Over the course of our extensive history on Earth, mankind has passed on stories that
have lived on to this day. Whether they’ve been tales of courageous men that have come and gone,
or mythical creatures that were said to have roamed the planet, we have observed the extents of
human imagination, and the power of storytelling. In fact, there are probably all sorts of things
you didn’t know about the world. Today, we explore eleven famous legends with rational explanations -
from the bible to giants, to all sorts of other historical events, this video has got it all!.
Whether we choose to believe it or not is our own individual prerogative, though there are certain
things that could be harder to argue than others. It’s only natural to be skeptical since we can’t
precisely determine the validity of tales from our rich and interminable history. There are
certain happenings in the past that actually have rational and convincing explanations,
backed by scientists, historians, and archaeologists, among other credible sources.
Now, keep watching for the most famous legends
from our fascinating past that leave us wondering and intrigued.
10. The Great Flood. Scientists believe that the myth of the Great Flood is traced to the memories
of a massive flood that took place in Mesopotamia. Upon excavating the Tomb of Ur in the previous
century, archaeologists found a layer of clay that seemingly split 2 cultures. According to
Wikipedia, it is believed that a catastrophic flood in the Rivers Tigris and Euphrates lead
to this phenomenon. Other data suggests that an extravagant flood took place on the coast of the
Black Sea, around 15,000 years ago. Scientists confirmed this in the West Siberia territory
when they found seashells. The Black Sea is the closest body of water. The flood was said to have
had such great strength that it produced a waterfall of 40 cubic kilometers a day,
which is 200 times more than the volume of water that goes through Niagara Falls.
This evidence may dismiss the skepticism of exaggeration by the ancient people.
9. Giants: Up until today, people in Ireland still tell stories of colossal humans that
walked the planet, who were able to create islands just by throwing a handful of sand
into the water. A professor of Endocrinology, Marta Korbonits, believes that these ancient
stories may have historical grounds. According to scientists, people in Ireland have mutations
in the AIP gene, which are the reason for acromegaly and gigantism. In Mid Ulster,
a region in Ireland, 1 in 150 people are found to have this mutation. Charles Byre,
who was over 7.5 feet tall, is one of the more renowned Irish giants,
who lived in the 1700s. However, contrary to the belief giants were strong, in fact,
they weren’t, as people who suffer from gigantism experience cardiovascular diseases, as well
as joint pains and vision problems, and don’t live past the age of 30 if improperly treated.
Do you want to know the rational explanation behind one of the biggest
legends in all of history - the path of Moses? Well, keep watching til the very
end to find out - you’ll be surprised at some of the things you didn’t know!
8. Werewolves: When it comes to werewolves, the origins of these
legends have a few possibilities. Humans have long been connected with forests,
and it is said that people of the past who wanted to be stronger had chosen a spirit animal,
and wore its skin. Warriors of the past were said to have taken drug potions before their battles,
imagining they were invincible wolves. Though this is a legend, there is a genetic condition
known as hypertrichosis that may add credibility to the belief of werewolves. This condition was
previously called the “werewolf syndrome”, as it is the abnormal amount of hair growth
over the face and body. Additionally, there is a psychological disorder known as lycanthropy,
which is the delusion that an individual can morph into an animalistic being. This
condition is said to actually have become stronger during different lunar phases.
Keep watching as we continue to count down the most famous legends that exist,
and all of their rational explanations!
7. Vampires: The legend of vampires can be traced to humans suffering from a rare genetic disorder
known as porphyria, which includes some of the common characteristics we have known
vampires to have. This particular disease found in humans causes a pigment imbalance,
which leads to hemoglobin decaying due to ultraviolet rays. Additionally,
those who suffer from porphyria suffer from the sunlight and are only comfortable to go
out in the nighttime. For the more severe cases, people experience a tendon deformity
and dryness of their lips and gums. Their incisors become a shade of red,
appearing much like vampires, and even experiencing a sensitivity to garlic.
6. Dragons: In Mongolia, the correlation between bones and dinosaurs was explored. The word
“dragon” for them has different geographical names, and it said that in their Gobi Desert,
anyone can find the bones of dinosaurs. There are still so many there that illegal excavations occur
frequently. The reason some people imagine dragons to be much like reptiles with claws
and scales is that the skeletons look much like those of modern lizards, crocodiles,
and snakes. Lizards and snakes can even sometimes be born with two heads instead of one,
much like some of the imaginary dragons that have been depicted.
5. Centaurs: Since the second millennium BC, images of centaurs already surfaced. It’s presumed
that they appeared in Greece as fantasy by those who weren’t aware of horseriding. Northern nomadic
tribes such as the Scythians or Kassites could have been mistaken for centaurs. Historical
figure Pliny the Elder, of the 1st century AD, had written that he’d seen a centaur with his
own eyes. Preserved in honey, it was gifted from Egypt as a gift for the Emperor, and they were
believed to be the result of genetic experiments by Egyptian priests. Though it isn’t evident in
the modern day, scientists managed to create a human-pig, so perhaps there’s some validity.
4. The Labyrinth of the Minotaur: Greek legends suggest that there was a giant labyrinth under
the palace of King Minos. There, rested a dangerous monster known as the Minotaur. It
was believed to be so bloodthirsty, that it would shake the Earth with its roar.
The island of Crete, where it’s said that the monster lived, is widely known for its
unusual seismic activity. Situated on two plates, the island experiences a geological
phenomenon called subduction and is at great risk of earthquakes. Due it’s geographical positioning,
the African plate that presses on the Nubian plate pushes the island to the surface. Over the course
of history, the island of Crete has withstood such lifts, some of which rose up to 22 feet,
furthermore justifying the belief that there was an angry monster living underground.
3. Cyclopes. According to ancient Greek mythology, cyclopes were godly creatures
or even just people. Polyphemus, who was the son of Poseidon, was the most famous example.
It is believed that Odysseus had taken the only eye he had. Additionally, a tribe of one-eyed
people known as the Arimaspi was situated in northern Scythia. As for the scientific evidence,
an Australian paleobiologist by the name of Othenio Abel explored the idea that ancient
people found skulls of dwarf elephants, which then led to the myth about cyclopes due to the
hole in the center of the skulls that could be mistaken for a giant eye socket. Furthermore,
these particular elephants were only found in Cyprus, Malta, and Crete, in the Greek region.
2. Sodom and Gomorrah: Though it’s a myth that Sodom and Gomorrah represented sinful cities,
it has now been proven to be a historical fact. A decade ago, the ancient Jordanian city of Tall
el-Hammam was excavated, and archaeologists are certain to have found Sodom. As per the Bible,
Sodom was near the Jordan River. Scientists found a major ancient settlement surrounded
by a big wall, and according to researchers, people did live here.
Known to be an enormous legendary mythical sea creature, the first depiction of this huge squid
was written by Erik Pontoppidan, claiming that the Kraken was the size of an island. He believed
that this creature could grab a huge ship with its tentacles, with the ability to drag it to
the bottom of the sea. It could also produce a dangerous whirlpool, leaving the death of the
ship imminent. This could be traced to the fact huge squids still exist on the planet,
stretching as big as a whole 52 meters long. Containing teeth and claws on their tentacles,
they scare people away, at first sight, so you can imagine how sailors of the past must’ve reacted.
1. Unicorns Humans have long imagined a unicorn to be a creature containing a rainbow horn on its
forehead. Different countries have information about unicorns in their myths and legends,
and the first pictures were found in India, over 4,000 years ago. When it spread to Rome,
people thought unicorns to be real animals. A unicorn-looking rhino known as the Elasmotherium
lived in Eurasia during the Ice Age, who looked much like horses with a long horn on its forehead.
Though this particular species became extinct, researcher Willy Ley argues that some of this
species may have existed for a while longer, which is why legends still exist about them.
And now, here is the rational explanation behind
one of the most famous legends in all of history: The Path of Moses!
One of the more renowned stories of the Bible is when Moses parted the sea, leading his people
through to walk through its path. Very few people today are aware that this phenomenon can be seen
in North Korea, close to Jindo Island, where the water between the islands parts for a whole hour.
This opens a long wide road where thousands of tourists can walk through and observe the sea
animals, much like Moses and his people were said to have done. Scientists say this isn’t,
in fact, a miracle, as it happens due to the differences of times of ebbs and flows.
The Path of Moses led from the continent to the island, much like we see in this body of water.
When investigating legends, it’s important to consider supporting evidence that has come along
the way. Despite what we choose to believe as a myth or truth, there are certain aspects that can
make it quite difficult to deny. Ultimately, it’s our own choice to accept it as fact or fiction.
So, did you find out some things you didn’t know in this video? What legends are there out there
that weren’t in this video that you’re interested in? Let us know in the comments section below!
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