The world’s most daring travelers know that the 10 most exciting volcano tours offer a front‑row seat to Earth’s raw power and breathtaking scenery. From soaring over molten lava to trekking rugged summit craters, these adventures promise unforgettable memories.

Why These 10 Most Exciting Volcano Tours Stand Out

10 Explore Mighty Kilauea in Hawaii

Hawaii’s Big Island cradles Kilauea, one of the planet’s most persistently active volcanoes. Your adventure kicks off at Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, where vivid lava streams carve glowing rivers across the blackened earth, and surreal, moon‑like terrain stretches as far as the eye can see.

If you crave a sky‑high perspective, hop aboard a helicopter tour. From the air, you’ll glide over fresh lava fields, peek at steaming vents, and even glimpse the tranquil lake perched near the volcano’s summit – a view that feels almost otherworldly.

Prefer to keep your boots on the ground? A plethora of hiking excursions await, ranging from leisurely rainforest strolls to rugged treks across solidified lava rock. No matter your fitness level, there’s a trail that will let you soak in the volcanic wonder up close.

9 Witness the Sunrise at Mount Bromo in Indonesia

Mount Bromo, perched in East Java, is a magnet for adventure seekers drawn to its dramatic silhouette and active volcanic heart. The early‑morning sunrise tour lifts you to the crater’s rim just as the first light paints the sky, delivering a spectacle of fiery hues that photographers adore.

For a dose of adrenaline, the Jeep tour rockets you through rugged terrain, climbing toward the volcano’s peak. Along the way, knowledgeable guides share the mountain’s geological story while you soak in sweeping vistas of the surrounding plain.

Hikers seeking a more immersive experience can tackle the challenging ascent on foot. This trek rewards you with panoramic views from the top and the chance to explore the distinctive, ash‑covered landscape that defines Bromo’s unique charm.

Each of these options showcases the volcano’s raw beauty, ensuring you leave with memories as vivid as the sunrise itself.

8 Summit Villarrica Volcano in Chile

Nestled near the town of Pucón, Chile’s Villarrica volcano beckons adventurers with its striking silhouette and active status. The most celebrated experience is the summit ascent, a demanding 5‑to‑6‑hour hike that tests stamina but rewards climbers with sweeping vistas of the surrounding Andes and a smoking crater at the very top.

For those who prefer a gentler pace, the Villarrica glacier trek offers a scenic route through the volcano’s foothills. Here, you’ll encounter glimmering ice formations, making it an ideal family‑friendly outing that still captures the mountain’s majestic presence.

Both routes provide ample opportunities to marvel at the volcano’s dynamic landscape, whether you’re gazing at the fiery crater or strolling beside frozen glaciers.

7 Discover Arenal Volcano in Costa Rica

Arenal, perched in northern Costa Rica, stands as one of Central America’s most iconic volcanic giants. Though its last eruption dates back to 1968, the dormant giant still dominates the horizon, surrounded by lush rainforest, bubbling hot springs, and cascading waterfalls.

Tour options span leisurely rainforest walks that reveal the volcano’s geological secrets to heart‑pounding zip‑line adventures that whisk you high above the canopy, offering unrivaled perspectives of the volcanic cone.

Guides weave stories about Arenal’s eruptive past and its influence on the local ecosystem, while you soak in panoramic views that blend volcanic grandeur with verdant wilderness.

6 Traverse Mount Etna in Italy

Mount Etna, towering over the eastern coast of Sicily, claims the title of Europe’s highest volcano and a magnet for travelers craving dramatic scenery and rich culture. Whether you’re a seasoned trekker or a curious first‑timer, Etna’s tours cater to every appetite.

The summit hike challenges you with steep climbs and rugged pathways, culminating in lunar‑like terrain where steam vents hiss and fumaroles release clouds of hot gas, offering a visceral glimpse of the volcano’s inner fire.

If you’d rather take it easy, scenic drives wind through charming villages and idyllic vineyards, letting you sample local wines and cuisine while enjoying panoramic backdrops of the volcanic landscape.

For the geology‑enthusiast, guided excursions plunge deep into the crater’s core, revealing the volcano’s inner workings and providing an unforgettable educational experience.

5 Trek Mount Ausangate in Peru

Rising over 20,000 feet in the Peruvian Andes, Mount Ausangate presents a formidable but awe‑inspiring challenge. While the full trek demands endurance, shorter day hikes still reward adventurers with breathtaking valleys and turquoise alpine lakes.

Seasoned hikers can embark on multi‑day treks that immerse them in the stark beauty of the high Andes, traversing ridgelines that culminate in the famed Rainbow Mountain – a kaleidoscope of mineral‑stained rock that dazzles the eye.

Along the journey, encounters with local communities provide insight into Andean culture, allowing you to experience both natural splendor and vibrant traditions.

Whether you choose a brief stroll or an extended expedition, Ausangate’s dramatic scenery promises an unforgettable high‑altitude adventure.

4 Hike Mount Yasur in Vanuatu

Perched on Tanna Island, Mount Yasur erupts with spectacular regularity, drawing thrill‑seekers from across the globe. The flagship guided hike escorts you to the volcano’s summit, where knowledgeable guides share the mountain’s fiery history while you soak in panoramic vistas of the surrounding islands.

If trekking isn’t your style, 4×4 excursions whisk you to the crater’s edge, letting you feel the heat and hear the rumbling of subterranean forces without the strain of a climb.

For the ultimate aerial perspective, helicopter tours swoop over Yasur, revealing the full extent of its eruptive plume and the lush landscape that frames this dynamic volcano.

3 Walk the Tongariro Alpine Crossing in New Zealand

The Tongariro Alpine Crossing stretches 12 miles across New Zealand’s volcanic heart, weaving through emerald lakes, steaming vents, and craggy cliffs. This trek offers a front‑row seat to active volcanic activity set against a backdrop of striking alpine scenery.

Guided tours, typically lasting 7‑8 hours, pair seasoned experts with hikers, delivering insights into the region’s geology and ensuring safety across the rugged terrain, including the iconic Mount Ngauruhoe – famously known as Mount Doom from the Lord of the Rings saga.

Independent travelers may opt for a self‑guided adventure, but they must come prepared with proper gear and a solid understanding of the weather‑prone trail, as conditions can shift rapidly in this high‑altitude environment.

2 Visit Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda

Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park cradles several active peaks, such as Mount Bisoke, Mount Karisimbi, and the formidable Mount Nyiragongo. Guided tours led by seasoned naturalists illuminate the park’s geological wonders while ensuring safe navigation through its rugged terrain.

Beyond volcanic marvels, the park teems with wildlife, offering rare sightings of mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, golden monkeys, and a dazzling array of bird species, making it a haven for both wildlife enthusiasts and birdwatchers.

The landscape unfolds into lush forests, cascading waterfalls, and sweeping mountain vistas, delivering a holistic experience that blends volcanic drama with rich biodiversity.

1 Study the New Volcano Fagradalsfjall in Iceland

Iceland’s freshly erupted Fagradalsfjall volcano promises an unforgettable adventure for those eager to witness molten lava in its natural setting. Expert guides, brimming with passion for the island’s geology, lead you to the volcano’s edge where you can feel the lingering heat and watch lava streams flow.

The tours prioritize safety, equipping participants with helmets, gas masks, and thorough briefings, ensuring a secure yet exhilarating encounter with the raw power of Earth’s interior.

Beyond the spectacle, guides weave narratives about Iceland’s volcanic history, offering a deep dive into the forces that shape this stark, beautiful land.

10 ruins unexpectedly are grabbing attention as they unveil extraordinary abilities, baffling artifacts, and hidden social customs from sites long thought fully explored. While we often anticipate the biggest headlines from brand‑new excavations, these long‑studied locations are proving that the most exciting twists can still emerge from familiar ground.

10 Ruins Unexpectedly: Overview

10 A Hidden Passage

The ancient metropolis of Teotihuacan, perched in the Mexican highlands, once buzzed with up to 125,000 residents and was a bustling hub for travelers across Mesoamerica. Its iconic pyramids dominate the skyline, yet many mysteries linger—chief among them the sudden disappearance of its populace.

Modern scanning techniques have now allowed researchers to peer into zones previously unreachable. A recent survey of the Pyramid of the Moon, dating to the third century AD, revealed a concealed corridor snaking beneath the structure. This hidden passage runs alongside a sizable chamber about 15 metres (50 ft) across, situated roughly 8 metres (26 ft) below the surface, and connects directly to a spacious plaza.

Earlier investigations of non‑temple tunnels at Teotihuacan uncovered human remains in what appeared to be funerary contexts. If the newly discovered chambers also house burials, they could illuminate a purpose for these monumental edifices—perhaps serving as symbolic journeys to the underworld, a concept scholars refer to as “tunnel graves.”

9 Origins Of Chocolate

In 2002, the unearthing of a previously unknown culture—the Mayo Chinchipe people of Ecuador’s highlands—sent ripples through the archaeological world. Fast forward to 2018, when scientists examined artifacts from the Santa Ana (La Florida) site, seeking traces of cacao, the plant behind chocolate.

The analysis overturned the long‑held belief that chocolate’s roots lay solely with the Maya and other Mesoamerican societies. Over forty stone and ceramic objects bore theobromine, the chemical fingerprint of cacao seeds, confirming that the Mayo Chinchipe enjoyed chocolate more than 5,000 years ago.

This discovery pushes chocolate’s origins back roughly 1,500 years and shifts its birthplace from Central America to South America. Moreover, it suggests that the Maya later adopted cacao processing techniques from the Mayo Chinchipe, highlighting a remarkable cultural exchange.

Botanists had long hypothesized that the Amazon basin, with its dazzling cacao genetic diversity, was the species’ cradle. The new evidence from Ecuador finally validates that theory, cementing the region’s role as the true birthplace of chocolate.

8 A Secondhand Monument

In the summer of 2018, a team of archaeologists and volunteers converged on a farm near Beaulieu, England, to investigate what appeared to be a Bronze‑Age barrow. Though the mound showed no obvious signs of a burial, the 3,000‑year‑old structure held a remarkable secret.

Excavators uncovered four ceramic urns, each containing cremated human remains. These urns were oddly positioned: a seemingly simple ditch encircling the barrow turned out to be a ring of small pits, each housing an upside‑down domestic pot. The discovery hinted at a deliberately engineered funerary layout.

While Bronze‑Age digs are relatively rare in the region, finding a fully intact burial was especially thrilling. Digging deeper, workers retrieved a pair of flint tools—including a spearhead—dating back roughly 5,000 years, providing a fascinating chronological juxtaposition.

Further scanning suggested the presence of two additional entrances that may have once led to a now‑lost Neolithic monument. It appears that the Bronze‑Age community repurposed the older structure, turning it into a memorial space.

7 Temple Under A Pyramid

September 2017 witnessed a devastating 7.1‑magnitude earthquake that rattled Mexico, leaving many archaeological sites in disarray. One of the hardest‑hit locations was Teopanzolco, where a prominent pyramid suffered extensive structural reshuffling.

Researchers employed advanced scanning methods to assess internal damage and, to their astonishment, uncovered a series of walls that bore no relation to the pyramid itself. These walls belonged to an even older temple, predating the pyramid’s construction.

While the main pyramid dates to the 13th century, the newly identified walls trace back to at least AD 1150 and are linked to the Aztec‑related Tlahuica culture. The ancient temple, likely dedicated to the rain god Tlaloc, measured roughly 6 metres by 4 metres. Though few artifacts survived, some pottery shards and an incense burner were recovered, offering a tantalizing glimpse into its ritual function.

6 Corridor Full Of Idols

Chan Chan, the once‑glorious capital of Peru’s Chimu Kingdom (AD 900–1430), earned World‑Heritage status in 1986 and has been a focal point for archaeologists ever since. In 2018, while renovating the Utzh An complex, workers stumbled upon a previously unknown passageway.

This newly revealed corridor stretches 33 metres (108 ft) and appears to have served a ceremonial purpose, its walls adorned with motifs reminiscent of waves, landscapes, and feline figures. The discovery added a fresh layer to our understanding of Chimu architectural planning.

What truly astonished the team were the 19 wooden idols nestled within recessed windows along the corridor walls. Each figurine, roughly 70 centimetres (28 in) tall, displayed distinct characteristics—some gripping scepters, others bearing shield‑like objects, while a few wore clay masks over their faces.

Although Chan Chan has yielded idols before, these wooden statues, dating back about 750 years, represent the oldest such collection uncovered at the site, offering a rare glimpse into the artistic and religious sensibilities of the Chimu people.

5 Unexpected Segregation

Alpine settlements of antiquity often perched on stilts, preserving organic materials like textiles and wood that rarely survive elsewhere. In 2010, construction crews preparing a parking garage near Lake Zurich were warned to expect only a handful of finds.

Instead, they uncovered a sprawling Neolithic village covering an area comparable to two football fields—a discovery that ignited the most extensive local excavation in three decades. Among the thousands of artifacts recovered was one of Europe’s oldest wooden doors.

A 2018 report revealed a striking social pattern within the settlement: a clear division between affluent and modest households. A wooden fence separated the larger, high‑status homes—filled with prestigious items—from a side that yielded no elite artifacts, indicating intentional segregation by the community.

This unexpected evidence of social stratification at a fourth‑millennium BC site challenges previous assumptions about egalitarian Neolithic societies.

4 Copycat Towns

In 2018, archaeologists turned their attention to Izapa, the capital of the Izapa kingdom (700–100 BC) nestled in southern Mexico. The site, known for its pyramids, ball courts, plazas, and intricately carved monuments, has been a research staple since the 1940s.

Extensive surveys aimed to map the surrounding landscape, and the results were astonishing: roughly 40 satellite towns of varying sizes encircled the capital, spreading across 584 square kilometres (225 sq mi). Each peripheral settlement replicated Izapa’s urban layout with uncanny precision.

Every town featured a northern platform crowned by a pyramid—presumably a ceremonial stage—while the southern sector housed plazas and raised mounds designed to give spectators a clear view of the performances. Some smaller sites even included ball courts and observatory‑like mounds, mirroring the capital’s architectural motifs.

3 Thousands Of Ruins

The scorching 2018 heatwave that battered the United Kingdom not only ruined crops but also acted as an unexpected archaeological boon. By stripping away vegetation, the extreme temperatures exposed a tapestry of hidden outlines across the countryside, revealing foundations of ancient structures long erased from the landscape.

These newly visible geometric patterns indicated the presence of burial mounds, farms, and monuments. Detailed aerial surveys catalogued over 1,500 fresh sites, ranging from Iron‑Age square barrows—potentially housing magnificent grave goods—to medieval graveyards and Roman‑era military camps.

Cornwall yielded a particularly intriguing prehistoric village, its layers of concentric ditches and Iron‑Age foundations pointing to continuous occupation for roughly 4,000 years. Meanwhile, a newly discovered henge in Ireland and a rare medieval burial ground in Wales added further depth to the region’s archaeological record.

The oldest of the finds were two Neolithic cursus monuments, erected between 5,600 and 5,000 years ago. Stretching for several miles, these corridor‑like earthworks were identified near Milton Keynes, joining Britain’s famed collection of ancient field monuments.

2 Pyramid Of Shimao

Deep within China’s Shaanxi province lies the enigmatic site of Shimao, a sprawling settlement whose name has been lost to history. Early scholars mistakenly linked the ruins to the Great Wall, but recent excavations have clarified that Shimao predates the wall by over a millennium—the city itself dates back roughly 4,300 years.

New digs have uncovered gruesome yet fascinating features, including pits near one of the city’s gates that contained the skulls of sacrificial victims. For five centuries, the settlement revolved around a monumental pyramid.

This towering structure soars to 70 metres (230 ft) and spans 59 acres at its base. Its surfaces are adorned with stylized eyes and animal‑like human faces, believed to serve as talismanic symbols imbuing the monument with power.

The pyramid’s apex consists of eleven distinct levels, the topmost forming a miniature city complete with palatial buildings and a massive water reservoir. Guarded by sophisticated walls, the upper terraces likely housed the elite, overseeing the 988‑acre urban expanse below.

1 Electromagnetic Giza Pyramid

The Great Pyramid of Giza, an iconic marvel that draws millions of visitors each year, continues to surprise scientists with its engineering prowess. In 2018, researchers proposed a startling new function: the ability to concentrate electromagnetic energy within its massive stone chambers.

This wave‑like energy, present in sunlight as well as in everyday radio and Wi‑Fi signals, was examined using a scaled‑down model of the pyramid combined with theoretical physics calculations. The study demonstrated that the limestone structure could funnel and amplify electromagnetic waves, concentrating them beneath the pyramid’s base and within its interior chambers.

While the ancient Egyptian builders likely had no awareness of this hidden property, the theoretical findings suggest that the pyramid’s design unintentionally creates a natural electromagnetic resonator. If harnessed, such a phenomenon could inspire breakthroughs in nanotechnology and energy‑focusing applications.

Spanish flu, the deadliest pandemic of the 20th century, struck the world in a series of waves, and left between 50 and 100 million people dead in its wake. It may have appeared in the trenches of World War I in Europe as early as 1916, according to some researchers. It first appeared in the United States in the spring of 1918. Numerous contending theories of its source of origin continue to be debated. Some say it began in the United States, some say in Europe, and still others argue it originated in Asia. There is no debate over its impact, though, with one-third of the world’s population contracting the disease during its peak in 1918-19. It continued to appear well into 1920, though with significantly less impact.

Differing from other forms of influenza, the virus had a significant impact on young, otherwise healthy adults, who usually had stronger immune systems. It struck the wealthy and the poor. Franklin Delano Roosevelt contracted the illness. The King of Spain nearly died of it. A young nurse in Toronto, Amelia Earhart, contracted the disease, which damaged her sinuses to the point surgery was required. The scars left her with sinus problems for the rest of her life. In the United States, 675,000 Americans died from the flu, most of them during the deadly second wave in 1918. That year American average life expectancy dropped by 12 years as a result of the flu. Here are 10 facts about the Spanish flu pandemic at the end of the First World War…

10. Nobody knows for certain where it originated

While there is some disagreement among scholars over the place of origin, the consensus is that Spanish flu did not originate in Spain. When the pandemic spread rapidly across Europe in 1918, wartime censorship conditions affected most news reports. Censorship did not apply to neutral Spain. News reports of the flu’s virulence there appeared in newspapers and magazines, with references to “this Spanish flu.” The name stuck. Reports of the disease in Spain increased substantially when King Alphonso XIII contracted the flu in the spring of 1918. Ironically, as reports of the King’s illness and being near death for several days increased references to the Spanish flu in Western newspapers, the Spanish referred to the disease as the French flu.

Since the pandemic (and in part during it), China, Great Britain, the United States, and France, as well as Russia, have all been suggested as the disease’s starting point. The first case in the United States appeared in March 1918, at a Kansas army post. More recently, researchers identified potential cases as early as 1916, at army receiving and marshaling stations in France. Another earlier outbreak occurred at a British Army base in Aldershot in the early spring of 1917. The UK staging camp at Etapes, in northern France, saw 100,000 troops go through daily, either returning from the front or on their way to it, in densely crowded conditions. Hundreds exhibited symptoms of the pandemic flu during the spring and fall of 1917, a fact later identified by army pathologists.

9. More American soldiers died of Spanish flu than in combat during World War One

Americans were stunned at the casualties suffered by their troops during the First World War, though in comparison to the European combatants they were low. Mobilization placed 4.7 million American men in uniform. Of those, about 320,000 became ill and recovered, or suffered wounds in combat from which they survived. 116,516 American troops and sailors died during the war. Combat deaths totaled 53,402. The rest — 63,114 — died of disease, with most of the deaths occurring from the Spanish flu in the camps in the United States, in Europe, and in ships bound for Europe. Once such ship was a former German liner. In 1917 the United States converted the German steamship Vaterland, interned in New York, into a troopship, renamed USS Leviathan.

On September 29, 1918, Leviathan departed New York for the French port of Brest, carrying 9,000 American doughboys, and a crew of 2,000 sailors (one of the sailors was a young New Yorker named Humphrey Bogart). Spanish flu appeared in the ship during the crossing. When Leviathan arrived at Brest it carried 2,000 men already diagnosed with the Spanish flu, which wreaked havoc in the crowded conditions aboard, and overwhelmed the ship’s medical facilities and personnel. 80 men died during the crossing, many more after landing ashore in France, during the height of the pandemic. A similar outbreak occurred on the ship’s return voyage to the United States.

8. It affected the Treaty of Versailles

The combat during World War One came to an end via an armistice, which began at 11 a.m. on the 11th day of November, the 11th month of the year, 1918. Many issues of the war remained unresolved. The leaders of the Allied nations agreed to meet in Paris in early 1919 to discuss the issues facing Europe. Woodrow Wilson, then President of the United States, went to Europe to join the discussions, present his famous 14 Points, and to argue for the establishment of the League of Nations. He favored more lenient terms for Germany than those proposed by the leaders of France, Italy, and Great Britain. Wilson intended to use American prestige to obtain less punitive measures against the Germans, especially in the form of reparations.

During the negotiations for the treaty, which took place in Paris rather than the Palace of Versailles for which it was named, Wilson came down with the Spanish flu. Several members of his entourage suffered through the flu during the voyage to France. Wilson’s illness was covered up, though he became severely ill in Paris, unable to attend multiple sessions of the negotiations. His physician, Navy Admiral Cary Grayson, wrote of the President as “violently sick.” When Wilson did partially recover and returned to the negotiations, several participants wrote of his lack of attention, fatigue, and listlessness. He failed to ease the reparations imposed by the Allies on the Germans, and the resulting Treaty of Versailles created conditions in Germany that led to the rise of Adolf Hitler and the war which followed the War to End All Wars.

7. The federal government did little regarding the flu’s impact

In the United States, the federal government did relatively little to combat the Spanish flu, other than issue advisories telling Americans of the dangers presented by the illness. Congress adjourned in the fall of 1918, with the second wave of the pandemic at its peak. The Supreme Court did the same. The United States Public Health Service, then an agency within the Department of the Treasury, issued posters warning against spitting on sidewalks. It also advised workers to walk to work, which seems strange to modern eyes, until one considers that most commuting at the time involved streetcars or railroads. It also warned Americans to avoid becoming over-fatigued.

Before Woodrow Wilson went to Europe, Edith (the President’s wife) sent 1,000 roses to young women serving in the war effort in the District of Columbia, who were sickened by the flu. That was about the extent of the federal effort. Battling the effects of the pandemic, the lost work hours, burying the dead, and combating the spread of the disease was left in the hands of local governments, which responded in varying ways across the country. Some imposed severe restrictions on movement, crowds, and schools, easing them as the pandemic passed through their communities. Others continued to promote large gatherings to support Liberty Bond drives, including a parade in Philadelphia after which thousands died in the city from the rapid spread of influenza which ensued.

6. Some cities made wearing masks mandatory, with criminal penalties

The first wave of Spanish flu in America occurred in the spring of 1918. Compared to what came in the second wave it was mild. The second wave came in September 1918, in the Eastern cities, and gradually moved westward. San Francisco escaped the first wave, and its Chief of the Board of Health, Dr. William Hassler, assured citizens of the city the second wave would not affect them. On September 24, a recent arrival from Chicago became ill with the flu. By mid-October over 4,000 cases were in the city. That month the city passed an ordinance making the wearing of gauze masks mandatory, with Hassler touting them as 99% effective in stopping the spread of the flu between persons.

In truth, the masks were likely of little benefit, and on November 21, 1918,  the city rescinded the order to wear them. Several other cities issued similar orders, with varying degrees of punishments for violators. In San Francisco, violators went to jail. The city suffered 2,122 deaths during the lethal second wave. The third wave struck in December, and lasted through the winter, raising the death toll in San Francisco to over 3,500 out of a population of about half a million. Nearby Oakland was similarly hit. Oakland also enacted an ordinance requiring masks, virulently opposed by the city’s tobacco store owners. One such owner designed a mask with a flap over the mouth, allowing smokers to enjoy their cigars, cigarettes, and pipes while remaining in compliance with the law.

5. The 1918 baseball season was shortened, though not because of the flu

Major League Baseball shortened its season in 1918 in response to the American war effort. The last game of the regular season was played on September 2, 1918. Teams played just over 120 games that year. When the season ended, the second wave of Spanish flu was underway on the East coast. The league champions, the Boston Red Sox of the American League and the National League’s Chicago Cubs, met in the World Series. Public health officials in both cities argued against playing the World Series due to the crowds gathering during the course of an epidemic, but baseball went ahead. Boston’s only concession to the flu came in an agreement to play in Fenway Park, rather than in the larger Braves Field, where they had played in the preceding World Series.

During the World Series a young Red Sox pitcher started two games, winning both, despite suffering from the flu at the time. He started in the outfield in the other four games. His name was George Herman Ruth. Throughout the games he lay down between innings, weakened by the fever and body aches symptomatic of the flu. Some of his teammates assumed Ruth was simply suffering from a bad hangover, a common problem of ballplayers of the day. But throughout the series, Ruth was notably absent between games, even spending time on the train to Chicago in his sleeper, rather than consorting with teammates. The Red Sox won the series four games to two. It was the only World Series in history played entirely in September. That winter, Ruth was sent to the Yankees.

4. Franklin Roosevelt contracted the flu while returning from France

Franklin Delano Roosevelt served as Assistant Secretary of the Navy in the Wilson Administration, and in that capacity went to Europe in 1918. His mission included the coordination of naval activities against the German U-boat threat, and arranging for convoying and port facilities used by US Navy ships. In September 1918 he returned to the United States aboard USS Leviathan. Upon arrival FDR was carried off the ship on a stretcher, having contracted the flu either in France or, what is more likely, aboard the ship. Leviathan’s crew had been exposed to and ravaged by the flu on several voyages. FDR returned to the United States deathly ill, and required several weeks convalescence at his family’s Hyde Park home before resuming his duties.

FDR’s illness and its severity are often overlooked, largely because of his being later stricken with polio, which left his legs paralyzed. His flu is often described as a mild illness, though he left Leviathan with double pneumonia, high fever, and debilitating weakness. His distant cousin, former President Teddy Roosevelt, who had encouraged him to go to Europe, wrote him during his convalescence. “We are deeply concerned about your sickness, and trust you will soon be well,” wrote the former President, adding that, “We are very proud of you.” Had FDR not survived the flu, which killed so many Americans who went to Europe in 1918, the remainder of the 20th century would have been very different indeed.

3. The flu’s second wave was its deadliest by far

The second wave of influenza in 1918 swept across Western Europe and the United States from September through the end of the year and into January. It was the deadliest of the three main waves of the pandemic. In Philadelphia, America’s hardest hit city, about 16,000 died after city leaders refused to cancel a parade scheduled to promote the sale of Liberty Bonds. Cincinnati closed schools and businesses, shut down streetcars, and ordered the wearing of masks. For a time it closed all restaurants, though it allowed saloons to remain open. At one point in November, believing the worst to have passed, the city reopened businesses and schools. Within days the death rate skyrocketed, forcing the city to shut down again. Over 1,700 Cincinnatians succumbed to the flu in the fall of 1918.

Sailors at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center brought the flu to Chicago. In September Chicago’s Health Commissioner announced the flu was under control. At the end of the month there were fewer than 300 cases reported in the city. By mid-October the city reported 1,200 new cases per day. Chicago shut down schools, businesses, banned public gatherings, closed parks, and requested for churches to curtail services. Chicago reported over 38,000 cases of influenza, and 13,000 cases of pneumonia attributed to the flu, before restrictions were lifted in mid-November. One restriction imposed, vigorously opposed by conservative newspapers and businesses, had been the banning of smoking on streetcars and elevated trains. The Chicago Tribune opposed the ban and referred to the Health Commissioner who imposed it as “his highness.”

2. Authorities in Philadelphia announced the flu was no worse than seasonal flu and held a parade to sell war bonds

In mid-September 1918, influenza was present in all the major Eastern cities of the United States, with Boston suffering the highest number of cases. Philadelphia had seen some cases of the flu, though health officials in the city regarded it lightly. The city’s Health Commissioner, Wilmer Krusen, a political appointee, ignored the pleas of doctors and public health experts to ban large public gatherings. Krusen announced the flu was no worse than any seasonal flu, despite the evidence presented by other cities. The Health Commissioner warned the people of Philadelphia to be careful, covering their faces when they coughed or sneezed, and allowed the city’s scheduled Liberty Bonds parade to take place on September 28, a patriotic spectacle attended by an estimated 200,000 people.

By the middle of November, over 12,000 Philadelphians had died of influenza. The city’s morgue, designed to hold 36 bodies, was obviously overwhelmed, and bodies were stored in the city wherever space was found. A streetcar manufacturing company was hired to build simple wooden boxes to serve as coffins. In the tenements, whole families were stricken and died, undiscovered for weeks. Only three days after the parade, every hospital bed in the city was filled. Over 500,000 cases of the highly contagious flu struck Philadelphia before the end of the year. The final death count was over 16,000. In contrast to Philadelphia, the city of Milwaukee, which imposed the most stringent social distancing laws in the nation, also saw the lowest death rate of any city in the United States.

1. A third of the world’s population contracted the flu during the pandemic

The 1918-20 influenza pandemic, the worst of the 20th century, caused at least 50 million deaths, and probably as many as 100 million across the globe. In remote Tahiti, 10% of the population died. In British ruled India more than 13 million citizens died, with some estimates ranging up to 17 million. German Samoa lost 22% of its population. American Samoa imposed a blockade, and escaped the pandemic unscathed. Brazil’s 300,000 dead included its President, Rodrigues Alves. In the United States over a quarter of the population contracted the flu during one of its several waves. Official death counts usually cite 675,000 American deaths, though some estimates include deaths on Indian Reservations and in Alaskan communities, and elevate the count to 850,000.

Bacterial pneumonia, a complication brought on by the flu, served as the primary killer. When the flu returned for its third wave in the late winter and early spring of 1919, rates of death were comparatively low. Sporadic outbreaks continued in the fall of 1919 and the winter of 1919-20. As the 1920s began the pandemic faded from memory, and remained largely forgotten until the coronavirus pandemic restored it to public attention. All the weapons used to control the spread of coronavirus — distancing, closing of schools, banning large crowds and gatherings, shutting down businesses, and others — were deployed against the Spanish flu. History shows that those communities which deployed them most stringently, throughout the first and second waves, were most successful saving lives.