Top 10 Unsolved Mysteries
Published on July 20, 2007 - 260 Comments
This list comprises the most famous unsolved mysteries known to man that really defy rational explanation or are just outright strange.
1. Shroud of Turin [Wikipedia]
The shroud of Turin is a linen cloth bearing the image of a man who had apparently died of crucifixion. Most Catholics consider it to be the burial shroud of Jesus Christ. It is currently held in the Cathedral of St John the Baptist in Turin, Italy. Despite many scientific investigations, no one has yet been able to explain how the image has been imprinted on the shroud and despite many attempts, no one has managed to replicate it. Radiocarbon tests date it to the middle ages, however apologists for the shroud believe it is incorrupt - and carbon dating can only date things which decay.
Prior to the middle ages, reports of the shroud exist as the Image of Edessa - reliably reported since at least the 4th century. In addition, another cloth (the Sudarium) known even from biblical times (John 20:7) exists which is said to have covered Christ’s head in the tomb. A 1999 study by Mark Guscin, a member of the multidisciplinary investigation team of the Spanish Center for Sindonology, investigated the relationship between the two cloths. Based on history, forensic pathology, blood chemistry (the Sudarium also is reported to have type AB blood stains), and stain patterns, he concluded that the two cloths covered the same head at two distinct, but close moments of time. Avinoam Danin (a researcher at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem) concurred with this analysis, adding that the pollen grains in the Sudarium match those of the shroud.
2. Mary Celeste [Wikipedia]
Mary Celeste was launched in Nova Scotia in 1860. Her original name was “Amazon”. She was 103 ft overall displacing 280 tons and listed as a half-brig. Over the next 10 years she was involved in several accidents at sea and passed through a number of owners. Eventually she turned up at a New York salvage auction where she was purchased for $3,000. After extensive repairs she was put under American registry and renamed “Mary Celeste”.
The new captain of Mary Celeste was Benjamin Briggs, 37, a master with three previous commands. On November 7, 1872 the ship departed New York with Captain Briggs, his wife, young daughter and a crew of eight. The ship was loaded with 1700 barrels of raw American alcohol bound for Genoa, Italy. The captain, his family and crew were never seen again. The ship was found floating in the middle of the Strait of Gibraltar. There were no signs of struggle on board and all documents except the captain’s log were missing.
In early 1873, it was reported that two lifeboats grounded in Spain, one with a body and an American flag, the other containing five bodies. It has been alleged that these could have been the remains of the crew of the Mary Celeste. However, the bodies were apparently never identified.
3. The taos hum [Wikipedia]
The ‘Taos Hum’ is a low-pitched sound heard in numerous places worldwide, especially in the USA, UK, and northern europe. It is usually heard only in quiet environments, and is often described as sounding like a distant diesel engine. Since it has proven indetectable by microphones or VLF antennae, its source and nature is still a mystery.
In 1997 Congress directed scientists and observers from some of the most prestigious research institutes in the nation to look into a strange low frequency noise heard by residents in and around the small town of Taos, New Mexico. For years those who had heard the noise, often described by them as a “hum”, had been looking for answers. To this day no one knows the cause of the hum.
4. Black Dahlia [Wikipedia]
In 1947 the body of 22 year old Elizabeth Short was found in two pieces in a parking lot in Los Angeles. According to newspaper reports shortly after the murder, Short received the nickname “Black Dahlia” at a Long Beach drugstore in the summer of 1946, as a play on the then-current movie The Blue Dahlia. However, Los Angeles County district attorney investigators’ reports state the nickname was invented by newspaper reporters covering the murder. In either case, Short was not generally known as the “Black Dahlia” during her lifetime.
Many rumours and tales have spread about the Black Dahlia, and the investigation (one of the largest in LA history) never found the killer.
5. Comte de Saint Germain [Wikipedia]
The Count of St. Germain (allegedly died February 27, 1784) was a courtier, adventurer, inventor, amateur scientist, violinist, amateur composer, and a mysterious gentleman; he also displayed some skills with the practice of alchemy. He was known as ‘Der Wundermann’ — ‘The Wonderman’. He was a man whose origin was unknown and who disappeared without leaving a trace.
Since his death, various occult organizations have adopted him as a model figure or even as a powerful deity. In recent years several people have claimed to be the Count of St. Germain. (Note that St Germain was never regarded as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church - the “st.” before his name refers to his alleged home).
6. Voynich manuscript [Wikipedia]
The Voynich Manuscript is a medieval document written in an unknown script and in an unknown language. For over one hundred years people have tried to break the code to not avail. The overall impression given by the surviving leaves of the manuscript suggests that it was meant to serve as a pharmacopoeia or to address topics in medieval or early modern medicine. However, the puzzling details of illustrations have fueled many theories about the book’s origins, the contents of its text, and the purpose for which it was intended.
The document contains illustrations that suggest the book is in six parts: Herbal, Astronomical, Biological, Cosmological, Pharmaceutical, and recipes.
7. Jack the Ripper [Wikipedia]
In the later half of 1888, London was terrorrised by a series of murders in the east end (largely in the Whitechapel area). The name Jack the Ripper was taken from a letter sent to a newspaper at the time by someone claiming to be the killer. The victims were typically prostitutes who had their throats cut and bodies mutilated. In some cases the bodies were discovered just minutes after the ripper had left the scene.
The police at the time had many suspects but could never find sufficient evidence to convict anyone. In modern times there has even been some speculation that Prince Albert Victor was the murderer. Even with modern police methods, no further light has been shed on the murders in recent times. To this day no one knows who the ripper was.
8. Bermuda Triangle [Wikipedia]
The Bermuda triangle is an area of water in the North Atlantic Ocean in which a large number of planes and boats have gone missing in mysterious circumstances. Over the years many explanations have been put forward for the disappearances, including bad weather, alien abductions, time warps, and suspension of the laws of physics.
Although substantial documentation exists to show that many of the reports have been exaggerated, there is still no explanation for the unusually large number of disappearances in the area.
9. The Zodiac Killer [Wikipedia]
The Zodiac killer was active in Northern California for ten months in the late 1960s. He killed at least five people, and injured two. He comitted the first two murders with a pistol, just inside the Benecia border. In his second shooting in Vallejo, he attempted to kill two people, but one survived despite gunshots to the head and neck. 40 minutes later the police recieved an anonymous phone call from a man claiming to be their killer and admitting to the murders of the previous two victims. One month three letters were sent to Newspapers in California containing a cypher that the killer claimed would give them his name. They cypher was decrypted to read:
“I LIKE KILLING PEOPLE BECAUSE IT IS SO MUCH FUN IT IS MORE FUN THAN KILLING WILD GAME IN THE FORREST BECAUSE MAN IS THE MOST DANGEROUE ANAMAL OF ALL TO KILL SOMETHING GIVES ME THE MOST THRILLING EXPERENCE IT IS EVEN BETTER THAN GETTING YOUR ROCKS OFF WITH A GIRL THE BEST PART OF IT IS THAE WHEN I DIE I WILL BE REBORN IN PARADICE AND THEI HAVE KILLED WILL BECOME MY SLAVES I WILL NOT GIVE YOU MY NAME BECAUSE YOU WILL TRY TO SLOI DOWN OR ATOP MY COLLECTIOG OF SLAVES FOR MY AFTERLIFE EBEORIETEMETHHPITI” The last eighteen letters have not been decrypted.
While Arthur Leigh Allen was the prime suspect, all of the evidence was against him being the killer. To this day the Zodiac murders have not been solved.
10. The Babushka Lady [Wikipedia]
During the analysis of the film footage of the assasination of John F. Kennedy in 1963, a mysterious woman was spotted. She was wearing a brown overcoat and a scarf on her head (the scarf is the reason for her name as she wore it in a similar style to Russian grandmothers - also called babushkas). The woman appeared to be holding something in front of her face which is believed to be a camera. She appears in many photos of the scene. Even after the shooting when most people had fled the area, she remained in place and continued to film. Shortly after she is seen moving away to the East up Elm Street. The FBI publically requested that the woman come forward and give them the footage she shot but she never did.
In 1970 a woman called Beverly Oliver came forward and claimed to be the Babushka Woman, though her story contains many inconsistencies. She is generally regarded as a fraud. To this day, no one knows who the Babushka Woman is or what she was doing there. More unusual is her refusal to come forward to offer her evidence.
Due to popular demand I have written another similar article: Another 10 Unsolved Mysteries.
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1. pedro - July 20th, 2007 at 7:31 pm
In french, the spelling of “count” is comte.
2. Mugen - July 21st, 2007 at 12:01 pm
About the Bermuda’s Triangle:
The marine insurer Lloyd’s of London has determined the Triangle to be no more dangerous than any other area of ocean, and does not charge unusual rates for passage through the region. United States Coast Guard records confirm their conclusion. In fact, the number of supposed disappearances is relatively insignificant considering the number of ships and aircraft which pass through on a regular basis.
The Coast Guard is also officially skeptical of the Triangle, noting that they collect and publish, through their inquiries, much documentation contradicting many of the incidents written about by the Triangle authors. In one such incident involving the 1972 explosion and sinking of the tanker V.A. Fogg in the Gulf of Mexico, the Coast Guard photographed the wreck and recovered several bodies [8] despite one Triangle author stating that all the bodies had vanished, with the exception of the captain, who was found sitting in his cabin at his desk, clutching a coffee cup (Limbo of the Lost by John Wallace Spencer, 1973 edition).
Skeptical researchers, such as Ernest Taves and Barry Singer, have noted how mysteries and the paranormal are very popular and profitable. This has led to the production of vast amounts of material on topics such as the Bermuda Triangle. They were able to show that some of the pro-paranormal material is often misleading or not accurate, but its producers continue to market it. They have therefore claimed that the market is biased in favour of books, TV specials, etc. which support the Triangle mystery and against well-researched material if it espouses a skeptical viewpoint.
3. jfrater - July 21st, 2007 at 1:47 pm
Mugen: Thanks for that information - it is very interesting and my own personal view on these types of things is one of skepticism.
pedro: Thanks - I will correct that
4. profesormarciano - July 22nd, 2007 at 1:52 am
really nice post
great
i knew about most of them, cause i love these, but the “new” ones are really thrilling
(sorry 4 my english)
5. jfrater - July 22nd, 2007 at 5:24 am
Thanks profesormarciano
6. tod - July 22nd, 2007 at 6:13 pm
The shroud of Turin is a fake. It has been dated and found to be only about 600 yrs old ( or so). the crucifixion marks are in the wrong place. They should be in the wrists not the hands. Your hands would not be able to hold your weight. The only interesting thing about it is how it was faked. Some researchers have linked it to DaVinchi and may have been made using early photographic like chemicals. As far as the so called Bermuda Triangle goes, ships sink, planes crash,get over it. When freight trains in Minnesota disappear then you have something.
7. jfrater - July 22nd, 2007 at 6:56 pm
Tod: the Shroud has not been proven fake - it is generally accepted that the part of the cloth tested was from repairs made in the middle ages. No one knows exactly the method used for crucifixion so we can’t say the marks are in the wrong place. Also, regardless of the connections made with Da Vinci etc. no one (not even modern science) has been able to make a replica of the Shroud. In addition, the scientific evidence from the Sudarium matches it to the Shroud (pollens etc.) and the Sudarium is known from at LEAST 600AD (though it is also mentioned in the Gospel of John). They are even made from the same cloth.
As far the triangle, even science says the amount of planes and ships to go down are well above the average. Maybe if the freight train from minnesota rode through the Bermuda triangle it would vanish?
8. profesormarciano - July 22nd, 2007 at 10:40 pm
About The Shroud of TURIN: The crucifixion marks are NOT in the hands, they´re in the wrists. Show me any image, please, where those marks are shown in the hands. Every image I’ve seen show the crucifixion marks right in the wrists.
This is, in fact, one of the multiple mysteries about Turin’s Shroud, cause every (or most) painting about Jesus crucifixion clearly show the nailings in the hands, not in the wrists.
must say that tod is right: “the hands wouldn’t be able to hold your weight”.
9. jfrater - July 23rd, 2007 at 7:13 am
The depictions of Christ’s crucifixion which show nails through the hand are probably due to the biblical reference in the Gospel of John which says Christ was crucified through the hands; however the Greek text word for hands (χείρ) had a larger use than our word hand and refers to any part of the forearm to (and including) the hand.
There is a very large crucifix at the London Oratory which shows the nail going through the wrists and not the hands.
10. Updoc - July 23rd, 2007 at 8:52 pm
The Shroud of Turin is an obvious fake. There was no historical Jesus.
11. jfrater - July 23rd, 2007 at 9:17 pm
Updoc: wow - thanks for that - fancy us all being tricked by the historians for the last 2000 years! You offer such strong proof that we have no choice but to rewrite all the history books. Where were all the smart people like you when they were writing all the lies?
12. Solo - July 23rd, 2007 at 11:41 pm
Shroud of Turin is a fake from the 1500’s. It’s been dated fairly accurately. It’s been reproduced with techniques available at the time. The explanation for a fake shroud are better than the “inexplicable” image from the face of Jesus itself.
Of course that does not prevent people from believing it’s legitimate. Like they believe the bible is the word of God (when clearly it is man made) or that the earth is 6000 years old.
It is in human nature to want to convince others of their own convictions, nobody holds opinions knowing those are false. But ever since I’ve been told Santa Claus was not real I take any extraordinary claim with a good dose of doubt.
13. jfrater - July 24th, 2007 at 7:10 am
Does no one do any research here? Solo: no one has been able to replicate the shroud - if you think they have, can you past a link to the evidence? It is also now generally accepted by scientists that the part of the shroud tested was from one of the repairs which we know happened after it was damaged in the middle ages. No one has, as yet, carbon tested a piece of the original linen. You are all welcome to comment but at least try to give some validation to your views
Also, if you read the Wikipedia article, you will see that no one actually knows how the image is composed - you can’t replicate something if you don’t know how it is made.
14. Solo - July 24th, 2007 at 6:12 pm
“no one actually knows how the image is composed”
I think it’s been a while we mastered “paint on fabric”.
“part of the shroud tested was from one of the repairs which we know happened after it was damaged in the middle ages.”
How convenient and coincidental.
I’ll let you believe what you want to believe. It’s fine with me. I’m not here to challenge your faith, even though you seem pretty eager to defend it. Like I said, Santa Claus.
15. harry ballzonyah - July 24th, 2007 at 6:21 pm
Monkeys throw their shit!!
16. ISODORA CRANE - July 24th, 2007 at 6:36 pm
All this debate about christ and religion bah ! What about the crazy sound in Taos !? Why can we not record it or figure it out ? Im thinking magnatisim ?
17. Mike - July 24th, 2007 at 6:36 pm
They solved the black dahlia becuase they had a big special about this guy heres the link http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/Wes.....dahlia.ap/
18. Rufus T. Fish - July 24th, 2007 at 6:36 pm
Shroud of Turn is a fake. Shroud shows a black man and everbody nos Jesus was a chink.
19. betty - July 24th, 2007 at 6:37 pm
i think if it was paint on that piece of cloth they would have detected that you idiot.
20. Loki - July 24th, 2007 at 6:38 pm
I am amazed at how quick people will cling to an idea if it appeals to them or their beliefs… Do just a little research (that means read more than 1 article) and then view what you believe is fact or fiction. For those of you that are ATHEIST, we all pray for you… But check this out, at the end of my Life I have something to look forward to… You guys have nothing… Correct me if I am wrong… Your lives must be so overwhelming to have to deal with all of us Christians. GOD BLESS YOU! (if he so chooses)
21. Loki - July 24th, 2007 at 6:44 pm
In regard to the comment of “how convient and coincidental.” It’s called FAITH.
22. Alejandro - July 24th, 2007 at 6:47 pm
It has been proven that it is possible to crucify someone with the nails through they’re hands.. you only need a small pedestal for the person to rest theyre legs and/or for them to be attached by the waist and voila!
23. jfrater - July 24th, 2007 at 7:09 pm
Solo - I am not going to debate the issue in comments here
Just at least read the article (which you obviously haven’t done) because it states clearly that the scientists do not know how the image was made - it is not paint.
Mike: thanks for that link - I will check it out.
Isodora: it happens in the UK as well - there are a few spots in the world where people hear it - very weird!
Rufus - dictionary.com?
24. krunkisdead - July 24th, 2007 at 7:39 pm
hey, how come no mention of croatoan? to the best of my knowledge thats a mystery that hasn’t been solved as well. oh well no biggy. oh, and they know who jack the ripper was. if you’ve seen from hell you would know it was bilbo baggins. j/k man. great article.
25. Sam - July 24th, 2007 at 8:04 pm
jfrater some of these people are just from ebaumsworld.com trying to ruin the comments.
Any time you see them, if you can just delete them.
26. Andrea - July 24th, 2007 at 8:23 pm
About Jack the Ripper, i read a book that was written by a forensic scientist/author and who all her research points to - but she’s been criticized for all of it. the book is portrait of a killer by patricia cornwell. it’s not necessarily true, but her research is pretty intense.
27. Daniel - July 24th, 2007 at 8:27 pm
There was a programme on british tv, think it was bbc or itv cant remember for sure, that gave an explanation for the mary celeste. it showed that leaking alcohol vapour from the cargo caught fire in the hold blowing off the hatches and forcing the crew to abandon the ship as they thought it was going to burn and sink. But the temperature of the fire was not hot enough to set the wood on fire, or even to do any visible damage to it. They showed several experiments to prove this as well. This would explain the crew disappearing into the life boats mentioned in the story above and also why there appeared to be no sign of damage or struggle on the ship. Ill have a look to see if i can find a link to the programme and post it if i find it.
28. Daniel - July 24th, 2007 at 8:34 pm
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/news...../itn060522
Its not quite a link to the programme itself but tells you a little about what the programme showed.
29. Sigma Tempest - July 24th, 2007 at 8:54 pm
OK, the shroud, even if it isnt a fake, was confirmed made 600 yrs ago, christ died 2000. anyone here actually pass math? come on now. As for the bermuda triangle, scientist theorize that large deposits of methane bubbles under the ground at the sea floor, get released and when they surface, they are sometimes strong enough to pull a ship under, even upset airflow enough to cause turbulance. its a theory, it isnt the one i agree with, but its a theory
30. Margo - July 24th, 2007 at 9:41 pm
Actually, there was a historical Jesus Christ. Son of god? nah. A teacher similar to buddha? Probably.
31. jfrater - July 24th, 2007 at 9:42 pm
Sigma: it was not confirmed - the piece of fabric tested came from one of the patches visible around the shroud - carbon dating has not been performed on the original sections of cloth and the Church is currently not allowing any sections to be cut as it would be considered a sacrilege.
Daniel: great - thanks for that
32. jfrater - July 24th, 2007 at 9:45 pm
krunkisdead: thanks for mentioning that - I hadn’t heard of it before you mentioned it - I am definitely going to do some reading on the tribe - it sounds very interesting.
Sam: thanks for the headsup
33. dogmatic static - July 24th, 2007 at 9:45 pm
What about the mysterious Marfa lights? In Marfa Texas?
34. jfrater - July 24th, 2007 at 9:53 pm
dogmatic static: I hadn’t heard of those either - thanks. I am going to have to put together a users choice top 10 of extra bizarre things!
35. William Tell - July 24th, 2007 at 9:53 pm
Loki- It’s called faith? You know what faith is, don’t you? Faith is the abandonment of logic. Faith is giving up on trying to actually figure out something real and instead going with what a bunch of other idiots say. For thousands of years people praised gods like Amun-Ra and Zeus. Where was your god then? You claim that the god who created the universe just decided he would lay low for a while? So all those people must be in hell now, right? Use your brain for a minute and actually think about your religion. IT MAKES NO SENSE.
36. jfrater - July 24th, 2007 at 9:57 pm
Boy - we sure opened a can of worms here!
37. Jman - July 24th, 2007 at 10:10 pm
This is why religion cannot be reasonably discussed.. Harryballzonya had the most interesting thing to say
38. doodoo-breath - July 24th, 2007 at 10:12 pm
Everyone seems to be an expert, huh
39. Daniel - July 24th, 2007 at 10:12 pm
jfrater: no problem glad i could be of some use. I must admit tho, i am going to disagree slightly with the shroud. It was dated independently by 3 different organisations all of which returned a result of inbetween 600-700 years old. Which unfortunately puts the creation of the shroud rite in the middle of the rather costly and unsuccessful crusades. And with wat u said earlier, the shroud of turin and the Sudarium are not the same bit of cloth they are even woven differently, the shroud being a far more complex weave if i remember correctly. But arguin on the shroud is a bit of a marmite debate, theres no middle ground and its a debate in which people are very unlikely to change their stance. http://skepdic.com/shroud.html is a link that raises many interesting points. Not sure if i agree with everything but it does get you thinkin.
As for the taos hum, my opinion is that it is almost certainly man made. If it sounds like an engine that would suggest to me that it has a relatively constant frequency which in turn would suggest, to me, man made. Especially as in japan the source was attributed to fans. As for it being plate movements, im unconvinced as why would it be heard in the UK and not in places of far higher tectonic activity? Id also say that the reason some people can hear it and others cant is that although strickly speaking humans can hear all the way down to 0Hz many cannot hear below 20Hz and the frequency of the hums reported have been below that. This would also explain why its hard to record as alot of audio equipment cuts off at 20-30Hz. Also wikipedia says people “hear” it worse at nite, surely this is less busy people, less cars and so on so less background noise to cover it up??
Thts jst my 2cents tho
40. ajvwaa - July 24th, 2007 at 10:31 pm
Though the origins of the shroud of Turin are (obviously) disputed, it is interesting to consider that the Holy Catholic Church won’t allow “non-repaired” portions of the cloth to be tested. The obvious implication (to myself at least) is that the even the “confident” Church is terrified of being proven wrong by conclusive testing proving that the whole thing is fake…
I suppose that the point of this post is not necessarily to point doubt towards the Shroud of Turin (though I don’t personally believe it to have any historical or scientific significance) but moreover to point skepticism towards the confidence of the church in the matter…
41. jfrater - July 24th, 2007 at 10:52 pm
ajvaa: The Church doesn’t fear that type of thing - if it were a total fake it would make no difference - the Church stands on its faith and dogmas, not a piece of cloth or a piece of art. The fact is, the church’s hands are tied because if there is even the remotest chance that it is real, they must ensure that it not be damaged because that would be sacrilege. So really, the Church is in a difficult position and we will never really know one way or the other.
42. jfrater - July 24th, 2007 at 10:56 pm
Daniel: interesting points on the hum - perhaps it is just a larger group of people in one area with particularly sensitive ears who are hearing it. It will be very interesting if they ever discover the real cause.
As for your comments on the shroud - you are right that the three tests all found roughly the same date, but remember, the cloth they tested was from one of the repaired sections - not from the original, so it only proves the fact that the shroud was repaired in the middle ages (something we already knew from the history books). The sudarium was a different piece of cloth, you are right, but that doesn’t really have any bearing on the debate because if it were real, it would have been put on the head of the victim upon removal from the cross, and replaced in the tomb later with the burial shroud.
43. Katie - July 24th, 2007 at 11:01 pm
Why do people question faith? Faith isnt necessarily a religous thing! And what IF these other gods such as Zeus or Amun-ra was “our” god represented to other cultures? Our religion does not have to make sense to those that do not believe in it. Because those that do believe in God dont need to have proof.. .they just have faith which sometimes is even better. I feel sorry for people that question everything and cant just accept that there may be something greater than science.
44. Jello - July 24th, 2007 at 11:06 pm
The sample for the carbon dating was was actually part of reweave. They didn’t test multiple areas of the shroud. Ray Rogers article in Thermochimica Acta states:
“Pyrolysis-mass-spectrometry results from the sample area coupled with microscopic and microchemical observations prove that the radiocarbon sample was not part of the original cloth of the Shroud of Turin. The radiocarbon date was thus not valid for determining the true age of the shroud.”
sciencedirect.com article
45. Jello - July 24th, 2007 at 11:09 pm
If anybody is a looking for a good website…go to the following:
http://www.shroud.com/
It was created and is maintained by the official photographer of STURP (the group of scientists who studied it in the 70s). Has many of the original scientific articles on it.
46. Daniel - July 24th, 2007 at 11:21 pm
Im not convinced with this “repaired patch” arguement it seems pretty weak. That journal nature or whatever it was said that the fibres were deliberately chosen away from the patches and why would a team of clever scientists trying to date the original cloth take fibres from a repair? That seems like an awfully big oversight to make. Plus it was damaged in the fire in the 16th century which was only 500 years ago not the 600-700 quoted by the carbon dating. Admittedly carbon dating can make mistakes but none of the tests came back with a result of 500.
I think ajvaa is getting close to the truth. The Catholic Church has had a lot of bad press of recent, just imagine the outcry if one of their most holy artifacts turned out to be a middle age fake to try and drum up support for the crusades. I think that would make alot of people question a lot more.
47. Daniel - July 24th, 2007 at 11:28 pm
Jello- Ray Rogers was proven wrong by Walter McCrone and Joe Nickell according to the previous link I posted.
48. Jello - July 24th, 2007 at 11:42 pm
Daniel,
That Rogers article was from 2005. Walter McCrone died in 2002 so he could not have proven that article wrong.
49. Daniel - July 24th, 2007 at 11:50 pm
Jello- ah ok sorry bout that. The link I posted did have them provin Rogers wrong bout something, must have been something different then, did sound similar tho. :-S But if the carbon dating was done in 1988 and the samples that were used were destroyed in the process how was Rogers able to examine them in 2004?
50. Jello - July 24th, 2007 at 11:57 pm
He studied a couple thread left over. Granted not a great sample which Nickell does point out.
51. Daniel - July 25th, 2007 at 12:13 am
Yea the passage I read about McCrone was quoted and slightly out of context but I found the full article and it says that Rogers report of 2005 contradicts McCrone’s findings of 1996. Sounds like Roger’s and McCrone were always arguing with each other so I don’t know how much attention Id pay to one when they say the other has done wrong. Jost of my own head tho is it possible that those fibres were deliberately left behind because they were from a patch?
52. Mike - July 25th, 2007 at 12:39 am
Awesome article. I like how so many people (ahem: Solo) are trying to start arguments when at no point did you say these are all true. At least that’s what I thought when you refered to the atricle as Mysteries. I personally think the Shroud of Turin was not Jesus’ shroud; however it is fairly mysterious that they cannot reproduce it. Anyways like I said, really enjoyed the article.
53. Annoyed - July 25th, 2007 at 12:50 am
Guys, you’ve really got to chill out. Read it, enjoy it. If you don’t agree, get over it. Get a life, and stop trying to show off your “knowledge” to everyone else. GAH.
54. Stephanie - July 25th, 2007 at 1:07 am
Jack the Ripper, although the killer never convicted, there is numerous pieces of evidence that point to a suspect and they have made an entire book, in which the writer is convinced that Jack the Ripper is a man named Walter Sickert. Evidence consists of portraits he has drawn on the crime scene at which the victims were found. Drawings made on the Jack the Ripper letter and doodles of Sickert. Circumstantial evidence for some of the murders. An obsessive amount of letter sent by Sickert matches that of the Ripper and most convincing, his DNA found on some of these letters.
55. jive - July 25th, 2007 at 1:40 am
I agree with “Annoyed”. I thoroughly enjoyed the list.
Jfrater: maybe if there’s a part two of this list (which judging by these posts is inevitable) you can include the Bimini Roads? Your thoughts….
56. monkey - July 25th, 2007 at 2:44 am
you know, this is why christians bother me, they jump all over you if you say there relics are fake or anything pointing out any inconsistancies. meh. oh well.
the whole babushka chick thing is pretty intense though.
i bet you it’s a CIA operative or something like that. there to make sure and prove the whole thing went off without a hitch.
57. C-money - July 25th, 2007 at 2:49 am
jfrater dont u have anything else better to do? ive seen u comment on this dumb thing like 14 times. get a life.
and even if the shroud is fake its not that big of a deal.
and that babushka lady, her name is Barbra Bush.
58. Kelsi - July 25th, 2007 at 2:51 am
Very interesting article! I did a bit of reading on the shroud, especially after reading all this debate about it, and you’re quite right, it is definately a mystery! Despite all the research put into it, still it is unconfirmed one way or another. I hadn’t heard of a lot of these, so I really enjoyed the article.
For example, the Voynich manuscript? I’d love to read more about that. How can there be a publication in an unknown language/ script intended (possibly) for practical use? Very strange…I feel like the Babushka lady is like something out of a movie, you know, where the main character meets her in the end or something.
Another mystery you left out, which I expected to be on the list: The disappearance of the original Roanoke colony. Perhaps that has since been solved and they need to update the history books, but every time I learned about that (several years), I found it interesting.
Again, great article, thanks!
59. Kate - July 25th, 2007 at 2:53 am
Mike: That link for the Dahlia case doesn’t say they proved that the doctor killed her, only that his son is convinced that his father did it. Not once in the article does it say that the case is closed or that the late doctor is regarded as the murderer. The son just believes that his father killed Elizabeth Short.
60. Monteze - July 25th, 2007 at 2:54 am
I dont know if this has anything to do with the toas hum but it got me thinking when its quite i hear a hight pitched hum or what seems like one. a defening silence so to speak.. does anyone know what this is
61. Chris - July 25th, 2007 at 3:16 am
If you want to read a great book about the Shroud of Turin. Pick up “The Resurrection of the Shroud.” The author Mark Antonacci, does a terrific job of explaining (in detail) the scientific processes used to analyze the Shroud, their sucesses and failures. If you’re really interested in the subject, this the book.
62. bamf - July 25th, 2007 at 3:32 am
….what about who stole the cookies from the cookie jar?
or where’s waldo?
and where in the world is carmen san diego?
63. you - July 25th, 2007 at 4:05 am
Tod you are a retard and suck at life
64. Bryan T. - July 25th, 2007 at 4:49 am
What about Jimmy Hoffa? I think that’s a good one that was left off the list.
65. jim c - July 25th, 2007 at 5:12 am
The mystery of the Bermuda Triangle has been solved. It is methane gas pockets so intense the ships lose their bouyancy and sink immediately and reach high enought o cut out the engines in planes.There was a real cool show about it on discovery last year.
66. read - July 25th, 2007 at 5:13 am
is it me or do you see a picture of a faded woman in the “The Babushka Lady” in the picture that is second from the right
67. GOD - July 25th, 2007 at 5:31 am
If I had known that it would have come to this erroneous banter and low grade stupidity from your inbreading and sin I would have never started this whole thing. Now that I think back on it I should have crucified the lot of you sanctimonious holier than thou bible thumpers when I had the chance. The world would defiantly be a better place for it.
68. ken - July 25th, 2007 at 6:24 am
RE: St. Germain,
Go to: http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/2031 and download 2lcky10.txt.
Andrew Lang recounts many citations from various sources including: “story of the Count’s being a child of a princess retired to Bayonne–namely, the ex-Queen of Spain–and of a Portuguese-Hebrew financier.”
69. mr. anderson - July 25th, 2007 at 6:52 am
all of you idiots trying to prove Christianity wrong are being stupid. We christians no more believe your atheism then you believe ours. Respect our religion, and well respect your views, dont keep trying to prove us wrong and attack us religiously, it portrays you as self-centered and uneducated. In our belief, yes there is a Christ, and we believe in Him and a Heavenly afterlife. Yours doesn’t, and you hold that belief strongly. Okay, whatever, get over it that we dont share the same views you do. This world is one of variety, and unless you haven’t made that connection already that means other people you talk to aren’t going to have the same views as you! Wow! Amazing! Now stop all your “faith is abandonment of logic” crap and stay on topic without shoving your “greater” religion on us.
70. ben - July 25th, 2007 at 7:28 am
Mr. Anderson-Although I disagree with your belief in Christ and God (I am one of those atheists) I think your one of the only smart people on the entire comments section. At least you can let other people go and understand they are different. I can’t say I like the christians (or atheists) that bicker, but I think you are awesome.
71. Dane - July 25th, 2007 at 7:31 am
As far as the Shroud of Turin is concerned, we’ll probably never get an accurate date on it since: A. The backing cloth sewn to it after it was damaged in a fire has contaminated it B. The smoke damage done to it from the fire has further contaminated it and C. The Catholic Church has refused to allow fibers be taken from it for radio isotope testing, which is much more accurate than carbon dating. However, the general scientific consensus is that the Shroud is not some mystical artifact. The fact that the artistry involved in making the Shroud has not been reproduced is not so remarkable when we take into account that: 1. How many serious collaborations has there been in an attempt to reproduce it and 2. No biological materia has been shown to be on the Shroud. If your faith says it’s real, that’s fine…but the general scientific consensus is that it probably isn’t.
72. KG - July 25th, 2007 at 7:37 am
What about Jimmy Hoffa? How/Why did he disappear? What New York/New Jersey site became his burial plot? Is he really buried in one of the endzones at Giants Stadium?
73. Steve-o - July 25th, 2007 at 7:57 am
The shroud of Turin is PROBABLY fake. It IS funny how people kling to something that seems like a sign of God, no matter how sane or insane it is. A rust spot on the inside of a toilet bowl that bears a resemblace to the historical image of Jesus will draw crowds for months. I had a door in my bedroom that looked exactly like a horse’s face. I wonder why no one came knocking on my door thinking THAT was a sign of something…
74. jfrater - July 25th, 2007 at 8:09 am
Wow - so many comments! I can’t reply to all so I will just say thanks for all the suggestions on new mysteries for part II of the article which is coming soon.
Be nice to each other in your fights
75. Freeman - July 25th, 2007 at 9:06 am
I never realized The Hum was even a mystery. I used to be in my room as a child during night time and hear a clear audible sound, although I would have never associated it with a diesel engine [sounded more like humming speakers], but I’d turn off everything in the house, unplug everything, and still I’d hear it even worse than before. Really weird. I don’t really notice it much anymore unless the power goes out or I get outta town and go camping or someplace quiet.
As far as the debate concerning the piece of cloth, I only have this to quote: “You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.” I say this to those who know what book this quote is from and those who do not. I think it’s pointless to argue about who’s more right or holier than thou. I think we should all just get on with our own personal lives and be happy that you’re still alive to live another great day. And by the way, and more importantly, let others live their lives as well.
76. Headcase - July 25th, 2007 at 9:20 am
Religion is an outdated form of control used to keep the uneducated in servitude. We know better now and it has become an emotional crutch for those who feel there has to be some kind of justice at the end of their lives.
If you have to worship something, worship the message, not the messenger.
Just for the record, my father is a methodist minister so i was bought up with religion. My views are based on my experiences and observations.
77. jfrater - July 25th, 2007 at 9:52 am
Headcase: there are far too many brilliant people who have been religious for your argument to be possibly true. But thanks for adding your 2 cents
78. Headcase - July 25th, 2007 at 11:17 am
What does intelligence have to do with it?
79. Silva - July 25th, 2007 at 11:24 am
I laugh at the fact Loki says ”at the end of my life I have something to look forward to” Im not religious but I am not athiest….. I believe in spirituality but not in a religious sense and if you read The Power of Now you would see why I think a statement like Loki’s shows clear misunderstanding of the whole concept behind christianity and any other religion….
hint: things are taken far too literally
peace and good bless
80. Dane - July 25th, 2007 at 12:15 pm
#
79. jfrater | July 25th, 2007 at 9:52 am
Headcase: there are far too many brilliant people who have been religious for your argument to be possibly true. But thanks for adding your 2 cents
While Headcase’s argument that religion is only for the uneducated is a blanket statement that lacks credibility, it should be noted that someone’s brilliance and intelligence does not validate their religious views.
81. Headcase - July 25th, 2007 at 12:44 pm
‘keep the uneducated in servitude’
I think this statement is the problem.
The hierachy that used to exist 2000+ years ago meant that slavery was rife and education not available to the poor. This could cause resentment leading to social unrest. What religion could and did do was scare people into behaving in an ‘acceptable’ way through the the commandments and the concept of heaven and hell. The churches exist now purely for financial gain, whilst the clergy are as much sinners as the rest of us. Just as a side note look up the history of the popes through the years.
82. tjgrs - July 25th, 2007 at 10:24 pm
seriously, for eveyone doubting religion back the heck off, and for all those who are completely religious, do the same. the reason we are what we are is because of what we believe and you shouldn’t impose that on other poeple just cause they dont believe it. i believe the shroud to be a fake, but if someone tells me its real and has proof im not gonna tell them they are flat out wrong and an idiot, cause thats just not polite. i was raised to be polite so i would sy to everyone who believes the shroud, “agree to disagree”….also, who the hell knows where jesus was nailed in the hand, arm or whatever cause anyone who witnessed it is dead anyway and most likely didnt really record it. and you can’t trust every written thing. you culd sk 12 different people who see a man get shot what happened and you will have 12 different stories, so you take it with a grain of salt and make your own personal assumptions
83. jfrater - July 25th, 2007 at 10:52 pm
tjgrs: thank you - wise words indeed!
84. Purposely - July 26th, 2007 at 4:29 am
Good list. I would like to ad that a possible addition is the story of D.B. Cooper. While the likelihood of the the gentleman identified in Florida on his death bed is reasonable, the mystery is still unsolved in the eyes of the law. In general I am disappointed no Crytpozoology reached into the list such as Bigfoot, El Chupicabra, or even Loch Ness. Oh and its pretty ridiculous this has turned into some religious debate that will obviously go nowhere. Its very astonishing some people feel they have to post their religious beliefs on some website. Vindification of their own beliefs to themselves perhaps. At any rate, good list.
85. Philly - July 26th, 2007 at 5:35 am
does anyone think that religion was invented for people to argue over? It seems to be a past time that pretty much everyone in the world has indulged in at one time or another
86. jfrater - July 26th, 2007 at 6:32 am
Puposely: I am probably going to do a second list - I will be sure to add at least one of the animals this time
I will probably add D. B as well.
87. yay - July 27th, 2007 at 4:28 am
YAY! Second list!
88. Danglebeef - July 27th, 2007 at 2:35 pm
After all the comments, I haven’t seen anyone mention that the images on the shroud aren’t (or weren’t) visible to the naked eye. They were only revealed after someone took a picture of it…
I have several books on unsolved mysteries–this stuff fascinates me. I’ll find the citation and post it if this section is still open when I find the book.
Why would someone go to all the trouble to play a hoax that wouldn’t be seen for 600-2000 years? That someone would have had to have assumed that someday there would be an invention that would reveal the image…
Seems like a very forward-thinking prankster to me!
89. Chris - July 27th, 2007 at 7:10 pm
Dangle,
Great post. That’s why I recommended “Ressurection of the Shroud.” It goes into to the specific detail you mentioned and more. As you said Fascinating!
90. Fruckert - July 27th, 2007 at 8:34 pm
i know i shouldnt really muck around in stuff from that far back in posting but wikipedia isnt 100 percent reliable, anyone can change it if they see something that they think is wrong, pardon my grammer, i write like this most of the time writing proper bugs me
91. Fruckert - July 27th, 2007 at 8:35 pm
im talking about comment 15
92. VD - July 28th, 2007 at 5:57 pm
The Voynich manuscript was one I found particularly interesting (just about the only thing).
How can the Shroud of Turin be an imprint of Jesus? He didn’t even have long hair and a beard.
93. Chris - July 28th, 2007 at 7:34 pm
“How can the Shroud of Turin be an imprint of Jesus? He didn’t even have long hair and a beard.”
No one knows what he really looked like.
94. jfrater - July 28th, 2007 at 7:52 pm
VD: don’t you think it a bit strange that all depictions of Christ - including many from the 1st century show him that way? If we can’t believe the people from the region who lived in the same century, who can we believe? Atheists who live 2000 years later? Hmm, is that too low a blow?
95. jfrater - July 28th, 2007 at 7:54 pm
Fruckert: Thanks for the comment. I will cite additional resources in future. I just like Wikipedia because it tends to have a lot more information on it than Encyclopaedia Britannica Online.
96. Dane - July 30th, 2007 at 3:32 am
“98. jfrater | July 28th, 2007 at 7:52 pm
VD: don’t you think it a bit strange that all depictions of Christ - including many from the 1st century show him that way? If we can’t believe the people from the region who lived in the same century, who can we believe? Atheists who live 2000 years later? Hmm, is that too low a blow?”
Don’t you think it’s odd that all depictions of Jesus show him with long hair and beard, despite the fact that the NT admonishes men who wear their hair long? In addition, isn’t it odd that he’s always represented as being Caucasian, when he would have been anything BUT Caucasian? Do we have to believe what Christian fanatics of 2000 years ago claim? Hmmm..was that too low a blow?
97. jfrater - July 30th, 2007 at 8:27 am
Dane: I wasn’t saying you have to believe it - I am just saying that I think the chances are high in favour of the idea that Christ had long hair and a beard because the earliest depictions of him show him that way. Can you tell me where in the New Testament (or old) it admonishes a man for having long hair? It certainly wasn’t a problem in the old testament - remember the story of Samson and Delilah?
98. Dane - July 30th, 2007 at 9:20 am
#
“101. jfrater | July 30th, 2007 at 8:27 am
Dane: I wasn’t saying you have to believe it - I am just saying that I think the chances are high in favour of the idea that Christ had long hair and a beard because the earliest depictions of him show him that way. Can you tell me where in the New Testament (or old) it admonishes a man for having long hair? It certainly wasn’t a problem in the old testament - remember the story of Samson and Delilah?”
From Corinthians 1, Chapter 11, verses 14-15:
Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?
But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.
This entire chapter deals with how one should pray before God…men’s heads shouldn’t be ‘covered’, i.e, have long hair because man is in the image of God, while a woman should be ‘covered’ as she is in the image of man.
Now, given this instruction as detailed by the Bible, I find it rather unlikely that Christ would just decide to skip his Dad’s AND his culture’s rules. That being said, it is therefore highly unlikely Christ would keep long hair and a beard….which would therefore mean the Shroud of Turin is NOT what it is represented to be.
99. jfrater - July 30th, 2007 at 10:32 am
Dane: thanks for finding a quote. The translation you have used is a poor one (is it the KJV?) - a better translation is “Doth not even nature itself teach you that a man indeed, if he nourish his hair, it is a shame unto him?” - if you look at the context (read from verse 4 - 16) you will see that this majority of this section of the letter is in reference to covering one’s head when praying. The Eastern Orthodox and the Catholic Church have - since the beginning in the 1st century) forbidden men to cover their heads in Church and required women to cover theirs. This quote is not about long hair - it is about covering your head in prayer.
It is also worth remembering that Jewish women of the time wore their hair to their waists - it was considered effeminate for a man to wear his hair that long. From images found in Egyptian Tombs we know that Jewish men wore their hair to their shoulders - that was not considered long hair to them.
100. Dane - July 30th, 2007 at 8:59 pm
“103. jfrater | July 30th, 2007 at 10:32 am
Dane: thanks for finding a quote. The translation you have used is a poor one (is it the KJV?) - a better translation is “Doth not even nature itself teach you that a man indeed, if he nourish his hair, it is a shame unto him?” - if you look at the context (read from verse 4 - 16) you will see that this majority of this section of the letter is in reference to covering one’s head when praying. The Eastern Orthodox and the Catholic Church have - since the beginning in the 1st century) forbidden men to cover their heads in Church and required women to cover theirs. This quote is not about long hair - it is about covering your head in prayer.
It is also worth remembering that Jewish women of the time wore their hair to their waists - it was considered effeminate for a man to wear his hair that long. From images found in Egyptian Tombs we know that Jewish men wore their hair to their shoulders - that was not considered long hair to them.”
That is a possible interpretation, but not necessarily an absolute one. If, indeed, the quote references ‘nourishing’ one’s hair, that could well be interpreted as keeping long, full-bodied hair. In addition, since the Jewish community was so obviously concerned with cleanliness at this time period, I find it unlikely that they would consider shoulder length hair in men to be clean; of course, long hair was considered to be a hallmark of femininity, so they would have had to allow for that, since the Mosaic Law makes this clear.
In addition, you will see that 1Cor 11 very closely parallels Lev. 10:6. In the NT, Paul is making it abundantly clear that he is talking about the state of one’s physical appearance, not about head coverings. However, if you choose to accept the interpretation of ‘para’, as literally referencing some type of covering for the head, that’s your decision. I simply find this unlikely since, if that was true, millions of Christian women around the world are disrespecting their ‘God’ by not having their heads covered when they pray before it.
101. jfrater - July 30th, 2007 at 9:05 pm
Dane: it is still considered correct in the Catholic and Orthodox Churches (which comprise the majority of Christianity) for women to have their heads covered in Church. While many women disobey the rule, the rule does still exist and is consistent with the biblical requirements seen in Corinthians.
102. Katie - July 31st, 2007 at 6:21 am
The shroud one is definitely fake….. When you wrap a head in a cloth the head will appear bigger and wider. The Shroud of Turin head,on the other hand ,is normal sized. If the Shroud of Turin was true the head would have to be quite very thin to produce such an image.
103. Dane - July 31st, 2007 at 6:49 am
Jfrater: Actually, the majority of the world’s Chrstians are not aligned with the Catholic/Orthodox church. A little over 50% of them are associated with other sects of Christianity. Still, a sizable remain Catholic/Orthodox. Of course, that doesn’t mean a whole lot. All of the family on my father’s side are Roman Catholic and none of the women ‘cover’ their heads at services. I submit that both the passage in Corinthians and Leviticus are indeed referencing hair and not ‘head coverings’, like hats or shawls. If so, the majority of the world’s Christian women-including the Conservative Christian coalition, which prides itself on devoutly following the word of ‘God’-are disobeying their ‘God’, a concept I find highly unlikely, given the fanatical zeal and devotion of many Christians.
104. jfrater - July 31st, 2007 at 8:33 am
Dane: thanks for the comment. As it turns out I was incorrect with my count - of the 2.1 billion Christians in the world, 1.05 billion are Catholic, 240 million are Orthodox, and the rest are various Christian sects. That means Catholicism is 50% of Christianity even if you don’t count the orthodox. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_religions.
105. Dane - July 31st, 2007 at 9:20 am
Jfrater: Well, if we’re going to start spitting hairs, my first question would be…how old is that Wikipedia article? How are the numbers gauged? How many times has it been edited? The fact remains consistent: despite whatever number of Catholics/Orthodox Christians there are, it seems a large number of them-and, in fact, Christians in general-aren’t telling their women to cover their heads during services…which would remain consistent with Corinthians and Leviticus speaking to hair, not head covers. Of course, you could counter with the idea that most Christians just don’t have it right…and with 36,000 sects of Christianity worldwide, I think you’d be hard pressed to identify which group DOES have it right. Shall we continue to go round and round?
106. jfrater - July 31st, 2007 at 9:36 am
Dane: The data in the article is from mid 2005 (from Wikipedia citing adherents.net). Britannica has data from 2002, and the wikipedia article also has data from a different source from 2002.
Like you, I don’t have any desire to turn this into an argument! I agree that we should just leave it there
107. Raymond - July 31st, 2007 at 3:56 pm
hey, What about the mysterious lights over Hessdalen, Norway? they have been recordered manyt imes, even by scientist. but are yet unexplainable!
108. Don Walker - August 3rd, 2007 at 10:12 pm
Mike:
The Black Dahlia case has not been solved. The pictures used in that special were not Elizabeth Short.
109. MESKI - August 7th, 2007 at 9:41 pm
I dont know if this has been written in the comments yet, i only read through about half of them… but as far as the bermuda triangle is concerned, I remember hearing that there were vast amount of strong currents flowing in multiple directions which caused many ships to get lost and any wrecks from aircraft or watercraft to travel in many different directions being virtually destroyed and losts in multiple places. Don’t know how reliable of a source it was from, just remember seeing it on TV. If true, adds a little explination but still doesnt cover it all.
110. jfrater - August 7th, 2007 at 10:00 pm
MESKI: There seem to be heaps of different explanations, but we just never really get conclusive proof one way or another. It is definitely weird.
111. Will Treasure - August 9th, 2007 at 2:35 pm
people who talk of religion only being followed by the stupid or the nostalgic show shortsightedness, just as people now read lifehack blogs in order to improve their everyday lives, religion provides structure, focus and confidence. People argue religion causes war and in this thread you can perfectly understand why. but remember religion is often used as an excuse or a moral builder in a war and is generally not the most important factor. Using ones religion as justification lowers your religion and yourself. Similarly persecuting or blaming someones actions on the religion is stupidity and creates far greater problems.
Who really knows if its true or false, religion provides a carrot and stick (heaven and hell) approach in stopping people “sinning” (hurting/stealing etc) and i think that can only be a good thing.
I genuinely enjoyed your article, if i wasnt worried about starting a similar religion based comment war, i would suggest putting “religion as a whole” in your next top10.
I think theres a great power in the unknown, if i knew everything i think i would be extemely bored.
112. jfrater - August 9th, 2007 at 5:08 pm
Will: Thanks for that comment - it is obviously well thought out and adds value to this topic. Well done.
113. Fruckert - August 11th, 2007 at 2:23 am
i am going to have to agree with will on his comment.
it makes alot of sense.
114. Bluboo - August 12th, 2007 at 1:35 am
Nice job and very enjoyable. You are missing my personal favorite:
Why would Melissa Etheridge decide that David Crosby should be the father of her child? Couldn’t she do better? What was she thinking?
:-{)
Blu
115. jfrater - August 12th, 2007 at 12:51 pm
Bluboo - great comment - thanks
116. couggod - August 12th, 2007 at 9:08 pm
It was only after the results came back from the test on the shroud did they say it was from the area that was repaired. If you believe the shroud is real, that is your business. For those accept the test as proof that is false, move on to REAL mysteries like the dropas in china.
117. jfrater - August 12th, 2007 at 9:42 pm
couggod: thanks for the comment. Can you provide some documentation to prove your comment on the shroud? I would be very interested to see it, especially as we can see where the cuts came from and they are in the repair site.
118. Chris - August 12th, 2007 at 11:20 pm
Jfrater, I guess it bears repeating. The book “Resurrection of the Shroud” explains this issue (and others) very well. I highly recommend it if you are really interested in this subject.
119. jfrater - August 13th, 2007 at 8:09 am
Chris: Thanks, I will certainly check it out.
120. ben - August 18th, 2007 at 8:42 pm
I think Will is absolutely right. I read an article by a fellow atheist which was similar to that in the fact that it says religion doesnt necessarily teach morality (indeed in some areas it does opposite) although it can teach humility. Further, religion, regardless of what you think, is undeniably valuable to the human race. It can connect people and and give them hope. People with a sickness may become better against certain odds. They say religion helped them, and while God or gods may not have done that certainly them beliving they had someone watching out for them gave them willpower to get better. Thats a good lesson. Even if, like myself, you dont believe, it can be hard to deny religions practicality and usefulness at times. So dont fight, just allow people their own beliefs.
121. jfrater - August 18th, 2007 at 8:54 pm
ben: well said - I totally agree with that - it is the reason I don’t delete posts or stop people from posting their views.
122. Asta - August 22nd, 2007 at 8:11 am
10. The Babushka Lady
“She” dont look femine to me , the way “she” stands and those calves look male to me. Just an opinion
123. jfrater - August 22nd, 2007 at 9:17 am
Asta: I thought that as well - it certainly adds to the mystery
124. Gr8flDdFn - August 26th, 2007 at 5:49 am
what about what happened to… well where amelia earhart ended up?
125. jfrater - August 26th, 2007 at 11:54 am
Gr8flDdFn: I think someone mentioned that in the comments.
126. Gr8flDdFn - August 26th, 2007 at 1:24 pm
ah. lol i tried to skim the all the comments but i missed that one.
127. jfrater - August 26th, 2007 at 3:17 pm
Gr8flDdFn: it’s okay - easy to do
128. Dave - August 31st, 2007 at 9:46 pm
Give “The Second Messiah” by Knight and Lomas, a read if you get a chance. It does a nice credible job of explaining the origins and basis behind the shroud. They convincingly argue that the shroud is that of Jaques De Molay, the last grand master of Knights Templar.
They have the science to back up their supposition and the chemical knowledge to explain the process……
129. jfrater - September 1st, 2007 at 1:03 am
Dave: I would just have to doubt anything to do with the Knights Templar - they have become one of the organizations most enshrouded in conspiracy theories in all history I think! Thanks for mentioning the book though - all extra info is welcome
130. manju - September 1st, 2007 at 1:57 am
1st i want to say about the christ cloth,we have to belive it is truely of jesus.. that cloth must have been used to cover the face of jesus after his death, we can clearly see that his eyes r closed, we also know that in da vinci code it is said holy grail was moved from one place to another so it must have used at that time.. even the blood spots must be of jesus only….
my 2nd comment is on bermuda triangle… we have to know that why still today no research has been done to found out what is really there we all thow that science has forwarded too much but still why cnt we find the answer?? one more thing is still today also plane,ship is missing in that place if it goes there some research must be done…
my 3rd comment is on the lady who is witness of kennedy murder.. that lady has the images of the murderer she must have known who is that murderer, she dont want to reveal that proof because it must be that it may bring bad name and impression to that person or he must be of high official power at that time… she must be afraid of producing evidence so that she will be in trouble someday she must be afraid to give evidence…
131. jfrater - September 1st, 2007 at 2:17 am
manju: thanks for the interesting comments. Your third comment raises a good point - originally I presumed she may have had some relation to the shooting itself, but you could be right - that she was a witness.
Oh - and watch out for an up and coming list on the DaVinci Code - I would definitely not recommend you use it to support an argument because it is very badly written, not researched, and full of historical errors.
132. Rosa - September 2nd, 2007 at 4:46 pm
Whoa!!!! Nifty list!!! Hmm…i had never heard about the babushka lady. It sorta freaked me out if you know what i mean…
Oh, and about the bermuda triangle, if we have so much technology nowadays, why havent we been able to figure out whats with the bermuda triangle?…(I mean, come on, we can figure out a way to cram a crapload of music into a little bitty thing that fits into your jeans pocket, but no one cares to figure out whats up with the frigging bermuda triangle!!!)
133. jfrater - September 2nd, 2007 at 11:37 pm
Rosa: thanks for the comment - good point about the bermuda triangle
134. soonerproud - September 3rd, 2007 at 4:17 pm
jfrater: Thanks for this list.
After reading all 133 comments I would like to say that regardless of what SOME (Not all of them) atheist think, science cannot prove or disprove the existence of God. You therefore have to take a leap of faith to believe one way or another.
It is absolutely counter productive and pointless for the extremist of both sides to belittle one another for having a differing point of view. If both sides would listen to one another and respect each others opinions, we could learn a lot from each other and the world would be a better place for it.
I personally am skeptical of the validity of the Shroud of Turin. Then again, I never needed a physical object to help confirm my belief in the existence of God. I still find it a fascinating mystery and love reading material on both sides about it.
The two mysteries that fascinate me the most on this list are the Zodiac Killer and Jack the Ripper. The similarities between the two mysteries are astonishing to say the least. The biggest similarity between the two is why did they all the sudden stop and neither were ever heard from again? Serial Killers generally continue killing but these two just completely vanished as fast as they appeared.
135. jfrater - September 3rd, 2007 at 11:05 pm
soonerproud: thanks for the comment - it is very true indeed. As far as the killers are concerned - I think it is probably to do with either death of the killer or jail time (for unrelated crimes). I am planning a top 10 unsolved murders list soon, so keep your eyes out - both of the killers you mentioned will be included.
136. emptyhandkiller - September 4th, 2007 at 6:39 am
Regarding the Bermuda Triangle: I have been fascinated by this area for many years. The most compelling evidence I have seen was demonstrated by a scientist a few years ago. We know that the earth continually expells methane and other gases at various points. He demonstrated that if a large bubble of gas rose to the surface, and a ship happened to be near, it would instantly lose its bouyancy and sink. I think this is a very plausible explanation.
137. jfrater - September 4th, 2007 at 7:09 am
emptyhandkiller: that does sound interesting - now all they need to do is prove that there are occasional methane bubbles in that part of the world.
138. meright - October 5th, 2007 at 8:34 am
another theory on whose face it is on the shroud is that it could be that of Jaques de Molay, leader of the knights templar, the leaders of which were rounded up on friday 13th october 1307 having been found guilty of heresy and condemned by the pope. by many this is thought to be the origin of the ‘friday 13th’ myth.
139. jfrater - October 5th, 2007 at 8:40 am
meright: I think, unfortunately, that the templar version of the tale is a myth started by the Da Vinci Code - the many errors of which can be read about on the Top 10 Errors of the Da Vinci Code. Also, much of the mythology surrounding the templars is false - they were simply a religious order or knights that was disbanded because they were amassing great wealth. King Philip saw that as a threat to his power and spread many of the distortions of truth about them - namely the idea that they deny Christ as part of their initiation ceremonies. I think it is important to take a lot of these templar legends with a grain of salt.
140. jfrater - October 5th, 2007 at 8:43 am
Ok - I forgot to say, the reason Friday 13 is considered bad luck is probably because Friday was the day Christ was crucified and there were thirteeen at the last supper table. Even in recent years a person hosting a posh dinner party will invite a fourteenth person to join their party if they end up with 13 for dinner by mistake - this is a very old tradition of etiquette. I think that the Friday the thirteenth superstition has come, like many holidays and ideas today, from aspects of the life of Christ. A far less sinister, but far more likely reason.
141. Jack - October 7th, 2007 at 3:55 pm
if carbon dating found it to be from the period of jesus, i don’t believe even that would be nearly enough evidence to prove it was his burial shroud. Also, if we can not reproduce an image onto a linen, how does that prove jesus wore it?
142. Gunz - October 7th, 2007 at 9:37 pm
solo as for your words “I think it’s been a while we mastered “paint on fabric”. um they know its blood not paint. you really should study everything they have on it.
143. meright - October 9th, 2007 at 8:34 am
jfrater, the purpose of my post was to further the discussion by adding different ‘angles’ to the topic. I’m very suspicious of all history as it is very subjective and in many cases is written by people with a secret agenda. eg: if hitler had won the war i’m sure his historical perspective would’ve been vastly different to ours-he would’ve twisted history to suit his purpose, holocaust etc.
When creating a new belief system it is far easier to do if you can offer historical evidence to back it up - if you look hard enough you will always find it as history has been written from so many different perspectives.
Just as a fun footnote…..I recently read that in the time of Henry VIII it was considered a prerequisite for good health that the King should expell semen regularly, hence the large amount mistresses……..oh to be a King !!!
144. jfrater - October 9th, 2007 at 8:45 am
mreight: hey - I think that is good - I definitely wouldn’t want you to stop posting comments! They are the lifeblood of the site
145. ryuun - October 10th, 2007 at 1:59 am
all this arguments about religions….
it doesnt matter if there is a mighty god or not,
religions are there to help you live better life
while your “living”
it’s heaven if your living a good life,
and it’s hell if your living a shit life,
who gives a fuck about a piece of cloth
of a man some thousands of years ago?
say it was authentic and everything,
what difference does it make to our everydaylife?
just live happily with people around you everyday.
but one thing…. you gota agree that church has so many crazy zealots and it’s a religion with
bloody history of wars.
and bibles are bullshit,
christians are too “human centred”
whats difference between killing a cow and
killing a human? human is an animal too.
and perhaps cows are much more innocent than humans??? humans did nothing but destroy
earth, to be honest, we are parasites of this
planet. perhaps its more appropriate to kill our selves?????
what im saying is, religion might help some people, but somepeople just over do it.
bible says earth is 6000years old and that
humans were the first created life form???
wow did you know that our whole milky wave galaxy is like not even a dust of the whole universe? and our solar system is not even a dust of that milky wave.
just dont over do things guys
you only got 100years to live if your lucky.
enjoy your life, dont get tied by stuff like
bibles……
worry about heaven and hell when your dead.
everyone dies in the end anyway kkkkkkkk
one rule of this world;
[existence ↔ nothingness]
146. Kyle17 - October 23rd, 2007 at 11:25 am
This list was great but I think that the Oak Island mystery should be on the list
147. nonya - November 3rd, 2007 at 2:11 pm
say what?
148. alisa - November 6th, 2007 at 6:17 am
I have read many books on ‘The Black Dahlia’ and ‘The Zodiac Killer.’ Have you ever seen the movie ‘The Black Dahlia’? It’s based on the story. Oh yeah, and they also have a movie based on Elizabeth Bathory. It is called “Stay Alive.”
149. jfrater - November 6th, 2007 at 6:25 am
alisa: I have seen the Black Dahlia film - I enjoyed it a lot. I didn’t know they had made one on Bathory - I will definitely try to track that down! Thanks for mentioning it.
150. alisa - November 6th, 2007 at 6:30 am
Yes, I would love to tell you all about it but I don’t want to ruin it for you. I have to warn you the plot is kind of stupid and pointless, and some things are different than the actual story, but other than that I think it is worth watching.
151. Brian Moo - November 12th, 2007 at 7:26 pm
The all capitalized letters in the Zodiac Killer’s message make it even more creepier.
152. Gracie - November 22nd, 2007 at 4:12 pm
This site is cool
theres a lot to know
153. Rodolfo - November 23rd, 2007 at 12:37 am
The Voynich manuscript sounds like the most interesting mystery. Although I am very young I have always been interested in decoding messages. What I believe the author of this manuscript is trying to say, is that when you combine water=blue, with electricity= yellow, will give you a green color which is the color of the element shown where the women are at. Where the women are standing seems like it is a cell, maybe the author was trying to show that by charging an XX chromosome, a type of reaction could occur that would enable with the cure of a sickness or a type of way to make a girl sterile. Jaja hope I don’t sound dumb ,but i guess everyone has their own theories.
154. jfrater - November 23rd, 2007 at 12:40 am
Rodolfo: that is a very interesting observation and just as good as anyone elses
155. hojita - December 4th, 2007 at 4:15 pm
I dont believe you know anything about all this and u can’t spect jfrater to be a genius, u are mean
156. hojita - December 4th, 2007 at 4:18 pm
well, he seems quite smart to me
157. eric bernier - December 6th, 2007 at 8:43 am
hi…i love the site…it helped me do my english project…a la prochaine mes amis!!
158. Julie Aime - December 6th, 2007 at 8:48 am
maudit eric bé !! té tu pas simpe
159. eric bernier - December 6th, 2007 at 8:49 am
i love you!!
160. Julie Aime - December 6th, 2007 at 8:50 am
wa pté vraiment simpe my buddy
161. eric bernier - December 6th, 2007 at 8:51 am
wayon war…quand on est tseule tu dit tlt moi toùt!!! lol:P c plate
162. Julie Aime - December 6th, 2007 at 8:53 am
wawa!! cest tu pas plate ste projet site
163. eric bernier - December 6th, 2007 at 8:59 am
jtaime vrm la…!!!
164. Julie Aime - December 6th, 2007 at 9:00 am
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165. Ryon Ownbey - December 8th, 2007 at 9:29 pm
Don’t forget D.B. Cooper
166. Raven Darkendale - December 9th, 2007 at 1:35 pm
Anybody notice how that Babushka Lady always has a clean shot? Now if she happens to have a nice silenced pistol and is a good shot, she’s in better position at “moment of impact” than Oswald. I still don’t buy the Warren Report’s “magic bullet theory.” Nor do I, owning a bolt-action rifle myself, feel you could get that many perfectly accurate shots off in the time Oswald had. Now this person, lady or otherwise, right on top of the limo. Shots would be point plank. Try that for a theory, hidden in plain sight.
167. Catherine - December 10th, 2007 at 7:21 am
Ricky est loser
168. jaide - December 10th, 2007 at 8:03 am
I think i might know the cause from the bermuda triangle but im not sure. Ive heard from many stories that the reason planes are always crashing is because the sky looks just like the water and the clouds and sky reflect off the water which looks exactly the same so when the plane raises up they accidently go down blowing them up in the water but im not sure why the boats crash…Still trying to fisgure that one out.
169. dangorironhide - December 10th, 2007 at 8:11 am
jaide: the theory I’ve read for the boats involves bubbles of methane or CO2 (cant remember which, though I think it was methane) bubbling up from the floor of the ocean. When these burst at the surface the density of the water is suddenly reduced, which causes any ships over them at the time to sink suddenly
170. Xstamper - December 10th, 2007 at 3:31 pm
Interesting. Personally, I think the theory that JFK was accidently shot by a Marine who was walking next to the motorcade to be my favorite theory on the JFK incident.
171. seeker - December 13th, 2007 at 12:45 pm
The bermuda triangle has been adequately described as a real phenomenon caused by methane hydrates
172. AJ - December 14th, 2007 at 5:27 am
honestly i have definately working on the burmudas triangle thinge n i think i might have a breakthrough…..ur list is realy cool……one of the precise few….but i would definately want links to pics or more pics…it saves a lot of trouble….keep it up n lage raho!
173. avi - December 16th, 2007 at 5:50 am
I’d put the taos hum before Mary Celeste.
174. Stephanie - December 21st, 2007 at 9:54 pm
Shroud of Turin shouldn’t be number 1. It is by far the most controversial, but it is probably the least interesting of all (to me at least). And I think the Taos Hum thing is a joke. Doesn’t everyone hear low noises at some point? I certainly do, but I never pay attention. It’s just man-made noise, or the weather. The taos hum is also one of the least interesting things on this list. It hardly counts as a “mystery”.
175. Stephanie - December 21st, 2007 at 9:57 pm
Another interesting point: Do most Christians really believe the Shroud of Turin is real? Most of the Christians I know believe it’s fake!
176. Rick B - December 28th, 2007 at 12:01 pm
In regards to the Bermuda Triangle, since I haven’t heard of any new disappearances since the 1970’s why do we even mention this anymore? Wouldn’t they keep occurring? So, why are people who believe in the shroud of Turin APOLOGISTS? Why aren’t the we labeling a colourful adjective to those who do not believe it is real, despite all of the testing they are doing to prove the contrary and not succeeding? How about - HELL DWELLERS?
177. Slammerworm - December 28th, 2007 at 9:30 pm
Oooh, that Shroud. Personally, it seems a tad coercive on the part of a God who relies on faith to stack the odds and additionally make available a magic cloth as further proof of Jesus’ divinity. That cloth is so marked-up, scorched and folded people have seen all sorts of things in it over the years. As to ‘recreating’ it, well they said we couldn’t recreate the pyramids either, and that’s only down to money. The Shroud is an impressionistic hand-painted cloth, with a history which starts from around the 14th century, when it was also considered a fake relic. Otherwise, why would God allow a single ‘mysterious’ relic to exist at all? That’s a wee bit paranoid… But then hey, I’m-a goin’ to hell with all the other Atheists anyway.
178. kate - December 30th, 2007 at 3:04 pm
niceee, i think a few others should have been included, but what ever, and tht number 9, wow he must’ve been some retard, he really cant spell can he, believe me, ill figure out those last few letters, eithere that or theyre just jibberish
179. NoBEfaRs - December 30th, 2007 at 3:17 pm
I’ve heard that there is ,um,like a “mystery” about the sphinx in giza in Egypt.I’m not sure if this is true,but it’s said that the direction of the eyes is’nt parallel.They intersect at a point and beneath that point are thousands of records and scrolls and books all about the ancient times,about hidden tribes,discoveries(because there is evidence that phonecians had been to the americas or the southern tip of Africa before Europeans.They left behind writings)etc….
Can someone please reply to this?
180. NoBEfaRs - December 30th, 2007 at 3:31 pm
Anyone??
181. Slammerworm - December 30th, 2007 at 9:37 pm
NoBEfaRs: It all sounds a wee bit ‘Indiana Jones’. If true, then whereabouts did the hidden information go? Unless the Feds got a hold of it and stashed it somewhere. In which case, there’s a classic case to ‘argue from silence’. It’d make the basis of a good yarn, though.
182. MUTHA - January 4th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
I LIKE KILLING PEOPLE BECAUSE IT IS SO MUCH FUN IT IS MORE FUN THAN KILLING WILD GAME IN THE FORREST BECAUSE MAN IS THE MOST DANGEROUE ANAMAL OF ALL TO KILL SOMETHING GIVES ME THE MOST THRILLING EXPERENCE IT IS EVEN BETTER THAN GETTING YOUR ROCKS OFF WITH A GIRL THE BEST PART OF IT IS THAE WHEN I DIE I WI