Can the past change? It sounds incredible, but scientists are debating exactly this, with various theories ranging from quantum mechanics to the many-worlds interpretation. If it could, how would it appear to us? The internet is buzzing with wild ideas, so it's time to go over where they originated, and consider in detail what exactly might be causing it.
The Mandela Effect
Ever had that feeling when you hear something, such as a celebrity dying, and was sure it had happened before? When that happens to a group of people it has a name: the Mandela Effect. It's called that because there are many who were sure Nelson Mandela died in the 1980s and not in 2013.
Welcome to Alternate Memories, where these and more are documented, discussed and puzzled over. We're not here to judge. We're just trying to find out what's really going on.
Please bear in mind that as you read about them more and more, some will hit you as being ridiculous, and others as spookily accurate. They're not the same for everyone, which is a huge part of their mystery ;-)
The weird death of Weird Al Yankovic
Alternate:
Weird Al Yankovic died in March 2021
Current:
Weird Al Yankovic did not die in March 2021
The posting on Facebook in March 2021 announcing Al's death got a million likes.
It's been debunked as a hoax, but it did actually affect many people who, like the one the Mandela Effect is named after, were sure he'd already died. Many, many comments were made to this post, and the news quickly spread to Twitter where a similar outpouring of grief occurred:
At about 11 a.m. ET on Monday (March 22, 2021), our beloved singer Weird Al Yankovic passed away. Weird Al Yankovic was born on October 23, 1959 in Downey. He will be missed but not forgotten. Please show your sympathy and condolences by commenting on and liking this page.
-- R.I.P. Weird Al Yankovic, Facebook March 22nd, 2021
Jesus Arrested: Ear of a soldier or slave cut off?
Alternate:
The ear of a soldier was cut off when Jesus was arrested
Current:
The ear of a slave was cut off when Jesus was arrested
Malchus
Everyone knows the story of the arrest of Jesus.
Judas led the crowd to where Jesus spent his last night, in the garden of Gethsemane, and identified him with a kiss. A fight broke out, during which the ear of a man named Malchus was cut off. Jesus then healed the ear before he was led away. This was just after the last supper, and these events led to the crucifixion of Jesus.
The problem is many remember the Bible saying it was the ear of a Roman Soldier which was cut off, and not that of a servant, or slave, as is seen today.
Were fleas on rats responsible for the Black Death Plague?
Alternate:
Fleas on rats were responsible for the Black Dealth Plague
Current:
Fleas on rats were not responsible for the Black Dealth Plague
The mother of all pandemics
The recent covid-19 global pandemic is causing serious problems worldwide, but it's nothing compared to the Black Death of the Middle Ages.
The plague swept Eurasia, North Africa and Europe killing up to 200 million people in just 4 years. It's known it was caused by a highly infectious bacteria, and the popular idea of how it spread was via the fleas on rats. Samples from plague victims graves suggest this is the case, since the fleas are still present on the bodies.
However, it's the rats which getting the blame for something they didn't do. In particular, some studies have shown the rate of spread couldn't have been as fast as it was if it were the rats alone. This is because most rats live their entire life around 100 feet from where they were born. They are not natural migratory animals. Also, the sheer number of rats required to cover the areas infected meant there must have been large numbers of dead ones literally everywhere, and there are no reports of these either.
What is known, however, is that the humans of the day had incredibly poor hygiene...
When did Larry King die?
Alternate:
Larry King died in 2010
Current:
Larry King died in 2021
Larry King died in 2010, 2013, 2019 and 2021
Larry King was the legendary US chat show host with a career spanning many decades.
He was most famous for the shows which bore his name. Larry King Live and Larry King Now, and his political show, Politicking with Larry King, up until 2020.
Reports of his death in 2021, however, came as a surprise to many, since they were sure he was already dead, and the years this was supposed to have happened range from 2010, 2013 and 2019.
How long is a goldfishes memory?
Alternate:
Goldfish have a 3 second memory
Current:
Goldfish have at least a 6 month memory
Smarter than you think
Most people think goldfish only have a 3 second memory, but the truth is very different.
Science has shown they can remember things for at least 5 months, and are smarter than is generally given credit for at problem solving too. in an experiment, which by the sounds of it anyone can easily repeat, a red Lego block was dropped into the bowl of ordinary pet goldfish just before food was sprinkled on the surface of the water above the block. The fish soon learned the arrival of the block meant food, and swam towards it. Then, feeding resumed normally with no block, only to resume 1 week later. Sure enough, the canny fish swam straight to the block as soon as it was dropped in.
Did Pythagoras create The Pythagoras Theorem?
Alternate:
Pythagoras created The Pythagoras Theorem
Current:
Pythagoras did not create The Pythagoras Theorem
Hypotenuse squared
It sounds like a joke - who invented the Pythagoras theorem?
Certainly, the name popular today comes from the famous ancient Greek mathematician, but of course its the formula itself that's under question.
Most people who studied any level of mathematics at school would have been taught the familiar "square of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares of the adjacent side of a right angled triangle". Or, perhaps more familiar, a2 + b2 = c2. However, the idea is wasn't known about before Pythagoras cannot be true, since it is referenced in m,any works pre-dating him by many years, and in several different situations too.
Were the polar ice caps of Mars always known?
Alternate:
Mars was always thought to have no ice caps
Current:
The ice caps of Mars have always been known about
Water on Mars
The search for life beyond earth has intrigued mankind since humans first gazed up at the stars.
Mars was first properly observed by Galileo in 1610, and from then on better and better observations have been made right up to sending landers to its surface. Along with all this research has been the quest to find evidence of life there, and the assumption that for it to exist, water must too, has been part and parcel of this from the start.
The problem is that it's now being shown that the ice caps have been known about since Galileos discovery, where he documented these and various darker regions, even giving some their names. Yet many hear about the Mars ice caps and think they must be a new discovery, or else they must have clearly been misinformed regarding the presence of water on the planet.