Photo from: https://www.livescience.com/23435-bermuda-triangle.html

The Bermuda Triangle is a section of the Atlantic Ocean where dozens of ships and planes have mysteriously disappeared. The area forms a triangle in its coincidence with Miami, Bermuda and Puerto Rico. The mythical enigma has puzzled historians and scientists for years as to the unexplained circumstances surrounding the accidents that have taken place within the region. Despite the incidents that occur throughout the area, there is no evidence that the Bermuda Triangle is any more dangerous for ships and planes than other areas on our planet. The conspiracy theories do not necessarily outweigh the number of safe travels many people make daily throughout the region.

Some of the origins of the legend of the Bermuda Triangle actually began with Christopher Columbus when he made the journey to the New World. He claimed to have seen a large ball of flames fly into the ocean, and then he saw a suspicious light in the distance, a few days later. Some of his writings reflect inaccurate compass readings as he traveled through the region as well. 

It was not until the 20th century, many years after Columbus’ voyage that the mysterious disappearances around the region began to become more public knowledge. Perhaps the most famous tragedy from the Bermuda Triangle occurred in March 1918 when a Navy cargo ship known as the USS Cyclops sank with over 300 passengers and valuable resources somewhere within the triangle. The ship never sent any calls for help and years of searching have still found no wreckage of the sinking. Quite frankly, the sinking was out of the ordinary and the lack of evidence and warning was astounding. About 20 years later, two of the USS Cyclops sister ships disappeared just as mysteriously as the Cyclops, and they had been on the same route. This pattern appeared to continue, and when five Navy bombers disappeared in 1945 from Fort Lauderdale with still no evidence, the U.S. Nay once again was awestruck by the lack of explanation.

The second half of the 20th century proved to be the period when the conspiracy grew the most, when it was actually named the Bermuda Triangle and included in countless bestsellers and novels for the growing public interest. Whether it is paranormal activity or simply dangerous weather in the area, there seems to be danger in the area, just as there are navigational challenges all across our oceans.

There is no solution to the mystery, and as worrisome as some of the stories are, there are hundreds of perfectly normal travel experiences that have taken the same routes through the Triangle. Nothing extraordinary has been identified, but it is interesting to note the strange nature that the region carries that is unlike anywhere else.

Information used from: https://www.history.com/topics/folklore/bermuda-triangle

Photo from: https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2014/05/the-world-is-full-of-holocaust-deniers/370870/

Most of us began learning about the Holocaust in grade school, but despite the horrific testimonies and evidence of the dark period, there are many people that deny the Holocaust ever happened or claim that it was dramatically exaggerated. Germany even admitted a formal apology for the over 6 million deaths that they caused to the Jewish people! However, like many tragic events and confusing acts in our history, there are quite a few people that question the validity of the evidence and the true happenings of the Holocaust.

There are a handful of people that are known as “Holocaust Deniers” and confidently reject that the Jews were not murdered in a systematic mass genocide by Hitler’s Germany. Rather, they say that they died as a result of disease, starvation, or other difficulties during World War II. They deny the fact that the Nazis had no grand plan to exterminate the Jews, or that the gas chambers at concentration camps such as Auschwitz never existed. Most Holocaust deniers dislike the strong connotation that comes with “denial”, and actively work to be labeled as “Holocaust revisionists” instead. These revisionists take a more modern look at the event and view the accounts and evidence of the Holocaust as exaggerations. For example, they claim the 6 million deaths to be a large overestimate and seek to revisit the established history of the Holocaust, rather than accepting it with the evidence that has been organized today. Some claim that the diaries of Anne Frank are falsified, and that the victims that allege to have survived the Holocaust are mentally impaired or have gone insane. It is unreal the ways in which some have refused to acknowledge the horrific tragedy that has left wounds on millions of lives and families around the world.

The root of these denials most likely stems from a desire to denounce the Holocaust as a fabricated lie that was created to advance the Jews and increase their global perception. Many believe that its stories were created to paint the Jews in a new victim-like light, and it is for this reason that Holocaust denial is heavily associated with Antisemitism today. Rather than move forward in the fight to end religious discrimination in our world, new ideologies are arising to denounce victims of a horrific tragedy as liars and remove the harsh memory of the Holocaust as if it never happened.

Much of the academic world refuses to acknowledge Holocaust denial conspiracies, and they work to eradicate these new ideas in the up and coming generations. Holocaust denial is even formally illegal in 13 countries in Europe in hopes of suppressing these oppressive ideologies. The lack of empathy and growing divide that has shaped this new Holocaust revisionism is dangerous to the truth of our history, and it is our job to stand up for the victims and ensure that generations to come will understand and learn from the abominable mass murder of the Jews.

Information retrieved from:

http://www.endusmilitarism.org/holocaust_denial-Wikipedia_012709.html

https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/the-holocaust

Photo was taken from: https://time.com/5631953/storm-loch-ness-history/
“Suregon’s Photograph”

The legend of the Loch Ness Monster originates from Scottish folklore and a long history of storytelling dating back to almost the first century A.D. In fact, the famous monster has been nicknamed “Nessie” and was first spotted in the year 565 in Scotland’s River Ness. Though the story remained fairly under wraps, popularity and curiosity in Nessie’s existence regained strength following the construction of a new pathway next to the lake that inspired more visitors in the 1930’s.  As a result, more eyewitness stories reached the public and generated new discussions around its existence. Though most of the scientific community denies the monster’s existence and explains it as a phenomenon, the hoaxes remain relevant in the current discussion about the long-running conspiracy.

More of the modern interest in the unknown animal arose when George Spicer and his wife saw a large animal cross the road in front of their moving car in 1933. Unable to identify it as an animal they were familiar with, they described it as a long-necked, dinosaur looking animal as it disappeared into the lake. After multiple eyewitness accounts followed, the most famous photograph of the Loch Ness Monster was taken by Colonel Robert Wilson in 1934. Known as the “Surgeon’s Photograph” today, it has been confirmed to be a hoax, but nevertheless, it excited more and more discussion and curiosity about the Loch Ness monster in general. 

Many explanations exist to attempt to understand the Loch Ness Monster sightings. One of the most likely reasons for this confusion is due to the misidentification of animals. Many conspiracy rebukers insist that what many perceive as a monster in the Loch Ness is really just an eel, a fish, a seal, or a shark. Considering the theory has been alive for many years, visitors that catch a glimpse of something mysterious are likely to attribute it to the mysterious monster. The excitement of the unknown can often distort eyewitness perspectives. These images can also be a result of inanimate objects in the lake, such as trees, optical illusions on the water from the sun, or even wakes created in the water.  Because much of the folklore that we are aware of today comes from so many centuries ago, it is likely that the description of the monster is up for interpretation and change. Seeing a horse-like creature and a bull-like creature in the water can ignite the same curiosity in people who have an unknown and curious concept in their minds of this animal. 

Some hoax attempts have been successful to a certain degree, and the amount of uncertainty that still exists surrounding new clear photography leads many to believe that there is some mysterious creature in Scotland’s Loch Ness. Whether they are mistaking Nessie for some other aquatic animal, it can be agreed upon that the water in the Loch Ness is more mysterious than most other lakes around the world. 

Information from: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/2086120/loch-ness-monster-photos-sightings-theories/

http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1860871_1860876_1861003,00.html

There have been four total presidential assassinations in United States history. Lincoln, Garfield, and McKinley were all tragedies of their own, but the assassination of John F. Kennedy stands alone for its controversy and the number of unknowns that are still discussed to this day. On November 22, 1963, JFK was struck by two bullets while riding in a convertible-style limousine through Dealey Plaza in Dallas, Texas. One bullet went through the back of his head, and the other through the back of his neck. The FBI and the Warren Commission, which was created by President Lyndon B. Johnson’s administration, determined that prime suspect Lee Harvey Oswald was the sole shooter and that night club owner Jack Ruby, who shot Oswald two days later, was also the sole shooter in that respective murder. Both deaths have been since surrounded by controversy despite the reports and investigations made by the federal government. Little footage exists of the JFK assassination, except for the Zapruder film, which was released almost a decade after JFK’s death. The piece, which is often considered one of the most heavily analyzed films in American history, has ignited discussion for decades and even to this day about the true story of the assassination. Additionally, the Watergate scandal decreased citizens’ trust in the government and has reinforced lack of faith in the actual root cause of Kennedy’s assassination. Though a Select Committee on Assassinations was formed in the House of Representatives to further investigate the situation a decade later, as well as take another look at Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, many conspiracy theories have grown throughout the years and have avid supports today. 

Some believe that there was more than one gunman that aided in shooting Kennedy, rather than one sole shooter in Lee Harvey Oswald. Heavy analysis of film and Kennedy’s autopsy have alluded to the fact that multiple gunmen were likely involved based on the origin of the shots, the speed at which the bullets were fired, and physical and medical evidence revealing angles of bullet entry. One of the most famous multiple gunmen conspiracies targets a man holding an umbrella in the Zapruder film, who has been speculated to have shot a poison dart into Kennedy’s neck from short range. 

Others believe that the assassination was an inside job, and was either orchestrated by American officials or that the shot was planned and fired by the driver of the limousine. Though obviously these theories have been denied by the United States government, many Americans still believe that the insiders in the government wanted Kennedy out of office, perhaps to give Lyndon B. Johnson the presidency.

Another take on the assassination involved Cubans and Soviets. This is most prominently linked to Oswald’s history of living in the Soviet Union for two years and visiting Cuban and Soviet embassies in Mexico prior to the assassination. Though investigations have denied involvement, it has been argued that Cuba and the Soviet Union likely wanted to disrupt the American political system, and that Oswald could have been a likely pawn in their plot.

It’s difficult to imagine living as a citizen during a presidential assassination, and these conspiracies have likely risen out of fear and distress concerning the lack of internal safety that the death of John F. Kennedy had on Americans. However, there is much evidence that argue for these conspiracies that are heavily evidence-based and propose comprehensible investigations. Much is still unsettled, and I am sure that the new technology that continues to develop in the coming years will only bring up more information about this long lasting mystery.

Information used from: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/retropolis/wp/2017/10/24/jfk-assassination-conspiracy-theories-the-grassy-knoll-umbrella-man-lbj-and-ted-cruzs-dad/

From: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/bigfoot-shot-dead-body-disappears-1923180

For decades, people have been enchanted by the mysterious legend of a walking, ape-like creature by the name of Bigfoot. Bigfoot is said to roam around the Pacific Northwest in the United States and can be described as a mix between human and ape that leaves large footprints behind. There have been sightings of this unknown creature in all states except Hawaii, but there is currently no physical proof or capture to prove that Bigfoot exists. The legend reaches back to Native American folklore, where Bigfoot was actually referred to as “Sasquatch”. With many possible sightings in the past few decades, Bigfoot has had a resurgence in popularity and now, the creature is accompanied by many conspiracies and hoaxes around the world.

The Bigfoot conspiracy is mostly supported through eyewitness evidence. As a result, most Bigfoot researchers are fairly sure that it does not exist, but they continue to study and investigate due to the continued prevalence of sightings and discussion among curious people. The only form of possible photographic evidence is from a short film taken in 1967 by Roger Patterson and Bob Gimlin. Pictured above, it depicts a tall, hairy, human-sized figure that is facing the camera and appears to be walking across rocky terrain. It has become one of the most analyzed and picked apart pieces of film in recent memory, capturing the eyes of many and never quite being proven real or fake. Most viewers and researchers have called the video bogus and reject its credibility, especially considering the improvement in camera quality in recent years that would provide the opportunity for even better and quick video footage to capture the animal’s existence. 

Though there have been eyewitness sightings, many researchers reject these sightings as people simply seeing black bears or other wild animals. It is easy for people to perceive an unknown animal as something that they want to see rather than a common animal they are familiar with. What keeps the conspiracy alive is the frequency of sightings and the continued search for Bigfoot that seems to revive every few months or so, when another source claims they have seen another one. In my opinion, I do not see the harm in believing these sources. The Native Americans that first gave this “bear man” the name of Sasquatch and the miners and woodsmen that have seen him (and her… they must keep reproducing!) likely are not lying. Sure, some may have mistaken it for a bear, but I think there is some sort of large-ape like creature out there that we know little about. Our wildlife and natural world remains mysterious, and Bigfoot might just be really good at hiding from us nosy humans. 

Outside Information retrieved from: 

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/why-so-many-people-still-believe-in-bigfoot-180970045/

Photo from: https://www.thesun.co.uk/tech/9535063/weather-control-energy-weapon-alien-ufo-area-51-conspiracy-theories/

Most people who are active on social media are likely familiar with the recent viral Facebook event, “Storm Area 51, They Can’t Stop All of Us”. Though it was originally intended as a joke, a large number of Facebook users signed up for the raid, scheduled for September 20th, to storm (joking or not) the mysterious area. What exactly is Area 51, and why is it such an intriguing place for so many curious Americans?

Area 51 is a location in the Nevada desert and is a popular name for a U.S. Air Force base. The base is extremely cloaked and restricted. Citizens are kept away through high surveillance and guards, so little is known about what actually occurs there. In fact, it is even illegal for anyone to fly through the air space above Area 51. The space is essentially reserved for highly secret military operations that include the development and training of new weaponry and aircraft. It was first built during the Cold War for testing and development of warplanes, and its existence has been discussed very little by the US government in the years after the war up until now.

Clearly, Area 51’s purpose for being secret is to hide American developments and discoveries from other countries. But what if this mysterious and unknown location is also the home to other practices, perhaps investigating extraterrestrial life? The mystery of Area 51 has created numerous conspiracy theories regarding alien testing and investigation.

The most well-known conspiracy from Area 51 is that it contains alien spacecraft and bodies. after a UFO crashed in nearby Roswell, New Mexico, in 1947, many thought that the possible remains were sent to Area 51 for a private inspection, and the alien life inside the vehicles has been kept there and been a subject for scientific discovery. Though the U.S. government rejects these claims, no one seems to know for sure what those crashed vehicles were and what they contained. There have been spottings of UFOs around the zone of Area 51 as well, likely originating from Air Force testings of U-2 Aircraft during the beginnings of the Cold War. Though direct news about Area 51 has been laying low since the late 1950s, the lack of public discussion about its existence is what keeps it controversial. There have been reports of people claiming that they have seen aliens being experimented on, or even seen others abducted by aliens in the area. Others have come out saying they have seen photographs of alien bodies and technology that the government is hiding from the general people. As unknown as it is, I can understand why there are conspiracies around what goes on within its strictly guarded boundaries. Americans are quick to question the government, especially nowadays, and I would not be surprised to find out that there is a lot more being kept there than just secret aircraft. Maybe we will never know for sure, but if anyone does end up storming the site, I hope they come back with some aliens to take back home.

Information about Area 51 from: https://www.businessinsider.com/area-51-american-conspiracy-theories-aliens-history-animation-video-2017-7

Photo from https://wiki.tfes.org/Flat_Earth_-_Frequently_Asked_Questions

Despite initial observations over two thousand years ago by Greek philosophers like Pythagoras and Aristotle, as well as newfound evidence from NASA and other organizations in the modern age, there is a small group of people that still believe that our beloved Earth is not a sphere, but it is flat. In fact, there is an entire Flat Earth Society that seeks to investigate the controversy and convince people around (or across… if you are a flat-earther) the world that what we are being told about our planet and solar system is a fabricated lie. The Flat Earth Society seeks to promote the Flat Earth movement across the world and question the accepted doctrine that our Earth is indeed round. It is a large challenge to the authority of the shared belief about our universe as we know it.

Now, obviously there are satellite photographs, first-hand accounts from space, evidence about gravity, day/night cycles, seasons, and the ability to circumnavigate the globe that support the idea that the earth is indeed a spherical planet. However, Flat-Earthers reject each and every one of these explanations. 

Flat-Earthers fundamental belief is that what we observe around us as a flat environment should be taken literally. The ground appears flat to us, so why would anywhere else on the earth be anything but flat? How could the dirt beneath us be curved? Flat-Earthers truly have a counter-argument to every known fact that governs the Round Earth Doctrine as we know it. Though most people believe we have been to space and have seen the Earth to be a sphere, Flat-Earthers claim that the space organizations of the world have conformed to create a conspiracy faking space exploration, probably due to the competitive nature of the space race in the mid-1900s. They claim that the photographic evidence that depicts the Earth as being round is manipulated and computer-generated, therefore being untrustworthy as a valid source.

Then how are we able to navigate around the entire world? Easy, Flat-Earthers say. Some of the most popular flat earth models consist of the Earth being surrounded on all sides by ice in order to hold the oceans back, with the North pole sitting in the middle. Traveling “around” the world is easy, and no explorer has ventured past the ice or what Round-Earthers consider to be Antarctica. 

What about the day and night cycles? For Flat-Earthers, the sun lies above the Earth and revolves in circles. The sun’s light only hits certain parts of Flat Earth at certain times, and thus people on different countries and time zones experience different day-night times. 

It is quite difficult to invest yourself into the distorted realities in which Flat-Earthers live and perceive the world around them. Despite the wealth of scientific evidence that rejects their beliefs, the Flat Earth Society remains prevalent and seems to continue to gain support as years continue to pass. What is it that makes some people so resistant to scientific findings and discoveries? Perhaps they are all right, and we who understand physics and measurable proof are confused…

Most Flat Earth Society claims were taken from their wiki page: https://wiki.tfes.org/Flat_Earth_-_Frequently_Asked_Questions

Photo From: https://www.history.com/.image/c_limit%2Ccs_srgb%2Cq_auto:good%2Cw_700/MTY0Njg3NDA5MjYxMzIzODI3/apollo11_moon_landing_1.webp

“That’s one small step for man; one giant leap for mankind.” Just about every American can recognize Neil Armstrong’s famous words as he took the very first steps on Earth’s only moon in July of 1969. Even when it happened then during the contentious space race with the Soviet Union, people questioned whether the feat was technologically possible. Though NASA has made strong efforts to debunk conspiracies and prove the endeavor, a large number of people claim the Apollo 11 moon landing never really happened and was faked to fortify the United States’ global presence. 

Though it did not necessarily start in the few years after the moon landing, concern regarding the validity of the event began to arise in the late 1970s when many Americans began to form a distrust in the government. Coming off of the Kennedy assassination and Nixon’s Watergate scandal, many people felt more on edge and unsure about the stability of their country and those who govern it. In fact, the conspiracy even made its way into pop culture in Bill Kaysing’s pamphlet “We Never Went to the Moon” and a 1978 film “Capricorn One”, which was about a faked human landing on Mars. When people began to discuss the possibility, the true investigation began and broke down how such a monumental event could have been faked.

There are quite of few arguments against the moon landing that come from analyzing the footage that was broadcast to the American people that historic day. Some say the landing was faked because the American flag looks like it is flapping in the wind, despite the fact that there is no air on the moon. However, NASA claimed that the astronauts used flags held up by rods at the top so that viewers would be able to see the flag standing, and the wrinkles are due to the fabric being bunched up. Others say the moon landing was faked because you can’t see the stars. Scientists debunked this claim by reminding theorists that the light from the sun reflecting off the moon’s surface is too bright for a camera to be able to capture the light from the stars in the background. Some even have analyzed the footage down to angles of light and claim that some of the shadows created by the astronauts are very different in length and look as if they were produced in a Hollywood studio. However, NASA has debunked this theory by explaining how the moon’s surface reflects light in addition to the light from the sun, and as a result, light is scattered and creates shadows that are not necessarily parallel.

Despite these theories clearly being disproven by many sources, including NASA, many deniers still rely on the small anomalies taken from the footage of space to maintain their beliefs. I hope that the thousands of scientists, engineers, and astronauts that worked on the Apollo 11 mission are not offended by these accusations. We can still see the astronauts’ footprints, and no other space mission has brought back such quantities of rock from our moon, let alone anywhere else. For me, what Apollo 11 was able to do to land on the moon will forever be one of humanity’s greatest endeavors. 

Some of my facts and debunking evidence was taken from: https://www.history.com/news/moon-landing-fake-conspiracy-theories

To kick off my conspiracy theory discussion, I thought I would start off with an event whose anniversary is just passing by this week. 18 years ago, on September 11, 2001, 2,977 American lives were lost as a result of terror attacks at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and at a crash site near Shanksvillle, PA. 9/11 is now hailed as one of the most tragic events in U.S. History, and memorial ceremonies and museums work to remember the lives lost and remind our country that we are stronger than the evils that caused the attack. Every now and then, you find people that do not necessarily believe that 9/11 was the works of Al Qaeda, or that perhaps the United States government knew about these attacks in advance and allowed them to be orchestrated.

There are a variety of perspectives that pick apart different aspects of the infamous attacks. Some think that other explosives were put inside the towers, and much of the structural damage and eventual collapse of the towers was a result of this controlled demolition, not by the impact of planes. Many “9/11 truthers”, as many theorists call themselves, attempt to back up the use of explosives with scientific explanations, such as seismic measurements, evident melting of steel, and even observations of the clouds of dust that emitted from the collapsing towers that day. Though theory debunkers have used fact to deny many of these allegations, debate still arises every year about whether or not much of the destruction was controlled or truly a result of the crash impacts at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

Another perspective is more of an “advance-knowledge” conspiracy, rather than a theory that the United States took part in the attacks. Others say that, yes, the attacks were executed by Al Qaeda, but that the United States was aware of the plans ahead of time and decided not to combat them. The reasoning behind allowing these attacks to happen could have been to have a reason to mobilize the United States military in the Middle East and start a new war. Some thought there would be commercial benefits for the attacks, and for that reason, the Bush Administration may have ignored warnings of the plans. 

As Americans, it is hard to imagine our country being in such a vulnerable position. On that day, and even now, it is hard not to wonder how we weren’t more prepared, how our security could have been so poor, or how 19 men could cause such destruction to a strong country like the United States. Thus, these conspiracy theories are born to misplace this anger and sadness in the wrong direction. I personally do not believe 9/11 was planned by the United States, or that our government allowed it to happen despite being aware of the attacks. The innocent lives lost, the thousands that worked that day to save so many lives, and the families that still mourn to this day deserve more respect than debunking such a tragedy.  However, many still have doubts or concerns about what really happened that day. 

One of my ideas for the passion blog would be to discuss the most common fears people have across our society. Fears pervade each and every person in a very different way, but when you look around and observe common fears among people, there are many parallels in how people respond and cope with them. Some of the most common fears range from the dark, snakes, clowns, and even blood/needles. I want to be able to break down a different fear each week and see how it affects people differently, why it is such a common fear, and what people can do to overcome these fears over time. Our brains are powerful organs, and these fears can be very debilitating to many people throughout their everyday life both emotionally and physically. I think that being able to dissect the most common fears for many consecutive weeks will provide more insight into the human psyche and how we interact with the world around us. I want to know why so many people are afraid of clowns, or why heights make so many people nervous.

Another idea I had for my passion blog would be to dive into a different conspiracy theory every week. Conspiracy theories raid controversial topics all the time, whether they claim historical events didn’t even happen, they were orchestrated by a force that is not confirmed, or that they even happened at the hands of someone with ulterior motives. I have always found it interesting how cult-like and devoted followers of various conspiracy theories are to their beliefs, and I do think there is something to be said about questioning the “facts” and imagining the what-if about events that have happened in our history. I want to take this topic to research and learn more about the evidence these theorists use to back up their beliefs, as well as explore my own feelings and interpretations of the theories and their relevance in my life now. I think this has the potential to be a good topic because there are a plethora of conspiracy theories out there, ranging from 9/11 to the Loch Ness Monster, that could be explored in greater depth in weekly blog posts. The goal would be to not necessarily show my own personal bias towards the conspiracy theories, but to investigate the strong arguments for both sides.  I’m also interested to see what my classmates think about these theories and whether or not they believe in them!