Every science experiment is valuable. Every time a scientist gets the chance to test an idea in a controlled setting, we learn something more about the world.

10. How Much Cocaine Does It Take To Get A Rat Into Bebop Jazz?

Two neuroscientists found that lab rats almost never chose Miles Davis’s bebop classic “Four” when presented with a music menu. To coax them, the team force‑fed the rats cocaine and meth before a 90‑minute bebop‑appreciation session. The rodents erupted into a jittery, swing‑like frenzy that looked like a cocaine‑fueled dance. After a cold‑turkey detox, the rats were given another chance to pick music and this time they went straight for bebop. The researchers concluded the rats favored the jazz because it triggered a nostalgic high reminiscent of their earlier drug‑induced escapades. In short, they showed that cocaine can be used to teach rats to love jazz.

9. How Drunk Do Fruit Flies Have To Be To Experiment With Gay Sex?

A Pennsylvania State University professor wondered why fruit flies, normally strict about mating with the opposite sex, didn’t explore the full Kinsey spectrum. He soaked a cotton pad in ethanol, letting the flies inhale the fumes. The initial attempts yielded nothing but sober, solitary flies. Undeterred, the team kept the insects on a three‑day booze binge. Eventually, the flies threw a full‑on, no‑holds‑barred gay orgy. The takeaway? Alcohol loosens inhibitions—something the researchers admitted was already well‑known—yet the experiment gave them a wild story to tell at parties.

8. What Happens If You Taser A Sheep That’s High On Meth?

Researchers injected meth straight into a group of sheep, then zapped them with Tasers while monitoring heart rates. The high‑on‑meth sheep endured the shocks without dying—exactly the point of the study, which was funded by Taser International. The company used the results to claim their product is perfectly safe, despite the fact that over a thousand people have died from Tasers since 2000. In short, the experiment was less about animal welfare and more about keeping a profitable product on the market.

7. How Would A Cocaine Habit Affect A Bee’s Work Ethic?

Two biologists fed honeybees cocaine and watched their hive behavior. Bees normally communicate pollen finds through a “waggle dance.” The cocaine‑dosed bees turned into chronic liars: they boasted about massive pollen hauls while actually goofing off all day. The study warned that cocaine could devastate bee societies just as it does humans, yet no nation has pledged to keep the drug away from young pollinators.

6. Do Cats Like Dropping LSD?

In the 1970s, Princeton’s Neuroscience Institute gave LSD to a handful of cats. Dr. Barry Jacobs explained that rats were “too boring” and cats offered a fresh perspective. The felines displayed a bizarre mix of manic bounding and hypnotic stillness, frequently flicking limbs or abruptly stopping grooming. When asked for interpretation, Jacobs shrugged, suggesting the drug might heighten paw sensitivity—but admitted nobody really knew. The project fizzled out when Jacobs lost interest and the lab simply stopped.

5. Should Depressed Dogs Take Prozac?

Animals suffer from a range of psychological issues, from canine anxiety to feline PTSD. A study gave Prozac to roughly 100 dogs and observed a marked drop in anxiety‑related behaviors: less destructive chewing, fewer inappropriate urination incidents, and overall calmer demeanors. While one dog experienced a seizure, the overall trend suggested Prozac could be a viable treatment. Veterinarians have already been prescribing human‑grade Prozac to pets for years, and now custom‑formulated dog Prozac is on the market.

4. Can You Ruin A Monkey’s Life With Alcohol?

Researchers examined “alcohol self‑administration” in female macaques. The monkeys voluntarily consumed about 0.4% of their body weight in hard liquor before calling it quits. The heaviest‑drinking females stopped ovulating, mirroring findings in human alcoholic women. The study wasn’t meant to inform human health but to understand alcohol’s impact on primates, and the researchers emphasized that human trials preceded any monkey work.

3. Will Rats on Ecstasy Get Frisky To Loud Music?

A University of Bari team gave rats MDMA, cranked up techno, and observed their mating behavior. Alone, the MDMA‑dosed rats became shy, paw‑rubbing instead of horny. When the blaring music was added, the rodents erupted into a full‑blown rat‑on‑rat orgy. Researchers even logged which animals “reached ejaculation” and noted that even seasoned male rats showed impaired performance under the combined stimulus.

2. How Much Cocaine Can A Fruit Fly Freebase?

Colleen McClung and Jay Hirsh pushed fruit flies beyond typical safe‑dose experiments by free‑basing cocaine. They discovered that 200 µg of free‑based cocaine kills a fruit fly, while a modest 25 µg leaves it unharmed. Flies that received a sub‑lethal high exhibited wild behaviors: wall‑bouncing, frantic spinning, upside‑down trembling, and even decapitation‑like convulsions.

1. Can Dolphins On LSD Speak English?

John C. Lilly hypothesized that LSD might unlock a dolphin’s linguistic abilities. He paired the drug with intensive human‑dolphin interaction, even having researcher Margaret Howe Lovatt give the dolphin “hand jobs” (a standard dolphin‑training technique). Despite the high‑dose regimen, the dolphin never uttered a single English word. Lilly blamed the failure on insufficient funding and time, insisting that a full year of LSD‑induced sessions would have yielded fluent dolphin speech.

Fashion has long been a powerhouse of creativity, culture, and, occasionally, bewildering extravagance. Among the glittering runways and glossy campaigns, designers sometimes unveil pieces that make us pause, laugh, or simply ask, “Why?” In this roundup we dive into 10 questionable items that have graced high‑fashion collections, each carrying a price tag that matches its audacity.

10 Questionable Items in High Fashion

1 Balenciaga IKEA Bag

Back in 2017, Balenciaga decided to re‑imagine the humble IKEA Frakta tote, turning it into a leather‑clad luxury accessory that sold for just over $2,000. The original Frakta is a $0.99 canvas carrier, but Balenciaga’s version swapped the cheap fabric for premium leather, added sleek metal hardware, and stamped the iconic brand name across the straps. The result? A bag that looks strikingly familiar, yet carries a price tag that would make any budget-conscious shopper wince.

The design sparked a wave of online jokes and memes, with many pointing out the absurdity of paying a premium for a look that is essentially a copy of a mass‑market product. Yet, the bag’s sleek silhouette and high‑quality materials have found a niche among fashion enthusiasts who appreciate the tongue‑in‑cheek nod to everyday utility.

While the Balenciaga IKEA bag may appear playful, it also underscores a broader trend: luxury houses borrowing from everyday objects and elevating them to art‑price status. Whether you see it as clever satire or an overpriced novelty, it certainly secured its place in fashion folklore.

2 Ostrich Headpiece

This flamboyant headpiece is crafted from plush ostrich feathers, arranged in a dramatic fan that crowns the wearer’s head. A central brooch secures the feathers, creating a striking silhouette that can transform a simple outfit into a runway‑ready statement.

Priced at just under $2,000, the piece is marketed as a solution for anyone suffering from a “bad hair day,” offering an over‑the‑top alternative that guarantees attention. Available in bold shades of orange, sunny yellow, and classic black, it showcases the designer’s flair for turning avian inspiration into wearable art.

The headpiece’s price and purpose raise immediate questions: why invest in a temporary, extravagant accessory when a simple hairstyle could suffice? Yet for those who crave drama and exclusivity, the ostrich feather crown provides a one‑of‑a‑kind moment of glamour that few other items can match.

3 LEGO Headpiece

At first glance, this headpiece looks like a whimsical nod to the beloved building blocks of childhood. Constructed from high‑quality LEGO‑style plastic, it sits atop the head like a beanie, offering a playful twist on traditional millinery.

Despite its light‑hearted appearance, the piece carries a staggering price tag of $5,230. While the material itself is inexpensive, the craftsmanship, branding, and limited‑edition status push the cost into luxury territory. The headpiece is positioned as a collectible, more akin to a statement art piece than a practical accessory.

Its existence blurs the line between novelty and high fashion, prompting observers to wonder if the price reflects the material, the design pedigree, or simply the exclusivity of owning a fashion‑forward LEGO artifact.

4 Saint Laurent Hair Ankle Boots

Yves Saint Laurent pushed the envelope of footwear with a pair of ankle boots sheathed in soft goat hair. The boots combine a sleek, pointed toe silhouette with a shaggy exterior that resembles a miniature yet fashionable Bigfoot.

At $1,995, the boots promise both warmth and avant‑garde style. The hair is woven tightly around the leather base, creating a texture that looks wild yet polished. Silver studs at the ankle add a subtle metallic accent, reinforcing the brand’s reputation for daring, high‑impact designs.

While the boots may raise eyebrows for their unconventional material, they also showcase Saint Laurent’s willingness to experiment with tactile elements, turning a simple footwear piece into a conversation starter.

5 Clutch With Human Hair

Ines Figaredo’s daring clutch is fashioned from real human hair that cascades down the front of the sleek, rectangular bag. The hair is arranged in a flowing, almost liquid‑like pattern, creating a striking visual that immediately captures attention.

Adding to the eerie aesthetic, two lifelike eyes are sewn onto the back of the clutch, giving the piece a haunting, almost cinematic vibe reminiscent of horror classics like “The Ring.” Priced at $1,928, the clutch blurs the line between fashion and macabre art, inviting wearers to make a bold, unsettling statement.

Beyond its shock factor, the clutch challenges traditional notions of luxury materials, prompting discussions about ethical sourcing, artistic expression, and the lengths to which designers will go to provoke conversation.

6 Hermes Leather Horse

Hermès stepped away from its legendary leather goods to unveil a strikingly realistic horse sculpture, complete with fringed leather mane and tail. The piece, dubbed “Marley the Pony,” commands attention with its meticulous craftsmanship and hefty price tag of $133,000—more than many high‑performance sports cars.

While the brand is famed for its iconic bags, this sculpture highlights Hermes’ broader artistic ambitions, turning equine elegance into a luxury collectible. The horse’s leather finish mirrors the brand’s signature material palette, yet its sheer scale and cost push it firmly into the realm of extravagant art installations.

The purpose behind the sculpture remains ambiguous, but its existence underscores a growing trend where luxury houses produce objects that blur the boundaries between functional design and pure artistic expression.

7 Margiela Distressed Sneakers

Maison Margiela’s high‑top sneakers appear as if they’ve survived decades of wear and tear. The white‑and‑yellow canvas is intentionally scuffed, frayed, and stained, giving the shoes a rugged, almost post‑apocalyptic aesthetic.

Despite the seemingly battered look, each pair retails for $1,425, positioning the sneakers firmly within the luxury market. Critics have labeled the design “avant‑garde,” praising its ability to transform decay into a fashionable statement.

The sneakers challenge conventional ideas of pristine, new footwear, inviting consumers to embrace imperfection as a hallmark of high‑fashion creativity.

8 Thom Browne Dog Bag

Thom Browne turned a beloved pet into a couture accessory with his “Dog Bag,” a compact leather purse shaped like a miniature dachshund. The bag features a tiny collar and a sculpted head, echoing the designer’s own Instagram‑famous pet, Hector.

Crafted from premium leather, the bag commands a price of over $30,000, underscoring the brand’s dedication to whimsical luxury. Its playful silhouette juxtaposes high‑end materials with a light‑hearted concept, making it a collector’s item for those who adore both fashion and canine charm.

The Dog Bag exemplifies how designers can transform personal passions into marketable, high‑price statements, blurring the line between functional accessory and artistic figurine.

9 Moschino Plastic Dry Cleaning Dress

Jeremy Scott’s 2017 Moschino runway introduced a slip‑on, sleeveless dress crafted from glossy polyester that mimics the look of a dry‑cleaning bag. The garment features bold lettering at the hem and a hanger tucked into the model’s hair, reinforcing the whimsical, utility‑inspired aesthetic.

Critics quickly dubbed the piece a “dry‑cleaning bag” turned fashion, noting its uncanny resemblance to the plastic covers used after garments are professionally cleaned. Despite its novelty, the dress sold for $735, a modest sum compared to many of its runway counterparts.

The design sparked debate about the boundaries of fashion, questioning whether a functional, everyday object could legitimately become high‑fashion couture.

10 Alexander McQueen’s Hoof Shoe

First unveiled in the 2010 Plato Atlantis Spring/Summer collection, Alexander McQueen’s “Armadillo Boot” stands a towering 30 centimeters (12 inches) tall and was originally intended as a runway spectacle rather than a commercial product. The boot’s sculptural silhouette creates the illusion of a ballerina perched on tiptoes, merging avant‑garde art with footwear.

While the original prototype was carved from wood, the limited‑edition versions released to the public were produced in exotic python leather. The daring design attracted a legion of admirers, including fashion icons like Daphne Guinness and pop star Lady Gaga, who famously purchased three pairs at auction for a staggering $295,000—far above the initial $10,000 guide price.

The Armadillo Boot epitomizes McQueen’s reputation for pushing boundaries, delivering a shoe that is as much a piece of performance art as it is a wearable object. Its sheer height and striking shape invite both admiration and apprehension, embodying the fearless spirit of high fashion’s most questionable creations.

When we think of squatters, we usually picture them in abandoned sheds or crumbling ruins, but the top 10 times they’ve managed to snag a taste of the high‑end lifestyle will blow your mind.

top 10 times: The High Life of Squatters

10 Boca Raton Mansion Takeover

In the chilly December of 2013, a bold character named Andre “Loki Boy” Barbosa slipped into a $2.5 million Boca Raton mansion that had just been foreclosed. While most would simply marvel at the sheer audacity of living in such a swanky property, Barbosa wasn’t just looking for a free stay; he was testing Florida’s adverse‑possession law, hoping to claim the estate as his own.

Barbosa’s two‑month occupation turned heads, sparking a tiny movement aimed at reclaiming vacant luxury homes. Though he was eventually evicted in February 2014 and never secured legal ownership, his stunt pumped the “squatters’ rights” conversation, prompting a wave of similar claims across the Sunshine State.

9 Piccadilly Mansion Renamed “Hippydilly” After Squatters Move‑In

During the psychedelic height of the late‑1960s, a legion of long‑haired, free‑loving hippies discovered an empty 100‑room mansion on 144 Piccadilly in London. The sprawling property, ripe for a communal experiment, became the perfect canvas for a counter‑culture commune.

Organized under the banner of the “London Street Commune,” the group barricaded a ground‑floor window with a makeshift drawbridge and settled in for a three‑week stay in September 1969. Their presence, a blend of street folk and bohemian revelers, earned the mansion the affectionate nickname “Hippydilly,” a nod to its new, flower‑power occupants.

8 How One Australian Became a Landlord Squatter

Bill Gertos, a property developer strolling through Sydney, stumbled upon a vacant house that seemed ripe for a quick fix. Rather than leave it derelict, he changed the locks, poured $150,000 into renovations, and began renting it out, essentially turning himself into a landlord without a deed.

When the rightful owners—who had inherited the property through a distant relative—finally resurfaced, Gertos had already established a solid rental history spanning two decades. Leveraging Australia’s Real Property Act and squatters’ rights, he successfully secured legal ownership of a home now valued at $1.6 million.

7 Determined Squatters Hop from One London Mansion to Another

Imagine taking a week‑long vacation from one millionaire’s palace to the next. That’s exactly what a daring crew of London squatters did after storming a £15 million Belgravia mansion owned by a Russian oligarch. Their stay lasted only seven days, but it set the tone for an even bolder pursuit.

Within hours of being evicted from the Eaton Square estate, the same group slipped into a sprawling seven‑storey property on Grosvenor Gardens, merely minutes away. When reporters asked about their next move, the squatters replied, “If we’re kicked out, we’ll just find another place.” Talk about relentless ambition!

6 A Squatter Wins a Free Victorian Flat in London but Can’t Use the Stairs

Back in 2001, Jack Blackburn moved into a crumbling Victorian flat in Lambeth that technically belonged to the council. Over thirteen years, he patched up the place, fought a drawn‑out court battle, and eventually secured legal ownership of the property, valued at roughly £175,000 ($225,000).

However, British law threw a curveball his way: despite owning the flat, Blackburn was barred from accessing it via the staircase for eight long years. The bizarre restriction turned his triumph into a bittersweet saga, highlighting the quirky twists that can accompany squatters’ rights.

Top 10 Homeless Actors Who Became Hollywood Stars

5 Squatters Target Pubs in Chelsea

In 2012, a band of squatters slipped into the Black Bull, a members‑only club in Chelsea that had shut its doors three months earlier. Their entry method? Crawling through a women’s bathroom window—certainly not the most conventional way to crash a party.

The Black Bull wasn’t their first haunt; they’d previously occupied the Charlie Butler and even targeted the Cross Keys pub. Thanks to a legal loophole that still permits squatting in commercial spaces, these squatters rewired electricity, pilfered bar stock, and turned the venue into a makeshift hangout—much to the chagrin of the leaseholder who called in police.

4 A Squatter Called “Jesus” Moved into Borris Becker’s Mansion

A German man who goes by the moniker “Jesus” (real name Georg Berres) slipped into the opulent mansion of former tennis star Borris Becker in May 2018. Unaware of the owner’s identity until German media showed up for an interview, Berres announced his takeover with a bold Facebook post reading, “The new time begins now,” and proceeded to give virtual tours and grant multiple press interviews.

According to the Express, Berres had a history of hopping between various properties in the area, but this particular squat gained notoriety because of the high‑profile owner and his unabashed self‑promotion.

3 One of the Most Famous Squats in the World

Known worldwide as C‑Squat, this rundown tenement on New York’s Lower East Side became a legendary haven for squatters in 1989. The building, lacking proper stairs, forced residents to navigate a series of ladders between apartments. The squatters rallied, repairing the structure, and even created an underground punk venue after a ceiling collapse above the basement.

By 2002, the community began formalizing ownership, and in 2015 C‑Squat officially transformed into a legal co‑op. This milestone marked a major victory for the global squatting movement, proving that even the most dilapidated spaces can evolve into thriving, legitimate homes.

2 A Squatter Took Over a San Francisco Mansion Because He Was Obsessed with Taylor Swift

Jeremiah Kaylor, a self‑confessed Taylor Swift super‑fan, decided to occupy the historic Presidio Heights mansion—valued at a staggering $22 million—in 2015. He claimed the house as his own, even attempting to sell off the priceless paintings inside for quick cash.

The real motive, however, was an obsession with the pop star herself; rumors swirled that Swift might purchase the property, prompting Kaylor’s daring move. He was eventually arrested for trespassing and burglary, never achieving his dream of becoming president of the “Taylor Swift Fan Club.”

1 Squatters Turn Mansion into Party House While Millionaire‑Owner Is Out of Town

In May 2024, five audacious squatters seized a $6 million Sydney mansion while its owner was off on business in Hong Kong. The house quickly turned into a raucous party zone, complete with booze, drug paraphernalia, and a lone bong perched in one of the rooms.

The trio‑day “wild ride” ended when two plumbers arrived for routine maintenance, only to discover the illegal occupants. After a brief standoff, the squatters fled, leaving behind a trail of chaos. One of the men was apprehended and charged with trespassing, but the rest vanished—perhaps still throwing impromptu parties elsewhere.

Far be it from us to promote or condone anything illicit, but 10 shocking unconventional ways of chasing a buzz have been documented across the planet. From clever cetaceans to daring soldiers, the quest for altered consciousness knows no species limits. Let’s dive into the most eyebrow‑raising high‑seeking behaviors ever recorded.

10 Shocking Unconventional Highs Overview

10 Dolphins Use Pufferfish to Get High

Scientists have long praised dolphins as one of the most cognitively gifted mammals on Earth—some even argue they rival us in problem‑solving. What’s less known is that certain pods have taken to hunting down pufferfish just to experience a mild intoxication.

Field footage shows juveniles deliberately seeking out these fish, which release a potent neurotoxin when threatened. In controlled doses, the toxin doesn’t kill; instead, it induces a euphoric state. The dolphins have mastered a technique: they give the fish a light chew, prompting it to secrete just enough toxin, then pass the fish to a companion. This cooperative “chewing‑and‑hand‑off” routine lets an entire pod become visibly loopy, even floating their noses upward as a tell‑tale sign of the high.

9 Parrots Get Addicted to Opium and Raid Poppy Farms

Opium cultivation spans continents, with Afghanistan alone boasting roughly 233,000 hectares of poppy fields. In India, where opium is legally produced for medicine, an unexpected problem has emerged: feathered marauders.

Parakeets and related species make repeated trips—up to 30 or 40 daily—to nibble on the pods. Larger birds have been observed snatching whole pods, each yielding 20‑25 grams of raw opium, enough to intoxicate a human, let alone a bird. The avians employ stealthy flight patterns to avoid detection, either destroying the pods for seed or carting them off entirely.

Farmers have tried noise‑makers and firecrackers, yet the birds’ tenacity outmatches these deterrents, turning poppy farms into unintended drug‑laced aviary playgrounds.

8 People Smoke Dead Scorpions to Get High

Human ingenuity (or desperation) can turn almost anything into a psychoactive agent. In parts of Pakistan, street vendors hawk dried scorpions, whose stingers carry a venom that, when smoked, produces a surreal, prolonged high.

The experience lasts roughly ten hours, with the first six dominated by intense pain as the toxin assaults the nervous system. Survivors report the final four hours as a bizarre dance of perception, describing surroundings as if everything were swaying to an invisible rhythm.

Medical reports warn that the venom is exceptionally toxic, fostering addiction, memory loss, delusions, and a host of other neurological dangers.

7 Lemurs Like to Get High on Millipedes

Madagascar’s lemurs, famed for their acrobatic antics, have a lesser‑known pastime: they bite, but do not ingest, crimson millipedes. These arthropods exude a cocktail of toxins—including cyanide—to deter predators.

When lemurs bite the millipedes, they become coated in the toxic slime, which they then spread across their fur. This serves as a natural pesticide, but it also induces a trance‑like state, causing excessive salivation and a noticeable change in behavior akin to a mild high.

6 Wallabies Get High on Opium and Make Crop Circles

In Tasmania, poppy farms cultivated for pharmaceutical opiates have attracted unsuspecting marsupials. Wallabies, drawn to the abundant alkaloids, gorge themselves on the plants, quickly becoming intoxicated.

The resulting stupor manifests as frantic, circular pacing across the fields, effectively carving crop circles that damage the valuable yield. Sheep exhibit similar behavior, spinning in place after ingesting the poppy foliage, suggesting a shared physiological response to the narcotic compounds.

5 Reindeer Herders Get High Drinking Reindeer Pee

In the far‑north, Sami herders have long observed that their reindeer graze on hallucinogenic mushrooms. To tap into the same effect, they consume the urine of these already‑intoxicated animals.

Critics initially dismissed the practice as myth, but firsthand accounts from herders confirm the ritual. The urine acts as a natural filter, stripping the mushrooms of their harshest side‑effects while preserving the psychoactive compounds, delivering a smoother, more palatable high.

4 Smoking Crushed Ants Is Popular with Youth in the United Arab Emirates

Despite the UAE’s strict drug policies, a clandestine trend has taken root among teenagers: crushing black samsun ants and mixing the powder with tobacco. The ants release formic acid when threatened, which, when inhaled, produces a marijuana‑like high accompanied by vivid visual and auditory hallucinations.

The practice carries severe health risks. Formic acid becomes toxic when smoked, potentially causing pulmonary fibrosis, kidney failure, and neurological damage. Surveys suggest up to one‑third of Emirati youth have experimented with ant smoking, and packets can fetch around $100 on the black market.

3 Aussie Dogs Lick Cane Toads to Get High

Australia’s invasive cane toads, numbering over a billion, secrete a toxin that, while not lethal to dogs in small doses, induces a noticeable buzz. Veterinarians confirm that many owners report their pets acting “a little bit crazy” after a lick.

Research shows the behavior is relatively common, with some dogs repeatedly seeking out toads for the hallucinogenic effect. While the high can be entertaining to watch, owners are urged to seek veterinary care promptly, as the toxin can also pose serious health threats.

2 Marmots Destroy Cars to Get at Antifreeze

Antifreeze, notorious for its sweet taste, has lured countless animals, yet few have turned it into a recreational habit. In California’s Sequoia National Park, groups of yellow‑bellied marmots have been spotted under parked cars, gnawing through coolant hoses to access ethylene glycol.

These rodents lap up the fluid, displaying behavior researchers describe as a “high” reminiscent of alcohol intoxication. Since the 1980s, up to 200 marmots have been documented engaging in this activity each summer, damaging dozens of vehicles while apparently tolerating the toxic substance without fatal consequences.

1 Soldiers in Vietnam Would Eat C4 to Get High

The Vietnam War saw extreme improvisation, even in the realm of intoxication. Soldiers discovered that chewing tiny pieces of C4 plastic explosive produced an ethanol‑like buzz, albeit accompanied by severe side effects.

Medical reports detail seizures, dizziness, vomiting, cardiac arrhythmias, rashes, and even coma among those who experimented. While the high was short‑lived, the practice underscores the lengths to which individuals will go to escape the harsh realities of combat.

Humans love to be recognized with medals, trophies and applause, but our animal companions usually take a more laid‑back stance toward awards. Still, when a creature performs a feat of such daring that it saves lives or changes history, we can’t resist pinning a tiny medal on its chest. Below we count down the top 10 animals that have been honored by humans for extraordinary bravery and service.

Top 10 Animals With High Honors

10 Magawa

Rats rarely win the popularity contest when it comes to heroic accolades, yet Magawa, a giant pouched rat, was bestowed a gleaming gold medal for “lifesaving bravery and devotion to duty.” This unassuming rodent works the perilous front line of land‑mine clearance in Cambodia, using his keen sense of smell to locate explosives while his lightweight body ensures he never triggers them. In his career he helped clear an area equivalent to twenty football fields.

Cambodia’s landscape is scarred by millions of hidden mines, and thousands of civilians have perished in accidental detonations. Even the most advanced detection technology can be slow and hazardous. Magawa’s daily routine consists of a half‑hour sniff‑session each morning, rewarded with a modest treat, during which he uncovers mines that would otherwise keep his human handlers occupied for the entire day.

Now approaching retirement, Magawa is set to hand over the reins to a new generation of trained rats. Should they continue his stellar performance, more of these tiny heroes may soon find themselves wearing a gold medal of their own.

9 William Windsor

Not every animal honored by humans behaves like a textbook soldier, but the British Army’s 1st Battalion Royal Welch has a long tradition of adopting a goat as its mascot, a practice dating back to Queen Victoria. In 2001 the regiment received goat army number 25232301, affectionately known as William “Billy” Windsor, who was granted the rank of Lance Corporal.

With that rank, any soldier outranked by Billy had to stand at attention as he strutted by. However, his debut overseas was less than exemplary: during a parade he ignored a direct order and veered off‑line, leading to a demotion to Fusilier. He later reclaimed his original rank and eventually retired from service.

Beyond the honor of rank, Billy enjoyed unique perks: two cigarettes to chew on each day and a daily ration of Guinness. His story remains a whimsical reminder that even mascots can climb the military ladder.

8 Lucca

The Dickin Medal stands as the pinnacle of animal bravery awards, presented by the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) to those who display extraordinary gallantry in wartime. Lucca, a United States Marine Corps dog, earned the distinction of being the first American canine to receive this British honor.

During six years of deployment in Afghanistan, Lucca participated in over 400 patrols, expertly sniffing out improvised explosive devices (IEDs) that threatened troops. On one mission she identified a massive 30‑kilogram device; moments later another detonated, inflicting burns and injuries on Lucca, ultimately resulting in the amputation of her front leg.

After recovery, Lucca was flown to London where she was presented with the Dickin Medal. She also received a Purple Heart from the United States for her combat injuries, presented in an informal ceremony by a Marine who himself had twice earned the award.

7 GI Joe

The first American recipient of the Dickin Medal dates back to World War II, when a pigeon named GI Joe saved more than a hundred Allied lives. During the rapid Allied advance through Italy, troops captured a village still under German control, risking friendly bombing because the airbase had no idea they were there.

With radio communications down, the unit turned to their last hope: pigeon USA43SC6390, nicknamed GI Joe. He made a 20‑mile flight back to the British 10th Army headquarters, delivering a message that halted the planned bombing just in time.

The citation accompanying his Dickin Medal read: “This bird is credited with making the most outstanding flight by a USA army pigeon in World War II, making the 20‑mile flight from British 10th Army HQ, in the same number of minutes, it brought a message which arrived just in time to save the lives of at least 100 Allied soldiers from being bombed by their own planes.” After the war, GI Joe enjoyed a long, happy retirement.

6 Kuno

Dogs have long been celebrated as humanity’s steadfast companions, especially on the battlefield where they often risk everything for their handlers. Kuno, a British special forces dog, faced a harrowing encounter with an al‑Qaida gunman during an assault on an insurgent compound.

While the Royal Navy’s Special Boat Service came under intense machine‑gun fire and grenade barrages, Kuno lunged at one of the gunmen, allowing his human teammates to secure their objective. He sustained gunshot wounds to both hind legs; one leg required amputation, and he became the first British forces dog to receive custom‑made prosthetic limbs.

Now retired, Kuno runs freely with his prosthetics and continues to inspire. He was awarded the Dickin Medal, with the British Defence Secretary noting that without Kuno, the outcome of the operation could have been dramatically different, emphasizing his life‑saving impact.

10 Ageless Animals That Do Not Grow Old

5 Reckless

The United States Marine Corps granted a single animal an official rank during the Korean War: a pack horse named Reckless, who rose to the rank of Sergeant. Reckless proved to be unusually clever, quickly mastering her training.

When fellow Marines shouted “Incoming!” Reckless instinctively sprinted for cover, learned to navigate barbed wire, and even lay down to dodge bullets. Her most remarkable feat came when she made 51 trips under heavy enemy fire, delivering ammunition and ferrying wounded soldiers back from the front lines, despite being wounded by shrapnel twice.

Her extraordinary bravery earned her two Purple Hearts, two Navy Presidential Unit Citations, a Navy Unit Commendation, four Korean Service medals, and a Marine Corps Good Conduct medal before she retired.

4 Sergeant Stubby

Not every military dog is a towering beast; Sergeant Stubby was a modest‑sized mixed‑breed who stumbled into service during World I after being found roaming Yale University’s campus. Smuggled aboard a transport ship, he earned his place when he saluted an officer, securing his spot in the 102nd Infantry Regiment.

During 18 months of combat across 17 battles, Stubby proved invaluable: his keen nose warned troops of incoming gas attacks, his bark alerted soldiers to German movements, and he served as a “mercy dog,” seeking out and comforting injured comrades on the battlefield.

After being wounded, Stubby survived the war, met Presidents Woodrow Wilson, Calvin Coolidge, and Warren Harding, and often led parades, proudly marching at the head of troops. His crowning honor was a promotion to Sergeant in the U.S. Army.

3 Tirpitz the Pig

During World I, many ships kept pigs aboard as a fresh source of meat, and one such swine found herself on the German cruiser SMS Dresden. When the vessel engaged in battle off the Falkland Islands and began sinking, most crew members abandoned ship, but Tirpitz the pig leapt into the sea and swam toward the British HMS Glasgow.

Spotted and hauled aboard the British ship, she was christened Tirpitz after the famed German admiral and awarded a mock Iron Cross for her loyalty in staying with the Dresden while her human crew fled.

Although she caused mischief—once breaking into a chicken coop during shore leave, requiring ten men to wrestle her back onto the Glasgow—she became a beloved mascot. Later, she was auctioned for 400 guineas, with proceeds benefiting the Red Cross, and after her death her stuffed head was displayed at the Imperial War Museum in London.

2 Bucephalus

Alexander the Great never did anything by halves, and his reverence for his legendary war horse, Bucephalus, was no exception. The untamed giant was initially offered to Alexander’s father, but only the young Alexander possessed the courage to tame him.

Impressed, his father proclaimed, “O my son, look thee out a kingdom equal to and worthy of thyself, for Macedonia is too little for thee.” From that moment, Bucephalus rode alongside Alexander through countless campaigns, becoming an inseparable companion on the battlefield.

When Bucephalus eventually died, Alexander ordered a grand funeral and founded a city—Alexandria Bucephalous—on the banks of the Indus River, ensuring his beloved horse’s memory would endure for centuries.

1 Cher Ami

In the chaotic, gas‑filled trenches of World I, communication failures could be deadly. When Major Charles White Whittlesaw’s 550‑man battalion was pinned down and their runners failed to reach friendly lines, they faced friendly artillery fire because the enemy could not locate them.

Turning to carrier pigeons—a vital wartime resource protected by strict British law—two were shot down before the final pigeon, Cher Ami, was dispatched with a desperate message: “We are along the road parallel to 276.4. Our own artillery is dropping a barrage directly on us. For heavens’ sake stop it.”

Despite being hit in the breast by German fire, Cher Ami managed to limp to safety, delivering the message that stopped the bombardment and saved over a hundred lives. Injured and left blinded in one eye with a severely damaged leg, she received intensive medical care, was awarded the French Croix de Guerre, and later flew to the United States after a ceremony with General John Pershing.

Top 10 low tech tricks prove that high‑tech dilemmas don’t always need high‑tech fixes. Many people believe high‑tech problems require high‑tech solutions. It’s not quite so. Complex technologies sometimes require simple, low‑tech solutions that may cost next to nothing.

Why Top 10 Low Solutions Matter

Even the most sophisticated machines can benefit from a dash of ingenuity that costs pennies rather than millions. Below we explore ten astonishing examples where a modest, often quirky, low‑tech fix outshines its pricey counterpart.

10 Ostrich Feathers and Carmakers

Automakers pour massive resources into guaranteeing that every fresh‑off‑the‑line vehicle leaves the paint shop looking flawless. To achieve that immaculate finish they employ cutting‑edge paint booths, robotic sprayers and—yes—female ostrich feathers.

The tiniest speck of dust can mar even the most expertly applied coat, and manufacturers go to great lengths to keep their paint bays dust‑free. They isolate the painting area from the rest of the factory and blast both workers and visitors with high‑velocity air to strip away any stray fibers clinging to clothing.

Yet microscopic particles still manage to infiltrate the paint zone. The final line of defense? Giant dusters fashioned from female ostrich feathers that whisk the cars clean just moments before the first coat is sprayed.

9 Mirrors and Elevators

When elevators first appeared, they were plain metal boxes without any reflective surfaces. Adding mirrors later turned out to be a cost‑saving psychological trick rather than a technical upgrade.

Early users complained that rides felt sluggish. Engineers could have spent millions redesigning faster motors, but one clever company decided to change the perception instead.

Research revealed that passengers often felt the lift was slower simply because they stared at the bare walls, worrying about cables snapping or the cabin dropping. By installing mirrors, riders could glance at their own reflection, becoming preoccupied with appearance rather than the passage of time.

The distraction worked like magic—people lost track of the minutes and started believing the elevators were faster than they actually were, all without a single mechanical improvement.

8 Angled Runways and Aircraft Carriers

If you’ve ever examined a modern aircraft carrier from above, you’ll notice the flight deck is slanted rather than straight. This design shift traces back to the arrival of jet‑powered aircraft.

World War II carriers hosted prop‑driven planes that needed relatively short take‑off and landing distances, allowing simultaneous launch and recovery operations on a straight deck.

Jet engines, however, demand longer runways. The new jets could no longer be launched and recovered at the same time, and if a landing plane missed the arresting wire, there wouldn’t be enough runway left to taxi and try again.

Rather than building larger carriers or attempting hover‑landings (which jets couldn’t sustain due to fuel limits), designers tilted the existing decks. The angled runway stretches the usable length, letting landing jets clear the deck while other aircraft continue to launch, solving the space crunch elegantly.

7 Playstation 3 Consoles and Supercomputers

A few years back, the U.S. Air Force assembled a staggering 1,760 Sony PlayStation 3 units to forge one of the world’s most powerful defense‑department supercomputers.

This quirky cluster could crunch 500 million mathematical operations per second and sift through over a billion pixels each minute, supporting tasks such as high‑resolution satellite image processing, space‑object identification and artificial‑intelligence research.

At the time, each PlayStation 3 cost roughly $400, whereas a comparable commercial server component would have set the Air Force back about $10,000. The resulting $2 million system cost only 5‑10 % of a conventional supercomputer with similar capabilities.

6 Xbox 360 Controllers and Nuclear Submarines

The periscope, a classic hallmark of submarines, has evolved from a simple tube with angled mirrors to a sophisticated 360‑degree camera system. Yet the control interface for these high‑tech optics remains surprisingly low‑tech.

The U.S. Navy now employs off‑the‑shelf Xbox 360 controllers to maneuver the digital periscopes on its latest Virginia‑class nuclear submarines.

Previously, the navy relied on bulky, $38,000 joysticks that were heavy, cumbersome and required extensive training. Junior officers pushed for a change, and the Xbox controller—priced around $39.95—proved light, intuitive and instantly replaceable from any nearby game store.

10 Dangerous Misconceptions About Nuclear Technology

5 Velcro and NASA

When astronauts float in micro‑gravity, anything not firmly attached will drift away. To keep tools, equipment, and even personal items from floating loose, NASA turned to a familiar household staple: Velcro.

The space agency partnered with the inventors of the hook‑and‑loop fastener to engineer a version that would survive the extremes of space while securely holding objects in place.

Velcro now appears throughout NASA’s projects, even inside spacesuit helmets so astronauts can scratch an itch without floating away. Although many assume NASA invented Velcro, the company actually credited Velcro in 1969 with the remark, “We couldn’t fly without it.”

4 Rats and Landmines

Landmines remain a deadly legacy of former conflicts, lingering for decades and claiming thousands of lives each year when unsuspecting people step on them.

Traditional de‑mining relies on expensive bomb‑detection gear or costly dogs, both of which have logistical drawbacks. In 1997, the NGO APOPO introduced a cheaper, more agile alternative: African giant pouched rats.

These cat‑sized rodents have poor eyesight but an extraordinary sense of smell, enabling them to sniff out TNT. A single rat can sweep 2,000 sq ft in just 20 minutes, whereas a human equipped with detectors would need four days to cover the same area.

Because they’re light enough not to trigger mines, the rats have already detected over 13,200 explosive devices across several nations.

3 A $10 Domain Name and WannaCry

In 2017, the ransomware known as WannaCry spread like wildfire, infecting more than 300,000 computers across 150 countries and demanding Bitcoin ransoms.

The outbreak finally stalled when a security researcher, known as Malwaretech, registered a previously unclaimed domain name for about $10. This simple act triggered the malware’s built‑in “kill switch,” halting its propagation instantly.

Ransomware typically maintains a communication channel with its operator to exchange payment details and unlock encrypted files. Law‑enforcement agencies can exploit this channel, prompting attackers to embed kill switches that deactivate the virus if they suspect they’re being tracked.

WannaCry’s kill switch was precisely such a domain. By registering it, Malwaretech forced the malware to stop checking for an unregistered address, effectively neutering the outbreak.

2 Speed Tape and Airplanes

Aircraft require regular upkeep, but not every issue demands a full‑scale overhaul. Sometimes, a strip of high‑grade speed tape—airline‑grade duct tape—does the trick.

Speed tape serves as a temporary fix for non‑critical components, holding parts together until the airplane can undergo scheduled maintenance. Aviation authorities limit its use to ensure safety while providing a cost‑effective stop‑gap.

Although a single roll can cost several hundred to a few thousand dollars, this expense pales in comparison to the massive revenue loss an airline would suffer if a plane were grounded for days awaiting repairs.

1 IPhones and the US Army Special Operations Command

The U.S. Army Special Operations Command (SOCOM) relies on a suite of specialized mobile applications during high‑stakes missions, yet instead of commissioning bespoke hardware, they turned to the ubiquitous iPhone.

One standout app splits the iPhone’s screen: live footage from an unmanned aerial vehicle occupies one half, while a map charting the UAV’s flight path fills the other, delivering real‑time situational awareness.

Business Insider reports that SOCOM previously used Android‑based Samsung Galaxy Note devices, but frequent app freezes and lower screen resolution forced a switch. The iPhone 6s offered smoother performance and sharper visuals, crucial for mission‑critical tasks.

Before this becomes another brand rivalry, note that the Department of Defense actually pitted the older Samsung phones against the newer iPhones in rigorous testing before making the final decision.

When you hear the phrase “10 surprising disadvantages,” you might picture a quirky countdown of pitfalls that even the smartest among us can’t escape. It’s no secret that people with high IQs often glide through academic challenges and career hurdles with ease, but life isn’t always a smooth equation. Below, we explore ten eye‑opening ways that high intelligence can backfire, proving that brilliance sometimes comes with a hidden price tag.

10 More Mental Disorders

It’s tempting to assume that a sharper mind automatically translates into better health and a longer lifespan. While smarter folks do tend to live longer, the mental‑health picture is far more complicated. Research on Mensa members—people who sit in the top two percent of IQ scores—reveals a paradox: they experience higher rates of anxiety and mood disorders than the general population.

One study even found that these high‑IQ participants were three times more likely to suffer from environmental allergies, a finding that still puzzles scientists. The prevailing hypothesis suggests that a hyper‑responsive nervous system may amplify reactions to everyday stressors, making the intelligent individual more vulnerable to anxiety in work or social settings.

In short, a brilliant brain can sometimes be a double‑edged sword, granting both heightened awareness and a heightened sensitivity to the world’s pressures.

9 Worse Social Relations In Adulthood

We all know that friendships tend to shrink as we age, but a study from Stockholm University adds a twist: people with higher IQ scores report more difficulty adjusting to adult social life. The research tracked adolescents with varying IQ levels and discovered that the smartest participants struggled more with maintaining satisfying friendships as they grew older.

These individuals also reported lower overall life satisfaction in later years, suggesting that intellectual prowess does not guarantee social ease. In fact, the very traits that make them excel academically may hinder their ability to connect casually with peers.

8 Less Financially Responsible

Common sense tells us that a higher IQ should correlate with smarter money habits. While the data does show that each additional IQ point can add roughly $234 to $616 to an annual income, the picture isn’t wholly rosy. A massive Ohio State University survey of 7,400 adults in their forties revealed that high‑IQ earners were paradoxically more prone to financial trouble than their lower‑IQ counterparts.

The study suggests that intellectual talent may lead to risk‑taking or overconfidence in financial decisions, outweighing the benefits of higher earnings. In other words, a big brain does not automatically come with big‑budget savvy.

7 Disadvantages During Early Days Of Evolution

It’s easy to picture our ancestors gaining a survival edge simply because they could think a little faster. Yet evolutionary research tells a different story: early humans already possessed a suite of mental tools perfectly tuned for the challenges of their era. Extra intelligence, therefore, offered little extra advantage during prehistoric times.

Moreover, intelligent individuals tended toward riskier behavior and solitary living, traits that would have been detrimental in a world where group cohesion was crucial for survival. In short, the cognitive boost that fuels modern innovation may have been largely irrelevant—or even harmful—in our distant past.

6 More Likely To Abuse Substances

One would think that a sharper mind would steer individuals away from risky habits like drug use. Counterintuitively, studies show that people with higher IQs are more prone to substance abuse, even with potent drugs such as cocaine and ecstasy.

Scientists speculate that the novelty of modern psychoactive substances—many of which didn’t exist for most of human history—appeals to the curiosity of intelligent minds. Coupled with a possible overconfidence in assessing risk, this leads to a higher likelihood of experimentation and, sometimes, addiction.

Thus, intellectual curiosity can occasionally veer into dangerous territory when it meets the allure of new, mind‑altering experiences.

5 Less Likely To Confront Their Biases

We often assume that smarter people are better at spotting nonsense—think flat‑Earth conspiracies or anti‑evolution sentiment. While higher intelligence does correlate with a lower likelihood of believing obviously false claims, the opposite holds true when it comes to self‑reflection.

Research indicates that people with strong cognitive abilities are less inclined to revise their own deeply held beliefs, even when presented with solid evidence that contradicts them. In other words, a brilliant mind can become a stubborn fortress, resistant to internal challenges.

For example, a highly educated scientist may cling to a particular theory despite new data that clearly refutes it, illustrating how intellectual confidence can sometimes block personal growth.

4 More Likely To Fall For The Gambler’s Fallacy

The gambler’s fallacy—believing that a streak of outcomes will reverse simply because it’s “due”—affects everyone, but a study of Chinese college students found that those with higher IQ scores fell for this bias more often than their peers.

One possible explanation is that intelligent individuals may apply rigid, formulaic thinking to probabilistic events, leading them to misjudge random sequences. Their strong analytical habits, while valuable in many contexts, can paradoxically make them vulnerable to this classic mistake.

So even the sharpest minds can get tangled in the illusion that a losing streak is about to end, just because it “feels” that way.

3 More Likely To Be Overwhelmed Under Pressure

Performance under stress is a prized skill in today’s competitive workplaces, yet studies reveal that highly intelligent individuals are more prone to choking when the stakes are high. The research points to heightened anxiety about outcomes, a byproduct of having breezed through earlier, less demanding phases of life.

When the focus shifts from learning to tangible results—like meeting sales quotas or hitting project deadlines—these bright minds can become paralyzed, fearing failure more intensely than their lower‑IQ colleagues.

Interestingly, when the same tasks are framed as learning opportunities rather than performance metrics, the pressure eases, and the intelligent individual thrives. This suggests that the way goals are presented can make a huge difference for high‑IQ professionals.

2 More Likely To Feel Unfulfilled

Many assume that intelligence guarantees happiness, but the reality is more nuanced. Growing up with the belief that you can achieve anything sets sky‑high expectations that are often impossible to meet.

When reality catches up—whether through career plateaus, relationship challenges, or simply the limits of human capability—high‑IQ individuals may feel a profound sense of underachievement, even if their accomplishments are objectively impressive.

Long‑term studies of high‑IQ cohorts have consistently linked elevated intelligence with a lingering feeling of not having lived up to one’s full potential, underscoring the hidden emotional cost of brilliance.

1 Less likely To Have Sex In Adolescence

The classic “virgin nerd” stereotype isn’t just Hollywood myth—it has a basis in scientific data. Research shows that adolescents with higher IQ scores tend to delay sexual activity compared to their average‑IQ peers.

These findings hold true across a range of studies, indicating that intellectual focus and perhaps a greater investment in academic pursuits can push romantic and sexual experiences further down the priority list during teenage years.

While many of these smart teens go on to achieve great professional success, their early sexual timelines often differ markedly from the mainstream narrative.

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Welcome to our roundup of the 10 most haunted high schools on the planet. From remote islands to bustling cities, these institutions have earned a reputation for restless spirits, unexplained phenomena, and stories that keep students and staff up at night.

10 Most Haunted High Schools

10 Turakina Māori Girls’ College, New Zealand

In 2015, two boarders at Turakina Māori Girls’ College fled the campus, insisting a cloaked figure in a black cape and hat had threatened them. The school’s administration initially dismissed the claim as a fabrication, prompting angry parents to intervene. Some families accused the board of denying the presence of the kehua, a local term for a ghost, especially after a reverend suggested the apparition might be genuine.

Decades later, former student Kelly Sliepen, now 38, recounted her own eerie experience: while in the hostel, a cup slid across a table on its own and crashed to the floor. A minister was called to bless the building, yet shortly thereafter Kelly saw an apparition on the main staircase, confirming the lingering supernatural presence.

The college ultimately shut its doors in 2016 when financial woes drove enrollment down from 152 students to a mere 47, ending its turbulent chapter.

9 Hibbing High School, Minnesota

Hibbing High isn’t your run‑of‑the‑mill school; its marble staircases, brass railings, and art‑deco walls give it a near‑medieval grandeur. The auditorium, modeled after the Capitol Theatre, dazzles visitors, and even future legend Bob Dylan performed there as a teen during a talent show.

However, the true draw for ghost hunters is a solitary seat in the auditorium. The first stage manager, Bill, served from 1927 until the late 1960s, when a chandelier tragically fell on his head, ending his life.

Rumors quickly spread that Bill never truly left his favorite spot, seat J‑47. In the early 1990s, long‑time stage manager Chuck Perry photographed the auditorium after a woman reported a sudden chill near that row. One Polaroid captured a translucent gentleman in formal attire and a top hat occupying seat J‑47, as if still watching the performances.

Since then, whispers of Bill’s lingering presence have kept the seat infamous among students and staff alike.

8 Downlands Sacred Heart College, Queensland, Australia

During wartime, this Toowoomba secondary school doubled as military quarters, spawning a slew of ghostly legends. Among them: a fiery man screaming across campus, a priest forever wandering the on‑site chapel, and a woman’s apparition haunting the administration building.

In 2015, a local paranormal team released a historic class photograph that appeared to contain a ghostly figure among a group of boys. The blurry silhouette in the top‑right corner wore the same uniform as the students, and the image now hangs on a school wall as alleged proof of supernatural activity.

7 Old Maui High School, Hawaii

Constructed in 1913 amid missionary and sugar‑cane plantation expansion, Maui High moved to a new site in 1972, leaving the original building to decay. The crumbling shell now serves as a backdrop for several unsettling tales.

Hawaiian belief holds that the dead return to places they loved in life. At Old Maui, former students and teachers are said to still roam the grounds, occasionally interacting with the living. Explorers of the ruins have reported being choked by unseen hands.

Visitors also claim to hear the anguished sobbing of a girl from a former bathroom, adding another layer to the school’s haunting reputation.

6 Rizal High School, Philippines

The Philippines is famed for its spectral folklore, and Rizal High added its own legend in 2015 when two students captured a ghost in a bathroom selfie. After reviewing the photo, they noticed a dark‑haired girl in black clothing crouching beside a trash can in the background.

The figure’s eerie stare sparked a viral frenzy, with many noting the resemblance to Samara from The Ring. The students swore the image was authentic, and subsequent reports of ghostly sightings multiplied across the campus.

In response, the school administration contemplated a blessing ceremony to cleanse the building of any lingering spirits.

5 Old Portland High School, Michigan

Opened in 1881, the Portland, Ionia County school became the center of a tragic legend: in 1918, a 14‑year‑old student was crushed beneath collapsing gym bleachers. The negligent janitor vanished, and the grieving father allegedly murdered the janitor, burned his remains, and set fire to the school. Rebuilt in 1920, the building retained the hauntings of both the girl and the janitor.

Converted into the Old School Manor housing complex from 1992 to 2008, tenants reported strange phenomena: personal items disappearing only to reappear stacked elsewhere, phantom school bells ringing, and encounters with the girl’s ghost, who reportedly slapped occupants on the back.

One resident recounted a terrifying episode where the janitor’s spirit terrorized her two‑year‑old daughter, ultimately forcing the family to vacate the premises.

4 Nightmute High School, Alaska

Even without a confirmed haunting, Nightmute’s name alone feels eerie. The most famous story involves a solitary girl spirit haunting the school’s bathrooms, flushing toilets and flickering lights. In the gym, basketballs have been known to launch themselves toward the hoop as if propelled by an unseen force.

Legend says the girl was a loner in life, often shunned by peers, and after her death she roamed the corridors seeking companionship. Rumors also speak of a burial discovered beneath room 106, the very location where her apparition frequently appears.

3 Hwa Chong Institution, Singapore

Singapore boasts at least 20 haunted schools, and Hwa Chong Institution ranks among the most notorious. Nestled among towering trees, night‑time visitors are warned never to shine flashlights toward the branches, lest the spirits of WWII victims—those murdered and hung by Japanese forces—manifest.

The campus statues are also said to be alive after dark. Approaching the statue of Tan Kah Kee from behind allegedly makes it turn and ask for the time, while the eyes of the Lee Kong Chian statue glow and were subsequently covered.

Some locals claim the school’s playing field was originally shaped like a tombstone, a design choice that may have seeded the lingering hauntings.

2 Jeppe High School for Boys, South Africa

Located in Kensington, Johannesburg, Jeppe High School for Boys shares its history with the city’s gold‑rush era. Built to educate miners’ children, its main building and war memorial earned national monument status in 1986.

The school is haunted by a sorrowful female spirit who roams the corridors, frightening boarders. One tale says she took her own life after her husband perished in World War I; another version claims she was a mother whose son died on the sports field from a javelin accident, prompting her to leap from a nearby hill, become decapitated, and wander the halls clutching her head while wailing for her child.

1 Las Vegas High School, Nevada

Las Vegas dazzles with neon lights, glitz, and ghostly lore. The city’s first official high school, founded in 1931 as Las Vegas Academy of the Arts, later became the Las Vegas High School. Its most infamous resident is former teacher Mr. Petri, who perished in a mysterious fire and is said to haunt the theater.

Even after the school transformed into an arts academy, reports persist: a man in a white tuxedo occupies a specific theater seat, sudden temperature drops chill visitors, and an overwhelming sadness overtakes those who step inside.

Teacher John Morris, initially skeptical, recounted a bizarre incident during a production of The Spoon River Project. While setting up a fog‑filled fake cemetery, the play’s director claimed a naked Mexican boy appeared beside her, pleading for clothing before vanishing.

Morris dismissed the story, yet later that night, after ensuring doors were locked, his three‑year‑old daughter was playing on a mock grave mound. She insisted she didn’t want to leave because a friend—an invisible boy—was still there. When she finally spoke up, she said, “It’s that little boy over there; he doesn’t have any clothes on.”

They say that there are only two things guaranteed in life: death and taxes. And you can at least commit tax fraud for a while if you try. But that death thing has so far managed to catch up with literally everyone. If it were only as simple as one day being alive and another day being dead maybe it’d be less stressful and less anxiety inducing, but no such luck. When you start to look into it, there are so many ways to die, so many contributing factors and so many unexpected and unpleasant statistics about mortality that it might make you want to just hide indoors for the rest of your life. 

10. Brazilian Butt Lifts Are the Deadliest Cosmetic Surgery Procedure

We accept that some things in life are deadlier than others. Trying to pet a tiger is going to be more dangerous than trying to pet a house cat. You’re at greater risk from open heart surgery than you are from having a bunion removed. But there are some truly staggering statistics when it comes to one unlikely procedure that you may not be aware of. A Brazilian butt life is the deadliest plastic surgery procedure going. 

The procedure, meant to make your butt look rounder, perkier and fuller by injecting fat from places in your body where it isn’t wanted into your butt, has the highest mortality rate of any cosmetic procedure that is around one in 3,000. 

The procedure can cost as much as $15,000 to get done. In 2020 alone, over 40,000 butt procedures were done despite the risks. In the UK, surgeons have been advised to not perform the procedure at all, though it’s not banned. 

In a survey, three percent of doctors responded that they’d had a patient die from the procedure. Most deaths can be attributed to pulmonary fat emboli which is when fat ends up in your pulmonary system. Some occur and are not fatal, but others are not so lucky. 

9. Munchausen by Proxy Mortality Rates are About 9% to 10%

Factitious disorder imposed on another is the current name for the condition better known as Munchausen syndrome by proxy. It’s a mental disorder in which a caregiver makes as though the person they are caring for is sick with something they do not actually have. The condition often seems to be a way for the caregiver to get attention and sympathy, perhaps to be seen as brave or strong for trying to help someone else overcome their illness, when in fact they are the cause of that illness. This may be as simple as gaslighting the alleged patient, especially if they are a child, by convincing them they are sick, but often may also go as far as the caregiver harming the victim in some way by medicating or even poisoning them to make them fit the symptoms. 

Because the entire syndrome is based around a fake illness, it seems like the victim may not be in all that much danger, but the opposite is true. The would-be caregivers often go to great lengths to make the victim fit their false narrative to the extent that the mortality rate for the condition is around 9%.

8. Catch and Release Fishing Mortality is About 18% But Up to 40%

It’s not just human mortality rates that can be depressing. Our unfortunate fish friends in rivers, lakes and streams around the country that we thought were benefiting from catch and release practices are not doing nearly as well as you’d think. 

The idea behind catch and release fishing seems noble enough. You catch a fish, take it off the hook and let it go again so you get the enjoyment of fishing and the fish gets to live another day. Unfortunately, the mortality rate for the fish is between 18% and 40% according to various studies.

A number of factors contribute to what may cause the fish to die even after it’s released, with the location of the hook when the fish is caught being the greatest contributing factor,  but it’s safe to say that they’re not all going to swim off and tell the story to a friend. 

7. Pro Wrestler Mortality is Far Higher Than The Wider Population

If you’re a lifelong fan of professional wrestling, then you no doubt have had to watch a number of your favorites from the past die young. It’s no secret in the industry that wrestlers die young. Many succumb to addiction or health issues related to past drug use. But there are also a number of accidents or other violent deaths that occur as well. In the end, it’s very rare for a pro wrestler to live to a ripe, old age.

For wrestlers between 45 and 54, their mortality rate is nearly three times greater than that of the wider population. When it comes to deaths related to cardiovascular conditions, wrestler deaths occur at a rate 15.1 times greater than the population at large. Cancer deaths among wrestlers are 6.4 times higher. And drug overdose deaths are astronomically higher at 122.7 times more than the wider population. 

As has been noted, some of this can perhaps be attributed to the lifestyle of pro wrestlers, especially in the past. In the 80s, many wrestlers were widely known to and have admitted to using cocaine, steroids and other drugs. And because, unlike most sports, wrestling has no off season, these athletes were pushing their bodies non-stop for years. 

6. People Who Read Have a 20% Lower Mortality Rate

Good news for those of you who like to curl up with a good book, you’re statistically more likely to have extra time to read those books than someone who doesn’t. People who read have a 20% lower mortality rate than those who don’t. 

Specifically, you need to read books to achieve the statistically significant benefits of reading, and magazines or newspapers won’t cut it. The speculated reason is that a book engages your mind in a way magazines and newspapers can’t, which translates into greater mental engagement and a tangible benefit to your overall lifespan.

5. Ford Fiestas Have the Highest Mortality Rate of Any Car

Have you ever heard that you have to pay higher insurance on red cars because they get stolen more often? It’s true that certain types of cars present unique risks for car owners but if you want to really get into which car is best or worst to be driving, you may want to think seriously about certain vehicles like the Ford Fiesta. 

In 2017, data showed the Fiesta as the deadliest car on the road with a death rate of 141 per 1 million registered cars. Compare that to something like a Chevy Corvette at 54 or a Porsche Cayenne with 0. 

Luxury SUVs actually have the lowest death rates overall while small cars have proven to be the least safe.

4. Human Mortality Goes Up in Areas Where Trees Die

Some things in life are inexorably linked together. If there are no bees, for instance, then flowers would suffer from a lack of pollinators. So what happens when trees start to die? People die, too. 

Research has shown that, as the emerald ash borer devastated tree populations, there was a marked increase in diseases in human populations. Cases of heart disease and pneumonia began to rise. Over a 10 year period, 100 million trees died as a result. In the states where the trees died, 15,000 more people died from cardiovascular disease and 6,000 more succumbed to respiratory disease when compared to areas without the tree infections.

The data spanned 1,296 different counties and tried to factor in other variables as well. In the end it became clear that fewer trees equals higher mortality.

3. Too Much (or Too Intense) Exercise May Increase Mortality Rates 

Surely if you want to live longer, then part of the key is to maintain a healthy lifestyle which includes plenty of exercise. Well, yes and no on that one. There’s plenty of evidence that living an active lifestyle is good for you but there’s also that “everything in moderation” saying.

The World Health Organization suggests that, every week, you get 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous intensity. And no, most people don’t get that much at all. But there is some limited data now that too much exercise at too great an intensity can start having the opposite effect of that desired. This stems from a study of joggers in which a couple of participants who went extremely vigorous in their exercise routine died. 

Other studies have also shown that you may be at risk of cardiovascular problems if you frequently engage in serious endurance exercise like running marathons. These results are all still being debated, but there is also limited evidence that you get any benefit from pushing your workout to extremes, so the safest bet is probably to stay in the middle somewhere. 

2. Taller People Have a Higher Mortality Rate 

Some traits are seen as more desirable in modern, Western society than others. A lot of these traits are physical and we only have so much control over them on an individual basis. There’s little you can do, for instance, if you want to be tall but you aren’t. And yet it’s hard to deny that many people see being tall as desirable and attractive. So good news for the vertically challenged, there’s some evidence that being tall isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Taller people, in general, have a higher mortality rate. 

In one study, every four inches of height increased the risk of all types of cancer in postmenopausal women by 13%. Each additional inch in height for men turns into a 2.2% increased chance of death from literally any cause compared to shorter people.

1. Robert Liston Performed a Surgery with a 300% Mortality Rate

We touched on some of the dangers of surgery either but even among the deadliest of surgeries the mortality rate is often a number that makes sense, at least mathematically. But there is at least one case when that didn’t happen and a single surgery managed to end with a 300% mortality rate. If you’re doing the math yourself, that means one person got surgery and three people died as a result.

You have to take some gentle liberties with this tale but it’s been documented well enough to hold some water. To start, the procedure was performed by doctor Robert Liston, a surgeon in the early 1800s before the invention of anesthesia.

Liston was apparently known to be fairly competent but, most importantly for the time, fast. If surgery had to be done with no anesthesia, then you can imagine why speed would be of the essence. And for this surgery Liston Was to be performing an amputation. He accomplished his intended goal as well, removing a patient’s leg in just two and a half minutes. We know the time because Liston, apparently somewhat arrogant in regards to his skill, asked to be timed. 

In two and a half minutes, Liston had condemned three people to death. His first victim was an observing doctor who was there to watch the procedure. As Liston was sawing the patient’s leg off at the hip, he switched from one cutting implement to another. In his haste, he slashed through the coat of the observing doctor and though he never cut the man, apparently the fellow was overwhelmed by the fact he saw spurting blood and felt the pull on his coat as Liston tore through it. He died of a heart attack.

Meanwhile, Liston needed the patient to be restrained for obvious reasons, so an assistant had to hold the poor man down. Liston cut the assistant’s fingers off as he removed the patient’s legs.

Both surgical assistant and patient went on to develop gangrenous infections and die a short time later, this cementing Liston as the only doctor ever to kill three people in a single surgery.

It’s been said that America is a litigious society, and Judge Judy might agree. But there has long been a pervasive myth that courts are bogged down with frivolous lawsuits even though, statistically speaking, relatively few lawsuits actually meet the criteria of frivolous. That may be because, in between the conception and execution, some people realize their lawsuits are terrible ideas. Like these 10 cases of high-profile lawsuit threats that range from almost reasonable to utterly preposterous. 

10. George Lucas’ Lawyers Threatened to Sue Mad Magazine

When it comes to copyright infringement, the lawyers of the world have crept out of the woodwork in the internet age to destroy any and all potential violators. But pre-internet things were a little different. For starters, it was harder to even violate a copyright. What were you going to do, write your own Star Wars parody? Well, if you were working at Mad Magazine in 1980, then yeah. 

Lawyers for George Lucas contacted Mad, artist Mort Drucker, and writer Dick DeBartolo, for their parody of The Empire Strikes Back called The Empire Strikes Out. They sent a cease and desist letter demanding the magazine recall all the published issues. Today, such a letter would be potentially terrifying with the power of Disney behind it, but even back then, it would have been at least a little intimidating if not for another letter that DeBartolo had received earlier.

The earlier letter was from George Lucas himself, who had seen the parody in the magazine and liked it so much he wrote the team to praise them and request some of the original art. They wrote back to his lawyers, pointing out that their employer really enjoyed it and attached a copy of Lucas’ letter.  Unsurprisingly, no further legal action was pursued.

9. Disney Threatened to Sue Day Cares

Speaking of Disney, the House of Mouse has a bad habit of showing up on the wrong side of legal issues and one of their most egregious Goliath vs. David cases was when they decided to pursue legal action against some Florida day cares. You know, the places where people take care of children all day? 

Back in 1989, the company learned that three separate child care facilities had brazenly painted Disney copyrighted characters on their walls. Apparently working from a position that no child shall receive joy from their intellectual property without paying each and every day, though the official position was that they feared people would think Disney had somehow sponsored the schools. The day cares were given time to remove the images before any legal action was taken, which they did. This also gave Universal the opportunity to swoop in and replace the lost artwork with images of their characters like Woody Woodpecker, the Flintstones, and other Hanna-Barbera characters owned by the company, making them look like heroes. And yes, Disney was legally right in their claims, but the PR hit couldn’t have done them any favors. 

8. Producers of Witches of Eastwick Threatened to Sue Susan Sarandon if She Didn’t Learn the Cello

Witches of Eastwick came out in 1987 and has become something of a cult classic. In the film, Susan Sarandon plays one of three women that Jack Nicholson’s character, who is just a little bit demonic in nature, takes a shine to. Years after its release, in 2020, Sarandon was speaking before an Eastwick-themed event when she let loose a little dirt from the film’s production.

Aside from claiming her role had been stolen by Cher just before production began, she also learned she’d need to learn how to play the cello for her new role. She had no idea how to play the cello. And you’d think maybe she could fake it for the film but instead the producers threatened to sue her if she didn’t learn. Since her character does have a very memorable cello scene in the film, it’s safe to say she got the job done. 

7. Microsoft Threatened a Teenager Named Mike Rowe 

For the quarter that ended on March 31, 2022, Microsoft earned $49.36 billion. The company is doing pretty well, financially speaking. And maybe they make all that money because they’re almost bafflingly cheap when it comes to conducting business, as witnessed by their threatened lawsuit against a Canadian teenager.

Seventeen-year-old Mike Rowe registered a website called MikeRoweSoft.com, clearly a fun little joke based on his own name. Microsoft does not like jokes. In early 2004, they threatened the teen with legal action. They requested he transfer the domain to them and, in exchange, they would pay him $10. That’s one zero, or the price he paid to register the domain name at the time. 

Rowe countered with an offer for $10,000, saying he was just starting his own graphic design business and he’d spent a lot of time working on the website he was using. Microsoft’s lawyers replied with a 25-page letter accusing him of cyber squatting and requesting an admission of guilt, among other things. 

The story got huge media attention and made Microsoft look ridiculous. Microsoft doubled down, accusing him of drawing things out for a bigger payday. They ended up backtracking later, saying they “took it too seriously.” As for Mike, he ended up giving up the domain, but not for $10 or $10,000. He got an Xbox. 

6. Uri Geller Threatened to Sue Nintendo Over Pokemon 

Uri Geller was famously exposed on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson for being unable to live up to his claimed psychic abilities. Since then he’s been notoriously prickly about attacks on his person, so much so that he threatened to sue Nintendo over a Pokemon character in the year 2000.

The character, Kadabra, can bend spoons. Uri Geller famously claimed to bend spoons with his mind, though he couldn’t in front of Johnny Carson with spoons he hadn’t had access to ahead of time. Called Yungerer in Japan, Geller believed this was a clear reference to him. 

Nintendo axed the character, and the lawsuit was later dismissed. It wouldn’t be until 2020 when Geller finally decided maybe he’d overreacted and, based on letters he received from fans, allowed Nintendo to go ahead and use the character again. 

5. ASCAP Threatened to Sue the Girl Scouts 

When Girl Scouts aren’t busy selling you addictive cookies, they’re doing things like making crafts, hiking, camping, and good deeds for the community. But let’s backtrack a second to the camping part. What goes along with camping? Marshmallows, tents and camp songs. And that right there is a lawsuit, or it almost was.

Back in the mid-’90s, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, or ASCAP, had a beef with camp songs in the most embarrassing way. The organization is supposed to be a non-profit that works to protect the rights of singers and musicians by licensing the rights to members’ music for public performances. This means a singer gets paid when the radio plays one of their songs. They handle billions of dollars this way.

Despite what sounds like good work that they do, the organization has been accused of obnoxiously chasing every copyright dollar it can find. In 1995, they told the American Camping Association they planned to charge for music performed at their camps because they are public performances. This arguably included campfire songs. The association told its members, including about potential fines if a $250 fee wasn’t paid. Their members included Girl Scouts. 

The PR nightmare was swift and brutal. ASCAP was quick to say they never threatened the Girl Scouts, which was sort of true but sort of not. In the end, they relented and camp songs were free once more. 

4. Fyre Festival Threatened to Sue Critics

In 2017, the Fyre Festival was quite the debacle. Advertised as a massive music festival, it turned out to mostly be a fraud. Attendees paid thousands of dollars a piece for luxury accommodations and gourmet food on a tropical island. What they got were repurposed tents, no festival, poor quality food and many were stranded with no power and little food and water.

The organizer ended up getting six years in prison plus an order to pay back millions, though he’s already out of prison now. Remarkably, while the legal cases were ongoing, McFarland and his co-organizer, rapper Ja Rule, were threatening critics with their own lawsuits. They claimed the people using social media to trash the festival were inciting civil unrest. Despite the threat, it didn’t seem to work. 

3. Harrods Department Store Threatened a New Zealand Restaurant

Most of us haven’t heard of the New Zealand town called Otorohanga, but you know who has? Lawyers for Harrods Department Store in the UK. All thanks to their would-be lawsuit from 1986.

The town, which has a current population of just over 3,000, was also home to Harrods Restaurant, owned by resident Henry Harrod, who named the place after himself. Despite being a tiny business in a tiny town, the owner of one of the world’s most famous department stores threatened to sue if the name wasn’t changed. 

The problem with a lawsuit like this is that you can’t really try to strong arm a small New Zealand town. Rather than acquiesce, the entire town briefly changed its name to Harrodsville and almost every single business in town changed its name to Harrods as well. This gathered enough international media attention that it shamed the owners of the department store into dropping the suit. 

You can actually visit the town’s Facebook page and read conversations between locals reminiscing over the time it happened

2. FOX News Threatened to Sue The Simpsons (on Fox) 

The Simpsons has been on TV since 1989. That’s over thirty years, and in that entire time it has aired on FOX, which is very important to remember when you get deeper into this story. Back in 2003, Simpsons creator Matt Groening spoke about how the show was threatened with a lawsuit for including a joke news ticker in an episode. The would-be victim? FOX News Channel.

On the cartoon, the news ticker on FOX News was scrolling a number of silly headlines meant to mock the notoriously anti-Democrat channel, including lines like “Do Democrats cause cancer?” It’s not 100% clear what violation FOX News felt was happening or what crime they had fallen victim to, but, as Groening pointed out, the cartoon had the upper hand. In order for FOX News to sue FOX Entertainment, it would basically require the head of the company, Rupert Murdoch, to pay to sue himself. So, yeah. There was no lawsuit.

1. Parents of Kids Who Trashed A House Threatened to Sue the Victim

No one likes people who demonstrate a sense of entitlement, but this story goes to a new level. NFL player Brian Holloway used to have a vacation home. Over the Labor Day weekend of 2013, about 300 local teens broke into the empty house to throw a party. They caused about $20,000 worth of damages. 

Teens being teens, they organized and celebrated a lot of the party on social media. That included posting pictures of themselves in the home. So Holloway did what anyone trying to figure out who trashed his house would do: he tracked down the kids based on the pictures they took to identify them for the police. He posted them on his own website, asking for help to identify the culprits.

He ended up collecting 170 tweets and photos. This rubbed the parents of some of the children involved the wrong way and they actually threatened to sue Holloway for posting their kids’ photos; the ones the kids posted depicting themselves committing crimes to social media for the whole world to see. 

Several teens ended up being charged and there is no evidence the lawsuits from the offended parents ever went anywhere.