When a low‑budget horror flick runs into a cascade of on‑set calamities, the result can be a masterpiece of unintended comedy. In this roundup of 10 bad horror movies, we dive into the behind‑the‑scenes disasters that turned modest productions into cult curiosities. From malfunctioning monster costumes to toxic fumes in underground caves, each film on this list suffered a unique set of woes that made the final product both cringe‑worthy and oddly fascinating.

What Makes These 10 Bad Horror Films So Infamous?

Each entry below showcases a different kind of production nightmare—whether it’s a DIY spaceship made of hubcaps, a stuntman who refused to stay dead in icy water, or a director who had to mortgage his own estate to keep the camera rolling. The common thread? All ten movies earned a reputation for being spectacularly bad, yet they continue to attract viewers who love a good train‑wreck.

10 Beast From Haunted Cave

The 1959 picture titled Beast From Haunted Cave promises a straightforward gold‑heist‑meets‑monster plot. Marty Jones and a barmaid named Natalie trigger an explosion in a mine to distract a gang that’s robbed a South Dakota bank vault. Their plan backfires when a creature lurks in the darkness, leading to Natalie’s demise and Marty’s narrow escapes as the gang repeatedly confronts the beast.

According to Bill Warren’s classic reference, the creature’s design was inspired by a wingless hangingfly. Chris Robinson, the man inside the suit, clanked around in a contraption built from aluminum strips, plywood, and chicken wire wrapped in muslin. The lightweight construction gave him a seven‑foot silhouette, complete with spindly legs and dangling tentacles. Inside, Robinson’s jerky, floppy movements made the monster look less menacing than a clumsy costume, hardly a threat to the agile human characters it pursued.

9 What Waits Below

Don Sharp’s 1984 thriller What Waits Below follows a military team and cave specialists racing to investigate a sudden loss of radio contact deep within a Central American cavern system. The premise sounds tense until a real‑life incident halted production.

Actress Lisa Blount, who played scientist Leslie Peterson, recounted in Imagi Movies that while her character was bound inside the cavern, the extras in front of her began to collapse silently. The crew soon realized a wave of carbon monoxide had seeped into the tunnel, causing the extras to faint. The only escape vehicles were the sluggish golf carts on hand, and the youngest crew members were dispatched first as the fumes, amplified by a generator pumping its exhaust back into the cave, grew more dangerous.

The carbon‑monoxide scare forced a several‑day shutdown, but thankfully Blount emerged unharmed and no long‑term injuries were reported among the cast or crew.

8 The House On Sorority Row

When director Mark Rosman set out to film The House On Sorority Row (1982), he secured a foreclosed house in Pikesville, Maryland, perfect for the story of sorority sisters pranking their house mother. The location seemed ideal—until two squatters turned up already living there.

Rather than abandon the shoot, Rosman’s team got creative: the unwelcome occupants were recruited as video assistants for the production crew. This impromptu staffing solution turned a potential setback into a quirky behind‑the‑scenes anecdote, allowing filming to continue without missing a beat.

7 Terror Train

During the making of Roger Spottiswoode’s Terror Train (1980), a stuntman cast as a dead body drifting in icy water panicked at the frigid temperature and tried to swim instead of staying still. To salvage the shot, art director Gary Comtois stepped in and took the stuntman’s place, finally capturing the intended “dead” effect.

The film also wrestled with cramped set design and poor lighting aboard a moving train. Spottiswoode explained that cinematographer John Alcott rewired the entire train, attaching electrical wires to long wooden boards so dimmers could be mounted. They purchased boxes of bulbs ranging from 20 to 100 watts, enabling rapid changes in illumination that heightened the terror as the murderer stalked partygoers.

Additional lighting tricks included painting the train’s interior walls a deep black to squash reflected light and using a penlight to pick out actors’ eyes in the darkness, creating a stark, eerie visual style that intensified the film’s suspense.

6 Attack Of The Crab Monsters

Roger Corman’s 1957 underwater adventure Attack Of The Crab Monsters suffered from the typical low‑budget headaches of a sea‑bound shoot. The story follows scientists searching for a missing expedition on an island, only to encounter intelligent crabs bent on their destruction.

Screenwriter‑director Charles B. Griffith recounted a chaotic day at Marineland where he was at the bottom of the tank directing actors, while director of photography Floyd Crosby hammered on the glass urging a different performance. The conflicting directions created a confusing set environment, hampering the already difficult underwater filming.

Creative disagreements extended to the script itself. Corman demanded relentless suspense or action in every scene, while Griffith worried that the nonstop pace left audiences bored. Griffith later admitted that his attempt to pack every sequence with thrills resulted in viewers falling asleep, whereas Corman argued that the constant tension made the film one of the most successful early B‑horror titles, emphasizing spectacle over deep character work.

5 The Beast Of Yucca Flats

The 1961 picture The Beast Of Yucca Flats boasts a poster promising a Soviet scientist turned atomic mutant after a KGB chase leads him into a U.S. nuclear test site. In reality, the film is best remembered for its extremely low‑budget production values.

Producer Anthony Cardoza, a 29‑year‑old former welder, cobbled together a cast that included a friend of an actor, an ex‑wife, a producer’s spouse, and four of the producers themselves. The only professional performer was former wrestler Tor Johnson. Special‑effects wizardry consisted of “wrinkled up” toilet paper glued onto Johnson to simulate radiation burns, and stock footage supplied the nuclear blast.

Set construction was minimal: only a bedroom and a single apartment were built. When the actor slated to play Marcia Knight’s husband failed to appear, Cardoza stepped into the role himself. The film also featured gratuitous nudity, with a lone apartment scene showcasing a nude actress simply to fill screen time—a decision Cardoza admitted stemmed from director Coleman Francis’s fondness for nudity.

4 Birdemic: Shock And Terror

James Nguyen’s 2010 effort Birdemic: Shock And Terror set out to emulate Hitchcock’s iconic The Birds, even landing a cameo from Tippi Hedren. The film was billed by Severin Films’ co‑founder Carl Daft as “the greatest avian‑based romantic thriller since THE BIRDS.”

Nguyen financed the project with his day‑job earnings, writing, producing, and directing on a shoestring budget. Interviewer Brad Miska noted that the movie ambitiously tackled topics ranging from global warming and avian flu to world peace, organic living, sexual promiscuity, and even bathroom access—all within a 93‑minute runtime. The plot follows a young couple trapped in a small Northern California town besieged by homicidal birds.

To market the film, Nguyen drove a van plastered with fake birds, frozen blood, and BIRDEMIC posters around the Sundance festival, blasting eagle‑screech sound effects and human screams from loudspeakers. The stunt attracted festival staff, attendees, and local police, ultimately earning Severin Films a worldwide rights deal for twenty years.

Critics were far less enthusiastic. Bloody Disgusting’s David Harley labeled it a “beautiful disaster,” calling it mind‑numbingly inept yet strangely mesmerizing. Despite the reviews, audiences embraced the film as a “best bad movie,” spawning a 2013 sequel and a third installment currently in production.

3 Plan 9 From Outer Space

Ed Wood’s cult classic Plan 9 From Outer Space (1957) showcases classic B‑movie ingenuity. While many claim the alien ships were represented by automobile hubcaps, the April 2020 issue of Retro Fan clarifies that Wood actually employed plastic model kits of flying saucers, proving that even the most infamous low‑budget sci‑fi flicks could get creative with limited resources.

2 Invaders From Mars

William Cameron Menzies’s 1953 creature feature Invaders From Mars is a masterclass in cost‑cutting. The production used a car headlight as a space gun and the set decorator’s own glass coffee table as a prop. Perhaps the most outlandish prop was a set of everyday white condoms repurposed to simulate “cave wall bubbles,” illustrating the era’s willingness to improvise with whatever was at hand.

1 The Visit

Even seasoned director M. Night Shyamalan has his share of missteps, and The Visit (2015) stands out among his less‑successful outings like Lady In Water, The Happening, The Last Airbender, After Earth, and Glass. By the time he began work on The Visit, Shyamalan had to borrow $5 million against his 125‑acre estate west of Philadelphia to fund the project, according to Rolling Stone’s Brian Hiatt.

Shyamalan’s confidence took a hit, with the director admitting the industry had convinced him he was “worthless.” He described himself as a cautionary tale who had once been lucky but ultimately proved a sham, questioning his own talent and fearing his career might end with this film.

The movie follows siblings Becca and Tyler as they spend a weekend with grandparents they’ve never met, only to discover the elders’ bizarre and unsettling behavior. Shyamalan, known for his signature twist endings, initially omitted his usual surprise, prompting studios to pass on the rough cut. Eventually, he re‑edited the film, re‑introduced the twist, and secured producer Jason Blum’s backing, leading to a surprising box‑office resurgence.

Despite his doubts, The Visit earned $98 million worldwide, proving that even a director plagued by self‑doubt can bounce back when the right support and a revised vision come together.

Ever wondered why the world hides certain spots behind barbed wire, locked gates, or thick layers of secrecy? The allure of the unknown drives many to chase the thrill of the forbidden, but when it comes to the 10 forbidden places that guard their secrets jealously, trespassing can land you in hot water—or worse. Below, we count down the most off‑limits locations on the planet, each with a story that will make you think twice before daring to step across the line.

10 Poveglia Island: Venice

The grim saga of Poveglia Island, perched off the coast of Venice, reads like a horror novel: from 1793 to 1814 it served as a quarantine station for plague victims, turning its soil into a massive burial ground where an estimated 160,000 souls were laid to rest. The island’s eerie past is amplified by rumors of lingering spirits, making it a magnet for ghost hunters despite the heavy‑handed restrictions.

In 1922 a mental asylum was erected on the island, and legend whispers that a particularly cruel doctor turned the facility into a site of gruesome experiments. The hospital shuttered its doors in 1968, leaving only crumbling ruins that still echo with unsettling tales. Today, the island is sealed off, and anyone caught sneaking in without permission faces immediate arrest.

9 North Sentinel Island: Andaman Islands

The Sentinelese, who inhabit North Sentinel Island, represent the last pre‑Neolithic tribe on Earth, fiercely defending their isolation with a rain of arrows on any unwelcome visitor. Roughly 200 islanders survive by fishing the nearby shallows, but they have made it unmistakably clear that outsiders are not welcome.

In 2006 two fishermen who drifted too close were brutally killed after falling asleep near the shore. The tragedy prompted authorities to enforce a strict 5‑kilometre (3‑mile) exclusion zone around the island, a rule that remains in force to this day. Violating it can lead to arrest or, more likely, a swift and deadly encounter.

8 Bohemian Grove: California

Hidden deep in the redwoods of Northern California lies Bohemian Grove, a private enclave where the world’s elite gather for three weeks each July. The club’s members—including politicians, CEOs, and artists—participate in ceremonies that have sparked rumors of bizarre rituals and clandestine deals.

When Vanity Fair writer Alex Shoumatoff tried to infiltrate the gathering in 2008, he stumbled upon a surreal scene: priests in glittering satin, a towering owl statue, and a hamadryad in a gold‑spangled bodysuit chanting about the split between reality and fantasy. The spectacle was as dazzling as it was secretive.

Shoumatoff’s curiosity got the best of him, and he was soon apprehended by security guards and handed over to local police. The incident underscored the grove’s zero‑tolerance policy for trespassers.

7 Niihau: Hawaii

Niihau, often dubbed the “Forbidden Island,” has been owned by the Robinson family since 1864, who have deliberately barred all outsiders. This 29‑kilometre‑off‑Kauai island spans 186 square kilometres of unspoiled paradise, home to endangered species and a tight‑knit community of about 130 Native Hawaiians.

During the 1950s polio epidemic, the Robinsons imposed a strict quarantine, refusing entry to anyone without a doctor’s certificate—an action that successfully kept the disease at bay. Over the decades, countless celebrities, including Mick Jagger, have petitioned for a visit, only to be turned away. The family remains steadfast: curiosity alone does not earn a passport to Niihau.

6 Ilha Da Queimada Grande: Brazil

Off the coast of São Paulo lies Ilha da Queimada Grande, a 33‑kilometre‑distant speck of land teeming with roughly 4,000 golden lancehead pit vipers. These snakes are among the world’s most venomous, capable of delivering a lethal bite in under an hour.

Local folklore claims pirates once stocked the island with the serpents to guard hidden treasure, but scientists argue that rising sea levels isolated the snakes, making the island their exclusive habitat. The Brazilian Navy strictly limits access to researchers and navy personnel with explicit permission. The promise of a $30,000 bounty for smuggled venomous snakes tempts “biopirates,” yet the deadly risk makes the island a truly forbidden zone.

5 Diego Garcia: British Indian Ocean Territory

Diego Garcia, nestled in the British Indian Ocean Territory, hides a veil of secrecy and controversy. Between 1968 and 1973, British and American forces expelled the island’s native population—mainly to Mauritius and Seychelles—to construct a strategic U.S. military base.

Allegations persist that the island served as a hub for CIA rendition flights, where detainees were allegedly tortured before being transferred elsewhere. While the British government initially denied involvement, documents later confirmed that two CIA flights had landed, though much evidence was lost to “water damage.” Today, the island remains a fully restricted zone, off‑limits to civilians and journalists alike.

4 Lascaux Cave: France

Lascaux Cave in southwestern France houses some of the world’s oldest known paintings—over 17,300 years old—depicting aurochs, horses, deer, and other prehistoric fauna. Discovered by a teenage boy in 1940, the site quickly became a tourist magnet, drawing more than 1,200 visitors daily.

The influx of people raised carbon‑dioxide levels inside the cavern, fostering mold and fungus that began eroding the priceless artwork. By 1963, authorities shut the cave to the public, and even scholars now face denial of entry. A replica, Lascaux II, opened in 1983, but critics argue that no imitation can replace the authenticity of the original Ice Age masterpieces.

3 Surtsey: Iceland

Surtsey emerged from the Atlantic between 1963 and 1967 during a three‑and‑a‑half‑year volcanic eruption, creating a pristine island untouched by human hands. Over the decades, seeds carried by ocean currents have given rise to a modest ecosystem of molds, bacteria, fungi, plants, 89 bird species, and 335 invertebrate species.

Access to Surtsey is granted solely to a handful of scientists who live in a single, modest hut equipped with bunk beds and a solar‑powered emergency radio. Strict protocols prevent accidental seed introduction; any breach—such as a stray tomato sprouting from mishandled waste—results in immediate destruction of the offending flora. Unauthorized visitors are promptly detained.

2 Svalbard Global Seed Vault: Norway

Deep within a mountain on Spitsbergen, Norway, lies the Svalbard Global Seed Vault—dubbed the “Noah’s Ark of plant diversity.” This fortified bunker stores over a million seed samples from around the globe, acting as a safeguard against global catastrophes that could threaten food security.

Situated 1,300 kilometres from the North Pole, the vault endures extreme cold (as low as –46.3 °C) and prolonged darkness, conditions chosen to deter casual tourists. While tour operators may bring visitors to the vault’s exterior, the interior remains strictly off‑limits; only authorized personnel may enter. The facility’s resilience was proven in 2017 when permafrost melt flooded the access tunnel, yet the seeds stayed safe.

1 Area 51: Nevada

Any list of the 10 forbidden places would be incomplete without Area 51, the United States Air Force’s clandestine test facility in Lincoln County, Nevada. For decades, conspiracy enthusiasts have speculated about alien reverse‑engineering, exotic weaponry, and secretive experiments, fueling a cultural mythos that persists even after the government publicly acknowledged the base’s existence in 2013.

Recent clues suggest the base remains fully active: in early 2018, a shadowy airline dubbed “Janet” advertised jobs requiring top‑secret clearance to shuttle government personnel from Las Vegas to the site. The perimeter is heavily guarded, and anyone who strays beyond a designated buffer zone is swiftly intercepted by military personnel.

While the mystique endures, the reality is simple—trespassing on Area 51 can lead to immediate arrest, and the government’s tight‑rope policy ensures that the secrets within remain firmly sealed.

“Medicine” is defined as “the science and art dealing with the maintenance of health and the prevention, alleviation, or cure of disease.” Yet history is littered with examples of 10 medicines made with good intentions that turned into outright poison. Let’s take a whirlwind tour through ten notorious cures that made things worse.

10 medicines made: A Glimpse Into Medical Missteps

1 Paraffin Wax: The Early Cosmetic Catastrophe

Modern clinics may dabble with Botox or silicone, but the very first attempts at erasing wrinkles and bulking breasts involved injecting paraffin wax straight into the skin. The idea was simple: pour liquid wax into a sagging area or a flat breast, let it harden, and voilà—instant lift. Unfortunately, the method sparked severe infections and gave rise to hard, painful lumps known as paraffinomas. Instead of a smoother look, patients ended up with misshapen, tender tissue that was far from flattering.

2 LSD: Psychedelic Promise Turned Panic Trip

During the 1950s and 60s, researchers explored lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) as a potential treatment for mental illness, testing over 40,000 patients. While some reported fleeting insights, the drug also provoked terrifying “bad trips,” panic attacks, and even full‑blown psychosis, especially in those predisposed to schizophrenia or severe depression. In rare cases, a single dose triggered chronic psychotic episodes. The looming risk of exacerbating latent mental conditions led to LSD’s prohibition under the 1970 Controlled Substances Act.

3 Radium Water: The Glowing Elixir of Misfortune

When radioactivity entered the public imagination, entrepreneurs rushed to market “radium water” as a miracle cure for everything from arthritis to acne. Advertisements urged consumers to prepare their own radioactive drinking water at home. Unsurprisingly, the glowing concoction delivered radiation poisoning: cancers, hair loss, brittle bones, and debilitating fatigue. The once‑celebrated cure quickly became a cautionary tale about the perils of untested scientific hype.

4 Goat Testicles: The Bizarre Virility Implant

In the early 20th century, charlatan John Brinkley claimed he could restore male potency by surgically implanting goat testicles into a man’s scrotum. For $750 per operation—a fortune at the time—patients hoped for renewed virility. Instead, the crude grafts caused infections, hormonal imbalances, and often worsened impotence. Dozens of men died, and the procedure earned a notorious spot in medical quackery history.

5 Arsenic: The Poisonous Patent Medicine

Arsenic, infamous as a lethal toxin, was once hailed as a cure‑all. Known as Pi Shuang in traditional Chinese medicine, it appeared in Fowler’s Solution for malaria and syphilis and in Donovan’s Solution for arthritis and diabetes. Victorian women even used arsenic‑laden cosmetics. Chronic exposure, however, led to cancers, diabetes, and liver disease, turning a supposed remedy into a slow‑acting killer.

6 Mercury: The Silver‑Lined Toxic Elixir

Mercury was once the darling of physicians, touted for everything from syphilis to “old age.” Even Abraham Lincoln reportedly took mercury‑containing pills, possibly contributing to his infamous mood swings. The metal accumulates in the nervous system, causing paralysis, insanity, ulcers, and death. Its supposed anti‑aging benefits were a tragic illusion.

7 Tapeworm Diet: The Parasite Weight‑Loss Scheme

At the turn of the 20th century, dietitians marketed live tapeworm cysts in pill form, promising that the parasite would consume a victim’s food and induce rapid weight loss. The side effects? Diarrhea, vomiting, and, after a “cure,” a nasty anti‑parasitic medication to kill the worm—often leading to abdominal trauma, headaches, meningitis, epilepsy, and even dementia. A truly gut‑wrenching approach to slimming.

8 Virgin Cleansing Myth: The Dangerous STD “Cure”

Since the 16th century, a lurid belief persisted that a virgin’s sexual contact could purge a patient of an STD. The myth spread from Europe to parts of Africa, promising a miraculous cure for syphilis or gonorrhea. In reality, unprotected intercourse only propagated infections, making the practice a fatal public‑health blunder.

9 Mummy Powder: The Ancient Corpse Cure

From medieval Europe to the Middle East, physicians ground Egyptian mummies into powder, believing it could treat headaches, coughs, ulcers, and even poisonings. The gruesome remedy caused stomach pain, foul breath, vomiting, and likely introduced ancient pathogens. By the 17th century, French surgeon Ambrose Pere denounced it as “wretched” and harmful.

10 Powder Of Sympathy: The Sympathetic Magic Remedy

Sir Kenelm Digby concocted a bizarre mixture—earthworms, pig brains, rust, and bits of mummified flesh—called “Powder of Sympathy.” Rather than applying it to a wound, he sprinkled it on the offending weapon, hoping “sympathetic magic” would heal the injury. Unsurprisingly, the potion did nothing but showcase the era’s strange alchemical thinking.

These ten ill‑fated cures remind us that medicine, while a force for good, has stumbled spectacularly when curiosity outran caution. The next time a miracle‑cure headline pops up, remember the lessons of the past—and perhaps keep the paraffin wax and goat testicles safely in the museum.

We often like to think that humanity learns from its darkest hours—10 details make us realize that even after a catastrophe, the aftermath can be just as brutal, with new layers of misery added to the original horror.

10 Details Make History Even Grimmer

10 Tiananmen Massacre

In 1989, following the death of the reform‑seeking official Hu Yaobang, Chinese university students converged on Tiananmen Square, demanding an end to corruption and the birth of genuine democracy. Their protests included a hunger strike and a list of political reforms.

The peaceful demonstration shattered when the People’s Liberation Army rolled in tanks and troops, opening fire on the crowd. Official counts cite at least 300 deaths, though some investigators argue the toll could be as high as 2,700.

Most accounts stop there, yet an unsettling footnote deepens the tragedy: reports claim the Chinese government later billed the victims’ families for the ammunition that killed their loved ones, charging roughly 27 cents per bullet.

While Beijing has never officially confirmed the practice, evidence shows that other dissidents were invoiced for the bullets that ended their lives, making it highly plausible that the Tiananmen families faced the same exploitative charge.

9 My Lai Massacre

The most infamous episode of the Vietnam War unfolded in 1968 when U.S. soldiers entered the hamlet of My Lai and slaughtered over 350 unarmed civilians, committing rape, torture, and murder with shocking brutality.

Only a single soldier, Lieutenant William Calley, faced legal action. He was convicted of murdering 22 civilians and sentenced to life imprisonment, though the sentence was quickly reduced to house arrest, and he served merely three years before receiving a full presidential pardon from Richard Nixon.

Calley’s escape from a harsh penalty did not shield everyone from retaliation. Hugh Thompson, a helicopter pilot who tried to rescue Vietnamese civilians and later testified against the perpetrators, endured a campaign of intimidation.

Thompson’s life was marred by death threats, mutilated animal carcasses left on his doorstep, and enduring post‑traumatic stress disorder, illustrating how the fallout extended far beyond the original atrocity.

8 Pompeii

The eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79 devastated the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, burying them under meters of volcanic ash and scorching gases.

While Pompeii’s victims were largely smothered, the neighboring town of Herculaneum endured a far hotter blast. Eyewitnesses described a black, searing cloud that rained down at temperatures exceeding 500 °C (932 °F), instantly incinerating roofs and exposing inhabitants to lethal heat.

At those extreme temperatures, people’s teeth shattered, flesh blistered away, and bones turned black. The heat was so intense that many victims’ heads literally exploded, a gruesome detail that underscores the sheer ferocity of the eruption.

7 9/11

When terrorist‑piloted airplanes crashed into the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, nearly 3,000 lives were instantly lost, marking the deadliest attack on U.S. soil.

The aftermath brought a cascade of secondary deaths. Fear of flying caused airline traffic to drop by roughly 20 percent, prompting many travelers to opt for long‑distance car trips, which resulted in an estimated 1,595 additional traffic fatalities within the following year.

Even more insidious was the surge in cancer rates. The towers contained about 400 tons of asbestos; when they collapsed, the toxin dispersed throughout the city, exposing an estimated 410,000 people and contributing to a noticeable rise in cancer diagnoses.

First‑responders bore the brunt of the exposure. Approximately 70 percent reported chronic lung problems, about 1,400 died within a decade, and over 1,140 have been diagnosed with cancer linked to the dust and fumes inhaled at Ground Zero.

6 The Irish Potato Famine

During the Great Irish Famine, the Ottoman Sultan Abdul Medjid Khan prepared to send a substantial relief fleet, offering a generous £10,000 donation to alleviate the starving population.

British diplomats, however, invoked royal protocol, insisting that no foreign power should out‑donate Queen Victoria herself. Consequently, the Sultan was forced to trim his contribution to a modest £1,000.

Despite the reduction, the Irish hailed the Sultan’s aid as an “act of regal munificence,” praising the unprecedented gesture of a Muslim sovereign extending sympathy to a Christian nation.

In private correspondence, the Sultan expressed regret, lamenting that he could not provide more assistance, revealing his personal frustration with the diplomatic constraints placed upon his generosity.

5 Black Death

The mid‑14th‑century Black Death claimed between 75 million and 200 million lives, wiping out roughly one‑third of Europe’s population.

In the panic that followed, many Europeans blamed the Jewish community, propagating the false belief that Jews were deliberately poisoning wells to spread the plague.

That baseless accusation sparked violent pogroms: mobs seized Jewish families, dragged infants from mothers, and burned entire communities alive. In Strasbourg alone, more than 2,000 Jews were incinerated in a single, horrific event.

The disease itself was indiscriminate, affecting both Jews and Christians alike. Yet the backlash endured; Strasbourg enacted a law barring Jews from entering the city for a full century after the outbreak.

4 Hurricane Katrina

When Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans in 2005, countless residents fled seeking shelter in neighboring towns. Police directed evacuees toward a bridge leading to the town of Gretna.

Instead of a warm welcome, the bridge was sealed off by four police cruisers, and eight officers brandished shotguns, shouting, “We don’t want another Superdome!” They turned away the desperate crowd, even pilfering their food and water before expelling them.

Gretna’s chief of police, Arthur Lawson, openly admitted the blockade, stating, “There was no place for them to come on our side,” confirming the town’s refusal to accept the refugees.

3 Wounded Knee

In 1890, United States troops attacked an unarmed Lakota encampment at Wounded Knee, killing roughly 200 men, women, and children in a brutal massacre.

Shockingly, twenty soldiers received the Medal of Honor for their actions—more awards than were given for many conventional battles. The original proposal sought 25 medals, but General Miles objected, calling the honors “an insult to the memory of the dead.” Still, twenty medals were bestowed.

One recipient, Sergeant Toy, was cited for “bravery displayed while shooting hostile Indians,” yet the report clarified he fired upon Native Americans who were fleeing. Lieutenant Garlington earned a medal for blocking escape routes, forcing victims into a ravine, while Lieutenant Gresham was honored for entering that ravine to kill the trapped individuals.

The psychological toll was evident: Sergeant Loyd, haunted by his actions, took his own life two years after the massacre, just days before its anniversary, despite his Medal of Honor citation for “bravery.”

2 The Great Fire Of London

Robert Hubert was widely described as “not well in the mind,” likely suffering from severe mental impairment. Yet in 1666, he was arrested, tried, and hanged for allegedly starting the Great Fire of London.

Evidence shows Hubert was not even present when the fire broke out; he arrived two days later, wandering the streets muttering “Yes!”—a phrase that, in the hysteria of the time, was taken as a confession.

During interrogation, he claimed a Frenchman had paid him a shilling to burn the city, but his story shifted repeatedly. Nevertheless, the authorities forced a confession and executed him.

Fifteen years later, a ship’s captain finally revealed that Hubert had never set foot in London during the blaze, confirming his wrongful execution—though the damage to his reputation was already done.

1 The Titanic

The White Star Line was notoriously frugal. A clause in the crew contracts stipulated that every employee was terminated the instant the Titanic began to sink, meaning the company refused to pay wages for staff who were literally drowning.

After the disaster, families of the deceased were told they would have to cover the freight costs if they wished to retrieve their loved ones’ bodies—a fee most could not afford, resulting in memorials rather than graves for many victims.

The tragedy was especially cruel for the ship’s musicians. Classified as independent contractors, they received no survivor benefits, while other crew members’ families were compensated. The band’s families were left penniless.

In a grim twist, the families of the musicians received a single token: a bill for the cost of the uniforms they had worn during the fateful performance.

When you think of doctors, the image that pops up is often that of miracle workers pulling breakthroughs out of thin air. The modern “top 10 medical” landscape is brimming with life‑saving cures, but centuries ago the remedies were more likely to add to the misery than to cure it. Ancient practitioners wielded tools and ideas that made patients cringe, endured excruciating pain, and sometimes even caused death. Let’s dive into the ten most infamous medical practices that were truly worse than the illnesses they aimed to fix.

Top 10 Medical Nightmares: When Treatment Went Wrong

10 Bloodletting

Bloodletting was once the go‑to remedy for everything from throbbing headaches to stubborn fevers. In ancient clinics a physician would grab a lancet, a sharp piece of wood, or even a hollow needle and slice open a vein, letting rivers of blood spill into a waiting bowl. The belief was simple: too much blood meant disease, so draining a bit would restore balance.

The theory behind it rested on the four‑humor model—fire, earth, water, and air—more commonly known as blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile. Doctors thought that health required these humors to be in perfect equilibrium, and by siphoning off excess blood they could re‑establish harmony and usher patients back to vigor.

If luck smiled on the sufferer, a leech might do the work instead of a cutting blade. These tiny blood‑suckers could gulp several times their own weight, drawing blood without a scar. Leeches stayed popular until roughly the mid‑19th century, after which the practice faded into medical history.

9 Hydrotherapy

Hydrotherapy earned its reputation in the early 1900s as a mental‑illness remedy in asylums. The idea was that water—whether blisteringly hot or icy cold—could coax the body into a therapeutic response when applied to the skin. Yet this wasn’t the soothing spa‑day most of us imagine today.

Patients were sometimes forced into endless warm or cold baths that could stretch for hours, even days, in dimly lit rooms with little sound or stimulation. They were also wrapped in sheets steeped in water of varying temperatures, a practice that could last for hours on end, turning what should have been a calming soak into a grueling endurance test.

Modern hydrotherapy has shed its punitive image. Today it’s a gentle, evidence‑based method to ease pain, boost circulation, and promote relaxation, often involving underwater exercises or massages under the careful guidance of a physical therapist.

8 Urine Therapy

Imagine sipping your own urine as a health tonic—that’s the premise of urine therapy, a practice that dates back to the 19th‑century naturopath John W. Armstrong, who learned the method from his family’s folk remedies for everything from toothaches to insect stings. The therapy involves either drinking one’s own urine or massaging it onto the skin.

Proponents claim that urine harbors antibodies and other beneficial compounds capable of fighting disease. However, rigorous scientific studies have never substantiated these assertions, leaving urine therapy in the realm of curious, unproven folklore.

7 Mercury Treatment

Mercury, a shiny liquid metal now notorious for its toxicity, was once hailed as a miracle cure. Ancient Persians and Greeks applied it as an ointment, while Chinese alchemists blended liquid mercury and red mercury sulfide, hoping to extend lifespan and even walk on water.

One of mercury’s most infamous applications was as a treatment for syphilis. While some patients did see temporary improvement, the metal’s corrosive impact on kidneys and liver often proved fatal, making the cure far more dangerous than the disease itself. Today, mercury is tightly regulated and rarely used in mainstream medicine.

6 Insulin Shock

Insulin shock, also known as insulin coma therapy, emerged as an early breakthrough for schizophrenia. The protocol began with modest doses that eased anxiety, tremors, and nausea, but clinicians soon discovered that massive doses could plunge patients into a deep unconscious state.

When patients entered this insulin‑induced coma, their psychotic thoughts often receded, and they appeared calmer and less hostile. Though the method yielded some success, the danger of severe hypoglycemia made it a high‑risk gamble that modern psychiatry has largely abandoned.

5 Moldy Bread

Before antibiotics, cultures across the globe turned to moldy bread as a crude antimicrobial. In ancient Serbia, China, and Greece, a slice of mold‑spotted loaf was pressed against wounds to stave off infection. Egyptians even used the crust on scalp ailments, believing the mold’s spirit could chase disease away.

This practice represents an early, raw form of antibiotic therapy—leveraging naturally occurring fungi to combat bacteria. While we no longer chew on moldy loaves, the principle lives on in modern penicillin derived from mold cultures.

4 Lobotomy

Lobotomy, a surgical technique that severs connections in the brain’s frontal lobe, once promised a miracle cure for severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Early results were mixed—some patients showed modest improvement, while many suffered debilitating side effects or no benefit at all.

American neurologist Walter Jackson Freeman II popularized the trans‑orbital variant, which involved inserting an ice‑pick‑like instrument through the eye socket to reach the frontal lobe. Though hailed as revolutionary for a time, lobotomies were eventually eclipsed by safer pharmacological treatments like antipsychotics and antidepressants.

3 Hemiglossectomy

Hemiglossectomy, the partial removal of the tongue, was once touted as a cure for stuttering and speech impediments. The German surgeon Johann Frederich Dieffenbach famously sliced patients’ tongues down to a fraction of their original size, believing a smaller tongue would ease speech.

The procedure was more punishment than therapy, often leaving patients with severe speech difficulties and a host of complications. Modern speech therapy, with its evidence‑based exercises and counseling, now offers a humane and effective alternative.

2 Electroconvulsive Therapy

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), colloquially known as shock therapy, first appeared in the 1930s as a treatment for severe depression. Electrodes placed on the temples delivered a brief electric current that induced a controlled seizure, instantly rendering the patient unconscious.

Patients typically received three sessions per week for two to six weeks, with some requiring multiple treatments in a single day. While early applications were harsh, advances in anesthesia, muscle relaxants, and precise dosing have turned ECT into a valuable, life‑saving option for those who do not respond to medication.

1 Trephination

Trephination stands out as perhaps the most unsettling early medical practice. It involved drilling a literal hole into a patient’s skull, exposing the brain’s protective layers. Ancient healers believed the procedure could release malevolent spirits, relieve headaches, or treat convulsions and skull fractures.

Early surgeons scraped bone away with sharp stones or primitive drills, later advancing to metal tools that cut cleaner circles. Although the technique sounds barbaric, a modern version still exists: neurosurgeons perform trephination to relieve pressure from epidural or subdural hematomas and to gain access for critical brain surgeries, now using sophisticated, minimally traumatic equipment.

Industrialists often admit that war, grim as it is, can act as a catalyst for rapid technological progress. Peace, however, can be just as inventive. Below you’ll find 10 inventions meant to end wars, but each one managed to tangle things up even more, sometimes in spectacularly odd ways.

Why 10 Inventions Meant To End War Fell Short

From lofty diplomatic bodies to cheeky chemical weapons, these ideas were dreamed up with the noble intention of eradicating bloodshed. Yet history has a habit of turning grand optimism into unintended chaos, proving that good intentions don’t always translate into peaceful outcomes.

10 United Nations

Born out of the ashes of the League of Nations after World War I, the United Nations officially opened its doors in 1945, just months after the conclusion of World War II. By 1947, the budding Cold War had already exposed a glaring flaw: the so‑called “peace‑loving major powers” were more preoccupied with carving up spoils than with fostering global harmony. The Security Council, envisioned as the engine of collective security, found its meetings deadlocked, and its growth was stunted from day one.

Fast‑forward to the present, and the picture isn’t any rosier. Institutionalized corruption now haunts the organization, with powerful members leveraging foreign aid to buy votes. Non‑permanent members can receive as much as $45 million extra from the United States in crucial years, a tactic that helps push resolutions through unanimously. Moreover, when a resolution is doubtful, powerful states simply sidestep the vote altogether—an example being the 2003 invasion of Iraq, which never saw a Security Council referendum.

Beyond the political maneuvering, the UN suffers from a profound impotence. Violations of Security Council resolutions rarely, if ever, trigger concrete consequences, leaving the body with little teeth to enforce its own mandates.

9 International Language

According to the Biblical narrative, the Tower of Babel was humanity’s first grand project, only to be thwarted by a divine decision to scramble languages, sowing discord among people. The story suggests that a single tongue could have unified mankind, eliminating the very root of conflict. Fast‑forward centuries, and the hope of a universal language resurfaced in the form of Esperanto, a constructed tongue devised in 1887 by Ludwig Lazarus Zamenhof, affectionately (or ominously) dubbed Doktoro Esperanto.

Esperanto draws heavily from Romance languages, employing a streamlined 28‑letter Latin alphabet that makes it relatively easy for Western speakers to master. Its grammar is intentionally simple, and its cultural neutrality allows learners from diverse backgrounds to pick it up quickly. An added perk? Studying Esperanto first can actually accelerate the acquisition of other languages, thanks to its logical structure.

By 1915, the language had gained enough traction that the Iranian delegate to the League of Nations proposed its adoption as the organization’s official tongue. The proposal almost succeeded—except for a single French delegate who cast the decisive veto. Subsequently, Esperantists faced persecution from totalitarian regimes: Nazis, Spanish fascists, and even the Soviet Union viewed the language as a subversive threat to nationalist ideologies, with the Nazis also disliking it because its creator was Jewish.

8 Satellites

Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, often hailed as the “father of astronautics,” contributed a staggering array of ideas: escape velocity calculations, multi‑stage rockets, steerable engines, airlocks, and, crucially, the concept of artificial satellites. He imagined that placing humans in orbit would trigger the “overview effect”—a profound shift in perspective that would make borders seem meaningless and, consequently, render war obsolete.

Writing in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Tsiolkovsky predicted that by 2017 humanity would have achieved both crewed spaceflight and world peace. He envisioned satellites as utopian habitats offering limitless solar power, climate‑controlled environments, weightless living that eliminated heavy labor, and a leveling of resource disparities that would erase social classes.

What Tsiolkovsky could not foresee was the dual‑use nature of his creation. While the Outer Space Treaty seeks to keep space a peaceful domain, satellites quickly became indispensable tools for reconnaissance, surveillance, and communication—essentially the eyes and ears of modern militaries. As technology advances, the line between peaceful observation and weaponization blurs, with future possibilities ranging from laser‑armed platforms to other hostile applications.

7 Laser Weapons

Laser weaponry was never intended to be a war‑ending miracle; rather, its creators hoped it would make combat less lethal by delivering pinpoint accuracy and reducing collateral damage. Light‑speed beams can intercept incoming missiles regardless of velocity, and, intriguingly, they cannot be intercepted themselves, making them a tantalizing defensive tool.

Cost‑wise, lasers are a game‑changer: while a conventional missile interceptor can cost anywhere from $1 million to $10 million per unit, a laser shot runs between $1 and $10. This drastic price drop has led to rapid adoption across several armed forces, supplementing existing arsenals. However, the technology also brings a darker capability—its ability to temporarily blind soldiers, a function that prompted early international bans.

6 Teleforce

In a February 1935 piece for Liberty magazine titled “A Machine to End War,” Nikola Tesla argued that making weapons more destructive would not stop conflict; instead, he envisioned a defensive shield that would neutralize any aggression. His concept, dubbed Teleforce, was meant to create an invulnerable field that could vaporize any approaching threat—human or mechanical—within a 200‑mile radius.

Tesla described this “wall of power” as a means to equalize defense among nations, making any offensive action futile and thereby causing war to fizzle out. He insisted the mechanism was not a death‑ray but a particle beam with energy levels far beyond conventional rays. Additionally, he imagined Teleforce could revolutionize television by removing limits on illumination, picture size, and projection distance.

Despite Tesla’s visionary flair, his ideas were marred by personal eccentricities, including eugenic beliefs and unrealistic timelines—he even predicted a Secretary of Hygiene would outrank the Secretary of War by 2035. Had Teleforce ever materialized, its immense power would likely have been co‑opted for nefarious purposes, such as targeting specific populations, reflecting the darker side of his otherwise idealistic vision.

5 Gay Bomb

In a surprisingly whimsical twist, the Pentagon drafted a plan in 1994—under the Clinton administration—to develop a non‑lethal weapon that would unleash aphrodisiacs over enemy troops. The idea, dubbed the “gay bomb,” aimed to cause a sudden surge in homosexual behavior among soldiers, leading to a “distasteful but completely non‑lethal” collapse in morale.

The concept fit a broader pattern of psychological warfare targeting the ideological and cultural sensibilities of adversaries, particularly those whose societies were starkly different from Western norms. By inducing widespread same‑sex activity, the weapon was intended to disrupt combat effectiveness without causing physical casualties.

Other, less famous proposals emerged alongside the gay bomb, such as the “Who? Me?” bomb, which sought to blanket enemies with foul odors like flatulence or bad breath. Notably, research suggested that in many parts of the world, such smells would be ineffective, as local populations were accustomed to them, rendering the idea largely impractical.

4 Drones

Telechirics—the marriage of distance (tele) and hand (kheir)—refers to remote technologies that let operators manipulate tools from afar, creating a safety buffer between humans and hazardous tasks. Applications span space exploration, deep‑sea research, nuclear disaster response, firefighting, mining, and, of course, modern warfare.

John W. Clark, writing for New Scientist in 1964, imagined a future where consciousness could be transferred into an invulnerable mechanical body, a vision that foreshadowed today’s unmanned aerial vehicles. While drones promise to reduce human casualties by removing pilots from the battlefield, the reality is far more complex.

Economic disparities mean that wealthy nations wield drones against poorly equipped foes, turning the technology into a one‑sided tool that targets people rather than other drones. Since their first deployment in Afghanistan after 9/11, drone strikes have become routine, often shrouded in secrecy and sparking ethical debates about the ease with which lethal force can be applied.

3 Nuclear Weapons

The logic behind nuclear deterrence was simple: build weapons so terrifyingly destructive that no rational actor would dare start a war. Yet history shows that this premise failed spectacularly. While Nazi Germany initially conceptualized atomic weapons, the United States embraced the project, culminating in the deployment of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki by President Truman.

Truman’s decision set a precedent: the most powerful weapon ever created was now in the hands of a nation eager to use it against ideological enemies. The ensuing arms race saw the Soviet Union amass its own stockpile, leading to a perpetual balance of terror that has persisted for decades.

Although the existence of nuclear arsenals has arguably prevented a full‑scale World War III, it has not ushered in lasting peace. Nuclear powers continue to engage in regional conflicts, and the ever‑present threat of proliferation keeps the world perched on a precarious edge.

2 Submarines

Narcís Monturiol, a Spanish inventor and self‑declared feminist, communist, and utopian revolutionary, set out to create a vessel that would put an end to war. While hiding from authorities, he became fascinated by coral divers, who harvested marine ornaments for home décor. Their underwater world inspired him to envision a new continent beneath the waves.

Collaborating with a master shipwright and a designer, Monturiol built the Ictíneo—a 23‑foot, pedal‑powered submarine resembling a wine barrel, complete with double olive‑wood and copper hulls. Equipped with coral‑gathering appendages, the craft could dive to 60 feet for several hours. Monturiol described the experience in lyrical terms, noting the silence, dimming sunlight, and the eerie pallor that flooded the interior.

After a freighter accident destroyed his first prototype, Monturiol immediately began work on the larger, steam‑powered Ictíneo II. Seeking funding, he flirted with military interests, even offering to mount cannons. Yet, no nation showed interest—until the Nazis later recognized the strategic potential of submarines, a testament to how a peace‑seeking invention can be repurposed for war.

1 Manned Aircraft

The first powered flight is often credited to the Wright brothers, but the true pioneer was Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos‑Dumont—a flamboyant dandy who also set a record by looping a balloon around the Eiffel Tower. Unlike the Wrights’ catapult‑assisted glide, Dumont’s 14‑billion‑cubic‑centimeter aircraft completed a verified 220‑meter flight before a panel of judges.

Despite his groundbreaking achievement, Dumont grew bitter when the Wright brothers stole the limelight. The militarization of aviation only deepened his despair; he had hoped that the ability to drop bombs from the sky would deter nations from waging war, but reality proved otherwise.

Overwhelmed by guilt after witnessing aircraft being used for destruction, Dumont checked into a hotel in Brazil in 1932, confided to the elevator operator that he had “made a big mistake,” and then tragically took his own life. His story serves as a poignant reminder that even the most hopeful inventions can become instruments of devastation.

Medical science has come a long way in the last century, but even with all our advancements we’ve hardly scratched the surface in understanding the wonder that is the human body. The procedures and treatments used today will be replaced with better techniques in the future, and maybe some treatments that we consider normal will look just as crazy in the 23rd century as these old medical techniques do to us now.

10. Smoke in a Sensitive Place

If lives needed to be saved in the 17^th and 18^th centuries, people relied on a technique which was thought to cure pretty much every disease under the sun. It was called a tobacco smoke enema, and it involved blowing smoke exactly where you’d expect an enema to go. It was believed that a struggling respiratory system could be kick-started by warming it up with tobacco smoke.

Respiratory kits that included rubber tubing and bellows were sold, and it was later diversified as a cure to pretty much anything from the common cold to cholera to swimmers saved from drowning. The key was the nicotine, which acted as a stimulant to the adrenal glands that in turn produced adrenalin. The kits were discontinued when the idea of them having any healing properties were debunked in the early 19^th century, when scientists began to discover the harmful effects that tobacco had on the heart and lungs.

9. Heroin

Heroin, one of the most addictive and illegal substances in the world, was once marketed by Bayer as a cough remedy. It was believed that heroin was less addictive than morphine, from which it was synthetically created. The test subjects said the drug made them feel “heroic,” thus the name. The drug was seen as a miracle cure for tuberculosis, but the addictiveness of the drug saw hospitals being crammed with patients addicted to heroin. By 1913 Bayer decided to stop making it, and heroin slowly developed a very different reputation.

8. Shock Therapy

In the 1800s some scientists believed that electricity possessed healing properties, and a simple jolt of electricity was considered a miracle cure-all. Of all the areas it could be applied, a man’s genitals were considered to be the most effective. It was wrongly believed that masturbation was the cause of impotency in men, and the cure for it was thought to be a jolt of electricity directly onto the junk. Electrotherapeutic devices were sold as cures for sexual inadequacy, and these devices were advertised with the promise of bringing youth and vigor back into a man. Thankfully, these issues can now be resolved with pills instead of torture techniques scaled back for civilian use.

7. Moldy Bread and Dung

Ancient Egypt had a well-oiled medical system, but they were limited by the knowledge of their time. Doctors performed medical and spiritual healing on patients to cure them from their diseases and protect them from evil spirits. Medicines and ointments were derived from nature, but the contents probably disgusted the people forced to take them.

Everything from lizard blood to moldy bread was considered a potential medicine. Have a toothache? A dead mouse paste was thought to ease the pain, while moldy bread was used as disinfectant. But the most disgusting medicine of all has to be the dung remedy. Donkey, fly and even human excrement was thought to possess healing properties, while Egyptian contraceptives consisted of dried crocodile dung that was inserted into the vagina. At least it wasn’t electrified first.

6. Morphine Syrup

Mrs. Winslow’s Soothing Syrup was a 19^th century concoction for children and infants. The syrup was marketed as a remedy to restlessness, especially during teething. The company claimed to have formulated the syrup while keeping in mind the safety of the most vulnerable members of the family.

Except in 1910 The New York Times ran an article pointing out the dangerous ingredients the syrup contained. The many eyebrow raising chemicals included morphine and alcohol, and while that might sound like a good time to some adults, the wrong dose could easily harm a child.

5. Lobotomies

Mental illnesses were treated poorly as late as the mid-20^th century. In the 1940s, lobotomies were a popular cure for mental illness — surgeons drilled a hole in the skull to get access to the brain and remove a part of it. A physician named Walter Freeman devised a faster yet even more horrifying procedure that involved shoving an ice pick into the corner of the eye while the patient lay unconscious. The surgeries produced at best limited results, and at worst resulted in tragedy that left the patient mentally crippled.

4. Mercury

Mercury is renowned for its toxicity today, but centuries ago this liquid silver element fascinated people so much that it was believed to be the elixir of life. The ancient Greeks used it as an ointment and antiseptic against wounds and scratches, while the ancient Chinese believed that consuming mercury could prolong your life. Emperor Qin Shi Huang became one of mercury’s most famous victims when he consumed the element on the recommendation of his doctors.

Even in the early 20^th century, mercury was used to cure STDs such as syphilis prior to the introduction of penicillin. Doctors prescribed heavy dosages of mercury based ointments, which promptly created their own problems. Consuming mercury can cause everything from tooth loss to organ failure to permanent damage to the nervous system and even death.

3. Hot Irons in a Sensitive Place

Hemorrhoid surgeries aren’t fun, but thanks to modern anesthetics patients can get through the entire ordeal without feeling any pain. But back in medieval times, sufferers of hemorrhoids had to either sit on a curved stone once sat on by St. Fiacre, a saint associated with healing powers, or get a hot iron rod rammed all the way up where the sun don’t shine by a monk. Neither method was effective, but at least the rock sounds scenic.

2. Vibration

Many women own at least one vibrator, but pleasure wasn’t the reason they were invented. Back in the day it was believed that women had little to no sexual desire, and this belief left women frustrated and complaining of sleepless nights, nervousness, irritability and other symptoms that now get joked about by stand-up comedians. Their frustration was misinterpreted as hysteria, the cure for which was first a doctor applying oil to the vagina and massaging it with their fingers, and later the application of a vibrator. These massages of course gave women orgasms and relief from “hysteria,” but doctors called them “hysterical paroxysms.” At the time it was widely thought that women had no orgasms, and go ahead and insert your own joke here.

1. Trepanation

Trepanation, the oldest form of surgery known to man, is basically a fancy word for drilling a hole into the skull without anesthetic. Trepanation dates back to the days of stone tools and good old fashioned cave living — archaeological evidence dates trepanation back to the early Mesolithic era, and there is also evidence of the Incas and Aztecs practicing it.

The procedure leaned more towards mysticism then medicine, as the hole in the head was believed to release evil spirits trapped inside the body. Over the years trepanation found its way to Europe, where it was believed to be a potential cure to migraines, seizures and even insanity (although they must have been some pretty nasty migraines to make that cure worth it). As primitive as it may sound, there’s evidence that most patients survived the procedure and lived on. Even today the procedure has its uses, albeit only for very specific operations and in a much safer form.