The lines separating reality from paranoid fantasy are slim and hazy. In the 1920s, not long ago by historical standards, sewer alligators polarized New Yorkers forever, with people on both sides arguing for or against the idea that alligator colonies could actually be living in the sewers. Dubious, eh? Other urban myths exist. And then there outright conspiracy theories. Is world controlled by aliens? Are politicians actually reptiles? Does Bigfoot exist?
Let’s see if you’ve ever heard of these 5 ridiculous conspiracy theories.
DENVER AIRPORT IS AN ILLUMINATI BASE
Yup, if you’ve ever been to Denver International Airport, you probably interacted with the Illuminati. That’s according to some conspiracy theorists who believe that the complex is actually a secret base for global elites.
It’s unclear where the theory came from. Some say it’s because of the airport’s atypical design choices, including a rather peculiar collection of artworks. Others insist that they’ve seen aliens and/or lizard-looking people roaming the premises of the complex.
But perhaps the most suspicious thing about Denver International Airport is an ominous capstone that resides at one of the airport’s entrances. The capstone mentions a “New World Airport Commission.” It also includes some masonic imagery.
At first, airport authorities fought back against the conspiracy theory, insisting that there was nothing sinister about the complex in the slightest. But, in recent years, they’ve decided to embrace the rumors. Now, lizard people, freemasons, the Illuminati, and the New World Order are all an integral part of the airport’s identity (as well as its marketing strategy!).
HOLLOW EARTH
We were all taught in school that Earth is comprised of various layers (the inner core, the outer core, the mantle, and the crust). What if I told you that some people think it’s all just one big fat lie?
According to the Hollow Earth theory, our planet is nearly empty beneath its thin crust. This would mean that there is a ton of space inside, which could be inhabited by another civilization.
The idea of a mysterious world inside Earth is not something new. In fact, it dates back to ancient mythology and folklore. Our ancestors, unable to verify the actual structure of our planet, let their imaginations run wild and imagined entire civilizations living in the underworld.
Today, technology allows us to know more or less what the interior of Earth looks like. Still, some people choose to cling tenaciously onto ancient tales of mysterious civilizations living beneath the globe’s crust. They dismiss the idea that our planet has a solid core as a smokescreen designed to deceive the public.
Going down the Hollow Earth rabbit hole may seem enticing; just be careful not to go too deep!
THE MOON IS NOT REAL
You may have heard the conspiracy theory that the moon landing was a fake, but this one goes further: the moon itself is fake!
Some believe that the crescent thingy you see in the sky at night is an elaborate projection. Others claim it’s a secret space station disguised as a celestial object. In either case, the Earth has no natural moon.
But where did these theories come from? Why would someone fake the moon of all things? Well, it seems they’re all connected to the flat Earth conspiracy theory. After all, claiming that our planet is not a globe can be difficult when there’s an obviously round-shaped moon in the night sky. Flat-Earthers had to somehow address this issue, and… some of them decided to go the “fake moon” route.
Of course, the belief that the moon is fake does not hold up any scientific scrutiny whatsoever, but to each their own, I guess?
FINLAND DOES NOT EXIST
That’s right, there are people out there who believe that Finland is a made-up country. And no, I’m not just talking about the country; I’m also talking about the land.
According to the theory, back in the Cold War days, the Soviet Union colluded with Japan to convince the world that there was a sizable landmass on the east side of the Baltic Sea known as “Finland.” Why would the two countries go to such extremes, you may ask? Well, it’s quite obvious: they wanted to go fishing.
By convincing the world that a massive part of the Baltic Sea was actually a landmass, the Soviet Union and Japan effectively got rid of any outside competition. As such, what the maps designated as “Finland” was actually an exclusive fishing ground for the two nations.
To the uninitiated, this conspiracy theory may seem ridiculous, but let me ask you this: have you ever seen Finland with your own two eyes? Didn’t think so.
If you want to learn more about Finland’s non-existence, check out this YouTube video from Good Mythical Morning.
BIRDS ARE ACTUALLY GOVERNMENT DRONES
Have you ever wondered what birds do every day, why they just fly around all over the place for seemingly no reason? Some people would claim that they “migrate,” or that they “search for food.” There is another potential explanation proposed by the so-called Birds Aren’t Real movement; birds are actually surveillance drones in disguise, whose job is to spy on unsuspecting citizens.
It’s genius, right? Who would expect animals to secretly work for Uncle Sam? Imagine you take a stroll in the local park, feed some birds on the way, and go back to your daily routine. The next day, boom, suddenly there are FBI agents at your doorstep questioning you about that plastic cup you didn’t recycle properly.
But what about “natural” birds? Do they not exist in the eyes of the Birds Aren’t Real movement? Well, not really. The theory actually states that the U.S. government is in the process of exterminating the entire bird species and replacing it with surveillance drones disguised as birds. Pretty gruesome, huh?
If you want to learn more about the movement, check out its website here. Just make sure you’re not being watched.
BUT…
Silly conspiracy theories like those aforementioned are all fun and games; but we should remember that they are silly. The fact that we have the time to come up with them just goes to show how privileged we are to live in a developed country like the United States. It all becomes less silly and more scary when people take it a step too far to indulge in the idea that climate change is a hoax, or that the COVID-19 virus does not exist. But that’s a topic for another day.
