The Stories Behind the Most Popular Conspiracy Theories of All Time
Conspiracy theories are nothing new. People have been swapping yarns about shadowy government agencies, secret societies, and other nefarious plots for centuries. But some theories have stood the test of time, capturing the imagination of millions of people around the world since their inception. Here are ten of the most famous conspiracy theories of all time:
The Moon Landing Was Faked
In 1969, NASA captured the world’s attention with its moon landing. But while most people believe that it was indeed an astonishing achievement, others are skeptical. A theory has circulated that the famous video footage of Neil Armstrong taking his first steps on the moon was all an elaborate hoax created by the government to win support for the space program.
The Illuminati Control the World
The Illuminati is a supposedly secret group of elite people who are said to be running the world. The theory claims that the group has infiltrated governments, entertainment, and other industries in order to maintain their control over the masses. Some even believe that they’re responsible for events like the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
People can often see those long, white vapor trials crisscrossing in the sky. Conspiracy theorists say that these ominous “chemtrails” are full of chemicals that the government has released as part of a larger plan to depopulate the world or control people’s thoughts and behaviors.
The 9/11 attacks were one of the most devastating tragedies in American history, but some believe that the government knew about the plans and allowed them to happen in order to justify war against innocent nations or gain more control over the public.
The untimely death of the beloved Princess Diana shocked the world – but some find it hard to believe that it was all an accident. Many suspect that her crash in Paris was set up by her very own in-laws, who wanted to keep her away from widespread popularity and influence.
Countless secret societies are said to exist to hold on to their handle on the earth. It’s impossible to document a comprehensive list of all these organizations, but they range from the well-known Freemason groups to the more obscure like the Bilderberg Group.
Despite being widely discredited by the medical world, many people still believe that vaccines are in some way connected to a rise in autism rates. Conspiracy theorists may point to the coincidence that the vaccine schedule coincides with the sudden increase of ASD diagnosis in young children.
In July 1947, a rancher found some debris in the area near Roswell, New Mexico. “Crash debris” contained unusual materials and designs which wildly circulated to be from a crashed spaceship holding a crew of extraterrestrial beings.
Originating from a rumor in the late ‘60s, this theory claims that Beatles member and superstar musician, Paul McCartney tragically perished in a car accident in the mid-sixties – and was replaced by his look-alike.
Tiny beings with enormous skulls are often imagined to be seeking cover in various encounters with humanity since the Roswell Incident. Some folks still strongly believe that our planet has already been invaded and that grey aliens or Grays in black and white are working in industry and government all over the world.
While these conspiracy theories seem wild and crazy to most people, they show no signs of losing popularity among their supporters any time soon. Are some secrets of life kept for only the elite to know? Maybe. Maybe not… whichever side of the fence you land on, there’s always going to be someone to share your ideas with.