13 Mind-Bending History Facts That Will Make You Question Everything You Know About Time

13 Mind-Bending History Facts That Will Make You Question Everything You Know About Time

7. The Last Guillotine Execution in France Was After the Release of “Star Wars”

Rogue One Stormtroopers - star wars

Image Credit: PopularImages at Deposit Photos.

The guillotine seems like an instrument of the distant past, yet France used it for executions until 1977, the same year “Star Wars” hit theaters. Imagine that, futuristic space battles on screen and the guillotine still in use. It’s a strange example of the overlap between old traditions and modern culture.

8. The First Subway Opened During the American Civil War

NYC Subway

Image Credit: Deposit Photos.

While the American Civil War raged in 1863, London was already opening its first subway line, the Metropolitan Railway. Just imagine Union and Confederate soldiers fighting in fields while Londoners were commuting underground. It’s a reminder of how major events can skew our focus and make us forget how the world is still progressing amidst local chaos.

9. Pablo Picasso Died the Year Pink Floyd Released Their First Album

Pablo Picasso 1969

Image Credit: Argentina. Revista Vea y Lea – Public Domain/Wiki Commons.

Pablo Picasso, who seems like an “old master” of art, actually passed away in 1973, the same year Pink Floyd released The Dark Side of the Moon. This surprising overlap connects Picasso’s influence to a very modern musical era. It’s one of those historical oddities that brings different cultural worlds together.

10. The Titanic Sank When Boston’s Fenway Park Opened

The Titanic ocean liner after it struck an iceberg in 1912 off the coast of Newfoundland in the Atlantic Ocean render 3d illustration

Image Credit: Deposit Photos.

In 1912, as the Titanic famously sank, Boston’s Fenway Park opened its doors for the first time. One symbolizes maritime disaster, while the other represents the timeless spirit of baseball. The idea that these two iconic moments happened within the same year is a strange overlap that makes you rethink the timeline of historical events.

11. Charlie Chaplin and Adolf Hitler Were Born Just Four Days Apart

Adolf Hitler addressed a special session of the Reichstag. After speaking at great length about the victory over Poland he then proposed an international security conference

Image Credit: RomanNerud at Deposit Photos.

Comedian Charlie Chaplin and dictator Adolf Hitler were born in April 1889, only days apart. Chaplin even parodied Hitler in his 1940 film The Great Dictator. Their close birth dates make for an eerie historical coincidence, considering the vastly different paths they took.

12. Harvard University Existed Before Calculus Was Invented

Harvard University, building facade, Bloomberg

Photo Credit: VladimirDrozdin at Deposit Photos.

Harvard University, founded in 1636, predates calculus, which didn’t emerge until Isaac Newton and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz developed it in the late 1600s. So, early Harvard students never learned calculus because it simply hadn’t been invented yet. It’s a strange thought, given how fundamental calculus is in today’s education.

13. The First Olympics and the Invention of Paper Money Happened Centuries Apart

restoration of original olympic games in ancient greece olympia

Image Credit: Scan by NYPL, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The first recorded Olympics took place in 776 BCE, while paper money wasn’t invented until around 806 CE in China. The games were running for over a thousand years before anyone considered using paper currency. It’s a reminder that some traditions outdate the things we consider modern conveniences. With these historic events in mind, its clear that time is a complicated vortex that often overlaps on mysterious ways.


With an honors degree in financial engineering, Omega Ukama deeply understands finance. Before pursuing journalism, he honed his skills at a private equity firm, giving him invaluable real-world experience. This combination of financial literacy and journalistic flair allows him to translate complex financial matters into clear and concise insights for his readers.

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