Mind Blowing Conspiracy Theories (That Turned Out to be TRUE)

We all love a good conspiracy theory. For most of us, they are a form of absurdist entertainment—we read stories of how we supposedly never landed on the moon, and how the earth is supposedly flat and have a good chuckle to ourselves not only at the sheer absurdity of the outlandish claims being presented, but also at the thought that somewhere out there is someone else reading it who actually believes it.

But what if we were to tell you that not every conspiracy theory is total nonsense, and that for every ‘The Queen was actually a lizard person’, there is another that has some truth to it?

You would be shocked, wouldn’t you? How ever could we make such an outlandish claim!

Well folks, strap in and don your tin foil hats, because here are five conspiracy theories that turned out to be (largely) true!

1. Roswell

In June 1947, an enigmatic object crashed in the desert outskirts of Roswell, New Mexico, propelling the sleepy town into the annals of extraterrestrial lore. The Air Force was quick to quell burgeoning rumours, asserting the object was no flying saucer, but a mundane weather balloon. But this did little to quell them, and soon enough the belief that it was actually an alien UFO which crashed at Roswell began to spread all around the US. By the late 1990s, these rumours had deep planted roots, and had grown into a full on conspiracy theory. UFO enthusiasts the world over became steadfast in their belief that the US government was concealing the true nature of what happened in Roswell.

Now what if we were to tell you folks, that sure enough, a UFO did indeed crash at Roswell on that fateful day—cross our hearts and hope to die? But before you get too excited and start breaking out the first contact protocols, you’ll notice we didn’t say an ALIEN UFO… allow us to explain.

The crashed object was later revealed to be a balloon from Project Mogul, a part of the US’ clandestine arsenal during the Cold War. As the nation sought every advantage in its delicate power balance with the USSR, the balloons, equipped with top-secret detection technology, were launched into the atmosphere to ‘listen’ for potential nuclear tests conducted by the Soviets—and it was one of these that crashed in Roswell.

So, technically, while it might not exactly be what the term UFO first brings to mind; being far more indicative of a spaceship piloted by a little grey fella with an unhealthy penchant for probing, technically, an unidentified flying object did indeed crash at Roswell, making this conspiracy theory correct… KIND OF.

But this raises a question: The US Military isn’t exactly known for giving away its secrets (as any brave veterans of the Area 51 Storming watching can attest to), so just how exactly do we know about this?

The answer to that question can be found in the early 1990s, when a renewed sense of intrigue surrounding the Roswell Crash was gripping the US, and many groups were pressuring the US government for comment. At this time a New Mexico Senate representative pressed the General Accounting Office to persuade the Pentagon into declassifying documents relating to the Roswell incident, a request to which the US Air Force finally acquiesced in 1994, releasing the findings of its own internal investigation into the crash. According to this, the debris found near Roswell was “most likely from one of the Mogul balloons that had not been previously recovered.” Given the time and location, the report surmised that this missing balloon, subject to the harsh surface winds, was the much-speculated object that landed on a ranch in 1947 and gave birth to the Roswell conspiracy.

The report’s conclusion was further bolstered by a journal maintained by one of the members of the Project Mogul team that was also released to the public in the 1990s, in which a note from June 1947 referred to a balloon that had never been recovered post-mission.

Interestingly, the report also tackled the alien question—rather disappointingly stating that the Air Force had absolutely no record of any such finds in Roswell.

Unless of course… that’s just what they want you to believe, and the report was a fake designed to keep us sheeple in the dark.

2. Bohemian Grove

Shadow governments are a recurring theme in conspiracy theories. For some, the notion that a secretive malevolent hierarchy is behind all of the world’s problems is a tantalising concept, providing an emotional scapegoat for the hopeless, and frankly often quite dull realities of the world’s problems.

But wait, don’t throw that tinfoil hat away just yet! Because what if we were to tell you that deep in the Californian countryside, nestled among the mighty redwoods, sits a 2,700 acre campground where the world’s elites gather yearly to discuss secret things and take part in pagan rituals? Well sure enough, there is! Ladies and Gentlemen, may we introduce you to The Bohemian Grove Club.

The existence of this club is no secret, indeed it has been discussed from time to time for decades now, but what is more elusive is the reality of it, as, quite understandably, such a club, frequented by such people, performing such rituals, has been subject to plenty of wild speculation over the years. So now, let’s go over what we do know about it for certain.

Bohemian Grove is indeed an exclusive fraternity, counting among its members some of the most powerful men in the Western World. It was founded in 1872 by a group of journalists, artists, and musicians who sought a haven from the hustle of city life. Over time, as the Club’s members began to invite guests, the membership demographic shifted.

The artists and journalists found themselves rubbing elbows with business magnates, military commanders, and politicians, including several US Presidents—with notable members including George Bush Senior and Ronald Reagan. Yet, despite the change in membership, the Club retained its bohemian ethos of revelling in music, theatre, and nature.

Much of the club’s controversy stems from its highly secretive nature. Members and their guests must adhere to a so-called “Weaving Spiders Come Not Here” motto, i.e. what happens at the grove stays at the grove. Journalists are also notably banned from the premises, ensuring the activities at the Club remain (largely) hidden from public scrutiny.

So, knowing this, you’re probably wondering how we know anything about this club at all? That is the product of infiltrations, investigative journalism, and hidden footage. One such infiltrator was Alex Jones, yes, THAT Alex Jones, who managed to sneak in with a hidden camera in 2000.

His footage revealed an enigmatic ceremony, the ‘Cremation of the Care,’ where members don costumes and immolate a coffin effigy named “Care” before a massive owl statue, a spectacle ostensibly linked to a reverence for the surrounding redwoods. The club’s spokesperson admitted the footage’s authenticity but downplayed its significance as a “traditional musical drama celebrating nature and summertime.”

Further insight came from Spy magazine writer Philip Weiss, who, in 1989, infiltrated the encampment, posing as a guest for seven days. His exposé, “Inside Bohemian Grove,” is our main, and really only source for detailed understanding of what actually happens there each year, documenting the peculiar and (supposedly) liberating ritual of public urination practiced by the rich and powerful attendees. He also documented plays where men portray women, comedy shows, and “Lakeside Talks” featuring high-ranking officials sharing otherwise undisclosed information.

Knowing all of this, it’s hard to restrain the imagination really—we mean, a forest full of the Western World’s elites partaking in all sorts of frankly bizarre rituals, we certainly wouldn’t blame you for speculating and starting to connect dots in your mind. But we should stress, as damning as it may look on the surface, evidence of any great machinations occurring at the club have yet to surface, and current evidence simply points to it being an extravagant camping holiday in which the world’s rich and powerful men relive their university days.

But still, a secret society of the rich and powerful does indeed exist, so for our purposes—conspiracy proven!

3. Government Surveillance

Throughout the annals of American history, few events have proved as unsettling and consequential as Edward Snowden’s revelations of mass surveillance by the United States’ National Security Agency (NSA). For years, the public engaged in heated debates, entertaining rumours and suspicions concerning the extent of the NSA’s watchful gaze. These whispers were invariably dismissed as the paranoid ramblings of conspiracy theorists, their claims seen as too Orwellian to be part of reality. However, in 2013, these allegations crossed the boundary between fantasy and fact, plunging the global community into an intense reckoning with the ethics of surveillance, privacy, and security.

This boundary was crossed by Edward Snowden, a former NSA contractor who leaked a treasure trove of classified documents to the public. These documents exposed a chilling truth: the NSA had been conducting widespread, warrantless surveillance of American citizens’ phone and internet activities. The echo of Big Brother from George Orwell’s 1984 resonated in this revelation, leaving the world shocked and appalled at the reach of the clandestine operation.

Project PRISM was among the most contentious programs uncovered by Snowden’s leaks. It allowed the NSA unfettered access to the servers of nine major tech companies, including Google, Apple, and Facebook. The agency could pry into individuals’ search histories, email content, file transfers, and live chats—a level of access that amounted to a digital strip search. This intrusion wasn’t confined within the borders of the United States; it stretched out to foreign nationals and governments, trampling upon the diplomatic norms of respecting other nations’ sovereignty.

Another egregious program, codenamed XKeyscore, operated like a Google for private communications. The NSA could probe into individuals’ browsing histories, emails, and other digital activities simply by entering their name or email address into the system, no warrant required. It was as if every internet user had unknowingly volunteered for an Orwellian nightmare, their every digital footstep scrutinized under the unblinking eye of the NSA.

What followed Snowden’s disclosures was an unprecedented upheaval. Civil liberties organizations, privacy advocates, and common citizens worldwide expressed their outrage, demanding accountability and reforms. The United States, typically seen as a beacon of freedom and individual rights, was thrust under an uncomfortable spotlight, its reputation for upholding democratic values very much in question.

Despite the global outcry, the US government’s response was ambivalent. While some acknowledged the need for a more balanced approach between national security and privacy, others defended the surveillance as essential for thwarting potential terrorist activities. Snowden, having exposed the world’s most potent intelligence apparatus, was charged under the Espionage Act and sought asylum in Russia.

The aftershocks of Snowden’s actions continue to reverberate, forcing nations to grapple with the moral and ethical implications of mass surveillance, and for us, discounting the notion that mass secret government surveillance is a conspiracy theory once and for all.

4. A War Started on a Lie

Conspiracy theories often come bedecked with a sense of intrigue, a dash of incredulity, and an insatiable curiosity for the truth. One such theory, revolving around the Gulf of Tonkin incident that catalysed the Vietnam War, simmered for decades in the public consciousness. Sceptics argued it was a false flag operation—a bold and brazen assertion that was, for years, casually brushed off. In the end however, the conspiracy theorists were vindicated; their paranoia proving prophetic.

It all goes back to 1964, when the American vessels USS Maddox and USS Turner Joy reported an “unprovoked” assault in the Gulf of Tonkin by North Vietnamese naval forces. This incident rapidly escalated into an international crisis and resulted in the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. This seemingly open-ended mandate endorsed by Congress gave President Lyndon B. Johnson the authority to deploy military forces in Southeast Asia as he saw fit, marking the unofficial commencement of full-scale U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.

Yet, the shadow of doubt hung heavily over this narrative. Claims of an unprovoked attack seemed dubious to sceptics, who conjectured that the incident was manufactured to justify an unpopular war. This theory was relegated to the fringes of political discourse for decades, with naysayers dismissed as fanciful conspiracy theorists.

It all came out in 2005 when the NSA declassified an internal study. It revealed that the second reported attack in the Gulf of Tonkin had in fact never been confirmed. Misinterpreted radar and sonar data, it seemed, had painted an inaccurate picture, and keen to never let a good tragedy go to waste, the US government had used this as an excuse to escalate their role in the conflict.

The revelations from the NSA declassification were not just a bombshell for the public, but also for historians and political analysts who had, until then, accepted the official narrative. Digging into the released data, several corroborating reports and testimonies were also later brought to light. For example, it emerged that Lieutenant Commander James Stockdale, a pilot flying cover from the USS Ticonderoga on the night of the second incident, had stated in his 1984 book that he saw no enemy craft. Quote:

“I had the best seat in the house to watch that event, and our destroyers were just shooting at phantom targets—there were no PT boats there…There was nothing there but black water and American firepower.”

Further, former Secretary of Defence Robert S. McNamara, in the 2003 documentary “The Fog of War”, admitted that the attack had not happened. Thus, the credibility of the Gulf of Tonkin incident was permanently undermined, vindicating the conspiracy theory that it was indeed a false flag operation.

This deceit had profound ramifications: it meant that over 58,000 American soldiers lost their lives in a war justified by a lie; it meant that the Vietnamese people, who suffered casualties well into the millions, had to suffer through the war being dragged out for years longer thanks to the subsequent enormous injection of American men, money, and materials, and all of it, over a lie…

5. Gay Frogs

The 17th of July 2015 was a truly special day in internet history, for it was the day that the RATHER CONTROVERSIAL internet personality Alex Jones proclaimed loud and proud that:

“I don’t like them putting chemicals in the water that turn the frickin’ frogs gay!”

Oh, how we all laughed at the bare faced absurdity of the claim being laid before us. But what if we were to tell you ladies and gentlemen that just for once, like the proverbial broken clock that is right twice a day, Alex Jones was actually onto something here… kind of. Allow us to explain!

You see, the tale of sexuality altering hormones making their way into our water supply, though simplified and twisted in Jones’s narrative, has roots in reality. Consider the plight of our amphibian friends, the frogs. In the wrong environment, they can undergo dramatic physiological changes, even shifts in their gender. This in and of itself is a completely natural phenomenon, and not exclusively caused by exposure to particular chemicals in the water, but saying that, it does indeed appear as though certain chemicals, which sure enough do find their way into the water supply by human hands, can induce this state in particular breeds of frogs. But much to Alex’s disappointment, they don’t find their way into the water by means of some hairbrained globalist conspiracy, but rather something much more mundane—the pills that we take daily.

In his book “Troubled Water,” activist Seth Siegel elucidates the long journey that the chemicals in birth control pills take after consumption. As our bodies absorb only a fraction of the pill’s ingredients, the bulk—around 90%—is excreted, via either urine or sweat. This expelled content, imbued with a synthetic oestrogen called EE2, then wends its way to our wastewater plants.

EE2, an endocrine disruptor, has the potential to interfere with reproductive hormones and development, particularly when consumed in excess or by sensitive populations such as infants. He goes on further to explain that in total, more than 10 million doses of synthetic oestrogen permeate America’s wastewater every day, a result of 15 million people regularly taking these pills.

The plot thickens further when he explains that despite the common assumption that dilution can solve this pollution, even filtered waters reveal traces of many pharmaceutical compounds. Going on further to explain that astonishingly, residues of other drugs like Prozac have been detected in fish residing in the Great Lakes. Moreover, the oestrogen in rivers and lakes in the northeast US has caused male fish to develop female biomarkers, including ovaries. In extreme cases, exposure to EE2 has even led to decreased fertility in fish across generations.

Given these known effects on less complex organisms, a question naturally arises: might humans also be affected? This question might even have you racing to the Infowars store to pick up one of Alex’s conveniently marketed water filters, but if this is you, worry not, because we need to make it abundantly clear that scientific understanding of the potential implications for human health remains incomplete, and while we absolutely cannot say that it’s all cushty, neither can we say that there is a need to panic—we simply don’t know for certain with present research.

In response to the scientific gap, Siegel advocates for a proactive stance—one in which he says it is probably a prudent idea to put in some effort to remove these compounds at water-treatment plants, but neither should we panic or even begin to consider something radical like banning these medications upon which millions of people rightly depend every day.

This brings us neatly back to Alex Jones, with whom we initially credited with VERY SLOPPILY bringing this situation to the public’s attention. His claim was, if you recall, that:

“I don’t like them putting chemicals in the water that turn the frickin’ frogs gay!”

We also stated that this was KIND OF true, and indeed, it does appear that if you squint at the claim really, REALLY hard, it does somewhat morph into an accurate depiction of reality, but we should also stress the parts he got wrong. Firstly, it isn’t solely frogs, it’s a whole range of aquatic animals. Secondly, they aren’t turning them gay so much as they are changing their genders. And finally, it happens SIGNIFICANTLY less than Alex’s SOMEWHAT dramatic delivery would suggest.

But you know what. For a claim that outlandish and memed upon, we can’t even be mad. We’re just low-key impressed that there was any truth to it at all.

Key Takeaways

• The Roswell UFO incident involved a secret US military project, not aliens.
• Bohemian Grove is a real, secretive gathering of powerful men, but no evidence supports nefarious activities.
• Edward Snowden’s leaks confirmed widespread, warrantless NSA surveillance on US citizens.
• The Gulf of Tonkin incident, which escalated the Vietnam War, was based on false information.
• Chemicals from birth control pills can affect the gender of aquatic animals, but human impacts are uncertain.

Sources

• Original Side Projects video: Mind Blowing Conspiracy Theories (That Turned Out to be TRUE)

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