When you think about the 10 oldest animals still roaming our planet, you might picture dinosaurs, but many living creatures have been around for centuries, outliving wars, empires, and even the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Meet the 10 Oldest Animals Still Alive

10 Charlie The Parrot

Charlie, a vivid macaw born in 1899, boasts an astonishing age of 119 years as of 2018. The bird resides with Peter Oram, who first bought him for a pet shop back in 1965. After a few years, Oram decided to keep the bird at home because Charlie had a peculiar habit of swearing and chanting anti‑Nazi slogans, a talent that allegedly traced back to the wartime residence of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, who supposedly acquired the parrot in 1937.

Churchill’s daughter has publicly disputed any ownership, stating that exhaustive searches of family photographs and records turned up no evidence of a macaw. She did confirm that her father owned an African grey parrot during the 1930s, but not a macaw. This contradiction fuels the ongoing debate about the bird’s alleged connection to the former prime minister.

Some observers argue that the Churchill family may be deliberately denying the macaw’s link to Winston because the bird’s vulgar behavior casts an unflattering light on the historic figure. Whether fact or folklore, Charlie’s longevity and colorful backstory keep him perched firmly in the spotlight of animal history.

9 Sized Sea Sponge

Imagine a sea sponge that stretches 3.7 metres (12 ft) across and reaches 2.1 metres (7 ft) in length – that’s the size of a compact minivan and the largest sponge ever documented. Researchers discovered this colossal organism at a depth of roughly 2,100 metres (7,000 ft) between Hawaii and Midway Atoll. While scientists haven’t nailed down its exact birth year, the sheer magnitude of the sponge suggests it could be several millennia old.

For context, smaller sponges inhabiting comparable shallow waters have been dated to over 2,300 years, meaning this behemoth may be of a similar or even greater age. Some marine biologists have even floated the idea that this gargantuan sponge could claim the title of the oldest living animal on Earth.

Adding to the mystery, researchers were unable to assign the sponge to any known genus, leaving its taxonomic identity as enigmatic as its age. The creature’s massive, unclassified presence continues to intrigue scientists and ocean lovers alike.

8 George The Lobster

In 2009, a lobster named George was estimated to be 140 years old, earning him the distinction of the oldest lobster ever recorded. He was hauled from the cold waters off Newfoundland, Canada, and promptly sold to the City Crab and Seafood restaurant in New York City, where he became a living mascot. Children flocked to snap photos with the venerable crustacean, until two diners recognized the need for his freedom and alerted PETA.

Following the animal‑rights group’s appeal, the restaurant agreed to release George back into the Atlantic. Ten days after his capture, he was set adrift, his age having been approximated from his massive weight. George’s story sparked interest in other long‑lived lobsters, notably a 132‑year‑old specimen named Louie, who spent two decades in a New York eatery’s aquarium before his own sea‑bound release.

Louie’s caretaker, Butch Yamali, famously declined numerous offers to serve the crustacean, even turning down a $1,000 proposal to prepare him for Father’s Day. These anecdotes highlight the deep respect some humans hold for these ancient marine veterans.

7 Unnamed Greenland Shark

An unnamed female Greenland shark currently holds the record for the world’s oldest vertebrate. Scientists estimate her birth occurred sometime between 1501 and 1744, which would make her anywhere from 274 to 517 years old as of 2018. Even at the low end of that range, she surpasses the previous champion, a 211‑year‑old bowhead whale.

Greenland sharks are notorious for their sluggish growth—approximately one centimetre per year—and they don’t reach sexual maturity until around 150 years of age. Fully grown adults can stretch up to five metres (16 ft) in length, making them both massive and long‑lived.

Researchers cracked the age‑estimation code by analysing the chemical composition of eye‑lens proteins, a method applied to 28 sharks caught in trawler nets. The unnamed female was among those sampled, and while many of her counterparts perished after capture, there’s no record of this particular shark meeting a similar fate, suggesting she may still be swimming the deep.

6 Muja The Alligator

Muja, an American alligator residing at Belgrade Zoo in Serbia, is believed to be at least 80 years old, making him the oldest captive alligator on record. He arrived at the zoo from Germany in 1937 as a fully grown adult, merely two years before the outbreak of World War II.

His longevity is nothing short of legendary: Muja survived two wartime bombings of Belgrade in 1941 and 1944 that wiped out every other animal in the zoo, as well as the tumultuous Balkan crises of the 1990s. In 2012, he faced a serious health issue when gangrene forced veterinarians to amputate his right front foot, yet he continued to thrive.

Before Muja claimed the title, the record belonged to Cabulitis, a Latvian alligator who died at 75 in Riga Zoo in 2007. Muja’s enduring presence offers a living window into a century of European history.

5 Jonathan The Tortoise

Jonathan, a giant tortoise estimated to have hatched in 1832, would be 186 years old as of 2018—though his veterinarian, Joe Hollins, insists he is no younger than 160. This age dwarfs the average tortoise lifespan of roughly 150 years.

He calls the remote island of St. Helena his home, a British Overseas Territory in the South Atlantic. Transported there in 1882, Jonathan has been photographed as early as 1902, and now resides at Plantation House—the official governor’s residence—alongside five other tortoises.

In 1991, the French consul presented a female tortoise named Frederica to the governor, hoping she would become Jonathan’s mate. While Jonathan never fully embraced the partnership, he did pay occasional visits. A later veterinary exam revealed Frederica was, in fact, male—a humorous twist that added another layer to the island’s tortoise lore.

4 Dakshayani The Elephant

While Lin Wang, an Asian elephant who passed away in 2003 at the age of 86, currently holds the Guinness World Record for the oldest elephant ever, the living contender for the title among the 10 oldest animals is Dakshayani. This matriarch resides under the care of the Travancore Devaswom Board, which manages several Indian temples.

In 2016, the board announced that Dakshayani was also 86 years old and had applied to Guinness for official recognition, though no formal award has been recorded. Her life mirrors that of Lin Wang, who served the Japanese military as a supply carrier during World II before being captured by Chinese forces in 1943 and later transferred to a Taiwanese zoo in 1954.

Some experts argue that an even older Asian elephant, Indria, who lived in an Indian sanctuary and was believed to be between 85 and 90 at the time of her death, might contest the record. Nonetheless, Dakshayani remains a celebrated elder among the world’s longest‑lived mammals.

3 An Unnamed Brandt’s Myotis

A male Brandt’s myotis bat from Siberia, now unnamed, has been documented as 41 years old—the oldest known bat still alive. Remarkably, this tiny mammal reached that age while living in the wild. Researchers first captured the bat in 2005 for tagging and discovered an older band attached during an earlier capture in 1964.

Typically, larger mammals enjoy longer lifespans, while smaller ones age more quickly—a relationship known as the “longevity quotient.” Yet Brandt’s myotis boasts a quotient of 9.8, the highest among mammals, eclipsing the human figure of 4.5 and the maximum human lifespan of 122 years.

Scientists attribute the bat’s extraordinary endurance to its hibernation habits—spending nine months a year in torpor—and a scarcity of predators in its Siberian habitat. These factors, combined with ample food supplies, enable these diminutive creatures to outlive many larger species.

2 Wisdom The Albatross

Wisdom, a Laysan albatross estimated to be 67 years old, holds the record as the world’s oldest wild bird. The average lifespan for her species hovers around 50 years, making her a true outlier. Scientists first learned her age when she was captured for tagging in 2002, only to discover an earlier tag dating back to 1956.

Based on that tag, researchers concluded Wisdom was six years old in 1956; any younger and the tag would have registered below five. Since her 2002 recapture, she has been sighted annually, always returning to the same nesting site on Midway Atoll, where she has consistently used the same nest for decades.

Perhaps most astonishing is her reproductive record: Wisdom has laid an egg each year, producing 39 chicks over her lifetime. While many albatrosses skip breeding seasons, Wisdom’s steadfastness underscores her remarkable vitality, even outlasting at least one long‑term mate.

1 Granny The Orca

J2, affectionately known as “Granny,” is the oldest‑known killer whale, with an estimated birth year of 1911, placing her at 107 years old as of 2018. She leads the J pod that frequents the waters of Puget Sound and the Strait of Georgia. For context, female killer whales typically live around 50 years in the wild, though some reach 80.

Granny bears a distinctive notch on her dorsal fin, the primary identifier used by researchers, as she never received a formal tag. She was initially captured in Puget Sound during the 1960s alongside several other whales destined for a marine aquarium, but officials recognized her advanced age and released her back into the ocean.

Recent observations suggest Granny may have passed away; her last confirmed sighting was in the fall of 2016, swimming beside an orphaned calf she had adopted. That calf has since been seen alone, raising questions about Granny’s fate. Moreover, chemical analysis of her tissues has produced age estimates ranging from the mid‑sixties to the eighties, fueling ongoing debate over her true age.

The phrase 10 methods used to avoid the terrifying prospect of being buried alive has haunted humanity for millennia. Edgar Allan Poe famously turned this dread into literary nightmare, but the fear was not limited to gothic tales. In the Victorian era, societies sprang up dedicated to preventing the dreaded “premature burial,” prompting doctors and the public alike to devise a bewildering array of safeguards.

10 Severed Artery

Odd bequests to the press were once a sensational staple. When a restaurant proprietor’s will surfaced in the London Evening News in 1932, readers were treated to a bizarre clause: he demanded that an artery be cut before his interment, and that a certificate of genuine death be issued by the Association for the Prevention of Premature Burial. This gruesome stipulation let him skip the costly addition of a safety bell inside his coffin.

Hans Christian Andersen, the famed storyteller, shared a similar dread. Whenever he lodged at a hotel, he left a note on the dressing table proclaiming, “I am not really dead.” In his final days, he explicitly instructed friends to ensure his arteries were opened prior to burial, hoping to erase any lingering chance of awakening underground.

9 The Old Fingernail Test

Women, too, feared premature burial. Ruby Caroline Aykroyd of London, after perusing newspaper accounts, stipulated in her 1924 will that a match be held beneath her fingernails until they burned. The premise: a living soul would flinch at the searing pain, whereas a corpse would not react.

Beyond the fiery trial, Miss Aykroyd demanded cremation and the scattering of her ashes to the wind—an early nod to the growing popularity of cremation in Europe and America as a safeguard against waking in a coffin.

8 Decapitation

James Mott, a Birmingham resident, left a meticulous will in 1927 insisting that two physicians verify his death, then place prussic acid in his mouth. He offered two grim choices: either be decapitated before burial or have his corpse dissected, after which his remains would be sealed in a sack and dumped at sea—no wooden or metal coffin permitted.

Should the sea route prove impractical, Mott allowed for cremation, with ashes to be dispersed. Similar requests appeared earlier: in 1905 a physician honored a patient’s wish to be beheaded post‑mortem, and in Newton, Massachusetts, Charles Albert Reed allocated $500 to a doctor for the same purpose.

7 Secret Message

In 1790 England, an inventive approach emerged: a corpse was placed on a slab or inside an open box, then covered with a glass pane. On the underside of the glass, the phrase “I am dead” was inscribed using silver nitrate. The writing remained invisible until decomposition released hydrogen sulfide, causing the hidden message to appear, confirming the body’s readiness for burial.

6 Respiratory Tests

A mid‑19th‑century medical treatise listed three classic respiratory examinations. The mirror test involved holding a cold pocket‑mirror over the mouth and nose; any exhaled moisture would fog the surface, indicating life.

The feather test placed a light feather near the nostrils; a living breath would cause it to quiver. Finally, the water or mercury test required a shallow dish on the chest; subtle diaphragm movements would ripple the liquid, hinting at breathing.

Despite their ingenuity, none of these methods proved infallible, and each carried a margin of error that left physicians uneasy.

5 That Prick

From the 1800s through the early 1900s, pricking the corpse with a needle was a common verification technique. The belief held that a living body would redden and seal the puncture, whereas a dead body would retain an open wound.

Typical sites for the test included fingers and the soles of the feet; occasionally, a needle was driven under a fingernail, assuming no conscious person could endure such pain. Lady Burton, wife of explorer Sir Richard Burton, requested a pin to pierce her heart to certify death, followed by dissection and embalming.

Similarly, Elizabeth Thomas instructed her physician to insert a long pin into her heart after she passed, ensuring absolute certainty of death.

4 Have A Heart

Removing the heart emerged as a dramatic, albeit gruesome, guarantee against premature burial. Francis Douce, an English antiquarian, bequeathed 200 guineas to his surgeon for post‑mortem heart extraction in 1834. A companion of his demanded that his son witness the procedure, underscoring the anxiety surrounding death verification.

Even a former president of the Hahnemann Medical College of Philadelphia sought heart removal, proving that medical professionals themselves sometimes doubted contemporary death‑determination methods.

Conversely, William Shackwell opted for a different route: his will instructed his doctor to amputate each finger and toe, believing any lingering consciousness would manifest as pain, forcing him to bleed out before any chance of awakening.

3 A Quick Injection

In 1895, physicians sometimes administered lethal injections to bodies presumed dead. One doctor advocated injecting strychnine, ensuring that any residual life force would be irreversibly halted.

Another practitioner favored morphine, intending to suppress any lingering respiratory or circulatory activity. These practices dovetailed with the era’s discreet engagement with euthanasia, especially for incurable maladies that left patients teetering on the brink of death.

2 Chloroform

By 1898, a burial‑prevention society suggested placing an open bottle of chloroform inside the coffin. The logic: an unconscious sleeper would inhale the vapors and be unable to awaken, thus eliminating the risk of a live burial.

Although the idea sparked curiosity, there is no historical evidence that chloroform bottles ever effectively prevented premature interment.

1 Waiting For Decay

The most straightforward—and historically common—approach was simply to wait for unmistakable signs of decomposition. In the early 1800s, the indigent were often buried swiftly, driven by fears of vermin and disease. Physicians believed that “lousy disease” lurked in skin lesions, prompting rapid interment before any worms could escape.

In 1898, the New York legislature debated a bill mandating mortuaries where bodies would rest until clear decay indicators, such as mucus covering the eyes, emerged. Additional tests included cutting an artery to confirm the cessation of blood flow and holding the fingers over a candle to gauge pain response.

By 1905, England considered similar legislation, requiring mortuaries for both England and Wales, allowing bodies to remain until putrefaction made revival impossible.

Exploring the 10 Methods Used to Keep the Dead Definitely Dead

Across centuries, humanity’s ingenuity manifested in a spectrum of bizarre, macabre, and occasionally scientific strategies. From severed arteries to waiting out decay, each of the 10 methods used reflects a deep‑seated dread of waking up beneath the earth and the lengths people will go to guarantee finality. Whether you find these practices gruesome, fascinating, or a little bit of both, they offer a window into the anxieties that shaped funeral customs and medical practices alike.

I grew up with a firm warning: never eat lobster while it’s still kicking, because that means you’re cooking it alive. The logic is that a dead crustacean can harbor dangerous bacteria that multiply at a terrifying rate, so chefs often plunge the creature into a pot that’s slowly brought to a boil, assuming the animal feels no pain. In reality, the whole experience hinges on how much faith you place in the chef’s technique. When the creature you’re about to devour is still breathing as you bite into it, the stakes get a lot higher. Below you’ll find a countdown of ten startling dishes where the animal is prepared and consumed while still alive. Brace yourself – some of these entries are quite graphic.

1 Sannakji

10 Animals People Eat Alive: The Korean Octopus Sensation

Sannakji is a Korean specialty that has become infamous thanks to viral videos that showcase its eerie charm. The dish consists of nakji, a tiny octopus, whose tentacles are sliced from the living animal and presented immediately on a cold plate. Often seasoned with a drizzle of sesame oil and a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds, the tentacles continue to writhe as you chew. This movement isn’t just for show – the suction cups remain active, which means they can cling to a diner’s throat if not chewed carefully.

2 Ricci Di Mare

10 Animals People Eat Alive: Italian Sea Urchin Delight

In coastal Italy, gathering sea urchins fresh from the tide and eating them straight away has turned into a beloved tradition known as Ricci di Mare. The edible portion is the bright orange roe tucked inside the spiky shell. A specialized tool – sometimes a tiny pair of scissors – cracks open the urchin, and the roe can be scooped up with a spoon or, for the bold, licked directly from the shell. The experience is as much about texture as it is about daring to handle the razor‑sharp spines without injury.

3 Odori Ebi

10 Animals People Eat Alive: Japan’s Dancing Shrimp

Odori Ebi translates to “dancing shrimp” and lives up to its name. Tiny baby shrimp are peeled of their shells – sometimes even their heads – and served either raw or lightly deep‑fried. Even after being placed on the plate, the shrimp’s legs and antennae continue to twitch. Diners may dip the wriggling crustaceans in sake, which intoxicates them and makes the experience slightly more manageable. The shrimp only truly meets its end when the eater finally chews it, making the dish a pricey indulgence that showcases the chef’s speed and skill.

4 Drunken Shrimp

10 Animals People Eat Alive: Chinese Baijiu‑Soaked Shrimp

Drunken shrimp hails from China and takes the live‑seafood concept to a new level. Full‑grown shrimp are tossed into a bowl of Baijiu, a potent spirit ranging from 40‑60% alcohol. The shrimp remain active, leaping and wriggling as they try to escape the intoxicating liquid. Typically, about ten shrimp are served, making it a hearty main rather than a single‑bite delicacy. Diners must snatch the shrimp, pop them into their mouths, and contend with the fact that they can keep moving even after being swallowed – unless, of course, they’re thoroughly chewed.

5 Ant Salad

10 Animals People Eat Alive: Noma’s Crunchy Ant Experience

Renowned Copenhagen restaurant Noma has earned three consecutive titles as the world’s best restaurant, and it’s not shy about pushing culinary boundaries. One of its most audacious creations is an ant‑laden salad. The ants are chilled to slow their movements, then scattered across fresh lettuce leaves, delivering a flavor described as reminiscent of lemongrass. While insects are celebrated in many cultures, paying upwards of $300 for a salad teeming with live ants is a novelty few can resist. If you’re curious but budget‑conscious, a backyard sugar‑baited ant trap will give you a similar experience for pennies.

6 Casu Marzu

10 Animals People Eat Alive: Sardinian Cheese Infested with Maggots

Casu Marzu is a traditional Sardinian cheese made from sheep’s milk that takes the concept of “alive” to a whole new level. After the cheese reaches a certain stage of ripening, larvae of the cheese fly (Piophila casei) are deliberately introduced. These maggots feast on the cheese’s fats, softening it further and releasing a liquid known as lagrima (tear). Some aficionados remove the maggots before eating, but many daring diners consume the cheese together with the wriggling larvae, even covering their eyes as the maggots may try to escape the plate.

7 Frog Sashimi

10 Animals People Eat Alive: The Chilling Heart‑Beating Frog Dish

This dish shot to internet fame after a video showed a chef preparing a live frog for sashimi. The animal is kept in the kitchen until a patron orders the “frog sashimi,” at which point the chef swiftly slices the frog on a chilled platter. The flesh is removed, while the remainder of the frog is simmered to create a broth. The most unsettling element is the inclusion of the frog’s beating heart, which continues to pulse as diners savor the dish. The experience is a vivid reminder of how far some culinary traditions will go to emphasize freshness.

8 Ikizukuri

10 Animals People Eat Alive: Japanese Live‑Fish Sashimi

Ikizukuri literally means “prepared alive” in Japanese. Patrons select a live fish from a tank, after which the chef quickly gut‑slices the fish, leaving most of the body intact. The cut pieces are presented so that diners can watch the fish’s heart beating and its mouth moving while they chew. This extreme level of immediacy is meant to showcase ultimate freshness, though many observers argue it borders on cruelty.

9 Ying Yang Yu

10 Animals People Eat Alive: Deep‑Fried Fish With a Living Head

The Taiwanese specialty Ying Yang Yu translates to “yin‑yang fish.” The fish is deep‑fried whole, yet the head remains alive and continues to move. Served with a sweet‑sour sauce, the dish is prepared with lightning speed to keep the internal organs intact, allowing the head to stay animated for up to thirty minutes. While it was originally a bragging point for restaurants touting absolute freshness, the practice has sparked considerable controversy.

10 Oysters

10 Animals People Eat Alive: The Classic Live‑Shellfish Experience

Oysters earn the top spot on this list not because they’re particularly gruesome, but because they’re the most commonplace example of eating an animal while it’s still alive. These bivalves deteriorate rapidly after death, so they’re typically served directly from their shells, still breathing. When the shell is cracked, the oyster can survive for a surprising amount of time, allowing diners to slurp the meat straight from the shell. Many people enjoy oysters without realizing they’re consuming a living creature, making this a subtle yet widespread practice.

Now that you’ve toured the world of living delicacies, you might feel a mix of fascination and revulsion. Whether you’re a culinary adventurer or a cautious eater, these ten dishes prove that the line between food and animal can be shockingly thin.

When it comes to food, there are generally two types of people. Some stick to the familiar, ordering the same dish from the same spot every time, while others crave adventure and love to push culinary boundaries. If you’re curious about 10 more animals people eat alive, you’ve landed in the right spot. Below, we count down ten of the most daring, live‑on‑the‑plate experiences you can actually find across the globe.

Exploring 10 More Animals That Are Eaten Alive

10 San Zhi Er

While most diners would sprint for the health inspector at the sight of scurrying rodents in a kitchen, a few brave souls in Guangdong, China, actually seek out the tiny squeakers. Known locally as San Zhi Er—which translates to “three squeaks”—this specialty serves newborn mice alive, accompanied by a tangy dipping sauce. The name comes from the trio of squeaks the poor critters emit: the first when they’re lifted, the second when they’re dunked, and the third as the diner bites down. Though it’s a niche delicacy, it has a dedicated following among locals who claim the freshness adds a unique, almost electric, flavor.

9 Fish Bucket Soup

If mice aren’t your cup of tea, there’s a splashier option that’s both social and surprisingly simple: a bucket of live fish paired with a steaming bowl of soup. The trend caught fire after a viral video showed a group of diners in southern China hoisting live fish out of a bucket with chopsticks, then dropping them into a hot broth where they flailed before being devoured. The background chatter, peppered with Cantonese, hints at a lively gathering where the thrill of the catch is part of the flavor.

Participants describe the experience as a blend of theater and taste—watching the fish thrash adds a rush, while the broth instantly cooks the flesh, sealing in freshness. It’s a communal ritual that turns a simple soup into an interactive spectacle.

8 Monkey

Monkeys might not be the first animal that springs to mind when you think of dinner, yet in certain forest‑bound communities, especially in Cambodia, they are treated much like chicken. The practice dates back generations, but the truly shocking twist is the consumption of live macaque brains. These primates, listed as “least concern” by conservation authorities, are sometimes drugged or restrained, then have the tops of their heads sliced off while still beating.

The exposed skull becomes a makeshift bowl, and the still‑pulsating brain is scooped out and served immediately. Proponents swear that the fresh, slightly metallic taste is enhanced by the animal’s lingering fear, believing it adds a primal vigor to the dish. The ritual is both a culinary curiosity and a stark reminder of cultural relativism surrounding food.

While the method raises ethical eyebrows worldwide, locals argue that the tradition is deeply rooted in their heritage, and the dish remains a coveted delicacy for those seeking the most authentic experience.

7 Shrimp

Live shrimp aren’t just a novelty in Asia; you can find them Stateside at Slow Fish in Los Angeles’s Miracle Mile. Here, diners order a plate of “dancing shrimp,” named for the frantic convulsions of their legs, antennae, and bodies the moment they hit the plate. The chef swiftly decapitates the shrimp, strips the shells, and delivers the still‑wiggling bodies straight to the table.

Patrons bite into the moving flesh right away, savoring the fresh, briny flavor while the shrimp’s tiny muscles twitch. After the main portion is consumed, the heads are whisked back to the kitchen, deep‑fried, and served a second time—this time motionless, offering a crunchy contrast to the initial raw bite.

6 Lobster Sashimi

Lobster already divides opinion—some see it as a luxury, others as an animal in distress. In Houston, a daring twist on the classic crustacean appears as lobster sashimi that’s still moving. The chef splits the lobster in half, scoops the flesh from the rear, thinly slices it, and then tucks the meat back into the shell’s back half, creating a living display.

The presentation rests on a bed of chilled rocks, while the front half of the lobster continues to wriggle, offering diners a vivid reminder of the creature’s vitality. Critics have called the dish “awe‑inspiring” and “utterly delicious,” noting that the raw, barely‑cooked flesh delivers a sweet, oceanic flavor that’s hard to find any other way.

5 Cockroaches

With the world’s population soaring, some futurists argue that insects could become a staple protein source. While many cultures already snack on roasted crickets or beetles, live cockroaches have taken the spotlight in a bizarre competition held in Florida in 2012. Over thirty contestants raced to consume as many live roaches as possible, with the prize being a pet python.

Unfortunately, the challenge turned tragic when a 32‑year‑old participant choked on the insects, underscoring the dangers of consuming live critters. The episode sparked a debate about the line between novelty and safety, reminding adventurers that not every daring dish ends happily.

4 Bats

The Mariana flying fox, a fruit bat native to the Mariana Islands, once numbered around 60,000 individuals before centuries of hunting whittled the population down to mere hundreds. In the islands, the bats became a reliable protein source, especially during special ceremonies.

One traditional dish, ka’ka’du fanihidu fanihi, involves catching a bat, washing it, and plunging it into a pot of boiling water. The whole animal is then served in a coconut‑milk broth, eaten almost entirely except for the bones and teeth. The preparation is straightforward but carries a hidden risk.

Scientists later linked the consumption of these bats to a spike in ALS cases on Guam, attributing the illness to toxins from the bats’ cycad‑seed diet. As bat numbers continue to dwindle, the once‑common dish is fading, marking a rare culinary tradition that may soon disappear.

3 Eels

Raymond Blanc, the celebrated French chef who runs some of Britain’s most prestigious restaurants, recounts his most unsettling dining experience: a bowl brimming with live eels served in Japan. The transparent bowl sits at the center of the table, packed with thousands of tiny, less‑than‑an‑inch eels that dart and leap at any chance.

Patrons are encouraged to scoop the eels into their own bowls, where they are meant to be swallowed whole, letting the wriggling creatures slide down the throat. Blanc described the encounter as a striking example of how “perverse” Japanese cuisine can become, noting the unsettling blend of spectacle and consumption.

2 Cobra

While many diners are accustomed to picking a lobster from a tank, Vietnam offers an even more adrenaline‑pumping choice: selecting a live cobra from a cage of hissing snakes. Once you’ve chosen your serpent, the chef seizes it with a stick, slams it onto the floor, and often agitates the cage beforehand to quicken the snake’s heartbeat.

The cobra is then bisected, with the halves held over a half‑filled glass of rice wine, allowing fresh blood to seep into the liquid. The still‑beating heart is plucked and dropped into the same glass, while the gallbladder’s juices are drained into a second glass of rice wine. Diners are expected to gulp the blood‑infused wine first, then follow with the gallbladder wine, before the meat is transformed into more conventional dishes like spring rolls or soup.

1 Witchetty Grubs

Although insects often sit on the periphery of this list, the sheer size and cultural significance of witchetty grubs earn them a spot among the ten. These larvae, hailing from several Australian moth species, have sustained Aboriginal peoples for centuries, offering a protein‑rich, nutrient‑dense food source in the harsh Outback.

When eaten live, the grubs deliver a surprisingly nutty, almond‑like flavor with a gooey interior. They can also be lightly toasted over a fire or in hot ash and sand, producing a taste that some compare to chicken mixed with fried egg. Their versatility and cultural heritage make them a standout in the realm of live‑eaten delicacies.

You can follow Simon on Twitter as he shares photos and updates about his ongoing adventures with living creatures, giving a modern glimpse into this ancient culinary practice.

When it comes to celebrity lore, the top 10 people fans say are still alive after death spark endless debate, from rappers to royalty. History is littered with alleged faked deaths and miraculous reappearances, and each of these ten figures has become a staple of conspiracy circles.

Why the Top 10 People Remain Legends

10 Tupac Shakur

Tupac Shakur, the iconic West Coast rapper, met his untimely end in a notorious drive‑by shooting that still lacks a definitive perpetrator. The mystery surrounding his murder has birthed countless theories, and a fervent fanbase refuses to accept his demise, insisting he somehow survived. Part of the intrigue stems from the fact that, astonishingly, eight posthumous albums rolled out over the ten years following his death. The very first of those releases featured the track “Blasphemy,” where Tupac ominously declares, “Brother’s getting shot and coming back resurrected,” a line that conspiracy enthusiasts point to as a cryptic hint of his continued existence.

9 Andy Kaufman

Andy Kaufman, the eccentric comedian most remembered for his quirky role as Latka on the classic series Taxi, succumbed to lung cancer at the tender age of 35. Because he guarded his illness so closely—keeping it hidden almost until his final moments—many admirers suspected the public notice of his passing was a cleverly orchestrated hoax. His close associate, fellow comic Bob Zmuda, confessed that the two had toyed with the notion of faking Kaufman’s death, describing himself as “obsessed with the idea.” Yet, during a 1999 interview, Zmuda emphatically asserted, “Andy Kaufman is dead. He’s not in some truck stop with Elvis.” To further test the rumor, Kaufman’s pals organized a “Welcome Home Andy” celebration on the twentieth anniversary of his supposed death, only to be met with an empty seat where the guest of honor was expected.

8 Elvis Presley

Since the day the King left the building, countless alleged sightings of Elvis Presley have surfaced across the globe. Reportedly, during the funeral, his father Vernon whispered that the figure sealed within the casket didn’t resemble his beloved son, claiming Elvis was “upstairs” and that “we had to show the people something.” Adding another layer of intrigue, Elvis was known to be intrigued by Hugh Schoenfeld’s “The Passover Plot,” a theory suggesting that Jesus’s resurrection was a staged event using a drug to simulate death. Given Elvis’s well‑documented reliance on prescription medications, some speculate he possessed the means—and perhaps the motive—to engineer a similar disappearance.

7 Jim Morrison

Jim Morrison, the charismatic frontman of The Doors, vanished from the public eye in March 1971 when he relocated to Paris to focus on poetry. On July 2, that year, he told his partner Pamela Courson he was heading out to catch a movie, only to disappear. Courson later alerted Elektra Records’ Bill Siddons, who arrived in Paris to find a sealed coffin, a death certificate citing a heart attack, and an empty apartment. While the official paperwork claimed a cardiac event, speculation swirled that an overdose of substances or alcohol might have been the real cause. Adding fuel to the fire, unverified reports suggested Morrison boarded a plane that weekend, prompting even Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek to admit in a 1973 interview, “I don’t know to this day how the man died and in fact I don’t even know if he’s dead. Nobody ever saw Jim Morrison’s body … it was a sealed coffin. So who knows, who knows how Jim died.”

6 Adolf Hitler

Adolf Hitler and his brief wife Eva Braun are recorded as having taken their own lives in the Führerbunker on April 30, 1945. The following day, German radio broadcast the news, announcing that the Führer had died leading his troops in battle. Soviet news agency Tass relayed the report, adding a tantalizing note: “by spreading the news of Hitler’s death, the German Fascists apparently wish to give Hitler the means of leaving the stage and going underground.” During the Potsdam Conference in July, Joseph Stalin insisted that Hitler had escaped to Spain or Argentina. Yet the Soviets had already recovered what they claimed were the remains of Hitler and Braun from a bomb crater where they had been buried. When Soviet autopsy reports were finally released in 1968, they confirmed that the bodies were positively identified through dental records. Despite this forensic evidence, alleged sightings of Hitler continued to surface in the decades that followed.

5 Grand Duchess Anastasia

Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna, the youngest daughter of Russia’s last tsar, Nicholas II, was executed alongside her family by a Bolshevik firing squad in 1918. Over the ensuing years, several women stepped forward claiming to be the surviving princess. The most renowned claimant was Anna Anderson, who emerged after being rescued from a Berlin canal in 1920. She later pursued a legal battle to be recognized as a Romanov heir, married Jack Manahan, and settled in Virginia, where she passed away in 1984. A decade after her death, DNA testing conclusively proved that Anna Anderson bore no relation to the Romanov line; instead, her genetic makeup matched a Polish family, the Schanzowskis, confirming the long‑standing suspicions of her impostor status.

4 Jesse James

In 1948, a 100‑year‑old Oklahoma resident named J. Frank Dalton proclaimed himself to be the legendary outlaw Jesse James, who, according to official history, was killed by Robert Ford in 1882. Dalton managed to persuade writer Robert Ruark and noted James expert Rudy Turilli of his authenticity, suggesting that the man killed by Ford had actually been another outlaw, Charlie Bigelow. Supposedly, when James’s mother first saw the corpse, she exclaimed, “No, gentlemen, that is not my son.” However, in 1995 the grave of Jesse James was exhumed for DNA analysis, which confirmed that the remains belonged to the famed criminal, debunking Dalton’s extraordinary claim.

3 Alexander I

Tsar Alexander I of Russia, nearing the end of his reign, confided to his family and close confidants his desire to relinquish the throne. During a winter inspection tour of Crimea in 1825, he died suddenly, with malaria or pneumonia suspected as the cause. He was interred in a sealed casket, a circumstance that sparked rumors he had staged his own death and quietly abdicated. A wandering holy man known as Feodor Kuzmich, who died in Siberia in 1864, was rumored to be the former emperor in disguise. Adding to the mystery, Soviet officials opened Alexander’s tomb in 1925 and reportedly found no body, further fueling speculation about a possible faked demise.

2 The Dauphin

Louis‑Charles, the dauphin and heir to the French throne, died of tuberculosis while imprisoned during the Revolution. Even before the official announcement, whispers circulated that royalist sympathizers had liberated him and substituted a double. Madame Simon, the jailer’s wife, claimed Louis was smuggled out in a basket of filthy laundry and replaced by a child afflicted with rickets. Over time, more than a hundred pretenders claimed the dauphin’s identity, a phenomenon even lampooned by Mark Twain in the duke and “dolphin” passages of Huckleberry Finn.

1 Jesus Christ

While billions accept the Christian doctrine that Jesus rose from the dead and later ascended to heaven, a minority of believers—most notably members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‑day Saints—maintain that after his resurrection, Jesus continued to live on Earth, eventually traveling to the Americas to preach a new gospel. Some even argue that he married Mary Magdalene and fathered numerous children, a theory that has captured imaginations far beyond mainstream theology.

Human history has been downright brutal. From sweeping pandemics to endless wars, our forebears endured more chaos in a single week than most of us will ever experience in a lifetime. This is the ultimate guide to the top 10 worst moments you could ever find yourself living through.

Top 10 Worst Times in History

10 16th And 17th Century: Catholic Persecution In Britain

Britain may now be famous for its tea and polite manners, but its early modern era was a nightmare for anyone caught in the religious crossfire. The most harrowing chapter came during the Catholic uprisings and the subsequent crackdown by Protestant rulers. If you lived in England at that time, your fate could hinge on a single accusation of Catholic sympathies.

The whole continent was roiling over which branch of Christianity should dominate, and England proved especially hostile toward its Catholic minority. The ruling Protestants treated the faith with outright hostility, and suspicion could land you in a grisly death trap.

Those suspected of harboring Catholics faced an array of gruesome punishments. One recorded case involved a woman who was slowly crushed in public simply for refusing to speak when interrogated about Catholic ties. Other victims were drawn and quartered, hanged, or even lynched by angry mobs—though the authorities usually stepped in to ensure the state carried out the execution, keeping the chaos under control.

9 1996: The Siege Of Sarajevo

Sitting inside a siege is arguably one of the worst ways to spend a day, and the four‑year encirclement of Sarajevo by Serbian forces stands out as a modern tragedy of that sort. It became the longest siege of a capital city in contemporary history, leaving nearly fourteen thousand civilians dead.

The relentless artillery bombardment turned ordinary markets into death zones, while the freezing winter left many without heating fuel. Families were forced into cramped, makeshift shelters that resembled refugee camps more than homes.

Even if you managed to avoid the shells, snipers prowled the streets, targeting children with chilling precision. The combination of cold, hunger, and constant gunfire turned everyday life into a living nightmare.

8 1919: The Spanish Flu

The tail end of World War I was already a period of upheaval, but the Spanish Flu added a lethal twist that dwarfed everything else. While battles raged across continents, a silent killer swept through one‑third of the global population, claiming somewhere between twenty and fifty million lives.

Imagine the odds: roughly one out of three people would contract a disease that could kill you within hours. The virus spread faster than any medical system of the era could handle, leaving streets littered with bodies and hospitals overwhelmed.

Doctors of the day were largely helpless, armed with only rudimentary treatments. Victims often succumbed before any effective care could be administered, turning the pandemic into a terrifying, almost apocalyptic event.

7 2009: Sri Lankan Civil War

Civil wars are inherently brutal, but the Sri Lankan conflict stands out for the sheer suffering inflicted on ordinary people. Fought between the government and Tamil separatists, the war was marked by deep‑seated sectarian hatred and systematic atrocities.

As the war dragged on, the Sinhalese‑dominated government forces repeatedly targeted Tamil civilians, committing mass killings and forced displacements. The final phase was especially horrific: thousands of civilians were trapped between advancing troops and rebel forces, becoming inadvertent human shields.

When artillery shells finally fell, many civilians were caught in the crossfire, resulting in large‑scale massacres. The war’s ending left a scarred nation still grappling with the legacy of what many scholars label a genocide.

6 17th Century: The Thirty Years’ War

Europe’s longest and deadliest religious conflict, the Thirty Years’ War, eclipsed even the Black Death in terms of proportional loss of life. Roughly eight million people perished, a staggering share of the continent’s population at the time.

The war erupted from the clash between Catholic and Protestant factions, pulling in most of the major powers and turning the continent into a battlefield of mercenary armies. Villages were pillaged, famine spread, and disease ran rampant as armies roamed unchecked.

For the average peasant, life meant constant fear of looting, starvation, and sudden death. The war’s devastation reshaped Europe’s political map and left a legacy of trauma that lasted generations.

5 1942: Firebombing Raids During WW2

World War II’s aerial bombardments turned entire cities into infernos, and the firebombing of Tokyo stands as the deadliest of those attacks. While the atomic bombs often dominate headlines, the incendiary raids caused more immediate civilian deaths than any single nuclear strike.

Hundreds of thousands of wooden homes were set ablaze in a single night, producing a firestorm that consumed neighborhoods whole. Up to one hundred thousand people were burned to death, and more than a million were left maimed or homeless.

The horror was visceral: people fled through streets awash in flame, hearing the relentless roar of bomber aircraft overhead. The sheer scale of destruction turned the city into a living hell, cementing the raid’s place as one of history’s most terrifying attacks on civilians.

4 1947: The Partition Of India

The British Empire’s hasty exit from the subcontinent left a legacy of bloodshed that still echoes today. When India and Pakistan were carved along religious lines, millions were forced into a frantic, perilous migration.

Muslims in what became India, and Hindus and Sikhs in the new Pakistan, found themselves caught in violent riots that claimed roughly a million lives. Trains became moving death traps, packed with bodies that could not be removed.

The chaos was unprecedented: entire cities were engulfed in fire, families torn apart, and the sheer scale of the carnage made it one of the bloodiest mass migrations in recorded history.

3 Being A Miner In Ancient Rome

Roman slavery is infamous, but the grim reality of working in the empire’s mines was a fate worse than most. The mines were reserved for the most despised slaves, and conditions were lethal from the start.

Cramped tunnels, rampant disease, and backbreaking labor meant most miners never saw the light of day again. The Romans showed little mercy; many were beaten, mutilated, or thrown to wild beasts as punishment.

Survival was a daily miracle, and the mines became a symbol of the empire’s ruthless exploitation of human life for its grand architectural ambitions.

2 1600: The Sengoku Period

Japan’s Sengoku era, spanning more than a century, was a relentless cascade of warlords battling for supremacy. The central shogunate’s power waned, leaving the country in a perpetual state of conflict.

Villages were repeatedly raided for supplies, and civilians often found themselves caught in the crossfire of rival armies. While some regions prospered amid the chaos, many suffered under the constant threat of violence and displacement.

The period’s brutality forged some of the most legendary samurai, but for ordinary people, life was a precarious gamble with death lurking around every corner.

1 The Year 536

When scholars try to pinpoint humanity’s darkest hour, they often settle on the year 536—a year plagued by a mysterious, sun‑blocking haze that plunged the world into a gloomy, cold darkness.

Volcanic eruptions spewed ash into the atmosphere, cloaking the sun and triggering a global famine that devastated crops everywhere. Simultaneously, political upheavals and wars raged across continents, compounding the misery.

The combination of a sun‑obscuring “foggy eclipse,” widespread starvation, and relentless conflict makes 536 the grim benchmark for the worst time to be alive in recorded history.

When you hear the phrase “10 famous dead,” you might think it’s final—unless you count zombies. Yet a surprising number of folks insist that certain stars pulled off the ultimate vanishing act. From Elvis Presley to Tupac Shakur and Michael Jackson, believers argue these icons never truly checked out; instead, they allegedly staged their exits to dodge the spotlight.

10 Famous Dead: The Conspiracy List

10 Michael Jackson

The King of Pop officially bowed out in 2009 after a cardiac arrest, but a surprisingly vocal crowd believes he’s still moonwalking somewhere, perhaps to the beat of “Billie Jean.” Even his family and staunch fans admit that the circumstances surrounding his passing feel shrouded in mystery, spawning a slew of theories about a possible ruse.

• MJ faked his own death to escape the relentless media glare.
• He staged the event to clear massive debts and reignite record sales.
• He wanted a quiet, ordinary life away from paparazzi.
• Some claim he was murdered and the investigation was a cover‑up.
• Others argue he needed to vanish to dodge further child‑abuse allegations.

What’s the Proof?

Like most conspiracies, the “evidence” hinges on interpretation. Grainy photos allegedly capture MJ lurking in the background of family gatherings, his stylist has sent cryptic texts that fans dissect, and a handful of observers swear he bears an uncanny resemblance to a close friend.

Even with the family’s insistence that he was murdered, the narrative boils down to a classic he‑said‑she‑said scenario, with claims that he never signed his will and wanted his executors removed.

Regardless of belief, one thing remains indisputable: Michael Jackson reshaped the music world in ways that will echo forever.

9 Princess Diana

Princess Diana’s 1997 car crash was officially deemed a tragic accident, yet a persistent legion of believers holds candles aloft, convinced she slipped away on purpose. Theories swirled so widely that an extensive official inquiry was launched, eventually reaffirming the original verdict: a drunk driver caused the fatal crash.

Nevertheless, the leading narrative among conspiracists is that Diana orchestrated her own disappearance to escape the relentless media circus, subsequently taking refuge on a secluded island with an Egyptian husband.

What’s the Proof?

Most of the “proof” is hearsay, though it stems from snippets of truth. Diana had voiced safety concerns and reportedly feared that Prince Charles might be plotting something ominous shortly before the crash. Could she have truly plotted her own exit?

8 JFK Jr.

In 1999, a plane crash over the Atlantic claimed the life of John F. Kennedy Jr., his wife, and sister‑in‑law. Yet a growing cadre of theorists argue that he survived the disaster and is living incognito, even suggesting he might re‑emerge as a vice‑presidential candidate alongside former President Donald Trump.

Various ideas swirl: some say the government eliminated him, others claim he simply vanished into hiding. Oddly, most narratives omit any mention of his wife or sister‑in‑law, who were also aboard, leaving a gaping plot hole.

What’s the Proof?

There’s no concrete proof of his survival. However, a Dallas Observer piece noted that believers point to the movie Home Alone 2 for clues. Their logic: JFK was shot at Dealey Plaza, so JFK Jr. must appear at Discovery Plaza—the hotel in the film—where he supposedly meets Donald Trump.

7 Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley’s 1977 heart‑attack death is legendary, but the rumor mill has never stopped churning. The King’s demise seeped into pop culture so deeply that it even popped up in a Men in Black film.

Conspiracy fans propose several scenarios: some say he was killed, others argue his death was a clever façade to retreat from fame, and a fringe group even suggests he was an alien who returned to his home planet.

What’s the Proof?

Concrete proof is lacking—if there were, it wouldn’t be a conspiracy. Yet sightings, blurry photographs, and claims that Elvis appeared as an extra in the original Home Alone keep the discussion alive.

6 Tupac Shakur

Tupac Shakur’s 1996 drive‑by shooting left fans stunned, but many still whisper that the rapper never really died. Some suspect he faked his demise, while others think the government staged it, allowing him to adopt a new identity.

What’s the Proof?

Music executive Suge Knight has publicly admitted uncertainty about Tupac’s status, and his son, Suge Knight Jr., has suggested the rapper now lives in Malaysia. Fans also comb through lyrics and videos, hunting for hidden clues about a possible survival.

5 Paul Walker

Paul Walker’s 2013 fatal car crash shocked the world during the height of the Fast and the Furious saga. Yet a subset of fans claim the tragedy was staged, alleging Walker was secretly collaborating with the government on a secret fuel project, and his death was merely a cover.

What’s the Proof?

Proponents highlight the absence of a public funeral and note that his autopsy was reportedly placed on a “security hold.” Additionally, they point to color‑shifts in photographs of his car—orange before the crash, red after—as a puzzling anomaly.

4 Steve Jobs

Apple’s iconic co‑founder Steve Jobs passed away in 2011, but a devoted fringe believes the tech visionary staged his own exit. Some argue he objected to Apple’s direction, while others claim he fled to Egypt to enjoy a quiet retirement.

Rumor mills even suggest Jobs was fascinated by ancient Egyptian culture, frequenting the country and perhaps securing a tomb in the Valley of the Kings.

What’s the Proof?

A circulating photograph allegedly shows a man drinking coffee in Egypt who bears a striking resemblance to Jobs, prompting the mantra “Stay hungry, stay foolish” to echo beyond his death.

3 Jeffrey Epstein

The phrase “Epstein didn’t kill himself” became a cultural meme, yet a quieter theory posits that Jeffrey Epstein actually survived his 2019 prison death. Some suggest he staged the event to escape looming convictions, while others think he remains hidden, watching the fallout from afar.

What’s the Proof?

Images purporting to show “Epstein” after his death circulate online, though they’re inconclusive. One claim places him on a New Mexico ranch based on a pre‑death news report, feeding the speculation.

2 Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe’s 1962 death continues to fuel speculation. Conspiracy circles argue she was silenced by the government due to her alleged affairs with President John F. Kennedy and his brother Robert, while others think she faked her passing to adopt a new identity.

What’s the Proof?

Although the likelihood of her survival is slim given the many parties that might have wanted her dead, various post‑mortem photos circulate online. Author John Baker even claims she resides in a Canadian mental institution, perhaps still clutching a bottle of Chanel No. 5.

1 Osama Bin Laden

When SEAL Team Six announced “We got him,” most assumed finality. Yet skeptics question why Bin Laden’s body was buried at sea and why physical evidence seems scarce.

Some theorists argue the SEALs killed a double, secretly extracting the real Bin Laden to use as a confidential informant. Others believe the whole operation was fabricated to boost President Obama’s approval ratings.

What’s the Proof?

No definitive proof confirms his continued existence, but videos allegedly featuring “him” after the raid circulate, and his earlier role as a U.S.‑backed ally against the Soviets fuels speculation he could still be alive as a covert asset.

We can all agree that 2020 was a pretty crappy year for a lot of people around the world, and 2021 wasn’t much better. However, while 2020–2021 were undoubtedly bad years for the people experiencing them, they are hardly the worst years in history.

Human history is filled with absolutely horrible years that saw natural disasters, wars, and other issues cause so much pain and chaos, it’s hard to imagine how humanity survived through them.

Sure, the pandemic is terrible, but the majority of people didn’t have to also endure a worldwide conflict, a far deadlier disease without medicine to treat it, or a global drop in temperature that destroyed the annual harvests. Those are the issues that make for a terrible year, and these ten (presented in no particular order because they all suck) are the worst.

Related: 10 Shocking Man-Made Disasters

10 536: Insane Changes in Global Weather Result in Widespread Starvation

The sixth century wasn’t a great time to be a human for several reasons that all came together to create a year that no time traveler would ever visit. Not only was 536 one of the worst years in history, but it also kicked off a decade of darkness, the likes of which haven’t been seen since.

The darkness was literal, thanks to the eruption of a volcano in Iceland. The resulting ash cloud created a fog of blackness that blanketed most of Europe. In addition, the eruption was so large, it affected global climate change, making it almost impossible to successfully grow crops. This resulted in widespread famine, pestilence, and death.

The Byzantine historian Procopius wrote that “the Sun gave forth its light without brightness, like the Moon during this whole year.” Another impact of the volcano was a lowering of summer temperatures by some 1.6–2.7°C (35–37°F), resulting in summer snow in China.

AD 536 kicked off the coldest decade recorded over the past 2,300 years. The year was truly the beginning of a dark era that lasted for most of the middle of the century. Subsequent volcanic eruptions, failed harvests, and the onset of the plague caused deaths all over the planet.^[1]

9 1945: WWII Atomic Bombs, Incendiary Bombs & the Holocaust

There’s no denying that World War II was one of the darkest and deadliest conflicts in world history. More people died in that global conflict than in any other war. Any year the fighting raged on could be considered for this list, but 1945 takes the prize as the worst of them all.

WWII came to a bloody conclusion in ’45, and that victory came at a high cost. The U.S. dropped two atomic bombs on Japan, resulting in more than 400,000 casualties. On top of that, the firebombing of Tokyo saw 2,000 tons of incendiary bombs fall on the city, resulting in the deaths of between 80,000 and 130,000 civilians.

Beginning in 1943, the Nazis began to destroy as much evidence as possible that detailed the mass extermination of Jews and other populations. The Holocaust resulted in the deaths of approximately six million European Jews and millions of others. Toward the end, the Nazis increased exterminations to try and cover up their crimes.

The Second World War finally came to an end in mid-August of 1945, but the victory didn’t mean an end to global suffering. An estimated 3% of the worldwide population was dead, with an estimated death toll of between 70 and 85 million people. Reconstruction was difficult, and years of suffering followed in many parts of the world.^[2]

8 1816: The Year Without a Summer

An ice age is defined as an extended period of glaciation, so we’re technically in one now. That said, most people think of an ice age as a time when the majority of the globe is covered by continental ice sheets. But another way to look at it is a year where the winter snow doesn’t melt—and that happened in 1816.

Many historians refer to 1816 as “The Year Without a Summer” due to the average decline in global temperatures. A drop of 0.4–0.7°C (0.7–1.2°F) may not sound like a big difference, but fluctuations in global temperature don’t need to be massive to cause serious problems. The temperature drop resulted from the Mount Tambora eruption the previous year.

That eruption occurred in what is now Indonesia, and it was the largest volcanic eruption in some 1,300 years, blanketing the planet with ash. The resulting volcanic winter caused “the last great subsistence crisis in the Western World,” affecting Western Europe and Eastern North America.

People experienced extreme frosts and snowfall in June, and rivers remained frozen well into August. The people affected by the changes in the weather saw no summer in 1816, and the resulting crop failures led to widespread famine and deaths across the northern hemisphere.^[3]

7 1918: WWI & the Spanish Flu Pandemic

When WWI came to an end, what appeared to be the darkest time in humanity finally came to an end. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the end of suffering because the conflict’s conclusion brought forth disease and death that quickly swept across the world. The Spanish Flu was caused by the H1N1 Influenza A virus. Its first recorded case popped up in returning military members in Kansas in 1918.

The virus was believed to have been carried over to the United States via troops returning from the war, and it spread fast. Within two years of the first case, some 500 million people across the world were infected, which was nearly a third of the global population at the time.

The lethality of the Influenza strain was much different than the typical flu that spreads each year. Instead of killing the young, infirmed, and old, the Spanish Flu infected and killed an unprecedented number of young adults. This was due to the way it attacked the immune system. A person infected with H1N1 Influenza A would often succumb within 24 hours, making treatment incredibly difficult. Of course, it didn’t help that there wasn’t a treatment or flu vaccine.

The virus caused the most lethal flu pandemic to date, but it wasn’t simply the virus that was lethal. The combination of the virus and years of malnourishment, poor hygiene, and dozens of other factors brought on by the Great War ultimately resulted in the deadliest plague of the 20th century. When it was over, between 25 and 50 million people were dead.^[4]

6 1929: The Stock Market Crash

The 20th century wasn’t easy for many people around the world. A lot of problems that weren’t related to wars and plagues centered around finances. On October 29, 1929, the world was stunned to see the U.S. stock market take a massive dive. Across the nation, people were left with nothing as factories, banks, and other institutions closed their doors.

The U.S. Stock Market Crash of ’29 came only a month after the London Stock Exchange crashed, obliterating two of the largest economies. Unfortunately, surviving Black Tuesday was only the beginning of an awful year because the rest of 1929 didn’t offer much in the way of improvement.

In fact, 1929 was simply the first year in many that saw the Great Depression completely devastate the U.S. economy and numerous economies around the world. Banks failed, and they took the peoples’ money with them. This was due to speculative banking investments in the stock market, and the banks used deposited money for this venture.

Once the banks failed, all that money was gone, leaving people without their life savings in an economy that remained in the red for the next decade. The world economies wouldn’t begin to recover until after WWII, though the U.S. economy wouldn’t fully recover until 1954.^[5]

5 541: The Plague of Justinian

While most people know of the Black Death that swept across Europe in the 14th century, it wasn’t the first or only time the bubonic plague threatened humanity. The first recorded instance of the plague came in 541 during the reign of Emperor Justinian, and history knows him best because of a massive pandemic that took on his name.

The first recorded pandemic of the bubonic plague affected the Sassanian and Byzantine Empires. The latter was led by Emperor Justinian I. The emperor was infected but survived, which is one of the reasons the plague bears his name. The plague first hit Constantinople in 541. From there, it spread throughout the Mediterranean Sea, affecting many coastal cities.

It then made its way across Europe and into Asia. The first wave of the plague, the Plague of Justinian, lasted from 541 until 549, but it wasn’t the end. The contagion actually lasted for hundreds of years. This was a plague people had to live with, off and on, from one wave to another, for their entire lives. It didn’t come to an end until the mid-eighth century.

It’s difficult to estimate how many people died during the Plague of Justinian, though some numbers have been recorded. Constantinople suffered greatly from the pandemic, losing 55–60% of the population. Between five and ten thousand people died each day throughout the plague, which ultimately killed millions of people.^[6]

4 1783: The Laki Volcanic Eruption

Volcanic eruptions always cause a great deal of disruption in their immediate area, but some affect a much larger area than others. Laki is a volcanic fissure in Iceland, and while it’s safe today, in 1783, it erupted violently. The fissure erupted for eight months, ending in February 1784 after an estimated 42 billion tons of hydrofluoric acid, sulfur dioxide, and basalt lava poured out.

When it erupted, it was explosive, but that didn’t last the whole eight months. After a few days, the lava flow continued, but without the volatile nature of its initial eruption. It became more like the Hawaiian eruptions that happen today, but the lava wasn’t really the problem.

For eight months, the fissure spewed sulfuric aerosols into the atmosphere, resulting in devastating climate change that impacted the rest of the world. Iceland suffered the most from a catastrophic famine. Nearly a quarter of the population died, as did more than half the cattle, horses, and sheep.

The eruption weakened the African and Indian monsoon seasons, resulting in a famine in Egypt and other locations. Europe suffered a deadly haze that lasted through the winter of 1784, and that’s just the beginning. Ultimately, the Laki volcanic eruption devastated the global climate and resulted in thousands of deaths.^[7]

3 1520: Europeans Bring Diseases to the Americas

When Europeans made their way to the Americas en masse, they opened up new territories, increased trade, and brought deadly pathogens to the Indigenous population. The people of the Americas were generally isolated from the diseases that had been killing people in Europe, Asia, and Africa for millennia.

In 1520, Europeans brought smallpox to the Indigenous people of the Americas, and it did not go well. That is to say, it didn’t go well for the people living there, but it worked out splendidly for Europeans, seeing as it opened up two continents for colonial expansion. For the people of North, Central, and South America, it was an absolute catastrophe.

Without any means of fighting off smallpox, as many as 95% of all indigenous people perished in the years that followed its introduction. It’s difficult to say precisely how many people died from smallpox after it came to the Americas, but some estimates put the number as high as 20 million.

Before Columbus “discovered” the Americas in 1492, the estimated population of the continents was some 60 million people. That number dropped significantly due to the 1520 smallpox epidemic. It continued to decline via measles, influenza, diphtheria, and the bubonic plague to around only six million. This left the continents largely empty and open to European colonization.^[8]

2 1347: The Black Death Spreads Across Europe

There’s no denying that the COVID-19 pandemic is terrible, but it pales in comparison to the Black Death. Beginning in 1346, the bubonic plague spread across Eurasia and North Africa, killing more people than any other pandemic in human history. The plague was first identified in Crimea in 1347, and from there, it spread like wildfire.

The plague is caused by a bacterium called Yersinia pestis, spread by fleas. In the 14th century, fleas were a much bigger problem than they are today, so the pestilence spread quickly. Unfortunately, it was also transmitted via person-to-person contact, making it hazardous to care for anyone stricken with the disease.

It’s difficult to pick a specific year as the very worst of the pandemic, as records aren’t as forthcoming with data as they would be today. The estimated death toll from the Black Death is between 75 and 200 million people over the course of eight years.

That makes the Black Death the most fatal pandemic ever recorded, and it had lasting impacts. When the plague finally ended in 1353, as much as 60% of the European population was dead. This left huge gaps in a largely agrarian society, making a recovery difficult and slow.^[9]

1 73,000 BC: The Toba Catastrophe

The Toba catastrophe is a theorized supervolcanic eruption that took place some 75,000 years ago (+/- 900 years) in what is now Indonesia. The exact date is unknown, but research into human DNA and geologic evidence of the time suggests that a massive eruption caused the deaths of most of the human population at the time.

While it’s impossible to say exactly how many humans succumbed to the volcanic winter that lasted around a decade, scientists have come up with a number of how many survived. It’s believed that the human population was reduced to as little as 3,000–10,000 people, suggesting that humanity nearly went extinct long ago.

Technically, the Toba catastrophe didn’t occur within recorded history. Still, its significance lands it on this list because of the destruction it caused. The eruption was so massive, it caused a volcanic winter that persisted for years, cooling the planet an estimated 3–5°C (5.4–9°F).

The humans living in Africa were largely spared. At the same time, those in Europe and Asia bore the brunt of the impacts of the Toba volcanic eruption. The theory is somewhat controversial among climatologists, geneticists, and archaeologists, all coming to close but different conclusions. Regardless, if the Toba catastrophe was as bad as many theorize, it may have been the worst year in the history of the human species.^[10]

We usually tend to focus on only the dark and gruesome parts of history, though it’s not been all bad. Among all the wars, diseases, and other tragedies of history, there have also been quite a few times of unprecedented peace and prosperity. These are sometimes referred to as a ‘golden age’ by historians, when cultures around the world achieved new heights in science, medicine, literature, economics, philosophy, and a slew of other fields. 

10. 14th-16th Century, Mali

Timbuktu was established as a seasonal trading camp on the southern edge of the Sahara desert some time in the 12th century, providing a way for West African kingdoms to trade with the salt-rich kingdoms in the east and beyond. By the early 1300s, when it was annexed by the Kingdom of Mali, Timbuktu had already turned into the most important trading center in West Africa. According to a legendary tale, the city was so rich in gold that when the emperor, Mansa Musa, donated a bunch of it to Egypt in 1324, it tanked the price of the precious metal across the country for 12 years! 

It wasn’t just the riches – during Mansa Musa’s reign that began in 1312, Mali was also one of the most important centers of culture and learning in the African Islamic world. Scholars, architects, doctors, and other experts were invited from across the known world – at its peak, the city could house more than 25,000 students, with over 800,000 manuscripts stored in its archives. This period lasted roughly until the end of the 16th century, when Timbuktu was occupied by Moroccan forces. 

9. New Kingdom, Ancient Egypt

The New Kingdom of Egypt was a period between the 16th and 11th centuries BC. This nearly-500-year-long era is remembered as the most prosperous time in ancient Egyptian history, when pharaohs belonging to Dynasty 18, 19 and 20 turned the Egyptian kingdom into the most advanced civilization of the ancient world. 

This growth was powered by multiple factors. While the fertile Nile river delta provided a rich source of food and other natural resources, the gold mines of the Nubian desert made the pharaohs rich beyond imagination. That flowed down to the rest of Egyptian society in the form of expansive architectural projects like temples and tombs, as Egyptian architecture got more complex and elaborate than ever before. This was also when Egypt reached the peak of its territorial expanse, both by conquest and diplomacy by now-famous pharaohs like Tutankhamun, Ramses II, and Hatshepsut. 

8. Tang Dynasty, China

The Chinese Tang dynasty succeeded the Sui dynasty during the early 7th century. Under its rule, China reached the peak of its territorial and cultural influence in the region, lasting over three centuries until its fall in 907 AD. It was one of the greatest civilizations of its time, known far and wide for its ethnically-diverse and cosmopolitan urban settlements. During the seventh and eighth centuries, many Chinese cities grew into large, bustling metropolises – the capital, Chang’an, was easily the most populous city in the world at its peak, with a population of over one million residents. 

The Tang era saw many far-reaching achievements in fields like arts, literature, architecture, city planning, and many others. This was when woodblock printing was first invented in China, giving scholars and thinkers a new way to produce and distribute knowledge. This period is particularly noteworthy for its contribution to ancient Chinese poetry, especially during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong, who established a separate institution dedicated to poetry called the Academy of Letters. 

7. Pax Romana, Ancient Rome

Pax Romana – or ‘Roman peace’ – was a period of relative calm across the Roman world. Beginning with the reign of Augustus Caesar in 27 BC and ending with the death of Marcus Aurelius in 180 BC, these two centuries saw the relatively small Roman republic turn into one of the largest empires in history. Despite the tumultuous early years of Augustus’s reign, Rome prospered immensely during this time, ushering in an era of peace and prosperity for many of its citizens, especially in the capital. 

The empire reached its territorial peak during this time, with a population of over 70 million. Roman scientists made new advances in various fields, especially in architecture and city infrastructure. An intricate network of roads and aqueducts was built across the territory, which further boosted trade among far-off provinces. 

While it’s debatable that it was a good time for everyone involved – as the empire still went through multiple conflicts in its border regions throughout this time – Pax Romana was by and large a peaceful era for most citizens. It would come to an abrupt end with the death of emperor Marcus Aurelius, followed by the disastrous reign of his son, Commodus. 

6. Gupta Empire, India

The Gupta empire was a Hindu empire founded in 320 AD, after almost five centuries of chaos and fighting among smaller kingdoms and principalities across India. The first Gupta ruler, Chandragupta I, expanded it into a formidable geo-political entity, stretching across vast parts of northern, eastern, and central India. 

From its foundation to its fall in the 6th century, the Gupta period remained a high point in the history of Indian civilization. This was when the modern, decimal number system was developed – now known as Arabic numerals – along with other fundamental discoveries by thinkers like Aryabhata and Sushruta. Indian architecture also reached new heights during this time, as Gupta rulers – especially Chandragupta II – commissioned massive palaces and temples across the empire. 

5. Post-WW2, USA

When the Second World War concluded in 1945, America found itself in an exceptionally-advantageous position. While pre-war powers like Britain and France lay in ruins, with large parts of their populations dead, the US economy was about to experience some of its most productive years ever. 

Also sometimes known as the Golden Age of Capitalism, it was a period of rapid growth and reindustrialization across the country, particularly in the western and south-western states. Cities like Los Angeles, Houston, Albuquerque, Phoenix and others expanded rapidly, as more and more Americans moved out of dense inner city areas to the suburbs, thanks to higher wages and standards of living. Massive infrastructure projects were undertaken during this time, like the Highway Act of 1956 that built close to 40,000 miles of roads and highways to connect different parts of the country. The gross national product grew from $200 billion in 1940 to $500 billion in 1960 in this period, as the American worker moved to high-skilled, service-based jobs. 

4. The Golden Age Of Islam

The Islamic golden age began in the 8th century with the foundation of the Abbasid Caliphate. Centered in the capital of Baghdad, Islamic scholars – funded and supported by the Caliph and other members of royalty – made many fundamental discoveries in the fields of science, technology, medicine, theology, warfare, and others. Building on knowledge from ancient cultures like India, China, and Greece, many of those discoveries would lay the foundation for the scientific revolution in Europe.

Unfortunately, all that would come to an abrupt end in 1258, when Bahghdad was overrun and brutally sacked by Mongol forces in 1258, with a majority of its population put to the sword. That included the House of Wisdom, or the Grand Library of Baghdad, where hundreds of thousands of manuscripts were burned or tossed into the river. 

3. 5th Century, Athens

The golden age of Athens lasted almost throughout the 5th century BC, particularly during the reign of Pericles from roughly 461 to 429 BC. Back then, Athens was only one of the many city states in Greece, ruling over an alliance of more than a dozen other states called the Delian League. In effect, it operated more like an Athenian empire than an alliance, making the city wealthier and more powerful than ever before.

Throughout this time, Athenians made so many advances in fields like philosophy, science, logic, mathematics, theater, and arts that it’s often referred to as the foundation of western democracy. In mathematics, Athenian thinkers like Euclid and Pythagoras laid down the first laws of modern geometry. Playwrights like Sophocles and Euripides lived in Athens around this time, along with physicians like Hippocrates, philosophers like Plato and Socrates, and historians like Herodotus and Thucydides. 

2. Timurid Renaissance

The Timurid dynasty was founded by Timur – a Turko-Mongol warlord that conquered and carved out a vast empire across Central Asia and Persia in the 14th century. It was a golden age of Persian culture – from the late 14th century to roughly early 16th century, the Timurid empire made unforeseen advances in astronomy, architecture, poetry, performing arts, metalworking, military science, and others. 

Now known as the Timurid Renaissance, this period is particularly known for the development of a technique known as Persian miniature painting – an abstract style of colorful art practiced in cities across Iran and Central Asia. Calligraphy was developed as a separate art form throughout this period, as artists from around the world flocked to the rapidly-developing cities to practice their craft. Many members of the dynasty were artists themselves, as they funded and encouraged large-scale architecture and art projects across the empire. 

1. Italian Renaissance

The Italian Renaissance began during the early 15th century. Centered in the Republic of Florence – then one of the many separately-governed city states on the Italian peninsula – this period would soon come to be known as the zenith of European arts and sciences, triggering other renaissances in countries like Britain, Spain, France, Germany, and others. 

By the late 14th century, Florentine was an important center of banking and other commercial activity in Europe. As the wealth flowed in, the hard, toil-based lifestyle of the Middle ages was replaced by a more individualistic, freer approach to life, also known as ‘humanism’. Wealthy Florentine citizens were now more willing to invest time and money into arts and culture, which had a profound impact on Florentine society. 

This shift in popular outlook – combined with advances in technology – gave birth to many exceptional artists, thinkers, writers, scientists, and engineers across Florentine, including names like Filippo Brunelleschi, Leonardo Da Vinci, Galileo Galilei, Michelangelo, Machiavelli, and others.