Though this constant shifting of atoms forms a nearly unnoticeable background in our daily lives, there are some reactions that have truly changed, or will change, how mankind has lived. Some because of what we could do with them. Others because of what they showed us. But all became landmarks in mankind’s journey. Here are 10 chemical reactions that changed the world. 10 Ammonia Synthesis Nitrogen is one of the most important elements for life, perhaps behind only carbon....

10Yangism The philosopher Yangzi, from the fourth century BC, left no surviving works, meaning that his ideas must be gleaned from hostile critiques and semi-mythological tales. According to these limited sources, Yangzi believed that human beings should only ever do what is in their self-interest or the interest of their family and close friends. Under the philosophy of wei wo (“everything for myself”), Yangzi emphasized the importance of sustaining your own life, staying genuine to yourself, and avoiding entanglement in external affairs....

SEE ALSO: 10 People Who Shaped The Illuminati Conspiracy Theory 10 Adam Sandler Can Predict The Future Two years ago, The Onion’s site Clickhole posted an article called “5 Tragedies Weirdly Predicted By Adam Sandler.” It was a joke, of course, but some people took it seriously. People went to Twitter and Facebook to gasp about the story, most of them strangely not even that surprised at a ‘90s comedian’s mystical clairvoyance....

10 Bernhard Goetz One of the most popular vigilante films of all time is Death Wish. Charles Bronson plays an ordinary New Yorker who responds to his city’s escalating crime rate by shooting every mugger he encounters. On December 22, 1984, New York City was treated to a real-life Death Wish story after Bernhard Goetz, a 37-year-old electronics specialist, was accosted by four young African-American men on a Manhattan subway train....

10Get BackThe Beatles Although the lyrics of The Beatles’ hit “Get Back” are said by some to be about getting back to your inner child and inner peace, others believe that the tune is a covert attack on immigration in the United Kingdom. While there is little, if any, foundation for the claims, particularly as The Beatles embraced many different cultures and overall diversity, it still pops up every now and then in conspiracy discussions—usually right alongside the one where the “real” Paul McCartney died in 1966 but the band covered it up....

The reality is a little different. Across the world, there are hundreds of governments that still do their best to make life miserable for LGBT people. From Sharia states that demand the death penalty to hard-line Christian nations that leave gay people to rot in disease-infested prisons, the Earth remains a very bleak, very dark place for millions of non-straight people. You thought Rick Santorum was backward? He’s got nothing on the leaders of ....

The letters became tools to taunt the police, make demands, hurt the victims’ families, or make chilling confessions. Each one was likely written with the same hand that the killer used to slay his victims. 10 Albert Fish Creepy serial killer Albert Fish was known as “The Boogeyman” as he preyed on small children and was a suspect in at least five brutal child murders. In 1928, he kidnapped 10-year-old Grace Budd....

But recently, largely due to the consequences of the industrial revolution, man’s impact on the climate has come into sharp focus. It is now front and center of all major news outlets and is taken into account—in almost all nations—before new legislation is mooted or passed into law. But after decades of discussion, climate change has recently begun to head in a very unexpected direction . . . toward something resembling a religion....

Sounds harmless, doesn’t it? If hypnosis just turns on our imaginations and makes us less conscious of ourselves, we shouldn’t lose our free will or be in any danger. Yet a series of unusual deaths related to people who were hypnotized suggests otherwise. 10 The Death Of Ella Salamon On September 17, 1894, a man identified only as “Mr. Neukomm” was visiting 23-year-old clairvoyant Ella Salamon in her uncle’s home in Tuzer, Upper Hungary....

10 Rand McNally’s Cartographic Errors Customers rely on road atlases and other maps to find their way, especially when they’re traveling. Accuracy, therefore, is critically important, both to the drivers who depend on their maps and to the mapmakers who create them. Or is it? Not always, it seems. In a practice dating back to the 1800s, maps often include deliberate mistakes, inserting imaginary streets, called “trap streets” in the trade....

Some treatments did work, amazingly, like using urine as mouthwash. But we are unsure whether dead mice actually cured toothaches. Nevertheless, the history of dentistry is disgusting and interesting. Here are ten facts about it. 10 Ancient Romans Used Urine As Mouthwash Ancient Romans used human and animal urine as mouthwash. Employing urine for mouthwash and other uses was so common and normal that the Romans often left pots in public areas so passersby could urinate....

SEE ALSO: 10 Memes And Trends That Are Secretly Centuries Old Some of these trends entice us to do wonderful things for each other—but then there are others that have been known to result in real human stupidity. Collectively, the following Internet trends all resulted in serious injury, physical scarring, and even death. They are the ones to avoid or risk the chance of meeting the same fate. 10 Momo Momo is a terrifying Internet trend that has been linked to the suicides of two teenagers and one child....

As a symbol of high social standing, high members of the Chinese aristocracy would often grow their fingernails to an excessive length. This was perhaps (like foot binding) a sign that they need not have functional use of their hands for work. This is the skeleton of John Aasen (1890-1938) who was employed in the circus as a sideshow freak. John was 7’1/2″ (214cm) tall. Due to his height he was also used in Hollywood movies....

Perhaps it’s the late-night hours of operation, or maybe it’s the fact that a disproportionate number of Waffle House locations happen to be in high-crime areas—whatever the case, the restaurant chain seems to be a magnet for strange or even violent events. Just google “Waffle House crime,” and you’ll find thousands of articles detailing the many criminal capers and illegal exploits that have captured the internet’s attention. Of the countless Waffle House mishaps, these 10 deaths are some of the most disturbing....

The gods of the ancient world, which emerge from the Earth when we dig them up, can be deeply uncanny. Here are 10 deities from the distant past which still have the power to shock, scare, or unnerve us. 10 Queen Of The Night The sands of Iraq have been particularly fruitful hunting grounds for archaeologists. The region of Mesopotamia, which was between the rivers Tigris and Euphrates, was one of the first places that civilization flourished....

SEE ALSO: 10 Historic Paintings That Clearly Show UFOs Even though explanations might be found for some of these live sightings, at the time they were seen and broadcast on television, they served to create immense interest, if only for a short period. Here are ten instances where live television broadcast a little more than they originally bargained for . . . 10 Orb Spotted From The Roof Of The TVA Building While reporting the weather for TVA News on top of the roof of the network’s building in Montreal, Canada, on the evening of October 2, 2014, Colette Provencher was perhaps the only person involved in the live broadcast who didn’t see the strange green orb making its way through the sky behind her....

Location: Verrazano-Narrows Bridge (Estimated over 30 Suicides) In 1995 after a failed relationship, 29 year old Connie Mercure from Brooklyn jumped over 200 feet into the Lower New York Bay. Rescuers immediately pulled her from the chilly waters. Mercure survived with a broken leg, extensive internal bleeding and hypothermia. Location: Throgs Neck Bridge (Estimated over 40 Suicides) In 2001 26 year old Matthew Sicoli, after a fight with his girlfriend and job woes walked on the pedestrian lane toward the center of the Throgs Neck Bridge....

For many famous couples from our history, their most personal relationships were filled with social taboos and secrets only made public long after they were dead and gone. For many of these people, love and sex with one person just wasn’t enough. Here are ten of history’s most interesting nonmonogamous relationships. 10 The Marstons And ByrneThe Creators Of Wonder Woman William M. Marston was an American psychologist and a major contributor to an early prototype of the modern lie detector....

On this list are just some of the stories around which both good and bad movies have been based. Naturally, it is up to the reader/viewer and their personal opinion to decide into which category the following films fall. Potential spoilers lie ahead! 10 The Haunting In Connecticut Moving to a new house for predetermined reasons, experiencing paranormal activity, and then remaining skeptical until the demon or ghost shows its face is the normal trope for dozens of horror movies....