This article presents 10 unsolved mysteries that have fascinated people for years. These mysteries range from historical events, such as the disappearance of the Roanoke Colony or the unsolved case of the Zodiac Killer, to more recent events, like the disappearance of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370. Some of these mysteries involve bizarre circumstances, like the Voynich Manuscript, a book with an unknown script and confounding illustrations that has yet to be deciphered. Others, like the Isdal Woman, involve mysterious deaths with complex and unknown motives. Despite extensive investigations and public interest, the answers to these mysteries remain elusive, leaving people to wonder and speculate about what really happened.
10 Unsolved Mysteries That Will Keep You Up at Night
1. The Disappearance of the Roanoke Colony
In 1587, a group of English colonists landed in Roanoke Island, North Carolina, with the aim of establishing a new settlement. However, when a supply ship arrived three years later, the entire colony was gone without a trace. The only thing left behind was the word “Croatoan” carved into a tree. To this day, nobody knows what happened to the 115 colonists, and no concrete evidence has ever been found.
2. The Zodiac Killer
Operating in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Zodiac Killer was a serial murderer who terrorized the San Francisco Bay Area. The killer sent coded messages to newspapers and police, taunting them with his murders and threatening to kill more. Despite numerous investigations and suspects over the years, the identity of the Zodiac Killer remains unknown.
3. The Voynich Manuscript
The Voynich Manuscript is a book written in an unknown script and filled with bizarre illustrations that have confounded scholars for centuries. It is widely believed to be a code or cipher, yet nobody has ever been able to decipher it. Despite numerous attempts over the years, the Voynich Manuscript remains one of the world’s most mysterious books.
4. The Tamam Shud Case
Also known as the “Mystery of the Somerton Man,” the Tamam Shud Case is one of Australia’s most enduring mysteries. In 1948, an unknown man was found dead on Somerton Beach in Adelaide. The man had no identification, and all the labels had been removed from his clothing. A scrap of paper with the words “Tamam Shud” (meaning “ended” or “finished” in Persian) was found in a hidden pocket of the man’s pants. Despite a lengthy investigation, the man’s identity and cause of death remain unknown to this day.
5. The Disappearance of Amelia Earhart
In 1937, famed aviatrix Amelia Earhart embarked on a flight around the world with navigator Fred Noonan. However, the pair disappeared over the Pacific Ocean and were never seen again. Despite numerous search and rescue missions over the years, no trace of Earhart or Noonan has ever been found, leading to countless theories about what may have happened to them.
6. The Hinterkaifeck Murders
On a farm in Germany in 1922, six people were brutally murdered with a pickaxe. Despite a lengthy investigation, nobody was ever arrested for the crime, and the case remains unsolved to this day. Theories range from a disgruntled former farmhand to a serial killer passing through the area.
7. The Taman Shud Code
In 1948, a man’s body was found on Somerton Beach in Adelaide, Australia. In the man’s pocket was a piece of paper with the words “Taman Shud” printed on it. Police soon discovered that the paper was torn from a copy of “The Rubaiyat” by Omar Khayyam. A code was found written on the back of the book, which has never been deciphered. The case remains unsolved, and the man’s identity is still unknown.
8. The Keddie Murders
In 1981, a quadruple murder rocked the small town of Keddie, California. Three members of the Sharp family and a family friend were brutally killed in their cabin, while the youngest member of the family was left unharmed. Despite numerous suspects and a lengthy investigation, nobody has ever been charged with the crime.
9. The Isdal Woman
In 1970, the charred remains of a woman were found in a remote area of Norway known as Isdalen. An investigation yielded a mysterious timeline of the woman’s movements, including numerous aliases and contacts with shady individuals. Despite extensive efforts, the woman’s identity and cause of death remain a mystery to this day.
10. The Disappearance of Flight MH370
In 2014, Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370 disappeared en route to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur. Despite an extensive search that lasted several years, no trace of the plane or the 239 people on board has ever been found. The case remains one of the greatest mysteries in aviation history.
