13 Unsolved Mysteries We Need Closure On

The world is wild and wonderful and filled with mysteries. Can we accept that some things we might never know?

From shipwrecks, plane crashes, treasures, odd disappearances, deaths, and otherworldly phenomena, there’s never a dull moment living on Earth. While science has demystified many a mystery, some are left unsolved, leaving us scratching our noggins in confusion.

Will we ever know what truly happened? Will we ever know the answers to some of the most intriguing and terrifying questions? Here is our list of 13 famous unsolved mysteries we still need closure on.

1. Amelia Earhart’s Disappearance

One of America’s biggest mysteries was the disappearance of the beloved aviator Amelia Earhart. Her passion was flying, and she set several records, including being the first woman to fly over the Atlantic Ocean solo.

She and her flight navigator Fred Noonan disappeared in July 1937 while flying over the Pacific Ocean close to Howard Island to reportedly refuel. There have been many speculations about how it happened, but no conclusive results.

2. The Loch Ness Monster

We take a trip to Scotland to visit “Nessie” as we’ve all come to know the famous sea creature, or cryptid, of the Loch Ness lake. It was reportedly sighted as early as the sixth century C.E. by Saint Columba.

There have been numerous reported sightings and investigations throughout the years, including a photograph taken in 1934, which sadly was a hoax. Our Nessie remains a mystery of the deep waters!

3. The Zodiac Murderer

The Zodiac Killer was an infamous serial killer in the 1960s and 1970s in Northern California. He was known to have murdered five people and reportedly admitted to killing 37. His notoriety grew from how he communicated with the media through his cryptic letters or cryptograms. He also gave himself the name “Zodiac.”

The Zodiac Killer’s identity remains in question, but there have been investigations suggesting who he may have been, possibly Gary Francis Poste or Arthur Leigh Allen. The killer was never caught and it remains one of the biggest unsolved cases in American history.

4. Mary Celeste’s Abandonment

The Mary Celeste was a ship built in 1861. While it didn’t disappear, it was found afloat on the ocean near the Azores, empty of its passengers. The lifeboat was gone, but the belongings and cargo were left behind.

There have been widespread investigations and speculations about what happened, from natural disasters, explosions, violence, and even sea creatures and giant squids! Some believe the captain ordered everyone to evacuate because he thought the ship would sink. It’s unclear what the outcome was for the passengers when they abandoned the ship.

5. Ark of the Covenant

Built during the 13th century B.C.E., the Ark of the Covenant was a wooden chest that held the Ten Commandments written on stone tablets. It’s a Biblical relic with immense historical value. But, was it ever found?

The archaeologist Ronald Wyatt reportedly found the Ark in January 1982, but his findings were questioned due to insufficient evidence. Another theory suggests it’s at The Church of Saint Mary of Zion in Ethiopia, guarded by a monk, but we might never know if this is its true resting place. Nonetheless, the Ark remains one of the most fascinating Biblical mysteries.

6. The Holy Grail

Another Christian relic you might be familiar with is The Holy Grail. It is the chalice, or cup, Jesus Christ drank out of at the Last Supper. It was also the object from the 12th-century French story Perceval, the Story of the Grail (c. 1182) by Chrétien de Troyes and associated with King Arthur.

While it’s believed to be in the Valencia Cathedral in Spain, the Holy Grail has been an iconic idea in many minds, existing between the realms of the real and the relic. Whether it’s actually the Holy Grail, we might never be completely sure.

7. The Nazca Lines

From Christian relics to possible alien creations, the Nazca Lines in Peru have been on our minds since 1927, but they are much older, dating back over 2,000 years. They are described as geoglyphs, lines formed on the ground’s surface, in different biomorphic shapes.

Some suggest the Nazca culture created the lines. Other theories include aliens. There are debates about their purpose. Some suggest they are irrigation lines, and others that they are related to astronomy or religion. They are spectacular larger-than-life mysteries to behold.

8. The Voynich Manuscript

The Voynich Manuscript is a handwritten and illustrated book. It dates from the 1400s and depicts various images related to botany, zodiac signs, nude women, and unidentified language.

While many researchers and specialists, including artificial intelligence, analyzed and tried to decode the Voynich Manuscript, it still retains an air of mystery. Questions remain about who the author was and what it means. Some have suggested that it could be a medical text, but that remains one of the mysteries surrounding the document.

9. The Overtoun Bridge

The Overtoun Bridge in Dumbarton, in Scotland, has piqued curiosity over the years and is on the darker side of mysteries. It is a site where numerous dogs have mysteriously leaped to their death since the 1950s.

Explanations for the cause of death of the dogs range from scientific to paranormal. Some suggest it could be alluring smells from the fauna and flora attracting the dogs’ keen sense of smell. Others suggest it could be the ghost of Lady Overtoun, whose spirit is believed to haunt the grounds.

10. The Disappearance of the Roanoke Colony

The Roanoke Colony in North Carolina was formed in 1585 by Sir Walter Raleigh, an English colonist. John White, part of a later group of settlers, returned to the colony in 1590 only to discover that everyone had vanished.

Several theories say the colony moved and either joined the Croatans, a North American tribe, or were killed. Even with historical and archaeological research, the mystery of their disappearance remains.

11. The Bermuda Triangle

We are all familiar with the infamous Bermuda Triangle in the North Atlantic Ocean. Almost like a force of its own, it’s been linked to the mysterious disappearances of numerous sea and air vessels over the years.

The myriad theories include the paranormal and extraterrestrial, as well as more scientific ones related to weather patterns, magnetic forces, or chemical disruptions. Whatever the causes, the “Devil’s Triangle” has kept us all enthralled in its swirling secrets!

12. Georgia Guidestones

The Georgia Guidestones were six 19-foot-tall granite stones in Elbert Country in Georgia. They had 10 instructive commandments carved on them in different languages. The site is also known as “America’s Stonehenge.”

Although we know they were commissioned to be built in 1979 by a man using the pseudonym R.C. Christian, we still don’t know who he was. They also led to numerous conspiracy theories, some related to Satanism. They were destroyed in 2022 and what remained were discarded from the site, leaving a trail of questions that might never be answered.

13. Bigfoot

We leave you with a big question we might never find closure for, the elusive Big Foot, a myth and a legend spanning generations. Also known as the “Sasquatch”, this creature has been described as large, man-like, primate-like, and hairy roaming North American forests.

There have been numerous reported sightings and investigations to find Big Foot, and some might have truly been terrifyingly real, while others were hoaxes. Some believe the creature could also be supernatural. We recommend not going into the forest alone on your next hike!