first century AD, Jesus’ teachings angered many of the religious leaders in Judea. He
was eventually betrayed by Judas, one of his disciples, and handed over to the Romans, after which he was
sentenced to death by Pontius Pilate and crucified in Jerusalem. Whether you believe that Jesus was the Son
of God or not, his execution remains as one of the most influential moments in history.

Top 10 Amazing Nikola Tesla Inventions and Innovations

He's the protégé of Thomas Edison, and the man behind our modern world. Join WatchMojo.com as we
count down our picks for the Top 10 Amazing Nikola Tesla Inventions and Innovations. For this list, we’re
not only focusing on Nikola Tesla’s inventions, but also on concepts that weren’t necessarily “invented” by
him, such as limitless free energy, but innovated through his research and experimentation.

#10: Directed-Energy Weapon [aka Peace or Death Ray]

We’ll never know the EXACT details of this Tesla innovation, because he took the specifics to his grave. What
we do know is this: the Serbian-American began working on a laser-like or “teleforce” beam projector in the
early 1900s with a stream of energy so potent that he expected it to end all wars - hence it being dubbed a
‘death ray’ by the media. Tesla shopped around the idea and actually wrote an essay entitled “The Art of
Projecting Concentrated Non-dispersive Energy through the Natural Media” in 1937. In the 1980s, the US
tested a particle beam weapon as part of a proposed anti-ballistic missile defense system, so it’s clear that
Tesla’s idea was not dismissed.

#9: Remote Control via Radio Control

Back in 1898, New Yorkers roamed the streets of Broadway while a strange man played around with some
type of apparatus. Crazy? Sure. Brilliant? Yes. That apparatus was a teleautomaton, which was a boat that
was remotely controlled through radio signals, and Tesla introduced his invention at none other than
Madison Square Garden. It would be another 50+ years until the television remote control was developed,
however by that time Tesla was long gone and most people didn’t care who came up with the concept -
they just wanted life to be easier. Tesla was quite good at helping us out.

#8: Electric Motor via Induction Motor

Well, here’s an idea that caught on! At this very moment, you may be fanning yourself off, but not with your
own hands, because it’s not the olden days, amiright? No, you use an electric fan while Dad works away in
the garage with power tools and Mom counts the time on her watch because it’s almost time for dinner.
What we’re saying is this: Tesla is part of your everyday life unless you’re living under a rock in the
mountains...although there’s nothing wrong with that. Not everybody is lucky enough to enjoy Tesla’s
innovation today, so remember this man when you open up the refrigerator for another snack. Because if it
wasn’t for the induction motor that ran on an alternating current that he developed in 1887, we wouldn’t
have many household appliances, tools, and so on and so forth that we probably take for granted now.

#7: Tesla Coil

Perhaps you’re familiar with the movies. And perhaps you’re familiar with crazy movie scientists? Well, then
you’re familiar with the Tesla coil, because any legit crazy scientist has MANY. Today, it’s mainly used to
entertain kids and moviegoers, and you might have even been lucky enough to personally witness the
monster Tesla coil that’s on display every year at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, and the one
musician Bjork once used it as instrument in the song “Thunderbolt,” which needless to say was not a Top
40 hit. However, when Tesla first invented this electrical resonant transformer, its production of high-
voltage, low-current, high frequency alternating current electricity was incorporated into wireless
telegraphy and in medical equipment.

#6: Robotics
We’ve all heard this line before: “Mommy, Daddy, I want a robot!” But what it really means is, “Mommy,
Daddy, I want to pay homage to the great mind of Nikola Tesla.” When he introduced his aforementioned
boat to a New York City crowd in 1898, you could say that people were a tiny bit agitated as the concept
itself was frightening. But what transpired was the dawn of a new era; a world in which Tesla hoped that
actual robots could assist human beings in positive ways. Tesla saw the world through a unique lens, but
most of his contemporaries saw something else. That’s why Tesla was Tesla, and that’s why we now have
robots. And as such, he’s also been called the Father of Robotics.

#5: Radio
With all due respect to the Italian often credited with inventing radio - Guglielmo Marconi - it was Nikola
Tesla who first innovated the concept. Unfortunately, when he was preparing to transmit a signal in 1895,
his entire lab went up in flames, and all was lost. But not the idea, of course. Even so, Marconi was soon all
the rage for his “invention” that Nikola claimed was done with numerous Tesla patents, but in 1943, Tesla
was redeemed when the U.S. Supreme Court upheld his original patent. However, this came shortly after his
death. Oh well.

#4: Wireless Communications

Ok, maybe Tesla didn’t invent the idea of “free energy,” but he did manage to start building a wireless
communication tower known as Wardenclyffe tower thanks to the financial support of J.P. Morgan. By
displaying the relationship between a transmitter and receiver station, Tesla paved the way for our world of
today, where we browse the World Wide Web and send text messages. In 1893, however, it was just
another crazy Tesla idea, but you better believe it was an important one.

#3: X-Rays
If you’ve ever broken a bone, you’ve hopefully visited a doctor for a complete exam. This kind of experience
can be traced back all the way to 1894 when Tesla began studying radiant energy, but the aforementioned
1895 lab fire destroyed all of his experiments. Months later, the German Wilhelm Rontgen “discovered” X-
Rays, which led Tesla to build on his theories by incorporating his Tesla coils. And so, radiography was born
thanks to the innovations of one Nikola Tesla.

#2: Fluorescent Bulbs

The original fluorescent lamp went on the market in the 1930s, but it came after decades of work from a
variety of inventors. One of them was Tesla, who introduced his “electrodeless lamp” or induction light at
the World Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. This occasion marked a split between Tesla and his
former mentor Thomas Edison, who would become known for developing a long-lasting electric light bulb.

Here’s where you’d normally see the honorable mentions, but we’ve decided ten is enough for today!

#1: Alternating Current

It was known as the “War of Currents.” On one side, you have Thomas Edison and General Electric
promoting DC (meaning: direct current) electricity, and on the other you have Tesla’s AC (meaning:
alternating current) theory backed by Westinghouse. Edison created a culture of fear by showing just how
dangerous electricity could be, while Tesla shot it through his entire body. How about that? And it was
Tesla's AC motor design that was ultimately adopted in modern times. Tesla invented and innovated many
designs over the course of his 86 years, but none more essential than alternating current.

Top 10 Strangest Medical Practices In History

There's bad medicine and then there's straight up insanity. Join WatchMojo.com as we count down our
picks for Top 10 Strangest Medical Practices in History.

For this list, we’re looking at some of the most baffling procedures throughout the ages that have been
approved by medical experts of the time. Considering some of the practices we came across in our research,
we’re glad to be living in this century. Due to the subject matter, please be advised that this list may contain
disturbing content.

#10: Female Hysteria Cures

In the Victorian era, women who experienced anxiety, sleeplessness, irritability and who were plagued with
erotic fantasies were diagnosed with hysteria. Of course, these symptoms actually stemmed from sexual
frustration, but at the time, it was believed that women didn’t have sex drives. “Female hysteria” and its
symptoms, as a result of the belief in the “wandering womb” whereby a woman’s uterus relocated to
different parts of her body, had been recognized as early as ancient Greece. However, it was during the 19th
century that doctors and midwives devised a treatment of massaging women’s genitals with various liquids
like vegetable oil until they orgasmed. This treatment was popular and patients returned frequently, which
led physicians to experience chronic hand fatigue. So eventually, a device was made to simplify the process,
and today we know it as the vibrator.

#9: Mrs. Winslow’s Soothing Syrup

Patent medicines were all the rage in the 19th and 20th centuries and this brand is a sample of the miracle
cures that were widely promoted. Marketed by druggists Jeremiah Curtis and Benjamin A. Perkins, the name
was attributed to Curtis’ mother-in-law, Charlotte N. Winslow who created the formula while nursing
infants. Advertised as a medicinal product formula to soothe children's ailments, including teething, the
syrup’s two main ingredients were morphine and aqua ammonia – the latter of which is used in household
cleaning agents. Although successful in relieving pain and diarrhea, accidental overdose of the product
wasn’t uncommon and it was hence given the nickname “baby killer.” Despite being denounced by the
American MedicalAssociation in 1911, Mrs. Winslow’s continued to be sold until 1930 in the UK.
#8: Lobotomies
The advent of this barbaric procedure isn’t that far off from the present. The first lobotomy, also known as
leucotomy, was performed in 1935 and became widely used as an alternative treatment for patients with
serious mental illness, such as schizophrenia and depression. The procedure evolved from drilling into the
skull to the ever-popular icepick, which was hammered above the eyeball and into the frontal lobes of the
brain. The process was meant to eliminate superfluous emotion while evening out the personality. While it
did render patients complacent, others experienced no change and many worsened, with their intellects,
self-control and other forms of mental activity becoming limited.

#7: Moldy Bread as Disinfectant

Today, if you have moldy bread in your pantry, you would get rid of it. But back in the day, the use of moldy
bread to disinfect cuts has been traced as far back as Ancient Egypt; and it was also used in Ancient Serbia,
China and Greece. Though they didn’t know it at the time, the reason why this worked was that certain
fungi are known to prevent the growth of disease-causing bacteria. This was later discovered by French
chemist and microbiologist Louis Pasteur. Who would have thought that moldy bread can act like penicillin?
Seriously though, don’t use it on yourself; there’s rubbing alcohol for that.

#6: Heroin as a Remedy for Coughs, Colds & Pain

Similar to other home remedies like Mrs. Winslow’s, heroin was a common ingredient found in many
nineteenth-century miracle serums. In the 1890s, the company Bayer commercialized both their aspirin and
heroin medicine bottles as remedies for children suffering from coughs, colds and aches. Due to extensive
use of Bayer’s Heroin brand, patients started to develop a tolerance for the product – despite advertising it
as a “non-addictive” substitute to morphine. This resulted in a growing number of addicts in the U.S. who
kept trying to get their hands on it and its status as a drug that’s only legally available by prescription.

#5: Metal Hooks & Rectal Surgery for Bladder Stones

Passing stones has never been a pleasant experience; if you’ve ever experienced such pain, be very happy
that surgeries through the butthole are a thing of the past. While bladder stones were sometimes removed
by inserting a metal hook through the urethra, there also existed another method in the Middle Ages. Here,
two assistants held down a patient in a “jack-knife” position while the doctor pushed the stone through the
bladder's entrance and removed it by cutting through the anus. We should probably start calling this period
the Brutal Ages.

#4: Electric Shock Therapy to Cure Impotence

A shock to the system… well, for one particular system anyway… Although the discovery of electricity
heralded quite a few ingenious technologies, the electric belt was definitely not one of them. One product
called the Electric Belt and Suspensory for men was promoted in the early 20th century to cure erectile
dysfunction, among other ailments. This contraption consisted of a belt with a coil of wire designed for the
“crown jewels,” which sent a jolt to the groin. If men back then were willing to shock their junk, they
must’ve been pretty desperate.

#3: Treating Hemorrhoids with Hot Irons

This procedure brings a whole new meaning to “fire in the hole”! In the Middle Ages, the best way to
prevent hemorrhoids was by praying to St. Fiacre, the patron saint of hemorrhoid sufferers. If you were
unlucky, then you had to visit the medieval physicians who would insert a hot iron into your anus. The less
painful and least effective method was to sit on St. Fiacre's stone, where the 7th century Irish monk is said
to have been miraculously cured of the ailment.

#2: Bloodletting
One of the most iconic historical medical practices that comes to mind, bloodletting was practiced for over
two thousands years, notably in ancient Greece, Egypt and Europe in the 1800s. Bloodletting is the act of
cutting open a vein and draining a considerable amount of blood in order to cure or prevent illness and
disease. While metal instruments could be used, an alternative method for bloodletting was the practice of
using leeches. Yes, those worms with a sucker at either end! Leeching worked in a similar vein as the use of
metal instruments, but it was less invasive with the placement of leeches on the affected area; this
procedure usually ended when the leeches were full of the infected blood and fell off.
Before we unveil our number one pick, here are some honorable mentions.
- Urine as Antiseptic & Remedy to Other Ailments
- Dead Mice As a Cure for Warts
- Mercury As Topical Cream for Various Ailments

#1: Trepanation
This practice has been around for so long that it’s believed to be one of the oldest surgical procedures. In
fact, many skulls dated to 6500 BC have been found with holes from trepanation. It's believed that these
holes were drilled as a means of drawing out evil spirits as well as curing epileptic seizures, migraines and
mental disorders. Like the lobotomy, trepanation involves making a hole in the skull, but unlike the
lobotomy, it stops short of actually touching the brain. Disturbingly, the practice is still around today.
Proponents claim that it increases blood flow to the brain and expands consciousness, but there is no
scientific data to confirm these claims.

Top 10 Women's Leaders

These women literally rule! Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we're counting down our picks for the
Top 10 Historical Women's Leaders. For this list, we’ve looked at the most important, iconic and effective
women’s leaders throughout ancient and modern world history.

#10: Queen Elizabeth II

1926 -
We begin our ascent to the throne with England’s Queen and Head of the Commonwealth! Her Royal
Highness Elizabeth II is one of the most instantly recognisable women ever to have lived! The world’s oldest
reigning monarch, Britain’s longest lived, and rapidly closing in on Queen Victoria to become the UK’s
longest-reigning head of state, she’s been making history for years! She’s a symbol of British and European
tradition, but has also proven consistently adaptable to the ever-changing modern world. She’s a royal one
off!

#9: Indira Gandhi

1917 - 1984
The only ever female Prime Minister of India (so far), Indira Gandhi held the office for four non-consecutive
terms between the years 1966 and 1984 - holding roles as ‘President of the Indian National Congress’ and
‘Minister of Information and Broadcasting’ before assuming full power as PM in ‘66. A surprisingly ruthless
ruler, she was an exceptionally strong-willed woman working in an until-then man’s world! Bringing about
great agricultural change in India itself through the poverty-tackling ‘Green Revolution’, and an influential
figure in creating the standalone nation Bangladesh, Gandhi was one of the most important women of the
twentieth century!

#8: Queen Victoria

1819 - 1901
Officially titled ‘Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland’ and ‘Empress of India’, Queen
Victoria was also affectionately known as ‘The Grandmother of Europe’. Head of a royal family that
stretched across an entire continent, this lady was internationally liked and respected! Victoria oversaw the
Industrial Revolution in Britain, she held her own against political uprisings that dominated Europe during
the mid-nineteenth Century, and she is still the longest-reigning female monarch to have lived. Anywhere.
Ever! The legend says that she ‘was not amused’... But she was pretty incredible!

#7: Sorghaghtani Beki

1198 - 1252
Daughter-in-law to Genghis Khan, Sorghaghtani Beki became arguably the most important, influential, and
tactically impressive woman within the Mongol Empire following the legendaryleader’s death. Mother to
four sons, she ensured that each of her offspring inherited at least some slice of Mongol rule, with probably
the most significant portion held by second oldest Kublai, who founded the Yuan Dynasty in China. A master
manipulator, famed forward-thinker and a notably tolerant woman, it was said of Sorghaghtani that ‘if there
was another woman like her, the race of women would be far superior to that of men’!
#6: Benazir Bhutto
1953 - 2007
Born into Pakistani politics, Benazir Bhutto is perhaps one of the bravest leaders to make today’s
countdown! A victim to the military rule of General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq (under whom her father, the
former Prime Minister, was executed), she endured several spells in prison and/or exile before eventually
spearheading the Pakistan Peoples Party to election success in 1988. Violent opposition forever dogged her
charismatic leadership however, culminating with her assassination in 2007. Having returned to Pakistan
concerned over the extremism erupting there, she was herself killed in a bombing right before the next
general election.

#5: Angela Merkel

1954 -
Probably the most powerful woman in the world today, German Chancellor Angela Merkel is one of the
most important voices within twenty-first century Europe! Unofficially titled ‘The Decider’, she has played a
crucial role in piecing Europe back together since 2007’s financial crisis, maintaining a firm grip upon the
continent’s precarious purse strings...By expertly navigating herself and her country through the crisis,
Merkel has managed to flourish where other European leaders have fallen - holding office for three terms
and counting, she is one of the longest-servingleaders on the planet!

#4: Margaret Thatcher

1925 - 2013
The first, and until now only, female Prime Minister of Great Britain, Margaret Thatcher’s time at Number
10 Downing Street is never likely to be forgotten! An often ruthless leader, her hard-line policies on social
reform cuts, reductions in trade union influence and mass privatisation earned her almighty criticism...
However, despite her apparent domestic opposition, Thatcher served for three terms until resigning from
her post in 1990. The original ‘Iron Lady’, Thatcher knew how to ‘talk the talk’, but she was in no way afraid
to ‘walk the walk’ either!

#3: Cleopatra
69 - 30 BC
We head into the years BC but once in today’s top 10, but we do so for one of the most iconic women
history has ever known! The last of the active Pharaohs, upon her ascension to the throne in Ancient Egypt,
Cleopatra was seen as a reincarnation of the ideally matriarchal Goddess, Isis. A life story famously adapted
for stage and screen on more than one occasion, she fought against Rome with Mark Antony, but was
ultimately unable to prevent Octavian’s victory... Defiant until death, however, she committed suicide
before the new Roman Empire was fully established!

#2: Catherine II
1729 - 1796
More famously known as Catherine the Great, there are real good reasons why this Russian Empress was
given such a gracious moniker! Ruling for thirty-four years, she oversaw what’s largely considered Russia’s
‘Golden Age’... A period of massive modernisation bringing the country in line with the rest of Europe (and
in fact beyond most of it), it saw advancement made in agriculture, education, the military and the arts.
Catherine also oversaw Russia’s geographical growth, expanding the borders on all sides - even into Alaska!
A celebrated ruler, she’s beaten by just one other!

But, before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
- Elizabeth I of England
1533 - 1603
- Corazon Aquino
1933 - 2009
- Wu Zetian
624 - 705 AD
- Emmeline Pankhurst
1858 - 1928
- Boudica
30 - 61
- Hatshepsut
1508 - 1458 BC

#1: Joan of Arc

1412 - 1431
The shortest lived of today’s top ten, Joan of Arc’s a literal legend of a leader! Following divine intervention
allegedly experienced during her youth, she fought for Charles VII’s ascension to the French Throne,
overcoming English opposition at Orleans against all odds! A figure who many believed to be a mythical
‘virgin’ sent by God to save France, she was ultimately betrayed by Charles, and burned at the stake as a
heretic by the English... However, history remembers her as strong-willed, strongly admired, and incredibly
brave! Canonised as a Saint in 1920, hers is an altogether higher level of leadership!

Top 10 Inventors Killed By Their Own Inventions

These people had ideas that were to die for. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down
our picks for the top 10 inventors killed by their own inventions.

For this list, we’re looking at those innovators that were killed, either directly or indirectly, by their own
inventions or discoveries. We’re excluding those that simply died experimenting with others’ inventions,
such as Alexander Bogdanov, who died while trying to perfect and explain the process of blood transfusions.

#10: Sylvester H. Roper

Roper Steam Velocipede
Born in Francestown, New Hampshire, Sylvester H. Roper was a pioneer when it came to the subject of
motor vehicles, and more specifically, motorcycles and automobiles. Roper created what is often considered
one of the first motorcycles, the roper steam velocipede. It was while riding this steam-powered land
vehicle in 1896 that spectators noticed Roper wobbling upon it at a considerable 40 miles per hour, only for
him to fall off and suffer a head wound following several laps. He was found dead at the scene, with an
autopsy revealing heart failure as the cause of death, though whether his loss of balance was a catalyst for
the stress on his heart or if his heart failed prior to the crash is unknown.

#9: Horace Lawson Hunley

Hand-Cranked Submarine
During the American Civil War, Horace Lawson Hunley served as a Confederate marine engineer and he
invented various forms of hand-powered submarines to use in battle against Union troops. Unfortunately,
during a routine exercise in 1863, one of his submarines took on too much water and sank, killing all men
inside, including Hunley. This submarine, called the H. L. Hunley after its inventor, was eventually raised and
became the first sub to sink an enemy vessel in naval history, so at least his death wasn’t completely in vain.

#8: Henry Winstanley

Eddystone Lighthouse
This English painter and engineer had such a thing for mechanical and hydraulic gadgets that most of the
county of Essex knew about it. He indulged in this fascination by ensuring he was always surrounded by
mechanisms that he designed and constructed – and the Eddystone lighthouse was no exception. After
becoming a merchant and suffering the loss of two of ships on the Eddystone Rocks, Henry Winstanley had
the lighthouse built with lavish decorations and a glass lantern-room in 1696. However, his death is perhaps
proof that you must think before you speak; in 1703, after previously proclaiming his wish to witness the
greatest storm there ever was from inside of it, the Great Storm of Southern England destroyed the
lighthouse – and killed him along with it.

#7: Max Valier

Rocket-Powered Car
Automobile inventions are definitely at the forefront of accidental deaths, taking the lives of Fred
Duesenberg, Henry Smolinski, Francis Edgar Stanley, andValerian Abakovsky, just to name a few. Max
Valier’s self-named Valier-Heylandt Rak 7 was the first successful rocket car to run with liquid propulsion.
Unfortunately, that liquid was alcohol-based, and less than a month after his successful Rak 7 run, while
making tests for a rocket engine, a canister of it exploded on his workbench in Berlin. Valier was killed within
minutes on that day in 1930. Today, he is remembered as one of the brilliant individuals who helped pave
the way for spaceflight.

#6: Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier

Rozière Balloon
Considered one of the first pioneers of aviation, Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier was a notable French physics
and chemistry teacher. De Rozier is perhaps best known as the man who made the first manned free
balloon flight, along with the Marquis d’Arlandes. Unfortunately, his ambition got the best of him, and he
crashed while attempting to fly his Roziere balloon across the English Channel in 1785. The hydrogen-hot air
balloon deflated in midair, and he and his companion fell 1,500 feet to their deaths. The crash gave these
men the distinction of becoming some of the first fatalities of an air crash.

#5: William Bullock

Web Rotary Press
While Richard March Hoe invented the rotary printing press in 1843, William Bullock made numerous
additions to it and made it his own. This included automatic paper feeding rather than laborious paper
pushing. Unfortunately, his additions proved his demise, as he kicked a driving belt onto a pulley of his web
rotary press and got his leg stuck, which eventually led to gangrene. He finally died during an operation to
amputate his leg a few days later. The moral of this story is to actually take care when fixing your machine
rather than just kicking it and hoping for the best.

#4: Thomas Midgley, Jr.

Pulley System
Thomas Midgley, Jr. was a renowned chemist and mechanical engineer, perhaps best known for his
involvement with the addition of a compound known as Tetraethyllead, or TEL, to gasoline. After a
successful career, Midgley, Jr. was diagnosed with poliomyelitis, a disease which left him bedridden and
unable to move. As a solution to his problems, he devised a complex pulley system that would help others
lift him out of bed. This genius invention unfortunately led to his death in 1940, as he was ultimately
strangled by its strings.

#3: Franz Reichelt

Parachute Suit
Franz Reichelt was a pioneer of aviation safety, most famous for his ill-advised jump off Paris’ Eiffel Tower in
order to test his full body parachute in 1912. After numerous unsuccessful tests from his apartment using a
dummy, Reichelt decided to test a parachute he designed and refined himself, and what better way to do
that than jumping from the Eiffel Tower? After multiple attempts to dissuade him landed on deaf ears, a
hesitant Reichelt jumped and landed square on his face on the icy Paris ground, and died on the scene, even
though spectators rushed him to hospital.

#2: Thomas Andrews, Jr.

RMS Titanic
While not entirely his fault, Andrews’ Titanic turned out to be the end of him, and many others on board. An
Irish shipbuilder, Andrews was the naval architect of the ocean liner, before it fatefully struck an iceberg in
1912 and sank into the Atlantic Ocean. Reports state that Andrews wanted 46 lifeboats instead of the 20
that were onboard, as well as watertight bulkheads, but superiors ignored these wishes. Unfortunately,
these turned out be the fateful mistakes that drew Titanic into legend.

Before we look at our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
- Ismail ibn Hammad al-Jawhari

Wooden Wings

- Otto Lilienthal

Hang Glider

- Michael Robert Dacre

Jetpod

- Aurel Vlaicu

A. Vlaicu Nr. II (Powered Airplane)

#1: Marie Curie

Polonium and Radium
Perhaps the most accomplished discoverer on this list, Marie Curie was a pioneer in the field of radioactivity
and is the only scientist in history to win two Nobel Prizes for two separate sciences. Her discovery of
polonium and radium eventually proved to be her demise, however, as she died from aplastic anemia due to
her constant exposure to radiation in 1934. The negative health effects were simply not known at the time,
and the papers documenting her work are considered too radioactive to handle even to this day.

Top 10 Insane Rulers in History

These real-life figures were memorable because they were straight-up psychotic! Welcome to
WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Insane Rulers in History.

For this list, we’re ranking some of the most violent, mentally unstable, and outright selfish royal leaders in
history. We’re excluding non-royal dictators, such as Soviet leader Joseph Stalin and Nazi Führer Adolf Hitler
as well as democratically elected politicians here. But don’t forget to check out our other lists of the Top 10
Conquerors and Top 10 Ruthless Dictators if you’re looking for that kind of thing!

#10: Farouk I of Egypt

1920 – 1965
Farouk I may have the distinction of being the last royal ruler of Egypt; however, his achievements were
lackluster and his personal behavior was dislikable. Farouk was a glutton; reportedly eating 600 oysters
weekly, so it should come as no surprise he eventually weighed close to 300 pounds! While being fat isn’t a
crime, stealing the watch off of Prime Minister Winston Churchill sure is. Farouk’s kleptomania pales in
comparison to what he did when he had nightmares about lions, though – he went to his local zoo and shot
two dead in their cage.

#9: Ivan IV of Russia

1530 - 1584
Most commonly known as Ivan the Terrible, it’s probably not surprising that Ivan IV Vasilyevich is regarded
as Russia’s greatest and most terrifying leader. This czar united Muscovite Russia, ruthlessly expanded
Russia east to turn it into an empire, and is considered the father of modern Russia. This aside, Ivan was
terribly paranoid; he famously established the secret police known as the oprichniki, which antagonized and
mass-executed political dissidents. In a fit of rage, he caused his daughter-in-law Yelena to miscarry and
killed his son Ivan Ivanovich, who was coming to wife’s defense, by smacking his head with a scepter and
losing his only sound heir.

#8: Ibrahim of the Ottoman Empire

1615 - 1648
Ibrahim initially lived a life of captivity and barely avoided execution by his ruling brother, Murad IV, who
killed their four other brothers. Once Murad died, Ibrahim succeeded him and quickly became known for his
physical and mental breakdowns – posthumously earning him the nickname Ibrahim the Mad. Ibrahim
obsessed over his harem, often influenced by concubines, and gave them excessive gifts like a palace.
Disgusted at his ineffectiveness, Ottoman elites killed the Sultan - with his mother’s consent. So, as you can
imagine, his legacy wasn’t great – after his death a myth circulated that he drowned 280 concubines
because they may have slept with other men.

#7: Henry VIII of England

1491 - 1547
Henry VIII wanted to annul the marriage to his first wife and the Catholic Church said no, so by putting his
foot down and stating the Sovereign reigned supreme over the Church of England, he basically founded the
Anglican Church! Henry married 6 times, had numerous affairs and illegitimate children, and executed two
of his wives – his second wife Anne Boleyn, who was the mother of Elizabeth I, and his fifth wife Catherine
Howard. Beyond his affinity for uxoricide, Henry had a tendency to overspend. The economy was strong at
his reign’s outset, however he nearly bankrupted England by blowing state funds on excessive things, such
as thousands of needless tapestries and pistols.

#6: Zhu Houzhao of China

1491 - 1521
Known as the Zhengde Emperor, Zhu Houzhao didn’t want to rule. Zhengde became emperor at 14 and
quickly took to a life of luxury and womanizing. Outside of Beijing, Zhengde blew state funds on creating
palaces for exotic zoos and then converting them into harems; many women died there due to living
conditions and the lack of food provided. He notoriously made royal officials pretend to be market vendors
while he imagined himself shopping like a commoner and he accidentally burned down his palace with
gunpowder. This guy was nuts.

#5: Charles VI of France

1368 - 1422
In the middle of the Hundred Years War, Charles VI became king at the tender age of 11 and was a puppet
of his manipulative uncles; Charles ousted them at 21. Determined to improve France, he earned the
nickname Charles the Beloved. By 1392, he began suffering bouts of insanity – killing his own knights,
running wildly into forests, kicking Jews out of the kingdom, and signing the Treaty of Troyes, which
recognized English King Henry V as his successor. Is any wonder he was later dubbed Charles the Mad?

#4: Joanna of Castile

1479 - 1555
Juana married King Philip the Handsome in 1506. While their marriage started passionately, Philip had
numerous affairs, causing her constant paranoia about her husband's infidelities. Once Philip died, Juana
allegedly wouldn't let women come near his corpse, including nuns. Her son Charles had his mother
confined to a convent in Tordesillas, largely as a power play to consolidate his rule, however Juana’s
paranoia got the best of her and she believed the nuns conspired to murder her. The Queen of Castile and
Aragon tragically died in confinement and earned the moniker, Juana the Mad.

#3: Nero of the Roman Empire

37 - 68
In the year 64, a fire raged throughout Rome for 5 days. Legend suggests Nero simply played his fiddle as
Rome burned. Ancient historians accuse Nero of arson to make way for a palace, though Christians were
blamed. Not a fan of Christianity, it’s rumored Nero created “Christian candles” by dipping followers in oil
and lighting them on fire. He competed in the 67 Greek Olympics, was injured in a chariot race and bombed
at acting, but judges let him win – and why not? Nero mass-executed people, including his mother and at
least one of his wives. We’d probably let him win too.

#2: Caligula of the Roman Empire

12 - 41
Caligula was sexually perverse and viciously cruel, indiscriminately executing family and friends. He over-
compensated, vied to be worshipped as a god, and built the then-largest boat as a personal floating palace.
After an oracle alleged Caligula was as likely to become emperor as to ride a horse on the Bay of Baiae, the
Emperor blew funds on a pontoon bridge for the bay and rode his horse Incitatus across, while sporting
Alexander the Great’s breastplate. Ancient historians say he wanted to appoint Incitatus as consul and later
make him a priest. Caligula was eventually assassinated.

Before we get unveil our number one pick, here are some honorable mentions:
- George III of the United Kingdom
1738 - 1820
- Justin II of the Byzantine Empire
520 - 578
- Fyodor I of Russia
1557 - 1598
- Eric XIV of Sweden
1533 - 1577
- Maria I of Portugal
1734 - 1816
- Mustafa I of the Ottoman Empire
1591 - 1639

#1: Vlad III of Wallachia

1431 - 1477
Vlad Dracula was a hostage of the Ottoman Empire as a teenager. Once in charge of the region of Romania
known as Wallachia, he vied for revenge. Refusing tribute to an Ottoman envoy under the pretense that
they declined to respectfully remove their hats, Vlad had their turbans nailed to their heads; these were the
first of his eventual 100,000 victims. Vlad’s tactics became increasingly brutal, as Ottoman armies found
forests of their comrades skewered on wooden pikes, earning him the moniker Vlad the Impaler. His name
and notoriety was such that it served as inspiration for Count Dracula.

Another Top 10 Insane Conspiracy Theories

The world is full of wild conspiracy theories, so much so that we couldn’t just limit our entries to one list!
Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for Another Top 10 Conspiracy
Theories of ALL TIME. For this list, we are looking at hypotheses and theories that suggest people have
hidden or brought about a certain event or situation that is usually against the law or destructive to others.
If you don’t see a theory that you think should be on the list, be sure to check out our videos of the Top 10
Conspiracy Theories of All Time and the Top 10 Crazy Conspiracy Theories.

#10: Hitler Lived Out the Rest of His Life in Argentina

A number of conspiracy theories are attached to famous figures in history, and Adolf Hitler is no different.
With the Allies closing in and the war all but over, Hitler committed suicide in his bunker with his wife, Eva
Braun. British authors Simon Dunstan and Gerrard Williams have a different theory about Hitler’s end,
however – they believe that the Fuhrer didn’t actually kill himself, but rather escaped to Argentina and body
doubles were shot instead. According to their book, “Grey Wolf: The Escape of Adolf Hitler,” the married
couple settled down and had two daughters in South America before dying in 1962. This idea has been
widely dismissed by historians, though, who claim that the theory has no substance.

#9: Josef Mengele and the Land of the Twins

From one Nazi to another, Josef Mengele, aka the “Angel of Death,” was assigned the task of discovering
how twins were produced, in the hopes that this information could increase the Aryan birthrate. According
to one theory, Mengele was successful – just not in Germany. He was said to have fled to Candido Godoi, a
small town in Brazil, near the end of the war, and continued to visit it in the ‘60s. This is the same town that
has seen as many as one in five pregnancies result in twins. In fact, the town’s official crest has a road sign
that welcomes visitors to the “Land of the Twins.” Historians dispute the idea that Mengele ever actually
experimented with twins there, while geneticists believe biological factors explain the twin phenomenon.

#8: Lost Cosmonauts

Yuri Gagarin was the first human to journey to outer space…or was he? According to the Lost or Phantom
Cosmonauts conspiracy theory, Gargarin was the first human to survive the journey, but he was not the first
sent to space. Allegedly, the Soviet Union launched at least two unsuccessful manned space flights before
Gargarin’s. However, any information about these flights was concealed from the public because of the
ongoing Cold War. Though most of the state’s formerly restricted information has become available since
the collapse of the USSR, there has been little uncovered to support this particular theory.

#7: MH370 Landed on Diego Garcia

Since the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 on March 8th 2014, there have been a number of
theories that have emerged surrounding the incident. One theory claims that the plane was heading
towards a US military base on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, but was shot down by US forces who feared
that the plane may have been attempting an attack on the base. While the FBI has disputed these
allegations, the lack of an actual explanation for the disappearance means that this theory likely won’t go
away anytime soon.

#6: Shakespeare Didn’t Write All His Plays

Did the most famous playwright of all time even exist? Probably yes. But he may not have written all of his
plays, at least according to this theory. Some people claim that William Shakespeare was just a pen name
used by a number of different writers. Then there are others who believe in the Oxfordian theory of
Shakespeare authorship, which claims that the 17th Earl of Oxford, Edward de Vere, actually wrote what’s
considered to be the Bard’s work. These alternative authorship theories have gained some traction due to
the lack of biographical information about Shakespeare’s life, but they are generally disregarded among
English historians.

#5: Water Fluoridation for Mass Mind Control

Fluoride helps make human teeth stronger, but some people believe that the government is putting fluoride
in drinking water for another reason – to control the population. In 1954, chemist Charles Elliot Perkins
declared that anyone who drinks fluoridated water for over a year will never be the same again, either
mentally or physically. During World War II, the Nazis allegedly used fluoridated water to force people in
concentration camps into calm submission or even to sterilize humans. While it’s been argued that the Nazi
claim is an urban myth, it’s also been alleged that water fluoridation was part of a plot to enforce
Communism in America in the ‘50s and ‘60s.

#4: World Leaders Are Lizard People [aka Reptilians]

Are a bunch of lizards responsible for the 9/11 attacks and the Holocaust? According to one theory… yes. In
David Icke’s book “The Biggest Secret”, he claimed that most world leaders are actually shape-shifting
reptilian beings (or have been possessed by them) and use horrific events to promote fear and hatred. They
are also apparently between seven to 12 feet tall and come from a different planet. What more do you need
to know?

#3: Global Warming Is a Hoax

One of the most popular and socially relevant theories on our list, this is one where people believe that
global warming isn’t actually happening. While Al Gore and almost all scientists have provided evidence to
the contrary, this theory claims that climate change is a hoax created by the government to keep the public
in a state of worry and panic, making them easier to control. Some supporters of this theory also claim that
technology is responsible for raising the Earth’s temperature, a technology that the government is keeping
secret.

#2: Advance-Knowledge of Pearl Harbor Attack

The U.S. government has been the target of several conspiracy theories throughout its history, with one of
the biggest revolving around Pearl Harbor. This theory suggests that President Franklin Delano Roosevelt
knew about the planned Japanese attack in December 1941, but decided not to act, because he needed an
excuse to get the Americans into the Second World War. This theory gained some traction because the
American public and Congress were overwhelmingly against joining the conflict at the time, but it has largely
been dismissed by historians.

Before we unveil our number one pick, here are a few honourable mentions:

Jesus & Mary Magdalene Were Married, or at Least a Couple

TWA Flight 800 Crash Was the Result of U.S. Navy Missile Test or Terrorist Strike

Denver Airport is the HQ of Illuminati, New World Order, Neo-Nazi or Reptoids

‘The Protocols of the Elders of Zion’ & the Jewish Plot for World Domination
#1: New World Order
The most powerful people in the world might not be lizards, but they may be part of a secret organization,
at least according to this conspiracy theory. The goal of all these groups, including the Illuminati, is to create
the New World Order, an authoritarian government that will rule the world. They allegedly use mind
control, social engineering, and fear-based propaganda to manipulate the population, and oversee all the
important institutions and organizations in the world, such as the United Nations and World Bank.

Do you agree with our list? What is your favorite conspiracy theory? For more great Top 10s published daily,
be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.

Top 10 Battles in History

These are more than just war stories! Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our
picks for the Top 10 Battles in History.
For this list, we’re reviewing specific battles in history, and not overall wars. These battles can be from any
place in the world and from any time in history.

#10: Battle of Thermopylae (480 BC)

Thermopylae, Greece Fought during the second Persian invasion of Greece, this battle saw Spartan King
Leonidas I lead fellow Greeks into battle against the forces of Persian King Xerxes I. Choosing to guard a
small gap through which their opponents could reach Greece, Leonidas realized his forces were
outmatched, with about 7,000 waiting to face a group of possibly 100,000 Persians. The Greeks managed to
hold off the Persians until a turncoat leaked information to Xerxes: he informed the king of a path that led
behind Leonidas’ men, and so Xerxes sent his men down the path to surround the Greeks. In a heroic last
stand, Leonidas and his Spartans fought to the death, but ultimately lost this battle.

#9: Battle of Tours / Poitiers (732)

Tours & Poitiers, France
In an attempt to expand the Umayyad caliphate into the Tours-Poitiers region of Gaul, now France, ‘Abdul
Rahman Al Ghafiqi led an army against Frankish and Burgundian forces. Since Al Ghafiqi thought he was
facing unorganized barbarian groups, he was not expecting a formidable resistance from Frankish Prince
Charles “The Hammer” Martel. He was subsequently killed in the battle, which turned out to be a decisive
victory not only for the Franks, but for Christianity in Europe. In fact, many historians believe that had the
battle gone the other way, Islam would be the dominant religion on that continent.

#8: Tet Offensive (1968)

South Vietnam
On January 30, 1968, the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong launched the Tet Offensive against the South
Vietnamese and U.S. militaries. The day the first attack took place was a significant one, as it was the
Vietnamese New Year, known as Tết. These highly coordinated attacks saw more than 100 cities and villages
attacked by the Communist Northern forces, surprising the South and their allies. This incident was a turning
point in Vietnam conflict, as it precipitated a shift in U.S. public opinion against the war. While the U.S. and
South Vietnamese eventually emerged tactically victorious, it was a political win for the North Vietnamese.

#7: Battle of Gettysburg (1863)

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Just as the Battle of Yorktown served to boost the morale of Americans during the Revolution, Gettysburg
proved a turning point for the north in the Civil War. Intent on invading the Union, Confederate General
Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia surged north and squared off against Union Major General
George’s Meade’s Army of the Potomac in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania between July 1 and 3, 1863. While the
Confederates initially had the upper hand, they were quickly beaten back, and within these three days this
became one of – if not the – bloodiest battle of the entire war. The Confederacy was never in a position to
invade the North again and this started the downward spiral that led to their defeat in 1865.

#6: Battle of Trafalgar (1805)

Cape Trafalgar, Spain
British Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson went head-to-head with Napoleonic France and Spain at Cape Trafalgar,
Spain on October 21, 1805. With the Brits’ 33 ships facing a combined force of 41 ships, the Royal Navy
proved their supremacy by taking down 22 of their opponents’ ships without losing one of their own.
However, the British did lose roughly 500 seamen, including Lord Nelson who was killed by a French
musketeer. The French and Spanish were left with a total of over 3,000 dead and 8,000 imprisoned, 3,000 of
whom tragically drowned during a storm after the battle concluded. This was a decisive British victory
during the Napoleonic Wars!

5: Battle of Cajamarca (1532)

Cajamarca, Inca Empire [Present-day Peru]
Inca emperor Atahualpa agreed to receive Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro at the city of Cajamarca
on November 16, 1532. The conquistador arrived to an abandoned city and set a trap with his 106 infantry
and 62 cavalry men, who were armed with 12 firearms, 4 cannons, and a lot of swords. Keeping his army
outside of the city limits, Atahualpa entered with his unarmed royal entourage. The trap was sprung,
thousands of Incas were massacred, and Pizarro captured Atahualpa thus bringing one of the largest
empires in history to its knees.

#4: Battle of Waterloo (1815)

Waterloo, Netherlands [Present-day Belgium]
Napoleon returned to power in March 1815 and in response European powers formed the Seventh Coalition
to oppose him. Fearful of an invasion of France, Napoleon pre-emptively struck at Waterloo in the
Netherlands, now part of Belgium, on June 18, 1815. Napoleon’s French forces numbered 73,000, whereas
the Coalition had 118,000 men, with forces drawn from the Netherlands, UK, Prussia, Hanover, Nassau, and
Brunswick. Napoleon suffered a devastating loss with one-third of his army killed. This was Napoleon’s final
campaign and he was forced into exile, ending his reign as Emperor.

#3: Battle of Gaugamela (331 BC)

Gaugamela (near Mosul, Iraq)
Alexander the Great was bent on bringing the Achaemenid Empire, known as the First Persian Empire, under
his control. To achieve this, he personally led his army into combat against Persian King Darius III on October
1, 331 BC at Gaugamela, which today would be found near Mosul, Iraq. Alexander led a Greek army of
roughly 50,000 into battle against a Persian army likely more than double its size and emerged victorious
due to carefully coordinated tactics. This single battle brought Babylon and much of Persia under his
immediate control, causing the downfall of the Achaemenid Empire.

#2: Battle of Stalingrad (1942-43)

Stalingrad, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Nazi Germany invaded western Russia and came to a standstill at Stalingrad, now Volgograd. The battle
began August 23, 1942 and continued until February 2, 1943, and during that time the Nazis fought Soviet
forces throughout the city and targeted civilians. Germany met with early successes but was ill-equipped for
a Russian winter and lacked sufficient rations. The Soviets saw this and pushed the Nazis back, and this
became a turning point for the Allies. Potentially the bloodiest battle in history, the Soviets themselves
suffered more than 1 million casualties, according to records – but they decisively won the encounter.

Before we get to our number one battle in history, let’s review some honorable mentions:
- Siege of Orléans (1428-29)
Orléans, France
- Battle of Hastings (1066)
Hastings, East Sussex, England
- Battle of the Somme (1916)
Somme & Pas-de-Calais, France
- Huaihai Campaign (1948-49)
Shandong, Jiangsu, Anhui & Henan, China
- Battle of Cannae (216 BC)
Cannae, Italy
- Siege of Masada (73-74)
Masada, Israel
- Battle of Megiddo (c. 1457)
Megiddo, Israel

#1: Invasion of Normandy (1944)

Normandy, France
On June 6th, 1944, the Allies overwhelmed Nazi forces in occupied France by storming the beaches of
Normandy by sea and parachuting men behind enemy lines, in an event now referred to as D-Day. The Allies
sent between 130-156,000 soldiers on this first day to overwhelm the Nazi forces. After that first day of
fighting, the invasion lasted until mid-July; the Allies sent a total of 1,300,000 men whereas the Nazis were
only able to send 380,000. In what is still the largest invasion by sea ever, the Allies pushed the Nazis back
eastward and thus began the crushing defeat of Germany.

Top 10 Classic English Authors

It takes a lot of talent to write something worth reading; it’s a sure-fire sign of genius if your work is being
read for years to come. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the top
10 classic English-language authors.

For this list, we’ve ranked the best and most prolific novel-writing authors, whose works were initially
published in English. That means writers like Homer are out, as he wrote in Ancient Greek, Edgar Allen Poe is
out as he was more known for his short stories and Shakespeare is out as he wrote primarily poetry and for
the stage.

#10: James Joyce

We head to the Emerald Isle first, and to the fine city of Dublin in particular. James Joyce is widely
recognized as one of the most influential modernist writers of all time. A key figure within the avant-garde
scene that was erupting in Europe around the 1920s, Joyce is known for his short story collection
“Dubliners” and the novels, “A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man” and “Finnegans Wake.” However,
“Ulysses” is Joyce’s masterpiece. A dense, epic stream of consciousness account of one day in the life of
protagonist Leopold Bloom, it is filled with parallels to Homer’s “Odyssey,” but is a literary legend in its own
right.

#9: Jane Austen

If Joyce led the modernists, then Jane Austen stood out a century earlier among the romantics. Austen’s is a
reputation that has grown and grown with the passing of time. During her own lifetime, Austen was well
received by critics, but there was nothing like the ‘Janeite’ fan culture that exists today. With four novels
published before she died - “Sense & Sensibility,” “Pride & Prejudice,” “Mansfield Park” and “Emma” -
Austen’s depictions of landed gentry and love-struck ladies will live on for years more to come!

#8: William Faulkner

The first American writer to make our list, William Faulkner’s cerebral, complex work is strongly identified
with the American south. A Mississippi man himself, he created Yoknapatawpha County as a place in which
the action for novels such as “The Sound and The Fury” and “As I Lay Dying” could unfold. A two-time
Pulitzer Prize winner, this versatile writer is perhaps most known for his attention to detail, especially to
diction, accent and cadence. In the Modernist world minimalism was rife, but for Faulkner the richness of
the text was key!

#7: Kurt Vonnegut

An American writer of a slightly later generation now, but one whose works are considered classics all the
same. Kurt Vonnegut was working in a post-World War II environment during which all eyes were set on the
future, and many were at least a little bit scared about what we saw. “Cat’s Cradle” is a notable example of
Vonnegut dismantling the newfound technological age, but he knew not to forget the past as well. The
semi-autobiographical, war-laden “Slaughterhouse-5” is arguably the stand-out work in this icon of
counterculture’s body of work!

#6: Virginia Woolf

From “To the Lighthouse” to “Mrs. Dalloway,” from “Orlando” to “A Room of One’s Own,” Virginia Woolf
stood at the forefront of fiction-writing from the end of the 1920s onward. A central figure within the world-
famous Bloomsbury Group of intellectuals and artists, Woolf worked out of London and helped shape
modern ideas on feminism and sexuality. Her own severe depression and mental health problems
eventually led to a tragic suicide in 1941 - but Woolf’s writing will remain relevant for, and read by,
generation after generation!

#5: Ernest Hemingway

A leader of the Lost Generation, Ernest Hemingway has to be considered one of America’s greatest writers.
With “A Farewell to Arms,” “For Whom the Bell Tolls” and “The Old Man and the Sea,” he created a fervent
following and earned himself a Pulitzer Prize in 1953 and a Nobel Prize in 1954. A self-fashioned ‘man’s
man,’ he was proof that literature wasn’t just for pacifists and sensitive types. However, like Woolf he also
had problems within his own head and committed suicide in ’61. A great talent gone too soon!

#4: Mark Twain

Dubbed by William Faulkner as “The father of American Literature,” this guy certainly set some standard for
North American writers! Best known for “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” and subsequently of “Huckleberry
Finn,” Twain moved between genres and subjects throughout his career. A lover of science and technology,
he helped develop ‘sci-fi’ with “A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court.” He was a friend to presidents
and royalty, as well as a historian! An eccentric, eclectic man, his life and death coincided with rare sightings
of Halley’s Comet. His wit and character were appropriately out of this world!

#3: John Steinbeck

With a bibliography that includes sixteen novels, one of the most impressive things about John Steinbeck is
that the vast majority of those novels could be considered classics. This man was both pioneering and
prolific. He is probably most known for the Pulitzer Prize winning “The Grapes of Wrath,” which has sold an
astounding 14 million copies. But anybody who’s ever studied English at high school is likely to have come
across his characters George and Lennie in “Of Mice and Men.” A simple story that still affects us in our
adulthoods, we always hope the ending will have changed!

#2: George Orwell

Many writers have become successful by including a little social commentary in their work. But putting the
world to rights has never been executed quite as expertly as when this man put pen to paper! With “1984”
and “Animal Farm” in particular, George Orwell became one of the world’s most influential writers! So
important is he, the word ‘Orwellian’ was invented to describe anything that bore a likeness to his work. ‘Big
Brother’ may be watching us, but we’re watching Orwell’s prophecies come true every day!

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
- F. Scott Fitzgerald
- Arthur Conan Doyle
- Joseph Conrad
- J. D. Salinger
- Oscar Wilde

#1: Charles Dickens

Could there ever be another at the top of this particular reading list? Charles Dickens’ “A Tale of Two Cities”
is one of the best-selling novels of all time, with an estimated 200 million copies sold. But it’s a tale that
takes its place in among an extensive collection of important writings! “A Christmas Carol” continues to
inspire readers today, “Great Expectations” never disappoints, “The Old Curiosity Shop” always intrigues,
and characters such as Oliver Twist and David Copperfield will never be forgotten. Dickens was the greatest
writer of the Victorian period, and of any period. Period!

Top 10 International Fiction Authors

Forget about computers and the worldwide web, we’re talking books and being worldwide read. Welcome
to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 international fiction authors.
For this list, we’ve looked at any author writing primarily in a language other than English, and especially at
those authors who have had their works translated into English. For lists looking more specifically at classic
English authors or popular writers, be sure to check out our alternative videos on those topics.

#10: Franz Kafka

Born in Prague, fluent in Czech, but predominantly writing in German, Franz Kafka is widely considered one
of the most influential authors of the 20th century. The mind behind “The Metamorphosis,” as well as such
notable novels as “The Trial” and “The Castle,” created stories filled with psychological difficulties, fraught
relationships and a feeling of existential foreboding. His writing style is so identified with this unique
atmosphere that imitators are now described as being ‘Kafkaesque!’ Not always easy to read, but very well
worth it!

#9: Miguel de Cervantes

To Spain next, and to the writer of what is considered by many to be the cornerstone of modern literature.
Cervantes was a playwright and a poet, but he will forever be remembered most as the brain behind “Don
Quixote.” The story of a man intent on rediscovering the ideals of chivalry in an age that scorns such ideals,
it is an epic novel that has been translated into more languages than any other book - besides the Bible!
Without question, Cervantes is Spain’s legend of literature!

#8: Anton Chekhov

Our next writer penned only one legitimate full-length novel - “The Shooting Party” - but his prodigious
output of short stories and his incisive dramas earn him a spot on our list. Considered one of the most
influential dramatists of the modern theatre, his four major plays are produced constantly. His short stories,
many of them satirical in tone, are treasured by students of the form. Chekhov believed that an author
should ask questions of his audience, rather than answer them, which is perhaps one reason his stories have
stood the test of time. Although he lived for just 44 years, his literary legacy has lasted for generations.

#7: Gustave Flaubert

Where an illustrious literary history is concerned, there are few nations to rival France! And our next author
has to be considered as one of the greatest wordsmiths that France has ever produced. Flaubert is ever-
present on almost any recommended reading list, and with good reason! Best known for his first novel
“Madame Bovary,” he is recognised as a pioneer realist and an immeasurable influence over modern
narratives. A well-known perfectionist ever-searching for ‘le mot juste’ or the perfect word, one word
describes him perfectly - ‘genius’!

#6: Jules Verne

We stay en France with our next writer, although he famously led us all around the world within his work.
Jules Verne has taken us “Around the World in Eighty Days,” “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea” and
on a “Journey to the Center of the Earth.” In fact, there are very few places that this man hasn’t explored!
Often considered alongside H. G. Wells as a science fiction pioneer, Verne crossed borders and pushed
boundaries unlike anyone else!

#5: Honoré de Balzac

A literary giant next, and another Frenchman! Balzac wrote during the early nineteenth century, with the
stories and novels collectively called “The Human Comedy” considered his magnum opus! A depiction of
French society during the post-Napoleon period, this work is thought of as one of the most astounding
literary feats achieved within the modern world. An inspiration for writers as varied as Edgar Allen Poe,
Henry James and Charles Dickens, Balzac clearly deserves a place of honor on this list.

#4: Alexandre Dumas

We thought about leaving France, and then we realised that was folly! Dumas is our next continental king of
literature, boasting a magnifique bibliography of must-reads! “The Count of Monte Cristo” and “The Three
Musketeers” are Dumas’ defining works, but they are just the tip of the iceberg. Publishing over 100,000
pages, his work encompasses novels and novellas, articles and essays! When it comes to classic European
literature, we can think of only three better...!

#3: Victor Hugo

Our fifth and final Frenchman, Victor Hugo was one of the foremost artists in the French Romantic
movement. A poet first and foremost, he gained huge fame as a novelist and dramatist as he grew older.
“Les Misérables,” now well-known from its Broadway musical and film versions, is a masterpiece of
literature. “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” also adapted into other media, is another classic that enthrals
audiences of all eras! A royalist turned republican himself, Hugo expertly captures the page-turning
turbulence of nineteenth century French society. Other writers of his era aspired to obtain his level of
quality – and so do writers today!

#2: Fyodor Dostoyevsky

We head to Russia for our runner-up, and to a man whose stories stripped down and explored the human
mind unlike anyone else’s! Novels such as “Crime and Punishment,” “The Idiot” and “The Brothers
Karamazov” picked apart the human psyche, getting underneath the skin to reveal the inner lives of his
characters. And his 1872 work, “Demons,” did the same to Russian politics of the time! A consistently
controversial writer, his bold writing earned him many enemies. As a matter of fact, he was moments away
from the firing squad in 1849, before a note from the Tsar saved him! A lucky, ludicrously talented guy!

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- Émile Zola
- Amélie Nothomb
- Stieg Larsson
- Hans Christian Andersen
- Vladimir Nabokov

#1: Leo Tolstoy

We’ve traversed the globe today, but one Russian follows another as Leo Tolstoy takes the top spot! There’s
no doubt about it, reading Tolstoy’s rich, dense novels requires a lengthy commitment - but boy, is it worth
it! “War and Peace” is often ranked as the greatest novel ever written, “Anna Karenina” is also often a
contender for that accolade, and the extensive back-catalogue of works by this realist could keep us reading
for a lifetime! An incredible author, he’s received lavish praise from writers as diverse as Anton Chekhov,
Virginia Woolf and James Joyce!

Top 10 Duels in History

Who isn’t familiar with the dramatic threat, “I challenge you to a duel?” Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and
today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 duels in history!

For this list, we’re strictly reviewing conflicts between two individuals, although the manner of engagement
varies based upon the historical time period and location. These duels feature a variety of weaponry, from
swords to pistols.

#10: Wild Bill Hickok vs. Davis Tutt

In Springfield, Missouri on July 21, 1865, Wild Bill Hickok and Davis Tutt resorted to arms after a series of
disputes relating to a minor poker debt Hickok owed to Tutt. Hickok famously threatened Tutt not to
venture into the town square “unless dead men can walk.” Needless to say, the two met in the square,
faced each other sideways, and drew simultaneously. Tutt missed, and Hickok landed a bullet in Tutt’s left
rib cage. Tutt’s last words were, “Boys, I’m killed.” Though this seems to be just the way it is in the movies, it
was rare for such a shootout to play out this way. Nonetheless, this immortalized gunslinger duels in the
Wild West.

#9: King Naresuan vs. Prince Minchit Sra

At the end of the Burmese-Siamese War in 1593, Burmese Crown Prince Minchit Sra confronted Siamese
King Naresuan in Siam. Naresuan persuaded Minchit Sra to duel on the backs of war elephants. The younger
and fitter Prince saw himself at an advantage, and so the duel commenced. Minchit Sra cut Naresuan’s hat,
just missing him in the process. After carefully avoiding this fatal swipe, Naresuan proceeded to slash the
Prince to death, though both remained on their elephants. Now known as the Elephant Battle, the date of
this event – January 18 – is now eternalized as Royal Thai Armed Forces Day.
#8: Col. Barbier-Dufai vs. Capt. Raoul de Vere
During the French Restoration in Paris, all it took was one wrong comment about a hat to start a duel. In this
case, two officers dueled it out with swords due to an insult levied by Col. Barbier-Dufai against Royal Guard
Captain Raoul de Vere’s uniform cockade. Barbier-Dufai easily disarmed Raoul several times, but was not
satisfied. The two decided to be much more extreme: they agreed to have their left arms bound to one
another in the back of a moving carriage. With both armed with daggers, they brutally stabbed each other
as the carriage made its rounds. Barbier-Dufai emerged from the carriage the victor, and Raoul was dead;
however, Barbier-Dufour died a few days later anyway.

#7: Alexander Pushkin vs. Georges d’Anthès

French military officer George-Charles de Heeckeren d’Anthès allegedly pursued Russian author Alexander
Pushkin’s wife Natalia and, not surprisingly, Pushkin was furious. Perhaps to better his chances somehow,
d’Anthès married Natalia’s sister. Shortly after the marriage, Pushkin wrote a letter denigrating d’Anthés.
The rivaling brother-in-laws quickly found themselves dueling in Saint Petersburg, Russia on January 27,
1837. D’Anthès fired first and shot Pushkin in the stomach; Pushkin rose and fired, giving d’Anthès a minor
bullet wound on his right arm. Pushkin died a few days later, though he pardoned d’Anthès.

#6: Andrew Jackson vs. Charles Dickinson

Before becoming president, Andrew Jackson dueled lawyer Charles Dickinson in 1806. Dickinson and
Jackson’s feud originated with a poorly handled horseracing bet between Jackson and Dickinson’s father-in-
law. After a year of insults, the quarrel reached its tipping point when Dickinson allegedly insulted Jackson’s
wife. A duel was called for, but since dueling wasn’t legal in Tennessee, they crossed over to Kentucky.
Dickinson fired first and shot Jackson in the chest, but seemingly did not faze him. Jackson misfired his gun,
immediately re-cocked it, took aim, and shot Dickinson dead.

#5: Monsieur Le Pique vs. Monsieur de Grandpré

Picture it: Paris, France, 1808. Two Frenchmen, Monsieur Le Pique and Monsieur de Grandpré, famously
agreed to a duel because they both shared the same lover. But not just any duel: a hot air balloon duel,
because they thought they were too good for a traditional duel. Armed with shotguns 900 yards above the
ground, Le Pique fired first, but somehow missed. De Grandpré subsequently blew away Le Pique’s hot air
balloon and sent him tumbling to his death. To make matters worse, both duelists had a hot air balloon pilot
with them, so Le Pique’s pilot died as well.

#4: Miyamoto Musashi vs. Sasaki Kojirō

Hearing about the exploits of fellow Japanese swordsman Sasaki Kojirō, rōnin Miyamoto Musashi arranged
for a duel to be fought on a remote Japanese island on April 13, 1612. To psychologically throw Kojirō off,
Musashi arrived hours late by boat and even fashioned an oversized bokken, or wooden sword, out of one
of his oars for the duel. Furious at his opponent’s tardiness, Kojirō lunged at Musashi and failed to execute
his famous swallow cut. Musashi knocked Kojirō down with his oversized bokken, killed him, and rowed
away.

#3: Alexander Hamilton vs. Aaron Burr

Vice President Aaron Burr dueled Alexander Hamilton, former Secretary of the Treasury, after a series of
political quarrels – because apparently that’s how you solved things in the nineteenth century. On July 11th,
1804, the two departed New York and met in Weehawken, New Jersey, which less rigorously prosecuted
dueling. Hamilton fired into the air missing, perhaps treating this as an affair of honor or perhaps just
because he was a bad shot. Burr, conversely, shot above Hamilton’s right hip, causing organ damage, and
the bullet lodged into Hamilton’s spine, killing him the next day. Ironically, Hamilton’s son had died in
November 1801, the result of a duel to protect his father’s honor.

#2: Humphrey Howarth vs. the Earl of Barrymore

British MP Humphrey Howarth squared off against the Earl of Barrymore due to a drunken quarrel after an
evening of races in Brighton, England in 1806. The not-so-fit and past-his-prime Howarth showed up and
supposedly disrobed before Barrymore, which – needless to say – shocked onlookers. Howarth had
previously been a military surgeon and understood that most people who were killed by bullet wounds
actually died from infection due to unclean clothing being pushed into the wound by the bullet. So Howarth
stripped naked to increase his chances. Barrymore understandably felt awkward and neither shot the other,
allowing both to walk away honorably. Ish.

Before we get to our number one duel, let’s review some honorable mentions:
- Lady Almeria Braddock vs. Mrs Elphinstone
- Isabella de Carazi vs. Diambra de Petinella
- Édouard Manet vs. Louis Edmond Duranty
- Jeffrey Hudson vs. Charles Crofts
- M. Melfant vs. M. Lenfant

#1: Gen. François Fournier-Sarlovèze vs. Gen. Pierre Dupont de l’Étang

An officer in Napoleon’s army, Fournier gained notoriety as a fervent duelist and Dupont was unfortunately
charged with the task of delivering him some bad news. Enraged, Fournier challenged Dupont and they
fought. This was in 1794, and while both lived, this duel resulted in as many as 30 more duels over the next
two decades. These two frequently alternated between various swords and pistols, as well as between on
foot and horseback. By 1813, Dupont was fed up with their relationship, longed to marry, got the upper
hand on Fournier, and allowed him to live, finally ending their 19-year feud.

Top 10 Shocking Facts About Napoléon

From zero to hero and then back to zero! Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our
picks for the top 10 shocking facts about Napoléon Bonaparte.

For this list, we’re reviewing unusual and generally unknown facts about this French Emperor’s life,
including his rise to and fall from power.

#10: His Wife’s Affair Was a Tabloid Sensation

Joséphine de Beauharnais, widowed and with two children, apparently had quite a few gentleman suitors in
her day. But then she met Napoléon and became his wife. When Napoléon was away at war, she was left
alone at home – which led her to start a relationship with a French military man. Rumors of her infidelity
swirled, and finally reached her husband’s ears. Distraught, Napoléon wrote a letter to his brother, but the
message was intercepted and eventually found its way to a British newspaperman, who printed the details
for all to read. Turning Napoléon’s crumbling marriage into a tabloid sensation, this – on top of the fact that
she hadn’t produced an heir – caused the emperor to divorce Joséphine.

#9: He Lost at Chess to ‘The Turk’

Napoléon was an exceptional military strategist and the kind of man who had to win at everything he tried.
That might be why he couldn’t resist a game of chess – especially against a supposedly almost unbeatable
machine. In 1809, he challenged the rarely defeated automaton chess player known as ‘The Turk’ at
Austria’s Schönbrunn Palace. Unbeknownst to Bonaparte, the incredible gadget was actually controlled by a
person hidden inside it, playing through a complex mirror system. The Emperor made several illegal moves,
causing the Turk to relocate his pieces back to their original spots. While tickled by the machine’s responses,
Napoléon was unable to beat the Turk in a proper match.

#8: He Sold Louisiana to the U.S. for Dirt Cheap

In his effort to take over the world – or at least as much of it as he could – Napoléon began building an
empire in North America, taking ownership of the Louisiana territory in 1800. However, the economic
effects of the Haitian Revolution on the French colonial enterprise caused Napoléon to relinquish all of
France's territorial claims in North America to the United States. The U.S. came to the negotiation prepared
to buy New Orleans and adjacent territories for $10 million, however were surprised when France offered
all of their lands in North America for $15 million. This Purchase gave the U.S. over 500 million acres of
land… at 3 cents an acre! Needless to say, this was a steal.

#7: He Wrote a Romance Novella

Napoléon’s life seemed to have been comprised of one failed relationship after another, though given his
nature it should be no surprise that he had a tendency to sensationalize his exploits. But each of those
relationships was filled with a treasure trove of love letters from le petit caporal. After a particularly
tumultuous relationship with temporary fiancée Eugénie Désirée Clary – the future queen of Sweden and
Norway – Bonaparte used his writing skills to pen the romance novella “Clisson et Eugénie.” The novella was
essentially an autobiographical account of his love affair with Clary, although pseudonyms were given to
barely conceal the identities of the lovers.

#6: He Was More Italian Than French

A man inextricably tied to French culture and history, Napoléon – perhaps France’s most legendary leader –
was actually not that French after all. The Bonaparte family was actually from the island of Corsica, which
was held by Italy until it was conquered by France in 1769 – the year of Napoléon’s birth. And before that,
the Buonapartes were part of the Tuscan nobility. In fact, Napoléon’s birth name was actually Napoleone di
Buonaparte, while family and friends affectionately called him Nabulio. The eventual Emperor of the French
only seriously began to learn fluent French when he was sent to school in France at the age of 9 – but he
never did learn to spell properly. Quel dommage.

#5: He Didn’t Exactly Get Along with the Catholic Church

You can’t discuss the rise and fall of Napoléon without mentioning the Catholic Church. On the outside, he
seemed to champion the Church: in 1801, after the Revolution and basic dismantling of the Church, he
signed a Concordat to restore the Roman Catholic Church as the majority church in France and reinstate its
power. However, behind closed doors, he was not devout and was actually more curious about Muhammad
than Jesus. His relationship with the office of the Pope may’ve deteriorated further if the legends are true:
apparently, he was to be crowned by Pope Pius VII, but at the last second snatched the crown and anointed
himself so he wouldn’t have to answer to the Pope.

#4: He Introduced Canned Foods to the Military

During the Napoleonic Wars, the French military was concerned with food preservation and worried they
would not be adequately able to feed their soldiers – especially when the army was unable to obtain food in
a hostile region. The military offered 12,000 francs for a suitable invention and in 1810 Nicolas Appert won
that prize, by presenting glass jars that were airtight, becoming the father of the modern canning process.
Napoléon must have been extremely tech savvy for his time, and jumped at this technological advantage for
his militaristic pursuits.

#3: He Always Had Poison On Hand for a Rainy Day

Though stories vary as to whether it was a pill, a vial of poison or a packet of toxic powder, many sources
say that Napoléon carried poison with him at all times. Why? Maybe he was afraid of the potential
humiliation of being captured, or maybe he was terrified by the thought of the torture that could ensue if he
did get caught. However, he finally chose to consume the poison on April 12th, 1814 – the day after he was
forced to abdicate the throne. Only, it didn’t work: the poison had been sitting around for at least a decade,
and had expired. Instead of dying, he became painfully sick and was cured by a cup of tea and a good night’s
sleep.

#2: His Little Soldier Lives in… New Jersey

Napoléon was certainly a man of the world but did you know that Napoléon has roots in the United States?
Well, at least part of him does. After Napoléon’s autopsy, his physical examiner Dr. François Carlo
Antommarchi – who was left out of Bonaparte’s will, and you’ll see why that’s important in a minute! –
decided to take a memento for himself from the infamous emperor’s body. What did he take, you ask? Well,
he snipped off his penis! Napoléon’s little soldier has changed hands and traveled the world, and eventually
was bought by an American urologist in 1977, whose daughter now owns and houses it in her basement… in
New Jersey. And in case you were wondering: he was not that well-endowed.

Before we get to our number one shocking Napoléon fact, let’s review some honorable mentions:
- He Seized Power Thanks to a Coup D’état; He Was Not Democratically Elected
- He Apparently Dressed as a Commoner on Walkabouts to Find Out How Popular He Was
- He was Arrested for Treason During the French Revolution
- He was a Math Geek as a Child & Was Bullied, But Asserted His Dominance Even Then

#1: He Wasn’t as Short as You Think

Many of you may’ve heard of the Napoleonic complex – when a short person acts overtly dominant to
compensate for their size. Since that condition is named for Bonaparte, the idea that he was diminutive has
persisted for centuries. British propaganda often depicted Bonaparte as little and aggressive, and the
rumors spread. However, Napoléon was the average height for his time: at his death, he measured 5 feet 2
inches in French units, or 5 feet 6 inches in the modern English system. Napoléon himself is partly to blame
for the myth, as he preferred his elite guard to be comprised entirely of tall soldiers, which made him
appear comparatively short. No wonder they called him “le petit caporal.”

Top 10 Creepiest Coincidences in History

Life is full of chance encounters, but these bizarre events will make you wonder whether something else
was at work. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top10
Creepiest Coincidences in History.

For this list, we are looking at the weirdest chance encounters in history, or events that have been chalked
up to coincidence but seem to eerie to be true. Some of these events are confirmed; some may merely be
stories that circulate like a game of broken telephone, but all of them are creepy.

#10: Karma Kills

Many relationships end on a sour note, but they rarely result in the deaths of 3 people. Legend has it that in
the late 19th century, Henry Ziegland broke up with his girlfriend, who killed herself as a result. Her brother
hunted Ziegland down and shot him, committing suicide immediately after. Ziegland was not killed by the
shot, however: the bullet barely missed him and came to rest in a nearby tree. Years later, Ziegland
attempted to blow up the tree, only to have the blast propel the bullet into his head, killing him.

#9: The King’s Double

For protection, many kings use body doubles. Apparently, King Umberto I of Italy came upon his own double
by accident. While eating dinner at a small restaurant, Umberto noticed that the restaurant owner was
nearly identical in looks to himself. But they soon discovered more similarities: they were both born in the
same town on the same day in the same year, they both married a woman named Margherita, and the
owner had opened his restaurant on the same day as Umberto was crowned King. Wait, it gets weirder: the
day after the pair met, on July 29th, 1900, the owner was killed in an accidental shooting – the same day
that Umberto was assassinated.

#8: Two Finnish Brothers

They say that twins have an incredibly strong bond and often know what the other is thinking, feeling or
doing. These two Finnish brothers took that bond to a whole other level in 2002, when both died on the
same road in separate accidents within hours of each other. The first brother died when he was hit by a
truck while riding his bike. The second brother died two hours later under the exact same circumstances,
about 1.5 kilometres from the spot where his brother had been killed earlier.

#7: The Mysterious Monk

Frustrated with life and depressed, painter Joseph Aigner attempted to commit suicide on multiple
occasions – once when he was 18, once when he was 22 – but, according to Ripley’s Believe It or Not, he
was each time stopped by the same Capuchin monk. When he was 30, Aigner was sentenced to death for
his political activities, but was again saved by the monk, who intervened on his behalf. Eventually, Aigner
was successful, and killed himself with a pistol when he was 68-years-old. The funeral ceremony was
conducted by – you guessed it – the exact same Capuchin monk, whose name Aigner had never even
learned.

#6: Twin Boys

What is it with twins and strange coincidences? Jim Springer and Jim Lewis were identical twins who were
separated at birth and adopted by different families. Both families named their boy James, but the
similarities don’t stop there. Both married women with the name Linda. Each also had a son named James
Alan, and both were involved in law enforcement. Both brothers divorced their wives and remarried to
women named Betty, and both owned dogs named Toy. At least they both haven’t been killed on the same
day…yet.

#5: The Cannibalized Boy

One of the greatest authors of the 19th century, Edgar Allan Poe, wrote a book titled “The Narrative of
Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket.” The book depicted four shipwreck survivors who eventually killed and
ate a boy named Richard Parker. Several years after the publication of Poe’s story, a yacht called the
Mignonette sank and left four survivors stranded at sea. The three older survivors eventually killed and ate
the cabin boy – whose name was Richard Parker.

#4: Thomas Jefferson & John Adams

John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were two of the most important players in the founding of the United
States. Both played a large role in the creation and signing of the Declaration of Independence, which was
eventually approved on July 4th, 1776. Although their relationship deteriorated over the years, they
eventually reconciled, and oddly, died on the exact same day. That day? July 4th, 1826, exactly 50 years
after the signing of the Declaration.

#3: 27 Club
The 27 Club refers to a group of famous people – mainly musicians – who have died at the age of 27. It
started in the late 1960s when Rolling Stone Brian Jones, Doors’ frontman Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, and
Jimi Hendrix all died at this age. Two and a half decades later, Kurt Cobain committed suicide at 27, and
recently, Amy Winehouse overdosed and died at the age of 27. Winehouse actually stated years earlier that
she was worried about dying at 27. All in all, the club has claimed over 40 musicians since the start of the
20th century.

#2: Mark Twain & Halley’s Comet

Mark Twain was born on November 30th, 1835 – just two weeks after Halley’s Comet was visible on Earth.
Twain, who was the author of “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” and “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,”
seemed to strongly associate with this celestial event. In fact, he famously declared: I came in with Halley’s
Comet in 1835. It is coming again next year, and I expect to go out with it. It will be the greatest
disappointment of my life if I don’t go out with Halley’s Comet. The Almighty has said, no doubt: ‘Now here
are these two unaccountable freaks; they came in together, they must go out together.’ He died on April
21st, 1910 – one day after the comet had returned.

Before we unveil our number one pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- Unlucky Taxi
o In 1975, a man was killed while riding a moped in Bermuda when he was hit by a taxi;
o One year later, that man’s brother was riding that same moped and was hit by a taxi and killed;
o It was the same taxi driver who’d killed his brother, who was carrying the same passenger at both times.

- Falling Baby
o Joseph Figlock lived in Detroit in the 1930s;
o One day, while walking down the street, a baby fell out of a window and onto him;
o Neither was harmed;
o One year later, while walking in the same spot, that same baby again fell onto Figlock.
o Again, neither was harmed.

- The Unlucky Major Summerford

o Struck by lightning three times;
o After his death, lightning struck and shattered his tombstone.

- JFK & Abraham Lincoln

o Elected 100 years apart;
o Both succeeded by Southerners named Johnson, born 100 years apart;
o Both assassins were born 100 years apart;
o Lincoln was shot in a theater and his assassin was cornered in a warehouse; Kennedy was shot from a
warehouse and his assassin was captured in a theater;
o Lincoln was shot in Ford’s theater; Kennedy was shot in a Ford Lincoln;
o Kennedy had a secretary named Lincoln; Lincoln had a secretary named Kennedy.

- John Wilkes Booth’s Brother Saves Abraham Lincoln’s Son

o Robert Todd Lincoln was waiting for a train on a crowded platform, and fell onto the track;
o Before he was harmed, Lincoln was saved by a man he recognized as Edwin Booth;
o Booth was a famous actor, and brother of John Wilkes Booth who – within a couple of years – would
assassinate Abraham Lincoln.

#1: The Titan & the Titanic

In 1898, Morgan Robertson published a novella entitled “Futility, or the Wreck of the Titan.” The plot
revolved around the HMS Titan, a British luxury liner that hit an iceberg and sank while crossing the
northern Atlantic. Of course, in 1912, the Titanic sank in a similar fashion, and that’s where things get
bizarre. Both ships were considered unsinkable, both hit an iceberg in the month of April approximately 400
miles from Newfoundland, both were approximately 800 feet long, and both resulted in the deaths of over
2,000 people. The lack of lifejackets and lifeboats was also a serious problem for both ships – tragically so
for the real life Titanic.

Top 10 Famous Speeches

Words have the power to inspire, motivate, and influence millions of people, which is exactly what these
speeches did. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 famous
speeches in history.

For this list, we are looking at formal speeches delivered to an audience, and are not including impromptu
quotes such as Neil Armstrong’s or sermons from religious figures such as Jesus Christ.

#10: Campaign into India (326 BC)

Alexander the Great
One of the greatest conquerors the world has ever seen, by 335 BC Alexander the Great controlled all of
Greece, Egypt, and the Persian Empire. Alexander wanted more than that, however, and set his sights on
India. Unfortunately, after nearly ten years of fighting, his army had no interest in travelling further east,
and threatened mutiny. Alexander, having studied under Aristotle, gave a rousing speech to motivate his
men to continue to fight, ending it by stating “I will make those who stay the envy of those who return.”

#9: Germany Declares War on USA (1941)

Adolf Hitler
Hey, we didn’t say all of these guys were good guys. A fantastic orator with the ability to inspire millions to
carry out his plans, one of Hitler’s greatest speeches came on December 11th, 1941 when Germany
declared war on the United States. After summarizing Germany’s military successes in the previous year,
Hitler turned his attention to the United States. He stressed that Germany had done nothing wrong to
America at any point in history. Out of retaliation, the United States declared war on Germany later that
day, making sure America was fully involved in both the European and Pacific theatres of the war.

#8: Funeral Oration (431 BC)

Pericles
What do you say to a city that has seen fathers, husbands, and sons die in a war that has no end in sight?
That was the task facing Pericles when he gave a speech at a public funeral for all Athenian men who had
been killed in the Peloponnesian War against Sparta. Rather than mourn the dead, Pericles enthusiastically
praised Athens and its citizens. He used his rhetoric ability to motivate all Athenians to continue to fight to
ensure these men did not die in vain. Is it any wonder the historian Thucydides called him “the first citizen
of Athens?”

#7: Second Virginia Convention (1775)

Patrick Henry
“Give me liberty or give me death!” These famous words that would forever be associated with the
American Revolution were spoken by Patrick Henry at the Second Virginia Convention in 1775. Virginia was
one of the most important colonies in the New World, and without its help, the Revolution had little chance
of succeeding. Henry’s speech was so powerful that the entire Convention, which contained the likes of
George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, is said to have sat in silence for several minutes afterward.

#6: Inaugural Address (1961)

John F. Kennedy
After two world wars, a conflict in Korea, a crippling depression, and relations with the Soviet Union
reaching a boiling point, the United States needed a reason to feel optimistic. Enter John F. Kennedy. At only
43, JFK was the youngest President to ever be elected, and he gave one of the most memorable
inauguration addresses of all time. Stressing the importance of resiliency and nationalism, he famously
stated: “My fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your
country.”

#5: Quit India (1942)

Mahatma Gandhi
Many passionate speeches have been given by someone speaking up for an oppressed people, but rarely
have they advocated for passive resistance. Mahatma Gandhi did exactly that in 1942 when he called for
non-violent resistance to British occupation and inspired the Quit India Movement. Calling himself a friend
of Britain, he declared that he was attempting to save the British from their mistakes. While the Quit India
Movement was ultimately a failure, the British government did eventually grant India independence.

#4: Inaugural Address (1933)

Franklin D. Roosevelt
JFK surely delivered one of the greatest inaugural addresses in history, but decades earlier Franklin D.
Roosevelt began his lengthy career as President with this iconic speech. At the time, America was in the
middle of the worst depression in history and had essentially run Herbert Hoover out of office. FDR was able
to win over the hearts and minds of a discouraged American population with a passionate and confident
speech, promising to wage war against the economic crisis facing the country. Of course, having a strong
opening line always helps [“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself”].

#3: We Shall Fight on the Beaches (1940)

Winston Churchill
One of three key speeches given by Churchill during the Battle of France, this rousing address was delivered
under less than ideal circumstances. The English Prime Minister was forced to not only warn the English
people about the potential for France’s catastrophic defeat but also prepare them for war on their home
soil. Less than a month earlier, Churchill had declared that the Allies would be victorious. With this looking
less and less likely by the day, Churchill resoundingly stated that the British would never surrender to
Germany. Instead, he memorably stated they would fight them in France, on the seas, in the air, in the
streets, and on the beaches.

#2: I Have a Dream (1963)

Martin Luther King, Jr.
One of the most inspirational speeches of all time, Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered this famous call to action
to over 250,000 people on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in 1963. King demanded an end to racism in
America, stating that 100 years after the Emancipation Proclamation, African-Americans were still not
considered equal. Perhaps surprisingly, the “I have a dream” line was not in the original draft; it was
improvised on-the-spot by King after gospel singer Mahalia Jackson yelled out from the crowd, urging him to
“tell them about the dream.”

Before we yield the floor to our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:

- Women’s Rights to Suffrage (1873)

Susan B. Anthony
- The Lady’s Not for Turning (1980)
Margaret Thatcher
- Apology (399 BC)
Socrates
- Brandenburg Gate (1987)
Ronald Reagan
- Farewell to Baseball (1939)
Lou Gehrig

#1: Gettysburg Address (1863)

Abraham Lincoln
The Gettysburg Address is without a doubt one of the most famous speeches in American history. Taking
inspiration from Pericles’ funeral oration, Lincoln delivered it four months after the Union army defeated
the Confederacy at the bloody Battle of Gettysburg. In less than 3 minutes, Lincoln issued a moving plea for
the Union to pay tribute to the dead by continuing to fight for the principles outlined in the Declaration of
Independence: freedom, liberty, and equality. Referenced countless times, including by JFK and Martin
Luther King, Jr., the transformative impact of this speech on the country has earned it a prominent place in
the history of the United States.

Top 10 Traitors in History

Et tu, Brute? Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 traitors
in history.

For this list, we’ll be taking a look at the most notorious defectors, turncoats, and double agents from
Biblical times to modern times.

#10: Joe Lieberman

1942 -
Hailing from Stamford, Connecticut, this Yale graduate served as state Attorney General from 1983-89 and
as a Senator for almost a quarter century. In 2000, he even ran as the nominee for Vice President on the
2000 Democratic ticket with Al Gore. So when the staunchly Democratic Lieberman publicly supported
Republican John McCain in the 2008 presidential election, heads snapped in amazement. Lieberman
angered many in his party with his criticism of Democratic candidate Obama’s experience and leadership,
and his support of McCain’s view of the War on Terror. Lieberman even went so far as to raise questions
about Obama’s loyalty to the country, leading some to call him a traitor to his party.

#9: Benito Mussolini

1883 - 1945
Prior to 1914, this Italian political journalist was one of the most prominent members of the Italian Socialist
Party. However, in 1914 at the outset of World War I, he publicly denounced socialism, turned his back on
the working class and introduced the Fascist movement in Italy. In 1922, in the midst of protests in his
country, King Victor Emmanuel III handed power over to Mussolini in an effort to avoid civil war. Now Prime
Minister, it wasn’t long before Mussolini transformed the government into a dictatorship. Il Duce, or “The
Leader” as he was called, became known for his tyranny and support of the Nazi Regime in Germany.

#8: Aldrich Ames

1941 -
Until the mid-1980s, heavy drinking, extramarital affairs, and usually mediocre performance at work were
the most serious transgressions of this former counterintelligence officer and analyst. But between 1985
and his arrest in 1994, he earned over $4.5 million by releasing sensitive counterintelligence information to
Russia and the Soviet Union. Ames’ information exchange included the names of practically every American
spy in operation against them. His treasonous actions compromised more than 100 intelligence operations
and contributed to the deaths of at least 10 Americans agents. He’s currently serving a life sentence without
the possibility of parole.

#7: Wang Jingwei

1883 - 1944
Today, he is viewed by some as the most destructive traitor in China’s history. Originally a politician and a
member of the leftist Kuomintang party, he began to repeal his support after he failed to secure leadership
of the party after the death of Sun Yat-sen. When a bloody war between China and Japan finally erupted in
1937, Wang backed Japan’s plans for an armistice and quickly switched sides to ally with the Japanese. He
went on to become the puppet leader of the government that Japan set up in Nanjing, Eastern China.

#6: Mata Hari

1876 - 1917
A sultry exotic dancer and escort of Frisian descent, Mata Hari won fame for her flirtatious and flamboyant
lifestyle and performances during the early 1900s. Because of her celebrity status and her Dutch ancestry,
she was able to cross national borders without much trouble, though she eventually came under suspicion.
And with good reason: it was later revealed that in 1915 she became a prolific German agent, known by the
codename H-21. According to some estimates, her reports to the Germans caused the deaths of some
50,000 soldiers, and in 1917, she was executed by a French firing squad.

#5: Guy Fawkes

1570 - 1606
Born in York and raised an Anglican, Fawkes converted to Catholicism relatively early in life and developed
anti-Protestant sympathies. It wasn’t long before he found a like-minded group of conspirators looking to
assassinate King James I and restore Catholicism as the religion of the land. He became a key figure in the
Gunpowder Plot of 1605, which sought to blow up English Parliament. Fawkes was charged with
safeguarding the explosives which had been amassed in the cellar beneath the House of Lords. However, he
was captured and tortured, eventually dying on January 31st the following year. Every November 5, England
celebrates Guy Fawkes Day with a bonfire – and a burning in effigy of the notorious traitor.

#4: Vidkun Quisling

1887 - 1945
A Norwegian politician who rose from being a successful military man to becoming the Minister of Defence,
Quisling’s power had all but faded by the time the Nazis invaded Norway in 1940. As a strong admirer of
Adolf Hitler and Fascism, he met with the German dictator to betray information about Norwegian military
strategy. Then, as the occupation of Norway took place, Quisling overthrew the government with Nazi
backing and established himself as the Minister-President. In 1945, the Nazi-supporter was charged with
embezzlement, murder, and high treason and subsequently executed.

#3: Benedict Arnold

1741 - 1801
During the American Revolutionary War, Arnold established himself as a soldier of intellect and courage, so
much so that he was promoted to the rank of general for the Americans. However, discontent with his
status in the military and with the political decisions of the U.S., he began negotiating secretly with the
British and decided that he would turn over the fort at West Point that was under his command to British
troops. The plot was discovered and foiled, and Arnold narrowly escaped arrest. Publicly switching loyalty,
he continued to fight against the Americans during the rest of the war.

#2: Marcus Junius Brutus the Younger

85 BC - 42 BC
This senator in the ancient Roman Republic was one of only three people in Dante’s epic poem Inferno
considered so evil that he was to be chewed in the mouth of Satan in the center of Hell forever. Brutus
initially warred against the Roman general and Consul Julius Caesar; however, he was pardoned and later
appointed as Praetor and governor of Gaul by the man who came to be his friend. Fearing Caesar’s rise to
power, he joined several other conspirators who shared his concerns. In one of the most famous betrayals
in history, they stabbed the dictator to death in the Senate on the Ides of March in 44 BC.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few dishonorable mentions:
- Robert Hanssen
1944 -
- The Cambridge Five
- Claus von Stauffenberg
1907 - 1944
- John Anthony Walker, Jr.
1937 - 2014
#1: Judas Iscariot
? BC - c. 30 AD
Dante considered him history’s most notorious traitor, choosing to ensnare him in the jaws of Satan’s
central head in the Inferno. Iscariot was one of Jesus of Nazareth’s 12 Apostles, confidantes with a special
relationship to the charismatic religious figure. Despite the bond of trust that existed between Jesus and the
Apostles, Judas collaborated with those whom considered Jesus dangerous. Judas delivered him into the
hands of his enemies, identifying him with a kiss and leading to his subsequent execution by direct order of
the Roman prefect Pontius Pilate. To this day, the name Judas is synonymous with the idea of a traitor in
popular culture – and all, apparently, for 30 pieces of silver.

Top 10 Worst Epidemics

It’s hard to believe that something so tiny could destroy so many. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today
we’re counting down our picks for top 10 worst epidemics in history.

For this list, we’re looking at plagues, pandemics, epidemics and other scourges of disease that spread
through the human population like wildfire, killing millions. We’re not necessarily ranking them based on
how many people were killed by the plagues, but those figures definitely play into our choices.

#10: Third Cholera Pandemic

1852 - 1860
The unlucky victims of this disease suffered through hellish final days, with diarrhea, vomiting and resulting
dehydration being the main symptoms. With the most deaths of any 19th-century epidemic, the third
cholera pandemic began in India and spread across Asia, Europe, North America and Africa to countries like
Russia, where over one million people died. However, it took an outbreak of this severity for the cause for
cholera to be found: in 1854, British doctor John Snow discovered that tainted water was to blame, and it
was this breakthrough that eventually allowed officials to get control of the cholera pandemic.

#9: Asian Flu Pandemic of 1957

1956 - 1958
Though it can be confirmed that this outbreak of the influenza-A virus started in China, the exact origin of
the virus is contested, with one popular theory suggesting that a mutation in wild ducks joined together
with a typical human strain to create the new disease. One of three flu pandemics during the 20th-century,
this one was the least deadly, with estimated global death figures ranging between 1-4 million. And that’s
likely due to the fact that a vaccine was created in 1957 that helped stem the rash of infections from this
avian flu.

#8: World War I Typhus Epidemic

1918 - 1922
Taking place during a time of incredible strife, this typhus outbreak was another devastating result of WWI.
A disease caused by bacteria, whose symptoms include severe back pain and delirium, this particular
outbreak originated with lice. It was for this reason delousing stations for the soldiers had been set up on
the Western Front, which helped keep those troops healthy. However, the Eastern Front was not so lucky:
by the time of its peak, between 25-30 million cases were reported across Soviet regions, with three million
Russians and even more Poles and Romanians dying from infection.

#7: Cocoliztli
1545 - 1548 & 1576 - 1578
This disease is categorized in a group of ailments called Viral Hemorrhagic Fever, a family of illnesses that
continues to attack humanity with viruses like Ebola. Affecting the Aztecs living in the region that would
become Mexico twice in less than half a century, Cocoliztli decimated the population, infecting a group that
was already reeling from other diseases brought to their shores by Spanish conquerors and causing their
numbers to dwindle by millions in less than a century. With symptoms that included a black tongue,
dysentery, severe abdominal pain and bleeding from your nose, eyes and mouth, this Ebola-like epidemic
annihilated what was once a thriving civilization.
#6: Plague of Justinian
541 - 542
A forbearer of a pandemic that will be featured later on this list, this plague is believed to’ve been brought
to the Byzantine Empire, and Constantinople specifically, by infected rats traveling from Egypt on grain
boats. An event that likely changed the course of European and Christian history, the Plague of Justinian left
the Byzantine Empire short of healthy citizens who could act as laborers or militaries, meaning the Empire
was severely weakened. With some suggesting that at its peak, the mortality rate of this plague took 5,000
lives each day; the first wave of this disease eradicated 40% of Constantinople’s population, and continued
to kill through several more waves in the years that followed.

#5: Antonine Plague

165 - 180
The earliest pandemic on this list, this scourge came to the Roman Empire by way of soldiers returning from
fighting in Western Asia; however, what form it took is up for debate, with some thinking smallpox or
measles were to blame. Though it wasn’t as deadly as Justinian, with only 2,000 dying in Rome per day at its
pinnacle and likely 5 million succumbing to the disease in total, the fact that it likely claimed the lives of two
Roman emperors – Lucius Verus and Marcus Aurelius Antoninus – served to plunge the land into fear and
chaos, and likely changed the course of history.

#4: Third Plague Pandemic

1855 - 1959
The third recorded iteration of the bubonic plague, after the Plague of Justinian and the Black Death, this
plague ravaged the world for over a century. Beginning with diseased rodents in China’s Yunnan province in
the 1850s and spreading to all populated areas of the globe thanks to the world’s newly established
interconnection, this pandemic killed 12 million – and that was just in China and India. Finally ending in 1959
when death rates from the disease dropped to roughly 200 according to the World Health Organization, this
third plague pandemic allowed doctors and scientists to study the infection and test new treatments.
Fortunately, that helped stave off another coming of the plague.

#3: HIV / AIDS

1981 - Present
Theorized to have spread from primates to humans sometime in the 20th-century, there was a case of an
HIV-infected human in the Congo in 1959. But it wasn’t until the early 1980s that the disease was detected
and named in the United States and the epidemic known as AIDS truly began to spread and define the
subsequent decade. Despite early ignorance that the disease was exclusive to homosexual males and
intravenous drug users, AIDS attacked those who didn’t take precautions indiscriminately and without
mercy. Fortunately, after over 30-years and over 36-million deaths, scientists have been making headway in
terms of treatments and possible vaccines, although sub-Saharan Africa is still badly affected.

#2: 1918 Flu Pandemic

1918 - 1920
Various strains of the influenza virus have wreaked havoc on the world again and again, but there are two
things that ensured this outbreak’s inclusion: it afflicted 500 million people, killing between 50-100 million,
and it mainly killed healthy adults. Most flu viruses are dangerous for the very young, the very old and the
already weakened; but this strain of the H1N1 virus caused the immune systems of its victims to jump into
overdrive and attack, and the healthier the immune system the more violent the result. Affecting countries
across the globe as isolated the Pacific Islands or the Arctic; the outbreak nicknamed the Spanish flu has
been labeled one of history’s worst natural disasters.

Before we reveal our top pick, here is an honorable – or in this case dishonorable – mention:

- 1968 Hong Kong Flu Pandemic

1968 - 1969

#1: The Black Death

1346 - 1353
Peaking in the 14th-century but affecting Europe until the 17th, the Black Death is thought to’ve killed
between 75-200 million, which represented roughly 30-60% of Europe’s population at the time. Suspected
by many to be a version of the bubonic plague that originated in infected rodents, this disease was most
easily recognized by the tumors that covered victims’ bodies. With so many dying so rapidly, bodies littered
the streets as cemeteries were at capacity. While some governments attempted quarantines and some
citizens turned to God for aid, there was very little that could be done to stop this infection. That doesn’t
even touch upon the horror of witnessing your loved ones suffering, or the fear that you might be next.

Top 10 Greatest Novels of All Time

With these works of literature, authors turned inspiration into a lasting legacy. Welcome to
WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 greatest novels of all time.

While self-help books and short stories are appreciated, our list focuses on novels by one specific author,
which means The Bible failed to make the cut, as did a work like “Hamlet,” which is a play and not a novel.

#10: “To Kill a Mockingbird” (1960)

Harper Lee
Told by Scout as a flashback to her childhood, “To Kill a Mockingbird” is the story of her father – morally
upright lawyer Atticus Finch – who defends an innocent black man against a rape charge and teaches his
children about racial equality. The lone novel written by Truman Capote’s childhood friend, it was an instant
classic that won Harper Lee the Pulitzer Prize, Presidential Medal of Freedom and defined a generation.

#9: “Don Quixote” (1605-15)

Miguel de Cervantes
Considered the most important piece of writing to emerge from Spain’s Golden Age, “Don Quixote” sees a
middle-aged man attempt to restore the chivalry he’s read about by going on a meandering quest, with his
trusty squire Sancho Panza by his side. Translated into more languages than any other book – except the
Bible – “Don Quixote” was released in two volumes separated by ten years. With shifting moralities,
perspectives and narrations, this tale of honor and romance influenced many novels that followed it,
including Alexandre Dumas’ “The Three Musketeers” and Mark Twain’s “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.”

#8: “In Search of Lost Time” (1913-27)

Marcel Proust
Whoever knew that a madeleine dipped in tea could stir such memories? Over 14-years in the early 20th-
century, one writer eschewed the notion that plot must push a novel along. Proust’s seven volumes of
towering prose, originally titled “À la recherche du temps perdu,” pervaded the collective consciousness of
readers with dreamy imagery and reflective prose. Involuntary memory is the theme at the heart of the
novel, with human senses guiding the narrative. Proust never stopped adding to his masterpiece until his
untimely death. But fortunately for readers, “In Search of Lost Time” provides a lifetime of enjoyment.

#7: “The Catcher in the Rye” (1951)

J. D. Salinger
For rebellious youths worldwide, this post-World War II novel offered a protagonist to identify with. Holden
Caulfield originated in Salinger’s 1946 short story “Slight Rebellion off Madison,” and he takes us with him as
he drifts around NY after his expulsion from prep school. With teen angst and disaffection at its core, “The
Catcher in the Rye” was controversial as it featured slang, cursing and open discussions of teen sexuality.
The most-banned book in the U.S. between 1961-82, its anti-establishment themes inspired a new wave of
global writers and resulted in a cult following for the reclusive author.

#6: “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” (1884)

Mark Twain
After first appearing in the 1876 classic “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,” social outcast Huck Finn appeared
eight-years later in one of America’s most controversial novels. Based in a fictional town Missouri town,
“Huckleberry Finn” takes us on a descriptive and educational trip along the Mississippi River, accompanied
by a runaway slave, Jim. Written in colloquial speech, Twain’s novel was occasionally banned for its
coarseness and critique of the South. However, its sometimes-satirical exploration of racism and societal
pressures in pre-Civil War America opened the door for endless debate regarding ethical and cultural
conflicts.

#5: “Lolita” (1955)

Vladimir Nabokov
To be a young woman in the 1950s meant displaying the proper amount of grace, beauty and respect for
elders. Russian novelist Vladimir Nabokov flipped the script on such ideals with his 1955 classic about a
young temptress and the older man who desired her. While critics often debate the predatory instincts of
the characters, “Lolita” opened up international dialogue on sexual abuse, literary morals and the comedic
wordplay of Nabokov. Initially banned in parts of Europe, it was adapted by film director Stanley Kubrick,
thus ensuring a lasting legacy in both media.

#4: “The Great Gatsby” (1925)

F. Scott Fitzgerald
One of America’s most beloved novels was born in the roaring ‘20s. Painting an opulent picture of life in the
imagined town of West Egg, Long Island, “Gatsby” is a story about the fleeting nature of the American
Dream. With the enigmatic Jay Gatsby and his fixation with Daisy Buchanan at its center, Fitzgerald’s story
of new money and of love lost was not an immediate hit, only selling 20,000 copies in its first year. But
following WWII, the story of flapper culture was reborn, and found its way into high schools and popular
culture.

#3: “War and Peace” (1869)

Leo Tolstoy
Long before the word “epic” became associated with viral videos; it was the perfect way to describe this
1869 Russian novel of incomparable power. Tolstoy undertook astounding historical research for “War and
Peace,” acutely examining the French Invasion of Russia while at the same time blending history with fiction
into a work that defies categorization. With the narrative structure sometimes replaced by philosophical
musings, “War and Peace” studies what drives people during the best of times and the worst of times, as
they strive to discover the meaning of life. Weighty themes, but lasting ones.

#2: “Madame Bovary” (1856)

Gustave Flaubert
While all publicity didn’t necessarily equal good publicity for first-time authors in mid-19th century France, it
did work out well for one celebrated novelist. Gustave Flaubert’s 1856 tale of rural life and bourgeois
aspirations caught the attention of readers, but the sexual conquests of its leading lady rubbed many the
wrong way. The French author was ultimately acquitted of any wrongdoing, as the focus shifted to his tight
narrative structure, exquisite details and juxtaposition of reality versus imagination. With each extraordinary
sentence, Gustave Flaubert pieced together a novel of endless fascination for readers.

Before we crack the spine on our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- “The Lord of the Rings” (1954-55)
J. R. R. Tolkien
- “Nineteen Eighty-Four” (1949)
George Orwell
- “Middlemarch: A Study of Provincial Life” (1874)
George Eliot
- “Moby-Dick; or, The Whale” (1851)
Herman Melville
- “Great Expectations” (1861)
Charles Dickens

#1: “Anna Karenina” (1877)

Leo Tolstoy
With what he called his “first true novel,” Tolstoy not only pierced the collective consciousness of his native
Russia, he also developed techniques that inspired literary realism and writers worldwide. Set against the
transformations in Russian culture occurring in the late-1800s, “Anna Karenina” is on the surface a story of
infidelity and self-examination, with family, faith and death anchoring the plot as well. Pioneering the use of
stream-of-consciousness to sinuously weave together tenuously associated thoughts, “Anna Karenina” is an
astounding display of realism stands as the supreme giant of literature.

Top 10 Assassinations in History

These voices were silenced before their time. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down
our picks for top 10 assassinations in history.

For this list, we’re taking a look at political and social leaders who had their lives cut short. These are the
unexpected deaths that shocked the world, impacted lives, and changed the course of history.

#10: Philip II of Macedon

382 - 336 BC
The man credited with inventing the political ideology of “divide and conquer,” Philip II was a successful
ruler of Macedon. In the autumn of 336BC, Philip was left unprotected while attending his daughter’s
wedding, and was killed by one of his bodyguards, Pausanias of Orestis. Though the assassin’s motives are
unclear – some historians believe his wife and son Alexander III were involved, while others theorize
Pausanias was a wronged lover of Philip’s – the murder allowed for Philip’s son Alexander the Great to
ascend to the throne and create one of the largest empires in history.

#9: Malcolm X
1925 - 1965
As a militant voice of the Civil Rights Movement, Malcolm X had long been a target of violence and death
threats. After Malcolm X’s very public break from the Nation of Islam religious movement, animosity
between him and the organization grew. Tensions boiled over during an address in Manhattan on February
21st, 1965, when three men shot and killed the civil rights leader. The Nation took responsibility, and
Talmadge Hayer admitted his guilt, but the other two maintained their innocence. And the Civil Rights
Movement lost one of its most active leaders.

#8: Benazir Bhutto

1953 - 2007
Though no longer Prime Minister of Pakistan, Benazir Bhutto was still a prominent political figure in 2007 as
the first female leader of a Muslim country. On December 27 that year, she was on the campaign trail for
the upcoming parliamentary elections. Though she was equipped with a bulletproof vehicle, Bhutto was
killed while standing through the sunroof to greet fans when shots rang out and explosives were detonated
near the car. Al-Qaeda commander Mustafa Abu al-Yazid took responsibility for Bhutto’s death, which
sparked riots and quashed any chance of stability in the region.

#7: Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria

1863 - 1914
If not for the events that followed the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, his name might’ve been
just a blip in history. The murder of Ferdinand and his wife on June 28th, 1914 set in motion a chain of
events that resulted in the beginning of WWI just one month later. The motive of assassin Gavrilo Princip
and his fellow Bosnian-Serb revolutionaries was to break away from Austria-Hungary and form their own
republic. The result was a conflict involving all the world’s great economic powers, and one of the deadliest
conflicts in history.

#6: John Lennon

1940 - 1980
The cultural impact of the Beatles is difficult to overstate. The group inspired obsessed fans, including the
dangerously infatuated Mark David Chapman. Chapman, once a diehard Beatles fan, had become a born-
again Christian and considered Lennon’s comment that the Beatles were “more popular than Jesus”
blasphemous. Inspired by the anti-phony sentiment in J.D. Salinger’s novel “The Catcher in the Rye” and his
perception that Lennon was the ultimate hypocrite, Chapman visited The Dakota apartment building where
Lennon and Yoko Ono lived on December 8th, 1980 and – after getting his autograph earlier in the day –
shot and killed him.
#5: Martin Luther King, Jr.
1929 - 1968
Martin Luther King served as a star spokesman for the Civil Rights Movement in America, pushing for the
equality of African Americans through nonviolent means, but he was silenced before he had the opportunity
to see his efforts succeed. On April 4th, 1968, the civil rights leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner was shot
and killed by James Earl Ray as he stood on the balcony of his hotel room. King’s death widened the gap
between whites and blacks, caused riots and spurred the expansion of radical African American movements
like the Black Panthers.

#4: John F. Kennedy

1917 - 1963
Tragedy has befallen many members of the Kennedy family; for example, JFK’s brother Bobby was
assassinated by Sirhan Sirhan in 1968 while he campaigned for President. But, perhaps most famous was the
assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22nd, 1963. Shot by a sniper’s bullet while riding
through Dealey Plaza in Texas, JFK’s death is shrouded in conspiracy, with the official story placing the gun in
the hands of former Marine Lee Harvey Oswald. But, since Oswald was shot just days later by Jack Ruby
while in police custody, we may never know the truth for certain.

#3: Abraham Lincoln

1809 - 1865
After guiding America through the most tumultuous time in its young history, Lincoln had locked in his
legacy by 1865. But any other accomplishments he might’ve achieved were thwarted during a play at the
Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C. on April 14th, 1865. With the Civil War drawing to a close, actor and
Confederate John Wilkes Booth snuck into the President’s box and shot him in the head. Booth then jumped
to the stage with a knife and apparently uttered in Latin “thus always to tyrants,” a phrase attributed to
Brutus during Caesar’s assassination. Lincoln died the next day.

#2: Julius Caesar

100 - 44 BC
Perhaps history’s most famous assassination thanks to its retelling by Shakespeare, the death of Julius
Caesar is memorable as both drama and historical fact. After Caesar was named “Dictator for life” by the
Senate, a plan to remove him was almost immediately devised by Senate members calling themselves
Liberators, who feared Caesar threatened their power. Together, this group of roughly 60 of some of
Caesar’s closest allies violently beat and stabbed him to death. Their later attempts to install a tyrannical
government were met with protests from the lower-class Romans, and ultimately Caesar’s heir Octavian
gained power.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- Yitzhak Rabin
1922 - 1995
- Anwar Sadat
1918 - 1981
- Grigori Rasputin
1869 - 1916
- Caligula
12 - 41
- Leon Trotsky
1879 - 1940
- Harvey Milk
1930 - 1978

#1: Mahatma Gandhi

1869 - 1948
He spent his life as a symbol of peace, but died a victim of violence. In life, Mahatma Gandhi led India to
independence from Great Britain using nonviolent tactics rather than revolution. Despite his success, some
objected to his peaceful approach, including Nathuram Godse. The Hindu nationalist disagreed with
Gandhi’s support of Pakistan and perceived preference toward Pakistani Muslims over Indian Hindus. This
caused Godse to fire three fatal shots at Gandhi while he was in New Delhi on January 30th, 1948. Millions
subsequently honored the fallen leader, and his policies of compassion are still praised today.

Top 10 Uncracked Codes and Ciphers

Not even the greatest minds of the world could decipher these codes. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and
today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Uncracked Codes and Ciphers.

For this list, we’ve chosen codes and ciphers based on their overall notoriety and whether or not they’ve
been completely solved. We’re not looking at cold cases or unsolved murders for this list – unless they
involve some sort of code – cause that’s a list for another day.

#10: D’Agapeyeff Cipher (1939)

Starting our list off strong is this still un-deciphered code originally published as a final challenge to
cryptographers and cryptanalysts in Alexander D’Agapeyeff’s fundamental book on the topic, “Codes and
Ciphers.” Only published in the first edition of the book, and quite possibly encrypted using nulls or even the
Polybius Square, the D’Agapeyeff cipher remains unsolved even today. It likely will for a while, too, as even
its creator publicly admitted he’d forgotten how it had been encrypted.

#9: The Dorabella Cipher (1897)

A composer famed for pieces like the “Enigma Variations” and “Pomp and Circumstance,” Edward Elgar was
also fascinated by codes, and wrote this one to his young friend Dora Penny on July 14th, 1897. Made up of
87 characters written across three rows, and consisting of what look like 24 different symbols, the cipher
does not likely contain any earth-shattering information. However, the fact that there have been many
unsuccessful attempts to crack it, as well as proposed solutions, makes the Dorabella Cipher an enduring
mystery.

#8: Kryptos (1990)

If you’re ever at CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia, you might see a large copper sculpture. That’s
Kryptos, created by Jim Sanborn and dedicated in 1990. Consisting of four encrypted messages that have
fascinated both pros and amateurs alike, all but one has been solved. But that one uncracked code is one of
the world’s most famous. The artist did reveal that there’s another riddle to solve, which will only be
evident once all sections are decrypted. And, with a name that comes from the Greek word for “hidden,” it
may be a while yet.

#7: Shugborough Inscription (c. 1748-63)

Located on the grounds of Shugborough Hall in Staffordshire, England, the Shepherd’s Monument was
erected in the mid-18th-century, and features a stone-carved copy of Nicolas Poussin’s painting “The
Shepherds of Arcadia.” But the most intriguing part may be the letters carved below the painting:
O·U·O·S·V·A·V·V, found between the letters D and M. Possibly connected to the Holy Grail, possibly a simple
memorial, the Shugborough Inscription is an uncracked ciphertext that stumped great minds like Josiah
Wedgwood, Charles Darwin, and Charles Dickens.

#6: Voynich Manuscript (c. 1404-38)

Named for the Polish bookseller who bought it in 1912, the Voynich manuscript is a codex, handwritten on
vellum pages and featuring illustrations of stars, plants and more. Likely created in the early 15-century and
probably missing several pages, it’s riveted cryptographers since its discovery and played a part in pop
culture phenomena like the Indiana Jones book series and the Assassin’s Creed video game franchise.
However, despite its fame, no one has produced a verifiable solution, with some even declaring its content
is complete nonsense.

#5: Beale Ciphers (1885)

Also known as the Beale Papers, this collection of three ciphertexts, two of which remain unsolved,
describes a treasure buried in Bedford County, Virginia by someone named Thomas J. Beale. The solved
portion – decrypted using the U.S. Declaration of Independence – explains a prize of gold, silver and jewels
and worth upwards of $63-million. The unsolved portions outline where it’s hidden and its rightful owners.
With some suggesting Beale never existed, that Edgar Allen Poe wrote the papers or that the entire thing is
a hoax, this one remains a mystery. Anyone up for a treasure hunt?

#4: Linear A (2500-1450 BC)

Supposedly used by the Ancient Greeks, Linear A is a writing system consisting of hundreds of signs
uncovered primarily on Crete that remains unreadable, which was the main written language used by the
Minoan civilization in palace and religious texts. Its sister system, Linear B, was largely deciphered in the
1950s, and an attempt was made to use it to decode Linear A. However, the result was mainly nonsense
words, suggesting the core language of Linear A is a tongue unknown to us – which has since been
christened the Minoan language.

#3: 340 Character Zodiac Cypher (1969)

A serial killer who terrified Californians and baffled authorities in the late-1960s and early-1970s, the Zodiac
Killer is infamous not only because of his crimes and the fact that his identity remains unknown, but also
because of the taunting codes he sent to San Francisco Bay Area press, one of which remains unsolved.
Mailed November 8th, 1969, the code consists of 340 characters. The FBI has since enlisted the help or
professional and amateur cryptographers, but to no avail. While numerous solutions have been proposed,
none is considered definitive.

#2: Chinese Gold Bar Cipher (1933)

As the story goes, seven gold bars were distributed to a General Wang in Shanghai, China in 1933. The gold
bars themselves are decorated with pictures, Chinese writing, script writing of some type, and codes in Latin
letters. The Chinese gold bars are supposedly metal certificates linked a possible deposit with a United
States bank. However, with little proof as to their legitimacy, many argue against their veracity. Real or not,
no one has solved the ciphers found on these gold bars.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
- Navajo Code Talkers (1942)
- Chaocipher (1918)

#1: The Phaistos Disk (2nd millennium BC)

One of the greatest mysteries in archaeology, the reason, significance and source of the Phaistos Disk are all
wildly disputed. Discovered in 1908 but likely created in the 2nd millennium BC and probably originating
from the Minoan palace of Phaistos on Crete, it’s a piece of fired clay featuring 45 signs that signify ordinary
things like an arrow, eagle, lily and more. It’s been compared to Linear A, as well as hieroglyphics from both
the Anatolian and Egyptian civilizations, but most archaeologists agree that, unless more examples of the
same language are found, the Phaistos Disk will likely remain unsolved.

Top 10 Famous Paintings

For the following ten or so minutes, your monitor is a museum! Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today
we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 famous paintings!

For this list, we’ve looked at the most famous paintings in the world. Of course, art is a very subjective
subject, so we’ve ranked our entries based upon the recognizability and global reputation of each piece.
We’ve also limited these to individual pieces, so any smaller parts of a larger whole are not up for
consideration.

#10: “The Kiss” (1908-09)

Gustav Klimt
Painted between 1908 and 1909, “The Kiss” is Gustav Klimt at the height of his ‘Golden Period’, so-called
because of his tendency to use the color. A combination of oil paint and gold leaf, the effect is a striking, Art
Nouveau, intimate image, that retains its modernity today. A man and woman locked in an embrace, the
couple may be the center of attention, but the colors are the painting’s emotion. The lines between luxury
and decadence are blurred, as are the barriers between love and lust.
#9: “The Persistence of Memory” (1931)
Salvador Dalí
It’s 1931, and Dalí has struck Surrealist perfection with “The Persistence of Memory.” The melting clocks and
desolate beach have been burned into the modern sub-conscious, making this one of the most recognizable
paintings ever created. It could be an exploration of the fixed (or unfixed!) cosmic order, it might be
Einstein’s theory of relativity seen through the bristles of a brush-stroke, it may be, as Dali himself has
suggested, the surrealist perception of a soft cheese melting beneath the sun’s rays… Whatever it is, it’s a
famous and memorable pop culture staple – and it deserves to be!

#8: “Girl with a Pearl Earring” (c. 1665)

Johannes Vermeer
Granted, our next entry’s recent claims to fame have been greatly enhanced by a best-selling Tracy
Chevalier novel and a Scarlett Johansson film adaptation. However, Vermeer’s “Girl with a Pearl Earring”
had caught the eye long before she’d been made into a movie. The eponymous ‘pearl earring’ is the
picture’s focal point, as the girl’s plain face is caught as though unprepared. It’s provocative voyeurism that
has had many a viewer speculate on the subject’s thoughts, and her back-story.

#7: “Olympia” (1863)

Édouard Manet
Heading into the 19th century for our next painting, “Olympia” caused massive controversy upon its
completion in 1863. A reworking of Titian’s 1538 “Venus of Urbino” and Giorgione’s 1510 “Sleeping Venus,”
Manet’s relaxing nude is less innocent than her predecessors. The woman displays indicators of prostitution,
and a confrontational gaze that shocked her audiences. The black hair, black cat, unwanted flowers and
loosely worn slippers show us that she’s a woman in control of herself - the closed hands and abrupt stare
warn us to remember that fact!

#6: “The Birth of Venus” (c. 1486)

Sandro Botticelli
Painted in the 1400s, this Uffizi Gallery offering remains one of Florence’s most treasured possessions.
Commissioned by the Medici family to work on “The Birth of Venus,” Botticelli depicts the goddess emerging
out of the sea, standing upon an improbably large shell. She’s nude as we see her, but a handmaid is soon to
clothe and cover her. A beautiful figure, the artist presents her as an icon of Neoplatonism. A movement
attempting to connect Greek and Roman thought with Christianity, ‘Venus’ is a concoction of classical
influences that has made it was into modern culture on more than one occasion.

#5: “The Scream” (1893)

Edvard Munch (moonk)
Often considered as a masterpiece of modern art, “The Scream” was a forerunner for the Expressionism
that dominated the early 20th Century. Painted in 1893, it reflects the end of photo-realistic, technical
efforts, and the beginning of metaphoric, emotional pieces. The inspiration for the ghostly figure is not
conclusively known, but the pain, fear and horror that it feels are definitely felt. In fact, the form is so
mesmerizing, it inspired several pop culture imitators. The wispy subject looks trapped inside the painting,
and inside our world - the original picture that spoke louder than words!

#4: “Guernica” (1937)

Pablo Picasso
Finished in 1937, with our next painting Picasso brought to the world’s attention to the bombing of the
Basque town of Guernica, and the ongoing Spanish Civil War. An act of war inflicted by the emerging fascist
forces of Germany and Italy, the typically Picasso piece shows devastation and destruction in an abstracted
way. “Guernica” is grey, black and white, it’s mural-size, and it is intensely dramatic. Some interpretations
find Picasso’s own ego in the disfigured creatures, others note the horse and bull as important Spanish
symbols, while still others view simply the rampaging rise of Nazism.

#3: “The Last Supper” (1495-98)

Leonardo da Vinci
In terms of fame, our third placer has again been recently aided by other medias - namely Dan Brown’s
novel ‘The Da Vinci Code’ and the subsequent Tom Hanks film adaptation. But that’s hardly the end of this
famous piece’s pop culture domination– many scenes from movies and TV have replicated the iconic
arrangement. Da Vinci’s depiction of Jesus and his disciples is perhaps the most recognizable recreation of
the Son of God ever painted. Capturing the moment at which Jesus tells his followers that one will betray
him, and the alarm that ensues, it is a painting that has fallen in and out of disrepair, and inspired plenty of
conspiracy theories. An epic piece of art!

#2: “The Starry Night” (1889)

Vincent van Gogh
Another painting that has broken out of its original frame and into the merchandise-laden world of
reproductions, this Van Gogh image stands alongside Munch’s “The Scream” as an all-out game-changer.
The viewer cannot help but become involved with the swirling, circling clouds, moon and stars of the night
sky. In turn, it’s easy to place oneself in the village below. Painted from within the Saint-Paul de Mausole
lunatic asylum in Southern France, it’s an exaggerated scene, but a beautiful one! Accept no imitations!

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- “Napoleon Crossing the Alps” (1801)
Jacques-Louis David
- “The Night Watch” (1642)
Rembrandt van Rijn
- “American Gothic” (1930)
Grant Wood
- “The School of Athens” (1509-10)
Raphael
- “No. 5, 1948” (1948)
Jackson Pollock
- “Water Lilies” (1920-26)
Claude Monet

#1: “Mona Lisa” (c. 1503-17)

Leonardo da Vinci
Could the gold medal truly be hung around anyone else’s neck? “Mona Lisa” is the most famous painting in
the world, and she’s one of the most recognizable women on the planet. Another da Vinci piece, this time
the great Italian gives us a portrait, the subject of which remains under considerable debate. She’s an object
of extreme fascination because of her inescapable stare, her unreadable expression and her incredible
detail. She resides in the Louvre Gallery in Paris, and despite her relatively small size she brings in record
amounts of visitors still. An undisputed, absolute icon!

Top 10 Enigmatic People in History

These people are riddles wrapped in mysteries inside enigmas. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today
we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 enigmatic people in history.

For this list we’ve chosen famous figures whose identities, background or activities are not known or 100%
confirmed to this day.

#10: Harold Holt

The 17th Prime Minister of Australia, Holt went out for a swim in the water at Cheviot Beach near Victoria in
1967 and was never seen again. The thing that has mystified followers of the incident ever since was the
fact that zero trace of him was ever recovered, despite the fact that one of the largest search operations in
Australian history commenced shortly after his disappearance. Speculations that Holt may have either killed
himself or faked his own death persist to this day, and – even more sensational – some theories suggest he
ran away with his mistress or was actually a Chinese spy.
#9: William Shakespeare
Despite being undoubtedly one of the most well-known and highly regarded literary figures in history, there
are very few details of the man’s life or work that are actually agreed upon. His birthday is celebrated as
April 23rd, but likely only because some 18th-century academic wrote it down wrong. He was probably
educated at King’s New School in Stratford but there are no surviving records to back that up either. The
largest question of them all, of course, is whether he actually wrote the works that led him to become
famous to begin with.

#8: Babushka Lady

No presidential assassination has resulted in more conspiracy theories than John F. Kennedy’s. Of the
people present on that fateful day, questions persist about two figures, the first being the supposed second
gunman and the second being a little old lady wearing a scarf around her head. That piece of headwear
resulted in the nickname we know her by today. The reason she’s a shrouded in speculation is that she can
be seen filming footage of the events that afternoon but her identity and film have never been recovered.
Could the information she captured confirm or put to rest the conspiracy theories surrounding the event? It
seems likely at this point that we’ll never know.

#7: Nikola Tesla

The Internet’s favorite inventor, Tesla’s expansive list of discoveries and theories – which includes the Tesla
coil and alternating current – has resulted in a reputation as a mad scientist. And, when you discover that he
created both a death ray and a supposed earthquake machine, allegedly experimented with time travel, and
believed he knew how to make a building crumble if he could just discover the correct pitch through trial
and error, it’s not hard to understand why. Seemingly fearless about the potential dangers his creations
may’ve posed him and humanity as a whole, the image of him sitting alone working while electricity crackles
around him have turned the man into an almost mythical figure – and the loss of many of his notes only
increases that.

#6: Aleister Crowley

An English occultist, artist, ritual magician and religious leader who is a heroic figure of freedom for some,
but was also labeled the wickedest man in the world during his lifetime, Crowley is a unique figure.
Considered by some a Satanist who was rumoured to be a cannibal and murderer of children, the extreme
fashion in which he lived led many to demonize him. The founder of a religion known as Thelema, it seems
like at one time or another every evil deed was attributed to Crowley, and as a result the line between what
the man did and didn’t do is almost completely blurred.

#5: D.B. Cooper

On November 24th, 1971 a man identifying himself as Dan Cooper bought a one-way plane ticket to
Washington. After the flight took off, the man in question politely told a flight attendant that he had a bomb
and he proceeded to hijack the flight. He demanded $200,000, four parachutes and that a refueling truck be
waiting for them when they touched down. When his demands were met, they landed and the man allowed
all other passengers and nonessential personnel to debark before they took off again. Once they were back
in the air, all remaining people other than Cooper were placed in the cockpit, and the calm polite man
presumably jumped from the plane with his ill-gotten gains, never to be heard from again.

#4: The Man in the Iron Mask

The man identified as Eustache Dauger is possibly the most famous prisoner of all time. Purportedly
spending 24-hours-a-day wearing a mask – sometimes described as velvet, often categorized as iron – this
inmate spent over three decades imprisoned, with guards taking many special precautions with his care.
Yet, despite his fate, he was never said to be angry or to complain to his jailers. There are several theories as
to the true identity of the prisoner, but the most popular calls him out as a relative of the king at the time,
Louis XIV, who would have threatened his claim to the throne. Whatever his true identity, his life will always
be shrouded in mystery.

#3: The Zodiac Killer

The person known as the Zodiac Killer is a serial killer that terrified California during the late-1960s and
early-1970s, and then stopped his attacks as quickly as they started. Confirmed to have killed five people
and to have injured another two, The Zodiac claimed another 37 deaths were attributable to him in letters
he sent to newspapers and investigators. In those letters, he gloated about his superiority over those who
were looking for him and even provided police with a cryptogram that he claimed would provide them with
his identity if solved. When the code was eventually cracked, that was proven false; but it’s those types of
theatrics that made it all the more surprising when the letters and killings stopped unexpectedly.

#2: Grigori Rasputin

The man known as the “Mad Monk” was the focus of mystery. Recognized by many as a central figure in the
collapse of the Russian Monarchy and the Romanov Dynasty due to his weakening of the Tsar’s credibility,
he was said to have mystical powers of healing and prophecy. The Russian people felt Rasputin wielded
complete control over the entire royal family, which allowed the population to blame him for their country’s
ills. Just like his life, Rasputin’s death is also the subject of conjecture, as some accounts claim he survived
poisoning and being shot in the back and head, before he was finally drowned. Most historians reject this
version of the story, but it’s a great example of the myths that landed Rasputin in the second position on
this list.

Before our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

- Tank Man
- Green Children of Woolpit
- Tamam Shud Case [aka Mystery of the Somerton Man]
- Sidney Gottlieb

#1: Jack the Ripper

Between August 31st and November 9th, 1888, five prostitutes were murdered in the Whitechapel district
of London in grisly fashion, sparking the legend of Jack the Ripper. Remarkably similar to the story of the
Zodiac, The Ripper also sent letters to authorities taunting them and providing them with evidence that
could’ve led to his capture – in one case, even including what’s believed to be part of one of his victim’s
kidneys. Despite the combined brainpower of millions of amateur detectives in the years since his crimes,
the closest anyone has come to identifying Jack the Ripper came in 2014, when one armchair detective
claimed DNA evidence identified him as Polish hairdresser Aaron Kosminski. But the conclusiveness of that
test was called into question, so it’s still anyone’s guess.

Top 10 Painters

Since the time of Homo erectus, man has been expressing himself through art. Whether on the walls of a
cave, the tombs of great kings, a canvas, or the walls of a building, the human desire to put ink to paper has
left the world with some of the most beautiful masterpieces. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re
counting down our picks for the top 10 painters of all time.

For this list, we are only focusing on artists whose painting contributions have made them stand out in
history.

#10: Pierre-Auguste Renoir

1841 - 1919
One of the most famous modern French painters, Pierre-Auguste Renoir was one of the earliest members of
the Impressionist Movement, which was all about capturing modern life by depicting everyday events. His
talents for portraiture soon secured him a range of wealthy patrons, and he was free to take his art in other
directions. By the late 1890s, Renoir’s style had become more classical, and more reminiscent of the great
masters. His most famous works include “Bal du Moulin de la Galette,” “Luncheon of the Boating Party” and
“Nude,” to name a few.

#9: Francisco Goya

1746 - 1828
Francisco Goya was a painter at the Spanish court in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. An oil painter,
fresco painter, sketcher and engraver, Goya’s work chronicles and criticizes the era he lived in. His portraits
particularly stand out because they didn’t necessarily flatter the subjects but seemed rather to bring out
their worst, or at least, more realistic, qualities. There is one portrait of King Ferdinand VII, for example,
which shows the king looking more like a statue or mannequin than regal. More impressive than his
paintings though, is the fact that he got away with it.

#8: Paul Cézanne

1839 - 1906
Categorized as a Post-Impressionist, Paul Cézanne developed a style all his own, which opened the door for
so many avant-garde art movements of the 20th century, including Fauvism and Cubism. His early work
depicts romantic and classical scenes, full of dark contrasting colors and expressive brushstrokes. He painted
portraits, still-life scenes, and landscapes. The Card Players has been described as his best figure
composition and remains one of his best-known paintings.

#7: Salvador Dalí

1904 - 1989
With a crazy moustache, an imagination to match, and creativity that far surpassed the norm, Salvador Dali
is one of the most famous Surrealist artists. Even though he was “expelled” from the Surrealist Movement,
his painting, “The Persistence of Memory,” which features melting clocks, is still one of the most recognized
Surrealist works to date. He takes the viewer into a world that is dark, bizarre, macabre, seriously cool – and
persistently memorable.

#6: Claude Monet

1840 - 1926
The most uncompromising of all the Impressionists, Claude Monet was obsessed with painting outdoors. He
even had a makeshift boat-studio that he used to paint on the river for as long as possible. The founder of
French Impressionist painting also loved to study the play of sunlight on things and his paintings are full of
intensive brushstrokes. His series of water lily paintings is one of the most popular and most reproduced
works of all time.

#5: Rembrandt van Rijn

1606 - 1669
This Dutch painter was a portraitist extraordinaire! His use of light and dark and his ability to get to the very
soul of his subjects have made Rembrandt stand out as one of the best portrait painters of his time and
possibly of alltime. After his rich wife died, his career took a turn for the worse and by the 1650s, he had to
sell his house and his collection. In addition to his portraits and self-portraits, Rembrandt holds a place in art
history thanks to this landscapes, narrative paintings and Biblically-inspired illustrations.

#4: Pablo Picasso

1881 - 1973
Co-creator of Cubism, Pablo Picasso is one of the best-known names in art today. Turning traditional
painting upside down, literally, Picasso created a completely new style that was unlike anything seen before.
But Picasso wasn’t a one-trick pony: he could paint, sculpt, draw, write, and etch. He produced close to
50,000 works in his lifetime and in 2010, his “Nude, Green Leaves and Bust” painting sold for a history-
making $106.5 million dollars!

#3: Vincent van Gogh

1853 - 1890
We all know Vincent van Gogh as the fruit loop who lived his later years in France and hacked off his own
ear. But before he went totally crazy and presumably shot himself, van Gogh produced some truly
spectacular works. Despite the neglect he suffered while alive, selling only one painting, he became
enormously successful after death. His painting “The Starry Night” is one of the most popular images in
modern culture and some of his other works have fetched over $100 million dollars at auction.

#2: Michelangelo
1475 - 1564
Definitely one of the greatest artists to ever live, Michelangelo was a true triple threat: painter, sculptor,
and architect. His mastery of all three fields set him apart and put him in a league all his own. His
completion of his work on the Sistine Chapel ceiling between 1534 and 1541 is an awe-inspiring feat, and
the sheer beauty of the fresco has kept tourists and art lovers flocking to Rome for centuries.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- Frida Kahlo

1907 - 1954

- Jackson Pollock

1912 - 1956

- Edvard Munch

1863 - 1944

- Gustav Klimt

1862 -1918

- Eugène Delacroix

1798 -1863

- Henri Matisse

1869 - 1954

#1: Leonardo da Vinci

1452 - 1519
Good ol’ Leo was the true Renaissance man. Painter, scientist, theorist, and draftsman, Leonardo mastered
oil painting like no other, specifically the technique of sfumato, which involves blurring outlines or hiding
them in shadows. On permanent display at The Louvre in Paris, his “Mona Lisa” attracts 6 million visitors
each year and is arguably the most famous painting ever. His ultramodern views and pure genius make him
our choice for the top painter of all time!

Top 10 Products Invented Because of War

War is hell, but these gadgets and gizmos are the silver lining. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today
we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 products invented because of war.

For this list, we’re looking at products that were invented, perfected or popularized in their most common
form during wartime because of a conflict – which means we are excluding any weaponry or obvious army
equipment. And just to be clear, we’re not necessarily saying that these entries were worth the cost that
came with them, but we do recognize their universal value to humanity.

#10: Canned Food (1810)

Napoleonic Wars
An army may march on its stomach, but with the French military’s limited food supply they weren’t
marching too far. That changed when the government offered 12,000 francs to anyone who could invent a
cheap, efficient way to preserve food. Chef Nicolas Appert answered the challenge with the suggestion of
canning; this allowed troops to advance through any season, and let the rest of us eat delicious ravioli
whenever we please. Canning has proved to be a dependable and long-lasting food storage method, which
is good as the can opener was not patented until 1855.

#9: Disposable Sanitary Pads (1920)

World War I
In 1914, the Kimberly-Clark company marketed Cellucotton, which – being both cheaper and more
absorbent than cotton – became the bandage material of choice during WWI. Soon after, military nurses
struck upon the idea of using the material to cope with their own...personal monthly battles. Following the
war’s end, Kimberly-Clark opted to formalize the battlefield invention, leading to the introduction of Kotex,
or cotton textile, in 1920. The same material also led to the invention of the Kleenex brand of facial tissues
in the early-1920s, and paved the way for the first modern tampons in the 1930s.

#8: Synthetic Rubber (1940)

World War II
Although there had been numerous prior attempts, synthetic rubber as we know it today did not come
about until World War II. Developed by Waldo Semon for the BF Goodrich tire company, the new, less
expensive synthetic rubber helped America’s war effort – and they needed it. While rubber was in high
demand for almost all war machinery, supplies were limited as rubber producing territories were largely
held by Axis forces. As scientists tinkered with the chemistry behind the material, they also unintentionally
created Silly Putty, which was not quite as useful.

#7: Super Glue (1942)

World War II
Known now as the go-to glue with the super bond, it took Super Glue’s inventor nine-years to figure that
out. First discovered by Harry Coover, Jr. of the Eastman Kodak company, the would-be product was
intended for use as a plastic for gun sights during WWII. When that didn’t work, it was suggested for use in
jet cockpits as a heat-resistant overlay. When that too was rejected, Coover realized the chemical’s
stickiness was best utilized as a glue in 1951, and the product finally hit the commercial market in 1958.

#6: Stainless Steel (1913)

World War I
While the actual inventor or nation of origin of this product is up for debate, the discovery of this alloy was
announced in 1915 and four-years later, a patent for the item was granted to American Elwood Haynes –
who had applied for it in 1912. That same year, English metallurgist Harry Brearley also developed a
stainless steel at the request of the British military, who wanted a rust-free material for gun manufacturing.
Seeing as they were on the same track, the two then opted to join forces and formed the American Stainless
Steel Corporation together.

#5: Walkie-Talkies (1937)

World War II
English-born Canadian inventor Donald Hings had developed the portable radio for pilots flying to isolated
areas of the North, and filed a patent for the device shortly before Canada declared war on Germany in
1939. Hings was then dispatched to Ottawa to fine-tune the instrument according to military specs and
served in that capacity until 1945, eventually earning an MBE and the Order of Canada for his efforts. Fellow
Canadian Alfred J. Gross also developed two-way radios based on Hings’ work, leading to the CB radio, the
pager, and the garage door opener.

#4: Microwave Oven (1945)

World War II
First developed and marketed as the Radarange by American Percy Spencer in 1946, the cooking power of
the microwave had been discovered by Spencer late in the war. Working as a radar engineer for the U.S.
Department of Defense, the inventor made the discovery accidentally when he noticed his equipment had
melted a chocolate bar. After confirming his theory by making popcorn and cooking an egg, Spencer set out
to create what we now know as the microwave oven by harnessing the cooking power of the magnetron,
and began selling the device commercially in 1947.

#3: GPS (1978)

Gulf War
While the device we blindly follow to our destinations came years later, the actual technology behind GPS
has been used for military purposes for decades. The concept of a global positioning system called Navstar
was advanced by the DoD in 1973, as earlier methods were vulnerable to attack. By the late-‘80s, U.S.
President Ronald Reagan ordered the tech available to citizens, and today GPS is a standard feature of most
smart phones. On the battlefield, meanwhile, GPS have systems played a key role since the first Gulf War,
which was the first conflict where the tech was widely implemented.
#2: The Internet (1962)
Cold War
Nope, it wasn’t Al Gore. In one form or another, the Internet has been in use since the 1960s, and is
sometimes called “a child of the Cold war.” Developed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
(DARPA) to connect distant governmental computer systems, the basic technology was eventually shared
with American colleges. The digital domain then expanded in the early-1980s, although it was largely limited
to commercial and academic circles. The internet as we know it finally exploded into everyday life in 1995
when it was commercialized in the U.S., and without this innovation you wouldn’t be watching this video.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- Duct Tape (1942)

World War II

- Safety Razors (1903)

World War I

- Soya Sausages (1916)

World War I

- Nylons (1939)

World War II

- Digital Photography (1960s)

Cold War

#1: Penicillin (1928)

World War II
Although the effect of certain molds on bacteria had previously been observed, it wasn’t until Scottish
scientist Alexander Fleming accidentally and serendipitously discovered that penicillium fungus had
antibacterial properties that the benefits were fully understood. The term “antibiotic” came about in 1942,
and penicillin was promptly categorized in this group as it cured pneumonia, meningitis, scarlet fever,
gonorrhea and much more. Today, this group of drugs treats many bacterial infections that were once
considered fatal, and when it was put to use during WWII it cut the number of deaths from infection by 12-
15% from WWI.

Top 10 Most Famous Kings in History

Some fought for their greatness, others simply inherited power, but all of these men made history.
Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 most famous kings in
history.

For this list, we looked at the male monarchs who epitomize their era or changed the course of world
history. Many of these kings were celebrated in life, others were maligned, and some were of little
significance in their own day. Yet all of their legacies have stood the test of time, making them iconic
symbols of kingly rule.

#10: Frederick II of Prussia

1712 - 86
His father gave him brawn, his mother gave him brains, and with these Frederick II turned Prussia into a
major European power. His hard-fought victory in the Seven Years’ War doubled Prussia’s size and
international clout. And his absolute-yet-enlightened approach to rule saw the implementation of new
educational and legal reforms within his country. Admired by kings, adored by his subjects, Frederick
brought greatness to Prussia and in so doing became Frederick the Great.

#9: Haile Selassie I

1892 - 1975
His lineage traced back to King Solomon and he is considered a god in the Rastafarian tradition. Emperor of
Ethiopia, Haile Selassie ousted Italian colonizers, and ushered his country into the 20th century. Known for
his ornately regal garb and mysterious kingly gaze, Selassie introduced many progressive reforms, especially
with respect to foreign civilization, modernizing his country. Yet he ruled like a medieval despot and was
overthrown in 1974. The last king of Ethiopia, his reign marked the end of a three-thousand-year-old
dynasty.

#8: Tutankhamen
c. 1341 - c. 23 BC
A child king who reigned only nine years, Tutankhamen played a minor role in Egypt’s long history. Yet his
burial site is one of the only intact tombs ever found, revealing a wealth of extraordinary artifacts that shed
new light on the ancient Egyptians, which has made Tutankhamen an iconic symbol of this mysterious
world. Despite being involved in several building projects and making attempts to improve relations with
other kingdoms, he was a ruler of little consequence in life. However, the discovery of his tomb made King
Tut a legend three thousand years after his death.

#7: Peter I of Russia

1672 - 1725
The Tsar inherited an inward looking, medieval kingdom and turned it into a powerful, modernized empire.
Peter the Great improved his country’s military, streamlined governmental systems, implemented education
reform, and expanded Russian territory along its Eastern and Southern borders. Though his efficacy as a
ruler often crossed the line from proficiency to tyranny, Peter I is best known for catalyzing his country’s
progress, and re-establishing Russia’s status as major player on the international stage.

#6: Hammurabi
Unknown - c. 1750 BC
Want to make history? Write stuff down. The sixth king of the First Babylonian Dynasty, Hammurabi is best
known for his famous legal decree – consisting of eight-foot high carved tablets and one of the earliest
examples of codified law ever found. Written in the Babylonian vernacular, the Code of Hammurabi is
famous for its “eye for an eye” approach to justice. Though modern law making is generally less brutal,
Hammurabi is still celebrated as one of the earliest known lawmakers in the civilized world.

#5: Charlemagne
c. 742 - 814
Fierce warrior king and formidable political strategist, Charlemagne unified most of Western Europe through
a series of bloody military campaigns. He attached himself to the last vestiges of ancient Rome by working
to preserve Latin texts and enforcing Christianity throughout his vast territory. He promoted literacy, and
established a network of diplomatic emissaries that centralized power and established his Carolingian
Empire. The medieval king with modern ideas, Charlemagne’s innovations built the foundations of
contemporary Europe.

#4: Cyrus II of Persia

c. 600 – 530 BC
His life was chronicled by Herodotus. The Bible holds him in the highest esteem. Cyrus the Great built the
Achaemenid Empire, holding dominion over the largest kingdom in history. With a territory that stretched
over three continents, Cyrus’ military innovation and political ingenuity was felt across most of the ancient
world. Inspirational to subsequent conquerors, a hero of the Persian Empire, Cyrus the Great is a central
figure in the history of eastern and western civilizations.

#3: Alexander III of Macedon

356 - 23 BC
He had a kingdom at twenty and an empire by thirty-two. Alexander the Great was a military genius whose
territory spanned from the Adriatic Sea to the Indus River. A man of legendary vision, Alexander toppled
great dynasties, built new cities, and promoted the spread of Greek ideas and culture throughout the
ancient world. A celebrated hero of the Classical Age, Alexander’s rise to power was swift and short-lived
but his legacy resonates, even today.

#2: Henry VIII of England

1491 - 1547
He may’ve started the English Reformation but, let’s face it - Henry VIII’s six wives are why he’s famous.
Highly educated and charismatic, Henry was also extremely cutthroat...literally. Political enemies were
beheaded and personal foes often suffered the same fate. His marriages to Anne Boleyn and Catherine
Howard ended at the executioner’s chopping block. Though his personal troubles were motivated by the
desire for a male heir, Henry VIII would come to father two of England’s most famous queens.

Before we crown our pick for number one, here are a few honorable mentions:
- James I of England

1566 - 1625

- Ashoka the Great

303 - 232 BC

- John III Sobieski of Poland

1629 - 96

- William the Conqueror

c. 1028 - 87

- Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand

1927 -

- Gustav II Adolf of Sweden

1594 - 1632

#1: Louis XIV of France

1638 - 1715
He built the Palace of Versailles and embarked on a series of costly wars. Though he wanted to project an
image of power, Louis XIV symbolizes the frivolity of eighteenth-century monarchical rule. By taking
opulence and absolutism to their extremes, some argue Louis XIV thrust France into financial ruin, which led
his country down the road to revolution. Called the “Sun King” in life, his legacy casts a long, dark shadow,
making him the most famous and notorious king in history.

Top 10 Historical Predictions That Turned Out to be False

Only time will tell… Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10
historical predictions that turned out to be false.

For this list, we’re looking at prophecies, guesses or projections that were made in history, that turned out
to be painfully, painfully false. These include some of the worst future forecasts by notable individuals
regarding significant historic events, be it the end if the world, medicine, science, war or politics. We’re also
taking into account who supposedly made the prediction, because if it’s someone who should’ve known
better, it makes the fail that much worse.

#10: “This book shouldn’t shock anyone’s religious sensibilities”

- Charles Darwin, on “On the Origin of Species” (1859)
Science versus religion, evolution versus creationism: it’s an ongoing debate that may never truly be settled.
But Charles Darwin really rocked the boat. His groundbreaking book suggested all beings were descended
from the same ancestors, scientifically describing the theory of evolution. To say he saw “no good reason
why the views given in this volume should shock the religious sensibilities of anyone” was a pipe dream.
Darwin’s “On the Origin of Species” not only presented mankind with another point of view on life and
existence; it also challenged religious beliefs. Shocking? Definitely.

#9: “I have no faith in aerial navigation other than ballooning”

- William Thomson, The Lord Kelvin (1896)
Air travel has received plenty of scrutiny over the years, but one of the most famous cynics was the late
mathematical physicist the Lord Kelvin. He actually replied to an invitation from the Royal Aeronautical
Society to join their ranks by saying “I have not the smallest molecule of faith in aerial navigation other than
ballooning or of expectation of good results from any of the trials we hear of.” As we all know, aircrafts have
become incredibly important to world travel. So, this one was proven most definitely false.

#8: “There is no likelihood man can ever tap the power of the atom”
- Robert Millikan, winner of the Nobel Prize for Physics (1923)
Although the atom was split back in 1917, harnessing its energy was a different thing altogether. With many
brainboxes working on the ins and outs of it, one physicist, Robert Millikan, claimed that man would never
fully harness its power. Well, it may have been a scattered timeline of progression, with the first nuclear
bomb test in 1945 and the first nuclear power station in 1954, but it was finally accomplished. And voila,
electricity on demand and Nobel Prize winner was taken down a peg.

#7: “I do not foresee ‘spaceships’ to the moon or Mars”

- Dr. Lee de Forest, an American inventor (1950s)
Space exploration: a subject packed with interesting foreshadowing. The general consensus in the early-
20th-century was that man might never reach the moon. But De Forest took that thought further, saying
that “To place a man in a multi-stage rocket and project him into the controlling gravitational field of the
moon […]—all that constitutes a wild dream worthy of Jules Verne. I am bold enough to say that such a
man-made voyage will never occur regardless of all future advances.” This theory was, of course, smashed
to smithereens following the space race and a subsequent moon landing in 1969.

#6: “Stock prices have reached a permanently high plateau”

- Irving Fisher, an American economist (1929)
The stock market is unpredictable; so, the last thing you wanna do is bet your reputation on whether it’s
going to thrive or plummet. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what economist Irving Fisher did in October 1929.
He claimed the market had “reached what looked like a permanently high plateau.” Three-days later, the
stock market famously crashed, leading to the Great Depression. It was a while before people listened to
Fisher’s two cents again. And it was a while before he had two cents again, as he lost his fortune in the
crash.

#5: “There will not be a woman prime minister in my time”

- Margaret Thatcher, the UK’s first female PM (1970)
Even in her political career, Thatcher was tapped as a potential United Kingdom Prime Minister – but not if
you asked her. Famous for her ballsy attitude, the Iron Lady was determined to make her views known on
the topic, saying “there will not be a woman prime minister in my lifetime – the male population is too
prejudiced.” Well, this was proven wrong in 1979 when a woman finally took office – and it was none other
than Thatcher herself. We bet she was happy to be wrong.

#4: “You will be home before the leaves fall from the trees”
- Kaiser Wilhelm II, to German soldiers in WWI (1914)
Rallying troops to boost morale is one thing. But be careful of making promises. Someone should have told
that to Kaiser Wilhelm II before he spoke to his troops in 1914. Suggesting that the First World War would
be over before the end of the autumn months, the German Emperor must have had hopes high among his
soldiers. Who could know the war would last another four years? Not the Kaiser, that’s for sure.

#3: “It is time to close the book on infectious diseases”

- William H. Stewart, Surgeon General of the U.S. (1969)
It’s with great dismay that we deny the truth of this quote. Credited to Surgeon General William H. Stewart
– though he claims never to have said it – the quote suggests that all infection had been eradicated from the
U.S. for good by the late-1960s. Of course, that’s slightly more out-there than professor Pierre Pachet’s 1872
speculation that “Louis Pasteur’s theory of germs is ridiculous fiction.” Not only are germs not endangered,
they seem to be getting stronger and resistant to antibiotics, while many infections – such as AIDS – arose in
the years since this hypothesis was made.

#2: “Democracy will be dead by 1950”

- John Langdon-Davies, British journalist (1936)
This little ditty comes from British journalist and author John Langdon-Davies. A famed war correspondent,
Langdon-Davies was prone to comment on fascism and war – but his statement about the imminent death
of democracy is one prophecy that really stands out. In his 1936 book “A Short History of the Future,” the
author states that, in a battle between dictatorships and democracies, the totalitarian regimes are going to
win – plain and simple. Of course, 1950 came and went and democracy was as strong as ever.

Before we reveal our number one prediction fail in history, here are a few honorable mentions:
- “Don’t worry, there’s no hurricane on the way!”

- Weatherman Michael Fish, hours before the Great Storm (1987)

- “In order to earn better than a ‘C,’ the idea must be feasible”

- Yale University professor, on the concept for FedEx (1960s)

- “The concept of e-commerce is baloney; no online database will replace your daily newspaper”

- Clifford Stoll, Internet early adopter (1995)

- “Drill for oil? You mean drill into the ground to try and find oil? You’re crazy”

- Workers whom Edwin Drake attempted to hire (1859)

- “The device is inherently of no value to us”

- Western Union, on the telephone (1876)

#1: “December 21st, 2012 will mark the end of the world”
- Conspiracy theorists interpreting the Mayan calendar (unknown)
Throughout history, many people have prophesized the end of the world [Harold Camping]. And, when
someone says the world will end on a specific date, people listen – especially if the source is a 5,000-year-
old Mesoamerican calendar. Said Mayan Long Count calendar suggested that a big change would befall the
Earth on December 21st, 2012. And, while some interpreted that in a positive way; glass half-empty folks
thought it spelled the end of civilization as we know it. With the date looming, people in many
Mesoamerican countries got together for festive commemorations. The apocalypse was a no-show.

Top 10 Most Famous Queens in History

Whether hapless pawns, political power players or iconic princesses, these ladies broke their royal mold.
Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 most famous queens
in history.
For this list, we looked at the female monarchs whose royal legacy continues to capture the public’s
imagination. Whether known for their brilliant leadership, or their less than brilliant demise, these are the
queens who, one way or another, defied expectations and in so doing redefined what it can mean to be a
queen.

#10: Mary, Queen of Scots

1542 - 1587
Queen of Scotland at six days old, married to a short-lived French King and with claim to the English throne,
Mary, Queen of Scots was doomed to make history. Raised in France, Mary’s rule in Scotland was plagued
by scandal. She fled to England, hoping for sanctuary, but her cousin, Elizabeth I, was wary of her intentions.
Mary was imprisoned and eventually executed. For Mary, Queen of Scots, noble birth proved more burden
than blessing.

#9: Queen Elizabeth II

1926 -
As constitutional monarch to sixteen realms of the British Commonwealth, the reign of Queen Elizabeth II is
largely ornamental. Nevertheless, Elizabeth has managed to maintain her dynasty’s popularity. And since
the tragic death of her daughter-in-law, Diana, the queen has demonstrated the surprising ability to adjust
her role to the changing expectations of her subjects. One of the longest reigning monarchs in history,
Elizabeth II proves that you can most certainly teach an old queen new tricks!

#8: Maria Theresa of Austria

1717 - 1780
The only woman to rule over the Habsburg dominions of the Holy Roman Empire, Maria Theresa defied
most expectations. With little training to rule, she strengthened her empire’s international standing by
building up military forces, improving education, and developing commercial industry within her vast
kingdom. Though her Enlightened-Absolutism was little help to some of her children, like Marie-Antoinette,
Maria Theresa was the last, but one of the most effective Habsburg monarchs in history.

#7: Catherine the Great of Russia

1729 - 1796
She rose from a low-level German princess to celebrated Russian Empress. With the successful acquisition of
new territory and her introduction of new religious and educational reforms, Catherine the Great turned
Russia from a medieval backwater into a major European player. Though much focus has been placed on
Catherine’s love life, which never actually included a horse, it is better to think of her as the great empress
who ushered Russia into the modern age.

#6: Anne Boleyn of England

1501 - 1536
A charming coquette, a six-fingered witch, an ill-fated queen – 500 years after her death, Anne Boleyn still
inspires on-going debates. As a stylish courtier, Boleyn caught the eye of Henry VIII, who divorced his first
wife and the Catholic Church just to marry her. But three years later, Anne was beheaded on charges of
incest, adultery and treason. Whether a scheming seductress or victim of nasty gossip, the mother of
Elizabeth I remains a tragic and fascinating figure.

#5: Nefertiti of Egypt

1370 - 1330 BC
Though her timeless beauty is the stuff of legend, Nefertiti’s story goes well beyond her looks. Unlike many
Egyptian queens, she was not her husband’s sister. If deepening the monarchy’s gene-pool wasn’t enough,
Nefertiti wielded more power than most Egyptian queens, ruling alongside her husband, and even
establishing a new monotheist religion within the empire. Some historians speculate that she may have also
ruled as pharaoh alone, showing that Nefertiti’s historical significance is more than just skin deep.

#4: Victoria of England

1819 - 1901
A woman of little political power, but powerful cultural influence, Queen Victoria’s reign is synonymous with
England’s imperial rise. Championing many social reforms to aid the country’s growing urban population,
Victoria was also a unifying symbol for the British Empire. But her international influence may best be
shown by the fact that her nine children married into most of the ruling monarchies of the period, making
Victoria “the Grandmother of Europe.”

#3: Marie-Antoinette of France

1755 - 1793
The symbol of aristocratic excess, Marie-Antoinette lost her head in the name of Revolution. Two hundred
years later, France’s last queen before the French Revolution is still controversial. Was she a conniving,
elitist harpy or simply a naive political pawn? Either way, her opulent life and shocking death is a key event
of the French Revolution. Though we know little about her true character, the countless stories, and
salacious intrigue surrounding her, make Marie-Antoinette a fascinating historical figure and pop-culture
icon.

#2: Elizabeth I of England

1533 - 1603
“The Virgin Queen,” “Gloriana,” or simply “Good Queen Bess,” Elizabeth I defined an era. A politically
stabilizing force, she oversaw England’s colonial expansion. Her patronage of the arts led to a plethora of
English masterpieces, including the works of Shakespeare. And though her death would mark the end of the
Tudor dynasty, Elizabeth I remains one of the most famous and celebrated monarchs in English history.

Before we unveil our pick for number one, here are a few honorable mentions:
- Catherine of Aragon

1485 - 1536

- Eleanor of Aquitaine

1122 - 1204

- Empress Theodora

500 - 548

- Hatshepsut of Egypt

1508 - 1458 BC

- Wu Zetian

624 - 705

#1: Cleopatra VII, Ptolemaic Queen of Egypt

69 - 30 BC
Her life is historic. Her death is legendary. She was a political mastermind who went from initially ruling with
her relatives to the sole pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. As Julius Caesar’s ally and “baby-mama,” she influenced
the fate of two empires. Though her romance with Marc Antony would prove deadly, it has inspired artists
and storytellers for over two millennia. One of the richest women in history, Cleopatra is bar-none the most
popular Queen to have ever lived.

Top 10 Entertainment Predictions That Turned Out to be False

Music, film and stardom are some of the most unpredictable things around. Welcome to WatchMojo.com,
and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 entertainment predictions that turned out to be
false.
For this list, we’re looking at prophecies, guesses or projections that were made in the entertainment world
and turned out to be painfully, painfully false. We’re also taking into account who supposedly made the
prediction, because if it’s someone who should’ve known better, it makes the fail that much worse.

#10: “The wireless music box has no imaginable commercial value”

- David Sarnoff’s associates, on the radio (1920s)
There is no profitable value in wooden boxes that make noise. These were essentially the words of David
Sarnoff’s associates in response to the businessman and radio and TV pioneer’s appeal to invest money into
radio. But their claim that no one would pay for a message that was sent to nobody in particular was clearly
off the mark, as radio is still going strong today – whether it’s bringing you the latest tunes, the news or
commercial jingles, which have a particular knack for getting stuck in your head. Armour Hot Dogs anyone?

#9: “The Next Spielberg”

- Newsweek, on M. Night Shyamalan (2002)
With “The Sixth Sense” and “Unbreakable” under his belt by the new millennium, director M. Night
Shyamalan was quickly being touted the next big thing. So, in anticipation of his next film, “Signs,”
Newsweek decided to go all out and hail him as the next Spielberg on one of their 2002 covers.
Unfortunately, “Signs” was just so-so and things pretty much went downhill from there… at least that’s what
the critics and many vocal movie fans have tried to make known. Cases in point: “The Village” in 2004, “The
Happening” in 2008, “The Last Airbender” in 2010… well, you get the idea.

#8: “No online database will replace your daily newspaper”

- Clifford Stoll, on the Internet (1995)
Clifford Stoll is a big name in the world of computers, credited as the guy who caught one of the earliest
computer hackers in 1986. For this reason, many believed his claim that no online database could replace
the newspaper. However, big newspapers began to have online versions in the late ‘90s. Now, almost all
printed newspapers do and it’s pretty much a necessity considering how people resort to smartphones or
their tablets for their daily fixes of news-on-the-go. Not only is it arguably more convenient for many, but
it’s also a fact of life today.

#7: “It will be gone by June”

- Variety, on Rock ‘n’ Roll (1955)
Rock ‘n’ roll threw dirt in the face of conformists and stepped on the toes of the man, so for this reason,
among others, many thought it was a short-term fad, including Variety. In early 1955, the magazine claimed
the musical genre would disappear by June – but boy, were they ever wrong. It’s over 50 years later and
rock and roll has since spawned multiple iterations of the hip-swinging, head-banging, hair-raising genre –
and it ain’t showing any signs of stopping.

#6: “Can’t sing. Can’t act. Balding. Can dance a little”

- RKO Radio Pictures Screen Test Report, on Fred Astaire (1930s)
Suit-wearing executives have free reign to be as critical as possible at screen tests. But the RKO Radio
Pictures screen test stating the soon-to-be legendary entertainer Fred Astaire couldn't sing and merely
dances a little was obviously just plain wrong. On top of that, a studio exec allegedly said his ears were too
big and he had a bad chin. Doesn’t seem like audiences noticed though. Fred Astaire went on to have a 75-
plus-year career, making over 30 movies and constantly being pitted against the beautiful Ginger Rogers.

#5: “You’d have a decent book if you’d get rid of that Gatsby character”
- Anonymous Editor, on “The Great Gatsby” (1920s)
F. Scott Fitzgerald's “The Great Gatsby” is of the most famous American novels of all time, featuring strong
social commentary throughout and driven by the mysterious title character, Jay Gatsby. However, an editor
of Fitzgerald's work suggested that he would have a decent book on his hands if he got rid of Gatsby - the
most integral character in the book! Good thing the writer didn’t take the advice – the character isn’t only
the unforgettable center of this literary classic but he’s also inspired countless people thereafter.

#4: “I’m glad it’ll be Clark Gable who’s falling on his nose, not me”
- Gary Cooper, on “Gone with the Wind” (1938)
Some movies will forever be cemented in cinema history, and “Gone with the Wind” is undoubtedly one of
them. When movie star Gary Cooper was offered a role in said movie, he turned it down. Instead, Clark
Gable starred. Cooper said the movie’d be Hollywood’s biggest flop and that he was glad Gable would take
the fall for it and not him. Tell that to the history books! Cooper wasn't the only naysayer though - an MGM
executive also wrongly claimed that “No Civil War movie ever made a nickel.” Way to stick your foot in your
mouth!

#3: “Children just aren’t interested in witches and wizards anymore”

- Anonymous Publisher, on “Harry Potter” (1996)
It can be hard to gauge what children really want, but back in the late-‘90s, J.K Rowling hit the nail on the
head with the Harry Potter book franchise. But if Rowling had listened to advisors, one of which was a
publisher that claimed witches and wizards were on the way out, she might have given up her magical
adventure too soon. The seven Potter books have gone on to inspire films, games and theme parks and earn
millions and millions of dollars, and they cast their spell on children and adults around the world.

#2: “The Beatles have no future in show business”

- Decca Records (1962)
It’s not unusual for bands to take a beating from critics. Take the Rolling Stones, whose first business
manager wanted to get rid of Mick Jagger. Even The Beatles had their fair share of negativity too – at first
anyway. Back in 1962, a Decca Records executive let down the four-piece from Liverpool band with the
statement that guitar music was through and that the Fab Four had no future in music! No real need to go
into how wrong that was… this is the Beatles we are talking about, the most popular band ever - come on!
We mean, Come Together, whatever.

Before we reveal our top pick, here are a few (dis) honorable mentions:
- “The subscription model of buying music is bankrupt.”

- Steve Jobs, on online subscription-based music (2003)

- “You ain’t goin’ nowhere, son. You ought to go back to driving a truck.”

- Jim Denny, on Elvis Presley (1954)

- “You better get secretarial work or get married.”

- Emmeline Snively, on Marilyn Monroe (1944)

- “Taking the best left-handed pitcher in baseball and converting him into a right fielder is one of the
dumbest things I ever heard.”

- Tris Speaker, on Babe Ruth (1919)

#1: “Who the hell wants to hear the actors talk?”

- Harry Warner, on talking pictures (Mid-1920s)
Cinema has taken quite a few cynical hits over the years. Charlie Chaplin called it “canned drama.” But the
quote that sticks in our heads most is this comment from H.M. Warner – yes, one of the founders of Warner
Brothers. He thought being able to hear the actors in a movie was absurd – and then, the talkies exploded
with popularity. Seriously, do you really think silent films would have lasted this long? Not a chance.

Top 10 Technology Predictions That Turned Out to be False

You could not be more wrong… Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for
the top 10 tech predictions that turned out to be false.

For this list, we’re looking at prophecies, guesses or projections that were made in the tech world, that
turned out to be painfully, painfully false. We’re also taking into account who supposedly made the
prediction, because if it’s someone who should’ve known better, it makes the fail that much worse.
#10: “Machine guns will make war impossible”
- Hiram Maxim, inventor of Maxim gun (1893)
Whether they’re pitching a new kitchen utensil or a weapon for the military, inventors will always promote
their new-fangled gadgets as the be all and end all. Take Hiram Maxim, for example. After inventing the first
automatic machine gun, he was supposedly asked by British doctor and writer Havelock Ellis whether he
thought his Maxim gun would make war more terrible. Maxim replied by saying machine guns would not
only make war less terrible; they would make it impossible. He has unfortunately been proven false on
multiple occasions.

#9: “Television won’t last; it’s a flash in the pan”

- Mary Somerville, radio pioneer (1948)
It’s natural for people to defend their stream of income and success, and that is what BBC radio broadcaster
Mary Somerville did in 1948 when she called the up-and-coming medium of television a “flash in the pan,”
claiming it’d never last. By the 1950s, TV was the dominant form of telecommunication; it shaped public
attitudes and has since become one of the biggest types of in-house entertainment, with an average of 44
million sold in North America each year. As opposed to radio sales, which were… significantly less.

#8: “The iPhone won’t get any significant market share”

- Steve Ballmer, former CEO of Microsoft (2007)
Who knows what motivated business mogul Alan Sugar to famously say the iPod would be “dead, finished,
gone, kaput” by Christmas 2005. Needless to say, he was wrong. So you’d think others would learn from his
mistake, and not make such predictions when a piece of hardware like the iPhone went on sale in mid-2007.
However, former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said: “There's no chance that the iPhone is going to get any
significant market share. No chance.” 51-million units sold in Q4 of 2013 sounds pretty significant to us.

#7: “There will never be a bigger plane built”

- Boeing engineer, after 247’s first flight (1933)
A hunk of metal that soars through the air and across coastlines? Surely only a small aircraft can pull that
off. At least, that was the conclusion a Boeing engineer came to after the first flight of the Boeing Model 247
in 1933. Touted as the first truly modern airliner, the 247 held just 10 people. Since then, aviation has
evolved massively, thanks to the contributions of people like Howard Hughes. Currently, the biggest
passenger airliner is the Airbus A380, which can house over 850 people.

#6: “Y2K will bring the end of the world”

- Various (prior to 2000)
There are plenty of people who think computers will cause the fall of humanity. But at the very least, the
idea of the Millennium bug was put to rest the minute the clock struck 12:00 on January 1st, 2000. As early
as the mid-‘80s, theorists and experts were suggesting that the year 2000 was judgment day – at least
where machines were concerned. That’s when computers would go haywire because their systems couldn’t
handle a switch from ’99 to double-zero. A much-hyped countdown to D-day followed, until the ball
dropped and nothing happened.

#5: “A rocket will never leave the Earth’s atmosphere”

- The New York Times (1936)
The idea of exploring the mysterious abyss that lay beyond planet Earth was still considered by many to be
impossible, even in the early 20th century. The New York Times, even then a reputable source of news, was
one publication that said point blank in 1936 that “a rocket will never leave the Earth’s atmosphere.” That
was proven false just over two decades later when the Russians launched Sputnik. And then, of course, the
Americans put a man on the moon in 1969, blasting that theory to bits.

#4: “X-rays will prove to be a hoax”

- William Thomson, The Lord Kelvin (c. 1896)
Many things in the tech world turn out to be hoaxes; but X-rays – like the ability to conduct heart and brain
surgery – weren’t one of them. At their inception, X-rays were said to be quite dangerous; but, when used
correctly, quite unbelievable when it came to medical advancements. But, mathematical physicist and
engineer William Thomson wasn’t convinced, and flat-out announced his belief that they were a hoax.
However, shortly after, X-ray inventor Wilhelm Röntgen was able to convince The Lord Kelvin of their
veracity, and the rest is history.

#3: “The automobile is only a novelty – a fad”

- the president of the Michigan Savings Bank (1903)
Okay, pilot Eddie Rickenbacker’s prediction of flying cars by 1944 was way off the mark. But, arguably a
more realistic automotive prediction was made in 1883 by Ford stockholder Horace Rackham, when he
refused to believe the president of the Michigan Savings Bank when he said “The horse is here to stay, but
the automobile is only a novelty – a fad.” Rackham bought 50 shares in the fledgling company, and
ultimately became a millionaire when the Ford Motor Company became wildly successful. Talk about
unsound financial advice.

#2: “640KB ought to be enough [PC memory] for anybody”

- Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft (early 1970s) Tech guru Bill Gates has never been shy to voice his
opinion, but this quote takes the cake. “No one will need more than 637KB of memory for a personal
computer. 640KB ought to be enough for anybody,” he allegedly said, which – considering things have
expanded from kilobytes to megabytes, gigabytes and terabytes – is a huge gaffe. Thing is: Gates has
repeatedly denied making the statement. Of course, Digital Equipment Corporation co-founder Ken Olsen
said in 1977 that “There is no reason for any individual to have a computer in his home,” so it coulda been
worse.

Before we reveal our number one prediction fail in the technology world, here are a few honorable
mentions:
- “Remote shopping, while entirely feasible, will flop – because women like to get out of the house, like to
handle merchandise”
- Time Magazine (1966)
- “Rail travel at high speed is not possible because passengers, unable to breathe, would die of asphyxia”
- Dionysius Lardner, scientific writer (c. 1820s)
- “As far as it is possible to do so, [The Titanic is] designed to be unsinkable”
- White Star Line promotional material (1910)

#1: “Everything that can be invented has been invented”

- Charles H. Duell, Commissioner of U.S. patent office (1899)
Imagine a world without TV, cell phones, microwaves and more. That’s the world Charles H. Duell
supposedly predicted in 1899 when he said “everything that can be invented has been invented.” At the
time, he was the commissioner of the U.S. patent office, so he’d know. However, like the Bill Gates quote,
this one has also been declared a myth, at least when it comes to who said it. Regardless of who spoke this
infamous quote, we hope it makes future skeptics think twice before making such a bold statement.

Top 10 Notable Revolutions

There’s an old maxim that says: “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” These people set out to do
just that. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 notable
revolutions throughout world history.

For this list, we picked the uprisings and conflicts that have left the biggest imprint in the world and
ultimately left the pages of history forever changed.

#10: The Arab Spring

(2010 -)
The end of 2010 saw the spurning of the collective democratic imagination of entire nations, which started
in Tunisia and spread across the Arab World. This soon led to numerous revolts and the ousting of leaders,
including Tunisian President Ben Ali, Egyptian President Mubarak, and Libyan leader Gaddafi, who was also
killed in the Libyan civil war. Social media was used as a mobilization tool in the beginning stages of the
revolution. However, in some countries like Egypt, the government attempted internet censorship.
Meanwhile, military groups began organizing themselves so they could also get involved.
#9: The Taiping Rebellion
(1850 – 1864)
This rebellion came in the midst of several anti-Qing demonstrations that helped lead to the eventual
collapse of the foreign Manchu government that had held power since 1644. This religious-minded
movement was based on the belief that its leader, Hong Xiuquan, was the younger brother of Jesus Christ.
Transforming into a full-blown civil war and necessitating a 1 million-plus strong imperial army, the failed
rebellion left an estimated 20 million people dead by its end.

#8: The Chinese Communist Revolution

(1946 – 1950)
The slow demise of China’s post-dynastic period came from the long struggle of the Chinese Communist
Party. After intense periods of hiding in the mountains, the CPC eventually gained a leader in Mao Zedong
and overthrew the Chinese Nationalists in armed struggle. Prior to this, the Nationalists had to fight both
the CPC and an invading Japanese force during World War II. However, it was the 1949 Revolution that
ultimately led to the formation of the People’s Republic of China.

#7: The Young Turk Revolution

(1908)
This group of young reformists pushed for change with respect to the absolute power of the Ottoman
monarch who had complete control of the country at the turn of the 20th century. The Young Turks pushed
for constitutional institutions and shifted their views to accommodate Islam as the major religion. They also
changed authoritarian ideologies to apply them to what they saw as the greatest problems holding back
what would later become the Republic of Turkey.

#6: The Haitian Revolution

(1791 – 1804)
One of the few revolts won by slaves, the Haitian Revolution was born out of the island’s intricate class
system, and it propelled the black people of Haiti to freedom. Commander Toussaint L’Ouverture recruited
slaves to fight against their oppressors, which gradually resulted in a newly formed state. His successor Jean-
Jacques Dessalines later ordered a mass white genocide that set the island on the path to becoming Latin
America’s first independent nation. However, it also increased racial tensions for generations to come.

#5: The Iranian Revolution

(1978 – 1979)
One of the most well known religious reformative movements, this groundbreaking revolt overthrew the
influence of the pro-West Shah of Iran and implemented a religion-based state spearheaded by the Grand
Ayatollah Khomeini. Citing Western influence as Satanic, a thorough cultural shift was established within the
country, which made Islam the driving and thriving pulse it remains to this day.

#4: The Cuban Revolution

(1953 – 1959)
Thanks to Fidel Castro, his younger brother Raul and Che Guevara, Cuba was liberated from U.S.-backed
dictator Fulgencio Batista. Utilizing guerilla tactics while hiding in the lush Cuban jungles and mountains, and
motivated by their hatred of perceived American imperialism, the 26th of July Movement permitted Castro
to transform the island into a socialist-and-later-communist state. This revolution also encapsulated
numerous future events that sparked worldwide fears, including the Bay of Pigs, the spread of Communism
in Latin America and the Cuban Missile Crisis.

#3: The October Revolution

(1917)
On the heels of a toppled Tsarist aristocracy, the Russian provisional government had power – that is, until
the uprising of the Bolsheviks led by Vladimir Lenin. With a majority win within Soviet circles, the Bolsheviks
then proceeded to obtain government buildings through armed insurrection. Despite their declaration of
the Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic, the Russian Civil War broke out. Though allied World War I
forces attempted to aid the anti-Bolshevik fighters against Lenin’s Red Army, the war ultimately cleared the
path for the creation of the Soviet Union.
#2: The American Revolution
(1765 – 1783)
With the help of the French and the Spanish, the Thirteen American colonies liberated themselves from
their British overlords with armed struggle and guerilla warfare. With famous incidents like the Boston Tea
Party revolt and the attempted seizure of Quebec to rally Canadian support, this long war was eventually
won to thanks to numerous factors, an important one being knowledge of the terrain. Following the Treaty
of Paris in 1783, the United States of America was born.

Before we reveal our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- Israeli-Palestinian Conflict [First and Second Intifada, etc.]
(1947 -)
- The Glorious Revolution
(1688 – 1689)
- The American Civil War
(1861 – 1865)

#1: The French Revolution

(1789 – 1799)
With France’s inclusion in many previous wars, the time was ripe for a revolution during the late 18th
century. Thanks to financial trouble and a rigorous class system, the French eventually revolted against the
monarchy in a rebellion that brought much bloodshed, including the storming of the Bastille. The result was
a democratic republic and the beheading of King Louis XVI, which set the stage for the rise of one of the
world’s most famous conquerors: Napoleon Bonaparte.

Top 10 Influential Religious Figures

Religion has played a crucial role in both the everyday lives of individuals and the history of the world.
Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 influential religious
figures.

For this list, we’re focusing on people who had a profound impact on religion or religious followers, either as
founder, inspiration or influential follower. However, we’ve excluded those figures who are more known as
philosophers rather than religious leaders.

#10: Joseph Smith, Jr.

(1805 - 1844)
This 19th century American religious leader founded the Latter Day Saints movement, whose most famous
followers are the Mormons. In 1830, Smith published the Book of Mormon, a translation of a set of golden
plates he was said to’ve been shown by an angel, which detailed an ancient Judeo-Christian civilization in
America that was visited by Jesus after his resurrection. Thanks to Smith’s teachings, the various churches of
the LDS movement have over 15 million followers today.

#9: Dalai Lama Gendun Drup

(1391 - 1474)
Gendun Drup was the first of the Dalai Lamas, a line of holy Buddhist men believed to be a reincarnation of
the bodhisattva of compassion. Though they began as mystical leaders, many of the Dalai Lamas have also
been considered the heads of the Tibetan government. Gendun Drup himself was a highly regarded monk
whose meditations revealed visions from a female guardian spirit. These visions established the lineage of
the Dalai Lamas. Drup and the subsequent incarnations have influenced Buddhist thought for centuries.

#8: Saint Peter

(? – c. 64)
One of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ, St. Peter is the rock upon which the Christian church was built
and is considered the first Pope of the Roman Catholic Church. St. Peter and all subsequent Popes have
wielded enormous power and authority over all aspects of the Catholic Church. Whether initiating crusades
to reclaim land or, as Pope John XXIII famously did, instituting the landmark Vatican II reforms, the heirs of
St. Peter have profoundly affected the lives of billions of all faiths.

#7: Zoroaster
(between 18th – 6th centuries BC)
Though it’s unclear when exactly this ancient Persian prophet lived, what’s more evident is that the concept
of monotheism may’ve had its origins with Zoroaster. His teachings emphasized both free will and the
importance of good deeds in life, and these ideas influenced Judeo-Christian and Vedic Hindu religions, as
well as some Greek philosophers. For a millennium, Zoroastrianism was one of the world’s most powerful
religions, though today it has split into two groups, the Parsis and Iranis, which are culturally and
linguistically distinct from one another

#6: Martin Luther

(1483 - 1546)
Martin Luther is the seminal figure behind the Protestant Reformation of the 16th Century and thus laid the
groundwork for what became today’s Protestant churches. Originally a Catholic monk, Luther rebelled
against what he saw as corruption and immorality among Catholic Church leaders for their practice of selling
indulgences. His famous 95 Theses were a call to action, which set the stage for the eventual reformations
within the Catholic Church, and his translation of the Bible into colloquial speech made it accessible to the
masses.

#5: Krishna
(c. 3228 BC - 3102 BC)
In Hinduism, Krishna is regarded as the eight incarnation of the god Vishnu; his story encompasses
centuries, but part of it involves time spent as a flute-playing youth and a human prince. Vishnu’s story
includes many exciting adventures, but his teachings had a significant impact on the development of
Hinduism through his role in the epic poem the Mahabharata and his well-known message the Bhagavad
Gita. Followers of Vishnu also have influenced Buddhism, Jainism, and Ahmadiyya Islam, among other
religions, thus affecting billions of followers worldwide.

#4: Moses
(c. 1391 BC - c. 1271 BC)
While the Biblical figure Abraham established the first covenant between God and what became the Jewish
people, the later figure of Moses is arguably of even greater significance to Judaism for his role in liberating
the Jewish slaves and leading them to the Promised Land. The author of the Torah, Moses is also a major
figure in Islam and Christianity. The Ten Commandments, which Moses brought to the people from God, is
the basis of western religious belief and has heavily shaped western political thought as well.

#3: Siddhārtha Gautama [aka Buddha]

(c. 563 BC - c. 483 BC)
Siddhārtha Gautama was a prince sheltered from life’s problems, who lived for sensual pleasures and luxury.
But after discovering the poverty that afflicted his subjects, the prince underwent a transformation,
eventually meditating for 49 days until he achieved a state of elevated awareness. This led him to discover
the Four Noble Truths, which form the basis of what became Buddhism and – if followed – can lead to peace
of mind, or Nirvana. Gautama also promoted the Middle Way, which is a happy median between living to
excess and total abstinence.

#2: Muhammad
(c. 570 - 632)
Considered the last prophet of God by the Muslims, Muhammad was said to have received revelations from
God through the angel Gabriel. He shared these revelations in the form of the Qur’an, a sacred text of the
Islamic religion that preaches monotheism as a central theme. As a military leader as well as religious figure,
Muhammad unified and changed the shape of the Arab world during his lifetime and has made a lasting
contribution to the religious lives of billions through the ages.

Before we reveal our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- King David (c. 1040 BC - c. 970 BC)
- Mother Teresa (1910 - 1997)
- Desmond Tutu (1931-)

#1: Jesus
(7-2 BC - 30-33 AD)
Jesus of Nazareth is considered the Son of God by Christians and an important prophet by the Islamic and
Baha’i faith. And today, Christianity is considered the world’s largest religion, with some 2 billion followers.
Though he only had a few years with which to preach his gospel of kindness, compassion and mercy before
he was betrayed, arrested and crucified, his teachings have profoundly affected religious, political and moral
thought over the past two millennia – and are sure to have a considerable continued impact in the future.

Top 10 Influential Figures in Science and Technology

Baking soda volcanoes and potato batteries are a good introduction to science; these people took it a little
further. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 influential
scientists.

For this list, we’re focusing on people who had a lasting or significant influence on both science and daily
life.

#10: Charles Darwin

(1809 - 1882)
Charles Darwin’s 1859 book, “On the Origin of Species,” created a sensation that still reverberates
throughout the world. Darwin’s theory of evolution outraged many religious leaders and challenged
assumptions about the world, but its principles are now accepted as fact and borne out by scientific inquiry.
Modern evolutionary theory has itself evolved, but its roots are clearly recognizable in Darwin’s brilliant
theory.

#9: The Wright Brothers

(Orville: 1871 - 1948; Wilbur: 1867 - 1912)
While there may be other aviation pioneers who also deserve recognition, Orville and Wilbur Wright are
generally hailed as the first to successfully create a manned flying machine. This accomplishment made
possible the development of the entire aviation industry. The world was made smaller by the airplane, as
people and goods could travel great distances in a short amount of time. World economy, tourism and the
defense industry were never the same.

#8: Marie Curie

(1867 - 1934)
The word “radioactivity” was conceived by Marie Curie, and her work in that field is what she is chiefly
remembered for, as she created the theory of radioactivity and developed techniques for isolating
radioactive isotopes. The first woman awarded a Nobel Prize – which she won for both physics and
chemistry – Curie also discovered the elements polonium and radium and helped develop the x-ray.

#7: Nikola Tesla

(1856 - 1943)
Thomas Edison gets all the glory for his work in electricity, and while he was a good scientist, Nikola Tesla
was even more important. Tesla’s groundbreaking work led to the alternating current electric power
system, which was crucial in industrial development. A man of many interests, Tesla also made significant
contributions to the field of robotics, nuclear physics, ballistics, electromechanical engineering, radar, radio,
theoretical physics and computer science. The man definitely got around.

#6: Leonardo da Vinci

(1452 - 1519)
Although more celebrated as an artist, Leonardo da Vinci also had an astounding scientific mind. For
example, his “Vitruvian Man” drawing is an example of ideal human proportions. Da Vinci also made
numerous designs, few of which were realized, for such items as flying machines, tanks, calculators and
plant studies. He even created an early basic theory of what is now called plate tectonics. Who knows how
science would have been altered if more of his scientific work had been published during his lifetime?

#5: Archimedes
(287 - 212 BC)
The greatest mathematician of ancient times, and one of the greatest of all time, Archimedes was also a
physicist, inventor, astronomer and engineer. He created the principle by which the volume of an irregularly
shaped object can be determined, which has had enormous influence down through the ages. Some of his
designs have been disproved – including one which outlined a way to set a ship on fire using mirrors; but
much of his work stands the test of time.

#4: Johannes Gutenberg

(1395 - 1468)
Many of the scientists on this list spent their lives devoted to scientific exploration; Johannes Gutenberg is
here because of one major invention. Gutenberg came up with the concept of mechanical movable type
printing, which, in one fell swoop, altered the world of printing – and with it the dissemination of
information. Mass production of printed material suddenly became a reality, and remained the biggest
advance in communications until mass media and the Internet.

#3: Isaac Newton

(1642 - 1727)
The story of an apple hitting Sir Isaac Newton on the head and the scientist all of sudden discovering the law
of gravity is oversimplified – but hey, it’s a good story. Newton’s accomplishments include the “Principia,”
which many consider the most influential book in scientific history and which laid out the famous three laws
of motion. Modern physics and engineering owe him a huge debt of gratitude.

#2: Aristotle
(384 - 322 BC)
Famous Greek philosopher Aristotle is equally renowned as a scientist; indeed, many consider him history’s
first genuine scientist. Geology, biology, physics, medicine, psychology and meteorology were among his
passions. Although many of his conclusions do not stand up to modern science, his efforts laid important
groundwork that influenced scientific belief through the Renaissance and into the Enlightenment. Modern
science would not be where it is today without his early contributions.

Before we reveal our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- Alan Turing (1912 - 1954)
- Galileo Galilei (1564 - 1642)
- Max Planck (1858 - 1947)
- Louis Pasteur (1822 - 1895)
- Enrico Fermi (1901 - 1954)

#1: Albert Einstein

(1879 - 1955)
With his rumpled clothes and wacked out hair, Albert Einstein may be the most lovable scientist on our list –
but he’s number one because of his accomplishments. His theory of relativity revolutionized the field of
physics, and his discovery of the photoelectric effect led to what we now know as quantum theory.
Practically everyone knows Einstein’s famous “E=mc2” even if we can’t really explain it; we just know that it
changed the world we live in.

Top 10 Philosophers

What does it all mean? These guys had an idea. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting
down our picks for top 10 philosophers.
For this list, we looked for historically significant thinkers whose philosophies directly affected the societies
in which they lived, and whose intellectual approaches, ideas, and/or principles remain relevant to
contemporary civilizations.

#10: David Hume

(1711 - 1776)
Scottish philosopher and historian Hume is considered to be the leading neo-skeptic of the early modern
period. “Any hypothesis,” he states, “that pretends to discover the ultimate original qualities of human
nature ought at first to be rejected as presumptuous and chimeral.” He also postulated that human
behavior is ruled by passion rather than reason, and encouraged a system of free will. Interested in the
exploration of what we know and what we can know, his philosophy established the foundation of studies in
cognitive science.

#9: Jean-Paul Sartre

(1905 - 1980)
Synonymous with existential philosophy, Sartre claimed “To be human is to be conscious. It is to be free to
imagine, free to choose, and to be responsible for one’s lot in life.” If we perceive something, then we must
be conscious of perceiving it, he argued. These views heavily informed Sartre’s seminal work “Being and
Nothingness,” as well as his own life as an artist, public figure and activist and are an essential contribution
to post-modern thought of the late twentieth-century.

#8: John Locke

(1632 - 1704)
A British philosopher in the late 1600s, Locke proposed that the mind was a blank slate – or tabula rasa – at
birth. He also called for man’s right to “Life, Liberty and Estate.” Natural law, he argued, dictates that these
rights are essential, and it is the government’s duty to protect them at all costs. Locke’s “Essay Concerning
Human Nature” and his “Two Treatises of Government” were inspirational to other Enlightenment thinkers
and a driving ideological force behind both the French and American Revolutions.

#7: Jean-Jacques Rousseau

(1712 - 1778)
Author of “The Social Contract,” Rousseau’s political theories are essential to the understanding of modern-
day democracy. Basing his ideas on an anthropological study of human nature, Rousseau concluded that
“man is born free but everywhere he is in chains.” To solve this paradox, Rousseau outlines an idealized
political structure, citing the duties of citizens to the state, and in turn, the state’s obligation to protect the
citizen’s inherent right to freedom.

#6: Socrates
(c. 469 - 399 BC)
Declaring that “The unexamined life is not worth living,” Socrates’ philosophy focused on justice and virtue.
This study took form through a dialectic strategy of contemplating certain questions to reveal universal
truths; a process now known as the Socratic Method. But perhaps his most enduring statement was “I know
that I know nothing.” Highly critical of the ruling elite in Athens, Socrates was sentenced to death for
impiety and corrupting the youth, becoming a martyr to the love of knowledge and the legendary father of
Western philosophy.

#5: Confucius
(551 - 479 BC)
Also known as K’ung Ch’iu, Confucius searched for remedies to the social and political chaos of his time. He
believed in the restoration and maintenance of traditional Chinese values to re-establish an ethical society.
This philosophy was built on the principles of loving others, self-discipline and self-restraint, and an early
precursor of the Golden Rule. Though he never saw the fulfilment of these ideals within his lifetime,
Confucianism continues to have a meaningful impact on cultural practices in many parts of East Asia.

#4: René Descartes

(1596 - 1650)
Deemed “Founder of the modern age,” Descartes saw the whole of philosophy as an intricate web,
anchored in metaphysics and physics with practical applications in others sciences and ethics. Integral to
Descartes ideas was Cartesian Dualism. “I think therefore I am,” he explained, noting that one’s existence is
housed in the mind, completely separate from the body. A champion of rationalism and empirical study,
Descartes provided the foundations of modern scientific methodology and thought.

#3: Friedrich Nietzsche

(1844 - 1900)
German philosopher and cultural critic, Nietzsche highlighted “the death of God,” predicting an end to
traditional modes of philosophy and religion, and the ushering-in of an era of nihilism. Though Nietzsche
rejected the notion of universal constants or “truth,” it is hotly debated as to whether or not Nietzsche was
nihilistic or working towards overcoming nihilism. A prolific thinker whose life was cut short by illness, his
ideas continue to ignite controversy and inspire debate.

#2: Plato
(c. 427 - c. 347 BC)
Believing that truth was best pursued through rational inquiry, Plato conceptualized two realms – one of
idealized versions of all things, which he called forms, and our physical world where imperfect versions of
these forms exist – as illustrated by his “Allegory of the Cave.” Plato’s “Republic” best outlines these ideas,
applying them to the conceptualization of an ideal society. Though his work veers toward the abstract,
Plato’s writing is an essential contribution to the annals of western philosophy, inspiring thinkers for the
past two and a half millennia.

Before we unveil our number one pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- Immanuel Kant (1724 - 1804)
- Baruch Spinoza (1632 - 1677)
- Thomas Hobbes (1588 - 1679)
- Niccolò Machiavelli (1469 - 1527)
- Michel Foucault (1926 - 1984)
- Thomas Aquinas (1225 - 1274)
- Karl Marx (1818 - 1883)

#1: Aristotle
(384 - 322 BC)
Famed tutor of Alexander the Great, Aristotle’s works cover everything from physics to theatre. A student of
Plato’s Academy, Aristotle diverged from his predecessors’ rationalist pursuits by embarking on empirical
study of the natural world. This focus led him to conclude that no metaphysical notion of form exists
without evidence of real substance. A quintessential characteristic of Aristotelian thought, this idea would
have far reaching influence on the development of Western philosophy, theology and science, as did his
principles of causality and the golden mean.

Top 10 Conquerors

Everybody wants to rule the world. These guys pretty much did. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today
we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 conquerors.

For this list, we’ve chosen those world conquerors who historically excelled in military planning and
strategy, leadership and mobilization of troops, and whose empires at their peak and speed of expansion
eclipsed those of their contemporaries.

#10: Hernán Cortés

(1485 - 1547)
Hernán Cortés is the man who defeated the mighty Aztec Empire and laid the groundwork for Spanish
control of most of Latin America. Many revile him for this, and for helping to introduce diseases that
decimated the indigenous population of America; however, it must be admitted that Cortés was a brilliant
strategist. His men were vastly outnumbered, but he took advantage of internal conflicts among the Aztecs
to turn one side against the other, assuring his own success.
#9: Charlemagne
(c. 742 - 814)
Known as “The Father of Europe,” Charlemagne united most of Western Europe for the first time in some
300 years, expanding his power base to include parts of western Germany, Spain, France and more. He also
forcefully promoted Christianity, slaughtering many who refused to convert – including 4,500 Saxons at one
time in what became known as the Massacre of Verden. In his Carolingian Empire, Charlemagne ruled over a
population estimated as high as 20,000,000 people – a phenomenal number at the time.

#8: Julius Caesar

(100 - 44 BC)
“[He] came. [He] saw. [He] conquered.” That pretty much sums up Julius Caesar: a man with immense
confidence, intense desire and a steely determination to get what he wanted. By conquering Gaul, Caesar
extended the Roman Empire to the English Channel and paved the way for the invasion of Britain. By
conquering Egypt, he also conquered its queen, Cleopatra. But strong men make strong enemies, and Julius
Caesar was famously assassinated on March 15, the infamous “Ides of March.”

#7: Adolf Hitler

(1889 - 1945)
Possibly the most hated man in modern history, Adolf Hitler was single-minded in his determination to
extend his Third Reich; before his defeat, the Nazis controlled almost 2.5 million square-miles, including
most of Europe and northern Africa. For a while, Hitler appeared unstoppable; fortunately, the combined
might of the Allied forces, along with some surprising strategic errors by Hitler, eventually sealed his fate –
but not before he saw to the mass murders of millions of Jews and other groups.

#6: Tamerlane
(1336 - 1405)
Tamerlane, a Turko-Mongol ruler, went from robbing travelers as a child to conquering much of West, South
and Central Asia as the self-appointed heir of Genghis Khan. Tamerlane was an unparalleled tactician, often
planning his campaigns years in advance and using information warfare to spread tales of his armies’ size
and brutality. His conquests resulted in the deaths of possibly 17,000,000 people – 5% of the population of
the entire world at the time. Not a guy to mess around with.

#5: Napoleon Bonaparte

(1769 - 1821)
Napoleon Bonaparte is more famous nowadays for being short and for posing with his hand inside his shirt
than for his military conquests. But his Napoleonic Wars put France in charge of central Europe; he also
instituted many important reforms, including increased religious tolerance. And his Napoleonic Code had
significant influence on civil legislation down through the ages. By the way, Napoleon wasn’t really short; he
was 5’6”, which was about average for the time.

#4: Attila the Hun

(? - 453)
Attila the Hun came by his other nickname, “The Scourge of God,” legitimately. The man seemed to love
nothing better than slaughtering anyone who got in his way. After conquering Germany and Austria, he took
over the eastern Roman Empire. Reviled as a barbarian, many scholars believe he was an intuitive strategist,
who destroyed entire towns and tortured and mercilessly killed his victims. But, according to legend, Attila
died on his wedding night – choking to death on his own blood. Karma’s a bitch.

#3: Cyrus the Great

(c. 600 - 530 BC)
The earliest leader on our list, Cyrus the Great created an empire that at its height was the largest in the
world up to that time. Known as the Achaemenid Empire, it covered more than 3,000,000 square miles and
stretched from the Mediterranean Sea to the Indus River. Cyrus also created what has come to be known as
the Cyrus Cylinder, generally considered to be the earliest declaration of human rights yet discovered.

#2: Genghis Khan

(1162 - 1227)
In terms of size of empire, nobody beats Genghis Khan: his Mongol Empire eventually encompassed almost
13 million square miles. Genghis started by uniting the Mongol tribes – no small feat – and then started a
tidal wave of invasions that took over almost all of Eurasia. Almost 1,750,000 citizens of the city of Nishapur
are said to have been killed at his command, but the Great Khan’s control of the Silk Road also opened up
relationships between the East and the West.

Before we crown our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- Pharaoh Thutmose III (1481 - 1425 BC)
- Ramesses II (c. 1303 - 1213 BC)
- Hannibal Barca (247 - c. 181 BC)
- Francisco Pizarro (c. 1471 - 1541)
- William the Conqueror (c. 1028 - 1087)

#1: Alexander the Great

(356 - 323 BC)
The Macedonian prince now known as Alexander the Great got his feet wet by conquering Greece and then
went on to take over Asia Minor. Eventually, he conquered all the lands from Greece through India – more
than 2,000,000 square miles. Alexander is credited with solving the ancient riddle of how to undo the
Gordian knot – he simply cut it with his sword. A myth said whoever solved the riddle would rule the world.
Some myths turn out to be true.

Top 10 Inventions

These ideas changed the world. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for
the top 10 inventions of all time.

#10: Paper
One of the Chinese people’s Four Great Inventions, paper was invented and developed in the 2nd-century-
BC by the Han Dynasty. The idea eventually traveled to Europe, where papermills began manufacturing the
product on a larger scale. Without paper, the printing press would never have been invented, and our world
would be very different: we would not have maps, paper currency, or books to disperse information – its
impact is truly endless.

#9: The Compass

Before the compass, sailors depended on landmarks or even the stars to navigate their ships. But once the
Chinese began using lodestones and magnetism to find their bearings between the 9th and 11th centuries,
it quickly spread to the Arab world and Europe. This not only made circumnavigation of the globe easier, it
also made it safer, which kicked off the Age of Discovery.

#8: Refrigeration
Though ice was used since prehistoric times to prevent food from spoiling and developing bacteria, the
concept of refrigeration was only developed in earnest starting in the mid-1700s. The process was then
refined and improved, changing the way the food industry transports and stores food. The implications of
this discovery are far-reaching; as it transformed the way we eat and live.

#7: The Printing Press

Though Johannes Gutenberg is credited with this invention, he actually perfected and popularized existing
technology. By combining the Chinese principle of movable type with European press systems already in use
for winemaking, Gutenberg created that printed text on a wide scale, which in turn lowered the price of
books and helped spread information and knowledge to the masses, spurring the Reformation, the
Renaissance and the Scientific Revolution.

#6: Plumbing
The landscape of major cities would be drastically different without this innovation – after all, how would a
high-rise exist without modern plumbing? Evolving from holes in the ground, to chamber pots, to outhouses
and eventually to flush toilets as early as the 31st-26th centuries BC, the development of plumbing
improved living conditions for millions of people across the globe and lengthened our lifespans.

#5: Medicine
Many medicines and vaccinations have extended and changed our lives significantly. Discovered by accident
by Alexander Fleming, penicillin was the first group of drugs that fought illnesses like syphilis and strep
infections. On the other side of the spectrum, since they were introduced to the public in the 1960s
contraceptives such as the birth control pill helped level out the global population and launched a revolution
in social change.

#4: Engines
These engines got industry and the population moving. Instead of relying on horses as transportation,
people traveled across the countryside via Thomas Newcomen’s steam engine as of 1712, which was
improved upon by James Watt later that century, quickly becoming the backbone of society and sparking
the Industrial Revolution. Internal combustion ultimately replaced steam and ushered in the Second
Industrial Revolution, and allowed individuals to affordably travel great distances.

#3: The Wheel

Though it’s still unclear which civilization was first to invent this simple machine in the 4th-century BC, it’s
obvious that it’s been one of the world’s most vital innovations. The transportation, commerce and travel
industries wouldn’t be the same without it, and today the wheel can be found in every aspect of our daily
lives, from water wheels, gears, motors and engines, to more fun applications.

#2: Communications
Several inventions changed global communications forever: Samuel Morse brought us the electric telegraph
in 1836, Alexander Graham Bell’s telephone was the first to be awarded a patent to transmit voices in 1876,
Guglielmo Marconi and Nikola Tesla developed radio in the late-19th-century, moving pictures first came
across John Logie Baird’s television in 1925, Konrad Zuse developed the first computer in the early-‘40s, and
Tim Berners-Lee proposed the World-Wide-Web in the late-‘80s – and all made the world a bit smaller.

Before we unveil our number one pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- The Cotton Gin
- Gun powder
- Optical Lenses
- Camera

#1: Electricity
Not only did sleep patterns change drastically with the introduction of electricity, so did work habits. From
Ben Franklin, to Nikola Tesla, to Michael Faraday to Thomas Edison, many innovators made important
contributions to this modernization, which brought light and power to the masses. However, electricity only
became a necessity and standard to everyday life in the mid-20th century; before that it was enjoyed mainly
in big cities.

Top 10 Communist Leaders

These were the faces of a new political order. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down
our picks for the top 10 communist leaders.

For this list, we looked for political revolutionaries and communist leaders who had a major impact on the
emergence and growth of Communist states throughout the world, in the twentieth century.

#10: Che Guevara

(1928-67)
This iconic guerilla revolutionary died for his Marxist ideals. Born in Argentina, Guevara trained as a doctor
but turned to social activism after witnessing the brutal living conditions of poor Latin Americans. A political
activist in Argentina and Bolivia, Che turned to military action, fighting alongside Fidel Castro in Cuba. As an
advisor to Castro’s guerilla army, Che was essential in the establishment of the West’s first communist state.

#9: Nikita Khrushchev

(1894-1971)
After making a splash by denouncing his predecessor, Joseph Stalin, upon gaining power, Khrushchev
worked to improve his population’s quality of life, allowing for greater levels of cultural and intellectual
freedom. Despite having brought the world to a stand-still during the Cuban Missile Crisis, Khrushchev
travelled throughout the world, promoting a policy of co-existence between East and West; a policy that
provided a brief “thaw” during the Cold War.

#8: Ho Chi Minh

(1890-1969)
As North Vietnamese President and leader of the country’s Communist Party, Ho fought against French
colonial rule and led his people in bloody war with the Americans. After being raised as a Confucian and
traveling the world in his youth, Ho embraced socialist ideology as a tool for change. Utilizing communist
ideals to embolden a national revolution, Ho united his country and ushered in an era of Vietnamese self-
government.

#7: Mikhail Gorbachev

(1931-)
An open critic of his communist predecessors, Gorbachev helped welcome the end of the Cold War and of
communism in Eastern Europe. Promoting a more open and economically progressive nation, Gorbachev
championed discussion and political debate within Russia and other satellite states. Most significantly, he
abolished the Brezhnev Doctrine’s demand for single-party communist states, opening the door for the
legalization of unions, various political parties and subsequently free elections.

#6: Fidel Castro

(1926-)
Castro is an iconic figure of the Latin American socialist movement. In the 1950s, he spearheaded a military
campaign against the dictator, Fulgencio Batista, with only 81 men. Despite a brutal defeat, Castro
continued his fervent military and propaganda campaign and soon, his 800-man guerilla force and Batista’s
30-thousand-man army had their final conflict. Castro emerged the victor, establishing the communist rule
in Cuba that remains today.

#5: Leon Trotsky

(1879-1940)
A supporter of Lenin’s radical communist mandate, this spellbinding orator and Marxist champion played a
key role in the Bolshevik usurpation of Russian political power. As a Red Army general and phenomenal
political strategist, Trotsky made essential contributions to the establishment of Lenin’s leadership in the
USSR. Considered Lenin’s obvious successor, Trotsky was outmanoeuvred by Joseph Stalin’s cunning
politicking, and was eventually assassinated while living in exile.

#4: Mao Zedong

(1893-1976)
Mao united China’s 550 million inhabitants within one, strong, centralized state. Supported by China’s
peasantry, Chairman Mao expelled all foreigners and established a new society along communist lines. Like
many other communist dictators, Mao is a divisive figure. Though Mao’s rule saw the death of millions as a
result of famine, forced labour and murder, he is credited with establishing China as a major world power.

#3: Joseph Stalin

(1878-1953)
Stalin rose to power by establishing strategic alliances within the Communist Party, and ruthlessly
eliminating opposition. As a dictator, he ruled the USSR with an iron fist, industrializing the state through a
rigorous top-down consolidation of peasant farms into state-run enterprises and rapidly implementing
industrialization countrywide. Though Stalin’s rule over communist Russia was one of the most brutal and
bloody ever, he grew the Eastern Bloc to be the only rival in size and stature to the USA’s influence over the
Western world.
#2: Karl Marx
(1818-83)
The father of modern socialism, Marx and his partner Friedrich Engel’s “Communist Manifesto” was a
powerful critique of modern capitalism, calling for the working class to seize the state, abolish private
property and establish socialist societies. Marx’s work had little impact when it was first published;
however, with massive economic shifts, brought on by industrialization, Marx became the voice of the
working man, inspiring communist revolution first in Europe and later throughout the world.

Before we unveil our number one pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- Kim il-Sung
- Kim Jong-il
- Josip Broz Tito

#1: Vladimir Lenin

(1870-1924)
Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov, better known as Lenin, was the driving force behind the Russian Revolution. An
unabashed political radical, Lenin called upon Russia’s working class to rise up against the wealthy and
establish a socialist society. Offering them “Peace, Bread and Land,” Lenin galvanized the Russian
proletariat, spawned a bloody revolution and established the first-ever communist state, with himself as its
fearless leader.

Top 10 Political Lies of All Time

Some political lies are commonplace, but others can cause wars and genocides. Welcome to
WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 political lies of all time.

For this list, we’ve chosen famous, memorable or impactful political lies that have been told throughout
history, and have tried to keep it spread out throughout the globe – after all, dishonesty isn’t restricted to
region.

#10: The Trojan Horse

Homer’s epic poem “The Iliad” describes the 10-year Trojan War, and facts suggest the tale isn’t fictional. So
how big was this lie? As big as the Trojan Horse; the giant wooden structure the Greeks offered to the
Trojans to admit their loss. The catch? Ulysses, the plan’s inventor, hid inside with some soldiers and
following the Trojans’ celebration, the Greeks exited the horse and torched the town.

#9: The Lewinsky Scandal

Bill Clinton spoke those infamous words when accused of an affair with White House intern Monica
Lewinsky. While this may not have been the biggest political lie in terms of importance, it did hold the
attention of the American public for months, and led to the President’s impeachment and apology.

#8: The Dreyfus Affair

In November 1894, Alfred Dreyfus – a French military man of Jewish descent – was convicted of treason for
communicating French military secrets to the Germans. After serving five-years in prison, he was convicted
on more charges. The French population was divided, with some citing not proof but anti-Semitism as the
reason for his conviction. Eventually, the documents against Dreyfus were proven as forgeries, and he was
reinstated to the Army in 1906.

#7: USS Liberty Incident

On June 8th, 1967, during the Six-Day War between Israel, Jordan, Syria and Egypt, the Israeli Air Force
attacked an American spy ship, the USS Liberty. While Israel apologized and claimed they’d mistaken it for
an Egyptian ship, analysts suggest the attack was planned to force the U.S. to join the war by blaming the
Egyptians, and that the entire thing was covered up by the Israeli and U.S. governments.

#6: Berlusconi’s Bunga Bunga Parties

It’s not exactly news that a 70+-year-old Italian Prime Minister held parties at his home. But the fact that
underage prostitutes were apparently guests of these “bunga-bunga” parties is. In 2011, this self-made
media baron and controversial Italian politician was accused of paying young prostitute Ruby Heartstealer
for sex, then using his influence to cover it up. Silvio Berlusconi was found guilty of the crime in 2013, but
was expected to appeal.

#5: USA Helps Saddam Gas Iran

Many consider it a lie to say the U.S. is against the use of weapons of mass destruction, especially since they
used them in WWII. According to documents recently declassified by the CIA, the Americans helped Saddam
Hussein create such weapons and pointed him to potential targets in his war with Iran. It has been
speculated that the Reagan administration at this time considered Iran the far greater threat, and thus
welcomed an Iraq victory in this battle.

#4: Watergate
Those are the famous last words spoken by President Richard Nixon, when he denied any involvement in
the June 17th, 1972 break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate Hotel.
However, the resulting investigation found proof that the Nixon administration had spied on the Democrats’
campaign, forcing Nixon to become the first and only U.S. president to resign the office.

#3: Fukushima Meltdown

A major earthquake hit Japan on March 11th, 2011, resulting in a destructive tsunami. However, that was
the country’s second-biggest concern when two reactors at the Fukushima nuclear plant failed. Initially, the
Japanese government and managing company TEPCO rated the destruction at level 4. However, that was
eventually raised to 7 – or equivalent to Chernobyl – with many criticizing both the government and TEPCO
for their miscommunications with the public.

#2: Iraq and WMDs

It was 2002 and the U.S. government was trying to convince the public that Iraq had Weapons of Mass
Destruction, which would have been a huge threat to national security. Both George W. Bush and Secretary
of Defense Donald Rumsfeld clearly stated this as fact, and supported the claim; however, following the War
in Iraq this was proven to be false as WMDs were never found.

#1: Nazi Propaganda Against Jews

No matter how big the lie, people will believe it if you repeat it enough, and this is called the “Big Lie” for a
reason: Nazi propaganda blamed Jews for almost everything wrong in the world, and this resulted in their
mass extermination in concentration camps. Anti-Semitism was nothing new, but Adolf Hitler and his
minister of propaganda Joseph Goebbels used that prejudice to justify genocide.

Top 10 World Empires

Many empires have risen and fallen through the ages of history. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today
we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 world empires.

#10 – The Mayan Empire

Surviving from roughly 2000BC to the 1500sAD, the Mayans are arguably one of the world’s longest-running
empires. Extending through Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Belize, this Mesoamerican
civilization was famous for its art and architecture, advances in writing and mathematics, the calendar and –
of course – their end-of-the-world prophecies. So what was it that finally caused the downfall of this
mysterious empire? War with Spanish conquistadors.

#9 – The Qing Dynasty

In one last imperial hurrah before China became a Republic, the Qing dynasty ruled a huge area that
stretched from China into Russia. Governed by the foreign Manchu tribe, China during this period was
blessed with fortune and peace – in part because of its impressive military strength. However, struggles
against western influence, the Opium Wars and finally the Xinhai Revolution saw the Manchus overthrown
and the Qing Dynasty ended.
#8 – The Byzantine Empire
In 395AD, the Roman Empire split. While the Western half officially fell in 476AD, the eastern half kept on
truckin’. Not only that, the primarily Greek-speaking Byzantine Empire thrived, becoming one of Europe’s
strongest forces economically, culturally and militarily. Lasting over-1,000 years, it was also one of history’s
greatest Christian states. Again and again, its borders were defended against Muslim invaders until, in 1453,
the capital of Constantinople fell.

#7 – The Achaemenid Empire

Some remember them from the film “300;” but history tells a different tale. Better known as the Persian
Empire, this civilization was founded in the sixth-century BC by Cyrus the Great. Aside instituting a
centralized administrative structure, the Persians were fierce and feared warriors. Extending through
Western and Central Asia, the Achaemenids became the largest empire to that point, with almost half the
world’s population living under their banner.

#6 – The Egyptian Empire

With pharaohs ruling as both kings and gods, the Egyptian Empire became one of the world’s most famous.
Lasting from the 16th-11th century BC, the New Kingdom of Egypt was the height of this civilization’s power;
but its significance didn’t end there. Mummies, pyramids, hieroglyphics and papyrus are some of the
famous heirlooms we’ve inherited from this rich culture, while irrigation, ships and even beer are also
lasting gifts.

#5 – The Ottoman Empire

Though it lasted from 1299 until after WWI, the Ottoman Empire was at its height during the 16th century
under Suleiman the Magnificent. Reaching from Southeast Europe, to Western Asia and North Africa, this
strong Islamic state controlled trade through the region. And, while its multiculturalism is celebrated; ethnic
and religious tensions eventually tore the Turkish Empire apart from the inside, while rival nations
dismantled it from the outside.

#4 – The Macedonian Empire

Alexander the Great is a famous conqueror for a reason: while he lived only until age-33, he amassed one of
the world’s largest empires, comprising the Persian Empire, Egypt and much more. From the tiny state of
Macedon, he took the throne at age-20 and continued overpowering enemies until he died undefeated.
However, his premature death left his heirs fighting and the empire he built soon collapsed.

#3 – The Mongol Empire

This was the world’s largest contiguous empire, thanks to one of history’s most-feared men. Genghis Khan
took power in 1206, and under his rule the Mongol and Turkic tribes merged. Within a century, his empire’s
brutal tactics won them upwards of 12-million square-miles of land. Khan’s heirs continued this work after
his death; however, the empire’s sheer size worked against them. Without the unity of their people, it
disbanded.

#2 – The British Empire

Called “the empire on which the sun never sets,” this was the world’s largest empire at its peak, and a
primary global power, controlling about one-fifth of the global population. After building influence in the
16th-century, it peaked in 1922; however, two World Wars depleted its resources and the British Empire
soon dissolved. Even so, its legacy endures, as English is now the world’s most widely-spoken language.

#1 – The Roman Empire

Known for prosperity and peace, this European civilization impacted art, architecture, language, religion,
politics, and more. Though it was officially founded by Augustus in the first-century BC; perpetual dictator
Julius Caesar greatly aided the transition from Republic to Empire. But its staggering size eventually made
the Empire weak against enemies, and in 476AD the Western half collapsed, while the Eastern half lasted
until the fall of Constantinople in 1453.

Top 10 Armies of All Time

If you’re going to make history, you might have to put up a fight. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today
we’re counting down our picks for the top ten armies of all times.

For this list, we looked for armies whose charismatic leaders, technological innovations, and military
conquests brought about significant watershed moments over the course of human history. We’re using
fictionalized movie version to illustrate most of these armies, for obvious reasons.

#10: The Huns under Attila

A mysterious tribe from the near East, the Huns contributed to the barbarian onslaught, leading to the
collapse of Roman civilization. Skilled swordsmen, and with a formidable force of mounted archers, the
Huns went from 4th century mercenaries to 5th century empire builders, decimating the Eastern Roman
Empire, irreparably damaging the West, and establishing their own imperial rule from the Baltic to the Black
sea.

#9: The Spartans

A civilization of professional soldiers, Sparta had the most feared and revered army of the classical age.
Their military prowess was best illustrated at the Battle of Thermopylae, where 300 Spartans defended a
key military access point against thousands of Persian invaders. Though they died and lost the battle, their
efforts helped win the war, expelling the Persians from Greece and solidifying the Spartan soldiers’ place in
history.

#8: The Red Army

Having brought down one of the oldest dynasties in all of Europe, the Soviet Red Army was a highly
disciplined force of over 5 million by 1920. In years to come, it continued to grow, defeating Hitler on the
Eastern Front in the Second World War, and establishing itself as the only real challenge to American
military dominance, during the last half of the twentieth century.

#7: The British Red Coats

Though most likely associated with the British troops who fought in the American War of Independence, the
Red Coats were actually all non-commissioned soldiers who served between 1760 and 1860. The Red Coats
fought at the Battle of Waterloo, served under General Wolfe in the Battle of Quebec, and were part of the
allied forces during the Crimean War. In short, they were an essential component during Britain’s Imperialist
era.

#6: The Mongolian Army

Known for their deft skills on horseback, this army swept through Asia in the 1200s, bringing down both the
Chin and Sung Empires, unifying China for the first time in centuries. Under the visionary leadership of
Genghis Khan, his son, Ogedei, and grandson, Kublai Khan, the Mongolian army established its military
dominance all the way to the borders of Europe.

#5: The Roman Army of Julius Caesar

Rome’s military built a thousand year empire, but even within this history Julius Caesar’s army stands out.
Caesar and his men battled against the Gauls, expanding Roman territory to northern Europe. When the
senate became weary of Caesar’s power and influence, a civil war erupted. Caesar’s army crossed the
Rubicon and defeated his adversaries. In so doing, this army brought down Rome’s Republic and ushered in
the era of the Roman Empire.

#4: The German Wehrmacht 1935-1945

Bouncing back from the humiliation of WWI, the German Wehrmacht army was an innovative force whose
expansionist mandate brought about a second worldwide conflict. Utilizing lightning warfare, or Blitzkrieg,
the German armed forces launched rapid assaults, bewildering their opponents. In the first two years of the
WWII, Germany looked set to win. It was not until U.S. involvement and Hitler’s miscalculations on the
Eastern Front, that this army experienced decisive losses and ultimate defeat.

#3: The Greco-Macedonians

Under two great Generals of history – Philip II and his son Alexander (the Great) – the Macedonian army
dominated much of the civilized world in the 5th century BC. Technological innovation to the classical Greek
phalanx, the sheer fierceness of its soldiers, and the genius of its leaders, allowed this army to take over
Greece, Egypt and entire the Persian Empire … all within thirty-six years.

#2: Napoleon’s Grande Armée

Emboldened by the spirit of the revolution and led by a military visionary, this army established France’s
hegemonic power over Europe. Comprised of nearly 30,000 men, Napoleon’s troops were the most
formidable of the era. Tactical flexibility and the ability to divide enemy forces before their ultimate defeat
was the key to their success. It would take a coalition of all European powers to eventually bring Napoleon
down.

#1: American Military in the 20th Century

With a standing army of over 1.4 million, the American military is the most formidable force of the modern
age. U.S. involvement in WWI and WWII changed the course of each conflict and established America as the
most powerful army in the world. It continued to flex its muscle during the Korean, Vietnam, Gulf, Afghani
and Second Iraqi wars and continues to be a major military watchdog on the international stage.

Top 10 Most Common Things Movies and TV Get Wrong About History

Those who get history wrong, are doomed to repeat it. Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we’ll be
counting down our picks for the Top 10 Most Common Things Movies and TV Get Wrong About History.

For this list, we’ll be looking at the most frequent inconsistencies and inaccuracies in films and television
shows depicting historical events, people, and things.

#10: When Certain Events Happened

Hollywood regularly features stories where stated dates don’t line up with their actual historical ones.
Although the last few centuries are generally pretty safe, the likelihood of errors often increases the further
back something is set, with events often placed in the wrong year, decade, century, or, in extreme cases,
millennium. In other cases, events that should take place many years apart take place in closer or farther
proximity. This is likely due to artistic license, or telling the story that those in charge want to tell, and
sometimes they even have people meet each other who never met in real life, or who weren’t alive at the
same time.

#9: Customs & Traditions

Every culture across the world has a host of traditions and idiosyncrasies that give them a distinct identity all
their own. However, films and shows often gloss over these behaviors, get them wrong, or omit them
completely, in favor of having the characters act like people from modern day. While this is sometimes the
result of ignorance on the part of the creators, in other cases it’s to make the characters feel more relatable
- or else it’s to avoid stopping the narrative to explain the custom to the audience.

#8: The Appropriate Clothing & Music of the Period

How characters are dressed and the music they listen to can help establish the time and place of a period in
history. However, movies and TV regularly get them wrong. People will wear clothing that was not
commonly worn during the period of the story, or in some cases hadn’t even been invented yet, such as the
kilts worn in “Braveheart.” Songs are even more egregious, though, as when songs were written, particularly
those from the last century, is usually well documented and easy to look up online. In most cases,
Hollywood seems to shoot for establishing the mood of a time period, rather than to make it accurate.

#7: The Technology That Did or Didn't Exist

While outfits and music are a bit understandable, technological mistakes seem a bit more egregious in our
minds. Characters will often use tools and other technology that won’t be created for years. In many cases,
the creators of the media in question will have the characters use the technology due to convenience, or to
make a cool scene, such as the use of dynamite in “Django Unchained.” This is especially bad when it comes
to more modern technology, like computers, since the documentation on their creation is significantly
easier to find.

#6: A Character’s Motivation

Much like their customs, historical figures are often given modernizations to make them more palatable to
current day audiences. Heroes are shown to fight for freedom and equality, which are ideals prized by
people today, when they were far more likely to pursue things for reasons like nationalism, protecting their
families, or just to stay alive. Meanwhile, antagonists and villains are usually played up as being completely
irredeemable when they often had more depth to their motives than simply doing evil things for their own
sake.

#5: A Person’s Personality

Not only does Hollywood alter people’s motives, but they also mess up their personalities. Though historical
figures’ personalities can be difficult to discern the farther back in time we look, some things are generally
known about famed, ancient people and Hollywood rarely gets them right, or consistent, often amplifying
one personality trait. Cleopatra, for example, is usually portrayed as a seductress, despite having more to
her character than that. Even more recent historical figures are not immune to having their characters
warped for the sake of a good story either.

#4: How Old Someone Was During a Certain Period

Hollywood has a real problem with getting the age of characters right, regardless of whether they’re real or
fictional. It can be very distracting sometimes for those in the know to see historical people who are years or
decades older or younger than they should be during a certain period. Still, we understand that casting is
often the result of the ability of the actor and not necessarily historical accuracy. Sometimes, though, it’s
clearly the result of revisionism, such as Pocahontas, who is drawn as a teenager or young adult in the
Disney film, but was actually only a preteen during the real-life events depicted in the movie.

#3: Accents & Language

Historical media made for English-speaking audiences almost always have the characters speaking modern
English in English or American accents, regardless of time period the story is set in or the culture of the
people speaking. Part of the reason for this is the need to make the film more palatable and/or
understandable to English speaking audiences; after all, there are plenty of people who think that subtitles
distract from the action onscreen. Also, it’s just so much easier to get actors to speak an accent of their own
language, rather than another language entirely.

#2: The Skin Color of a Person or Whole Civilization

Hollywood doesn’t have the best track record with racial anything, do they? Historical films and shows often
feature characters that are depicted by actors who are not the correct race for the location or the time.
Either they’ve cast all white people, in that classic Hollywood whitewashing maneuver, or else they’re
arguably too racially diverse, featuring people of color during a time and place when it would’ve been
bizarre. In either case, historical revisionism is often the culprit, though ambivalence, ignorance, and
political correctness (or a lack thereof) are other common causes.

Before we get to our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:

Inaccurate Gender Roles

Made-Up Happy Endings

#1: Which Person Accomplished What

What’s the point of making your mark on history, if they’re just going to get it wrong later on? Hollywood
will often give credit to people, groups, or countries that didn’t do whatever it is they said they did. In other
cases, a person’s accomplishments are multiplied or exaggerated. Though this is sometimes a case of myth
or rumor becoming more well-known than the facts, in most cases, it’s used to glorify the subject of the
story, whether it be a person or a country, to make them appear more impressive or heroic.