Sometimes, learning is fun. Other times, not so much. It's not that disturbing facts aren't interesting. These creepy facts will definitely captivate anyone with a morbid curiosity - we just kind of wish they weren't actually true.
Here are 9 Facts we wish They weren't Actually True
- During WWII, Japan Bombed China With Plague-Infected Fleas
Many cruelties committed during WWII have had far-reaching
effects on people across the globe. One lesser-known disturbing act was
committed by a once-secret scientific team known as Unit 731. This team acted
on behalf of the Japanese government and, alongside the Japanese army, is
believed to have bombed Ningbo, China, with plague-infected fleas in 1940.
The Japanese reportedly assaulted China as part of a trial of germ warfare. Bacteriologists say the fleas carried a highly virulent, artificially created strain of the bubonic plague, which took the lives of approximately 109 people.
- In Ancient Rome, The Punishment For Patricide Was Being Sewn Into A Sack With Live Animals And Thrown Into The River
Ancient Rome is well known for its harsh and gruesome forms
of punishment. Even so, not many are aware of the "Poena
Cullei" punishment that directly translates to "penalty of the
sack." This ancient punishment was reserved for offenses like parricidium, which is the killing
of a close relative, sibling, or parent.
In 100 BCE, someone found guilty of such a offense would be placed into a sack with their feet weighted down by wooden clogs. The sack would then be sealed and the offender thrown in the river. However, this practice evolved during the early phase of the Roman Empire, and not in a fun way.
- There’s A 586-Square-Mile Region In The Middle Of Washington State That’s Unlivable Due To Nuclear Waste
Many Americans might be surprised to learn
there's a 586-square-mile nuclear wasteland in the middle of
Washington State. Located in a region of shrub-steppe desert, it's known as the
Hanford Site, and for almost 30 years, the Department of Energy and the US
Department of Defense produced tons of plutonium there.
Numerous families, farmers, and Native American tribes were forced to leave this area with little notice in 1943 so the government could produce this plutonium for use in its atomic weapons program. This program created the device that would later bring an end to WWII. It also created an arsenal of weapons for the Cold War, and the plant continued production until 1987, when the site’s last reactor ceased operation.
- The Loneliest Whale In The World’ Communicates On A Different Frequency Than All Other Whales
In 1992, during a top-secret US naval program, the Navy picked up on a strange
sound coming in at a 52-hertz frequency. After further investigation to try and
uncover what was making this noise, they discovered it was a single whale in
the middle of the ocean. Nicknamed "52 Hertz," this whale
communicates at a different frequency than any other known whale species.
Some scientists believe it may be a hybrid of a fin whale (around 20-hertz
frequency) and a blue whale (typically 15 to 20-hertz frequency).
Unfortunately, this whale is the only one found by scientists thus far, which has
led many to believe he is the only one of his kind. Even though the 52-hertz
whale is biologically similar to other whales, his frequency is completely
different, so other whales cannot understand him, even though they can
technically hear him.
- Some Tumors Can Grow Teeth And Hair
Many strange discoveries have shocked and perplexed
scientists and doctors alike in the medical world. One particularly unsettling
medical phenomenon is the teratoma.
A teratoma
is a rare germ cell tumor that can contain immature or fully formed
tissues. This means these tumors can grow teeth and hair, with some even able
to grow eyes, bone, and muscle.
These tumors can be cancerous and non-cancerous and form in newborns, children, and adults, and they are most common in females. Teratomas are usually found in the testicles, ovaries, and tailbone, but they can grow in other body parts.
- The CIA Faked Vampire Assaults To Win Over The Philippines
The Philippines was an incredibly valuable ally to the US
during WWII, particularly the Hukbalahap, called the "Huks," a
guerilla organization of peasant farmers who fought Japanese invaders in the
Philippines. However, after the war, the Huks began to feel marginalized once
again and clashed with the American government over their control of the
country's economy.
As the the Cold War was heating up, the Philippines
were a valuable asset to the US government, which decided it needed to
quash the Huk rebellion as soon as possible. So, the CIA put one of its
best officers, Edward Lansdale, on the job. Lansdale was an alleged expert
in psychological warfare. He believed the best methods should
be based on the sociocultural beliefs of the intended target.
Lansdale's plan was to play on his enemies' superstitions,
this time in the form of the "aswang." In Filipino folklore, aswang
are mythical creatures that can drain blood much like a vampire. In the 1950s,
many rural Filipinos were strong believers in the aswang, so Lansdale plotted
an aswang strike.
Following Lansdale's plan, the CIA offed Huk rebels, drained them of blood, and left their mangled corpses to be found with two puncture wounds to the neck. This not only frightened the Huks, but it also gave townspeople pause about supporting the Huks or their cause. This, combined with other psychological warfare tactics, led the Huks to lose support and eventually surrender.
- Humans Wipe Out 100 Million Sharks Each Year
Despite the fear sparked from films
like Jaws or Open Water, sharks are a vital part of a healthy
ocean ecosystem. And while sharks assaulting humans is statistically pretty
rare, in the fishing industry, humans kill approximately 100 million
sharks every year.
That high annual number of deaths has led to an
approximated 70% decline in shark populations globally in the last 50
years. All the major fishing countries that use destructive fishing practices
have contributed to this decline. Fish aggregating devices, drift net, or
even fishing for sport can all be part of the problem.
Of course, hunting specifically for sharks is another contributing factor. While "shark fin soup" is often blamed for the brunt of shark overfishing, it's far from the sole reason. In recent years, the market for shark meat has rapidly expanded to include oil and cartilage trading. The exchange of these products has contributed to a global market worth nearly $1 billion each year.
- Mount Everest Climbers Use Dead Bodies As Trail Markers
For many, climbing Mount Everest, the highest mountain
in the world, is an ambitious bucket list dream. But it's also an incredibly
difficult and treacherous one - not everyone who sets out to conquer this
mountain makes it back alive.
Over the years, more than 200 people have perished while trying to
climb Mount Everest, their bodies remaining on the mountain. They may have lost
their lives to any number of Everest's perils - falling rocks, lack of oxygen,
or falling from dangerous heights, just to name a few. While the corpses may be
a deterrent for some, more
than 4,000 people have still chosen to undertake the trek, and those
who have passed on the mountain sometimes serve as a macabre guide. Retrieving
a body from Everest is a difficult endeavor; it costs thousands of dollars
and requires six to eight Sherpas to risk their own lives.
"Green Boots," for instance, was the nickname
given to an Indian climber, believed to be Tsewang Paljor, who succumbed
in a cave in 1996 after getting separated from his party. All climbers must
pass this cave en route to the peak, so Paljor's green boots
have become a marker for how close people are to the summit.
Another climber, David Sharp, passed in the same cave 10 years later, after he stopped to rest, then froze in place. Though more than 40 hikers passed Sharp as he was dying, they were unaware as he was unable to communicate. By the time someone finally heard Sharp making noise, it was too late to save him. While Sharp's body remains on Everest, it was later moved out of sight at the request of his family.
- Bees Gang Up On Hornets And Burn Them Alive
The animal kingdom is a fascinatingly weird, wonderful, and
at times downright terrifying place. For example, it turns out Japanese honey
bees team up against hornets and effectively burn them alive.
Researchers have discovered that, unlike European honey
bees, Japanese honeybees have perfected this gruesome
defensive tactic of creating heat balls by swarming around hornets trying to
steal pupae and larvae.
A study by the University of Tokyo revealed more than 500
honey bees will quickly form a circle around any would-be hornet thief trying
to take larvae and pupae. While trapping a hornet in their circle, they will
vibrate their flight muscles to produce heat that quickly rises to
approximately 116.6 degrees Fahrenheit.
They will continue this vibration for more than 20 minutes,
effectively heating the trapped hornet to death within 30 to 60
minutes.
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