Cringeworthy paper cuts aside, the realm of pain is packed with freaky facts. There is the horror of the world’s most noxious bush, why flesh‑destroying bacteria really hurt, and the family that cannot be hurt. Agony has a sweet side, too. Some pain feels good, and then there is a walk more popular (and crippling) than fire walking.

Why This Top 10 Peculiar List Is Worth Reading

10 Financial Stress Causes Pain

In recent years, researchers noticed a curious thing. As economic insecurity rose, so did complaints of physical discomfort. To see if there was a link, several studies were gathered and analyzed. The umbrella project was thorough: Researchers looked at the lives, worries, and pain levels of thousands of people.

They were divided into six studies that used different methods, but all arrived at the same conclusion. It physically hurts to be financially insecure. Online surveys, consumer panels, and laboratory volunteers faced questions about finances, unemployment, and consumption of painkillers. Some even endured painful tests.

In 2016, the results showed that stress kicked in when income was too low or people feared an insecure future or a lack of control in their lives. Anxiety has similar neural mechanisms to those responsible for pain. This could explain why cash‑strapped volunteers reported buying more painkillers during hard times than those who felt financially secure.

9 Why Pain Feels Good

Some people enjoy eating chilies so hot that it sets their sinuses on fire. Others love painful sex. In 2013, researchers wanted to know why agony can feel good. They found 18 volunteers willing to suffer. The participants were given two tests plus a warning before having their arms burned.

The first test only zapped them with two degrees—no pain and heat equal to holding an uncomfortably hot mug. During the second test, they were mildly stung (the hot mug level) or given very painful burns. The volunteers rated the “mug” as worse during the first session but pleasurable during the second.

To understand this change, researchers studied MRI scans. Throughout both experiments, the participants’ brain activity had been recorded. Surprisingly, when volunteers knew they had avoided something worse (like the painful burn), the brain dulled its pain region and heightened the areas for pain relief and pleasure.

That was why a bad experience from the first test felt good in the second. Somehow, after expecting the worst, feeling emotional relief made the weaker burn pleasurable.

8 Hijacked Pain Receptors

Several strains of bacteria cause the terrifying “flesh‑eating disease,” but Streptococcus pyogenes is the most rampant. Technically called necrotizing fasciitis, the deadly disease comes with a high mortality rate. One would expect a gruesome condition like fasciitis to hurt. In fact, it is excruciating. The real reason behind the agony was found in 2018, and it was scary.

With a freaky intelligence, the bacteria hijacks the victim’s pain receptors to escape their immune system. It starts during the early stages of infection when S. pyogenes releases a poison. The toxin manipulates neurons to unleash pain and a peptide that stops the immune system from attacking the bacteria. This allows the disease to flourish.

Oddly, a beauty fad might help. Scientists turned to Botox (Botulinum toxin), a protein injection that smooths out wrinkles. In infected mice, Botox blocked the hijacked nerve signals from interfering with the immune system.

7 Swearing Is A Painkiller

All languages have one thing in common—scarlet words. Cussing is as old as the mountains, and there might be an interesting reason behind its longevity. Swearing, which is a common response to injuries, boosts pain tolerance.

In 2009, scientists warily considered the possibility. Since sailor‑speak often exaggerates pain, they thought it would lower tolerance instead. Around 64 volunteers agreed to find out the truth. All they had to do was hold their hands in ice water for as long as possible.

The first time, they swore until the room’s paint peeled. During the second time, they had to repeat one word with which they would describe a table. Something normal, like “wooden” or “furniture.” To the surprise of the researchers, cussing kept the participants’ agonized hands underwater for longer.

A plausible theory suggested that cursing is an aggressive act. This could activate the fight‑or‑flight response, a survival mechanism that allows greater pain resistance.

6 Thermal Grill Illusion Twist

The thermal grill illusion is a pain experiment. A volunteer’s middle finger is chilled to around 20 °C (68 °F). At the same time, the ring and index fingers are warmed to 40 °C (104 °F).

This combination produces a burning heat in the middle finger. The illusion happens as the brain tries to understand three fingers simultaneously sending signals about pain and different temperatures. The “heat” in the cold finger occurs when the outer fingers with their real heat block the skin’s cooling receptors. These receptors usually lessen pain. But overwhelmed, the brain thinks the cold middle finger is burning.

In 2015, scientists found that the brain also became confused when volunteers crossed their fingers. When the middle finger crossed over the index finger, the burning subsided. When the index finger was cooled down, the middle and ring fingers received heat, and the middle once again crossed over the index, the burning became worse.

5 Mirror‑Touch Synesthesia

Human senses can overlap. This phenomenon is known as synesthesia. Some people taste words. Others experience color with sound or when reading words.

A pain‑related version is called mirror‑touch synesthesia. Physical contact ignites certain brain regions. When observing another person being touched, the viewer’s brain activates similar areas. This is normal for everybody. In those with mirror‑touch synesthesia, this mechanism is overactive. They actually feel what they see.

When seeing a couple kiss, their lips might tingle. While pleasant sensations are part of this sensory overlap, it must be the most painful type of synesthesia. Even watching violent movies can be a difficult experience.

In 2007, a study discovered something interesting. Researchers asked a group of mirror‑touch people to fill out a questionnaire specifically designed to measure empathy. Not only did they score higher than those without the condition, but they were almost super‑empathetic. For some reason, they have an unusually intense ability to put themselves in others’ shoes.

4 World’s Most Painful Plant

Forget about taking a gympie bush home. This is no pot plant. Found in the Australian rain forests, this shrub is taller than a man and grows furry leaves soft enough to invite a touch.

Bad idea. The hairs are filled with a mysterious poison. Once touched, they unleash excruciating agony.

A man stung in 1941 had to be restrained for three weeks in the hospital. Another killed himself to escape the pain. A scientist who got stung likened the experience to simultaneously being burned by acid and getting electrocuted.

The sadistic shrub can torture a victim for up to six months, which is how long the hairs can stay under the skin. When the area is pressed or washed, the pain flares up again. Even museum workers have to be careful. Samples stored well over 100 years ago can still cause burns.

Merely standing near a gympie is asking for trouble. After 20 minutes, something causes violent sneezing, nosebleeds, and possible respiratory trauma. It is so noxious that scientists working in close proximity to the bush must regularly replace their face masks. Although never proven, a likely theory suggests that the hairs can become airborne.

3 Family With No Pain

For years, scientists were dumbfounded by the Marsili family from Italy. They do not experience pain like the rest of humanity. Broken bone? Seconds later, they feel fine. Fractures go unnoticed. For at least three generations, the Marsilis felt neither pain when burned nor discomfort when sick.

There was a downside. Sometimes, they never realized a serious injury had taken place. The person would continue with his daily life, which delayed treatment and aggravated the condition.

In 2017, blood samples revealed the cause. A gene called ZFHX2 carried a mysterious mutation. To test the gene, two groups of mice were bred to either have the mutation or lack ZFHX2 completely. Those with the missing gene had a higher pain tolerance, but the mice with the mutation felt no pain at all.

The mutation remains poorly understood but could play a role in the disruption of pain signaling. Scientists aim to unravel this mystery and use the information to develop relief for patients with chronic pain. Speaking of being cured, the Marsilis said that they would refuse the offer to experience pain like everyone else if researchers find a way to reverse the rare syndrome.

2 LEGO Walking vs. Fire Walking

A recent craze is LEGO walking. Similar to fire walking or strolling over glass, a person must walk barefoot over a bunch of toy bricks. The colorful challenge is highly popular at events, workshops, and entertainment outlets. This is odd considering that walking over the blocks hurts more than doing a fire, glass, or ice walk. Russell Cassevah found this out the hard way.

In 2018, he entered the Guinness World Records after completing the world’s longest LEGO walk. After limping an incredible 834 meters (2,737 ft), Cassevah received a certificate and a medic for his bleeding feet. Nobody has tried to break the record since.

Toy bricks may sound safer, but hot coals cannot burn when properly prepared and the walker moves at a quick pace. Similarly, glass walks are designed to avoid cuts. The shards are small and strewn in a thin layer, allowing walkers to flatten them safely.

However, a LEGO walk cannot flatten out. The bricks shift under a walker’s weight, stabbing exceptionally hard edges into the 200,000 receptors found in the foot. This unhappy combination is the reason why stepping on even a single LEGO brick can be excruciating.

1 Robots That Feel Pain

In 2016, scientists crossed another threshold in robotics. The development—robots capable of experiencing pain—could save human lives. Robots that recognize sources of pain can warn people who are nearby that they might be in danger.

Agony‑weary equipment could also minimize repair costs. Pain is a warning system. (Hey person, stop running, you just broke your leg.) This same response can tell a robot to stop working when there is a threat to its system, preventing the costly damage from blundering on.

To do the job, researchers developed an artificial nervous system capable of sensing and reacting to things that cause pain. Robots that experience pain exactly like humans are still a distant dream.

However, the 2016 prototype was impressive. It was a robot arm fitted with a fingertip. The latter had a sensor modeled on human skin and could recognize pressure and temperature.

Based on the extremity of each (originating from sharp or hot objects), the arm made decisions. Slight pain made the arm retract until the feeling disappeared. Then the robot returned to its original task. Severe pain forced the arm into lockdown mode to await human assistance.

When you think of medieval dentistry, you might picture patients gnawing on whiskey to dull the pain. Yet the ancient world boasted a surprisingly sophisticated arsenal of pain‑relieving tricks. In this top 10 ancient roundup we’ll explore the herbs, techniques, and even a bit of chemistry that kept people from screaming on the operating table.

Top 10 Ancient Pain Relievers Overview

10 Opium

As far back as 3400 BC, opium poppies were cultivated in lower Mesopotamia. The Sumerians dubbed the poppy Hul Gil, meaning “joy plant,” a hint that they recognized its euphoric and numbing qualities.

The know‑how of harvesting poppies and extracting raw opium traveled from the Sumerians to the Assyrians, then to the Babylonians, and finally to the Egyptians. By 1300 BC the Egyptians were growing their own poppies, and the opium trade flourished under pharaohs such as Thutmose IV, Akhenaten, and Tutankhamun.

In 330 BC Alexander the Great introduced opium to the Persians and Indians. Although Europe suppressed its use around 1300, branding it demonic, by 1527 the drug re‑emerged in medicinal practice.

Opium proved a powerful anesthetic, yet its recreational appeal sparked smuggling, trafficking, and criminal intrigue. Even today, opium’s reputation swings between a therapeutic boon and a societal menace, depending on its application.

9 Henbane

Much like other medicinal herbs, Hyoscyamus niger—commonly called henbane—exhibits psychotropic effects, but ancient practitioners also harnessed it as an anesthetic.

Henbane belongs to the nightshade family and packs both atropine—a poison that relaxes muscles—and scopolamine, an alkaloid that can quell nausea, calm patients, or induce sleep. By the first century AD, physicians were already employing it to dull pain.

In ancient Anatolia, the plant was known as beng or benc. Whether taken as a pill or smoked, it served to soothe toothaches, earaches, and a host of other ailments.

One clever tooth‑ache remedy involved fumigating the mouth: after rinsing with warm water, patients would sprinkle henbane seeds—rich in atropine and scopolamine—over hot coals. The rising smoke entered the oral cavity, easing the dental pain.

8 Acupuncture

The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine (c. 100 BC) is the earliest text that formally presents acupuncture as a systematic method of diagnosis and treatment, framed as a dialogue between an emperor and his minister Chhi‑Po.

The treatise likely codifies centuries‑old Taoist practices, describing life‑force channels—known as meridians—that guide the placement of needles at precise points to address diverse conditions.

Acupuncture fell out of favor in the 17th century and was outlawed in 1929, only to be reinstated as a legitimate medical alternative in 1949. Since then the technique spread to Japan and eventually Europe and the United States, though scientific studies have offered limited support for its pain‑relieving claims.

According to traditional theory, practitioners insert a variety of needles into hundreds of specific points to balance yin and yang flowing through the body’s meridians.

Skeptics argue that most analgesic effects stem from placebo, yet some researchers suggest that certain points may act as trigger sites that provoke genuine physiological responses.

7 Mandragora

One of the earliest agents capable of rendering patients fully unconscious appears to be mandragora. The Greek physician Dioscorides (AD 40–90) recorded that wine infused with mandrake produced a profound sleep, which he called “anesthesia.”

In 13th‑century Italy, surgeon Ugo Borgognoni (Hugh of Lucca) popularized the “soporific sponge,” a concoction soaked in opium, mandragora, hemlock juice, and other substances, dried, then re‑moistened and held over a patient’s nose until its fumes induced unconsciousness.

6 Datura

Although derived from a poisonous plant, the thorn apple—also known as jimsonweed or Datura—served as a popular ancient analgesic and sleep aid, earning mentions from Dioscorides (AD 40–90), Theophrastus (370–285 BC), Celsus (fl. AD 37), and Pliny the Elder (AD 23–79).

The drug carried serious side effects: a single drachma (≈3.4 g) mixed with wine could trigger vivid hallucinations, while two drachmas induced three days of madness. Larger doses risked permanent insanity or even death.

Despite its efficacy in easing surgical pain, improper dosing could be fatal, earning Datura the nickname “Devil’s apple.”

5 Ethylene

At the Delphic oracle, the Pythian priestess of Apollo delivered prophecies after inhaling gases seeping from fault lines beneath the temple—gases that may have included ethylene, an inhaled anesthetic.

By 1930 ethylene was celebrated as the “new” general anesthetic, poised to replace chloroform, which was falling out of favor due to sudden‑death risks, and ether, notorious for causing nausea and vomiting post‑operation.

A surgeon who employed ethylene in roughly 800 procedures reported that patients slipped into unconsciousness within three to eight minutes, typically without panic or a sense of suffocation, and recovered swiftly once the mask was removed.

Ethylene offered several advantages: it was less toxic to the nervous system and body cells, caused fewer headaches, did not irritate lungs, and avoided spikes in blood pressure, excessive bleeding, or post‑operative sweating. It also produced minimal acidosis and rarely induced gas pains.

However, ethylene’s faint odor was a minor drawback, and its extreme explosiveness prohibited use with cauterizing tools, open flames, or in X‑ray rooms.

Aside from those limitations, ethylene proved suitable for virtually any operation, a fact the Delphic priestess would likely have approved of.

4 Cannabis

As early as 2900 BC Chinese Emperor Fu noted cannabis as a pain‑reliever, and the herb appears in the Rh‑Ya, a 15th‑century BC Chinese pharmacopoeia that functioned as an ancient drug encyclopedia. From China, cannabis‑based analgesia spread worldwide.

Around 1000 BC Indian practitioners blended cannabis with milk to produce a painkiller called bhang. Later, the plant was employed to soothe earaches, swelling, and inflammation.

By AD 200, Chinese physician Hua To crafted an anesthetic mixture of cannabis, resin, and wine, rendering abdominal, loin, and chest surgeries nearly painless. By AD 800, Arab doctors turned to cannabis for migraine relief.

3 Corydalis Plant

In ancient China, tubers of the Corydalis plant were excavated, boiled in vinegar, and used to ease headaches and backaches. Belonging to the poppy family, Corydalis thrives mainly in central‑eastern China.

Modern scientists recognize its analgesic power thanks to dehydrocorybulbine (DHCB), a natural compound that acts similarly to morphine. As pharmacologist Olivier Civelli of UC Irvine explains, “This medicine goes back thousands of years, and it is still around because it works.”

Ancient Chinese healers believed the plant relieved pain by improving the flow of chi. Contemporary research shows DHCB binds dopamine receptors rather than the opioid receptors targeted by morphine, and unlike morphine, it is non‑addictive.

Ironically, a centuries‑old Chinese remedy may pave the way for future pain‑killers, as scientists explore DHCB’s potential to combat various types of chronic pain.

2 Carotid Compression

One ancient method of pain control involved inducing unconsciousness by compressing the carotid arteries in the neck, thereby temporarily reducing—or even halting—blood flow from the heart to the brain.

Aristotle observed the technique’s effectiveness, noting that external pressure on these vessels could render a person insensible without actual choking, causing them to collapse.

The ancients recognized this effect, as reflected in the term karotids or karos, meaning “to stupefy or plunge into deep sleep.” Rufus of Ephesus (c. AD 100) claimed the name carotid derived from this very phenomenon.

A sculptural relief on the south side of the Parthenon depicts a centaur pressing the left carotid artery of a Lapith warrior, illustrating that Greeks were aware of this method both in warfare and medicine.

1 Willow Bark

For centuries, the bark of the willow tree served as an anti‑inflammatory remedy that alleviated pain. White willows grew along the Nile’s banks, offering an abundant source of bark.

The Ebers Papyrus—a medical compilation dating to about 1500 BC—records willow bark’s use as a painkiller. Ancient Chinese and Greek physicians also employed it, and Dioscorides highlighted its anti‑inflammatory properties.

Modern research attributes its efficacy to salicin, a chemical akin to aspirin. Studies suggest willow bark may be more effective than aspirin at lower doses, making it a lasting remedy for headaches, backaches, and osteoarthritis.

Gary Pullman, an instructor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, lives south of Area 51—a fact his friends say “explains a lot.” He authored the 2016 urban fantasy novel A Whole World Full of Hurt, published by The Wild Rose Press.

At the end of Furious 7, as Dom Toretto strolls away from the beach, the haunting refrain of “See You Again” begins to play. The melody follows him down an empty road, pauses at a stop‑light, and then a car pulls up alongside. He looks up to see Brian O’Connor grinning back at him. A montage of Brian’s Fast & Furious moments floods the screen. The two drive side‑by‑side, eventually parting ways as the song swells, and the screen fades to white with the words “For Paul” flashing across. That cinematic moment captures how a single song can become a memorial for loss, a theme that runs deep through the ten tracks we’re about to explore.

Why These Top 10 Beautiful Songs Touch Our Hearts

10 The Icicle Melts

On February 12, 1993, just a month shy of his third birthday, little James Bulger was snatched from a shopping centre in Bootle, Liverpool by two ten‑year‑old boys. The pair dragged the toddler to a railway line over two miles away, where they subjected him to unspeakable torture before ending his short life. In November 1993, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables were convicted, becoming the youngest murderers on record in modern British history.

The horror of the case struck a chord with Dolores O’Riordan of The Cranberries. Overwhelmed, she channeled her anguish into songwriting, penning “The Icicle Melts” as a direct response to James’ tragedy. In a 1994 interview, O’Riordan explained that the sheer devastation of the murder compelled her to write the song, a way of processing the pain she felt.

Although some later speculated the track might be a pro‑life statement, the widely accepted interpretation remains that “The Icicle Melts” was crafted as a heartfelt tribute to the innocent boy whose life was brutally cut short.

9 Praying

In 2011, the DAS (Domestic Abuse and Sexual) case against Kesha brought to light that she had warned several confidants back in 2005 about Dr. Luke, her then‑producer and head of Kemosabe Records, engaging in “unethical and unlawful actions.” Allegations included a date‑rape drug being used to facilitate a sexual assault in a hotel room that year.

The legal battle stretched for years. Kesha claimed Luke forced her to release “Die Young” amid backlash, while in 2014 she sued him for sexual assault, physical abuse, and the resulting depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Luke counter‑sued Kesha, her mother, and manager Jack Rovner for defamation. Even Lady Gaga was inadvertently drawn in when she mentioned being assaulted by an unnamed producer, though she never confirmed it was Luke.

Disturbing emails released in 2017 suggested Luke pressured Kesha into dieting. That same year Luke stepped down as CEO of Kemosabe Records. After his departure, Kesha unveiled “Praying,” her first solo release post‑lawsuit. Though legal wrangling persisted into 2021, the track stands as a luminous beacon amidst the darkness.

Kesha has explained that “Praying” is about hoping anyone—abusers included—can find healing, turning personal trauma into a universal anthem of resilience.

8 I Believe

On December 14, 2012, 20‑year‑old Adam Lanza murdered his mother before storming Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, where he killed 20 first‑graders and six teachers before ending his own life. The motive remains unknown, though mental‑health issues were cited as a factor.

Country legend George Strait, who had already endured the loss of his own daughter in a 1986 car accident, felt compelled to honor the Sandy Hook victims. He penned “I Believe,” initially hesitant to avoid exploiting the families’ grief. Ultimately, with encouragement from his wife, he released the moving tribute in 2013.

7 She’s Going Places

The 2011 acquittal of Casey Anthony for the first‑degree murder of her two‑year‑old daughter Caylee was one of the most contentious criminal trials in recent memory. While Caylee’s disappearance sparked nationwide outrage, Anthony displayed a chilling lack of emotion, continuing to party as the investigation unfolded. Though evidence pointed heavily toward her, the jury found insufficient proof for conviction, sparing her from a potential death‑penalty sentence.

In response, Gary Levox, lead vocalist of Rascal Flatts, re‑recorded “She’s Going Places” as a tribute to Caylee. Co‑writers Cledus T. Judd and Jimmy Yeary rewrote the lyrics to focus solely on the innocent child, deliberately avoiding any reference to Casey Anthony.

6 Candle in the Wind

Bernie Taupin, a lifelong admirer of Marilyn Monroe, teamed up with Elton John to craft “Candle in the Wind.” Inspired by a tribute to Jan Joplin that used the same phrase, the song served as a heartfelt ode to Monroe’s fleeting life. Taupin later noted that the lyrics could also apply to other tragic icons like James Dean, Montgomery Clift, or Jim Morrison.

Fast forward to 1997: the world mourned Princess Diana’s untimely death. Taupin and Elton John re‑imagined the lyrics, turning the ballad into a tribute to Diana. Performed at her funeral, the single became the UK’s best‑selling record of all time.

Elton vowed never to perform the reworked version again unless Diana’s sons specifically requested it, preserving its solemn significance.

5 Heaven (9/11 Remix)

Originally recorded in 1983 for the “A Night in Heaven” soundtrack, “Heaven” drew inspiration from Journey’s “Faithfully” and later became Bryan Adams’ first Billboard Hot 100 number‑one. In 2001, DJ Sammy released a dance‑floor cover that topped the UK Singles Chart.

A stripped‑down “Candlelight Mix” emerged in 2003. That same year, California’s KKXX radio station produced a tribute version to commemorate the first anniversary of the September 11 attacks. A program director asked his daughter to read a scripted message, weaving her words between the original chorus.

The “Heaven 9/11 Remix” quickly became one of the station’s most requested tracks, spreading worldwide as a poignant reminder of the day’s collective grief.

4 Hurt

In a Netflix episode of “Song Exploder,” Trent Reznor revealed that he felt perpetually like an outsider, with sadness and abandonment shadowing his life. Struggling with fame, these emotions birthed the haunting original “Hurt.”

When Johnny Cash covered the song in 2002, his frail, 70‑year‑old voice lent a raw, prophetic weight to the lyrics. Recorded in February 2003, the accompanying video—shot just months before Cash lost his beloved wife—captures a man confronting his own mortality. Cash passed away in September 2003, making the cover a final, poignant statement.

The album “American IV,” featuring “Hurt,” achieved gold status in the United States, cementing Cash’s late‑career resurgence.

3 Dear Hate

On June 17, 2015, 21‑year‑old Dylann Roof entered Charleston’s Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, opening fire on a Bible study and killing nine congregants. Two days later, Maren Morris penned “Dear Hate,” recording it a year later but holding back from release, sensing the timing wasn’t right.

Tragedy struck again on October 1, 2017, when 64‑year‑old Stephen Paddock opened fire on the Route 91 Harvest music festival in Las Vegas, killing 60. Overwhelmed, Morris posted the song online, sharing an Instagram caption that read: “Hate is everywhere, and I’m sick of not doing enough. In the darkest tunnel, there is still love & music. That’s what it’s here for. Here is ‘Dear Hate.’ Any cent I see from this I’m donating to the Music City Cares Fund.”

The track became a rallying cry, reminding listeners that even amid hatred, love and music endure.

2 All My Love

Led Zeppelin, one of rock’s most iconic bands, gifted the world timeless anthems like “Immigrant Song,” “Whole Lotta Love,” and “Stairway to Heaven.” Yet in 1977, frontman Robert Plant faced a personal calamity: the sudden death of his five‑year‑old son, Karac, from illness.

Plant’s wife called during the band’s American tour, expressing worry over Karac’s sudden sickness. Mere hours later, another call delivered the devastating news of his son’s passing. Grief threatened to end Plant’s musical journey, but he pressed on, contributing to the band’s final album “In Through the Out Door.”

Among the tracks, “All My Love” stands as a tender tribute to Karac, recorded in a single session because Plant could not bear to repeat the heart‑wrenching lyrics.

1 Children of the Rainbow

Pete Seeger released the folk classic “My Rainbow Race” in 1973, which Norwegian translator Lillebjørn Nilsen adapted as “Barn av Regnbuen” (“Children of the Rainbow”). The song quickly rose to become the sixth‑best‑selling single in Norway that year.

On July 22, 2011, Anders Behring Breivik detonated a van bomb in Oslo and then opened fire on a summer camp at Utøya island, killing 77. During his trial, Breivik denounced “Children of the Rainbow” as Marxist propaganda, claiming it brainwashed Norwegian youth.

In defiance, Nilsen organized a massive communal sing‑along during the trial. Over 40,000 Oslo residents gathered to chant the song, with more joining from squares across the nation—turning a hateful accusation into a powerful statement of unity.

These ten tracks remind us that even in the darkest moments, music can illuminate, heal, and unite.

Throughout history, human beings have created extremely cruel torture devices designed to cause huge pain. While some of these devices were designed to face a slow, painful death, many inflicted so much pain and left such damage that the victims died of blood-loss or infections. Many torture methods and contractions, like the head crushers, breast ripper, or crocodile shears, which were designed to deform the victim, but ended up killing the victim. But many torture devices left the victim to deal with lifelong agony and deformity. Let us take a look at Cruel Torture Devices Designed to Cause Huge Pain.

10 Most Cruel Torture Devices of All Time:

10. Scold’s Bridle

16th century Scotland and England used Scold’s Bridle on women considered as witches, shrews or scolds, particularly for public humiliation. It was an iron mask which attached to a helmet. The contraption was attached to the head of the woman, and the bridle-bit, which measured 2” long and 1” wide, and was studded with spikes, would be inserted into the mouth. This effectively stopped the person from speaking or even moving the tongue, or she would undergo cause immense pain.

9. Tongue Tearer

A Tongue Tearer looked like an extra-large pair of scissors. It was used to cut off the tongue of the victim without any effort. The mouth of the victim would first be forced open using a device called a mouth opener. After that the Tngue Tearer, made of iron, would be used to firmly clasp his tongue with the rough grippers of the device. The tongue of the person being tortured would then be twitched uncomfortably. Then, after tightening the screw, tongue would be torn out roughly.

8. Lead Sprinkler

A Lead Sprinkler was one of the cruel torture devices designed to cause huge pain. The device was usually filled with molten lead, though other liquids such as tar, boiling oil, water, etc., were also used, at high temperature, which could severely scald skin. The victim was tortured using this device by dripping the hot and burning content onto the stomach or other parts of the body, including the eyes. Even molten silver would be poured on the victim’s eyes, to produce the most fatal effects.

7. Knee Splitter

Knee Splitters were employed in the 12th century, during the Inquisition. The contraption had two wooded blocks with spikes. The number of spikes ranged from 3 to 20, and depended on the gravity of the crime committed by the person being punished. These spikes are driven into the flesh of the victim, and once the spikes are embedded into the victim’s leg, the blocks are drawn closer to each other using two large screws, to slowly pulverize the knee, just as the device’s name suggests.

6. Thumb Screws

Thumb Screws, also called Pilliwinks, were used in Medieval Europe as a cruel torture devices designed to cause huge pain. It was used to crush the thumb, fingers and toes of the victim, which were inserted into the contraption, with screws cranking down to pulverize the digits. Sometimes, the crushing bars would have spikes to intensify the pain. Weirdly, during Renaissance eras of England, these were used to straighten and elongate a woman’s fingers, to make them elegant.

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5. Heretic’s Fork/Neck Torture

Heretic’s Fork was metal device with two bi-pronged forks attached to a belt strapped round the victim’s neck, with one fork pointed to the chin, and the other to the sternum, while the victim remained suspended. The device prevented sleep, because, the prongs would pierce their throat and chest if the head dropped. The Neck Torture worked similarly, with a metal or wooden device studded with spikes around the victim’ neck preventing eating, lying down, or any other activity.

4. Scavenger’s Daughter

Queen Elizabeth I used Scavenger’s Daughter, also called Skeffington’s gyves, invented by a Brit named Skevington, against Protestants accused of treason. The apparatus had an iron hoop. The victim had to to sit on one half of it, with the other half crushing him further into an involuntary rigid crouch, as the screw would tighten the hinge in the middle. This would eventually crack the victim’s ribs and breastbone and dislocate the spine. It could even lead to bleeding from fingertips and face.

3. Rack/Horse/Strappado

The Rack, used in Europe, came in many forms, like the Horse. Basically, the victim would be tied down, as a mechanical device, tightened the rope to dislocate the joints, often long enough to tear the limbs off. In case of a Horse, the victim was to the top of a beam, i.e. Horse-back, facing up, while, pulleys below tightened the ropes. The Strappado, used in Palestine, does not have a base for the body to lie on, but the tied arms were wrenched out of the joints of the hanging prisoner.

2. Pear of Anguish

Pears of Anguish were metal tools, mainly for women. Different kinds were inserted into the vagina of a woman, or the mouth or throat of the person being tortured. Shaped like a pear, the device had four ‘leaves’ which were operated by a screw at the top. Once inserted into the orifice of a person for abortion, witchery, miscarriage, homosexuality, adultery, blasphemy, lies, etc., to spread it open, tearing the muscles, causing permanent internal damage, or to dislocate or break jawbones.

1. The Judas Cradle

Judas Cradle was torture device, not designed to kill, but to inflict pain and humiliation. With a steel collar attached to the victim’s waist, a pyramid-shaped tool would be impaled into his intently stretched orifice. The pressure caused excessive pain. The torturer could lift the victim with rope and pulley system and lower him again, driving the penetrative part deeper into the victim. Torture sessions lasted for days. Also, the device was rarely washed, causing life-threatening infections.

The physical conditions in which the victims were left from the cruel torture devices designed to cause huge pain would not only incapacitate them, but also screamed of their criminal history, almost always, even if the crimes were as trivial as petty theft, or they were not criminals, at all, and yet were punished on the basis of just accusation, or for alternate sexuality. Though not a frequent happening, death occurred, too. If that didn’t happen, the torturers and punishers made sure that these torture devices were supplemented with other forms of painful torture and humiliation.

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