It’s no surprise that life is a bit easier for highly intelligent people, as they’re able to identify and solve life’s problems much more effectively than someone with average or below-average intelligence. Intelligent people are also generally more successful and well-educated, as should be obvious.

However, much like all good things, high intelligence comes with its own set of caveats, some of which may even come as a surprise to most people. While being too intelligent is not a problem many of us will ever have to deal with, for those who do, here are some unexpected ways high intelligence can have negative effects on your well-being.

10 More Mental Disorders

There’s no doubt that intelligent people lead healthier lives and have higher life expectancies, as you’d expect them to. While it may seem intuitive and expected, the reasons for this aren’t exactly known.

If we talk about mental health issues like mood and anxiety disorders, however, studies indicate the exact opposite. In a study conducted on Mensa members, who are the top two percent of the general population in terms of IQ, researchers found that psychological disorders like anxiety are more prevalent.^[1] They also found that the subjects were three times more likely to have environmental allergies than the national average, something that they can’t really explain.

Their ongoing theory is that higher intelligence also translates to a more hyper body, which reacts to external challenges in a more severe manner than usual. For an example, a highly intelligent person is perhaps more susceptible to anxiety at the workplace due to having a better understanding of the gravity of a stressful situation.

9 Worse Social Relations In Adulthood

It doesn’t take a detailed scientific study to know that as you grow older, your friend circle diminishes, which may have something to do with not having as much of a life as you did when you were younger. It’s a natural part of growing up, and almost everyone goes through it. What is surprising, however, is that intelligent people are much more likely to have troubled relationships with their social groups than others in their adult years.

In a study conducted at Stockholm University, they looked at how IQ affects adjustment for adolescents of varying IQ scores. They found that highly intelligent people were somewhat worse at adjusting to an aging life when it came to friend relations.^[2] They also tend to be less satisfied with life in general as they grow older, though we’ll get to that one in detail below.

8 Less Financially Responsible

Financial responsibility is often much more important than earning a lot, as long as the bare necessities are covered. Many older rich people would tell you that every penny saved is a penny earned, and they would be correct, as there’s arguably no point earning a lot if you don’t know how to keep it. It should seem obvious that more intelligent people would get that better than others, though according to a study, the reality isn’t what you might expect.

The study, done by a researcher at Ohio State University, involved 7,400 Americans in their forties and examined how their IQ scores compared to their average earnings. He found a definite relationship between IQ scores and high earnings, as every IQ point translated to an additional income of $234 to $616 per year. Counterintuitively, the study also showed that people with higher IQs are a bit more likely to be in financial difficulty than those with lower scores.^[3]

7 Disadvantages During Early Days Of Evolution

One of the most widely believed facts about intelligence is that it gave us an edge during our early days, which sounds intuitive. After all, being able to calculate how far ahead a predator is just by observing aspects of its footprints, for example, must have provided a higher chance at surviving long enough to procreate.

As a lot of research suggests, though, that’s absolutely not the case. During our early days, being intelligent wouldn’t actually have been much of an advantage, as early humans were already mentally equipped to deal with problems of that time by evolutionary design. Sure, extra intelligence gives you an advantage over the others in modern times (e.g. being good at numbers may make you better at accounting jobs than others), but it wouldn’t have been needed that often in earlier times, as novel problems were generally uncommon.^[4]

On top of that, intelligent people are more likely to engage in risky behavior than others and to live in solitude, and confidently so, too, which would have been a definite disadvantage back then, with no added advantages against the environment compared to other people.

6 More Likely To Abuse Substances

It doesn’t need to be said that drugs are bad. Sure, many people may be able to recreationally partake without absolutely ruining their lives, but more often than not, getting into drugs is not a healthy lifestyle choice. One would think that more intelligent people would be more likely to abstain, though according to some definitive studies, that’s not the case.

Research conclusively proves that highly intelligent people are more likely to get into drugs then their less intelligent counterparts, something that still surprises scientists. We’re not talking about relatively harmless drugs like marijuana, either, but heavy-duty stuff like cocaine and ecstasy.^[5]

While we don’t quite understand why that’s the case, science says that it may be due to the evolutionary novelty of these substances. Many of today’s drugs didn’t exist for most of human history, and intelligent people may be more drawn toward new experiences than others, as well as more likely to believe themselves to have a better idea of the risk, even if it’s highly likely that they don’t.

5 Less Likely To Confront Their Biases

Whenever we talk about irrational beliefs—like believing in the flat Earth theory or that evolution doesn’t exist—we assume that people with lower intelligence are more susceptible to them. Well, there are no surprises there, as that is absolutely true. Higher intelligence does mean that one is less likely to believe things that are not based in reason and logic, as you’d think.

It’s the exact opposite, however, when it comes to looking inward and being able to challenge one’s own beliefs when irrefutable evidence is provided to the contrary.^[6] Studies indicate that people with higher cognitive abilities are less likely to budge from their positions when an alternative viewpoint is presented with facts, no matter how reasonable or unreasonable their current stand is, something that’s much easier to gauge for obviously dumb beliefs like the Earth being flat.

For an example, smarter people with a particular set of scientific beliefs tend to not budge from them, even if those beliefs are decisively proven inaccurate with a newly published study.

4 More Likely To Fall For The Gambler’s Fallacy

The gambler’s fallacy is a logical fallacy we’re all prone to falling for due to how our brains our designed. While it’s a bit complicated to explain in a single sentence, in essence, it’s the belief that because something has happened a lot in a given period of time, it’s less likely to happen in the future (or vice versa), even if there’s no reason to believe that’s the case. It’s applicable in a lot of cases in real life, the most apparent of them being gambling (hence the name), where gamblers keep expecting a different outcome for the next round based on repetition in previous outcomes.

Surprisingly, smarter people are much more likely to fall for the gambler’s fallacy than others, according to a study conducted on a group of highly intelligent Chinese college students.^[7] While we don’t quite understand why that is, it’s possible that intelligent people are also more rigid in their emotional decision-making, which doesn’t allow them to rationally ascertain the likelihood of future events based on past occurrences.

3 More Likely To Be Overwhelmed Under Pressure

The ability to perform under pressure is an increasingly valuable trait in most modern workplaces, as it’s a competitive and tough world out there. It also happens to be one of the things we brag about on our CVs, regardless of whether it’s true or not. Many people are naturally good at delivering under high-stress situations, and as studies have found, they’re largely people with lower intelligence levels than their high-IQ counterparts.

As counterintuitive as it may sound, studies show that highly intelligent people are more likely to crumble under pressure, especially when the end goal is performance- and reward-related. One of the reasons may be that they tend to be more anxious about the outcome than the others, as they’re used to breezing through challenges in the earlier, less competitive stages of their lives.

Surprisingly, they perform better when the goals are rearranged to be learning-oriented than based on results.^[8] Well, it’s a good thing that most jobs allow you to do your best and learn rather than outright fire you if you don’t meet your monthly targets, then.

2 More Likely To Feel Unfulfilled

The less intellectually gifted among us might assume that the only thing standing between them and complete fulfillment is their intellect. If only they could be better at math or science, they’d definitely be able to leave their boring dead-end jobs and lead a life of utter contentment and happiness. And most of them would be wrong, as high intellect isn’t helpful if satisfaction is your end goal.

On first look, it may seem to not make sense at all, but think about it: Highly intelligent people grow up thinking they can accomplish anything. However, as the real world loves to remind us time and again, no one can achieve anything they want, no matter how gifted they are. So due to unrealistic expectations of themselves, the highly intelligent are prone to being less satisfied with their achievements, even if they’re perfectly good achievements on their own.

This isn’t just some crackpot assertion, either; studies on high-IQ individuals over several decades indicate that high intelligence is directly related to feelings of not having lived up to one’s potential in later periods of our lives.^[9]

1 Less likely To Have Sex In Adolescence

If you’ve ever seen a movie on teenage life, you’ll have come across the oft-repeated “virgin nerd” trope. There’s always that one student who’s supersmart and good at studies. They talk down at others, do smart people stuff, and graduate without ever having found a sexual partner. Of course, we know those people go on to become successful startup founders and other rich professionals in the future, as we’ve all seen The Social Network. So the lack of sex is definitely not true for later life, but what about the adolescent stereotype?

Science says that the movies got that one thing right for sure. Many studies show that smart people are much less likely to have sex at younger ages.^[10] They don’t have to be outright nerds, either, as the data was uniform for anyone with a high IQ score compared to those with average IQs.

You can check out Himanshu’s stuff at Cracked and Screen Rant, get in touch with him for writing gigs, or just say hello to him on Twitter.

Imagine you’re at the helm of a spaceship, cruising through the universe of healthcare. Out of nowhere, a meteor shower of technology—Artificial Intelligence, to be precise—is fast approaching. This AI stuff, it’s zipping around, altering the course of everything we’ve ever known about healthcare. Feeling a bit edgy? You’re not alone. Many of us are strapped in, watching as these AI meteors streak across our healthcare skies, wondering: where are we headed?

But here’s the thing: It’s perfectly okay to feel a touch of nerves. Change can be intimidating, and this AI revolution? It’s like nothing we’ve ever seen before. Imagine ten different ways AI is revamping our healthcare universe, from predicting health trajectories to managing occupational stress. It’s mind-boggling, right?

But guess what? This journey can also be thrilling. It’s like unwrapping a present and finding a tool that just might reshape our world for the better. So buckle up because we’re about to uncover the ten ways Artificial Intelligence is transforming healthcare. Ready to navigate this brave new world together? Let’s dive right in!

Related: 10 Times Artificial Intelligence Displayed Amazing Abilities

10 Diagnosis Made Easy

Have you ever wondered how doctors unfurl the mysteries of diseases? Lately, a friend named Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been their new aid. AI is revolutionizing the way diseases are diagnosed and treatments are suggested.

Imagine you have an unusual rash. Instead of making your way to a clinic and waiting your turn, you just click a photo and upload it on an AI-powered application. Within seconds, you get a probable diagnosis and treatment suggestion.

AI’s proficiency lies in processing an abundance of medical data and identifying patterns or connections that might elude even seasoned medical professionals. AI doesn’t limit itself to common ailments; it aids in the early detection of intricate conditions like cancer and heart disease, often before symptoms manifest.

AI’s role extends beyond diagnosing to suggesting optimal treatment options. It works like an intelligent medical textbook, continuously updating itself with the latest research, guidelines, and individual patient histories.

While this might sound like a sci-fi plot, this is the reality of present-day healthcare. AI is transforming healthcare to be quicker, more accurate, and highly personalized. However, it’s important to remember AI supports doctors; it doesn’t supersede them. The human touch remains paramount in patient care.^[1]

9 Next-Level Medical Imaging

Remember the thrill of playing “I Spy” as a youngster, straining to detect hidden items within a cluttered image? Medical imaging echoes this activity, except our quest is to unearth clues about your body’s internal workings. With AI in our toolkit, it’s akin to wielding an ultra-powered magnifying glass!

Traditional imaging techniques are undoubtedly effective, but occasionally, they might overlook minute details. This is where AI becomes an invaluable ally, capable of identifying the smallest irregularities in an instant. You might wonder, “Could a machine truly rival the precision of the human eye?” An excellent inquiry!

Here’s the unexpected revelation: AI doesn’t merely match human performance—it frequently surpasses it!

Picture the perplexing “Where’s Waldo” conundrums. AI can pinpoint Waldo, identify his lost shoe, and even discern an ant bearing a leaf three pages prior. In healthcare, this equates to detecting potential issues well before they escalate.

With this advanced medical imaging, we’re not simply engaged in playful games. We’re on a mission to defeat diseases, one scan at a time. To me, that’s truly revolutionary! So, are you prepared for a glimpse into the future of healthcare? Because, my friends, it’s shaping up to be extraordinarily promising!^[2]

8 Personalized Treatment

Remember the childhood game “Telephone,” where the message morphs and distorts as it gets passed along? Imagine experiencing that with your prescription instructions—not ideal, is it? That’s where AI enters the scene, functioning as a super-assistant to enhance patient engagement and adherence to medication.

Picture this: You’re prescribed a new medicine, and remembering the schedule is a bit of a challenge. Suddenly, a buzz from an AI-powered app on your smartphone nudges you—it’s time to take your medication. It’s as if you have a supportive friend right in your pocket, prodding you to maintain your regimen.

Here’s the intriguing part. AI isn’t merely a tool for setting reminders. It has the capacity to learn about you, understand why you might be missing doses, and provide advice to help keep you on course. Forget to take your morning pill due to your night owl tendencies? The app might propose transitioning to an evening dosage instead.

This might seem straightforward, but the potential ramifications are immense. By improving medication adherence, we’re promoting better health outcomes, fewer hospital admissions, and an optimized healthcare system.

What’s more, it’s not just about pills and medicines. AI can encourage individuals to adopt healthier dietary habits, increase physical activity, and manage chronic ailments more effectively. It’s akin to having a personal cheerleader in your pocket, promoting healthier routines, and applauding your progress.

So when your phone buzzes with an AI reminder, bear in mind that it’s more than a simple alert. It’s a sophisticated digital ally, determined to guide you on your journey to improved health. Who would have thought adhering to your medication schedule could become this stimulating?^[3]

7 Accelerating Drug Discovery

The journey to unearth a new drug can resemble an arduous search for a tiny needle hidden within a mammoth-sized haystack. However, AI acts as a powerful catalyst in this process, identifying the appropriate drug swiftly and forecasting imminent advancements using historical data.

Picture AI as a navigational instrument guiding us directly to the coveted prize, significantly reducing wasted time and steering us toward the precise remedy. This transformation is not just a game-changer but, indeed, is a life-altering revolution.^[4]

6 Virtual Health Assistants

Picture this: You’re feeling crummy, but your doctor’s office is closed. What’s a person to do? Enter Virtual Health Assistants (VHAs), your anytime, anywhere buddies. These smart helpers are like mini doctors living in your phone, ready to lend a hand when you feel under the weather.

Now, you might be wondering, “But how can an AI know what’s wrong with me?” Well, it’s simpler than you think. Just like how your dog knows it’s walk time when you grab the leash, these VHAs pick up on patterns. They can piece together symptoms and medical history like a jigsaw puzzle, revealing the complete picture of your health.

Sounds too good to be true? Here’s an example: Let’s say you’re up at 3 am with a fever and a scratchy throat. Instead of panicking, you turn to your VHA. It asks you a few questions, kind of like a virtual chat with a doc. In minutes, it suggests you may have strep throat and advises rest and plenty of fluids. It might even help schedule an appointment with your doctor first thing in the morning. How cool is that?

But here’s the crazy part. These VHAs learn. With every interaction, they get smarter, like a virtual medical detective growing sharper with every case. So, in the future, they might even catch things before you notice the symptoms.

It’s like having a superhero sidekick in your pocket, ever vigilant, ready to keep you on track. Who’d have thought our phones could turn into our own personal health allies?^[5]

5 Robotic Surgeries

Welcome to a world where precision, steadiness, and an uncanny finesse characterize the newest members of the surgical team—robots. These high-tech teammates, under the guidance of human surgeons, maneuver with surgical accuracy that can make even a master watchmaker envious.

Picture a surgeon blessed with superpowers, where the robot becomes an extension of their expertise, changing the face of complex procedures and making the impossible possible. For instance, heart surgery, earlier as precarious as threading a needle in a moving car, can now be performed with consistent stability.

This is the transformative power of robotic surgery, enabling human doctors and robots to collaboratively combat illness.^[6]

4 Remote Patient Monitoring

Science fiction becomes a reality with remote patient monitoring, turning concepts of intergalactic healthcare into everyday experiences. This technology, sort of like having a medical clinic in your pocket, diligently monitors vitals such as heart rate or blood sugar, ensuring round-the-clock supervision.

Your device alerts you of any unusual activities, prompting immediate action—a digital guardian angel, as it were. Furthermore, your doctor can evaluate your health from any location.

It’s high-tech meeting high-care, introducing an entirely new era in personalized healthcare.^[7]

3 Predictive Healthcare

Remember when you were a kid, and you’d dream of having a magic ball that could tell the future? Well, we might not have magic balls, but with AI, we’re pretty close. AI can predict health trajectories. Think of it like a weather forecast but for your body.

Let’s paint a picture. Imagine an AI system scanning through tons of medical data, patient histories, research, and trends. With all that info, it can predict potential health risks you might face in the future. It’s like having a crystal ball that gives you a sneak peek at what could be waiting around the corner.

But wait a minute. Doesn’t that sound a bit scary? Sure, it might be a tad unsettling to think about. But here’s the flip side. If we can see health problems coming before they hit, we can take steps to prevent them or lessen their impact. Kinda cool, right?

So instead of a scary future, think of it as a chance to change the narrative. A chance to say, “Nope, not today, health problem. I saw you coming.” With AI’s predictive analysis, we can get ahead of health issues and help ensure a healthier future. So maybe it’s not a magic ball, but it sure seems magical.^[8]

2 Streamlined Administration

Ever watched a juggler tossing balls in the air, spinning plates, and somehow keeping everything from crashing down? Now, imagine doctors doing the same but with paperwork instead of balls and plates. It’s like they’re part of a never-ending circus act, right? Well, here’s the good news. AI’s stepping in to lend a hand, or maybe a few extra arms, to handle these tasks.

AI’s like that super organized friend we all wish we had. It can take care of scheduling appointments, managing records, and even handling billing. Imagine a system that can sift through mountains of patient records in the blink of an eye, find the right appointment slot in a snap, or handle a bill faster than you can say “administrative burden.” Sounds like a dream come true, doesn’t it?

And here’s something that might surprise you. While AI’s doing all this paper pushing, it’s not just making life easier for healthcare professionals. It’s making healthcare better for everyone. How? Well, when doctors have less paperwork to juggle, they’ve got more time to spend with patients. And that means better care, better health, and a happier, healthier world. So AI’s not just a handy helper—it’s a game-changer in healthcare.
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Next time you’re at the doctor’s office, and things seem to be moving a bit smoother, remember—it could be AI working behind the scenes, helping to keep those healthcare balls in the air.^[9]

1 Overcoming Occupational Stress with AI

In the challenging landscape of healthcare, professionals often grapple with a myriad of tasks, resulting in occupational stress. AI, like a dependable sidekick, steps in to relieve some of this burden. From automating time-consuming paperwork to acting as a smart assistant during surgeries, AI offers healthcare professionals valuable support.

AI’s presence isn’t to sideline our healthcare heroes but to empower them to focus more on patient care. In this light, AI is transforming occupational stress in healthcare, not just as a distant possibility, but as an evolving reality, making the future of healthcare more promising than ever.^[10]

Hesitant? We get it. Change, especially when it comes to your health, can be scary. But imagine a world where stress at work is reduced, new drugs are discovered faster, and surgeries become safer—all thanks to AI. That’s the revolution we’re talking about!

So here’s the deal, folks: AI isn’t the bad guy. It’s your sidekick, your secret weapon in taking control of your health. Ready to make the leap? Start by trying a virtual health assistant or checking out AI-powered imaging the next time you need a check-up. Remember, the future of healthcare is here. Let’s seize it!

Chances are when you think of British spycraft, you think of James Bond—the brash, reckless, womanizing, mass murderer featured in dozens of films. Well, aside from his name and tendency to always come out on top, your assumptions are not too far off.

British Intelligence is actually an umbrella term for multiple agencies, such as the SIS, MI5, and others. But regardless of which agency you choose to zoom in on, its history holds its share of scandals. British Intelligence has some less-than-intelligent moments from questionable practices to undetected moles, from bungled operations to poorly-kept secrets. This list brings together ten of those moments, ten of the biggest scandals in the history of British Intelligence.

Related: 10 Ways Secret Intelligence Was Gathered In The Past

10 The Zinoviev Letter

The MI5 certainly affected and may have ultimately decided the 1924 U.K. general election outcome. Their part in the election’s results came from their handling of the infamous Zinoviev Letter.

Just prior to the election, the U.K. Labour Party suffered a major defeat in the form of a vote of no confidence due to their decision not to prosecute a noted Communist author for mutiny. Just after that defeat, MI5 intercepted a letter, the Zinoviev Letter, from a prominent Communist leader that stated that a Labour Party victory would be a victory for Communism in the U.K.

The Labour Party chose to keep the letter a secret, fearing public opinion of its contents, but the letter found its way into the press anyway. Due to anti-Communist sentiments and the dishonesty of the Labour Party, the opposing Conservative Party won the election in a landslide. The letter’s authenticity has been questioned constantly over the years, and some even believe that MI5 created the letter themselves.

9 Legal Torture & Murder

In 2018, Maya Foa, the director for human rights organization Reprieve, became famous for leading a campaign that successfully forced the British government to acknowledge their sanctioning of criminal activity by MI5 agents. The saga has continued into multiple exposés and prolonged trials, and what has emerged from all of it is MI5 agents are allowed to commit criminal acts, the full extent of which is unknown.

There are allegedly many particulars regarding which agents are allowed to commit which acts, but the British government has been thus far unwilling to reveal what those stipulations are, leading many to suspect the worst. As Maya Foa put it: “The idea that the government can authorize undercover agents to commit the most serious crimes, including torture and murder, is deeply troubling and must be challenged.”

8 London Attack

The 2017 London Bridge Attack was either a resounding success for British Intelligence or an utter failure depending on who you ask. Taking place on June 3, 2017, the attack was carried out by members of ISIS. They began by intentionally ramming pedestrians with their van, then started indiscriminately stabbing bystanders before being shot by British police. The speed with which police handled the situation has been praised, especially in light of the explosive vests that each terrorist wore and evidently intended to use. But many raised the obvious questions: How did these terrorists get so far? Could this have been avoided?

One of the terrorists, in particular, Youssef Zaghba, was under surveillance by the Italian government, who warned British Intelligence of the potential threat he posed. The failure of British Intelligence to sufficiently act on this tip led to a flurry of outcry and investigations.

7 Clockwork Orange

Between 1974 and 1975, members of British Intelligence allegedly conspired to conduct a smear campaign against Prime Minister Harold Wilson. Some even claim that their ultimate goal was a coup d’état, seemingly supported by clandestine military maneuvers that Wilson had never authorized.

The extent of British Intelligence’s actions against Wilson is unclear, but one fact confirmed to be true is that MI5 installed secret recording devices in Wilson’s residence at 10 Downing. This led to Wilson enacting a policy, still in effect, that prevents any agency from bugging members of Parliament. The policy is known as the Wilson Doctrine.

6 The Iranian Coup

In 1953, the British MI6, alongside U.S. intelligence, helped overthrow the democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh. They replaced him with a relatively authoritarian monarch, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.

Their public reasoning was the protection of Iran from a Communist takeover. Still, secret documents would later reveal that their true motivation was merely to gain control over the Iranian oil industry.

5 The Butler Review

The Iraq War began in 2003, largely due to claims from George W. Bush and his administration that Iraq was maintaining a secret stockpile of weapons of mass destruction. British Intelligence echoed American claims. The Coalition forces that then invaded the country were led by U.S. and U.K. troops. The biggest issue with that scenario is that Iraq never had any WMDs, and both U.S. and British Intelligence royally failed in their investigation. That, or they blatantly lied about it.

The Review of Intelligence on Weapons of Mass Destruction, more commonly known as the Butler Review, was an official inquest by the British government into why and to what extent British Intelligence had failed so utterly before and during the war. Boiling its findings down to their basic element, the inquest found that U.S. intelligence had been irresponsibly unreliable, and British Intelligence had done next to nothing to fix their Yank comrades’ mistakes.

4 Operation Mass Appeal

Investigations into the lead-up to the Iraq War led to another damning discovery involving British Intelligence: The deliberate falsifying of U.N. documents and misinformation campaign known as Operation Mass Appeal.

Primarily carried out by MI6, Mass Appeal was the large-scale dissemination of exaggerated and even blatantly false information about Iraq, with the intention of drumming up public support for an invasion. U.N. Arms Inspector Scott Ritter wrote a tell-all book about his involvement in Mass Appeal, at one point stating diplomatically, “I was approached by the British intelligence service… to see if there was any information… that could be handed to the British, so that they could, in turn, work it over, determine its veracity, and then seek to plant it in media outlets around the world… Part of this job took on a propaganda aspect.”

3 The Venlo Incident

To be fair, the infamous Venlo incident was less a British Intelligence failure and more a German intelligence success. But it’s the responsibility of intelligence agents to outsmart their enemies (it’s even in the name), so it’s fair to call this a British failure. And a Dutch failure, too, while we’re at it.

On November 9, 1939, two British spies, accompanied by one Dutch spy, traveled to the Dutch town of Venlo to meet with German officers who were allegedly willing to defect. Of course, this was all a ruse by German intelligence, leading to the Dutch agent’s death and the capture of both British agents.

As it came to be called, the Venlo Incident had far-reaching ramifications for the war. It led to Winston Churchill forming an entirely new British Intelligence organization and was used by Hitler to justify his invasion of the Netherlands the following month.

2 Spycatcher

In 1987, a former high-ranking MI5 officer named Peter Wright released a memoir titled Spycatcher: The Candid Autobiography of a Senior Intelligence Officer. In the book, Wright detailed numerous questionable and ethically dubious practices by MI5 members that he had either researched or personally witnessed.

The book was immediately banned in England, and any papers who dared to report on its contents found themselves hit with government-issued gag orders. Easily the best reaction to this was from The Economist, which reviewed the book and (due to a gag order) printed the review in every country except England.

In England, they instead printed an otherwise blank page with the text, “In all but one country, our readers have on this page a review of Spycatcher, a book by an ex-M.I.5-man, Peter Wright. The exception is Britain, where the book, and comment on it, have been banned. For our 420,000 readers there, this page is blank—and the law is an a**.”

1 The Cambridge Five

The story of the Cambridge Five and how they utterly outsmarted the entire country of England is easily the biggest scandal in the history of British Intelligence. In fact, combing through list after list of British Intelligence failures, the Cambridge Five are likely to be the top in most, and the individual five members on their own are most often the following five entries.

The basic facts of the incident say it all: At least five undercover Soviet spies successfully infiltrated British Intelligence and relayed state secrets to the Soviet Union for two to three decades. Moreover, they were only discovered when two of them fled to Moscow, and none of the five were ever prosecuted for their role as Soviet moles.

Between the 1930s and 1950s, the Cambridge Five, so-named because they had all attended Cambridge University, passed on an untold trove of information to the Soviet Union, completely undetected by British Intelligence. Their eventual discovery caused panic among the international community, many beginning to wonder where else Soviet spies were embedding, eluding all detection.