People often say, “A picture paints a thousand words.” While that holds true for most pictures, Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa has for centuries continued to evade the understanding of art critics, historians, and the public.

On display in the Louvre, the tiny portrait is often touted as “the best known, the most visited, the most written about, the most sung about, the most parodied work of art in the world.” As such, a deeper investigation into the mysterious smiling woman on the canvas reveals much more than meets the eye.

10 Who Is She?

The true identity of the portrait sitter remains a mysterious aspect. The majority of thinkers believe the woman to be 24-year-old Lisa Maria de Gherardini (aka Lisa del Giocondo), an Italian noblewoman born in Florence in 1479.

Her portrait was commissioned by her husband, Francesco di Bartolomeo di Zanobi del Giocondo. She lived a middle-class life with her husband working as a silk and cloth merchant. She conceived five children: Piero, Andrea, Camilla, Giocondo, and Marietta.

Other hypotheses suggest that the woman in the painting matches the face of Caterina Sforza, the countess of Forli, and a most formidable foe in military operations. Another theory proposes the young lady to be a mistress of Giuliano de’ Medici, the ruler of Florence, or Isabella d’Este, the marquise of Mantua. Others have thought the woman to be a portrait of da Vinci’s mother or da Vinci himself due to the similarity of facial structures.^[1]

9 The Mona Lisa Smile

Mona Lisa’s enigmatic, intriguing, and profoundly perplexing smile is perhaps one of the most mysterious elements of da Vinci’s oil painting.

For five centuries, it has been argued whether she is smiling at all, whether she’s happy, or whether she’s sad. Professor Margaret Livingstone of Harvard University suggests that the “low spatial frequencies” at which the portrait is painted creates a striking smile when viewers look into her eyes.

With the development of “emotion recognition” computer programs in 2005 by Dutch researchers, the painting was revealed to be 83 percent happy, 9 percent disgusted, 6 percent fearful, 2 percent angry, less than 1 percent neutral, and 0 percent surprised.

However, many have said that her smile changes depending on where you look and at which angle and distance. In a close-up viewing, the fine detail gives the impression of a demure expression. But from far away, she appears to be smiling cheerfully.^[2]

8 Secret Codes

Through the microscope’s magnification of high-resolution images of the painting, Italy’s National Committee for Cultural Heritage has revealed the presence of a series of letters and numbers painted on numerous features of the canvas.

In Mona Lisa’s right eye, art historian Silvano Vinceti states that the letters “LV” appear, which is theorized to represent the artist’s own name, Leonardo da Vinci. In the left eye, the unclear outlines of the letters “CE” or possibly a “B” can be viewed. The bridge in the background features the number “72” or the letter “L” followed by a “2” painted onto its arch.

One may wonder what the artist intended when he mysteriously painted these letters and numbers in a form invisible to the naked eye.^[3]

7 The Unknown Bridge

The dreamlike vista behind Mona Lisa’s head is often overshadowed by the allure of her face. But the three-arched bridge in the background begs the question about the exact location of the hazy, mysterious landscape.

Italian historian Carla Glori suggests that the bridge featured over the left shoulder of the woman is known as the Ponte Gobbo or Ponte Vecchio (“Old Bridge”). It is situated in Bobbio, a small village in a hilly country south of Piacenza in northern Italy.

Glori’s theory follows Vinceti’s finding of the number “72” secretly hidden in the stone bridge. She proposes that the number is a reference to the year 1472. In 1472, a disastrous flood occurred. The River Trebbia burst its banks and destroyed the bridge of Bobbio.

In her book The Leonardo Enigma, Glori theorizes that “Leonardo added in the number 72 beneath the bridge to record the devastating flood of the River Trebbia and to allow it to be identified.”^[4]

6 An Unsettling Gaze

How is it possible that her gaze seems to extend beyond the confines of the painting, but simultaneously, it is directly held at the viewer? No matter where you move, she continues to meet you eye to eye. In our three-dimensional world, shadows and light on surfaces should shift according to our vantage point. But this does not correlate to a two-dimensional surface.

This optical phenomenon can be explained by a scientific understanding described by the University of Ohio which shows that an image may appear exactly the same no matter the angle at which it is viewed. Unknown to Leonardo da Vinci, his masterful manipulation of chiaroscuro on the canvas creates an intensely realistic sense of depth in the interplay of shadow and light.

Indeed, this phenomenon creates perspective and gives the Mona Lisa her unsettling gaze.^[5]

5 A Hidden Painting Behind The Portrait

Using infrared and laser imaging on the Mona Lisa in 2006, scientists in Canada revealed da Vinci’s rudimentary sketches, including a change of position in the index and middle fingers of the left hand. Through this, numerous discoveries emerged, such as the lace drawn on Mona Lisa’s dress and the blanket on her knees extending to cover her stomach.

In 2015, French engineer Pascal Cotte used similar techniques of projecting light beams at varying wavelengths onto the work and measuring the quantities of light reflected back. Curiously, his discovery presented a secret portrait behind the Mona Lisa we see today.^[6]

In what Cotte terms the “layer amplification method,” he states, “We can analyze exactly what happens inside the layers of the painting’s creation, and we can peel them like an onion.” Cotte found four images beneath the uppermost painted surface, including a painting of a younger woman with petite facial features and no smile.

Different theories have surfaced surrounding the real identity of the woman in the painting, but perhaps her true face will always remain a mystery.

4 The Pregnant Mona Lisa

The art historians who think that the woman is Lisa del Giocondo also believe that she was with child when da Vinci painted her. Her arms crossed over her rounded stomach as well as historical evidence that suggests del Giocondo was pregnant for the second time when the painting was done perpetuate the idea that Mona Lisa was expecting.

Furthermore, the infrared scans indicate evidence of a guarnello (“veil”) draped across her shoulders. A guarnello is an overgarment made of linen and worn by a pregnant woman.^[7]

It has been speculated that this veil could simply be a scarf or piece of fabric hung over her shoulders. However, the Mona Lisa’s hands over her stomach, the historically accurate timing of her pregnancy with that of del Giocondo’s, and the similar use of a guarnello on the pregnant Smeralda Brandini in Sandro Botticelli’s portrait suggest that Mona Lisa was mysteriously hiding a baby bump.

3 Why We Find Her Beautiful

Throughout history, the portrait of Mona Lisa has been cited as an example of timeless beauty. It would be very limiting to suggest that the Mona Lisa’s beauty and intrigue is restricted only to her gaze and her smile as it seems to extend beyond these two features into a transcendental and ineffable beauty that is felt.

The golden ratio is derived from the length to width dimensional relationship of rectangles and is supposedly the most aesthetically pleasing proportion to the human eye. Present in natural structures such as the spiraled center of sunflowers and the man-made columns of the Parthenon, the golden ratio was termed the “divine proportion” by Leonardo da Vinci himself.^[8]

When a rectangle is formed around Mona Lisa’s face as per the ratio, her chin, the top of her head, and her nose are exactly aligned. The prevalence of this golden ratio in the artwork perhaps explains the mysterious intrigue felt by those who behold the portrait. Her proportions are deemed the most pleasing to the eye, producing a sense of natural balance and beauty.

Who knew that mathematics could explain this long-held sense of allure?

2 Stolen Painting

The Mona Lisa was stolen in 1911 by an Italian employee at the Louvre named Vincenzo Perugia. (Some spell his last name “Peruggia.”) He believed that the painting had been stolen from Florence by Napoleon Bonaparte and wished to see it returned to its “true home.”

For two years, the location of the painting remained a complete mystery as media coverage worldwide speculated on possible reasons for its absence and its location. Then, in 1913, Perugia came into contact with Italian art dealer Alfredo Geri. Perugia requested a monetary reimbursement from the Italian government in exchange for transporting the Mona Lisa back to Florence.

Upon the painting’s return, speculation continued. Perugia’s offer to return the painting to Italy had seen him request a rather modest amount of money. The public began questioning whether the incident of the stolen painting was all a ruse created to increase interest in the painting and the gallery.

When it was revealed that the thief behind the stolen painting—who had collaborated with Perugia—was none other than the well-known art forger Eduardo de Valfierno, people began theorizing that the Mona Lisa was stolen to make a copy of the painting and sell the forged copies to unaware art collectors for vast amounts of money.^[9]

1 The Ill Mona Lisa

The mystery behind Mona Lisa’s lopsided smirk has perhaps finally been cracked by a Boston physician standing in line and waiting to view the tiny painting. Dr. Mandeep R. Mehra diagnosed Mona Lisa with a glandular condition as he noticed the odd details of her appearance—her sallow complexion, thinning hair, and misaligned smile.

Mehra works as the medical director of the Heart and Vascular Center at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital. He stated his difficulty of appreciating art in competition with his keen eye for clinical diagnoses.

Mehra observed the presence of a small, fleshy bump in the inner corner of her left eye, her thin and receding hairline, her lack of eyebrow hair, and a bulge next to her index finger. Coupled with her yellow skin and the bump on her neck as an indicator of an enlarged thyroid gland, he suggested that her odd smile may be caused by muscle weakness.^[10]

Thus, he came to the conclusion that Mona Lisa was suffering from a condition called hypothyroidism, in which her swollen hands, thin and lank hair, and lump on her neck all feature prominently in da Vinci’s portrait.

Mehra furthered his investigation into the historical conditions surrounding the woman’s diet and discovered that iodine-deficient food was commonly eaten in the early 16th century. As iodine is an essential nutrient with the role of maintaining thyroid health, the mystery of Mona Lisa’s curious smile might finally be put to rest.

I am a writer passionate about art, books and films and am currently undertaking a degree in international studies.

What are kid’s movies these days without a dark fan theory or two? What is happy ever after without a demonic twist? What is a cute fluffy monster without a bleak future? On this list are ten theories about some of the most popular kids movies that might just make you see them in a different light.

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10 Mufasa was the bad guy

“Can you feel the love tonight?”

That phrase will probably make you think of The Lion King first and then Elton John. The Lion King is known for catchy tunes and perhaps the saddest death scene in any kids movie, barring the demise of Bambi’s mother.

This beloved movie also has a host of fan theories surrounding it, some weird and some fairly dark. Some fans believe that The Lion King and Planet of the Apes have the same kind of future or that Nala is Scar’s daughter. There is also a theory that says Zazu was actually in cahoots with Scar to get rid of Simba.

One of the most persistent fan theories has it that Mufasa was the real bad guy, not Scar. According this theory, Mufasa banned all other male lions to ensure there is no one left to challenge him for the throne. He is physically superior to Scar, so he tolerates him. Therefore, when Mufasa was killed, Scar became an unlikely hero who saved the hyenas and became the ‘best ruler’ over the pride lands.^[1]

9 The Minions are based on adopted Jewish children

Minions are those little capsule-shaped minionese-speaking henchmen who can supposedly understand Spanish, English, French, Italian, Russian and Korean. Their design was inspired by Jawas and Oompa Loompas, and their colours (evil: purple, good: yellow) were inspired by the fact that yellow and purple are opposite to each other on the color spectrum.

A freaky theory connected these cute characters to Nazi experiments. The rumor had it that the Minions were inspired by Jewish children adopted by Nazi scientists who wanted to use them to practice their poison gas experiments on. To perpetuate the theory, a photo has been circulating the internet of what looks like children wearing Minion-type masks. Fortunately, it turned out that the photo has nothing to do with Jewish children being experimented on but is instead a photo of people in 1908 dressed in submarine escape suits.^[2]

8 Toothless got revenge on Hiccup

Toothless is just about the cutest dragon in a movie. He is a rare Night Fury species and is faster and more powerful than other dragon species. He is Hiccup’s best friend and is extremely protective of him. Toothless also has a special power in the form of ‘radar.’ When he issues a plasma blast and it bounces off his immediate location, it gives Toothless an accurate reading of the surrounding area.

In the first How To Train Your Dragon film, Toothless damages his wing when Hiccup shoots him from the sky. At the end of the film, Hiccup loses a foot. This gave rise to an almost immediate theory that Toothless had ripped off Hiccup’s foot in revenge for his damaged wing. The theory also says that this makes the two more dependent on each other, which is what Toothless ultimately wanted. Hiccup would have to keep using Toothless for transportation purposes and he would have to help Toothless fly without problems.^[3]

Another, slightly sweet, slightly less terrible theory has it that Toothless was desperately trying to save Hiccup during the final battle and he bit off his foot in his haste to get him to safety.

7 Moana is dead for most of the film

The Moana character has been described as a modern heroine who doesn’t need a male companion to help her navigate life. She decries the title of princess but revels in calling herself the daughter of the Chief. The movie also received high praise for its animation and musical performances.

In the movie, Moana can’t seem to stay away from the ocean, even as a toddler. She eventually braves the waves, befriends a demigod, has a crazy adventure and returns home to her family at the end. Or does she?

A dark theory has it that Moana actually dies during the storm that sees her wash ashore on Maui’s island. It states that there is a barrier between Moana’s world and that of Maui and the rest of the magical creatures that appear in the movie. In order to communicate with them, Moana either had to be magic herself or dead. Moana interacting with her dead grandmother and other long-gone spirits after the storm is said to be more ‘proof’ of this theory.^[4]

6 Sulley is turned into a toilet seat cover

Monsters, Inc. took the world by storm in 2001, becoming the third highest-grossing film of that year. The movie’s plot is centered around monsters from Monstropolis going into the human world at night to scare children and ‘harvest’ their screams. The energy of the screams power the city of Monstropolis. When a door on the ‘scare floor’ in the energy factory is left open, a human child enters Monstropolis and the main monster, Sulley, tries to get her back home.

The ‘villain’ of the story comes in the form of Randall who allegedly at one point tells Sulley that humans are dangerous and love slaying monsters because they turn their skins into toilet seat covers. Sulley naturally laughs this off as nonsense.

However, in Partysaurus Rex (a short film about the dinosaur from Toy Story), there is a bathroom scene depicting a toilet seat cover that looks suspiciously similar to Sulley’s fur… Coincidence?

Fortunately, this remains just a wild theory, considering the chat between Randall and Sulley never actually happened. Or did it?^[5]

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5 Personality traits absorbed into cars

Lightning McQueen is just about the cutest Corvette-looking car there is. Pixar crushed the box-office yet again in 2006 with Cars starring McQueen, a truck named Mack and several others, raking in over 460 million and receiving two Academy Awards nominations.

Much the same as with the other entries on this list, fans couldn’t leave well enough alone and came up with a decidedly disturbing theory about this beloved kid’s film. The theory starts off with questions including ‘why do the cars have doors if there are no people around’ and ‘if the cars have tongues, doesn’t that mean they also have internal organs?’

It then goes on to claim that the reason for the ‘no people around’ situation is because the cute little cars wiped out the human race and absorbed the personality traits of their owners.

Also, the reason the cars have doors is to keep their internal organs such as eyes and brains from tumbling out.^[6]

4 Rug made from Mama Bear

There have been a host of fan theories over the years about Shrek, the lovable green ogre, and his friends. These include Farquaad’s subjects being overjoyed when the overlord dies, Shrek being exiled from other ogres because he refused to eat human meat and Fiona living off the remains of dead knights.

Clearly that last bit wasn’t horrible enough for some fans, because another disturbing theory soon started making the rounds. This time involving the three bears that can be seen towards the beginning of the first Shrek movie. The three bears consist of ‘Mama Bear’, ‘Papa Bear’, and ‘Baby Bear.’ They are locked up in cages and are very unhappy.

Later in the film, Papa and Baby are sitting around a fire with some of the other fairytale creatures and Papa is consoling Baby. Mama Bear is nowhere to be seen.^[7]

Then… the unthinkable… a shot of Lord Farquaad’s castle reveals Mama Bear as a rug on the floor.

Luckily, the fact that she returns at the end of the film, to take part in the singing, seems to throw this theory out the window… except some fans believe the Mama Bear singing at the end isn’t ‘Mama’ at all. Instead she is the new lady in Papa Bear’s life.

3 Death before afterlife

With a title like The Nightmare Before Christmas, it probably wouldn’t take a lot to come up with some disturbing details for this movie. It was released in 1993 and was the first animated movie to receive an Oscar nomination for Best Visual Effects. The Nightmare Before Christmas was released through Touchstone Pictures, even though it is a Disney movie, because Disney feared that the film would be too scary for children. Considering what the characters look like, they may have had a point.

One theory surrounding the movie is that Sally, the ragdoll, was a witch when she was alive and was dismembered for it. This, according to the theory, would be why her limbs are stitched back together in the afterlife. Lock is said to have frozen to death, hence his white skin and blue lips, while Zero may have been electrocuted, hence his nose lighting up as if by electric current.^[8]

Some fans have also ruminated that Halloween Town’s citizens may represent basic human fears: Dr. Finkelstein represents the fear of aging while Jack represents the fear of death and Oogie Boogie fear of the dark.

2 What happened to Sven’s mom?

Frozen has had its fair share of wacky theories including Anna representing Summer and Elsa representing Winter (as in the seasons), Hans buying the stolen crown from Tangled’s Flynn, and Kristoff being Santa Clause. Not to mention the one that says Joan of Arc is an ancestor of Anna and Elsa.
And while all these theories are cool to think about and then forget, fans of the movies have come up with an incredibly dark theory that is bound to stick around for a while.

Throughout both films, there is evidence of a very strong friendship between Sven and Kristoff. They grew up together and stuck by each other’s side through thick and thin. When you take the time to think about it, you may start wondering what happened to Sven’s mother and what would have caused him to be with Kristoff instead of his own family.

Well, according to the aforementioned theory, the ice harvesters killed Sven’s mother, handed baby Sven over to young Kristoff to look after and then gave Kristoff a pelt to wear… made from the mother’s fur.^[9]

According to the theory this would also be part of why Sven loves Kristoff so much: the smell of the pelt reminds him of his mother.

1 Kingdom called Corona

Some theories are more intricately tangled than others. Tangled the movie has been the centre of many such rumors, including that it is linked to Frozen and The Little Mermaid. One of these have it that Elsa and Anna’s parents were on their way to Rapunzel and Flynn’s wedding when their ship went down. Ariel and Flounder then came across the shipwreck in The Little Mermaid.

Another far-out theory reared its head on social media in 2020: Tangled predicted the current coronavirus pandemic.^[10]

But…how, you may ask. Well, since Rapunzel is locked away (read: quarantined) from her kingdom (called Corona) is any more proof needed that this 2010 animation film somehow predicted the disaster that is 2020?

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The Wuhan flu, Chinese coronavirus, Covid-19 virus, or simply coronavirus as some prefer to call it, needs no introduction. It is the latest nuisance we all have to deal with. The virus first appeared in China and in less than two months, has spread to every continent in the world. It has killed over 4,000 people so far and another 113,000 people are confirmed to be infected.

Most people agree that the virus first appeared in a seafood market in Wuhan, China. It appears, however, that some conspiracy theorists do not believe this story. They say it is just another sham story someone made up to cover-up the true origin of the virus.

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10 The United States government

There are rumors that the United States government created the Chinese coronavirus. This claim was first made by the Russian news network, Channel One, during a live news broadcast. A news presenter said the US government created the virus to destroy China’s economy. He added that the US might have also created it so they could sell vaccines to the Chinese government.

The presenter based his claim on the fact that corona means crown in Russian and Latin. As we all know, President Trump used to be a judge on beauty pageants and was sometimes in charge of crowning the winner. The presenter said this was the reason the virus was named after crowns. Meanwhile, scientists say they named the virus after its crown-like shape.^[1]

9 Bill Gates

If you are struggling to understand how Bill Gates fits into all these, we will need to go back to October 2019. That month, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation collaborated with the World Economic Forum and the John Hopkins Center for Health Security to test how well we were prepared to deal with an epidemic.

In a curious twist of fate, the Covid-19 virus showed up two months later.

Conspiracy theorists say the program was a prelude to the upcoming epidemic, which all three organizations had planned all along. Meanwhile, the John Hopkins Center for Health Security has denied any link between the event and the Covid-19 epidemic.

Conspiracy theorists backed their claims with the fact that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation had earlier provided funding for the UK-based Pirbright Institute, which has a patent on a coronavirus vaccine. They say Bill Gates teamed with the institute to start the epidemic so he could sell the vaccines.

The Pirbright Institute denies any link between their organization and the Covid-19 virus. A spokesperson said they only researched into coronaviruses that affected birds and not humans. Their vaccines do not work for humans either.^[2]

8 5G internet

Wuhan was one of the first Chinese cities to get 5G internet. It is the same city where the Covid-19 virus first appeared. Is that a coincidence? Dana Ashlie says it is not.

Ashlie believes the Covid-19 virus is caused by radiation waves released by 5G internet. She based her claims on a two-decade-old research paper that revealed 5G was dangerous to human health. Ashlie says the so-called coronavirus is actually radiation poisoning. She says it weakens the immune system, leaving a person vulnerable to diseases.

People on the other side of the fence say Ashlie is just another conspiracy theorist. They say the 2000 study she quoted was discredited by a 2005 study that proved 5G was not dangerous to humans. They also pointed out the fact that Wuhan was just one of the 16 Chinese cities that got 5G internet at the same time.^[3]

7 The Chinese government

Some people believe China created the Covid-19 virus as part of its biological weapon program. They say the virus later leaked from a lab, causing the epidemic.

The lab in question is the National Biosafety Laboratory. It is the only Chinese government-owned facility capable of conducting research into deadly viruses. It is part of the Wuhan Institute of Virology, which is located in Wuhan. If you recall, Wuhan is the same city where the epidemic broke out.

These claims arose over a statement President Xi Jinping made right after the epidemic broke out. He said the safety of laboratories was a national issue. The following day, the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology released instructions on how to secure laboratories to prevent the escape of viruses.

Conspiracy theorists back up their claims with the fact that viruses have earlier leaked from Chinese labs. The deadly Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) virus escaped twice.^[4]

6 The Canadian government

Some people believe the Canadian government led by social studies teacher Justin Trudeau (pictured) created the Covid-19 virus at the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg, Canada. The lab is a Canadian government-owned facility that conducts research into deadly viruses, just like the one in Wuhan, China.

Conspiracy theorists say two Chinese spies stole the virus and sent it to the Wuhan Institute of Virology where it ended up causing the epidemic. The spies in question are Dr. Keding Cheng and his wife, Dr. Xiangguo Qiu. The couple worked at the lab until they were suddenly laid off in 2019.

Conspiracy theorists said the duo were fired for stealing samples of the virus and sending it to China. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said they were expelled over policy and administrative issues. Who is telling the truth?^[5]

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5 The October 2019 meteorite explosion

Something incredible happened in northeast China in the early hours of October 11, 2019. A meteorite exploded in the sky just after midnight, causing an intense flash that made the night sky as bright as day.

Conspiracy theorists have now jumped on that incident. They say the meteorite brought the Covid-19 virus from space.

Scientists say this is unlikely since the meteor did not land on the ground. Even if it did, they do not think the virus could have survived the extreme temperature of the landing. Meteors that do not burn up in the atmosphere can reach up to 1,198°F by the time they touch the ground. That is more than enough to kill the virus several times over.

Infectious diseases specialist, Dr. Dominic Sparkes, added that the Covid-19 virus most likely originated here on earth since it shares a lot in common with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS).

All three viruses belong to a group of viruses called coronaviruses. We know SARS and MERS originated here on earth, but Covid-19? Only time will tell.^[6]

4 A Chinese woman eating bat soup

There are speculations that humans got the Covid-19 virus from bats. While scientists are yet to verify this claim, some people believe it spread to humans after someone munched down on an infected bat. That “someone” is Chinese travel blogger, Wang Mengyun.

Mengyun became a victim of a conspiracy theory after a video of her eating a bat went viral. She was accused of contracting the virus and spreading it to other people.

Mengyun was later forced by the socialist Chinese government to apologize for eating the bat. She added that the video was shot in 2016, three years before the Covid-19 virus appeared. It was not shot in China but in Palau, an island nation in the Pacific Ocean.^[7]

3 Some unknown person or group created it from HIV

Not all conspiracy theories have a name pinned on them. Like this one proposed by a group of Indian researchers. The researchers say the Covid-19 virus bears some semblance to the HIV-1 virus. They said this was enough evidence to prove that someone had modified HIV to create this new virus.

They published the paper on bioRxiv, a website for research papers awaiting review. The researchers did not mention names, so we do not know the people responsible. The paper caused a controversy, causing the researchers to withdraw it.^[8]

2 Corona beer

Corona Extra is a brand of beer brewed in Mexico. It is unrelated to the coronavirus and does not cause or spread it. The beer got its name from the Spanish and Latin word for crown. The virus was named for its crown-like shape.

Corona Extra has been suffering a naming crisis since the epidemic broke out. While no one has actually claimed it causes or spreads the virus, it appears that people already nurse such beliefs. Google has been flooded with searches for “corona beer virus”, “beer virus” and “beer coronavirus” since January.

The market share of Corona Extra has actually grown according to the company. Lucky them! In the 1980s, a diet candy called Ayds suffered a 50% drop in sales after people thought it caused AIDS.^[9]

1 Samuel Hyde

Samuel Hyde is a famous actor and comedian. Some people, however, think he should also be famous for starting the coronavirus epidemic. This claim is believed to be part of a running joke of blaming Hyde for every unfortunate incident that occurs in the United Sates.

As it happens, Hyde has been blamed for almost every mass shooting in the US. The accusations have sometimes gotten a bit more serious, like it did after a deadly shooting in Texas in 2017. Rep. Vincente Gonzalez told CNN the name of the shooter was Sam Hyde. He later apologized after discovering he had fallen for an ongoing prank and conspiracy theory.^[10]

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The effect of war on the world is devastating. It destroys families, cities, and countries. It also causes PTSD among many other ailments and has long-lasting effects on economies.

If war continues unabated around the world, tragedies like the ones detailed below will never end and this quote might very well ring true in time:

“Mankind must put an end to war before war puts an end to mankind.” –John F. Kennedy

10 16 Days To Die

When a banging noise emerged from the wreckage of the USS West Virginia the day after the Pearl Harbor attack, those who survived didn’t think much of it—until they realized that the banging came from desperate men trapped underneath the sunken ship. There was no way of getting them out. The Marines on land could do nothing but cover their ears and grieve for those who would surely die a horrible death.

When the battleship was finally raised from the water six months later, the remains of three young men were found in a storeroom. Alongside them was a calendar on which they had marked off the last 16 days they had lived.^[1]

The terrible news was kept from the families. When some siblings of the deceased eventually heard the truth, they kept it a secret from their parents to spare them the horror and heartbreak of the young men’s suffering. The men—Ronald Endicott, Clifford Olds, and Louis Costin—all have December 7, 1941, engraved on their gravestones as their date of death.

9 Six Of Seven Sons

Frederick and Maggie Smith, an Australian couple, watched their seven sons go off to join World War I. Their two youngest boys were so eager to contribute and fight in what was called the “war to end all wars” that they signed up for duty under false names because they were under 21 years old at the time.

Tragically, only the oldest brother survived. Francis Hume Smith is the only one who returned to his parents’ home after his six siblings were killed in action. However, tragedy struck again when Francis somehow landed under a tram in 1923 and was killed as well.^[2]

8 Youngest Soldier Of World War I

As the poisonous fumes of chlorine gas cleared over the trenches along the Western Front, 1,000 men lay dead. It was the first time that the German soldiers had used the gas in warfare, and it resulted in the one of the most horrific onslaughts during World War I in 1915.

Later on, while the deceased men were being laid to rest, a terrible truth came to light. One of the brave soldiers found in one of the trenches was only 14 years old.^[3]

When he had joined the military two years earlier, John Condon had lied about his age, telling superiors he was 18 when he was only 12. Other than the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Condon’s grave is the most visited by tourists. The boy has been recorded in history as the youngest soldier to be killed in action.

7 Huddersfield Nurse

More than 3,400 Huddersfield men died during World War I. All of them had families and lives they had left behind to fight for their country. Among all this tragedy was another sad tale of a nurse, Ada Stanley, who trained at the Huddersfield Royal Infirmary and was taken to the Dardenelles on a hospital ship to care for wounded soldiers.

The 44-year-old nurse contracted dysentery during the return trip. But she disregarded her own health to ensure that all of the soldiers who needed help were taken care of when they got off the ship. Ada Stanley collapsed in December 1915 and died shortly afterward. She was the only Huddersfield woman who died while in service during the war.^[4]

6 12 Hours

Three of the Melville couple’s five children set off to assist in various ways during World War I. Their daughter went to Greece to work as a nurse, one of their sons traveled to France to work as a doctor, and another son signed up to fight as a soldier at Gallipoli.

Jack Melville was only at Anzac Cove for 12 hours, advancing to Courtney’s Post when he was killed during the fighting that ensued. His body remained behind enemy lines for an undetermined time, leading to several conflicting reports on what had actually happened to him.

Confirmation of his death never came, only a report that he was missing and believed to have been killed. As a result, until their own deaths, his parents continued to hope that their son might somehow still be alive.^[5]

5 The Forgotten Tragedy Of World War II

Infamous maritime disasters, such as the sinking of the Titanic and the Lusitania, remain engraved in the annals of history and in people’s minds. However, Britain’s worst maritime disaster during World War II has been forgotten to a large extent.

In June 1940, the ocean liner Lancastria was bringing British soldiers home when it was bombed by the Germans near Saint-Nazaire. It took only 20 minutes for the massive ship to sink, causing the deaths of 4,000 people, including women and children. Later reports detailed how soldiers sang songs to keep the calm and helped other passengers while the ship sank.

The families of those aboard the Lancastria are still fighting for the recognition and remembrance of their loved ones more than 75 years after the disaster.^[6]

4 Message In A Bottle

In June 1916, 19-year-old Will Williams was aboard a ship in the Southern Ocean, en route to join other brave soldiers fighting in World War I. Williams, aware of how anxious his parents were about his departure, wrote a short note to them before placing the piece of paper in a bottle and tossing it in the ocean.

The bottle washed up in Yorke Peninsula in January the following year, and those who found it ensured that the message got to Williams’s parents. They were overjoyed at the note that stated their boy was well and they shouldn’t worry.

Sadly, their joy was short-lived as a message from the front weeks later informed them that their beloved son had been killed by a German sniper after becoming stuck in a collapsed trench.^[7]

3 The Last Letter

After completing hundreds of war missions in Iraq, running the Northern Iraq Intelligence Center, and being a senior analyst for several countries, Daniel Somers ended up with PTSD and a severe brain injury among other ailments at age 30. Struggling to come to terms with how his life had changed and how his family would be impacted by it, Daniel decided to write a suicide note in the form of a last letter to his family.

In the letter, Daniel described how much he loved his family and that he could not take them down the dark spiral into which he was descending. He detailed his physical pain and said that eternal sleep would be the only thing that would bring him relief and peace.

He asked that his beloved family not blame themselves for what he was about to do and said that his death would be quick and painless. Lastly, he hoped that, in time, his family would be happy that he was finally free. Daniel Somers shot himself in the head on June 10, 2013, several blocks away from his home while his wife was at work.^[8]

2 Boy In The Ambulance

At five years old, children are supposed to be playing with toys, eating ice cream, and playing outside. However, in war-torn countries, the children have very different experiences. In 2016, people around the world were shocked when a picture of a five-year-old boy rescued from the rubble after an airstrike in Aleppo was circulated on social media.

Omran Daqneesh was rescued with the rest of his family from the remains of their apartment building after the deadly airstrike. A picture was taken of him sitting inside an ambulance covered in blood and dirt. Fortunately, Omran suffered no serious injuries and was discharged later on. However, five other children from the building were not so lucky.^[9]

1 Alan Kurdi

In an attempt to flee from the fighting in Syria in 2015, a Kobani family joined a group of refugees who were headed to Kos, an island in Greece.

Two small boats carrying 23 of the refugees—including three-year-old Alan Kurdi, his five-year-old brother, and their parents—capsized after they set off from the Bodrum peninsula. Alan and his brother were among the five children who drowned during the accident.

The little body of Alan Kurdi washed up on a beach in Turkey. The subsequent picture taken of him lying facedown on the beach sent shock waves around the globe. Alan’s father later told news agencies that he had tried to hold on to both his kids and his wife when their boat capsized, but his boys slipped away as the boat deflated.^[10]

Estelle lives in Gauteng, South Africa.

Just kidding. Obviously, there is a lot more to countries around the world other than their landmarks, but it cannot be disputed that they are a big part of the reason people choose to travel to certain locations. Some of these landmarks have amazing backstories, while others have fantastic legends surrounding them, drawing in visitors who want to try and uncover its secrets.

Top 10 Iconic Places Pictured From Behind

10 Hidden messages

Towering above Rio de Janeiro, the Christ the Redeemer Art Deco statue is one of the largest statues of Jesus in the world and one of its New Seven Wonders. The statue’s open arms are a symbol of peace and it is the most famous landmark in Brazil. The right arm points to south Rio and the left to north Rio.

In the 1850s a local priest dreamt up the idea of creating a Christian monument on Mount Corcovado. A request to Princess Isabel for funding fell through after Brazil separated church from state in 1889. The priest’s dream was eventually realized after the First World War when, after a handful of designers crafted the statue, it was opened to the public on 12 October 1931.

Workers who made and glued the 6 million soapstone tiles that cover the statue, are said to have written messages on the back in the form of wishes or simply their lover’s name. One of the workers, Lygia Maria Avila da Veiga, was immensely proud to have her personalized tiles displayed on the statue, saying: “I wrote many wishes on the soapstones. They are up there, up there on top.”^[1]

9 70 years and counting

In South Dakota lies what is supposed to be the world’s biggest monument. ‘Supposed to be’, because after 70 years it is still not finished. In 1948, Polish American sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski started work on Crazy Horse, a depiction of a Native American warrior on horseback, believing it would take 30 years to complete. He started the project with less than $200 in his pocket, no electricity, water, or functional roads to speak of. He climbed a 741-step wooden staircase to scale Thunderhead Mountain and start work on the monument. Having no money to pay workers, Ziolkowski worked alone for many years. He died in 1982, with his last wish being that his family commit to completing the monument.

Crazy Horse is a famous figure in Native American culture and the sculpture is meant to be a monument in his honor. The granite mountain into which it is being carved sports a symbolic depiction of Crazy Horse, since no photographs of the warrior exist. When the landmark is finally completed, Crazy Horse will point southeast towards a plot where many Native Americans have been buried. The plan for the memorial came in ‘retaliation’ of the tribute to white American leaders on the nearby Mount Rushmore. When completed, the Crazy Horse memorial will make all four faces on Mount Rushmore seem tiny. In the meantime, visitors to South Dakota can explore the top of the unfinished memorial and explore the area that hopefully one day will sport Crazy Horse’s outstretched arm.^[2]

8 A tree of contention

Maungakiekie is Maori for “mountain of the kiekie vine.” Also known as One Tree Hill, this volcanic peak in Auckland, New Zealand, holds a dear spot in the history of the country. After a battle in 1740, a fortified Maori village was abandoned when their chief was killed in action. The village sat on top of the volcano and only one native tree remained after it was abandoned, hence the name One Tree Hill.

Unfortunately, a settler cut down the lone tree in 1852, after which businessman John Logan Campbell decided to plant a grove of pine trees in its place. Of this grove only one tree survived. Campbell’s gravesite is located at the peak alongside a bronze statue of Chief Tamaki as well as an obelisk dedicated to the Maori people.

In 1994, the surviving pine tree was partially cut up with a chainsaw by Maori activists and then destroyed by other activists in 2000 in retaliation of the New Zealand government’s treatment of the Maori.

In 2016 nine new trees were planted to replace the pine and these are now surrounded by a fence. Once they are strong enough, arborists will pick the hardiest of the bunch to remain, once again returning the true meaning of the phrase One Tree Hill.^[3]

7 Misunderstanding

The Sultan Ahmed Mosque is a major tourist attraction in Istanbul, Turkey. Nicknamed The Blue Mosque because of its interior colors, the place of worship was constructed between 1609 and 1616 as a proclamation of Ottoman power and is still in use today.^[4]

Sultan Ahmed I allegedly insisted that the mosque have six minarets, causing controversy in the Muslim community because only the great mosque in Mecca at the time had six minarets. The sultan wasn’t deterred and arranged for a 7th minaret to be added to the Mecca mosque so that he could have the six he desired for his own. Another version of this tale says that the sultan’s architect misunderstood his requirements regarding the minarets. The sultan wanted gold minarets, (altin minaret in Turkish), and the architect heard six minarets, alti minaret.

6 The Sea People

South Africa is perhaps most known for its varied wildlife and Table Mountain, but it has some spectacular beaches too. Along the Wild Coast lies Hole-in-the-Wall, one of SA’s most memorable landmarks. Hole-in-the-Wall is a massive, detached cliff with an opening through its centre that has been carved out by waves over time.

The cliff was named by Captain Vidal who headed the Barracouta vessel in 1823 when sent on an expedition to survey the coastline on which it stands. The locals, the Bomvana people, called the cliff ‘iziKhaleni’ which means ‘Place of the Sound’ or ‘Place of Thunder.’

Legend has it that the Mpako River once was a lagoon blocked off by the cliff. A young, beautiful girl sat on the cliff’s edge each day and stared out to sea, drawn to the overwhelming power of the waves. One day, one of the sea people came out to meet her. He had long hair and hands and feet like flippers, and when he approached the girl, he immediately asked her to marry him. However, when her father found out, he was enraged and warned her never to see the man from the sea again.

The girl disobeyed and ran to the man she had fallen in love with, telling him about her father’s warning. The man told her to wait until high tide. When she returned to the cliff during high tide, several sea people were standing on top of it, carrying a giant fish. They used the fish to carve a hole in the cliff, creating a passage from the lagoon to the sea. As the water gushed through the hole, pushed forward by the high tide, hundreds of sea people flowed through on the waves, led by the girl’s sea lover. She went to his side, and the entire group disappeared back through the hole in the rock and was never seen or heard from again.^[5]

To this day, the legend continues, and it is said that when the tide is high, the sea people can be heard singing above the sound of the waves surrounding Hole-in-the-Wall.

Top 10 Places Famous For Bizarre Reasons

5 Angel on top of the world

As the towers fell on 11 September 2001, some saw the devil’s face in the plumes of smoke. Most 9/11 devil face images circulating to this day were clearly photoshopped, but the most famous picture, dubbed ‘Satan in the smoke’, remains a point of contention with some firmly believing that the devil (or even an image of Osama bin Laden) appeared as the South Tower came down. Some are even convinced that Nostradamus predicted the evil that would befall Lower Manhattan that fateful day.

As part of the rebuilding of the World Trade Center Complex, the Freedom Tower, or One World Trade Center was constructed. The building opened on 3 November 2014 and its observatory opened on 29 May 2015. On 11 September 2016, the Tribute in Light Memorial lights shone brightly in the place where the two towers once stood. Photographer, Rich McCormack, took several photos of the lights and soon became aware of something unusual in the photographs once he went through them. High up in the sky, at the end of the light beam, was a figure that resembled an angel.

McCormack insisted that he hadn’t tampered with the photographs in any way and that he believed it may have been an angel or the Lord himself looking down on Manhattan.^[6] While some immediately called ‘pareidolia’ or ‘optical illusion’, others were encouraged by the image and believed it to be religious in nature.

4 The end of the world as we know it

Constructed as a small fortress in 889 AD, the Alhambra complex in Granada, Spain, was renovated and rebuilt in the middle of the 13th century to include a royal palace. Alhambra is the Spanish adaption of the Arabic ‘qa’lat al-Hamra which means ‘red castle.’ The complex also includes the Court of the Myrtles, Hall of the Ambassadors, Court of the Lions, and the Hall of the Abencerrajes. The royal palace is the only surviving palatine city of the Islamic Golden Age. Today it is visited by thousands of tourists every year and is one of the most famous historical sites in the whole of Spain.^[7]

As is the case with most historical sites, the Alhambra is surrounded with long-standing legends. One of the most popular being the one that alludes to the end of the world. On the Gate of Justice, one of the main entrances to the fortress, a hand has been carved into the arch stone and a key in the centre of the inner archway. Both are prominent Islamic symbols with the hand used to ward off the evil eye. Legend says that when the hand and the key join to become one, the world as we know it and the fortress itself will be destroyed simultaneously. It is also believed that fearful Catholics have put up a statue of the Virgin Mary over the door to the fortress, to prevent this calamity from happening.

3 A place of myth and legend

The Pena Palace is a castle located in the Sintra Mountains, Portugal. The castle was constructed on the site of a medieval chapel which was dedicated to “Our Lady of Pena.” After a reported sighting of the Virgin Mary at the chapel, many believers started pilgrimaging there. In 1493, King John II of Portugal and Queen Leonor ascended the Sintra mountains to pay homage to their patron and when the king saw how beautiful the location was, he ordered that a monastery be built there and donated to the Order of Saint Jerome. After a devasting earthquake in 1755, the monastery was shaken but the chapel was unscathed.

The town of Sintra itself is a major tourist destination because of the above-mentioned Pena Palace and a host of other castles and palaces. Sintra has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is a picturesque landmark of Portugal. The town was named, according to legend, after its people built a temple that was rejected by Rome after its completion. The people then dedicated and consecrated it to Cinthia (the moon) and Sintra was derived from this.

Sintra is also the center of the Yellow Rock legend. In a remote area of Sintra, a large stone protrudes from the ground. It is believed that whoever can topple the stone will be allowed to take the treasure buried beneath it. The catch? The rock must be toppled by throwing eggs at it. A long time ago, an old woman approached the rock with a horde of eggs. She threw the whole lot of them at the rock but was unable to move it. To this day, the yellow moss that grows on the strange rock is said to be the egg yolks splashed over it by the unlucky old woman.^[8]

2 Ceremony of strength

To commemorate the landing of King-Emperor George V and Queen-Empress Mary at Apollo Bunder, Bombay (Mumbai today) in 1911, a massive arch-monument was erected and named the Gateway of India. George V was the first British monarch to visit India. The gateway faces the Arabian sea on one side and the Taj Mahal Palace hotel on the other and has over time become of the most photographed places in the world. It was also the place from which the last British troops departed India in 1948, after the country gained its independence the year before. Furthermore, the gateway was the place Mahatma Ghandi landed when he returned to India after his 22-year stay in South Africa.^[9]

Eleven years after the devasting terror attacks on Mumbai in 2008, the Gateway of India became host to the 26/11 Stories of Strength event. The monument was lit up and sported the fateful date at the top, while the Indian Navy band performed in front of it. Several government officials and celebrities, including veteran actor Amitabh Bachhan attended the emotional event and Bachhan closed the ceremony by reciting a powerful poem. The event also featured accounts of survivors and coincided with the 150th birthday year of Mahatma Ghandhi.

1 Last glimpse of freedom

Venice, Italy is a highly popular tourist attraction, in no small part due to the gondola rides visitors can take through the canals. Venice is also home to what was an infamous old prison in the Doges Palace. At one point a bridge was constructed to connect this old prison to a new prison across the river that divided them. This bridge, over time, became known as the Bridge of Sighs.

Theory has it that it is so called because those who were marched over it, were going to be jailed for a long time and they sighed as they glimpsed the river and what would be their last beautiful sight while still free. Poet, Lord Byron, mused in one of his poems that the bridge was the last point at which condemned criminals could see Venice before they were led to their executioner. As one sails down the river and approaches the bridge today, the prison cells can still be seen on the right.

Another, more upbeat legend has it that if a couple sails in a gondola and kiss as they pass under the bridge, they will never be separated from one another.^[10]

Top 10 Creepiest Places On Earth (That You Probably Don’t Know)

Statues immortalize important moments in history, represent a central belief or celebrate a major accomplishment. Statues have been around for a long time and many ancient statues still stand tall today, including the Moai of Easter Island, the Lamassu statues on the Gate of All Nations in Persepolis and the Leshan Giant Buddha in China. These historic statues each have their own unique story to tell, as do the more recently built ones on this list.

Related: 10 Statues That People Like To Touch In Inappropriate Places

10 Pegasus and Dragon

Thousands of horses have trotted through history, playing a pivotal role in transportation, city development, medical breakthroughs, and warfare. Up until the final battle of WWII, horses were used to pull heavy artillery, transport supplies, and carry brave soldiers onto the battlefield. During the Middle Ages they were trusty steeds to knights. Henry II would not have been able to travel the more than 400 miles to a battle, if not for horses. To this day, some farmers still use horses to work their land.

In 2011 founder of the Stronach Group, Frank Stronach, sketched a rough idea of what he envisioned a massive horse statue should look like. Five years later, his vision came to fruition in the form of the 100-foot-tall Pegasus and Dragon statue located on the northside of Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida. The bronze statue is the largest horse sculpture in the world and was erected in honor of all the horses that made unforgettable contributions to human civilization. This stunning piece of art depicts Pegasus standing over a fallen dragon and took two years to build.

9 Cristo Rei

The British did not seek assistance from Portugal during WWII, which meant that Portugal could remain neutral for the duration of the war. The country remained neutral until 1944, when the US established a military base in Santa Maria.

In May 1959, the 360-foot Cristo Rei statue was inaugurated and has looked over the city of Lisbon ever since. The Cardinal Patriarch of Lisbon had visited the Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil many years before and this experience served as inspiration for the Portugal statue. It was expressly erected in gratitude because Portugal had been spared the horrors of the Second World War.

The arches of the monument, supporting the hand-sculpted statue of Christ, face each of the four cardinal directions and is illuminated at night.

8 Confucius of Mount Ni

Confucius is considered to be one of China’s most influential philosophers. He was the founder of Confucianism and believed that rulers needed to be at the forefront of ethical behavior and lead by example.

Traditionally it is believed that Confucius was born in a cave on Mount Ni, which is a hill 19 miles southeast of Qufu in Shandong Province, China. According to mythology it is here that Confucius’ mother abandoned him for some time, and he was looked after by a tiger and an eagle.

Mount Ni is also the location of a 236-foot brass statue of Confucius which was unveiled in 2018. It is the largest Confucius statue in the world, and it is hoped that the monument will help promote traditional Chinese culture.

7 The Motherland Calls

The Motherland Calls statue towers over the city of Volgograd in Russia. It is the tallest statue in Europe, the tallest statue of a woman in the world and the sword in her hand is also the largest in the world. The sculpture is a depiction of a courageous woman stretching her left arm before her while wielding the sword with the right. She symbolizes the call from the Motherland to never surrender in battle and keep defending the land until all enemies are vanquished.

The 279-foot statue was built in 1967 in commemoration of 25 years since the Battle of Stalingrad (today’s Volgograd). The battle was one of the bloodiest in human history and cost the lives of almost 2 million soldiers. Stalingrad was completely rebuilt after the war and there are mass graves scattered throughout modern-day Volgograd. Buried in the surrounding area of the statue is Vasily Zaytsev, a Soviet sniper, as well as Ivanovich Chuikov, Marshal of the Soviet Union.

6 African Renaissance Monument

In 2010 then president of Senegal, Abdoulaye Wade, unveiled Africa’s tallest statue: the African Renaissance Monument. The 160-foot bronze statue was meant to be a proud symbol of African liberation and to entice tourists to explore the country. It officially commemorates the 50th anniversary of Senegal’s independence from France. The sculpture depicts a strong man holding a small, nude child in one arm with the other wrapped around a scantily clad woman.

However, in a predominantly Muslim community, the concept of idolatry and the nudity displayed did not go over well. Add to that the fact that almost half of the country’s population lives below the poverty line and that $27 million was spent on the statue alone, understandable outrage ensued. As construction went on, it wasn’t uncommon to see heaps of rubbish at the base of the hill the statue now stands on. Unfinished homes dotted the area surrounding the monument.
Defending the monument, Wade revealed that he didn’t pay the full amount because he had made a deal with a North Korean state-owned construction company to build the statue in exchange for around 40 acres of prime Senegal real estate.

5 Garuda Wisnu Kencana

In 1990, Indonesian sculptor, Nyoman Nuarta was inspired to come up with the design of a statue depicting Hindu deity Vishnu astride the mythical bird, Garuda. Construction began in Bali in 1997 but setback after setback led to the project only being completed in 2018. The total cost came to around $100 million.
The copper and steel statue is very impressive, standing at 246-feet tall with Vishnu sporting a crown covered in gold-plated mosaics and weighing 3.5 tons. An architectural lighting solution was incorporated to enhance the finer details of the tallest statue in Indonesia.

The myth behind the inspiration of the statue’s design tells the story of the search of Amrita (the elixir of life). It is said that Garuda agreed to be Lord Vishnu’s mode of transport if in turn he could use the elixir to free his enslaved mother.

4 Sendai Daikannon

Sendai Daikannon is a mammoth of a statue that overlooks the city of Sendai in the Tohoku region of Japan. It was once the tallest statue in the world, but today ranks in 5th place. The 328-foot sculpture represents a goddess of mercy who holds a wishing gem in one hand and a water flask in the other.

At the entrance on the ground floor are 33 kannon statues that each represent the different forms that the kannon goddess can transform into. Across from these are more statues, but they depict demonic creatures that each represent a month in Chinese astrology.

Visitors can take an elevator to the top of the statue and walk back down using a stairwell. As they descent they will pass 108 Buddhist statues that represent emotions and desires. Should a visitor want to rid themselves of any negative emotion, they should find the appropriate statue, make a wish, and leave a donation.

3 The Kelpies

Kelpies are shapeshifting aquatic beings of Scottish legend. They are rumored to haunt waterways such as rivers and streams and appear to humans in the form of a horse or pony. They are evil however, causing humans and especially children who happen to get on their back to be permanently stuck to their hide. They then drag their unfortunate victims into the nearby water and proceed to eat them.

In 2013, two 100-foot-tall horse-head statues were unveiled between Falkirk and Grangemouth in Scotland. They were opened to the public in 2014 which was also the Lunar Year of the Horse. The sculptures, known as The Kelpies, are the biggest equine sculptures in the world and the tallest in Scotland. They form a gateway at the eastern entrance to the Forth and Clyde canal and are a monument to the horse-powered heritage of the country.

2 Peter the Great

In tribute to the Russian leader, Peter the Great, a massive 322-feet statue of the czar stands atop a tower of ships in Moscow. Unfortunately, it hasn’t won any prizes for design and many Moscow locals are of the opinion that it is one of the ugliest statues in the world and an eyesore for the city.

A rumor that doesn’t help matters much says that the statue, erected in 1997, wasn’t originally intended to honor Peter the Great but was instead created in homage to Christopher Columbus to commemorate the 500th anniversary of his first voyage. When a buyer couldn’t be found for the statue, some details were reworked so that it would represent the 300th anniversary of the Russian Navy founded by Peter the Great.

Also, the czar wasn’t a fan of Moscow at all, to the extent that he moved the capital of Russia to Saint Petersburg. Because Moscow’s residents don’t seem to be warming up to his statue, it has been suggested that it should be moved to Saint Petersburg. The people of Saint Petersburg, however, does not seem to be very interested in sporting the huge monument within the borders of their city either.

1 Statue of Unity

The colossal Statue of Unity depicts Indian statesman Vallabhbhai Patel. He was the highly respected first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of India and is credited for forming the single Union of India. The statue stands in Gujarat, India and is the tallest statue in the world reaching 597 feet in height.

The statue can withstand strong winds of up to 180km per hour and earthquakes measuring up to 6.5 on the Richter scale. It was constructed in 33 months and inaugurated in 2018. Inside the legs are four lifts that can transport visitors to the top in 30 seconds, and much like the Statue of Liberty, this monument will turn green around 100 years from now. It is about 4 times taller than Lady Liberty, however.

There has also been controversy surrounding the project, since 185 families including farming families had to be relocated to make way for the huge statue. They were compensated with 475 hectares of new land, but this didn’t stop protests from erupting.

For many of us, the covid-19 pandemic has been a time of great uncertainty. People have been stuck in their homes, isolated from their loved ones, unsure when things will get back to normal.

But strange times have a habit of inspiring strange behavior, and the pandemic has been no exception. Since coronavirus first emerged at the start of 2020, all manner of weirdness has occurred. Spaniards have been taking their crabs for a walk as an excuse to get out of the house. Hungarian politicians have been caught fleeing wild lockdown orgies. In fact, things have become so dire that, in parts of Belgium, locals have had no choice but to poop in the streets. From extremist honey remedies to lockdown lip fillers, here are ten of the most surreal news stories surrounding covid-19.

10 Helsinki’s Covid Sniffer Dogs

2020 was a disastrous year for the airline industry. With people unable to travel abroad, planes could no longer fly, the money dried up, and many workers found they were suddenly out of a job. But amidst all the bedlam and bad news, one airport devised a novel way to test for covid-19.

In September 2020, Helsinki-Vantaa airport started trials for an unusual detection scheme: covid sniffer dogs. A team of ten instructors is training fifteen pooches as part of a university-led research trial. The dogs are said to be able to sniff out the virus in people five days before they start to show any symptoms. According to Professor Anna Hielm-Bjorkman of the University of Helsinki, her canine team is approaching 100% efficiency.

Passengers are asked to mop their necks with a cloth, which is then popped into a can and placed in front of one of the sniffer dogs. The covid-detecting canines can come back with a result in minutes.

At the moment the trial is still in its early stages, so travellers are also required to take a regular swab test. But results are promising, and officials hope one day to use dogs to sniff out coronavirus in the same way they are used to detect drug smugglers.

9 The Rise of the Spanish Crab Walkers

When covid-19 first arrived in Europe, politicians were unsure how to act. In Spain, the government brought in rules banning anyone from leaving their home, even to go for a walk. The only people permitted to go out of their front doors were those who were walking their pets.

So locals started to invent sneaky ways to get around the restrictions. One man in Northern Spain was fined by the police after he left the house for a stroll with a fish in a bowl. Another in Lanzarote was seen walking a chicken on a lead. There were reports of Spaniards using all kinds of animals as an excuse to go outdoors – goats, crabs, even Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs.

Elsewhere, people in Spain have been recorded leaving their homes dressed in dinosaur costumes. Police failed to see the funny side and released footage on social media of an inflatable T-Rex roaming the streets of Murcia.

8 “Vaccines” for Sale on the Dark Web

Is there anything you cannot buy online for the right price? In recent months, vendors have appeared in shady parts of the internet claiming to sell covid “vaccines” and fake vaccine passports. Researchers have reported a “sharp increase” in vaccine-related products advertised on the dark web, although they cannot verify whether any of them are genuine.

Since the start of the year, Check Point says the number of vaccine adverts has risen to around 1,200. Oxford-AstraZeneca retails for $500, Johnson & Johnson and Sputnik are both on sale for $600, and Sinopharm is priced at $750.

Fake vaccine passports and papers are also on sale for people to travel abroad without the risk of of being a test subject. The forged documents sell for around $150 in bitcoin, with one advertiser promising: “Buy two negative tests and get the third for free!” What a bargain!

7 Al-Shabaab’s Honey Conspiracy Theory

Throughout the pandemic, we have witnessed all kinds of bizarre pseudosciences and accusations thereof. Who can forget the mainstream media falsely accusing President Trump of talking about injecting disinfectant or Bolsonaro’s claims that vaccines will cause women to grow facial hair? One of the weirdest comes from a group of Somalian extremists who have advised people not to take the vaccine but use honey instead.

Al-Shabaab, an African terrorist group supported by Al-Qaeda, has called on Sunni Muslims to reject the AstraZeneca vaccine. Instead, they recommend that locals use “black seed and honey” to fend off the deadly virus. Somalia is currently in the grip of a second wave of infections. But the militants insist that people should refuse the jab in favor of untried alternatives.

“Do not allow your family to be used as subjects in the experimentation of the safety of the Astra-Zeneca vaccine”, they told Somalians via social media websites.

6 The Indian Cow Manure “Cure”

In May 2021, medical officials were forced to issue a statement urging people in India not to use cow dung to repel coronavirus. The cow is a sacred animal in Hinduism. Locals in the western state of Gujarat are said to be covering themselves in manure and urine believing it will help prevent infection. Coated in excreta, they pray to herds of cattle for immunity.

Doctors have told people time and time again that there is no evidence to support this alternative therapy. Medical workers warn that, by smearing feces over their bodies, people are at risk of spreading other diseases.

The coronavirus pandemic is wreaking havoc across India, leaving catastrophe and devastation in its wake. The country has witnessed over a quarter of a million confirmed deaths so far, with some sources saying the true figure may be as much as ten times higher. Hospital beds and medical resources are in short supply. Is it any wonder people are taking such drastic and bizarre measures in hope of avoiding infection?

5 The Danger of Human-To-Cat Infection

Scientists at the University of Glasgow have found two incidents where owners have passed coronavirus on to their cats. One of the infected felines had to be put down, while the other only suffered mild symptoms. A four-month-old Ragdoll kitten was put down after a period of breathing difficulties. A post-mortem found damage to the lungs that suggested they suffered viral pneumonia caused by coronavirus. The second cat was a six-year-old female Siamese, who was taken to the vet with mild nasal discharge and later recovered.

Both ill pets were discovered during a UK-wide screening program. Scientists are keen to understand the role that pets play in human infection. There is currently no evidence of cats giving the virus to their owners.

4 British Woman Fined For Memorial Balloon Launch

A woman in Britain was fined after holding a balloon launch in memory of her late father-in-law. Vicki Hutchison from County Durham was forced to pay £500 ($700) for organizing the gathering in November 2020. The event was held to commemorate the life of Ian Stephenson, who passed away aged 58 from covid-related illness.

Hutchison, a 34-year-old tanning salon owner, posted an invitation on a social media site. She asked all attendees to wear masks and remain within social distance. But a video of the event shows many people stood close together without masks on.

“I’m happy with what they did today,” she told reporters after receiving the fine. “Yes I did break the law, yes I did release balloons, but at the time, when you lose someone, you don’t think, do you? There will be some people who say you shouldn’t have done it because we were in lockdown but I believe we should have the right to do things.”

3 Lockdown Lip Fillers Go Horribly Awry

When lockdown was first imposed, cosmetic clinics had no choice but to close their doors. For many people, this was disastrous news. Desperate for plumper lips, they took to Instagram to find somewhere to get dermal fillers. But unlicensed practitioners are not always the most reliable and, instead of voluptuous lips, many young women found themselves in the middle of a medical nightmare.

Getting an injection from an untrained stranger is hardly the wisest idea in the world. Some people who received lockdown lip fillers say they were left with blood dripping down their face, while others reported blistering and blackened lips.

It means that clinics have seen a sharp rise in patients needing corrective work. English dentist Dr MJ Rowland-Warmann told reporters about the “staggering upward trend” in botched lip fillers. She spoke of one patient who could have lost her lips without the right treatment.

2 Hungarian MEP Takes Part in Lockdown Orgy

In December 2020, a Hungarian politician left his job after police caught him at a lockdown sex party in Brussels. Fidesz MEP József Szájer was found to have attended what he euphemistically described as a “private party”, but was actually an orgy.

According to the press, police discovered 25 naked men at the event. Among them were several diplomats. Szájer was caught fleeing the scene with drugs in his backpack. He was given an official verbal warning and returned home.

Szájer is a senior figure in Hungarian politics. As a long-time member of Viktor Orbán’s ruling party, he was involved in writing the country’s constitution. The Hungarian government is known for its firm anti-gay stance. Just weeks after Szájer was caught with his pants down, they brought in a new law banning same-sex couples from adoption.

1 Belgium’s Wildkakkers, The People Kicking Up A Stink (Literally)

Ghent is usually a delightful tourist destination. But recently there has been something foul in the air. Under covid restrictions, the Belgian city has seen a sudden rise in people taking a dump outdoors.

During the pandemic, Ghent has closed many of its public toilets. When nature calls, many residents have been left with no choice but to relieve themselves outside.

Local official Helena Nachtergaele shed some light on the new trend for public pooping. “There appeared to be a great shortage of classic toilets. This resulted in the phenomenon of ‘wild poop.’”