Mystery↕ | Year↕ | Location↕ | Category↕ | Known For↕ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
D.B. Cooper Hijacking | 1971 | Pacific Northwest, USA | Crime | Only unsolved US hijacking, parachuted with $200K, never found, folk hero status |
Zodiac Killer | 1968-1969 | San Francisco, USA | Serial killer | Taunting ciphers to newspapers, 'This is the Zodiac speaking', movies, cipher partially solved 2020 |
Bermuda Triangle | Various | Atlantic Ocean | Disappearances | Ships and planes vanish, Flight 19, paranormal theories, probably just bad weather |
Jack the Ripper | 1888 | London, UK | Serial killer | Whitechapel murders, 'Dear Boss' letters, Victorian London terror, endless suspect theories |
Amelia Earhart Disappearance | 1937 | Pacific Ocean | Disappearance | Lost during circumnavigation attempt, Nikumaroro theory, most famous missing person, aviation pioneer |
Voynich Manuscript | ~1404-1438 | Unknown (Europe) | Cryptography | Undeciphered illustrated codex, unknown language, botanical drawings of unknown plants, hoax debate |
Dyatlov Pass Incident | 1959 | Ural Mountains, Russia | Unexplained deaths | 9 hikers died mysteriously, tent cut from inside, some had radiation, avalanche theory (2021) |
Roanoke Colony | 1590 | North Carolina, USA | Disappearance | 'CROATOAN' carved on tree, 115 colonists vanished, America's oldest unsolved mystery |
Stonehenge Purpose | ~3000 BC | Wiltshire, England | Archaeological | How and why was it built?, stones from Wales (150+ miles), solstice alignment, druids |
MH370 Disappearance | 2014 | Indian Ocean | Aviation | 239 people, vanished mid-flight, fragments found years later, biggest aviation mystery of modern era |
Nazca Lines | ~500 BC - 500 AD | Peru | Archaeological | Giant geoglyphs visible only from air, hummingbird and monkey, alien runway theories, Nazca culture |
Tamam Shud Case | 1948 | Adelaide, Australia | Unexplained death | Unidentified man on beach, torn page from rare book, coded message, Cold War spy theories |
Wow! Signal | 1977 | Ohio, USA (Big Ear telescope) | Space | 72-second signal from space, '6EQUJ5', never repeated, alien contact?, comet theory (debated) |
The Mary Celeste | 1872 | Atlantic Ocean | Maritime | Ship found adrift, crew vanished, food still on table, lifeboat missing, ghost ship archetype |
Kryptos Sculpture | 1990 | CIA HQ, Virginia, USA | Cryptography | 4-section encrypted sculpture at CIA, 3 of 4 sections solved, section 4 remains unsolved, Jim Sanborn |
Free to explore · No signup needed
Frequently asked questions
How is the Famous Unsolved Mysteries list ranked?
The Famous Unsolved Mysteries list is ranked by community votes. Every visitor can pick one option over another in head-to-head matchups, and the running totals determine the order you see. No editors or algorithms — just real people voting.
How many entries are in this Famous Unsolved Mysteries dataset?
This dataset contains 15 entries, each with multiple sortable, filterable columns. The full table is visible on this page and can be downloaded as a CSV, JSON, or Excel file.
Can I download the Famous Unsolved Mysteries data?
Yes. The download buttons at the top of the page give you the full 15-row dataset as CSV, JSON, or Excel. Use of the data is permitted under a Creative Commons Attribution license — credit dtbse.com when you republish.
Related Datasets
More in History & Culture
Famous Speeches
I Have a Dream, Gettysburg Address, We Shall Fight on the Beaches — which speech most powerfully moved the world and shaped history?
Famous Escapes
Alcatraz, the Great Escape, Houdini's stunts, Colditz Castle — which daring escape captures the ultimate triumph of human ingenuity over captivity, and which escape story would make the best movie?
Famous Military Vehicles
Sherman Tank, Spitfire, B-52 Stratofortress — which military machine is the most legendary weapon of war?
Famous Ancient Ruins
Pompeii, Angkor Wat, Machu Picchu — which ancient ruin is the most awe-inspiring?
Legendary Pirates
Blackbeard, Anne Bonny, Henry Morgan, Calico Jack — which scourge of the seas commands your allegiance, and which pirate's legend has done more to shape our enduring fascination with life under the black flag?
Famous Shipwrecks
Titanic, Lusitania, Mary Rose, Bismarck — which sunken ship has the most gripping story beneath the waves?
Famous Courtroom Trials
Nuremberg, OJ Simpson, Scopes Monkey Trial, Mandela's Rivonia — which courtroom drama changed the world the most, and which trial would you most want to have witnessed?
Famous Cemeteries
Pere Lachaise, Arlington, Highgate — which cemetery holds the most history and intrigue?
Famous Inventors
Edison, Tesla, Bell, the Wright Brothers — who changed everyday life more with a single invention?
Ancient Civilizations Ranked
Roman, Egyptian, Greek, Mayan, Chinese — which ancient civilization left the greatest legacy?
Greatest Book Libraries
Library of Congress, Bodleian, Alexandria, the New York Public — which library is the greatest temple of knowledge?
Famous Last Stands in History
Thermopylae, the Alamo, Rorke's Drift — which last stand was the most heroic?