Research projects are a time consuming project that most people are faced with at one time or another for work or school. These research tasks on the internet can lead into some of the craziest corners of the web. I find myself sidetracked from my original search and giggling like a five-year-old at some of the places I find.

Picking out the truth from the conspiracies is almost a full time job by itself. I find it difficult to avoid sending emails or comments to the people who post some of the crazy, half thought out, and practically impossible theories that I run across. I know that there are people out there in the world that really believe what they are posting, despite the fact that science has disproved the theories time and again. I find the world of conspiracy theorists to be shocking but somewhat hysterical.

I have heard so many ideas and theories that I’ve decided to come up with the twenty-five best ones. The list is so subjective that even if I think they are the best and most outrageous ones, other people may not. I’m going to take a journey down the rabbit hole of the most hilarious and bizarre conspiracy theories in the world. Sit back and enjoy the head-spinning ride as we delve into them.

25. Flat Earth Theory

I find this one incredible. This theory has cropped up and been debunked so many times that I’m amazed it continues to exist. I actually had to research this. Despite the overwhelming amount of evidence to the contrary, there are societies that still hold on to the concept that the earth is flat. I ran across the Flat Earth Society as a prime example of people that are still espousing the idea that the science showing the planet is spherical is false. I find it incomprehensible that an entire society can find arguments to dispute the scientific facts such as the moon landing, and the photos that come back from all the satellites and probes.

This is an actual quote from their site: “Would you like to earn $5,000? If you can prove that the world is a sphere, floating in space, turning on its own axis, revolving around the sun, you can earn a prize of that amount. Such a prize has been posted for years, offered by Wilbur Glenn Voliva, general overseer of Zion, 111. Post and Gatty didn’t fly around the world, according to Wilbur Glenn Voliva, they merely flew in a circle around the North Pole. This article presents Voliva’s theory of a flat world, and tells you how you can win his offer of $5,000 for proving that he is wrong.” This sums it up.

24. Ice Bucket Challenge Satanic Ritual?

Anyone who has spent time on Facebook has seen the Ice Bucket Challenge. We all witnessed this very uncomfortable and skin-chilling act by hundreds of people being done in the name of charity. I even participated in it with my daughter. I’m a firm believer in charitable causes and the ALS cause is one I support. But a theory exists that there is a more sinister side to this challenge. Many people feel that it is a cover for Satanic worship recruitment. This outrageous theory has been brought forward by evangelists claiming that the celebrities such as Oprah, Bill Gates and Lady Gaga to name a few are helping bring more people to this with their popularity. Apparently, according to this theory, everyone who participated in the challenge has been “baptised” for Satan. Amazing, isn’t it?

23. Hadron Collider is the Gateway for Shiva

For all the amazing scientific data that has been produced by the collider, many people don’t understand the concepts behind it. I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t understand the concepts as well as my husband does. But I can’t understand why there are many people out there that actually believe that the collider itself could bring Shiva into our existence. Many people are trying to use scientific theories mixed with religion to prove that the collider is actually a “stargate” that is destined to create wormholes that will open the way for the Annunaki, which are thought to be a race of extraterrestrials who visited Earth long ago and meddled in the affairs of our ancient cultures. I understand the mathematical physics behind the concepts of wormholes and time warping, but I can’t fathom the rest of this theory.

22. California Drought Manipulation

Prolonged drought conditions are enough to terrify most anyone. For the people of California, drought and the fires that can spawn from these terrible conditions have become a way of life. We have all felt powerless against the uncontrollable power of nature, but there are people that think our government has found a way to manipulate it. According to Dane Wingington, the “lead researcher” for GeoEngineering Watch, the government is spraying heavy metals into the atmosphere to block out the sun and stop global warming. These chemicals are restricting the rainfall to the state. Scientists are finding this theory laughable. I find this theory a bit bizarre myself.

21. Finland Doesn’t Exist

One of the most bizarre conspiracies that I have run across is the theory that Finland does not actually exist. The concept behind this had me puzzled. I had to really struggle to believe that this theory gained any footing. The theory actually states that Russia and Sweden keep up the myth that Finland exists in order to allow Japan fishing rights to the waters around the “made up” country and the fish are then transported through Russia. The other part of this theory is that the U.N. have maps altered to keep people believing in the country. This conspiracy just made me shake my head in amazement.

20. NASA Blue Beam Theory

Each theory I read about makes me chuckle, but this one truly left me shaking my head. This multi-step conspiracy suggests that NASA will usher in the New World religion led by the antichrist. I’m still trying to wrap my head around this. This is one that has had a lot of thought put into it. The theory takes people through four steps, starting with engineered earthquakes and hoaxes that lead to the use of holograms to create a big show in the sky. This culminates with the use of artificial thought and communication. This convoluted and complicated conspiracy has many people convinced that NASA is out to lead us into the New World Order and to control the entire global population. This one is far reaching and far fetched.

19. The Government Is Tracking Us With Pokemon Go

I ran across this one while researching for this article and started giggling, again. I know that Pokemon Go became a huge obsession when it was released, but I don’t believe for a moment that it’s being used to track people. We all have GPS tracking on our phones, but some people think that the government decided they needed to use a game to track our random movements. I’m not sure why people are thinking that our government is interested in a bunch of people wandering aimlessly hunting imaginary creatures. With all the cameras and GPS apps available, our government has other more efficient ways of tracking the population if it wanted to.

18. Was It The Titanic That Sank?

I was looking at the theories that revolve around the Titanic. I was initially looking at the conspiracy that the ship was deliberately sunk due to opposition to the federal reserve by several passengers. This is a very interesting theory, but I found one that really made me scratch my head. I have found several sites that talk about a theory that it wasn’t the Titanic that sank, but actually the Olympic. Both ships were built by the same company and were practically identical in appearance. The Olympic had been involved in a crash that was found to be the fault of the White Star company. Due to the lawsuit, there is a theory that the Olympic was switched out with the Titanic and wrecked for the insurance money. I’m not sure that there is enough evidence either way, but it is an interesting theory to investigate.

17. Another Titanic Theory

I did mention the original conspiracy that surrounds the Titanic. There have been several theories that are all built around the idea that the ship was purposefully crashed to kill of several key opponents to the Federal Reserve. I am not a believer in this theory, but I can see why it came about. The theory is that J.P. Morgan had the ship sunk after ensuring that some of the wealthiest men in the world were on it. It was viewed as a way to end the opposition to the creation of the nation’s first central banking system. Unfortunately, money and greed have led to behaviors like this before, so it’s understandable that this theory endures still.

16. World Bank – Who Really Controls It?

Conspiracies and powerful institutions go hand in hand. You can name off any political, business, religious or financial entity and find a conspiracy or alternate theory that will go with it. The World Bank is no exception. When I started researching these concepts, I knew I was opening Pandora’s Box. The idea is that a second species of humans are controlling the World Bank. A whistleblower from the World Bank by the name of Karen Hudes has stipulated that she uncovered massive amounts of corruption within the organization she used to work for. She holds to the theory that the US Gold reserve is now being held in the Vatican. She states that the gold is under the control of an entity called “the Black Pope” that is part of a second species that inhabited our planet centuries ago. This kind of sensationalism is a black mark against those that would speak out when corruption is discovered.

15. Dinosaurs Helped Build the Pyramids

I wasn’t familiar with this theory until I started researching. The thought that dinosaurs helped build the pyramids is a bizarre concept. I couldn’t figure out where it came from, but then I saw that several scientists and archeologists have found papyri and stone palettes describing creatures of “great stature” that were used to carry supplies for the pyramids. Although I’m skeptical of this theory, I find it interesting that there are records showing large animals being tamed and used as transport for materials that have become a part of these phenomenal monuments. I will admit that I am curious about how ancient monuments were built.

14. Back To The Future Predictions

Apparently, movies aren’t just being made for entertainment. There is a theory that one popular movie, Back To The Future, predicted several historic events, including the 9/11 terror attacks. There is a fan theory that the name of the mall in the movie and the time on the clock both point to the 9/11 attacks on the twin towers. Another theory is that it mirrors the JFK assassination in several scenes. I’m not sure why people are looking for conspiracies in movies, but as long as there are movies, music and books, there will be conspiracy theories surrounding them.

13. We Didn’t Make It to the Moon

One of the most widely known conspiracy theories is that we never made it to the moon. I find this one laughable. The amount of time and energy that has been spent by so many people picking apart the videos and photos to try and prove that it was staged is phenomenal. Despite the fact that having a man land on the moon did make a difference historically, I can’t fathom why people think it would be faked. We have sent many astronauts into space and returned them home. NASA recently took the very bold step of releasing thousands of photos from the original moon landing to prove beyond a doubt that we did land there.

12. The Moon Isn’t Real

I couldn’t resist tackling this one next. With the prominent theory that the moon landing was faked, I had to tackle the theory that it had to be faked because the moon doesn’t exist. I’m still pondering this one. The theory that all the science and mathematics that show the moon’s existence actually prove that something so large couldn’t possibly exist without crashing into the earth. I’m totally speechless at the convoluted arguments that are being used to prove that an enormous celestial body doesn’t exist and has to be a collective hallucination or a hologram. They even try to point out that all theories about the moon have been disproved over the years.

11. Hollow Earth

Another twist on the composition of our planet is the idea that it is hollow. I couldn’t talk about the flat earth theory without bringing up the hollow earth one. For centuries, theologians, authors and philosophers have speculated on the concept of a hollow earth. Stories abound of subterranean civilizations that are hidden by the thin crust we walk on. The concept of hidden realms is not new. But, to hear that there are people who think that the planet itself is hollow is a step too far. There is too much evidence otherwise. I enjoy the stories of hidden lands and missing civilizations as much as anyone, but I have seen scientific evidence of the layers beneath us. I can’t believe in the theory that the planet is hollow.

10. Nazi UFO Bunkers

Along with the hollow earth, you get the UFO bunkers that have been hidden in Antarctica. Theories of Nazi-built bunkers have been commonplace since the fall of the Nazi regime. One of the biggest stories is the concept that Hitler faked his own death and escaped by a submarine to Antarctica. Once he was there, bunkers containing UFOs that would be used to continue the attempts to take over the world. With the scientific capabilities of the people that followed Hitler, it’s not surprising that this conspiracy has held on for so long. The idea that the Thule society and the Nazi party are still trying to take over the world is as frightening as it is far fetched.

9. Fluoride Mind Control

I’m not even sure where this one started, but I thought it was hilarious. I read about the concept that fluoride was added to our water to decrease IQ in children. This was done by our government to make it easier to manipulate and control the population. Studies have been done on the correlation of fluoride to IQ levels. Just like any other substance, fluoride can be toxic at too high of a level. The levels found in tap water are nowhere near these levels. Tests have also compared IQ levels of children who drink fluoridated and non-fluoridated water and have found no significant difference. Despite the studies, there are still people who believe that the government is using fluoride as the beginning of mind control.

8. The Beatles Never Existed

I keep seeing this come up in my searches and I find it unbelievable that this is even an idea. There are people that look for ways to prove that the members of one of the most famous bands in the world didn’t exist. Photos of each of the band members are looked at and differences in their facial features are shown as “proof” that the people in the photos are different people. Claims are made that as each original member died, they were replaced with clones. I have joked about a lot of the theories I’ve written about, but this one blew my mind past the jokes and straight to the astonished stage.

7. The Missing Cosmonauts

This conspiracy theory gave me chills as I read about it. The basis of this theory is that Yuri Gagarin was not the first cosmonaut sent into space. There are many reports of lost cosmonauts that stem from crashes that occurred during the Soviet space program. There are also reports by two amateur Italian radio operators. They reported hearing the sounds of a cosmonaut suffocating as his spacecraft faltered. With the secrecy that surrounded Soviet scientific achievements and failures at that time period, we may never know if cosmonauts gave their lives to push the envelope that lead to the accomplishment of Yuri Gagarin and the Soviet Union.

6. HAARP – Climate and Mind Control

Theories are all over the internet about the sinister side of the HAARP installation. One of the most common theories is that the facility is a secret government mind control apparatus. People contend that the frequency that the towers transmit on can be used to control mood and behavior. Conspiracy theorists hold that this could be used as a form of control and manipulation of the population in general. Although science has shown that electric impulses can affect the human brain, I find it far fetched that this is the primary purpose behind the installation itself. I feel that it is just an unusual side effect of it.

5. Denver Airport: Underground Military Bunker or Is Just Evil?

This theory is fascinating. The theory states that the Denver International Airport is actually a secret underground military bunker. One reason this has been theorized is the horrifying murals that can be found all over the airport. It also ran more than $2 billion over budget, but the money cannot be accounted for. With the overrun of the budget, the creepy murals that point to the New World Order, the symbols that can be found all over the airport and the mysterious tunnels, it’s not surprising that theories of this unusual airport abound. The layout of the runways and the quotes on the walls also contribute to the eerie sensations that have led to an overabundance of conspiracies about this building.

4. RAND Think Tank

So many theories float around about the New World Order, such as the theory behind the connection of the RAND think tank and the New World Order. It is theorized that RAND has been secretly working toward building the New World Order by controlling government decisions, policies and development for decades. It’s thought that this is to usher in a society of “choices” and “consensus” that will eliminate love and selflessness. This is the first steps in the New World Order and it’s thought that RAND works hand in hand with the Illuminati. No proof has been found, but the influence of this think tank has been seen for decades. However, no specifics are known about the group itself.

3. The Philadelphia Experiment

This is one of the craziest experiments that the US military allegedly performed. The idea was to make our military ships invisible to our enemies. The experiment itself took place in the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. Experiments were conducted to make the USS Eldridge disappear. There are stories of the ship disappearing and reappearing in the seas around Norfolk, Virginia. Crew members reported nausea. Some reported crew members becoming embedded in the ship’s structure and some went mad. The same experiment was tried again later with a different sets of intended results. No proof has ever been found of these experiments, but the stories told by crewmembers do bring some questions to mind. What did happen to cause these stories?

2. Radio-Controlled Sharks

Apparently, mind control doesn’t just apply to people. There are stories that can be found all over the internet about control of sharks. There are stories about the use of radio control to manipulate sharks. The idea is to use sharks as spies to follow ships, undetected. This, of course, leads to the fear of our government using mind control in other ways. If they are capable of remote control of living creatures, where is the line drawn? This ties in with all the theories out there about government manipulation, mind control, subliminal messaging and the New World Order. These fears will always find a way into the mainstream.

1. Grand Unified Conspiracy Theory

I couldn’t think of a better way to wrap up my tour of the dark side of the internet than this. I have dug into the underbelly of our societies and dug up some of the craziest theories. To sum it up, I chose this one. The Grand Unified Conspiracy Theory premise is very simple. It states that everything is a conspiracy, including the conspiracies themselves. This one little statement is so insidious though. It leads to constant fear and uncertainty in anything we read or hear. It leads to mistrust when there isn’t a need. Something so simple that can cause such damage leads me to shake my head and cringe.

I have to laughed at some of them, but these theories are certainly capable of leading to hysteria and problems. Looking at the dark corners of the internet, where facts meet imagination in such a strange way, makes me wonder how these things get started and why people are determined to keep them going. I enjoyed the trip I took down the proverbial rabbit hole, but I certainly wouldn’t want to reside there.