Ever since humanity developed awareness and began exploring the world, our understanding has been intertwined with mystery. We often turn to myths and legends. We use these stories to try to explain the unexplainable. While science and technology have debunked some myths, some mysteries remain. These enigmas are beyond the grasp of modern science.
Many spine-chilling and perplexing mysteries revolve around life on Earth. They also focus on the existence of souls. Another question is whether we are alone in the vast universe. Other questions linger. Is time travel possible? Do other dimensions exist? Did advanced civilizations roam our planet before us? There are numerous unresolved cases and disappearances, too. They lead us to question whether supernatural forces are at play. Here are fifteen of the world’s most baffling unsolved mysteries. Let’s see which ones you’ve already heard about!
The Enigmatic World of Lost Civilizations and Unexplained Phenomena
No. 1: The Lost City of Atlantis
Our earliest record of the lost city of Atlantis comes from Plato. He described an island located beyond the “Pillars of Hercules” in his dialogue Timaeus. This description has sparked considerable debate. Some wonder if this place truly existed. Others think Plato was simply creating a fiction. Atlantis was a world power around 12,000 BC. They invaded Athens. But they were about to conquer it. Then earthquakes and a massive tsunami plunged it into the sea. Legend says they possessed technologies more advanced than our own. Their king was Atlas. He was the son of Poseidon, the god of the sea. In recent years, researchers have suggested the “Eye of the Sahara” may be the remains of Atlantis. 
No. 2: The Nazca Lines
The Nazca Lines are a collection of large geoglyphs. They were discovered in the late 1930s. This happened in the Nazca and Palpa regions of southern Peru. They cover 500 square kilometers. Their average length is 180 meters. Because of this, they’ve earned the Guinness World Record for the “largest geoglyph.” These symbols are awe-inspiring. They were created by shallow lines etched into the ground. They depict creatures from the natural world. These include monkeys, birds, spiders, sharks, orcas, and flowers. What’s even more perplexing is their perfect precision. The Nazca people likely couldn’t view these “works of art” from above when created. These lines make you wonder, how did they manage that?
No. 3: Easter Island and the Rongorongo Script
The Moai stone head sculptures are scattered around Easter Island. This island is in the South Pacific. These sculptures have long intrigued researchers. They are enormous. They had to be moved at least 11 miles from the quarry. They were moved to their current locations. This happened without wheels, cranes, or large animals. These mysterious sculptures are the work of the ancient Rapa Nui people. But that’s not all they left behind. A set of strange glyphs were carved on wood. They are known as Rongorongo. It appears to be a form of writing. It has yet to be deciphered. These glyphs are believed to hold clues. The clues are about the origin and purpose of the island’s giant head sculptures. They may also explain the mysterious collapse of the Rapa Nui civilization.
No. 4: The Bermuda Triangle
The Bermuda Triangle is a large expanse of the North Atlantic Ocean. It has long been associated with mysterious disappearances. Many aircraft and ships have vanished. Bizarre theories abound. They range from time warps to magnetic fields. Some even suggest alien abductions. The most famous mystery is the disappearance of the USS Cyclops. This was a naval vessel. It departed from Barbados for Baltimore on March 4, 1918. It was never seen again. The ship and its 306 passengers and crew vanished without a trace. Even more, it appears to be a huge city at the bottom of the sea. It has several sphinxes and pyramids. These are bigger than those in Egypt.
No. 5: The Phaistos Disc
Italian archaeologist Luigi Pernier discovered a mysterious disc in 1908. It was at the Minoan palace site of Phaistos. The site is on the island of Crete, Greece. The disc is made of baked clay. It contains a series of unknown hieroglyphs. It remains one of archaeology’s most famous puzzles. Scientists believe the Phaistos Disc dates back to around the second millennium BC. It may contain clues to the sudden flourishing of civilization. The Minoan civilization is considered the first organized civilization in history. It’s like finding a time capsule from a civilization we barely know!
Unexplained Events and Enigmatic Figures
No. 6: The SOS of the Ghost Ship Ourang Medan
Sometime in June 1947, the American ships Baltimore and Silver Star were sailing through the Strait of Malacca. Then they received a distress call. It came from the Dutch freighter Ourang Medan. The message said: “All officers including captain dead in chart room and bridge. Possibly whole crew dead.” A burst of short Morse code sounds followed. Then a clear voice said, “I die.” And then there was nothing. They boarded the ship to investigate. They found all the crew dead. They were lying on the deck. Their eyes were open. They had expressions of terror. There was no sign of injury on their bodies. The Silver Star prepared to tow the Ourang Medan to a nearby port. But a fire broke out. It was in the Dutch freighter’s No. 4 hold. The American boarding party had to evacuate. The investigation was halted. Soon after, the Ourang Medan exploded. It sank into the sea.
No. 7: The Shroud of Turin
No religious artifact has sparked as much controversy as the Shroud of Turin. The Bible mentions something in the Gospels. It’s in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Jesus was wrapped in linen and placed in a tomb. So, Christians believe it may be the burial shroud. It was used after Jesus was crucified. It bears signs of his resurrection.
Some say it’s a hoax. Others believe it once covered a crucified body. But they aren’t certain whose. It has a clear image. It shows the face and body of a crucified man. No one can explain how the image was imprinted. All experiments to reconstruct the imprint have failed. However, scientists used carbon dating. They used fiber samples taken in the past. They also used chemical and mechanical testing. They found the shroud dates back to the first century AD. This coincides with the time of Jesus.
No. 8: The Voynich Manuscript
The Voynich Manuscript is a mysterious, illustrated codex. It dates back to the early 15th century. It has captivated scientists. It remains undeciphered. It originated in Italy. Its pages are filled with illustrations. They are colorful but very strange. There is also a wealth of unknown text. It covers biology, astronomy, and even recipes. But no one can understand what is happening. There are drawings of flowers. Some have not been discovered. They belong only to the New World. Modern scientists still do not know some of the plants and languages. It’s like a puzzle box that refuses to open!
No. 9: The Count of St. Germain
The Count of Saint Germain seems to have appeared multiple times. This has happened over the past few centuries. He always looks about 45 years old. Some records trace his birth to the late 17th century. Others believe he was born around the same time as Jesus. The most recent sighting was in the 1970s. Many prominent figures have encountered him. This includes George Washington, Catherine the Great, and King Louis XV. Casanova also met him. Voltaire called the Count of St. Germain “a man who never dies and knows everything.” Was he a time traveler? Was he immortal? Or was he just a very good imposter?
Unsolved Crimes and Unexplained Sightings
No. 10: Jack the Ripper
A series of murders terrorized London’s Whitechapel district. This happened in the autumn of 1888. It has become the subject of many stories and films. It’s unknown if the crimes were committed by one person. Maybe they were committed by several people. However, the brutal murders are blamed on one character. His name is Jack the Ripper. All eleven known victims were impoverished prostitutes. In some cases, the bodies were discovered quickly. This happened just minutes after the killer’s escape. This is strange. The Ripper took the time to dismember the victims. Who was this phantom of the London fog?
No. 11: The Philadelphia Experiment
Radar stealth was a sought-after technology during World War II. In 1943, the USS Eldridge became a guinea pig. It was used for what may be the strangest experiment in history. The goal was to make the ship invisible. The crew would also be invisible. The goal was to hide them from radar. Shortly after the experiment began, something happened. The ship was enveloped in a thick fog. The fog was white-green. The ship disappeared. It vanished from sight and radar for five minutes. When it reappeared, something was wrong. Most of the crew had been carbonized. Some showed signs of madness. Some were trapped in the ship’s metal. Others had disappeared. Witnesses claimed something. The USS Eldridge appeared in Norfolk. This was nearly 400 miles from Philadelphia. This story sounds like science fiction!
No. 12: Unidentified Flying Object Sightings
Allied pilots used the term “foo fighters.” They used it to describe mysterious phenomena. These were possible UFOs in the airspace. Such sightings have been reported since November 1944. Some pilots thought they were secret enemy weapons. But they remain unidentified. Even more strangely, both Allied and Axis forces reported seeing foo fighters. Roswell and Area 51 are famous. They are synonymous with UFOs and aliens. UFO sightings have been reported in these places. The U.S. military has discovered them. The U.S. government later reported some information. Stories of UFO events are common. Alien abductions are also common. This happens around the world. We wonder how much is true. Are we truly alone?
Maritime Mysteries and Unsolved Crimes
No. 13: The Mary Celeste
The Mary Celeste is a classic example of a ghost ship. It was an American merchant brigantine. On December 4, 1872, something happened. The Mary Celeste was discovered mysteriously. It was sailing at full speed. This was near the Strait of Gibraltar. A lifeboat was missing. Ten crew members were missing as well. What’s strange is this: The Mary Celeste had food and water on board. It had enough for six months. There were no storms. The crew were experienced sailors. The cargo was intact. The crew’s belongings were in place. All valuables were there. The crew was never seen again. The Mary Celeste remains a great mystery. It’s one of the greatest in maritime history. What could have happened on that ship?
No. 14: The Zodiac Killer
The Zodiac Killer terrorized Northern California. He also terrorized the San Francisco Bay Area. This happened in the late 1960s. It lasted for ten months. Authorities called him the Zodiac Killer. To this day, no one knows who he was. The police and media received letters. These letters had encrypted messages. That’s why he was called the Zodiac Killer. Only one message was deciphered. It’s called Z408. It contained a disturbing message. It was about the killer’s thirst for blood. The other three remain a mystery. Some believe they contain clues. These could be about other victims. They could also be about his methods. They could also be about locations. Will we ever know who he was?
No. 15: The D.B. Cooper Hijacking
On November 24, 1971, D.B. Cooper hijacked a Boeing 727. He did this in the airspace between Portland and Seattle. He demanded ransom and parachutes. He claimed he had a bomb. It was in his briefcase. He extorted $200,000. Then he parachuted from the plane. He was never seen again. The FBI investigated. There was also an extensive search. But D.B. Cooper was never found. It was as if he disappeared into thin air. The D.B. Cooper hijacking remains unsolved. It’s the only unsolved skyjacking case in U.S. history. D.B. Cooper behaved like a gentleman. There were no casualties. Some Americans saw him as a “hero.” There have been imitators. But none have succeeded. His story has inspired TV shows and films. Westmoreland in Prison Break is based on Cooper. In 2006, Ariel Town held a celebration. It commemorated the 35th anniversary of his jump. It attracted Cooper fans from all over the U.S.
