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During your lifetime, you have likely heard of some conspiracy theories. After all, there is probably no topic that these theories don’t cover.
A few months ago, one Reddit user asked others what scary conspiracy theories they had heard of. And, oh boy, have they heard plenty. So, we combined a list of the best responses to this question.
In it, you can find theories like the Dark Forest theory, the AI-Bitcoin connection, and many others. Some are scarier than others, some more believable, but the list is undeniably captivating.
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Samsung announced that the Galaxy Watch 4 would include a non-invasive continuous glucose monitor, which would allow you to monitor your blood sugar at any time while you wear it, for as long as you own it.
A months before the 4 was released, that feature quietly disappeared from all of the marketing, without explanation, and now, years later, is nowhere to be found.
I believe Abbott Laboratories, makers of the FreeStyle Light glucometer and the FreeStyle Libre continuous glucose monitor systems, panicked, fearing that a non-expiring, non-invasive glucose monitor would be hugely popular among diabetics, and devastate their death-grip on the market, paid a huge bribe to Samsung to drop the whole thing.
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There are plenty of others you might be aware of besides the ones on this list. For example, the clan of underground billionaires running the world (sometimes it’s also added that they’re lizard people), the Earth being flat, and the moon landing being fake.
Then, some are known in the deep corners of the internet. The reason behind the difference in their popularity usually lies in certain “requirements” they meet. For instance, having the “right” villain, addresses collective anxieties, makes people feel good about their social group, fills certain knowledge gaps, and escalates during uncertain times.
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This isn’t even the full list. Basically, there are many things that can make a theory more or less successful, and theorists usually attempt to check as many of them as possible.
Even if the theories get disproven, some people still believe in them. In fact, about 50% of Americans believe in at least one debunked conspiracy theory.
Research published by the American Psychological Association (APA) revealed that people are more prone to believing conspiracy theories due to certain motivations and personality traits. For example, those who feel a sense of antagonism and superiority toward others perceive threats in their environment and strongly rely on their intuition.
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And nobody really cares.
Additionally, the increased accessibility of information due to social media and 24-hour news cycles also helps to reach more people, thus convincing more of them to believe.
If you read something online and wonder whether it is a conspiracy theory or the truth, there are some things you can do to make sure. For example, seek out the evidence for the stated things, as many theories crumble after a lack of it. Then, you can also “test” the idea with logic and critical thinking. So, basically, look for evidence that contradicts and maybe even debunks it.
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As a bonus, MK Ultra was not an isolated incident, USA (and other govts) continue secret tests on their own citizens, they just got better at hiding it.
Looking for the motives or red flags behind the theory, like prejudicial tropes, and seeking the source of the claim (besides other things) are also useful while figuring out the conspiracy theory's validity.
Also, if after some time you realize that you have fallen for some kind of conspiracy theory, don’t feel too bad – as we made it clear, they’re made to convince people. If you realize the fault in your logic related to them, it’s good for you, and bad for them.
Have you ever fallen for any kind of conspiracy theory? Share your experience with us in the comments!
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Spontaneous Life is actually extremely common in the universe.
We talk about the primoridal ooze where the first protiens formed into a cell and all that. But this theory states that life actually spontaneously arises on a microscopic level *constantly*. Well, constantly on a universal time scale, at least. Not all of it is carbon based, and in fact life has formed in many different ways that we don't recognize as true life.
However, there is one critical thing that acts as a gateway: reproduction. Almost all life that is spontaneously created lives a short time and dies without reproducing.
On our world, there have been *two* instances of spontaneous life that were able to reproduce.
1. The precursor that lead to all life as we know it on earth over millions and millions of years
2. Viruses.
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A superintelligence at some point wants more computation and robot arms - given robot arms aren't all that great, money is the next best thing, as humans will do anything for bigger numbers on their bank account.
For me, it's truely terrifying.