- [Speaker] Science is
humanity's never-ending quest to discover and understand
the world around us. But there are some things in this world that even the most avid
scientists regret discovering. From what's lurking in the
deepest depths of Chernobyl, to a mysterious sphere that
can take decades off your life in the blink of an eye. Well, I guess it's time
to grab the holy water and buckle in, as we take a
look at the cursed objects that science should have left alone. Split Second Mistake. At the climax of World War II, the United States military
dropped two atomic bombs known as Little Boy and Fat
Man on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The resulting devastation
forced Japan to surrender. But if Japan hadn't surrendered, the U.S had a third atomic bomb in store. Though, technically, it was
only the radioactive heart of the bomb that had been constructed; a 14-pound subcritical mass of plutonium some 3.5 inches in diameter. After World War II ended, the
plutonium core was retained at Los Alamos Research Center for testing. It was fondly nicknamed Rufus. However, soon after a
series of fatalities, it would go by a new name, The Demon Core. Because it was designed
to be placed in a bomb, the plutonium mass only had a slim margin before it went supercritical. This is where the bomb would achieve an exponential nuclear chain reaction, in simpler terms, BIG BADA BOOOM! Scientists would test
how close the bomb was to a subcritical state
by lowering a half-shell of beryllium, known as the
tamper, over the plutonium core. The tamper would reflect
the neutrons emitted off of the radioactive plutonium and fire them back towards the core, causing more neutrons to be knocked off the plutonium isotopes,
like nuclear ping pong. This would result in a
short-lived nuclear chain reaction which physicists could gather data on. Safety regulations required
spacers to be inserted between the tamper and the core. This made the entire process much slower. But if the tamper and
core made full contact, the plutonium would go supercritical, and all that would remain
of the Los Alamos facility would be a black scorch
mark on the ground. However, one daredevil
scientist, Louis Slotin, decided to use a quicker, riskier method. He discarded the spacers, and instead used his
trusty flathead screwdriver to wedge between the tamper and the core. Aware of how stupidly dangerous this was, Louis nicknamed his method
"tickling the dragon's tail." Man, I may enjoy a game of buzz the wire, but you'd have to have
nerves of steel to play it with a plutonium core. Though Louis was confident in his method, perhaps a little too confident, which led him to make a deadly mistake. On May 21, 1946, Louis was demonstrating his screwdriver method to
several other scientists, when suddenly the screwdriver slipped. Everybody froze as a hot flash of blue light filled the room. Louis hurriedly flicked the
tamper off the exposed core, but it was too late. In that split-second
contact between the tamper and the core, it's estimated a total of 3 quadrillion fission
reactions took place. This was about a million times smaller than those first atomic bombs,
but it was still deadly. And in that instant, his
life had been shortened from decades to mere days. This action released an
intense burst of radiation, highly energized ionized atoms. And these radioactive
atoms can smash through DNA like a wrecking ball. So, our DNA is held
together in chromosomes; billions of genetic building
blocks linked in a chain with precise sequences to
code together the cells that make up our bodies. But high-energy radioactive particles can destroy or alter the
bonds that form our DNA. This can result in tissue
decay or mutated DNA sequences that cause cancer cells
to start spreading. That's the reason
radiation is so dangerous; it corrupts our bodies
on a fundamental level. And so, the scientists
were rushed to the hospital to be examined. Fortunately, most of the scientists had been stood further back in the room and received lower doses of radiation. However, Louis had been stood
right in front of the core. Now, for perspective, a fatal
dose of radiation is 500 rem. Louis' whole body had been hit
with a horrifying 2,100 rem. A barrage of neutrons,
gamma rays, and x-rays. Sadly, this massive dose of radiation didn't result in hulk-like superpowers; rather, Louis's body began to fall apart. The hand that had been closest
to the core turned blue and developed huge blisters, his white blood cell count plummeted, and his whole immune system
was wiped out by the radiation. Louis fell into a coma, and
nine days after the incident, he passed away. Louis' death was tragic, however, one that had been eerily foreshadowed. Only nine months before, his
co-worker, Harry Daghlian Jr, had been experimenting with
tungsten-carbide blocks on the plutonium core. Harry dropped one of the blocks, and the core briefly went critical before the block was
hurriedly flicked away. A month later, Harry too died
of acute radiation sickness. After it had claimed two lives, experimentation with the
demon core was banned. Los Alamos records state
that the core was melted down and recast into a new weapon
in the summer of 1964. Thankfully, this cursed
experiment was left in the last century. Truth or Deer. In a lot of western media, Russia is depicted as a harsh,
cold, bitterly frosty place. Which is unsurprising, as 65% of Russia's land mass
is covered in permafrost. Just as the name implies, permafrost is permanently
frozen ground that never thaws, kept in a deep freeze by the region's below zero Celsius climate. However, as temperatures
spike due to climate change, Russia's chilly landscape
is starting to defrost. And now, strange things once lost beneath the ice are slowly being revealed. Like in the Yamalo-Nenets region, a remote corner of Siberia, where in 2016, 1,200 reindeer were suddenly found dead. Officials first blamed the
reindeer's mysterious death on a heatwave that had struck the area as temperatures had
skyrocketed from an average of 21.2 degrees Fahrenheit
to 95 degrees Fahrenheit. But then the locals in the
area started to fall ill. 13 people were hospitalized
with black ulcers on their skin. Had someone awoken an ancient curse? What was this strange
phenomenon plaguing the land? Well, scientists put their hazmat suits on and went to investigate. There they discovered a reindeer that weirdly hadn't died recently, but was a frozen carcass
some 75 years old. It had been previously
concealed under the permafrost, but thawed out during the heatwave. And the scientists were sure
glad of their hazmat suits because touching this carcass,
let alone breathing near it could have resulted in a lethal infection. It turned out this zombie deer was riddled with a deadly bacteria
known as bacillus anthracis. This bacteria naturally occurs in soil in many parts of the world
from America to Asia. But once a living organism is infected, the bacteria spores rapidly
multiply in the body and release toxins causing severe illness from a disease you've probably heard of and learned to fear, Anthrax. Now, the deadlines of
the infection depends on how the spores enter the body. The most common route of the disease is through a small cut in the skin, which can result in painful
red lumps that develop into black sores. Though this is the
mildest form of infection consuming undercooked meat
from an infected animal can spread the spores
into your intestinal tract resulting in severe vomiting,
fever, and abdominal pain. However, the deadliest
form of the disease occurs when the spores are breathed in. Without treatment, inhalation anthrax has a disturbingly high 85% fatality rate. The spores rapidly colonized the lungs resulting in flu-like symptoms followed by chest pains
and trouble breathing. And just like an ancient curse, anthrax spores can lurk in the
environment for a long time. They remain dormant even
in the icebox temperatures of the Siberian permafrost
for up to 105 years. Though crystals in salt won't
ward off this anthrax curse, vaccinations will do the trick and are administered to the
local deer population annually. Woo! That means that Santa's safe for now. Cursed Craters. Now, long-lost anthrax plagues aren't the only thing scaring scientists out on the Siberian permafrost. Even weirder things are being unearthed, like these colossal sized craters that have started
appearing out of nowhere. This giant hole was discovered by a helicopter flying over
the Yamal Peninsula in 2014. Having simply appeared out of
thin air, or earth one day. The crater measured 66 feet
wide and 171 feet deep. Its massive size aside,
it unsettled scientists who had studied the Siberian
permafrost for decades and never seen anything like it. Craters like this don't
just appear out of the blue. So had something blasted
out of this hellhole? A bomb? A demon? A new
super strain of anthrax? Well, when scientists examined the area, they found the plants surrounding the hole had been incinerated. Their exposed roots bearings scorch marks. But don't worry, this wasn't
the result of hellfire. Rather, scientists
deduced it was the result of a methane gas explosion. It turns out this great
expansive permafrost is also a gigantic
reservoir of natural gas. However, thanks to climate change, the icy cap of the permafrost
is gradually melting and this methane gas is explosively
erupting to the surface. Let's hope no more of the
Siberian permafrost melts as between deadly plagues
and volatile explosions, the next thing released could
be a world ending curse. Well, between a demon core, a
zombie virus, and hell holes, which are you most afraid of? For the core, hit that like button. For the virus, hit subscribe. For hell holes, hit both. All done? Great. What horrors are we about to unearth next? Devil in the Detail. In 1697, a raging fire broke out in the Swedish Royal Library in Stockholm. Many precious manuscripts
were lost to the blaze, but one hefty medieval tome was
somehow saved from the fire. But that may be because
it had something to do with the hellish fire in the first place as this cursed object is
known as the Devil's Bible. Its official name is the Codex Gigas, Latin for "Giant Book." A fitting name as it is
one massive manuscript at 36 inches long, 20 inches
wide, and 8.7 inches thick. It's composed of 310 pages of
vellum, aka dried animal skin. The Codex Gigas is said
to have taken the skin of 160 donkeys to be made. But I feel sorry for the librarian who had to carry this book around as it weighs a staggering 165 pounds. If the librarian was
five foot 10 inches tall, then they'd likely balance
the Codex Gigas on the scales. Nevertheless, the most cursed aspect of this medieval book is
what lurks on page 290. There, in meticulous detail is a portrait that spans the entire page
of the devil themselves. It contrasts against a page opposite that depicts the kingdom of heaven with the two pages symbolizing the battle between good and evil. However, creepily, the devil's portrait
page is a darker shade than the rest of the book. And that's because vellum reacts to ultraviolet light and tans. A darker page means one
frequently exposed to the light. So for more than 300 years, people have been looking at the devil more than any other page. That's a morbid curiosity
if ever there was one. Now this book is thought to be the work of one scribe, Herman the Recluse. Legend claims this wayward monk was condemned to be buried
alive in the monastery walls. But in exchange for his life, he promised the Abbott
he would write a book encapsulating all human
knowledge in just one night. An impossible task. As scientists have estimated that the amount of writing
contained in the codex would've taken one man 5
years of writing 6 hours a day for 6 days a week to complete. And that's not taking into
account a monk's strict schedule which takes time for daily
prayers, chores, and meals. Meaning it's unfeasible that a monk could have completed this
book in less than 20 years. However, throughout the entire manuscript, the handwriting remains eerily the same. The curves and strokes of
handwriting naturally changes with age, mood, and illness. Imagine if you started
handwriting an essay today, and kept writing it for 20 years. Your handwriting would be
unrecognizable by the end as would your hand. And yet, despite the science
throughout the Devil's book, Herman's handwriting is creepily the same, as if he had written it all in one night. The legend describes
that Herman sold his soul to the devil in exchange for
completing the Codex Gigas. And while viable explanation
currently escapes scientists, I think it's safe to say no
one should ever touch this book unless they want to make
a deal with the devil. Rapper's De-fright. For Hip hop star Post Malone, 2018 was a truly terrible year. In August, his private jet
crash landed on the runway. A few days later, his old home
was invaded by armed thieves. And only a week after that, the rapper was involved in a car crash. Some called it bad luck, others claimed it was a curse. Just two months prior, Post had come into contact
with the Dybbuk Box, widely circulated on the internet as the world's most haunted object. This old wine cabinet is
reportedly inhabited by a Dybbuk, a twisted, cruel spirit
from Jewish mythology. To contain the spirit, the Shema, a prayer considered to be one of the most important in Judaism is carved into the wood
on the back of the box. The box itself first came to
the world's attention in 2003 when furniture dealer Kevin Mannis put the occult wine cabinet
up for sale on eBay. In the lengthy description
beneath the haunted object, he described that he had bought the box from the granddaughter of a recently deceased Jewish refugee who had escaped German-occupied Poland. Following this, the
internet became fascinated with the potentially possessed cabinet. Not even science was able
to explain the string of misfortunes Kevin claimed befell anyone who owned the box. Except, we need to talk about Kevin. Kevin Mannis also has a
background in advertising and a keen passion for fiction writing. When pushed about this
in an interview in 2021, Kevin came clean and
admitted the Dybbuk Box was a total hoax. The creepy backstory
and reported hauntings were all Kevin's own
work of horror fiction. At least this is one
supposedly cursed object, scientists can sit back and relax about, as it's a total fake. So it would seem Post Malone's awful 2018 was just one seriously unlucky year. Well, that is aside from the record-breaking
five-times-platinum album he released that year, I guess the universe has to keep things
balanced somehow, right? World's Deadliest Selfie On April 26, 1986, plant
operators were conducting a routine maintenance check on Reactor 4 in the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. They were planning to test
the electrical systems and turned off vital cooling systems to keep them from
interfering with the test, going against the safety regulations. This led to a catastrophic power surge, and Reactor 4 exploded! The core went into
meltdown; it was so hot, the nuclear reactor itself literally began to burn through the floor! Plant workers rushed to
shut the reactor down as it began to hurl chunks
of radioactive material into the atmosphere. Meanwhile, citizens of nearby
Pripyat had to be evacuated. But it wasn't until an
emergency crew returned some 6 months after the explosion that they discovered the
most dangerous piece of waste in the world. The crew had managed to gain
access to a steam corridor underneath Reactor 4. When they entered, their Geiger counters started to loudly crackle, warning them not to approach a huge mass at the end of the corridor. Using a rigged up remote camera, they measured the mass to be 6.5 feet wide which meant it weighed at least 100 tons. It was also emitting
10,000 roentgens per hour; the same radioactive exposure as more than 4.5 million chest x-rays. Standing next to it for just 2 minutes would expose you to a
lethal amount of radiation. It was named the Elephant's Foot; a fitting name to describe the
cracked, wrinkly appearance of the corium sludge. Corium is a lava-like material, the result of when the
reactor began to burn through the concrete floor and consists of melted graphite
control rods, nuclear fuel, and molten concrete. To reach its location, this radioactive sludge burned
through at least 6.6 feet of reinforced concrete. And a decade later, it was
still lethal to be around. But one nuclear inspector
known as Artur Korneyev has been trying to conquer
the Elephant's Foot ever since it was first discovered. He's returned numerous times
to photograph the beast, despite the radioactive danger. The most famous photo
of the Elephant's Foot is Artur's very own slow
shutter speed selfie. You can see his moving figure
in the frame right here. However, the grainy
texture of the photograph isn't some spooky filter. Rather it's the effect
of the radiation warping the film itself. And if that's the effect on film, you can only imagine the
impact on Artur's DNA. But unbelievably, Artur is still alive, The Elephant's Foot is
a truly cursed item, with one touch of this
radioactive waste pile guaranteed to warp your DNA enough
to send you straight to the hospital. Forget scientists, I'm
afraid of this thing. Hollywood Haunting. Hollywood rarely resembles real life. In fact, most "based
on a true story" movies are totally overblown works of fiction. Although, when it comes to
The Conjuring franchise, it turns out the real-life
story is a lot more frightening than the movie's many jump scares. Believe it or not, the
horror movie "Annabel" is based on the story of
a real-life demon doll! The real Raggedy Ann doll was gifted to a young nurse named Donna in 1970. Though when the doll was in her home, it appeared to move on its own. The doll kept being found
in different locations from where it was placed. Shortly after, it was reported
that Donna's boyfriend received a set of red
claw marks on his chest, mysteriously in the night. Following this, famed demonologists,
Elizabeth and Ed Warren were consulted on the case. The Warrens concluded
that the doll's ability to seemingly teleport, as well
as the "mark of the beast" upon Donna's boyfriend's chest were clear signs of a demonic possession. The Warrens locked the doll inside a specially made glass cabinet, and regularly recited the Lord's Prayer to contain the demon. Certainly, a sinister story. Although the skeptics amongst you may already be questioning
how much of it's true. After all, demonology can hardly
be classified as a science. Then again, no scientists
have been brave enough to take the Annabelle doll
into a lab for testing. Mars Attacks. See this vial? Can you guess what's in it? Around four years ago,
viral internet rumors spread that scientists feared this
substance more than any other. Reportedly coming into contact with as little as 0.02 grams of it was enough to cause instant death. So what's so deadly that it's been stored in a vial and sealed in an
airtight cube of plastic? Poison gas? Super acid?
The ultimate hot sauce? Well, actually, it's 0.02
grams of the Zagami meteorite, a tiny fragment of the
largest martian meteorite ever to land on earth. And as for the rumors of this being the deadliest substance on earth, well, that's another internet lie. There's nothing deadly about
touching this meteorite unless of course, you're
touched by the one that's coming at you from outer space at a staggering 44 miles per second. Well, when they're not on
course to turn your head into a pancake, on average meteorites are less radioactive
than typical earth rocks. So looks like scientists will
happily handle this object for a change. But if you'd like to see what
substances truly are deadly in quantities smaller than 0.02 grams, check out my video on the topic. That'll really give you
something to be scared about. Gauze and Effect. Not all mummies wear bandages, instead other mummies can be
found in the frozen goods isle. Such as this mummy popsicle, also known as Otzi, "The Ice Man." Over 5,300 years ago, this
prehistoric man's body was freeze-dried in the Italian Alps, which prevented its decay. Following that, a glacier buried the body for more than five millennia. However, in 1991, an
exceptionally warm summer melted the ice and exposed Otzi's remains, which were discovered by a pair of hikers passing through the area. Though the hikers would soon wish they had left Otzi sleeping in the ice, after his discovery, a
curse appeared to strike all those who tried to find
out anything more about him. First came the sudden
death of Rainer Henn, the head of the forensic
team examining Otzi, who had picked up the
cadaver with his bare hands to place it into a body bag. The following year, Henn was
fatally injured in a car crash on his way to give a lecture about Otzi. At first, nobody thought much of it. But then the Alpine guide, Kurt Fritz, who had led Dr. Henn to
the ice mummy's remains, later perished in an avalanche. Meanwhile, Helmut Simon, one of the hikers who had
originally found Otzi, fell during a blizzard in
2004, and didn't survive. Even more chilling, the journalist
who filmed Otzi's removal from the mountain, Rainer Hoelzl, passed on thanks to a brain tumor a few months after releasing
a documentary on the ice man. This body count just kept getting higher, but it didn't end there. In 2005, archaeologist Konrad Spindler, who had first inspected Otzi's remains, passed due to medical complications. Otzi's curse then
claimed its final victim; Dr Tom Loy was on the
cusp of finishing a book summarizing his findings on Otzi, when he was found
deceased in his apartment. It appears as soon as
someone discovers something about this ice mummy,
the curse claims them. Though it's easy to see patterns when you're looking for them. As, despite this string
of scary coincidences, many other journalists and
archaeologists have studied Otzi's remains and are still
around to tell the tale today. Otzi now rests in a refrigerated room at the South Tyrol Archaeological Museum in Bolzano, Italy and no
more victims of the curse have been reported. Perhaps, that's because
Otzi is happy to be back in his ice box! What do you think was
the most cursed object? And what would you be
the most afraid to touch? Let me know down in the comments below and thanks for watching.
