14 Accepted Truths That Generate Unexpected Controversy
The internet is a wonderful resource that connects us with events from the past much more efficiently than textbooks ever could. We can read all about generation-defining events and hear first-hand accounts from those who lived through them, and yet people still will deny reality.
Despite overwhelming evidence, a small minority disbelieves certain widely accepted events or unquestionable truths. No matter the evidence, they buy into conspiracy theories and alternative explanations that simply don't align with the universal truth.
If you haven't shaken your head in disbelief enough today, then you should read through these 15 universal truths that, for some reason, way too many people still don't think are real.
1. The 1969 Moon Landing
It’s a great shame that a small minority disbelieves one of humanity’s finest achievements. How and why would NASA put a ton of effort into faking the 1969 Moon landing? Many think it was to compete with the Soviet Union.
A compelling argument against those conspiracy theories is that you can still see the Apollo landing site through elementary telescopes. The Apollo space program encompassed over 400,000 people. It's really difficult to believe that every single one of them bought into a giant hoax and could keep it a secret for this long.
2. The Earth is Round
A fascinating documentary, Behind the Curve (2018), examines the lives and beliefs of flat-earthers. It’s intriguing viewing, but the show lacks any substantial arguments against the fact that Earth is round.
Their debate immediately falls short, with failed experiments disproving their theory that the Earth is flat because you can see over long distances. Maybe it’s time for flat earthers to face those facts.
3. Queen Elizabeth I was a Woman
Another bizarre theory that's new to many is that Queen Elizabeth I was a man. She ruled the British throne from 1558 until she died in 1603. That’s the true version, but some don't believe it. First proposed by Dracula scribe Bram Stoker, the theory is that she died as a child and was replaced by a random boy to keep the Tudor line going.
Stoker came up with the theory after visiting the village of Bisley in the Cotswolds, where their May Day celebrations included a young boy dressed in Elizabethian attire to stand in as the May Queen. It's certainly a stretch, but it would make an interesting concept for a movie.
4. Elvis is Dead
Apologies for being blunt, but the King of Rock and Roll is dead. Elvis Presley died in 1977 at his home, and he’s not returning. More than 40 years after his passing, conspiracy theories are still discussed, and sightings around the world are reported.
Since 1977, people have speculated that Elvis went into hiding to escape the pressures of fame. Bruce Campbell even poked fun at this theory in Bubba Ho-Tep (2002), where he played an aging, reclusive Elvis who battles an ancient mummy. Another fun theory is he was abducted by aliens, but we all have to come to terms: The man is dead.
5. Paul McCartney Did Not Die in 1966
This bizarre rumor has persisted for almost 60 years despite the many public appearances that Paul McCartney continues to make. The conspiracy theory that Paul died is decades old. Still, it gained traction again in 2015 when the World News Daily Report posted an interview where Ringo Starr revealed that The Beatles’ bassist died in a car accident in 1966 and was replaced by an impostor.
However, much like the car accident, the interview in question never happened. It’s a ridiculous conspiracy theory, particularly as “Faul” looks like the real thing and sings and talks like him.
6. Zombies Aren’t Real
Zombie movies are successful, but zombies cannot, thankfully, rise from the dead. The belief that they could emerge from the grave dates back to Ancient Greece, where the recently deceased were weighted down with heavy stones to ensure they stayed dead.
In the present day, 14% of Americans are preparing for a zombie apocalypse that isn’t going to happen.
7. Walt Disney’s Head Was Not Cryogenically Frozen
I believed this myth well into adulthood, and I know I'm not alone. It seemed an accepted truth that Walt Disney’s head had been frozen as he waited patiently for a cure for death. With his unimaginable wealth, it doesn't seem like that crazy of a concept.
However, it’s just a rumor, and no one knows how it started. Some still believe the story, likely because they've never been shown anything to make them think otherwise.
8. You Can’t See the Great Wall of China from Space
The problem with textbooks is that they're only as good as the information that was available at the time they were printed. That's why many adults these days grew up being taught that the Great Wall of China could be seen from the Moon.
NASA debunked this myth years ago and even went so far as to confirm that absolutely no artificial structure could be seen from the final frontier.
9. George Washington Did Not Have Wooden Teeth
While George Washington undoubtedly used dentures, they were not wooden. During his lifetime, the first President of the United States had at least four sets of dentures made from ivory and other human teeth. However, the “wood” theory has persisted, and the myth appears in some textbooks.
Ivory teeth stain quickly, however, and their resemblance to wood may have fueled the misunderstanding.
10. Apollo 17 was the Final Moon Mission
Dimension Films released Apollo 18 (2011) as entertainment, not as some alternative history pseudo-documentary. Somehow, though, some believe the film was based on a true story.
Sorry to burst those bubbles, but there was no Apollo 18. The Apollo program ended at 17. An entire space crew being decimated by an unknown life form would have probably made headlines and fueled some lasting panic back here on Earth.
11. Andy Warhol’s Famous Quote Is False
Here’s another fact that may surprise you: The quote, “In the future, everyone will be famous for 15 minutes,” is widely attributed to Andy Warhol. It is, however, simply not something he ever said. The artist himself confirmed in 1980 that he never spoke those words, though they were present on a brochure he distributed in 1968.
So, who did say it? The reality is no one really knows. Names like Pontus Hulten, Larry Rivers, and Nat Finkelstein tend to come up whenever it's mentioned, though.
12. The Titanic Sank in 1912
The 1997 film of the same name wasn’t a documentary, of course, but it was based on a true story. The ship RMS Titanic sank in the Atlantic Ocean on April 15, 1912, and it was not, as some believe, switched with a sister vessel.
Claims that the Olympic took its place emerged via an Instagram video in 2023, but historians and maritime experts agree that the suggestions are nonsense.
13. Einstein Wasn't Rubbish at Math
This is another widely believed myth, and no one knows how it started. The theory is that Albert Einstein failed at math as a student, but the suggestion has no substance.
He excelled in the subject, reached the top of his class, and sought extra tuition to perfect his understanding. It's difficult to believe he didn't excel at virtually any subject he put his brilliant mind to.
14. Paul Revere Didn’t Raise the Warning
“The British are Coming!” That quote allegedly belongs to Paul Revere, who held up lanterns to raise a warning. It’s a good story repeated in film and television, but it’s another false fact.
The Old North Church in Boston, where the incident occurred, confirms that Robert Newman and John Pulling Jr. are likely to have raised the signal instead. However, Paul Revere's Midnight Ride is too iconic of a story to sweep under the rug entirely, so maybe we understand why many still believe it.
15. The Moon is Real
See that bright orb in the night sky? That’s the Earth’s Moon. At least 99% of the population accepts this truth, but a small minority believe it’s a fake.
So, if it’s not the Moon, what is it? This bizarre theory is part of flat-earth conspiracy beliefs, and those flat-earthers claim that the Moon is merely a projection into space.
