Originally published June 2, 2009.

The month of May is over, and now June has arrived. It’s incredible how fast the year is flying by. In honor of the new month, here is a short list of major world events that have happened in the month of June (in no particular order):

1.) D.Day – June 6, 1944

The famed invasion of Normandy by the Allied troops. Part of Operation Overlord, D-Day helped the Allied forces push forward into France and establish a new front on their way to liberate Paris. Many historians consider D-Day the beginning of the end for Nazi Germany.  It was the largest and most successful amphibious assault in history and to this day, many accounts and depictions are created in film, television, print and art. Definitely an important world event.

2.) Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria – June 28, 1914

Often referred to as “The shot heard ’round the world,” many blame the assassination as the cause of World War I. A Serbian nationalist, Gavrilo Princip, was the assassin. In the aftermath, Austria’s demands from Serbia caused Serbia to activate its alliance with Russia, who in turn, had an alliance with the UK and France, known as the Triple Entente. Austria, in retaliation, activated their alliances with Germany and Italy. The Great War was born. The aftermath of WWI also lead indirectly to WWII, as well as the birth of the Soviet Union. This world event changed the world forever.

3.) Henry Ford test drives the Ford Quadricycle – June 4, 1896

Such a small world event leading to big thing. This small vehicle was the predecessor to all vehicles on the road today. Its top speed was 20 mph and used a gasoline engine. This little invention helped propel Ford to early automotive dominance. After he left the Henry Ford Company (later known as Cadillac), Ford established the Ford Motor Company in 1903. His Model T automobile revolutionized traveling, as people started living in the suburbs because of the car. He also made it affordable for the majority of Americans, due to the invention of the assembly line.

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We’ve all made mistakes in our lives. Sometimes we learn from those mistakes. Other times, we are just doomed to repeat them. There’s one more thing that you can do about your mistakes – accidentally create a popular item that revolutionizes a certain industry or changes the world forever. Here are 5 such things.

1.) Post-it Notes

In 1968, a Spencer Silver, a 3M scientist, accidentally invented an adhesive substance that could be reused. Unfortunately, no one at 3M or elsewhere thought much of this adhesive material and it remained without a use until 1974. In that year, Arthur Fry came up with the idea of using that adhesive material to make his bookmarks stick in his hymnbook. In 1977, 3M launched the Post-it, but it failed because no one knew what to do with it exactly. They started giving out free samples, and in 1980, the product was a success and was sold throughout the country.

2.) Slinky

Richard James, a naval engineer, was trying to develop a spring that would stabilize and support very sensitive equipment on ships and cruisers in 1943. When James accidentally knocked one of these springs off a shelf, he watched in amazement as it continued moving. He experimented with different types of steel wires and tensions until he found the one that worked best. His wife Betty called it the “Slinky,” which meant sleek and graceful. They sold their invention at $1 a piece.

3.) Potato Chips

George Crum was an annoyed chef in 1853. One of his customers kept sending back his fried potatoes, claiming they were too thick and soggy. Crum decided to slice the potatoes so thin, that the customer wouldn’t be able to use a fork. He also stir-fried the slices and put some extra salt on it. To his surprise, the customer loved these new “chips.” Crum dubbed them “Saratoga Chips.” They became popular in the Northeastern United States and soon spread like wildfire.

4.) The Sandwich

While the sandwich itself wasn’t invented by John Montagu, it was sure named after him. You see, Montagu was the 4th Earl of Sandwich. He ordered his valet and attendant to bring him meat between two pieces of bread. Since Montagu was an Earl, others in his area wanted the same as him and ordered “the same as Sandwich!” While this is still under debate, it is the most common story told regarding the sandwich.

5.) Popsicles

Frank Epperson was just 11 in 1905 when he accidentally created the popsicle. He left a mixture of of powered soda and water out on his porch, leaving his stirring stick in the mixture too. It just so happened that San Francisco’s weather reached a record low that night. The next morning, Epperson woke up to his mixture frozen on a stick. He called it the Epsicle. 18 years later, he revealed his creation to the public and renamed it the Popsicle, at his children’s request.

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April 1, a day in which everyone jokes around playing pranks. Unfortunately (and hilariously), some people forget that it is April Fools’ Day and believe everything that’s going on. Thanks to Museum of Hoaxes, here are some of the best April Fools’ Pranks that have been pulled off.

1.) Viagra for Hamsters

In 2000, The Independent had revealed that researchers in Florida had developed a Viagra pill for household pets. The article noted that it was widely known that hamsters think to themselves, “I haven’t had sex for months. Am I so unattractive?” In order to get your hamsters to do the down and dirty, owners were advised to grind up the pills and put them in their pet’s food.

2.) Sidd Finch

In 1985, Sports Illustrated published a story about a new rookie pitcher for the New York Mets. It was reported that this young phenom could throw a fastball at 168 mph extremely accurately. It was also reported that Sidd Finch had never even played baseball before, instead learning the art of pitching in a Tibetan Monastery. Sports Illustrated was overwhelmed with requests about this new phenom, and Mets fan were celebrating. Unfortunately for them, Sidd Finch was an invention of the story’s author, George Plimpton.

3.) Spaghetti Harvest

In 1957, a BBC show announced that Swiss Farmers had grown spaghetti crops. To help the illusion, there was video of farmers pulling spaghetti from trees. Thousands of people called in, asking how to grow their own spaghetti crops. BBC replied ,”place a sprig of spaghetti in a tin of tomato sauce and hope for the best.”

4.) Taco Liberty Bell

In 1996, Taco Bell had announced that they purchased the Liberty Bell and was renaming it the Taco Liberty Bell. Citizens in Philadelphia and around the country called the National Historic Park (the home of the Liberty Bell) to express their anger and outrage over the commercialization of America. Hours later, Taco Bell finally revealed that it was a prank.

5.) Flying Penguins

Recently in 2008, the BBC announced that camera crews in Antarctica had captured footage of flying penguins. This “captured footage” was then put on YouTube as proof. The video mentions that the penguins fly south to the South American rainforests. Check out the flying penguins video on YouTube.

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There have been events that have changed the course of history. World War II, September 11, and the discovery of the Americas have all helped shape the world we live in today. But what about specific objects? Here are 4 objects that have been found that could dramatically alter the history of the world if they are proven to be authentic without a shadow of doubt.

1.) Kensington Runestone

The Kensington Runestone is a giant sandstone that was found near Kensington, Minnesota in 1898. The stone is covered in runes, which is a type of Germanic alphabet used by Scandinavians. The discovery of the stone suggests that Scandinavian explorers came to North America and explored the American Midwest almost a century before Columbus discovered the Americas. The authenticity of the Kensington Runestone has been debated since its discovery.

2.) Shroud of Turin

The Shroud of Turin is a piece of cloth that bears an image of a man with injuries consistent in the manner of crucifixion. Photo negatives have shown a face remarkably similar to that of Jesus Christ. Those who believe in the authenticity of the Shroud have suggested that this cloth is the burial shroud of Jesus Christ himself. Opponents of the Shroud’s authenticity have pointed to a radiocarbon dating that occurred in 1988. The results of that test showed the fibers in the linen were from the Middle Ages. The Shroud continues to be one of the most debated objects in history.

3.) Baghdad Battery

The Baghdad Battery is actually comprised of three things: A terracotta jar, an iron rod, and a copper cylinder. It is thought that this artifact was used for electroplating gold onto silver. If the electroplating theory is correct, it would be the first device in history that could generate electricity. It would predate the the invention of the electrochemical cell by over 1,000 years.

4.) Dendera Light

The Dendera Light is a series of stone reliefs in the Hathor Temple in Egypt. The traditional view held by most historians is that the relief depicts a lotus flower and a pillar, with a serpent inside. However, proponents of the “Ancient Astronaut” theory suggest that the reliefs depict a light bulb, not a lotus flower and snake. The theory also implies that the light bulb was given to the early Egyptians by aliens. If the Dendera Light is indeed a light bulb or some early form of it, it would precede even the Baghdad Battery as the first manipulation of electricity.

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Mysteries. We love mysteries and can’t get enough of them! If you have yet to read the original article, read it here. Now, here are 4 more mysteries that have been unsolved for years.

1.) Jack the Ripper

Jack the Ripper was the name given to a mysterious serial killer who murdered at least five women prostitutes in the Whitechapel district of London in 1888. The murders became highly publicized because the bodies were mutilated and missing some internal organs. Police, investigators and scholars have attempted to figure out the identity of the Ripper for decades and have named dozens of suspects, including Alice in Wonderland author Lewis Carroll . Since the killer’s identity has never been solved, several theories came forward. One theory even blamed the murders as part of a Masonic plot. Even modern police techniques have been unable to figure out the killer’s identity and it remains one of the most well-known unsolved mysteries in history.

2.) WOW! Signal

On August 15, 1977, Dr. Jerry Ehman was working on a Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI) project at Ohio State when he detected a signal at The Big Ear radio telescope. The signal has been thought to be of extraterrestrial origin and Big Ear detected the signal for exactly 72 seconds. All subsequent attempts to find the signal have been unsuccessful, even when using more powerful and more sensitive equipment. Further research suggests the the signal was very unlikely to come from anything related to the Earth.

3.) Black Dahlia

Black Dahlia was the nickname given to Elizabeth Short, a 22-year-old woman who was abducted and murdered in Los Angeles in 1947. After about a week, her body was found on January 15. The body was horribly mutilated and in pieces. Thousands of people were questioned by police and 60 people confessed to be the alleged murderer. However, nothing conclusive was ever found and one of the largest investigations in LA’s history remains unsolved and no killer has ever been found.

4.) Oak Island Money Pit

Off the coast of Nova Scotia, there is an island. The island contains a pit discovered by three boys in 1795. They discovered that around every 10 feet, there was a layer of logs placed across the hole. Later, a company further discovered that the logs continued on their pattern up until 90 feet deep. Supposedly at 90 feet, they discovered a stone inscription that was written in symbols. It was decoded as saying “forty feet below, two million pounds lie buried.” Digging any deeper causes the shaft to flood. There have been many theories as to who built the pit and what is buried there. Some say that the Holy Grail was buried there by Templar Knights, others say that the treasure holds secret documents that could change history, and still others say that Marie Antoinette’s jewels are buried there.

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The idea of the world as we know it coming to an end has been around for thousands of years. The Bible, Nostradamus, past and present civilizations, and Hollywood directors have all had their own versions of how the world will end. Most versions have the world ending in horrific disasters like giant tsunamis, worldwide pandemic, and nuclear warfare. Did you already survive the world ending though? Well read on to find out 7 dates that the world was supposed to end on, but didn’t (including a few dates for the future).

1.) January 1, 1000 A.D.

The months leading up to the new millennium were tumultuous. Many pilgrims, knights, and others made a trip to Jerusalem, thinking that the Apocalypse and Armageddon was upon them. During their trip there, many died of disease and hunger. Some pilgrims even sold all their belongings in the hope that it would help them become one of the chosen few to ascend. Needless to say, the world was relatively safe when the calendar rolled over and many pilgrims were left homeless.

2.) Many dates in 1843 and 1844

There was this preacher named William Miller. He studied the Bible extensively and after doing some calculations, he became convinced that the world was going to end sometime in 1843. He double checked his answers for 4 years and then in 1822 went public in a document with his declaration. He said the world would end between March 21, 1843 and March 21, 1844. When nothing happened, he pushed the date back to April 18, 1844. Another man within this movement, now known as Millerism, predicted the final doomsday date of October 22, 1844. When nothing happened (again), it became known as “The Great Disappointment.” The Millerism movement weakened after that and the thousands of followers were left confused and in disbelief.

3.) March 10, 1982

What’s so special about March 10, 1982? Well on that day, the planets were all on the same side of the sun. While the planets were not exactly in a straight line, many people saw this event as a sign of the end times. The “Jupiter Effect” was supposed to wreak havoc over tidal forces, cause earthquakes and hurricanes, and almost every other natural disaster you can imagine. Well, we’re still here.

4.) January 1, 2000

The infamous Y2K situation. Futurists had visions of toasters attacking their owners with weaponized toast and lawn mowers chasing after gardeners. Governments around the world feared that computers and electronic systems would read the digits “00″ as 1900, instead of 2000. There is no doubt that at least a few of the people who showed up in Times Square in New York that night were expecting to go out in a blaze of glory. Much to their dismay, the Y2K situation passed relatively harmlessly.

5.) June 6, 2006

If you write that date in short form, it comes out 6/6/06. As you may know, the number ’666′ is referred to as the sign of the devil. Religious sects were informing everyone they could that the Antichrist was returning to Earth and that people should prepare themselves. Either the Antichrist never came, or he got stuck in traffic because Earth still stands.

6.) December 21/23, 2012

This is quite possibly the most famous date for the end of the world. The date was “predicted” by the Mayans as the last date on their Long Count calendar. Other events are schedule to occur in 2012, causing more hype. One event includes the sun reaching a solar maximum (it might happen in early 2013). When it does that, the magnetic poles of the Earth supposedly might reverse, causing unimaginable damage. There is also a theory that a giant solar flare will incinerate the planet and if that wasn’t enough, supervolcanoes will erupt and completely block out the sun for whatever life is left on the Earth.

7.) The year 3797

Nostradamus is seen as a “prophet” by many. His books of quatrains that are supposedly about future events are well known and documented. However, Nostradamus’s prophecies stop abruptly at the year 3797. A sign of the end of the world? We will see. If it happens, please let me know so this article can be updated.

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The world loves mysteries. There are so many events and occurrences that happen on this planet that have no rational or logical explanation. Extraterrestrials, hoaxes, paranormal activities, and conspiracies lie at the root of most unsolved mysteries. Here are 6 mysteries that remain unsolved.

1.) The Bloop

Isn't it amazing!?

2.) D.B. Cooper

On the day before Thanksgiving in 1971, a man named Dan Cooper boarded a flight from Portland, Oregon to Seattle, Washington. Once the flight started, he handed the flight attendant a note saying the plane was being hijacked and he wanted $200,000. Once the plane landed, he received the money and the plane took off again toward Reno, Nevada. However, he never made it to Reno. Cooper jumped out of the plane into the dark, raining Washington wilderness, never to be seen again. While $5,800 of the $200k ransom was found in 1980 soggy and washed up on the Columbia River (by matching the serial numbers), the rest and Cooper himself has remained missing. It is the only unsolved hijacking in American history.

3.) The Piri Reis Map

The Piri Reis Map is a map drawn by Ottoman-Turkish cartographer Piri Reis in 1513. Most of the map is pretty regular, showing the west coast of Northern Africa and Europe. The map also shows the east coast of Brazil and some islands like the Azores and Canary Islands. The most startling and controversial part of the map is the landmass on the southern portion of the map. Many claim that this landmass is proof that Antarctica was explored earlier than previously thought, supporting theories of global exploration before Columbus. Others claim that the map was based on knowledge that extraterrestrials based down to humans based on their exploration of Earth.

4.) The Voynich Manuscript

The Voynich Manuscript is a document written in a strange language. The language is so strange that no one has ever deciphered even a single letter from it. No one. Not military codebreakers from WWII, linguists, or cryptographers. The Manuscript also depicts naked women bathing in a green liquid. The book contains sections about astronomy, biology, recipes, and plant life. The text remains unsolved today, even though it was written in somewhere between the 15th and 16th century.

5.) The Giant Stone Balls of Costa Rica

In the 1930′s, men clearing a jungle for a banana plantation found balls. Giant stone balls. It turns out these stone balls are all over Costa Rica. The workmen moved some, while other balls were blown up. It has been speculated the balls were in alignment according to some astronomical object, while others speculate that there is a coffee bean in the center of the ball. According to a laser study, the balls are 96% perfect, which begs the question. Who made them? Why did they? What purpose do they serve?

6.) The Mary Celeste

The Mary Celeste had a crew of 8 men and 2 passengers (Captain Benjamin Briggs’s wife and 2 year old daughter). Captain Benjamin Briggs was a respected and experienced captain, and his crew was trustworthy and capable. His cargo was 1700 barrels of alcohol and the destination was Genoa, Italy. After having dinner with his friend and fellow captain the night before (who was going to be on the same route just a few days behind him), the Mary Celeste left New York headed for Italy in 1872. They were never seen again. The ship was found completely abandoned with no sign of struggle, the lifeboat missing, and all documents missing except the captain’s log. In 1873, two lifeboats were found. One of them had 5 bodies in it, and the other had one body with a U.S. flag. The bodies were not identified.

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