Many people, whether American or not, believe they have a pretty good idea of how the American justice system works. After all, the USA is one of the biggest producers of television and they have made countless detective shows and crime procedurals. However, the truth is that even the shows meant to be more based in reality use a lot of creative license and don’t necessarily give you anything close to an accurate picture of what things are actually like.

So this list delves more into ten popular myths about the American justice system.

Related: Top 10 Mind-Blowing Crimes That Beggar Belief

10 Myth: Prisoners Are Protected and Can’t Be Used for Forced Labor

Most people believe that slavery, along with all forced labor, was outlawed when the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution was passed. The Emancipation Proclamation was just the start, and the amendment finished things off. However, there is an unfortunate clause in the amendment that some people call the exception clause. This clause says that no one shall be used for any kind of involuntary labor unless they were convicted of a crime, in which case it is okay.

This has greatly affected the United States prison system, as many prisons use prisoners for labor and pay them pennies on the dollar for their work. Sometimes the work is voluntary, and sometimes it is not. A handful of states have banned all slavery with no exception, and a few years ago, Colorado joined that group.

However, there are reports that some prisoners are still being coerced against their will into labor and punished when they ask to not work for free or cheap. Many human rights groups believe the amendment needs to be altered to avoid abuse, and others say that that ship has already long sailed.^[1]

9 Myth: Police Are Not Legally Allowed to Lie to You

There are levels to this myth and multiple versions. One of the most popular versions is that if you ask an undercover officer if he is a cop, he has to tell you the truth. This myth has partly survived because many criminals will ask someone if they are a cop, not because cops have to tell the truth, but to gauge their reaction—and this behavior has passed on to TV and Hollywood.

Of course, such a policy would simply get undercover officers constantly killed and unable to do their jobs, so it is not true. Furthermore, police officers can and do lie to you about all kinds of things. When the police are questioning someone they believe committed a crime, they can and often do tell all sorts of lies.

Some of the most common lies they tell include telling you they have evidence against you that they haven’t yet acquired, telling you that you are or are not being recorded when it isn’t true, offering you food or drink so they can get your DNA, and many others. The truth is there is only one thing they cannot lie to you about: your actual legal rights and how you may exercise them.^[2]

8 Myth: It Is More Expensive to Keep Murderers Alive Than Use the Death Penalty

The death penalty is one of the most controversial policies in the entire world. Many countries are now moving to ban it, and it is becoming less and less common in the United States of America.

Many people are against it simply because they feel it is barbaric and isn’t going to bring back lives. They also argue that the death penalty has not been proven in any way to discourage murders from happening. However, even if you feel that the death penalty isn’t so bad in terms of the practice itself, there are financial concerns that make it a problem.

Many people assume that life in prison must be way more costly because of all the yearly expenses of keeping someone alive. Others understand that the death penalty is much more expensive, but they are convinced that it is because of our appeals system. Those who know this sometimes argue we just need to make it harder to appeal death penalty convictions. However, this is also a misconception.

The truth is that what makes death penalty cases so expensive is the trial itself, not the appeals. Before you get to appeals, you need two trials, one to convict and one to decide if the death penalty is appropriate. These cases drain prosecutor resources more than any other case.^[3]

7 Myth: You Have a Right to One Phone Call When Arrested

One of the biggest myths of the American justice system—believed all over the world due to movies and television—is that when you are arrested, you have the right to one phone call. This has been used for countless plot points, with the person usually calling someone who isn’t their lawyer to pull some shenanigans and get out of their situation.

Many people are so convinced of this that they get really confused and upset when they end up in custody and their alleged right isn’t honored. The unfortunate truth, however, is that this is almost entirely a myth. Americans do not have any special right to a phone call enumerated in the Constitution. Rather, Americans do have the right to legal counsel once they are going to be questioned or charged, but then and only then.

This means that even if all you want to do is call your lawyer, the police do not necessarily have to allow you to do so until they are getting ready to interview you. Now, possibly due to the misconception, many states or localities have laws that will enable you to make a certain number of phone calls to friends or family, but it is not a legal right.^[4]

6 Myth: Police Interrogators Can Tell if You Are Lying from Body Language

This is one of the biggest myths in the world of law enforcement, and not just in the United States. Many around the world believe that if you can learn body language, you can spot a liar lying to you. Many law enforcement officers particularly take pride in their ability to read body language and spot the universal signs of deception. This is backed up by psychological folklore that has been reinforced by movies, telling us if we just understand the right tricks, no one will ever fool us again.

However, the truth is that multiple reviews of scores of studies have all come to the same conclusion: There are no universal signs of deception, at least not that we have yet identified. Now, you might imagine that at least police officers who are trained in body language might be a little better at sussing out lies than the general population, but the studies don’t back that up either.

Even with their instinct and experience, they didn’t score better than the general population when tested on their ability to suss out deception. There was only one group tested that did better than the general population at detecting lies, and only slightly better—the United States Secret Service.^[5]

5 Myth: Criminal Courtroom Trials Are Common in the USA

This has been dramatically reinforced by court dramas and other TV shows that constantly show criminal trials. The drama is always wild, with courtroom outbursts and everything on the line for the defendant, who is usually facing a very long prison sentence. For this reason, many people are surprised when they are called to court and find that engaging in an actual trial is the last thing that the court—or their lawyer—actually wants to have happen.

The truth is that trials are expensive, as we mentioned earlier about the death penalty, and the state, whether it is an individual state or the federal government, doesn’t want to pay for it. Many people realize they will probably get a worse deal if they go to trial, as they might lose completely and get a harsh sentence, so they take a deal instead. Their lawyer wants this, too, as it could hurt their reputation if they lose, but it makes them look good if they got their client a good deal.

The truth is that depending on the state, anywhere from less than 5 to 10% of cases go to trial. When it comes to the United States Federal government, trials are so rare there have been recent years where the number of cases that went to trial was less than 3%.^[6]

4 Myth: Crime, Especially Violent Crime, Is on the Rise in the States

There is a common belief today among many Americans that crime is on the rise, and we better do something fast if we want to get a handle on it. Some pull out the racist dog whistles, blaming illegal immigration, and others claim that Democrats are just lax on security and police are kneecapped after BLM and cannot do their jobs. This belief is so widespread that a Gallup poll last year found that 77% of the overall country thinks the crime rate is rising. While Republicans believe it more, about 50% of Democrats believe it as well.

However, the evidence that we have to date does not back this up. A recent report from the FBI for 2023 found that crime rates in the U.S. dropped significantly that year. Violent crime has dropped by 8%, and property crime has fallen by 6%, which is the biggest reduction since 1961. Even better, murder rates, in particular, have plummeted more than almost any other year on record.

The fact of the matter is that in 2021, the Justice Department felt that they were seeing issues with rising crime and put together a series of initiatives to combat it. These initiatives are working, and the U.S. should stay the course.^[7]

3 Myth: The Insanity Plea Can Save You From Being Locked Up

The insanity plea is one of the oldest myths in the book, but it just won’t go away. It has been used in countless movies and TV shows as a plot point for a bad guy trying to get away with a crime by acting crazy. He will wear funny clothes, start saying strange things, and be as eccentric as possible. This is all in the hopes of getting off on an insanity plea and walking away scot-free.

While a lot of people figure you need to be more insane than that to have a successful plea and that it would be hard to fake, they may be surprised that it seldom actually happens at all. And we don’t just mean it rarely works; we mean it is almost never attempted.

The reason for this is that lawyers know it isn’t really a good idea. Unless you are hoping to avoid the death penalty, a successful plea will just get your client indefinitely locked up in a maximum-security psychological facility. Considering that insanity pleas are used in less than 1% of cases and only work about a quarter of the time when used, it becomes a really silly prospect in most cases to even try.^[8]

2 Myth: Police Use of Drug Sniffing Dogs to Search Your Car Is Settled Law

We have all seen it on TV or in movies, and some of us have lived it. The officer pulls a person over for a traffic stop, and then, before they know it, things have escalated, and the officer has brought in a drug-sniffing dog. The dog will alert to the drugs inside, the officers will search and find the bullion, and the jig is up for the unhappy citizen. Many people consider this to be settled law and just think it stinks and there isn’t much they can do about it.

However, the truth is that the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that unless the officer has probable cause, he cannot just search a vehicle with a dog, as it is a Fourth Amendment violation of your right to privacy. So, what counts as probable cause? Well, that isn’t entirely clear on a federal basis right now, but the winds are shifting in the U.S. very quickly.

Connecticut has recently banned marijuana sniffs as being probable cause, and Minnesota banned them as well for an interesting reason. The ruling was that because hemp is now legal and smells like weed, the smell of weed is not probable cause for a search. If this becomes a national precedent, officers will find it much harder to search people’s cars without their permission.^[9]

1 Myth: Lie Detector Tests Are a Great Tool for Law Enforcement

We all know the lie detector test, also known as the polygraph, even if we have never been near one. Someone is given control questions to see how they react, and then they are asked the questions the officers want to detect a lie for. If the person is lying, we see the polygraph needle wildly drawing on the paper as they talk, telling us the criminal in this courtroom drama is not telling the truth.

However, while many law enforcement officials still use it for various reasons, and it is sometimes used in job screenings, it isn’t as important or reliable as you might think. The truth is that polygraph tests are not admissible in a court of law in the United States. Some states allow them if both parties agree, but many states do not even allow that, as they just consider the entire thing to be too suspect.

This is because they just aren’t accurate enough to be sure in cases of criminal law. The American Psychological Association has gone over studies of polygraphs, and the conclusion is that they are slightly better than random chance but have too many errors to use in court. They also add the test is hard to scientifically assess in the first place, making the issue even more murky.^[10]

Agriculture is a cornerstone of human civilization, providing the food and resources necessary for our survival. However, not all farming practices are created equal, and the cultivation of certain crops on a global scale has led to significant environmental repercussions. These include deforestation and biodiversity loss, soil degradation, and water pollution.

In fact, the impact of these crops extends far beyond the dinner table. Navigating the complexities of balancing agricultural productivity with environmental sustainability requires understanding the ecological footprint of these crops. It also involves fostering more sustainable farming practices and making informed choices as consumers.

Related: 10 Planet-Saving Inventions That You May Not Know Much About

10 Coffee

The global love affair with coffee, averaging 2.7 cups per person daily and totaling around two billion cups consumed worldwide, has a hidden cost: a significant carbon footprint contributing to climate change. This footprint is not just from the coffee we drink but from the entire lifecycle of coffee, including cultivation, processing, packaging, and brewing.

The production phase of coffee contributes the most to its carbon footprint, accounting for 40% to 80% of total emissions. This is due to the intensive agricultural practices involved, such as irrigation, fertilization, and pesticide use, which have been exacerbated by the shift from traditional shade-grown coffee to sun-exposed plantations.

Historically, coffee cultivation has transformed delicate ecosystems in tropical and subtropical regions, leading to reduced biodiversity due to the clearing of trees for plantation expansion and the extensive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. The debate about the environmental impacts of coffee versus tea reveals that both have comparable carbon footprints until milk is added to the mix, significantly increasing coffee’s ecological load.

Sustainable coffee options are gaining traction, with some companies leading the way in offering Fair Trade, Organic, and Shade-Grown coffee that doesn’t compromise on flavor.^[1]

9 Cocoa

The journey from cocoa bean to chocolate bar is not as sweet as one might think, especially when considering its environmental impact. Originating from the Americas over 2,000 years ago, chocolate has become a global indulgence. However, its production is fraught with challenges, particularly in West Africa, where an estimated 70% of the world’s cocoa beans are grown.

The region faces the dual threats of climate change, which exacerbates heat and drought conditions detrimental to cocoa trees, and the socio-economic struggles of local farmers. The demand for cocoa is surging, yet the supply chain is under pressure. Cocoa trees, which take a year to produce cocoa for just half a pound of chocolate, are aging and becoming less productive.

On top of that, the industry is marred by significant environmental and ethical issues. Deforestation is rampant as farmers clear tropical forests for new cocoa plantations, contributing to Ivory Coast’s massive forest loss. Child labor is another grave concern, with an estimated 2 million children involved in hazardous labor in the cocoa production process during the 2013-14 growing season.

Efforts to make chocolate production more sustainable include improving traceability, promoting agroforestry, and adopting better practices for packaging and transport. However, the challenge is vast, with deforestation continuing at alarming rates in cocoa-producing regions.^[2]

8 Wheat

Wheat, a staple of human civilization for over 10,000 years, is under environmental scrutiny due to its cultivation practices. Covering an area as vast as Greenland, wheat’s global footprint is immense, with synthetic fertilizers playing a central role in its production.

These fertilizers boost yields but also contribute to environmental issues like climate change, algae blooms, and oceanic dead zones as a result of nutrient runoff. A 2017 study showed that the largest environmental impact of a loaf of bread comes from the fertilizers used to grow the wheat.

The reliance on such fertilizers not only threatens aquatic ecosystems but also constitutes 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. The runoff from these fertilizers causes toxic algae blooms and dead zones, severely affecting marine life. Furthermore, wheat cultivation requires a significant amount of water, second only to rice, and involves the use of pesticides that can damage biodiversity.

Climate change is also expected to impact wheat production, increasing yields in some regions and making others more vulnerable to extreme weather. To lessen these effects, experts recommend sustainable practices like circular agriculture and nitrogen-fixing cover crops to lessen dependency on synthetic fertilizers.^[3]

7 Bananas

The banana industry faces a complex web of environmental, social, and corporate challenges that significantly impact both the ecosystems and the people within the supply chain. At the heart of these issues is the intensive use of agrochemicals, which not only devastate ecosystems but also pose severe health risks to workers.

The industry is dominated by a few multinational companies. Yet, it’s the supermarkets that now wield the most power, often at the expense of the workers who earn a meager 4-9% of the total value of bananas. This imbalance has led to a “race to the bottom,” where the pursuit of lower prices and cost-cutting measures by these companies exacerbates unfair trading practices and poor working conditions.

The environmental toll of banana cultivation is stark, with monoculture practices and heavy pesticide use leading to water contamination, soil erosion, and a loss of biodiversity. The Cavendish variety, which dominates the global trade, requires significant chemical inputs due to its susceptibility to pests and diseases.

Unfortunately, the environmental impact deepens when considering that bananas must be flown into Western countries, releasing substantial amounts of CO2 and contributing significantly to climate change.^[4]

6 Sugarcane

Sugarcane farming is a significant global industry, occupying approximately 65 million acres (26 million hectares) worldwide. This is a considerable amount, with certain countries dedicating over a quarter of their farmland solely to its growth and production. This particular crop, which is absolutely integral to our global consumption of sugar, has an environmental footprint that is substantial and, more often than not, overlooked.

The process of its production has been shown to contribute in a major way to the pollution of freshwater ecosystems. This pollution is caused by contaminants like silt, fertilizers, and chemical sludge from mills, all of which are by-products of the sugarcane production process. These contaminants pose a considerable threat to coral ecosystems, causing significant harm in places like the Great Barrier Reef, one of the world’s most biodiverse marine areas, and the Mesoamerican Reef.

The impact of sugarcane farming is not limited to aquatic ecosystems. It is actually a major driver of deforestation in some of the world’s most critical ecosystems. Brazil’s Atlantic Forest, an important biodiversity hotspot, has been reduced to a mere 7% of its original size, largely due to the expansion of sugarcane plantations.

With global sugarcane demand expected to rise nearly 50% by the year 2050, the pressure on all these ecosystems will only increase. This future trend underscores the urgent need for sustainable methods in sugarcane farming in order to preserve our precious ecosystems for future generations.^[5]

5 Rice

Rice, a primary food source that sustains billions of people worldwide, is under intense scrutiny due to its significant environmental impact. The cultivation of this essential grain contributes substantially to greenhouse gas emissions, roughly equivalent to the emissions from 1,200 coal-fired power stations, according to a report from the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). The traditional method of rice cultivation usually involves flooding paddy fields.

While this practice effectively controls weed proliferation, it is not strictly necessary for successful rice growth and cultivation. However, this flooding practice leads to methane production, a harmful greenhouse gas, as microbes feed on decaying plant matter in the waterlogged soil. This process contributes to approximately 12% of global annual methane emissions.

Proposed alternatives to constant paddy field flooding, such as alternating between wet and dry conditions, present their own set of challenges and potential environmental impacts. This particular cultivation method can inadvertently increase nitrous oxide production, a greenhouse gas significantly more potent than carbon dioxide. This increase is due to the interaction between oxygen and nitrogen in the soil.

The dilemma facing scientists and farmers is finding a balance between overuse of water, which can spur methane production, and insufficient water use, which can lead to elevated nitrous oxide levels. A potential solution to this environmental problem, suggested by a study conducted in India, involves maintaining water levels just above or below the soil surface. This method could potentially mitigate the production of these harmful greenhouse gases while still ensuring successful rice cultivation.^[6]

4 Cotton

Cotton, recognized as the most widely grown and profitable non-food crop worldwide, plays a vital role in supporting the livelihoods of over 250 million people. It also contributes to nearly 7% of all labor in developing countries, highlighting its global economic significance.

However, despite the undeniable economic benefits of the cotton industry, the current methods of cotton production pose significant environmental challenges. These challenges have brought the sustainability of the industry into sharp focus, emphasizing the urgent need to address these issues.

Major areas of concern include the intensive use of agrochemicals, the enormous consumption of water, severe soil erosion, and habitat conversion, all of which have harmful effects on the environment. The cotton industry is a notorious water consumer. Traditional irrigation practices often lead to considerable freshwater loss, exacerbated by ineffective water management systems. This excessive water usage not only depletes our valuable water resources but also intensifies the global water crisis.

Soil integrity is another casualty of cotton cultivation. Continuous cotton farming depletes the nutrients in the soil, leading to its degradation over time. This forces farmers to expand into new areas, causing further environmental degradation and contributing to the loss of natural habitats.

The use of harmful pesticides and fertilizers, a common practice in cotton farming, not only affects the quality of soil and water but also poses serious threats to biodiversity. It also has the potential to negatively impact human health, making it an issue that extends beyond environmental sustainability.^[7]

3 Corn (Maize)

The cultivation of corn has been identified as a significant contributor to air pollution—an issue of considerable concern in nations with extensive agricultural activities. This problem is especially pronounced due to the prevalent use of fertilizers in the corn production process, which releases harmful nitrogen oxides into our atmosphere.

This practice not only disrupts the delicate balance of gases in our environment but also poses serious health risks to humans and other living organisms. Further compounding this issue, the pesticides used in corn cultivation can drift through the air and contaminate areas far removed from their original application sites, magnifying the scope of their environmental impact.

Equally concerning is the issue of water pollution, which is intimately linked to corn production. Corn is a crop with a high water demand, and its cultivation often leads to the overuse and subsequent depletion of valuable groundwater sources, such as aquifers. This issue is especially critical in regions where water resources are already scarce.

Moreover, the extensive use of chemicals in corn farming introduces harmful levels of nitrogen and other toxic substances into various water bodies, adversely affecting water quality and the health of marine life. Adding to the list of environmental concerns associated with corn production is its significant contribution to global warming. The cultivation process of corn emits large quantities of greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide and nitrous oxides, primarily due to the heavy usage of fertilizers. These emissions play a direct and substantial role in global warming, exacerbating the problem of climate change and its associated effects on the planet.^[8]

2 Soybeans

The lion’s share of global soy production, a staggering 77%, is not designated for human consumption but instead for the feeding of livestock, with a somewhat smaller fraction earmarked for biofuels and various industrial applications.

In fact, a mere 7% of soy is directly consumed by humans in forms such as tofu, tempeh, and soy milk. Despite this relatively small fraction, the environmental footprint of soy cultivation is undeniably significant, contributing to deforestation, a loss in biodiversity, an uptick in carbon emissions, and negative implications for both soil and water resources.

The brisk and rapid expansion of soy farming, notably in regions with rich biodiversity, such as the Amazon and the Cerrado in South America, has led to substantial deforestation. This, in turn, results in a loss of habitats for countless species and also contributes to climate change as trees that absorb carbon dioxide are replaced with crops that do not.

Initiatives like the Amazon Soy Moratorium have shown some degree of success in reducing deforestation for soy in the Amazon by prohibiting the trade of soybeans from deforested lands. However, deforestation continues unabated in less regulated areas, contributing heavily to carbon emissions and biodiversity loss.

Soy cultivation requires intensive irrigation and mechanization, which, when combined with the heavy use of pesticides and fertilizers, can wreak havoc on soil health and contaminate water sources. This can then have far-reaching implications for both local and global ecosystems and can also pose a threat to human health.^[9]

1 Palm Oil

Palm oil, derived from the fruit of the Elaeis guineensis tree, has become integral to our everyday lives. This commodity, found in a myriad of products from food to cosmetics and even biofuel, exemplifies versatility. However, despite its economic benefits, palm oil production is associated with numerous environmental issues.

These issues are particularly pronounced in Southeast Asia, where the industry significantly drives deforestation, leading to substantial greenhouse gas emissions, pollution, and a tragic loss of biodiversity. The concerns surrounding the sustainability of the palm oil industry are further amplified by its projected growth, potentially doubling production in some areas and exacerbating the environmental impact.

Historically, palm oil has been a staple in West African cooking for millennia. Its international popularity has surged in recent years due to its “Goldilocks” properties—it is neither too solid nor too liquid at room temperature, making it an ideal ingredient for the food industry. However, the benefits of palm oil in a traditional diet are significantly diminished through the process of refining and the problems associated with overconsumption, which pose a global health concern.

The negative effects of palm oil extend beyond deforestation and ecosystem damage to threatening indigenous food sovereignty. The lands now used for palm cultivation could have supported traditional food sources, thereby maintaining the balance of local ecosystems. Furthermore, the use of harmful pesticides in palm cultivation contributes to environmental pollution and poses severe health risks to nearby communities, further highlighting the urgent need to reevaluate the palm oil industry’s practices.^[10]

Shapeshifting is one of the coolest powers/abilities ever invented. Writers of comics, novels, TV and movies have come up with creative ways for one person to look exactly like another. From mutant powers to aliens, there has been a veritable cornucopia of changelings, duplicators, and polymorphism in the destruction of fiction.

These creatures appear as people you know: your boss, girlfriend or brother. They can manipulate us with the greatest of ease. Some can appear as inanimate objects to spy on and expose our darkest secrets. Shape-changers are not to be underestimated and can be anywhere, anyone or anything. They could be right under your nose, and you would never know it. In hopes of introducing audiences to these devious creatures, here is a list of fiction’s ten best shapeshifters.

Related: Top 10 cartoon characters who went wrong in the movies

10 Beastboy: DC Comics

Beast Boy has been a constant in Teen Titan’s runs for decades. Beast Boy is the backbone of DC’s second largest team in comics, cartoons and live-action TV. Also known as Changeling in the 1980s, he originally appeared in Doom Patrol #99 in 1965. Over the years, his origins have changed slightly more than once.

That said, he invariably gains the ability to transform into any animal he sees. However, he has green skin, hair, fur, scales, feathers and other animal parts. It is always green and so easy to stand out from the crowd. Although Beast Boy has had emotional issues with his uniqueness, he is generally quite content with who and what he is at any given time. In recent years he has been able to transform into extinct animals (dinosaurs), mythical creatures (phoenix, dragon) and even animals from different planets. When he changes, it only lasts a few seconds. It doesn’t matter how big or small; there is no being he cannot imitate.^[1]

9 Clayface: DC Comics

Clayface is the alias used by several Gotham City villains, starting with Basil Karlo in 1940. Nearly all of them possess the ability to shapeshift. The most popular version of the character was the Matthew Hagen version, which appeared in Batman: The Animated Series and reigned during The Golden Age of Comics. Hagen was an actor with sociopathic ambition who stumbled upon a substance that turned the molecular structure of his body into a clay-like material.

However, all the Clayfaces were confronted by the vigilante, Batman. Often appearing as someone Batman was just talking to, he would trick the Dark Knight into dangerous situations to gain the upper hand and further his diabolical and often corny plot. His clay-like body allows him to change his shape and size, as well as mimic the appearance and voices of other people. He can also recover from virtually any injury and absorb other materials to improve his body’s strength and durability. Clayface’s shape-shifting powers are not limited to his physical appearance; he can also change his internal organs and chemical composition to resist toxins and diseases.^[2]

8 T-1000: Terminator 2: Judgment Day

The terminator series is one of the most successful and beloved science fiction film series of all time. Fans had to wait seven years for the first sequel, but when it hit theaters it was hugely and explosively popular. In Terminator 2, the T-1000 is made of liquid metal. The T-800 (Arnold Schwarzenegger) explains that the T-1000 is a more advanced Terminator, composed entirely of a ‘mimetic polyalloy’, making it capable of rapid shape changes, near-perfect mimicry, and damage repair.

There is a popular meme based on the T-1000’s ability to appear and sound like everyone it encounters, but which shows the machine’s inability to know what its victims know. In addition to transforming into other people, the robot’s ability to switch between solid and liquid form allowed it to pass almost any obstacle, including metal bars, making for some iconic and scary scenes. The T-1000 was one of the scariest shapeshifters ever!^[3]

7 Count Dracula: Bram Stroker’s Novel and Other Stories

Everyone’s favorite vampire can transform into a variety of forms other than humanoids. Dracula can change shape at will and can grow and become small, with his signature forms in the novel being those of a bat, a wolf, a large dog, and a mist or mist. It can travel within its rays as elemental dust when the moonlight shines. He can pass through small cracks or crevices while retaining his human form or in the form of a vapor, described by Van Helsing as the ability to slip through a hair’s breadth of a grave door or coffin.

“Count Dracula is not just an undead vampire looking for fresh blood. His character is remarkably complex, partly due to his shape-shifting abilities. It is difficult to calculate the number of animals in which Dracula moves. Yet his abilities seem endless and ingeniously elusive.^[4]

6 Skrulls: Marvel Comics

The Skrulls are an alien race directly related to Captain Marvel’s storyline in the Marvel Universe. The Skrulls are a technologically advanced race of reptilian humanoids native to the destroyed planet Skrullos. They are notable for their ability to shapeshift, allowing them to replicate other life forms and seamlessly infiltrate planets without suspicion.

The Skrulls have made their way onto the big and small screens in recent years. In Captain Marvel, they appear as the sworn enemies of the Kree. This similar alien race had brainwashed Carol Danvers and eventually led her to become the famous superhero. More recently, in Secret WarsTalos (a Skrull) is a key figure who has worked closely with Nick Fury for decades. The miniseries also marked Emilia Clarke’s foray into the MCU as Talos’ daughter, G’iah, a talented shape-shifting Skrull agent.^[5]

5 Professor McGonagall: Harry Potter Series

The Harry Potter book and film series were enormously successful. Full of magic, from spells to creatures, there was no end to the fantastic. More than a few characters would transition from one form to another. This magical universe offers several ways to achieve this. Minerva McGonagall is a master of transfiguration. Her ability to transform from human to animal is so advanced that she can do it as casually as putting on a coat.

Although shapeshifting is quite common in the Wizarding World, Professor McGonagall is known as an Animagus, a witch or wizard who can transform into an animal at any time. She prefers cats, but can transform into many different animals if necessary. She used her skills during the first Wizarding War to greatly aid the Ministry of Magic’s resistance by spying on Death Eaters and providing the Aurors with crucial information about their activities. McGonagall became Deputy Headmistress and Headmistress of Hogwarts at the same time.^[6]

4 The Evil Queen: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

From one of the most famous stories of all time, based on the Brothers Grimm fairy tale, comes the Evil Queen, who has appeared in films, TV shows and literature for over 200 years. While shapeshifting is not her favorite activity, she has been known to do it. Whether she casts a spell or concocts a potion to do so depends on the specific version of the story; either way, she uses the power to perfection.

In the classic story, she appears to Snow White as an older woman who offers the young woman an apple. Of course, the apple is poisoned and Snow White falls into a deep coma. In There was oncethe character uses the ability via glamor and transfiguration spells, depending on the episode and situation.

She has appeared as different and entirely new characters, such as the old woman. The Evil Queen is widely regarded as one of the most iconic and menacing villains in film history and was once named the 10th greatest movie villain of all time by the American Film Institute.^[7]

3 Odo: Star Trek

Constable Odo out Star Trek: Deep Space Nine was a member of an alien race known as the Founders. The Founders are natural shapeshifters or ‘changelings’. Ironically, most Founders are better shapeshifters than Odo, but his natural detective instincts and shapeshifting abilities make him formidable. He often keeps his enemy Quark, a known criminal, at bay by appearing as a piece of furniture and the like during illegal meetings and transactions.

Odo grew up among the ‘solids’ and did not discover his people or where he came from until middle age. When it is discovered that the Founders are pursuing violent expansion of their empire, Odo is forced to take sides, siding with the Federation, Starfleet, and Bajor. He’s become a better shapeshifter over the years, but the one thing he’s never mastered is the human face. Odo helped defeat the Founders’ Dominion, but eventually returned to his people to teach them about the “solids” in hopes of preventing another war.^[8]

2 Mysticism: Marvel Comics

Mystique first appeared in Ms. Marvel #16 (April 1978). She is a member of a subspecies of humanity known as mutants who was born with superhuman abilities. She is a shapeshifter who can mimic the appearance and voice of any person with pinpoint precision. Rebecca Romijn and Jennifer Lawrence have portrayed her on screen.

She often works closely with the leader of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, Magneto. Whoever Mystique works for and whatever the position, more often than not Mystique works to further the Mutant agenda, through the proper channels or otherwise. She learned to use her shapeshifting power at a very young age, as there is no evidence known to the public or government that Raven Darkholme ever looked different from a normal human. Mystique claims to be Nightcrawler’s mother.^[9]

1 Plastic Man: DC Comics

Plastic Man is easily the most underrated character in the entire DC Universe. He can be anything or anyone at any time and is completely unkillable. It can shrink to a few inches tall or become a titan the size of a skyscraper. He can contort his body in ways impossible for ordinary humans, such as lying completely flat to slip under a door, using his fingers to pick conventional locks, compressing himself into a ball to ricochet off things, and blow up his body. He can also use it to disguise himself by changing the shape of his face and body.

Due to his liquid state, Plastic Man can open holes in his body and turn himself into objects with mobile parts. He is invulnerable, immune to telepathic attacks and immortal. He is a prankster and likes to disguise himself as household items and scare his colleagues when inanimate objects come to life.^[10]

Sometimes it feels like the world is on your shoulders. In severe cases, we might even believe that the universe is conspiring against us, looking for ways to break our knees and shake us from the paths we have chosen. The truth is that there is no vendetta against us by higher powers or universal energies; there is just life, and life can be unfair sometimes. All we can do is hold on, stiffen that upper lip and keep going.

But on rare occasions, when you hear what some have endured throughout their lives, you wonder which god of bad luck they offended or what kind of curse was placed on their parents, and on every generation that follows. Here are ten unfortunate people who the universe conspired against them.

Related: Top 10 happiest unhappy people whose happiness almost killed them

10 Lady Jane Gray (c. 1537–1544)

Have you ever wondered who had the shortest reign in England’s royal history? Look no further, as Lady Jane Gray only held the throne from July 10 to 19, 1553, a total of nine long days.

At the age of 16, Lady Gray ascended the throne after the young King Edward VI died. His dying wish was for her to ascend the throne in the hope of keeping England as Protestant as possible, as opposed to Catholic, which the king’s eldest half-sister, Mary – the one with the most direct path to the throne – would promote.

Jane was the great-granddaughter of King Henry VII through his daughter Mary Tudor, and was therefore a great-niece of King Henry VIII and a cousin of Edward VI, Mary I and Elizabeth I. The people revolted from direct descent, and Jane was gone less than ten days later.

After being deposed, Jane – along with a number of others – was charged with high treason, but the current Queen Mary took it easy, allowing them to remain high-profile prisoners in a sort of house arrest arrangement rather than having them executed. Shortly afterwards, Jane became involved in a rebellion against the ever-unpopular Queen Mary. However, Mary was still willing to spare her if she converted to Catholicism. She refused and Lady Gray was executed for treason in February 1554.^[1]

9 Miltiades (died 489 BC)

Miltiades was an Athenian general in the Greek army, known for his military prowess and understanding of war tactics. He has been recognized over the years as an important part of the victory of the Persians and in particular the Battle of Marathon. Here he won a miraculous victory by helping to change Greek military tactics.

How was that considered an accident? Allow us to explain. After achieving a victory over the Persians, Militiades, along with a fleet of about 70 ships, were sent to conquer the areas that sided with the Persians. The campaign was a failure and upon his return the short-sighted masses demanded his head.

He was accused of dissent, fined 50 talents and, after sustaining a leg injury, suffered a severe attack of gangrene, which ultimately cost him his life. There are even versions of the story that suggest he was captured and died in captivity.^[2]

8 Adolf Sax (1814-1894)

Perhaps it is incorrect to suggest that Adolphe Sax, the inventor of the saxophone, is an unhappy person. If you think about it, the opposite may sound true. Be that as it may, it’s not all people who are bombarded with as many accidents as Sax.

Basically, Sax fell down a flight of stairs at the age of three, leaving him bedridden (possibly in a coma) for a week. He swallowed and passed a needle at a time when medical intervention was limited, and swallowed a toxic cocktail of white lead, copper oxide and arsenic, surviving the ordeal. If that wasn’t enough, he also fell on a burning stove, suffering severe burns but avoiding infection, even surviving at the age of 10 when he was caught in a flurry. He was later discovered face down in the water near a mill and still being pulled by.

He was then shot by an exploding container of gunpowder and avoided death when a large slate tile from a roof fell on his head, sending him back into a deep coma. A life condemned to misfortune and smooth jazz.^[3]

7 Diego de Almagro (1475-1538)

The Almagro was a man who played a major role in the fall of the Inca civilization when he and his Spanish conquistador friends wreaked havoc in South America. But the man wasn’t having it all his way; in fact, he had a pretty unhappy life.

For starters, the man lost an eye to a spear thrown at him during a skirmish with one of the local armies. He then moved further and further into Chile in the hope of finding silver and gold, a country of immense wealth. But all he found were mountains. He lost most of his army to the treacherous Andes mountains and the Mapuche natives and was forced to turn around after two years.

Back in Panama, he faced a civil war with his Spanish counterparts over whom he had the upper hand in battle for the first time. But after reinforcements arrived, his troops succumbed. He was arrested and sentenced to death by garotte, an iron collar that is slowly tightened around your neck. His body was beheaded and shown to the public as a warning. Ouch!^[4]

6 Rosalind Franklin (1920-1958)

Rosalind Franklin died at the young age of 37 from an aggressive ovarian cancer – a terrible condition and enough to suggest that fate had the cards against her. But her death alone isn’t the reason she made this list.

You see, when James Watson and Francis Crick announced that they had discovered the DNA double helix and the building blocks of our human existence, they left out a crucial fact. Rosalind Franklin was instrumental in his discovery through her X-ray diffraction image of DNA. Franklin was never mentioned in their announcement.

Watson and Crick became Nobel Prize winners, citing Franklin’s work alone as inspiration for their discovery. Franklin, meanwhile, missed it when she died (possibly from radiation she experienced during her research) four years before the award was presented, making her ineligible to receive it. Her unfortunate legacy lives on.^[5]

5 Pheidippides (530-490 BC)

If you can’t imagine anything worse than getting up early on the weekend and running a 5K, consider Pheidippides, a runner for the military and the man who inspired the marathon. Literal.

Pheidippides was an Athenian messenger who was crucial to the Greek’s success, as he had to carry messages between armies and battle centers. However, his greatest achievement came when he made the desperate trek from Athens to Sparta in the hope of convincing them to come to Athens’ aid before returning to Athens. A run of nearly 300 miles, only to discover that the Spartan reinforcements would not arrive in time to join the battle.

Before taking his final bow, Pheidippides made the 25-mile flight from a battlefield at Marathon to Athens, where he fell dead of exhaustion.^[6]

4 Helen Palmer Geisel (1898–1967)

The name Dr. Seuss has become synonymous with funny rhymes and stories that often act as a strong moral compass. But everything is not always as it seems, and the wife of the famous Dr. Theodore Seuss Geisel was not filled with fairy tales and joy.

Helen Palmer, first wife of Dr. Seuss, had a torrid life. Although Dr. Seuss was guilty of infidelity, he remained married to Helen until her untimely death. It has even been suggested that Geisel had an affair (with his future wife, no less) while his beloved wife was suffering from severe depression and a disease known as Guillain-Barre syndrome, a disease that affects the nervous system.

Helen had polio as a child and walked with a limp; she struggled with infertility and later in life was diagnosed with cancer that required intensive treatment and radiation. Then came partial blindness and deafness, which eventually led to an addiction to barbiturates, a sedative, to cope with all her ailments. Helen eventually took her own life by overdosing on barbiturates.^[7]

3 Alan Turing (1912-1954)

Before it even existed, Alan Turing, philosopher, dreamer, mathematician and computer scientist, had a lot going for him. However, the age he was born wasn’t one of those things. As a man who made countless contributions to modern computer science and was a valuable asset in deciphering enemy military codes during World War II, he should be heralded as a national treasure. The opposite happened.

Turing was treated like a common criminal due to the fact that homosexuality was illegal. Convicted under Victorian laws, he was labeled a criminal and forced to undergo a process known as chemical castration. Finally, Turing had enough and took a lethal dose of cyanide.

In 2009, the British government apologized for his treatment and in 2013 he received a royal pardon. But unfortunately that didn’t make up for a life full of misery.^[8]

2 Ignaz Semmelweis (1818-1865)

Imagine a world where you advocate for doctors and surgeons to practice proper hygiene principles and then receive the scorn of the entire medical community.

Semmelweis, a gynecologist now known as the father of hygiene, realized that the spread of childbed fever (and other ailments) could be prevented by using the right hand disinfectants. The world ignored, criticized, or almost attacked him, and the preventable deaths continued, much to his frustration.

Semmelweis began to suffer from numerous complications: severe depression, absent-mindedness, manic obsession, and focusing all conversations on his much-ignored solution to a common problem. He developed a cognitive disability that could have been Alzheimer’s disease, mental exhaustion or late-stage syphilis before he was eventually referred to a psychiatric facility where he was beaten to death by his handlers. Unfortunately, he did not receive recognition for his work until years later.^[9]

1 Carlos II of Spain (1661-1700)

King Carlos II of Spain was the last monarch of the Habsburg dynasty, but was also known as Charles the Haunted (nowhere is the ruthless nature of humanity more apparent). The unfortunate King Carlos had a relatively short life, marked by constant ill health.

The problem was the Habsburgs’ policy of literally keeping the crown in the family. Years of inbreeding left Carlos physically handicapped and deformed, with a large tongue that made speaking difficult. He was bald at a young age and towards the end of his life was plagued by epileptic seizures.

The last three years of Carlo’s life (which were also the last three years of the Habsburg rule) were dominated by succession problems, as the unfortunate king was unable to father children. This led to the War of Succession and the eventual dismantling of Spain’s European possessions.^[10]

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP) is a massive collection of marine debris that is floating out and about in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It is located roughly halfway between Hawaii and California, with its location the result of a variety of ocean currents that have converged to meet there. It’s a ton of detritus of various kinds—trash thrown from ships, trash left on beaches, and trash that has washed out of rivers and flown into the ocean. Over time, all that trash has ridden the ocean currents to this same spot, and the GPGP was created.’

In total, scientists estimate that there are about 1.8 trillion pieces of plastic and other trash that make up the GPGP. Much of the massive island-like floating patch is made up of bottles, containers, and fishing nets. There are also a variety of microplastics that make up part of the debris field, too. Obviously, it’s gross. And obviously, it’s a massive environmental hazard. And in this list today, we’ll take a look at ten disturbing, smelly, and unsettling facts about it! Here is everything you ever needed to know—and then some—about the infamous Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

Related: 10 Surprising Uses Scientists Have Found for Plastic Waste

10 It’s All in the Current

You may be wondering to yourself how the GPGP can possibly stay in (mostly) one place despite being in an ever-moving and always-waving ocean. That’s because the ocean currents that converge on the area in the Pacific Ocean are precise and exact. In the case of the GPGP, several currents—most notably one called the North Pacific Gyre—are critical in accumulating and then trapping all of the debris in the massive field.

In the middle of the North Pacific Gyre, the water is mostly very calm and stable. Because multiple currents come from different areas and meet at that point, there isn’t as much water movement in the middle as you might think of with the rest of the ocean. Instead, it simply traps and holds small debris within the field forever after.

Take a plastic water bottle discarded off the coast of California, for example. That bottle will most likely ride the California current south to Mexico. From there, it’ll latch onto the North Equatorial Current, which tends to sweep bottles and other items across the Pacific Ocean. The bottle may go as far as Japan on its own, where it is captured in the very powerful Kuroshiro Current.

That wave then spits the bottle eastward again, where it typically latches onto the North Pacific Current. From there, the bottle is funneled without fail into the GPGP in the middle of the North Pacific Ocean. And that cycle happens again, and again, and again for countless pieces of other trash and debris, too.^[1]

9 A Soup of Crap

The GPGP may be a massive patch of trash and debris, but it’s not an island. You couldn’t walk around on it or anything—unless, we suppose, you found one really big piece of plastic trash that would support your weight. But despite the name of this patch, it’s not actually a landmass of any kind. It’s more of a massive trash soup or a stew of plastics and netting and bottles and the like.

Coming up on it in a boat doesn’t give you the view of a hill of trash or a mound of debris, like what you might find at a landfill. Instead, it’s more of a soupy mixture of trash particles floating all across a very large area. Think of it more as a debris field than a pile of debris.

Even though it’s a truly massive area filled with floating trash, the GPGP can’t be picked up on satellite imagery. There is often some watery space between little bits of trash, with the current merely bringing all the pieces together but not sticking them as one unit. And there’s more to be concerned about that you can’t see, too: microplastics.

The GPGP is made up in large part of tiny, often unseen microplastics. These small particles are not typically seen by the naked eye, but they are often more damaging to the environment than bottles and related items. There are billions upon billions of them, and they often get ingested into the human body via food and water intake. Gross!^[2]

8 Miserable Marine Life

The GPGP is an unsettling spot for many reasons, but one of the most notable is the effect it has on marine life. Marine animals, including birds, fish, turtles, and even dolphins and other larger swimming creatures, are attracted to the scents and sights of the GPGP. Unfortunately, once they get there, many of them peck and nibble and bite on what they think are bits and pieces of food.

Invariably, many of these animals end up ingesting small (and sometimes larger) bits of plastic. The plastic, in turn, works slowly in their bodies to kill them. It creates an indigestible mass in their stomachs, which in turn leads to major digestive problems, other health issues, and eventual starvation to the point of death.

Depressing, right? Interestingly, scientists found as early as 1966 that wildlife in marine areas was ingesting plastic at shockingly high rates. That year, researchers discovered that a series of dead Laysan albatross chicks had plastic container lids in their stomachs. And while that finding was both groundbreaking and unsettling at the time, it was made about two decades before the GPGP was first discovered.

So the oceanic garbage patch alone is not to blame. Still, biologists rightly recognize that the GPGP’s sheer size and attractiveness to marine wildlife make it ground zero for environmental issues in the Pacific Ocean. And with it growing larger year by year, things will only ever get worse in that region of the sea.^[3]

7 Daunting Debris Field

As we covered up top, the GPGP consists of roughly 1.8 trillion pieces of trash. How scientists took the time to count all that, and what methods they used for deducing roughly how much trash is inside the GPGP, we’ll never know. That’s a lot of zeroes! But what we do know is how big the actual debris field is—and we know exactly how scientists determined its estimated size even despite the fact that it moves around a bit in the ocean!

According to the experts, the GPGP covers a surface area of an astonishing 618,000 square miles (1.6 million square kilometers). For those of you who need a reference as to how big that is, let’s try this one: It is larger than twice the size of Texas or roughly three times the size of France. Imagine three Frances just sitting out there in the ocean, and it’s all just floating trash. Got that image in your head? Well, good, because that’s what the GPGP is right now.

As for figuring out that surface area, as we noted above, satellite imagery couldn’t offer much help. Instead, biologists and environmental researchers got together a fleet of nearly three dozen boats and hundreds of surface nets to “round up” the trash in an attempt to get some kind of handle on the mass’s size. Then, they had a flight crew do a few flying passes over the trash soup, too, just to be sure they knew exactly where to cover with their search.

In the end, they came up with that large number. It’s inexact, of course, since trash is constantly added to the pile, and the currents move things around a bit. But though it may be ameboid in its day-to-day existence, that’s roughly how big the GPGP is as far as science is concerned.^[4]

6 There Are Others…

While the GPGP is the biggest trash problem in the world right now, it’s not the only one. In fact, there are several other marine garbage patches dotted in oceans all around the world. Thankfully, the rest of the currently existing ones aren’t nearly as big as the GPGP.

However, the very fact that they exist—and scientists have found evidence that they are all growing, as is the GPGP—means that the world has a very real trash problem on its hands. And with patches popping up in nearly every ocean where there are currents that converge into gyres, that means a solution must come quickly.

Major trash vortexes exist in both the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, for one. Gyres there lead currents into dead zones where trash accumulates quickly. Plus, heavily trafficked shipping lines have effectively funneled trash into certain oceanic locations elsewhere in the world. The North Atlantic has one of the most concerning and fast-growing garbage patches.

Amazingly, the relatively tiny little North Sea is even developing its own garbage patch, too. Heck, the biggest other garbage patch in the world is also in the Pacific Ocean! The Western Garbage Patch isn’t as large as the GPGP, but it’s significant. It is found on the other side of the Pacific Ocean, roughly halfway between Hawaii and Japan.^[5]

5 The Shocking Sheer Scale

Humans produce about 400 million metric tons of plastic every year. For reference, that is about the weight of every single human on the planet. In plastic. Every single year. And that scale only ever seems to keep growing as we consume more things that are packaged and shipped in plastic each and every year.

The thing is, though, that we do a pretty good job of recycling and/or properly disposing of most of that plastic. Of those 400 million metric tons of junk, only about 0.5%—or roughly 2 million metric tons, give or take—ends up in the ocean in a place it definitely shouldn’t be. Of course, 2 million metric tons is still an insane amount of plastic to have just floating around in our oceans. So let’s not pat ourselves on the back too hard when it comes to plastic waste.

As for the cause of plastics floating into the ocean, the main culprits actually seem to be middle-income nations with rivers leading out to coastal waterways—think areas like Central and South America and even some coastal sections of Africa and the like. That’s because, for the most part, these developing nations don’t have the same robust plastic recycling plants and infrastructure built out for their communities and residents as you see in the United States, Europe, or East Asia.

When plastic waste piles up in some of these developing nations, it can clog rivers and then be whisked out into the ocean, where it eventually falls into a current and is pulled into the massive gyre that leads to the GPGP and other garbage patches.^[6]

4 Fishing and Shipping Hurt, Too

We’ve spent much of this list talking about how the GPGP grows because of land-based plastic waste that is sent out to sea and slowly accumulates in the gyre based on ocean currents. And while that is true of much of the garbage patch’s contents, that’s not the whole story here. There is an entire second narrative to consider, too.

In fact, quite a bit of trash is produced by humans populating vessels that are traveling far out at sea, hundreds or thousands of miles away from the shore. We don’t often think of this trash simply because we see the sea as this vast, wide-open space that barely has anybody in it at any one time. And that’s kind of true, relative to its size, but the fact is that the ocean has quite a few boats, ships, and other vessels constantly moving about—and making trash.

While land-based trash can take months or years to float out to sea, catch a current, and be pulled into the GPGP, trash strewn from ships out on the ocean can get there very quickly. And sadly, both major shipping line vessels and fishing boats of all sizes and ports are complicit in creating trash. Littering has become a massive problem in the ocean, with sailors on large vessels opting to sometimes dump large amounts of trash in the water simply to get rid of it.

That, along with other moves of improper waste disposal, very often creates pools of trash that quickly pick up a current out on the high seas and are drawn into the GPGP. With no oversight commission on hand in person to watch these illegal dumpings happen, it is impossible to track or even begin to remedy these trash accumulations without significant changes to how shipping and commercial fishing are done.^[7]

3 An Accidental Discovery

Long Beach native and longtime sailor Charles Moore is the one credited with first discovering the GPGP when he came upon it completely by accident in 1997. Scientists had already been wondering how plastic waste might damage marine ecosystems. Still, until fate intervened and flung Captain Moore into the center of it all, nobody had any idea that there was a massive, hulking area of garbage out in the Pacific Ocean.

Moore himself was a longtime sailor who had grown up enjoying the pastime with his father. As he aged, Moore began to take more sailing trips to various parts of the world, including his favorite route of them all: between Hawaii and California.

But one day in 1997, hurricane winds blew his sailing vessel way off course. He’d been intending to travel from Honolulu to Santa Barbara, California. Unfortunately for him, the course correction delayed his journey home. Then, he began to notice something amiss in the water: tons and tons and tons of floating debris abruptly appearing around his ship.

After hours of spotting more and more trash, Moore realized something was very seriously wrong. “I said, you know what, this has got to be more than just Hansel and Gretel leaving a trail of crumbs just for me to follow home,” Moore recalled years later when asked about his unlikely discovery of the GPGP. “This is not what it is. This is gotta be a bigger phenomenon.” Indeed, it was.^[8]

2 New Ecosystems Take Hold

While the GPGP is both an eyesore and a major threat to the environment, its existence has actually allowed some very specific ecosystems to thrive. Specifically, coast-based creatures like certain crabs and anemones have been found by scientists to live and do fairly well on the outskirts of the trash heap.

They are thousands of miles from their original homes on beaches across the North Pacific Ocean, but the trash heap has amazingly been a reliable second home for many different creatures. One study found that there are dozens and dozens of species of invertebrate organisms and other tiny sea creatures that live within the plastic garbage pile. And scientists have reason to believe that those animals have been there for years!

Essentially, the matter and debris that has floated out to sea along with the garbage pile has re-created a coastal ecosystem. It’s obviously not natural or healthy for the rest of us—or for the vast majority of sea creatures—but for some invertebrates, it works. Species that wouldn’t normally survive in the open ocean, like crabs and anemones, are now thriving within the garbage pile.

There is enough organic matter—and goodness knows the trash heap itself is big enough—that these creatures can even thrive and multiply in time. “It was surprising to see how frequent the coastal species were,” one researcher told CNN after discovering the unexpected life that has bubbled up within the trash. “They were on 70% of the debris that we found.” How does that Jeff Goldblum quote go again? Something like, “Life, uh, finds a way,” right? Well, here’s (literally) living proof of that in action!^[9]

1 A Clean-Up Solution?

While the GPGP may be a crazy and unsettling situation going on out in the middle of the ocean, we aren’t powerless to stop it. Barges and trawlers have been tasked with cleaning up the garbage patch en masse since September 2018.

Early that month, the first set of collection barges was dispatched to the gyre to begin picking up trash. Called “Ocean Cleanup System 001,” the initial trial ran for four months. It produced such good results that the team behind the cleanup idea decided to put “System 001/B” into use soon after that.

By 2021, the Ocean Cleanup system had collectively picked up about 63,000 pounds (27,670 kilograms) of trash from the GPGP. Most of it was plastic, with plenty of metal and other materials among the waste they collected out on the high seas. Then, by July 2022, a milestone: the Ocean Cleanup crew announced that they’d picked up about 220,000 pounds (more than 100,000 kilograms) of GPGP trash during their “System 002” phase of work.

By 2023, that system transitioned into “System 03,” which the crew claims is about ten times more effective than even the pickup work they’ve been doing to this point. That’s a massive improvement because, with ten times the efficiency of past cleanups, the crew now believes they can get ahead of the GPGP onslaught and pick up more trash at a faster rate than what is being deposited there every year.

“System 03” will begin running at its heaviest in early 2024, and the Ocean Cleanup crew believes they will be able to clean up the entire Great Pacific Garbage Patch by early 2034. Obviously, there will be a lot of variables thrown their way over the next ten years.

That goal may not prove completely realistic. But it’s clear that there are major (and very necessary) improvements ahead. Here’s hoping they clean up a LOT of trash at a very high rate!^[10]

The land that forms Yellowstone Park is located mostly in Wyoming, with smaller sections of the park in Montana and Idaho. This area has a long history, far beyond that of the first Western explorers. For thousands of years, Native Americans called the land home, the place where they lived and hunted—though not always in peace. Yellowstone was a battleground in which the Crows, the Blackfeet, the Bannocks, and the Shoshones vied for control over its resources.

Of course, it wasn’t known by that name back then; rather, it was referred to as the “Burning Mountains.” At the time, some of the native groups believed that they would incur the wrath of an evil spirit that resided among the geysers. It’s not completely clear what happened that led to this belief.

Yellowstone National Park was established as the world’s first national park by an act of Congress and signed into law on March 1, 1872, by President Ulysses S. Grant. It spans 2.2 million acres (890,308 hectares) of diverse landscapes, from enchanting geysers to dense forests. Yet beneath its beauty lies a sinister reality. Over the years, more than a dozen individuals have vanished from Yellowstone without a trace—and many of these also perished. Despite the park’s allure, few people interested in Yellowstone National Park pause to reflect on the haunting legacy of these disappearances, spanning from the turn of the century to as recent as 2023.

Related: Another 10 Mysteries That Defy Explanation

10 Leroy R. Piper

Leroy R. Piper, a 36-year-old from Ohio, disappeared from the now-defunct Fountain Hotel on July 30, 1900, just north of the park’s Fountain Paint Pot in the Lower Geyser Basin. Despite a $1,000 reward (equivalent to over $36,000 in 2024) and weeks of cavalry searches, Piper was never found.

Some have speculated that bears might have been involved in Piper’s disappearance. The Fountain Hotel’s staff used to provide nightly entertainment by hauling each night’s trash to a location near the hotel, which attracted grizzlies. This practice eventually led to the construction of an amphitheater with spectator seating and a concrete feeding pad until 1941.

Reports also suggested Piper may have wandered off or met with foul play. Unfortunately, the hotel was torn down in 1927, presumably making it even more challenging to find evidence about what happened to Piper.^[1]

9 Larry Marvin Morris

Larry Marvin Morris, a 24-year-old from Tulsa, Oklahoma, vanished on April 26, 1974, while working as a seismograph worker in Riverton, Wyoming. His plan was to visit Yellowstone National Park before heading back home, but he never reached either destination.

Morris, described as having dark brown hair and brown eyes, was last seen driving a green 1966 Ford LTD pickup truck with the Oklahoma license plate number RO-94.

Two individuals, James Franklin Jagers and Jack Lincoln, were apprehended with Morris’s credit cards and belongings. Jagers, recently released from a Colorado prison, and Lincoln, an escapee, were found using Morris’s cards across multiple states. Lincoln’s fingerprints were discovered on Morris’s cards and inside his truck.

Despite evidence implicating Lincoln, the investigation primarily focused on Jagers. In 1983, Jagers claimed knowledge of Morris’s demise and the whereabouts of his body, but no agreement was reached. In 2013, Jagers faced charges related to the case, which were later reduced to misdemeanor larceny. Jagers passed away in 2014 without facing formal charges in connection to Morris’s disappearance. Meanwhile, Morris remains missing, becoming the earliest entry in Wyoming’s missing persons database, established in 1974.^[2]

8 Daniel Lynn Campbell

Daniel Lynn Campbell, a resident of Sweet Grass County, Montana, was dropped off by his girlfriend at the Hellroaring Creek trailhead in Yellowstone National Park on April 6, 1991. His plan was to hike to Jardine, Montana, with the intention of retrieving illegally collected elk antlers before reuniting with his girlfriend. However, Campbell never reached his intended destination and has been missing ever since.

Despite an initial search conducted shortly after his disappearance, no clues regarding Campbell’s whereabouts were uncovered. Authorities initially speculated that he may have either been murdered or staged his own death to escape financial troubles.
However, disputes arose regarding Campbell’s motives. Authorities refuted claims that he vanished to evade financial issues, pointing to an impending legal settlement. Instead, they suspected foul play, potentially linked to disputes over the illegal elk antlers.

In 2000, Campbell’s brothers took legal action against the Park County Sheriff, alleging mishandling of the investigation. They sought $100,000 for each of Campbell’s surviving brothers, citing associated hardships, punitive damages, and legal fees. They argued that had the investigation been conducted properly, Campbell’s remains would have been discovered. One of the critical errors made by the Sheriff included the premature return of confiscated camping gear to local horn hunters without proper forensic testing.^[3]

7 Luke Adam Sanburg

Luke Adam Sanburg was last seen on June 24, 2005, in Yellowstone National Park, six miles north of Gardiner, Montana, where he was camping with his Boy Scout troop. Described as a white male with brown hair and hazel eyes, Luke stood 5’6″ (1.6 meters) tall and weighed 110 pounds (50 kilograms).

Tragically, Luke fell into the fast-moving Yellowstone River while assisting with pushing logs and was swept away by rapids. The search for Luke was scaled back as the hope of finding him alive faded, with Luke’s family coming to terms with the likelihood that he would not survive. Tennis shoes believed to belong to Luke were found in the river over the weekend, 5 miles ((8 kilometers) downstream from where he fell in. This grim discovery, coupled with the lack of any other clothing, added to the family’s acceptance of his tragic fate.

Luke’s disappearance occurred amid a series of other incidents in Yellowstone National Park, including the disappearance of a park employee, Joseph R. Miller, 59, from Seattle, who went missing while canoeing in Lewis Lake, and Candace May Kellie, 19, from Belgrade, Montana, whose vehicle plunged into the river. These events stretched park resources thin, with crews utilizing sonar and deep-water cameras to aid in the search efforts.^[4]

6 Bruce Parker Pike

Bruce Parker Pike was last seen on August 2, 2006, at a campground on Indian Creek, located in the Wyoming section of Yellowstone National Park. After his disappearance, Pike was never heard from again, and his vehicle was later discovered abandoned in the park.

Indian Creek, where Pike was last seen, has a history of bear activity, both black bears and grizzlies. Incidents involving bears have led to temporary closures of the campground in the past. For example, in July 1986, the campground was closed due to a bear encounter where a hiker was injured by a female grizzly and her cub. The presence of bears in the area poses a potential hazard, especially considering the rugged wilderness of Yellowstone.

Additionally, in 2019, there were reports of black bear incidents in the park, including one where a bear bit a woman in her tent and another where campers left food unattended, leading to property damage and aggressive behavior from the bear. These incidents highlight the ongoing challenges faced by park officials in managing bear encounters and ensuring visitor safety.

While the exact circumstances surrounding Pike’s disappearance remain unclear, the history of bear activity in the area suggests that it could have played a role.^[5]

5 Nicholas Jeffrey Mostert

Nicholas Jeffrey Mostert was last seen on June 16, 2009, when he leaped from one of Yellowstone National Park’s observation decks into the Yellowstone River. At the time, the river was swollen, with around 6,000 cubic feet ((1,700 cubic meters) of water per second flowing into it from the falls of Yellowstone Lake. Mostert was swept over the 308-foot (94-meter) Lower Falls and disappeared.

Park officials identified Mostert as the individual who jumped into the river, indicating that it was likely a deliberate act of suicide. Witnesses reported seeing him leap from an observation platform at the brink of the Lower Falls and being swept over the waterfall into the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone.

Search efforts were immediately launched, with searchers rappelling to the bottom of the canyon and recovering some of Mostert’s clothing in an eddy about a quarter mile downstream from the base of the falls. Despite extensive search operations, Mostert’s body was not recovered.^[6]

4 Mike Petersen

Mike Petersen, a resident of Bismarck, North Dakota, was reported missing on June 4, 2017. After an exhaustive search by the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office, Petersen’s body was discovered on the morning of June 6, 2017, approximately a quarter mile south of the confluence of Beaver and West Fork Creeks.

Petersen, an experienced backpacker familiar with the area, had embarked on his hike equipped with survival gear. Despite extensive search efforts involving air and ground teams, his body was found near Beaver Creek. Subsequently, the cause of death was determined to be drowning.

This tragic incident underscores the significance of exercising caution, especially around water bodies, particularly during periods of high water levels.^[7]

3 Brandon Steel-Rowe Fitch

Brandon Steel-Rowe Fitch was last seen in the early hours of June 16, 2018, in Reed Point, Montana. According to friends who were with him, he fell off the Reed Point Bridge into the Yellowstone River. The river was running very high at the time, and Fitch disappeared into the water. He is presumed to have drowned, but his body has never been found.

Despite prompt 911 notification by a witness, Fitch’s body swiftly vanished in the high-running waters, leading authorities to presume drowning with no suspicion of foul play. Search efforts employing jet skis, boats, and drones failed to locate Fitch’s body, hindered by high water levels and debris, prompting temporary suspension.

His parents remain uncertain about the circumstances—whether he fell, jumped, or was pushed—leaving Brandon’s fate unresolved as his body remains unrecovered. Brandon, aged 20 at the time of his disappearance, stood 5’9″ (1.76 meters) tall and weighed 170 pounds (77 kilograms). He was possibly wearing green Wrangler Ripstop pants, Under Armour underwear, Perfect Fit boot socks, and a belt buckle.

Fitch had distinguishing tattoos, including the initials “KV” on his wrist, a large owl on his left arm at the shoulder, and a Bible verse reading “I can do all things through him who gives me strength 4:13” on his left forearm. His parents spoke out, expressing their love for their son and their hope for his safe return.^[8]

2 Randall Scott Crawford

On August 8, 2021, Randall Scott Crawford fell into the Yellowstone River while attempting to secure a raft, ultimately swept away by the current near the park’s Bratten fishing access site. The accident database report indicates that Crawford was not wearing a personal flotation device at the time of the incident.

The Sweet Grass County Sheriff noted the challenges faced by search teams, including Crawford’s friends and family, due to the river’s clarity and windy conditions hindering air support. The search effort was bolstered by the Gallatin, Stillwater, and Yellowstone County sheriff’s offices, covering approximately 6 miles (9.6 kilometers) along the Yellowstone River from the Bratten fishing access site to Reed Point. The body of the victim, identified as Randall Crawford of Park City, MT, was recovered near the Indian Fort campground north of Reed Point on August 13, 2021.^[9]

1 Il Hun Ro

In the wake of the chilling discovery of a human foot adrift in a Yellowstone National Park hot spring, investigators delved into the enigmatic life of the man behind the grisly incident. Il Hun Ro, a 70-year-old from Los Angeles, a man who met his tragic end on August 16, 2022, was later determined to be the owner of the foot.
Despite exhaustive searches yielding no significant human remains beyond the macabre foot, geologists uncovered eerie fatty deposits surfacing over time, casting a foreboding shadow over the tranquil landscape.

Through the precision of DNA analysis, investigators have pieced together the identity of the victim, piecing together fragments of a life lost in the wilderness. Ro’s final moments, shrouded in mystery, were determined to have unfolded on the morning of July 31, a silent tragedy witnessed by no one.

In a poignant twist, investigators unearthed clues within Ro’s abandoned vehicle, a Kia Niro SUV, parked in the wilderness. Among his possessions lay a treasure trove of personal effects: a laptop, cherished photographs, park maps, and a wallet brimming with $447 in cash. Yet, it was the discovery of a small book of handwritten poems that offered a glimpse into Ro’s soul, a silent testament to his inner turmoil.

As park officials caution visitors to tread cautiously amid the thermal wonders of Yellowstone, Abyss Pool stands as a chilling reminder of nature’s unforgiving grasp. Its depths reach over 50 feet (15 meters), with temperatures soaring to a scalding 140°F (60°C).^[10]

De horrorromans op deze lijst behoren tot de vroegst geschreven. In feite beginnen we met de eerste roman van het genre. Sommige van deze werken zijn van Engelse of Britse schrijvers, andere van hun Ierse, Schotse of Amerikaanse tegenhangers. Veel van de boeken van deze auteurs zijn bekend, zelfs beroemd, maar bekend of niet, ze zijn allemaal gebaseerd op verhalen die op zichzelf intrigerend zijn.

Verwant: Top 10 huiveringwekkende horrorromans om in de winter te lezen

10 Het kasteel van Otranto (1764)

In tegenstelling tot zijn vader en oudere broers zou Horace Walpole (1717–1797), de 4e Heer van Orford, beter herinnerd worden vanwege zijn literaire bezigheden dan vanwege de politiek. Het kasteel van Otranto wordt algemeen beschouwd als de eerste horrorroman. De roman concentreert zich op Manfred, de heer van het kasteel, terwijl hij een oude profetie probeert af te wenden door met de verloofde van zijn overleden zoon, Isabella, te trouwen om een ​​andere mannelijke erfgenaam voort te brengen. Walpole’s griezelige verslag van het ogenschijnlijk spookachtige kasteel beïnvloedde andere horrorschrijvers, waaronder een op deze lijst: Matthew Gregory Monk.

Walpole zelf werd geïnspireerd door een aantal eerdere auteurs, waaronder William Shakespeare, en door folklore. Het lijkt erop dat zijn eigen roman Walpole zelf zelfs inspireerde om Strawberry Hill House te bouwen, een ‘gotische revivalvilla’ in Twickenham, een project dat 27 jaar duurde. Hoewel het huis op een kasteel lijkt, waren de invloeden op de architectonische kenmerken eclectisch; elementen van het ontwerp zijn ontleend aan kastelen en kathedralen, evenals aan graven in Westminster Abbey.^[2]

9 De geschiedenis van de kalief Vathek (1786)

Vooral tijdens de 18e eeuw waren westerlingen geïntrigeerd door de artefacten van de Aziatische cultuur. De horrorroman van William Beckford (1760-1844). De geschiedenis van de kalief Vathek kwam tegemoet aan deze preoccupatie, waarbij de titel verwijst naar een islamitische religieuze en politieke leider en de setting naar Samarah of Samarra. Maar Vatheks weergave van gotische elementen, die populair werd dankzij Walpole’s eerdere roman, maakte Beckfords boek ook in de mode. De opname van de kalief, een djinn, een demon en eunuchen bevredigde de interesse van de lezers in zowel de Aziatische cultuur als de gotische horror.

Zoals Richard Daniel Altick uitlegt, had Beckford ‘de voorgaande zomer zijn volwassen worden gevierd met een geweldig driedaags feest in Fonthill. [Abbey and] was vastbesloten zichzelf te overtreffen met een kerstfeest. Aan een vriend schreef hij dat ‘elke voorbereiding vooruitgaat’ en dat de buitengewone schilder en decorontwerper Philip James Loutherbourgh ‘zou kunnen voorstellen of bedenken – om onze favoriete appartementen de vreemdheid en nieuwigheid van een sprookjeswereld te geven.’ Het resultaat, zo beweerde Beckford, motiveerde hem om zijn weelderige roman gedurende een periode van drie dagen te schrijven.^[2]

8 Rebekka (1938)

Volgens een Vanity beurs artikel van Rosemary Counter, drie personages in de huiveringwekkende roman van Daphne du Maurier (1907–1989) Rebekka zijn gebaseerd op mensen die de auteur zelf kende: de verteller van de roman, Rebecca’s echtgenoot Maxim de Winter (die eigenaar is van het landgoed Manderley) en zijn huishoudster mevrouw Danvers.

Net als Rebecca’s verloving met Winter, was de verloving van du Maurier met Sir Frederick Arthur Montague ‘Boy’ Browning van korte duur: het paar trouwde drie maanden nadat ze zich hadden verloofd. Waarschijnlijk inspireerde Du Mauriers ontdekking van liefdesbrieven van haar man aan zijn voormalige verloofde, Jeanette ‘Jan’ Ricardo, en ‘brieven of kaarten’ van Ricardo aan Browning een bron van het gemartelde romantische conflict dat centraal staat in de roman. Het weerspiegelt in zekere zin dat van Du Mauriers eigen, soms stormachtige huwelijk met Browning.

De verteller, van wie lezers vaak denken dat hij een fascinatie voor Rebecca heeft voor hetzelfde geslacht, vertegenwoordigt mogelijk de lesbische neigingen van de auteur, aangezien bekend is dat bij de buitenechtelijke relaties van Du Maurier andere vrouwen betrokken waren, waaronder actrice Gertrude Lawrence.

Volgens Kit Browning, de zoon van du Maurier, werd mevrouw Danvers voorgesteld door een “lange, donkere huishoudster” wiens sinistere uiterlijk indruk maakte op du Maurier toen ze als jonge vrouw in Milton House verbleef.

Het meest fascinerende kenmerk van de roman is dat Rebekka is niet het complexe, problematische liefdesverhaal waarvoor het gewoonlijk wordt aangezien, maar, zoals haar zoon Kit beweerde dat du Maurier hem vertelde, het is “een onderzoek naar jaloezie” dat wordt weerspiegeld door de jaloezie van mevrouw Danvers over de liefde van de verteller voor Rebecca en de jaloezie van de verteller op Rebecca’s liefde voor Winter. De geest van het verhaal is, om zo te zeggen, niet zozeer Rebecca zelf als wel het monster met de groene ogen.^[3]

7 De foto van Dorian Gray (1891)

Critici zien het De foto van Dorian Gray door Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) als zijnde Rebekka, een grotendeels autobiografische roman die, net als de roman van Du Maurier, doet denken aan de homoseksualiteit van de auteur. Darragh McManus vat deze visie samen en schrijft dat het ‘verhaal van Dorian Gray een onwankelbare meditatie is over morele corruptie, de aard van de ziel, [and] hemel en hel” die op gang komt wanneer de deal van de narcistische Dorian met de duivel ervoor zorgt dat zijn portret ouder wordt en de gevolgen van zijn zonden laat zien, terwijl Dorian zelf altijd jong en knap blijft.

Oorspronkelijk liet de roman nogal sterk doorschemeren dat Dorian verliefd was op (of op zijn minst aangetrokken en gefascineerd was door) de hedonistische Lord Henry ‘Harry’ Wotton, net zoals de schilder van Dorians portret, Basil Hallward, verliefd was op Dorian. Het impliceerde ook dat Dorian’s zonden voornamelijk van homoseksuele aard waren.

Het publiek begreep de gevolgen. Hoewel Wilde enkele van de meer schandalige toespelingen op Dorians verboden liefde schrapte, veroordeelden hedendaagse critici de roman als ‘een giftig boek’, geschreven ‘voor vogelvrije edellieden en perverse telegraafjongens’. De telegraafjongens verleenden blijkbaar buiten kantooruren diensten als callboys voor aristocraten om hun loon als werknemers van het General Post Office aan te vullen.^[4]

6 Het vreemde geval van Dr. Jekyll en Mr. Hyde (1886)

Tot het moment dat hij op 47-jarige leeftijd werd opgehangen, slaagde William Brodie uit Edinburgh erin zich voor te doen als een waardig vakman. Zijn titel ‘Deacon’ (verleend omdat hij president was van de Incorporation of Wrights, een plaatselijke gilde), droeg bij aan zijn respectabele uitstraling. Hij maakte niet alleen mooie meubels, maar dankzij zijn gildepositie hielp hij ook bij het bestuur van de stad. In het geheim was hij een dief en gebruikte hij zijn vaardigheden als slotenmaker om in 1768 een bank van £ 800 te beroven.

Door de jaren heen genereerde zijn criminele nevenactiviteit een comfortabel inkomen totdat Brodie werd gevangengenomen, berecht, veroordeeld en opgehangen voor een menigte van 40.000 waarnemers. Aangenomen wordt dat het ogenschijnlijk respectabele leven dat Brodie naast dat van een crimineel had geleid de roman van Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894) heeft geïnspireerd Het vreemde geval van Dr. Jekyll en Mr. Hyde.^[5]

5 De vrouw in het wit (1860)

De dubbelzinnigheid van een in het wit geklede vrouw intrigeerde schilders, waaronder Gustave Courbet en James McNeill Whistler; de dichter Charles Baudelaire; en de romanschrijver Wilkie Collins (1824–1889). Duidde zo’n beeld op een godin? Een maagd? Een gevallen vrouw? Een spook?

Deze figuur, zoals Whistler haar schilderde, met zijn geliefde Joanna Hiffernan als model, was een enigma; haar witte jurk contrasteerde scherp met haar vurig rode haar. De schilder zelf liet zijn vriend en collega-kunstenaar Henri Fantin-Latour weten dat de figuur een prostituee voorstelde.

Anne Catherick, de vrouw in het wit uit Collins’ roman, bleek net zo sensationeel als het nieuwe genre van ‘sensatiefictie’ dat door zijn mysterie werd gelanceerd, een soort verhaal dat wordt gekenmerkt door ‘zijn opwindende, spannende en soms gruwelijke plots, evenals de de onsmakelijke thema’s van intriges, jaloezie, moord, overspel en dergelijke.”^[6]

4 Het huis van de zeven gevels (1851)

Deze gotische roman van de beroemde auteur Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804–1864) werd in april 1851 gepubliceerd. Het Huis van de Zeven Gevels volgt een familie uit New England en hun ouderlijk huis. De familie Pyncheon, feitelijke inwoners van Salem, Massachusetts, waren echter niet de inspiratiebron voor de personages uit de roman met wie ze dezelfde naam delen.

In feite is de kolonel Puncheon uit de roman gedeeltelijk een tegenwicht voor het jonge Yankee-meisje Phoebe, die, ondanks haar ‘Yankeeness’, wordt gekenmerkt door ‘commerciële scherpzinnigheid en een rusteloze mobiliteit’. Phoebe “transformeert het vervallen huis tot een thuis [and] temt de Yankee-burger Holgtave, die erop uit is het slachtofferschap van zijn voorvader, de rechtmatige erfgenaam van het landgoed, door de familie Pyncheon te wreken.

De afstammelingen van de werkelijke Pyncheons waren echter niet blij met Hawthorne’s gebruik van de naam en vonden zijn karakterisering van de familie spottend en minachtend. Hoewel de auteur hen probeerde te verzachten door te stellen dat in toekomstige edities van het boek de naam zou kunnen worden veranderd en er in het voorwoord een ‘disclaimer’ zou kunnen verschijnen, was Hawthorne zo geïrriteerd door zijn correspondentie met de ‘Pyncheon-klootzakken’ dat hij ooit stelde voor dat zijn volledige briefwisseling met hen zou worden gepubliceerd.^[7]

3 Het verhaal van Arthur Gordon Pym van Nantucket (1838)

Verschillende van de korte verhalen van Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849) zijn gebaseerd op feitelijke gebeurtenissen; zo is zijn enige roman: Het verhaal van Arthur Gordon Pym van Nantucket (1838). Een avontuurlijk zeeverhaal, compleet met schipbreuk, muiterij en kannibalisme, de roman was gebaseerd op verschillende bronnen. Maar het griezeligste feit van het boek is dat het profetisch was.

Zoals een BBC-artikel opmerkt: “Poe noemde in zijn verhaal dezelfde naam van een man die vijftig jaar later in het echte leven schipbreuk zou lijden en – precies zoals beschreven in het boek – opgegeten zou worden door zijn mede-overlevenden.” Een afstammeling van Richard Parker wees op de griezelige overeenkomsten tussen het lot van Poe’s hoofdpersoon en dat van zijn eigen voorvader. Parker was een van de vier overlevenden van schipbreukelingen die een schildpad aten voordat ze hun toevlucht namen tot kannibalisme, met Parker als slachtoffer. De eerlijkheid gebiedt te zeggen dat dit een bizar geval is van het leven dat kunst imiteert.^[8]

2 Frankenstein (1818)

Het is algemeen bekend dat spookverhalen in de Fantasmagoriana Het boek dat Lord Byron, Percy Bysshe Shelley en Mary Shelley (1797–1851) om beurten lazen tijdens een zomervakantie aan zee in 1816, bracht Byron ertoe de drie uit te dagen om elk hun eigen griezelige verhaal te schrijven. Mary’s verhaal werd natuurlijk later Frankenstein; of, De moderne Prometheus (1818).

Hoewel het gigantische wezen van haar roman geïnspireerd zou kunnen zijn door Johann August Apels verhaal “Le Portraits de Famille” (“Familieportretten”) en door Friedrich August Schulze’s verhaal “La Morte Fiancee” (“The Corpse Bride”), hielp Shelley’s verbeeldingskracht haar ook om haar monster te verwekken. In het voorwoord bij de editie van 1831 van het boek beschrijft ze haar proces van het voorstellen van het wezen als vergelijkbaar met de werking van fantasmagorie, een theatrale projectie van speciale optische effecten om toeschouwers bang te maken en te verbazen.

Ze legt uit dat haar “verbeelding [flashed] opeenvolgende afbeeldingen in [her] geest met een levendigheid die de gebruikelijke grenzen van mijmering ver te boven gaat [and she] zag – met gesloten ogen, maar scherp mentaal inzicht – de bleke student van onheilige kunsten knielend naast het ding dat hij in elkaar had gezet [and] het afschuwelijke fantoom van een man die zich uitstrekt, en dan, op de werking van een krachtige motor, te zien is[ing] tekenen van leven, en roer[ring] met een ongemakkelijke, half vitale beweging.^[9]

1 De monnik (1796)

Nick Bruidegom, de redacteur van De monnikbeschrijft de roman van Matthew Gregory Lewis uit 1796 als iets voor iedereen: “macht en politiek, verleiding en verraad, seks en geweld, opsluiting, marteling, duivelaanbidding en dood.”

De roman is zowel een verhaal over de val van de monnik Ambrosia als de romance van een verloofd stel. De roman bevatte bronnen in zowel een boek dat Lewis (1775–1818) las als een historische gebeurtenis waarvan hij getuige was: de seksuele losbandigheid en onmenselijkheid van de markies de Sade. Justine (1791) en de ‘bloeddorstige’ omwenteling van de Franse Revolutie (1789-1799).^[10]

Net als rechercheurs die een misdaad oplossen, moeten wetenschappers aanwijzingen uit fossielen, chemicaliën en levende verwanten samenvoegen om een ​​beeld te krijgen van hoe prehistorische wezens eruit zagen en hoe ze zich gedroegen. Zonder dat getuigen ernaar vragen, is het geen verrassing dat er fouten worden gemaakt, maar deze kunnen zich snel verspreiden vanwege de publieke belangstelling voor het onderwerp.

Helaas kan het jaren duren om nieuw bewijsmateriaal op te graven dat een oud idee tegenspreekt. Tegen die tijd heeft het al tot de verbeelding van het publiek gesproken en zijn weg gevonden naar foto’s, sculpturen en films. Deze lijst bevat tien van dergelijke gevallen waarin later onderzoek heeft gesuggereerd dat algemeen aanvaarde ideeën over bekende prehistorische wezens verkeerd waren.

Verwant: 10 rare beestjes die naast de dinosaurussen leefden

10 Megalodon-uiterlijk

De oceanen van de aarde zitten vol mysterieuze en gevaarlijke wezens, maar een enge zwemmer waar mensen dankbaar voor kunnen zijn dat ze zich er geen zorgen meer over hoeven te maken, is de megalodon. Dit waren de toproofdieren van de oceaan van 15 tot 3,6 miljoen jaar geleden, en het waren in feite enorme haaien die wel 20 meter lang konden worden. Ze zijn vaak afgebeeld als omvangrijke beesten, zoals moderne grote witte haaien De Meg films met Jason Statham, maar recenter onderzoek suggereert dat dit verkeerd is.

Er is nooit een compleet megalodon-skelet gevonden, dus gebruikten wetenschappers eerst 3D-modellering om de grootte en vorm van de megalodon te voorspellen op basis van de gefossiliseerde tanden en wervels. Dit resulteerde erin dat het eruitzag als een gigantische grote witte.

Een team van 26 haaienexperts publiceerde in 2024 echter een artikel waarin werd betoogd dat de wervels van de megalodon zo verschillend waren van die van een grote witte haai dat het niet simpelweg een grotere versie van hetzelfde dier kon zijn. Ze denken dat het waarschijnlijker is dat de megalodon eruitzag als de slankere, maar daarom niet minder angstaanjagende makreelhaai.^[1]

9 Een onverwachte T-Rex-functie

Het was zeker een groot en dodelijk roofdier, maar wel beroemd Tyrannosaurus rex zag er in werkelijkheid misschien niet zo intimiderend uit als in films zoals Jurassic Park. De reden hiervoor is dat ze waarschijnlijk lippen hadden die hun angstaanjagende tanden bedekten. Verrassend genoeg is dit idee niet nieuw en wordt er al lang over gedebatteerd door experts. De dinosaurussen werden feitelijk op deze manier getekend in de jaren twintig en dertig, maar het idee van enge, puntige tanden die eruit staken als die van een krokodil sprak tot de verbeelding van het publiek en domineerde hoe de dinosaurussen er uitzagen. T. rex werd afgebeeld.

In 2023 werd nieuw onderzoek gepubliceerd dat het idee ondersteunde dat ze lippen hadden. Wetenschappers bestudeerden de relatie tussen tandgrootte en schedelgrootte bij levende verwanten van de T-Rex en soortgelijke dinosauriërs, zoals Komodovaranen. Ze ontdekten dat hun tanden niet zo groot waren dat ze uit hun mond moesten steken. Het glazuur op het oppervlak van hun tanden en hun schedelvorm waren ook anders dan die van dieren waarbij hun tanden zichtbaar zijn, zoals krokodillen. Maar het leek veel op hagedissen en leguanen, die allebei lippen hebben.^[2]

8 Maar iets wat T-Rex niet had

Hier is er een die in de films gelijk had, maar wetenschappers niet… althans voor een tijdje. De T. rex wordt meestal afgebeeld met een geschubde, hagedisachtige huid. Maar een paar decennia lang werden er steeds fossielen van tyrannosaurussen gevonden, die het bewijs leverden dat de wezens veren hadden als die van een vogel. Hoewel ze er nog steeds zo uitzagen als in de meeste media, verschoof de wetenschappelijke consensus naar een donzige, gevederde en totaal minder angstaanjagende – maar niet minder dodelijke – tyrannosaurus.

Onderzoek dat in 2017 werd gepubliceerd, ondersteunde echter de Hollywood-versie van de film T. rex boven die van de wetenschappers. Hoewel er in werkelijkheid veel fossielen waren die tekenen van veren vertoonden, waren ze afkomstig van eerdere, kleinere tyrannosaurussen. Uit het onderzoek uit 2017 bleek dat fossielen uit de latere T. rexvertoonden, net als de meeste andere grote tyrannosaurussen, geen enkele aanwijzing dat ze veren hadden.

Vreemd genoeg lijkt het erop dat de T. rex ontwikkelde veren en verloor ze later weer. Dit had kunnen zijn om ze te helpen afkoelen na het sprinten, omdat grote dieren niet snel kunnen afkoelen zoals kleine.^[3]

7 Pterodactyl vlucht

Pterodactylen hadden vleugels die werden ondersteund door een vierde vinger, net zoals vleermuizen dat tegenwoordig doen. Hoewel dit klinkt als een klein detail, heeft het feitelijk geleid tot een al lang bestaande fout in de manier waarop deze fascinerende flyers in films en illustraties worden getoond. Ze vliegen bijna altijd op dezelfde manier als vleermuizen, met hun benen uit elkaar en achter zich uit stekend.

Een onderzoek uit 2018 suggereerde echter dat hun ligamenten hen er waarschijnlijk van zouden hebben weerhouden om in een dergelijke houding te komen. Zachte weefsels zoals ligamenten worden zelden bewaard in fossielen, en dit kan ertoe leiden dat mensen voorbarige conclusies trekken op basis van alleen de vorm van het skelet. Maar door de gewrichten van de meest nabije moderne verwanten van pterosauriërs, de (dode) vogels, te manipuleren, konden wetenschappers het bewegingsbereik dat op comfortabele wijze kon worden bereikt in kaart brengen.

Bij kwartels ontdekten ze dat de vleermuisachtige houding alleen kon optreden als het ligament van de vogel 63% buiten zijn limiet reikte. In theorie zouden pterodactylen aan een soortgelijke beperking onderworpen moeten zijn.^[4]

6 Tanden van sabeltandkatten

Homotherium latidens was een van de meest voorkomende soorten sabeltandkatten. De roofdieren ter grootte van een leeuw verschenen ongeveer 4 miljoen jaar geleden en verspreidden zich over Afrika, Eurazië en Zuid-Amerika voordat ze ongeveer 10.000 jaar geleden uitstierven. De gevonden schedels zijn vergelijkbaar met die van andere sabeltandsoorten zoals de smilodon, met gebogen, vlijmscherpe hoektanden die aanzienlijk langer zijn dan de rest van de tanden van de kat.

Hun bovenste hoektanden van 7,6 centimeter waren twee keer zo lang als die van een moderne leeuw, en ze waren zo dodelijk dat een beet in de keel ervoor kon zorgen dat een dier binnen enkele seconden flauwviel door bloedverlies. Maar hoewel hun schedels, zoals de meeste illustraties ervan, een zekere gelijkenis vertonen met de smilodon, zou hun uiterlijk tijdens hun leven dat misschien niet hebben gedaan – tenzij ze dreigden toe te slaan. Dit komt omdat ze daadwerkelijk ruimte in hun mond hadden om hun tanden te verbergen als ze niet aan het jagen waren, in tegenstelling tot de smilodon, waarvan de sabels van 15,2 centimeter te lang waren.^[5]

5 Kleine Velociraptors

De velociraptor is waarschijnlijk een fractie minder bekend dan de tyrannosaurus, maar in tegenstelling tot laatstgenoemde had hij wel degelijk veren. Geschubde huid is slechts een van de manieren waarop Hollywood, en met name de Jurassic Park serie, heb het mis. Er is weinig bewijs dat ze in roedels jaagden; hun klauwen waren niet echt wapens en werden waarschijnlijk gebruikt om prooien vast te pinnen, en net als moderne roofdieren mislukte het merendeel van hun jachtpogingen waarschijnlijk.

Maar het meest verrassende feit over echte roofvogels is dat ze ongeveer even groot waren als een kalkoen. Grote exemplaren zijn in films te zien omdat er in Amerika een andere dinosaurus uit de Dromaeosaurus-familie – waartoe velociraptors behoren – werd gevonden. Het was ongeveer zo groot als een grote hond en aanvankelijk werd gedacht dat het een grotere velociraptor was. Tegen de tijd dat bleek dat het om een ​​andere soort ging, had het idee van een gigantische velociraptor zich al verspreid.^[6]

4 Het hoofd van Diplodocus

Deze vriendelijke reuzen worden meestal afgebeeld terwijl ze als giraffen aan boomtoppen kauwen of met hun hoofd rechtop in een zwaanachtige houding. Dit is een redelijke veronderstelling gezien hun lange nek, maar het is een kwestie die wordt betwist. In de jaren negentig maten wetenschappers de wervels in de nek van een Diplodocus skelet en dat van zijn neef, de Apatosaurusin het Carnegie-museum in Pittsburgh.

Toen ze eenmaal de afmetingen hadden, maakten ze computermodellen van de skeletten. Hierdoor konden ze simuleren hoe de nek van de dinosauriërs zou hebben bewogen en hun bewegingsbereik in kaart brengen. De modellen suggereerden dat de Diplodocus had zijn hoofd niet veel hoger kunnen optillen dan zijn rug. In plaats van een lange dinosaurus te zijn, was het eigenlijk een heel lange dinosaurus, omdat de gebruikelijke nekpositie evenwijdig aan de grond zou zijn geweest. Dit maakt het waarschijnlijk dat ze lage vegetatie aten, zoals varens, die ook voedzamer zouden zijn geweest dan boomtopvegetatie, zoals dennennaalden.^[7]

3 Gemberwolharige mammoeten?

In artistieke voorstellingen van wolharige mammoeten, maar ook in films zoals de Ijstijd serie, wordt getoond dat hun haar meestal kastanjebruin of roodbruin van kleur is, soms dichter bij oranje. Dat komt omdat dit de kleur is van de bewaard gebleven mammoetharen die tot nu toe zijn ontdekt. Maar het zou verkeerd zijn om te denken dat dit sluitend bewijs was voor hun uiterlijk.

Hoewel de haren bewaard bleven, hadden chemische reacties er in de loop van de tijd toe kunnen leiden dat de kleur veranderde, of dat het pigment uitloogde. Welke kleur hadden de mammoeten eigenlijk? Met behulp van DNA dat was geëxtraheerd uit een 43.000 jaar oud wolharige mammoetbot gevonden in Siberië, konden wetenschappers het gen identificeren dat de kleur van de vacht van de mammoet regelde.

Het blijkt dat deze enorme poololifanten in drie verschillende kleuren voorkomen: donkerbruin, lichtgeel en blond. Interessant genoeg was het onderzoek uit 2006 dat dit ontdekte de eerste keer dat wetenschappers in staat waren om het uiterlijk van een uitgestorven soort te leren kennen door het DNA ervan te bestuderen.^[8]

2 Dimetrodons waren geen belemmering

Pterodactylen zijn niet de enige prehistorische dieren die zich anders hebben bewogen dan mensen op basis van hun skeletten aannemen. Ze zijn waarschijnlijk beroemder dan de andere: een pre-dinosaurusroofdier genaamd de Dimetrodon– waarvan de vorm waarschijnlijk beter bekend is dan de naam.

De Dimetrodon heeft het lichaam van een grote hagedis, maar met een uniek, hoog “zeil” op zijn rug, dat een beetje de vorm heeft van een handwaaier. Zijn lichaamsvorm heeft er lange tijd toe geleid dat hij werd afgebeeld als zwaar en langzaam, bewegend met zijn benen uitgestrekt en zijn buik dicht bij de grond. Maar dit is misschien niet het geval. De versteende voetafdrukken achtergelaten door de beesten zijn smal en vertonen geen tekenen van buiktrekken.

In 2017 gebruikten wetenschappers software om de Dimetrodon skelet met levende zoogdieren en reptielen. De dichtstbijzijnde moderne match voor de Dimetrodon was de kaaiman. Deze krokodil kan zijn poten voldoende strekken om zijn lichaam op te tillen en meer als een vierpotig zoogdier te lopen. Het wordt gedacht dat Dimetrodon zou zich op een vergelijkbare manier kunnen hebben verplaatst, waardoor ze ook sneller hadden kunnen worden.^[9]

1 Mosasaurus haai-achtige staart

Een ander zeemonster dat in de bioscoop is verschenen, is de mosasaurus, die zo’n 98 tot 66 miljoen jaar onder het zeeoppervlak op de loer lag voordat hij op het scherm verscheen. Jura wereld. Mosasauriërs waren reptielen ter grootte van een haai die meer dan 10 meter lang konden worden. Omdat ze reptielen zijn, wordt er meestal van uitgegaan dat ze eruit zien als grote krokodillen met vinnen in plaats van poten en een lange, hagedisachtige staart.

Een goed bewaard fossiel dat in 2008 in Jordanië werd gevonden, had echter afdrukken die erop wezen dat de mosasaurus een krachtige staart had die meer op die van een haai leek dan op een smaller wordende staart zoals die van een reptiel of een paling. Hierdoor zou het mogelijk mogelijk zijn geweest om langer sneller te zwemmen en dit was iets waar onderzoekers al enkele jaren over nadachten voordat het bewijsmateriaal opdook.

Net als sommige andere voorbeelden op deze lijst was de aangenomen vorm van de staart alleen gebaseerd op het gefossiliseerde bot. De vroege geleerden hadden niet gedacht dat als het zachte weefsel ook bewaard zou blijven, dit een ander verhaal zou kunnen vertellen.^[10]

Owning a great piece of merchandise can make you feel so connected to your favorite band or fandom. It’s something tangible that you can show off that says, “Yes, I’m a real fan.”

But some products are quite available. Many of these come from the musical fringes, but there are a few from more popular brands that will make you question everything you know. (Just wait until you see what comes out of the Harry Potter collection).

From oddities that defy explanation to downright quirky creations, we’ve plumbed the depths of consumer culture to bring you the top ten weirdest merchandise ever conceived.

Related: 10 Popular Songs Given the Rock Treatment

10 Weezer’s fake mustache set

Weezer is a band that always surprises us with their quirky antics, both musically and now with their merch. In 2021, the alt-rock legends dropped their album Okay man. Besides the tunes, they graced the world with something truly bizarre. Weezer, in all their mustachioed glory, introduced a Fake mustache set as part of their merchandise range.

Because nothing says rock ‘n’ roll like a fake ‘stache.

Who in their right mind would buy something like that? Apparently quite a few fans did that. Maybe they wanted to channel their inner Rivers Cuomo, the band’s lead singer. Or perhaps they just wanted to add a touch of whimsy to their lives? Who knows. But that’s Weezer for you.

9 The Kiss Chest

Some people really mean it when they say they would die to see their favorite band. And if that’s you, and you happen to be a KISS fan, you can get one KISS chest. Unveiled in 2001, this is not your ordinary final resting place. It is the ultimate ticket to the great beyond, with a front row seat to eternity. Get your own coffin, decorated with the iconic faces of Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley and the rest of the legendary KISS rock band.

According to the always entertaining Gene Simmons, the KISS Kasket has some cool features. It provides a fitting send-off for die-hard KISS fans, allowing them to rock and roll all night long, even in the afterlife. It also doubles as a drink cooler. Simmons himself said, “It serves two purposes. You can take your last ride with your favorite band. But as long as you live, you can catch a cold.”

So whether you’re planning the ultimate rock ‘n’ roll eternity or just want a cool talking point for your next party, the KISS Kasket is here to make your life (and the afterlife) a little more extraordinary.

8 Spartan leather briefs from Film 300

Have you ever wished your underwear matched your favorite Gerard Butler movie? They actually did that Spartan leather briefs inspired by the epic movie 300. Leather briefs inspired by ancient Spartan warriors. Who even comes up with this stuff?

You know you want a pair of leather briefs that would make King Leonidas himself do a double take. These underwear are not just any underwear; they’re a bold statement, a fashion choice that screams, “I’m here to conquer the day… or maybe just the gym.”

These briefs may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but fashion is all about self-expression. So if strutting your stuff in Spartan-inspired leather is your thing, who are we to judge? Remember, when life throws you a challenge, sometimes all you need is a nice leather thong to meet the challenge.

7 DeadMau5’s Cat headphones

If you’ve ever wondered if your cat secretly dreams of becoming a DJ, DeadMau5’s Cat headphones might just confirm your suspicions. We’re talking about headphones designed specifically for cats, complete with “dog isolating technology” (because who wants to bark to interrupt their jam session?) and i4 Sound Engines that promise your cat deep bass and crystal-clear treble.

For just $1,000, your cat can join the ranks of the most discerning audiophiles. But do not worry; they are for a good cause. All proceeds from these downright ridiculous headphones go directly to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). So not only does your furball look cooler than a cucumber rocking high-tech gear, but you’re also supporting a noble cause. It’s a win-win situation!

Now we can’t promise that your cat will belt out sick beats or critique the latest Billboard hits, but hey, stranger things have happened in the world of pet supplies. And let’s be honest: It would be worth every penny to see your cat walking around with DeadMau5’s signature beats on their heads.

6 Stalker gloves from Cannibal Corpse

If you’re going to be a stalker, you need the right equipment, right? In the world of bizarre band merchandise, Cannibal Corpse takes the cake Stalker gloves. Because nothing says death metal more than a pair of nondescript, plain black skin-tight gloves.

Cannibal Corpse concerts are on their own level, surrounded by guitar riffs and guttural sounds. What better way to commemorate the experience than by grabbing a pair of Stalker Gloves? These modest accessories may not make you look like a rock star, but they are sure to raise eyebrows at your next family gathering.

Sold by the masters of brutal death metal themselves, Cannibal Corpse didn’t hold back on this quirky merch idea. Although seemingly ordinary, the gloves exude an air of dark mystery: perfect for the fan who wants to keep it low key while secretly cultivating a taste for following people.

5 Ozzy’s BBQ branding iron

One minute you’re flipping burgers on a lazy Sunday afternoon, and the next minute you’re noticing your own meat… literally. Believe it or not, you can buy one for yourself Ozzy Osbourne BBQ Brand Iron. The Prince of Darkness himself has lent his iconic branding (pun intended) to a set that will have your steaks screaming, “Rock on!”

After all, a barbecue is not the same without the pièce de résistance: a branding iron. Nothing says heavy metal BBQ like searing “Ozzy Rules” on your Porterhouse or New York strip.

The sheer audacity of it all makes this merchandise truly bizarre and undeniably cool. Sure, you might be thinking, “Who in their right mind would want an Ozzy Osbourne branded iron?” But let’s be honest: Once you fire up the grill and harness the power of Ozzy’s logo, you can’t help but feel like a rock star in your backyard. Just remember, “Don’t bite off more than you can chew.”

4 The Harry Potter vibrating Nimbus 2000

In the strange universe of Harry Potter merchandise, broomsticks don’t just fly, they vibrate. Apparently someone at Mattel thought to themselves, “Imagine if Harry had hopped on his Nimbus 2000 for a Quidditch match and experienced another thrilling ride.” It’s further proof that you shouldn’t share every thought that comes to mind.

But surprisingly, no one vetoed it! In 2001, Mattel decided to shock the magical community with Harry Potter Vibrating Nimbus 2000. It is a replica of a broomstick that, when mounted, vibrates with “flying” movements. Doesn’t it sound more like something you’d find in Zonko’s Joke Shop?

Unfortunately, like a spell that was over too quickly, the Vibrating Nimbus 2000 was quickly discontinued. But fear not, as it lives on in the annals of bizarre merchandise history, with a few still being sold on eBay. So while you won’t find it on the shelves anymore, the memory lingers like a faint hum in the halls of Hogwarts.

3 Tenacious D’s C*mrag

Tenacious D, the legendary rock duo known for their raucous tunes, wild antics and… uh, questionable merchandise? Yes, among the abundance of strange things out there, Tenacious D’s C*mrag certainly deserves a spot in the “What were they thinking?” list.

Imagine a table at one of their concerts. Amid the T-shirts, albums and other typical merchandise, there it is: the C*mrag, proudly displayed like some kind of twisted trophy. The C*mrag is the size of a golf towel (because apparently size even matters when it comes to novelty) and is emblazoned with the band’s logo, making it a collectible for the brave and the bold.

You have to wonder what the thought process behind this gem was. The band got together one day and thought: “A c*mrag! That’s what our fans have been waiting for”? But if there is a market for it, why not? After all, Tenacious D has always danced to the beat of their own drum, even if that beat occasionally leads them down questionable paths.

We can hear Jack Black say, “Go now, my son, and ROCK!”

2 A Star Wars C-3PO tape dispenser

The galaxy far, far away just got a little closer to your desk. They actually have one Star Wars C-3PO tape dispenser. If you run out of tape on a Monday afternoon, C-3PO comes to your rescue, or at least his lower half.

This vintage merchandise gem features everyone’s favorite gold Protocol droid on a roll of tape. Need a piece? You have to pull it from between his legs. We may have to categorize this as NSFW or you might get a visit from HR.

You’ve got to hand it to the folks at Lucasfilm, though. It’s weird but kind of funny (which is an accurate description for C-3PO anyway). So the next time you need to tape something together, why settle for a boring old tape dispenser when you can get C-3PO to lend a hand and a leg? May the power (of sticky adhesion) be with you.

1 The Flaming Lips vibrating fetus ornament

On Christmas Day my true love gave me… Trembling fetus ornament?

I think it’s safe to say that we left the most messed up things for last – and that’s saying something based on this list! The Flaming Lips really outdid themselves this time. These 3-inch glasses will have you both scratching your head and reaching for the nearest Christmas decoration.

Created with a disturbing mix of whimsy and curiosity, the Trembling Fetus Ornament is both a conversation starter and an enigma. Released as part of the band’s unusual merchandise collection, this quirky trinket showcases their talent for pushing boundaries beyond music.

But why a shaking fetus? Known for their over-the-top performances and eccentric album covers, The Flaming Lips have a knack for the unconventional. So next holiday season, as you cover the halls with fetus branches, remember that The Flaming Lips have once again created the strangest Christmas tree decoration you never knew you needed.

Gold is known for its beauty and financial value. Furthermore, the metal is not very interesting. Or is it?

Throughout history, people have used gold in bizarre ways, and modern discoveries bring some surprises as well. From a Renaissance alchemist who died full of glitter to a vast fortune floating in the sewers, here are ten strange facts about gold.

Related: Top 10 Things That Are Inherently More Valuable Than Gold

10 Fool’s Gold has real gold

The mineral pyrite is called ‘fool’s gold’ because it mimics reality so well. And for centuries, people were told that pyrite contained no gold, so just throw it away!

But in the 1980s, researchers discovered that pyrite contains two types of real gold, meaning many miners may have missed out on a fortune. The precious metal appears as pure particles or as an alloy of finely mixed gold and pyrite. A third type was discovered in 2021 – and it’s a bit strange. When pyrite is formed under extreme pressure or high temperatures, the crystal structure can develop flaws coated with gold atoms.

The amount of gold in pyrite is so small that it is not visible under standard microscopes. However, due to the abundance of fool’s gold, this resource could still become a boon to the gold industry if better extraction methods are invented.^[1]

9 A huge bar of stolen gold

In 1981, construction workers in Mexico City were digging at a construction site when a man found a large gold bar. The treasure looked old and pitted and weighed about 1.93 kg. The apparent age and size suggested that the bar was an Aztec treasure, looted and melted down by the Spanish conquistadors.

On the night of June 30, 1520, the Spanish realized that an Aztec uprising was coming, and they grabbed what gold they could from Tenochtitlán (modern-day Mexico City) and fled. But one of their ships sank and many Aztec treasures were lost. What supported the idea that the rod was on the doomed ship was that it was found in the now dried up canal where the ship sank.

However, it wasn’t until 2022 that scientists were able to prove this. Tests showed that the chemical composition of the ingot was approximately 76% gold, 21% silver and 3% copper – the same fingerprint as other gold artifacts recovered from the main temple in Tenochtitlán.^[2]

8 Rare gold brackets

Anne d’Alègre was an aristocrat in 17th century France. Despite moving in higher circles, her life was short and stressful. She lost two husbands and an adult son, and as a Protestant she had to hide from Catholic forces who seized her property. She died in 1619 at the age of 54.

When archaeologists discovered her coffin in 1988, they noticed wiring attached to her teeth. But it wasn’t until X-rays were taken in 2022 that scientists realized the wires were gold. The scan also showed that she had severe periodontal disease, which could be a result of her difficult life. To prevent her loose teeth from falling out – something a high-society French woman could not allow – she had her teeth bound with gold wires.

Dental work was innovative for the time, but not perfect. The brackets had to be tightened every now and then and some teeth were drilled so the wires could pass through. This destabilized her healthy teeth and likely caused her permanent excruciating pain.^[3]

7 Ant nests lead to treasure

Australia relies heavily on mineral resources to support its economy. Exporting gold and other minerals earns the country $86 billion annually. However, there is a problem. All of Australia’s surface mineral deposits have been discovered. Miners now need to dig deeper, but traditional methods such as drilling are expensive and often miss their target.

A bizarre method of prospecting could help. A 2012 research paper revealed how scientists discovered high concentrations of gold in ant and termite mounds in the Western Australian goldfields. Coincidentally, the insects tunnel deep beneath their homes and bring pieces of the precious metal back to their nests.

By finding nests that store gold, miners can more accurately locate large amounts of minerals underground. This approach is also more cost-effective and environmentally friendly than knowingly digging for gold and hoping for luck.^[4]

6 Gold makes wine smell better

The wine industry has a big problem. Certain winemaking methods produce aromas so terrible that they have been described as ‘rubber’ and ‘rotten eggs’. This is bad for business, as few consumers will buy wine that smells like a tire. The industry often adds copper sulfate to remedy the situation, but this is not ideal because the compound is toxic.

Recently, scientists from Australia have found a better way to remove the stench. They covered special strips with gold particles and then tested the strips on wines with high levels of volatile sulfur compounds (the cause of the bad odors). Remarkably, when the strips were left in the wine samples for 24 hours, up to 45% of harmful sulfur compounds were removed.

In addition to being fast, non-toxic and environmentally friendly, the gold filtration system can be used throughout the winemaking process as equipment and packaging can also be coated with gold nanoparticles, something that could potentially remove even more sulfur.^[5]

5 This bacterium poops gold

Meet Cupriavidus metallidurans. This goober eats toxic metal compounds and excretes small gold nuggets. The microbes’ unusual ability was discovered in 2009. ​​At the time, no one could explain how they managed to do this without dying. Nine years later, in 2018, while under the supervision of an international team of scientists, the bug made the rounds.

The bacteria live happily in the soil that would kill many other organisms, and that is a soil filled with toxic metals and hydrogen. Two of these deadly compounds are gold and copper, which quickly penetrate the bacteria and sink into their bodies, where the damage can potentially be severe.

However, C. metallidurans have an ingenious protection mechanism. They use a special enzyme to reduce the effects of the metals on their cells. It’s called CopA and makes gold and copper harder to absorb. This ensures that fewer of these metals enter the bacteria’s interior, while also allowing the organisms to excrete any unwanted materials that are absorbed, resulting in the formation of small gold nuggets on their outer surface.^[6]

4 Sewerage is a gold mine

No one wants to spend too much time thinking about sewerage. But some scientists are obsessed with it. Why? Because sewage sludge is worth millions.

“Sludge” is what is left after storm drains, toilet water and industrial waste have been treated. This rubbish has always been known to contain metals, making almost half of it worthless as fertilizer and unsafe to discharge into rivers.

Looking for a solution, researchers analyzed the waste further and discovered that it was also packed with valuable metals. A city of a million people could be sitting on sludge worth between $8 and $13 million. Samples from across the US revealed that in addition to gold worth millions of dollars, other lucrative metals included silver, titanium, copper, palladium, cadmium, manganese and more.

But why are sewers filled with treasures worthy of a dragon’s lair? It is not the result of people ingesting these metals and going to the toilet. The compounds enter sewage systems as a result of manufacturing processes and disposal, mainly from mining, electronics, jewelry and automotive industries.^[7]

3 Jason’s myth was based on real events

In Greek mythology, Jason was tasked with retrieving the legendary Golden Fleece from the Colchis kingdom. Researchers believe the fictional quest was based on a real journey that took place between 3,300 and 3,500 years ago. During this journey, travelers encountered villages in the Svaneti region of Georgia, near the Black Sea (where the Colchis Kingdom was located). Here they saw a local tradition that inspired the legend of Jason.

The surrounding mountains held gold, but the villagers did not have to take pickaxes to the rocks to extract the metal. Thanks to erosion, gold washed into the rivers, and locals could simply lower sheepskins into the water as ‘filters’ to catch the precious flakes as they floated downstream. These gold-filled fleeces undoubtedly fueled the legend of the Golden Fleece.

Interestingly enough, this mining method has never been abandoned. Thousands of years later, people in this region still use sheepskin to collect gold from streams.^[8]

2 Plastic gold That’s real gold

Many people enjoy the beauty and prestige of wearing gold. The precious metal is used in abundance to make rings, necklaces, wristwatches and more. While gold accessories remain as popular as ever, there is one downside: the stuff is heavy.

An innovative team of scientists may have the answer. In 2020, they created gold with plastic properties, all without sacrificing its 18-carat status. This feat was achieved by creating a hybrid substance containing gold and plastic. The production process is complex, but the results are incredible. The material is about five to 10 times lighter than traditional gold, sounds like plastic when it hits the ground, glitters like gold and is malleable enough to be shaped into desired shapes.

‘Plastic gold’ is not only useful for more comfortable jewelry and watches, but apparently also suitable for applications in electronics, chemical catalysis and radiation shielding.^[9]

1 This alchemist died full of gold

Tycho Brahe, born in 1546, was famous for several things. He had a pet elk. He had a fake nose (the real one was lost in a duel). Incredibly wealthy, Brahe also owned 1% of Denmark, his native country. By the time he was thirty, the Dane was touring Europe as a highly respected astronomer and alchemist.

In 2016, several hair samples showed that Brahe had 20 to 100 times more gold in his system than humans do today. The investigation concluded that he had been overexposed to the precious metal, especially during the last two months of his life. As an alchemist, gold would have been very important in his experiments, and Brahe was wealthy enough to purchase an ingot when he needed it. But how did it get into his body?

Gold was plentiful in the wealthy circles in which he moved. Brahe might have ingested it when cutlery scraped against the gold decorations on his plate or when gold was purposefully added to his food or wine, as was trendy during the Renaissance in Europe. Perhaps he consumed it during alchemy rituals. The truth is that we will never know how Brahe died full of gold. ^[10]