Ever wonder if the history books got it all wrong? What if the Titanic didn't actually sink the way they say it did? Or maybe Shakespeare wasn’t even real? Yup, SAME. So, grab your popcorn because we’re about to go deep into some of the juiciest, most head-scratching conspiracy theories about famous historical events. And trust me—these will make you question everything.
1. The Titanic: Did It Really Sink?
Believability: 4/5
Creepiness: 5/5
Okay, we all know the Titanic story, right? April 15, 1912, it hit an iceberg and sank, leaving a lot of people—like, 1,500—dead. It's tragic, and Hollywood made it super romantic with Leo and Kate, but what if I told you… that might not have been the Titanic at all? Yup, there’s a theory out there that it was actually her sister ship, the Olympic, that went down instead.
Here’s the tea: The Olympic was seriously damaged a year before the Titanic was supposed to set sail, and some people believe that the two ships were secretly switched as part of an insurance scam. The idea is that the company deliberately sunk the Olympic (disguised as the Titanic) to collect the insurance money. So, yeah, maybe it wasn’t just an iceberg. What if it was an INSIDE JOB?
The Evidence For It: People point out the differences in the ships’ portholes in old photos, and some survivors even swear that they heard explosions, not just iceberg scraping. Plus, the fact that J.P. Morgan, one of the richest guys behind the company, just so happened to cancel his trip at the last minute? Hmm.
The Skeptics’ Take: Most historians are like, “Nah.” They say there’s no way to swap two giant ships without anyone noticing, especially with the massive crew and builders involved. Also, why would they kill hundreds of people for insurance money when they were already filthy rich?
2. Shakespeare: Was He Even Real?
Believability: 3/5
Creepiness: 4/5
William Shakespeare, the man, the myth, the LEGEND… but wait, was he actually a myth? Some people are convinced that the guy we know as Shakespeare didn’t actually write those plays and sonnets. Yup, buckle up because this theory is wild.
Apparently, Shakespeare was just a cover for someone else, possibly someone from the aristocracy who didn’t want to be associated with "common" theater. Some even suggest that it was multiple people using one pen name. Like, really? Maybe it was Sir Francis Bacon, or even… Queen Elizabeth I. (Yeah, that’s real.)
The Evidence For It: People who buy into this theory point out that there’s zero proof that Shakespeare had the education or life experiences to write such deep, complex plays. Also, there’s no solid evidence of any original manuscripts in his handwriting. Not to mention, how could one guy know so much about law, politics, and high society?
The Skeptics’ Take: Most scholars roll their eyes and say it’s nonsense. They argue that Shakespeare was definitely real and that other playwrights from his era had similar backgrounds and still wrote amazing stuff. Like, just because he was from a small town doesn’t mean he wasn’t smart.
3. The Moon Landing: Was It Staged?
Believability: 2/5
Creepiness: 5/5
Ah, the good ol’ moon landing debate. Did Neil Armstrong really take that “giant leap for mankind,” or was it all a big Hollywood production? Some people are CONVINCED that the whole thing was faked by NASA. And get this—they think Stanley Kubrick (yeah, the guy who directed The Shining) helped stage it. What?!
The theory goes that the U.S. was so desperate to beat the Soviet Union in the Space Race that they faked the whole moon landing. Instead of sending astronauts into space, they allegedly built a soundstage, filmed the whole thing, and sold it to the world. Why? To prove American dominance and stick it to the Soviets, duh.
The Evidence For It: Conspiracy theorists point to weird things in the moon landing footage, like shadows that don’t make sense, no stars in the background, and the American flag "waving" even though there’s no wind in space. Plus, why hasn’t anyone gone back to the moon since the '70s?
The Skeptics’ Take: NASA and actual astronauts laugh this one off, saying every “anomaly” has a scientific explanation. Like, shadows on the moon behave differently because there’s no atmosphere, and the flag only looked like it was waving because it was attached to a rod. Also, thousands of people were involved in the Apollo mission—do you really think thatmany people could keep a secret?
4. JFK Assassination: Was There a Second Shooter?
Believability: 4.5/5
Creepiness: 5/5
One of the OG conspiracy theories—the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Officially, Lee Harvey Oswald was the lone gunman, but A LOT of people aren’t buying it. The theory? There was a second shooter, maybe on the grassy knoll, and it was part of a bigger conspiracy to take JFK out. Some think the mafia was involved, others blame the CIA or even Lyndon B. Johnson (because power, duh). The theory centers on the idea that Oswald was a pawn, and there was a broader plot to assassinate Kennedy due to his policies and power struggles with certain elites.
The Evidence For It: Tons of people who were in Dealey Plaza that day claim they heard shots coming from multiple directions. There’s also the infamous “magic bullet” theory, which suggests that one bullet somehow caused several injuries to JFK and Texas Governor John Connally. People are like, “That’s just impossible.”
The Skeptics’ Take: Multiple investigations, including the Warren Commission and later inquiries, say that there’s no solid evidence of a second shooter. Ballistics experts claim that while the “magic bullet” seems wild, it’s not actually impossible. But still… people aren’t convinced.
5. Princess Diana: Was It Really an Accident?
Believability: 3.5/5