The World’s Greatest Mysteries: Part 3

Mysteries 6 Minutes

11 What was the English sweating sickness?

Between 1485 and 1551, England suffered five outbreaks of a disease so virulent that it could kill an otherwise healthy person in a matter of hours. Its favorite targets seemed to be wealthy adult males; children and elderly people were generally spared, while the aristocracy, members of professional classes, and the clergy seemed particularly vulnerable. The epidemics were short-lived but brutal, and in all but at most a handful of instances the disease did not spread beyond England.

Symptoms came on quickly; according to one account it came with “a sudden great sweating and stinking with redness of the face and of all the body” along with fever, headaches, and delirium. As many as half of those afflicted died within 18 hours. Anyone who made it through the first day would probably recover, but there was always a chance of reinfection.  

Whatever the disease was, it vanished as mysteriously as it appeared. The last outbreak was in 1551, and apart from some potential minor appearances in the following decades, we haven’t seen it since—though a similar affliction, known as the “Picardy sweat,” popped up in France a century and a half later, causing nearly 200 small outbreaks before it too disappeared in 1861.

Many theories have been floated over the centuries. It’s been suggested that the English sweating sickness could have been a strain of typhus or influenza, or even anthrax. A more likely answer emerged in 1993, when a similar outbreak occurred in the American Southwest. This disease was caused by a hantavirus, leading researchers to speculate that a hantavirus was also behind the English sweating sickness and the Picardy sweat. Since hantaviruses can be spread by rodents, this could explain why large households and academic institutions were hit so hard by the disease: Well-stocked kitchens and pantries would have attracted mice and rats, and household staff could have aerosolized the virus in their droppings while sweeping. This might be the best solution we get; according to a 2014 paper published in the journal Viruses, a conclusive answer will probably never come. 

12 What were the Nazca Lines for?

The Nazca (or Nasca) Lines are an array of geoglyphs carved into the coastal plain of southern Peru. Some are simply straight lines running in all directions, while others depict animals or people.

The lines were studied by researchers traveling on foot in the 1920s, but it wasn’t until commercial pilots began flying over the area in the 1930s that their full scope and elaborate design was revealed. According to UNESCO, the Nazca Lines are “unmatched in [their] extent, magnitude, quantity, size, diversity and ancient tradition to any similar work in the world.” They were built over the course of 1000 years, mostly by removing darker stones to reveal the lighter colored sand underneath. 

The question that still puzzles researchers is, why were the geoglyphs made? For decades, some archaeologists believed they served as giant astronomical calendars, possibly linked to constellations or other celestial bodies. Recent research suggests a more earthly purpose: It now appears that the Nazca Lines might have been connected to rituals meant to appeal to the gods for rain. It’s possible they marked processional routes used by pilgrims as they traveled to temples, or that rituals were performed at designated points along the lines themselves. 

13 What does the Voynich Manuscript say?

We don’t know when, where, or by whom the Voynich Manuscript was written, but there’s an even larger mystery to solve: We have absolutely no idea what it even says. The text—which is accompanied by astrological charts, illustrations of strange plants and naked, possibly pregnant women emerging from tubes and funnels or wading in green fluid, and other bizarre images—is composed in a writing system that doesn’t appear on any other document or object we’ve discovered so far. Some, including the late U.S. Army cryptographer William Friedman, believe Voynich was written in a synthetic language. Others think the manuscript uses a dead language such as proto-Romance, a precursor of vulgar Latin (though that claim was highly controversial), or that it could be written in some form of code or cipher. 

Whatever the case, the book is divided into six sections: one devoted to botanical studies; one that is apparently concerned with astrological and astronomical matters; one that contains elaborate (and super weird) biological drawings; a section containing what Yale University, the book’s keeper since 1969, identifies as “cosmological medallions”; a section dedicated to pharmaceutical sketches; and a text-only portion devoted to what appear to be recipes. 

Since bookseller Wilfrid Voynich found the manuscript in 1912, secreted in a bundle of medieval manuscripts he’d purchased from a Jesuit college, the book and its complicated history have been obsessively studied and analyzed. Carbon dating tells us the manuscript’s vellum was sourced in the early 15th century; pigments are consistent with that date as well, so that’s presumably when it was written. We know (or at least we think we know) it’s been owned by a Holy Roman emperor, an alchemist, a famed Bohemian doctor, and possibly Elizabethan occultist and court astrologer John Dee. If any of its previous custodians figured out how to read it, they kept it to themselves, but you’re welcome to give it a go if you’re feeling froggy. 

14 Who built Stonehenge?

Since the 17th century, the popular imagination has linked Stonehenge to the Druids, but the timeline doesn’t shake out—the earliest historical references to the Druids date to the 4th century BCE, while Stonehenge was most likely built sometime between 3000 and 2000 BCE. But if the Druids didn’t build it, who did?

There might not be one simple answer. Construction of Stonehenge is thought to have taken place in several phases over the course of about 1500 years. The first monument at Stonehenge simply consisted of a circular earthwork that enclosed dozens of pits and possibly some rocks. The iconic stone slabs were added a few hundred years later—around the same time the Egyptians were building the pyramids at Giza. It’s long been thought that Neolithic hunter-gatherers got the ball rolling, but new evidence suggests Stonehenge’s builders were the descendants of Mediterranean farmers who migrated to northwestern Europe 6000 years ago. 

Whoever Stonehenge’s builders were, their accomplishments were astonishing. We’re still trying to figure out how Stonehenge was constructed; some of the stones came from nearby quarries, but others were sourced from a Welsh site 200 miles away. We have no idea how people who didn’t even have wheels were able to transport the stones and hoist them into place.

15 Who killed the Black Dahlia?

History is full of unsolved murders, from the disappearance and presumed assassinations of King Edward V and Prince Richard, Duke of York, in 1483 to the Zodiac killings that terrorized the Bay Area in the 1960s. But none has captivated American popular culture quite like the horrific murder of Elizabeth Short, the young woman who will forever be known by the sensational nickname given to her by the press: the Black Dahlia.

Short’s body was discovered on January 15, 1947, in a vacant lot in Los Angeles. The brutality that had been visited upon her, both pre- and post-mortem, is still shocking: Her face had been grotesquely disfigured, her body cut in half, and some of her organs removed, among other acts of torture and mutilation. No one was ever arrested for Short’s murder, and the case eventually went cold. Recent theories have blamed everyone from Orson Welles to Bugsy Siegel. 

The Los Angeles Police Department investigated dozens of suspects, including George Hodel, a surgeon whose social circles included surrealist photographer Man Ray and The Maltese Falcon director John Huston. Upon learning his father had been investigated for the murder, George’s son, Steve, decided to clear his dad’s name after his dad’s death in 1999, only to become convinced that George was indeed Short’s killer. Steve published his findings in a well-received and fairly convincing 2003 book, but later lost some credibility when he also accused his father of being the Zodiac Killer.

In 2018, British author Piu Eatwell also claimed to have identified Short’s killer. In her book Black Dahlia, Red Rose, Eatwell maintains that the culprit wasn’t one murderer but a group of conspirators that included a bellhop and former mortician’s assistant named Leslie Dillon (who had been one of the LAPD’s favorite suspects decades ago), nightclub owner Mark Hansen, and a man named Jeff Connors. Eatwell thinks the police were involved in a cover-up due to their connections with at least one of those men, though she allows that the case will probably never be definitively solved. 

SOURCE: MENTAL FLOSS

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144 thoughts on “The World’s Greatest Mysteries: Part 3”

      1. I despise porn and always have – it was not allowed in my house, just as Playboy, Esquire, etc. were not allowed in my house.

        Liked by 1 person

  4. EXCERPT@ RedState: “One thing that you can say about Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) — he isn’t shy about saying what he thinks, be it good, bad, or ugly. 

    He definitely had people talking after he weighed in on nominations that had been made by President-elect Donald Trump. He had previously said he would be supportive of Trump’s pick of Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) for Secretary of State, calling him a “strong choice.” 

    But on Wednesday, he made more comments that had people talking. The comment that got the most attention was this comment about the nomination of former Rep. Matt Gaetz for Attorney General. 

    “Sen. John Fetterman says Donald Trump tapping Rep. Matt Gaetz for Attorney General is “god tier level trolling.”

    https://twitter.com/brennanleach/status/1856827279734706413

    Fetterman called it “god-tier level trolling to just trigger a full-on China Syndrome, to own the libs in perpetuity.” 

    Elon Musk and many others found that hilarious, with Musk calling that comment “Amazing.” 

    Fetterman did go on to indicate that he was unlikely to be supporting Gaetz since he called him by a derogatory term. But he did appear to be supporting other nominees, like Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) for UN Ambassador. 

    “There have been serious, qualified individuals nominated to posts, like Rubio or Stefanik. Eric Schmitt would be a solid choice for AG. But Dem opinions on Gaetz aren’t that interesting. The good ones will come from my GOP colleagues to justify a vote for that jerkoff.”

    https://twitter.com/SenFettermanPA/status/1856818466663039365

    Liked by 1 person

  5. Twitchy: “As Trump continues causing head explosions across the political sphere, we can’t help but wonder if this post from the one and only Dan Bongino means he is getting tapped for a position in Trump’s cabinet.

    He’d be a great director of the Secret Service. Just sayin.’ Ok, so what does he mean here? THE SUSPENSE IS KILLING US!

    Bongino Tweet: “CUTESY TIME IS OVER!”

    Is he just saying it’s over now that Trump is president and we’re done being played by a bunch of woke crazies in positions they were never qualified for? Or is he eluding to some sort of announcement that will likely make each and every Leftist head explode?

    Tweet: “Dan go clean up the Secret Service please.”

    https://twitchy.com/samj/2024/11/14/bongino-four-words-n2403783

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Mark just picked it up – he called and said he got hung up on the truck he was working on today. I told him I didn’t need to go anywhere until next week and he was surprised when I said I didn’t need it over the week-end. That takes a bit of pressure off of him. I expect I’ll know something come Monday.

      Liked by 1 person

  12. H/T Rodney

    https://x.com/TonySeruga/status/1857181191985865092

    “Personal Note: the cellular carriers know the gig is up, so they are finally speaking up! Soon, more details will be made public, including the fact that the FBI staged much of the J6 ‘pipe bomber’ video footage made public.

    Additionally, based on interviews, I believe the evening before J6, January 5th, the ‘pipe bomber’ left bomb ‘training devices’ near both the DNC and RNC.

    However, it was determined the bomb ‘training devices’ were not ‘wiped’ and may have had DNA and fingerprints left intact

    As a result, a second ‘pipe bomber’ changed out the devices on the morning of January 6th. I’ve been told Kamala Harris was aware of, at least part of the op. With the new President Trump DoJ, we can finally have closure and prove J6 was a total set up by the federal government, including the Pentagon, FBI, DIA, CIA, Secret Service, US Capital Police, DHS, DC Metro Police, National Guard, etc., etc.

    Headline: J6 Shocker: Phone companies dispute FBI testimony on pipe bombs suspect, key lawmaker reveals

    The new revelations heighten the mystery—and scrutiny of the FBI—surrounding one of the most disturbing security failures on the day of the Capitol riot.

    Liked by 1 person

  13. EXCERPT: “Cellular carriers have told Congress they possess intact phone usage data from the vicinity where two pipe bombs were planted during the Jan. 6 incident, directly disputing FBI testimony that agents couldn’t identify a suspect because the phone data was corrupted, a key House chairman tells Just the News.

    The revelations from Rep. Barry Loudermilk, R-Ga., the chairman of the House Administration oversight subcommittee, adds new intrigue to a debate that has gripped Washington for nearly four years: Why can’t the FBI with so much evidence and manpower identify the suspect who planted the explosive devices at the Democrat and Republican Party headquarters hours before the Capitol was breached.

    “In the days and weeks following January 6, 2021, the FBI opened an investigation into the pipe bomber and attempted to identify the suspect by analyzing cell phone data linked to the area surrounding the RNC and DNC,” Loudermilk told Just the News. 

    “In June 2023, the former Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, Steve D’Antuono, who oversaw the pipe bomb investigation, said that the FBI received corrupted data from one of the cell carriers and that it most likely contained the identity of the pipe bomber. Given the significance of this information, my Subcommittee sent letters to the three major cell carriers, asking them to respond to Mr. D’Antuono’s claim of corrupted data,” he said. 

    “Every major cell carrier responded and confirmed that they did not provide the FBI corrupted data,” Loudermilk said. 

    “Additionally every major cell carrier confirmed they were never notified that the FBI had any issues accessing the data. This contradictory testimony raises some serious questions about the status of the investigation into the pipe bomber and about why the case remains unsolved nearly four years later,” he added. 

    Last year, D’Antuono told the House Judiciary Committee that the FBI did not a receive complete phone data from telephone carriers because some of it had been corrupted….”

    https://justthenews.com/government/security/hldcell-companies-refute-fbi-testimony-j6-pipe-bomber-investigation-loudermilk

    Liked by 1 person

  14. Rand Paul to target ‘COVID cover-up’ as head of Senate Homeland Security committee.

    Fauci is not going to be happy about this.

    “I chose to chair this committee over another because I believe that, for the health of our republic, Congress must stand up once again for its constitutional role,” Paul (R-Ky.) said in an exclusive interview Wednesday. “This committee’s mission of oversight and investigations is critical to Congress reasserting itself.”

    “I think we’re on the cusp of, really, the beginning of uncovering what happened with COVID,” the 61-year-old added.

    https://nypost.com/2024/11/14/us-news/rand-paul-to-target-covid-cover-up-as-head-of-senate-homeland-security-committee/

    Liked by 1 person

  15. Top-Secret Gov’t Program Collected Videos, Photos of “Non-Human” Intelligence: Whistleblower

    Journalist Michael Shellenberger testified Wednesday before the House Oversight Committee that the U.S. government-run program “Immaculate Constellations” has collected decades worth of still images and videos unseen by the general public.

    “My understanding is that this is … the database is very large,” Shellenberger testified to Republican Louisiana Rep. Clay Higgins during the hearing. “It includes both the images, the videos, the still images as well as the human intelligences, the reports, the raw data of individuals having these experiences. To answer your question, yeah, I think we’re looking at a very large amount of data collected over many decades.”

    According to Shellenberger, the program was run out of the Department of Defense (DOD) but was “held” at the White House.

    Shellenberger also made public the whistleblower report disclosing the existence of the program. The U.S. government has documented many instances of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) of a variety of unusual shapes not associated with any known human craft, according to the report.

    Read More: https://dailycaller.com/2024/11/13/michael-shellenberger-aliens-ufo-upa-whistleblower-report-oversight-hearing-luis-elizondo-tim-gallaudet/

    Liked by 1 person

  16. (Video)

    “RFK Jr. Knows About the Labs in Ukraine”

    Clandestine, Nov 14, 2024

    “Flashback to July 15, 2023:

    RFK Jr. brings up the US development of “ethnic bioweapons”, at the US-funded labs in Ukraine and Taiwan, designed to target people by race.

    RFK Jr. REALLY knows the depths of this rabbit hole, and he is one of the few who spoke up about this subject, and just like Tulsi, he received incredible backlash from the media for commenting on it.

    I’m noticing a minor trend between a few of Trump’s cabinet picks. The two most vocal politicians about the biolabs in Ukraine were RFK Jr. and Tulsi, and now RFK Jr. runs the Health agencies, and Tulsi runs all of US intelligence.

    Then there’s Rubio, while seemingly trying to cover up the US-funded labs in Ukraine, he is still linked to the situation, as he brought it up multiple times in a public senate hearings, and is one of the Gang of 8 who gets briefed on the most sensitive classified intelligence.

    There seems to be some correlation, and I’m willing to bet this situation is about to get a lot more attention down the road. The quest for justice for Covid, will lead the investigators to the labs in Ukraine, and Trump’s cabinet know it.”

    https://bioclandestine.substack.com/p/rfk-jr-knows-about-the-labs-in-ukraine

    Liked by 1 person

  17. “APPALLING: New Trump Appointee Has Zero Experience Being A Useless Government Bureaucrat”

    Politics · Nov 14, 2024 · BabylonBee.com 

    Article Image

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — To date, Donald Trump has appointed seven people to his presidential cabinet, with at least seven more on the way. But is the damage already done? Critics are sounding the alarm that his current picks have zero experience as useless government bureaucrats.

    American citizens, media pundits, and politicians from both sides of the aisle have expressed concern. According to sources, they just don’t understand what Trump is thinking.

    “Tulsi Gabbard as head of National Intelligence? Really?” said a flabbergasted John Bolton who previously served as Trump’s National Security Advisor. “She doesn’t have any experience sitting around Washington for years being a corrupt waste of space. We can’t have that!”

    Governor Kristi Noem as Homeland Security Secretary along with Tom Homan as Border Czar have also caused significant controversy because politicians fear they may actually address concerns at the southern border to prevent illegal immigration.

    “Trump needs to pick people with experience in being faceless cogs in the federal machine who won’t change anything,” said MSNBC anchor Joe Scarborough. “These people are talking about doing their jobs and that scares me.”

    “The government has a long history of useless bureaucrats. It’s an American tradition,” said James Carville. “I mean, Pete Hegseth as Defense Secretary? He’s going to strengthen our military and take care of our veterans. It’s simply unconscionable!”

    According to past members of presidential cabinets, it’s not easy doing nothing. Only time will tell if the appointees can settle into their new jobs and become as useless as everyone else in Washington.

    At publishing time, Trump further upset the status quo with his appointment of Thomas Massie as Secretary of Agriculture.

    Liked by 1 person

  18. “FBI To Raid Homes Of All 75,000,000 People Who Conspired To Elect Trump”

    U.S. · Nov 14, 2024 · BabylonBee.com

    Article Image

    U.S. — Following the news that the CEO of Polymarket had his phone and electronics seized by government officials, reports indicated that the Federal Bureau of Investigation was also preparing to raid the homes of all 75,000,000 people in the country who conspired to elect Donald Trump.

    Sources within the FBI confirmed that everyone who voted for Trump had been designated as an enemy of the United States government, making them immediate targets to have their homes raided and possessions seized in an effort to bring them to justice.

    “It’s time for these people to pay for their crimes,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray in a brief statement regarding the raids. “We have spent several years surveilling these dangerous people and warning the public about them. Now they’ve struck a devastating blow to our country by electing Trump. We’re going to take swift action to deal with them.”

    FBI insiders suggested that the Justice Department was already in the process of preparing tens of millions of federal indictments against the perpetrators to charge them with conspiring to interfere with the interference in an election. “There were just way too many people who voted for Trump,” said one FBI source involved in the investigation. “We can’t let these vicious criminals roam the streets. They’re already making life difficult for the illegal migrant population. It’s time to hold them accountable for choosing a leader we don’t want.”

    At publishing time, Wray had requested that the Justice Department retroactively declare all Trump supporters convicted felons, making them ineligible to vote and nullifying the 2024 election.

    Liked by 1 person

  19. “What’s Next? Here Are 10 Great Career Options For Kamala To Consider”

    Politics · Nov 14, 2024 · BabylonBee.com 

    Article Image

    “The American people have spoken, leaving Kamala Harris on her way out of office and looking toward whatever may come next. What does the future hold for her?

    To help her out, The Babylon Bee has come up with the following list of promising career options Kamala Harris should consider:

    1. Accent Coach: Think of the money she could make training actors to speak in different dialects.
    2. President of Harvard University: Egregious plagiarism and incompetence are the most important requirements for the position.
    3. Spoken Word Slam Poet: Finally, the perfect outlet for her natural way of speaking.
    4. Designated Laugher for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: It’ll be great for him to always be able to count on at least one person to laugh at his jokes.
    5. The little person who lives inside the McDonald’s ordering kiosk: She already has valuable McDonald’s experience… allegedly.
    6. Play-by-Play Commentator for the Oakland Athletics: She can’t be any worse than that other woman they have.
    7. Nanny: This could lead to new levels of intimacy with Doug Emhoff.
    8. Sommelier: Though she may have to be informed that she’s not supposed to actually drink all the wine she tastes.
    9. 3rd Grade Debate Teacher: Sadly, this position may be beyond her skill level.
    10. The first female President of the United States: Let’s be honest, there’s still a real chance Joe doesn’t make it to January 20.

    Despite the landslide election loss, it’s clear that Kamala’s future is very bright. What job do you think would be perfect for her? Add your own suggestions in the comments below.”

    Liked by 1 person

  20. Just The News: “President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday named former Rep. Doug Collins, R-Ga., to serve as secretary for Veterans Affairs.

    Collins has been a stalwart Trump supporter and prominent media voice since leaving Congress.

    “I am pleased to announce my intent to nominate former Congressman Doug Collins, of Georgia, as The United States Secretary for Veterans Affairs (VA),” Trump said. “Doug is a Veteran himself, who currently serves our Nation as a Chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command, and fought for our Country in the Iraq War.”

    “We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need,” he added. “Thank you, Doug, for your willingness to serve our Country in this very important role!”

    Collins served in Congress from 2013 to 2021. He unsuccessfully ran for the state’s Senate seat in 2020, but placed third behind incumbent Sen. Kelly Loeffler, R-Ga., and the eventual winner, Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga.”

    Liked by 1 person

  21. I am adding a short daily prayer to the board. I would invite each of you, if you wish, to also add one or maybe two of your own liking. I do not want to stifle anyone but please limit yourself to one or two religious postings. here’s one I found that I liked.

    Like

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