Numerous mysteries and enigmas have surrounded humanity since the dawn of our universe. People are surrounded by a multitude of unexplained phenomena, which the greatest minds of all times and nations have attempted to unravel. But there are still mysteries that remain unanswered.
20. Funnels in Yamal
In the summer of 2015, a crater approximately 100 meters in diameter appeared in the ground in Yamal, Siberia. Some time later, another hole, smaller in diameter, appeared in a different location. According to eyewitnesses, the appearance of this second hole was accompanied by smoke and a bright, blinding light.
Following this, in November, an expedition was assembled to the bottom of the crater. Scientists took samples for study, but to this day have been unable to explain the origin of these deep black holes. The only reliable evidence is that the distance between the newly formed craters and the permafrost line is uniform.
19. The Walrus of St. Pancras
St. Pancras is a London railway station that became famous thanks to archaeological excavations in 2003. A burial site dating back to the early 19th century was discovered on the site of an old church.
At the time, such burial sites were common due to the constant outbreak of epidemics. One of the coffins contained a family of eight people, along with a marine animal—a walrus from the Pacific Ocean. Scientists still cannot explain what the walrus was doing in the 19th century, more than 13,000 kilometers from home, or how it got there.
18. The D.B. Cooper Case
The infamous crime of the second half of the 20th century, orchestrated by D.B. Cooper, remains unsolved. On Thanksgiving Eve, a young man boarded a Boeing 727 to Seattle. After telling a flight attendant he had a bomb, Cooper demanded a ransom of $200,000 and four parachutes.
The terrorist's demands were met by FBI agents, after which the plane took off and landed safely at its destination. Cooper released all the hostages except the pilots and flight attendant. He then demanded the plane take off and flew toward Mexico. Somewhere midway through the flight, D.B. Cooper bailed out and has still not been found. Perhaps he simply crashed.
17. Max Headroom's Ether Infiltration
During a broadcast of the famous series "Doctor Who" in 1987, an unknown man wearing a Max Headroom mask managed to interrupt the live broadcast. The intruder muttered something incoherent and, after 90 seconds, disappeared.
The incident occurred on November 22 in Wyoming. President John F. Kennedy was assassinated at the same time in 1963. Some still believe these events are connected. As a reminder, Max Headroom is a fictional character created by George Stone, portrayed as an artificial intelligence.
16. Rain of Meat
Another astonishing event occurred in Kentucky. Pieces of meat fell from the sky for half an hour, as confirmed by newspapers of the time. The meat tasted like mutton. The incident occurred over 100 years ago, in 1876, in the Bath area.
At this time, an explanation for this phenomenon remains undiscovered. Scientists speculate that it could have been caused by cyanobacteria, which, when released into the atmosphere, swell to the size of a fine steak.
15. The Man with the Iron Mask
Everyone has probably heard the legend of the man who wore the iron mask, whether from films or books. This mysterious story took place in France during the turbulent times of the 17th century.
Scientists have yet to determine the identity of this mysterious man or why he wore it. In fact, historians claim the mask was not made of iron, but rather black leather with metal clasps.
14. The Secret of the Hinterkaifeck Farm
The incident occurred on April 4, 1922, on a farm in Hinterkaifeck, Germany. It resembles a classic horror movie scenario. In a remote wilderness, an unknown individual brutally murders six people with an ordinary hoe.
The mass murder of all the residents of the building remains the most mysterious crime committed in Germany. Officially, the investigation is still ongoing, but there is no guarantee the killer will be punished. He may already be dead.
13. The Golden State Killer
This is an American story about a serial killer active in the late 20th century. He is responsible for numerous crimes, approximately 50 according to police estimates. The maniac robbed, raped, and murdered his victims.
Survivors of his attacks claim that the man called them and taunted them after committing the crime. The killer has now been arrested.
12. Mysterious hum
There are many stories from people all over the world about how at one point a sound suddenly appears that resembles a terrifying roar.
A particularly unusual phenomenon is the "Taos Noise" coming from the desert.
Scientists have spent a long time trying to explain this phenomenon. One thing is clear: it's not a hallucination caused by the brain, as there are quite a few eyewitnesses. However, the cause remains unknown.
11. The sailing ship Mary of Heaven
A fairly well-known story among those who enjoy ghost ship stories. One such tale is the legend of the sailing ship "Maria Nebesnaya," whose crew vanished without a trace under mysterious circumstances.
According to researchers, the crew abandoned the ship not because of a storm, but for their own unknown reasons. All the valuables and money were still there, as was the cargo. One can only guess what prompted the crew to abandon ship in such haste.
10. Wow signal
The events of this phenomenon date back to 1977. Astronomer Jerry Ehman receives a strange signal from space, on the printout of which he writes the word "Wow!".
The scientific community generally believes that the received radio signal is proof of the existence of extraterrestrial civilizations. However, the signal was hopelessly lost, and all attempts to reacquire it have been unsuccessful.
9. Tarrare
This was the name given to a man who could eat anything. Tarrare staged performances in which stones, animals, and a basket of whole apples were served as dishes. The performances took place in France in the late 18th century.
The physiological characteristics of this man remain unknown. Historians claim that in life, Tarrare was no different from those around him and had an average build. Or perhaps he was simply a skilled illusionist—who knows?.
8. Silent Twins
The story begins in the 1960s, with the birth of mysterious twins June and Jennifer Gibbons in Wales. Throughout their lives, the twin sisters refuse to communicate with others.
However, this doesn't mean they couldn't speak or hear. The girls communicated well with each other, although it wasn't always clear what they were saying. Later, when they grew older, they were placed in a mental hospital.
The sisters agreed that if one of them died, the other would have to start communicating with others. Some time later, Jennifer died under mysterious circumstances. Doctors diagnosed her with inflammation of the heart muscle (myocorditis), although the cause was never found. June kept her promise.
7. Tunguska meteorite
A powerful explosion, 100 times more powerful than an atomic bomb, occurred on June 30, 1908. Even a village located 60 kilometers from the epicenter felt the effects. Numerous trees were destroyed, and the surrounding area was scorched. The official explanation for this phenomenon is that it was a meteorite.
However, there is no crater or any evidence at the site of the incident indicating a celestial impact. This discrepancy has given rise to numerous theories, one of which is Tesla's experiment in teleporting the colossal energy reserves collected in his laboratory.
6. Cicada 3301
A more modern phenomenon, which began in 2012, sees someone posting challenging puzzles online every year that are difficult even for scientists to solve.
The hacker's identity remains unknown, and the mysterious man remains untraceable. It's also unclear what awaits the clever person who solves all the puzzles.
5. The Green Children of Woolpit
The top five begins with an event that took place in 12th-century England. According to legend, two children with green skin entered a village. They claimed to have escaped from an underworld inhabited by similarly green people.
This story remains controversial, but sources from the time point to its veracity. Whether it's true remains unknown.
4. The Voynich Manuscript
A manuscript believed to have been written in the early 15th century, the Voynich manuscript contains numerous drawings, sketches, and inscriptions in an unknown language. The document is believed to contain some kind of code, the rules of which were followed by warriors of the time.
To date, this is one of the encrypted messages that has remained undecipherable. Scholars are still struggling to decipher this manuscript, but so far, to no avail.
3. Tamam Shud
This is the title of a criminal case opened in 1948 in the Australian town of Somerton. A man's body was found on the ocean shore, and in his pocket, a scrap of paper with a phrase from Omar Khayyam's poetry collection "Tamam Shud," meaning "complete," was found.
The scrap of paper belonged to a book found in a car parked near the crime scene. It also contained an incomprehensible code that the police were unable to decipher. Furthermore, the book contained a nurse's phone number.
Later, during the investigation, a hospital worker told police she had given the book to a man named Albert Boxall. However, some time later, a man with the same name appeared, carrying a collection of books with the same words, "Tamam Shud.".
2. The disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370
Second place goes to the disappearance of an entire aircraft. In March 2014, Malaysia Airlines Flight 307 vanished under strange circumstances. After takeoff, the plane gradually deviated from its course for an hour, but then simply vanished from radar coverage.
No SOS signals were received, and the flight proceeded normally. 289 people remain missing, and police are still unable to determine the cause. The official version is that the plane crashed in the Indian Ocean, but no wreckage has been found.
1. Zodiac
First place goes to the most mysterious and cunning serial killer of the 1960s, known by the nickname "Zodiac." The killer communicated with police through local newspapers and media outlets, sending them encrypted messages and cryptograms containing information about himself.
The maniac remains at large, despite numerous suspects being interviewed and tested. However, the evidence uncovered was insufficient to conclusively identify the perpetrator.
The case remains open. Only one cryptogram containing personal information about the Zodiac Killer has been deciphered. The killer himself claims to be responsible for 37 victims, of which only seven are known to police.