Buzz
While seven globally recognized wonders are celebrated for their awe-inspiring beauty, there are also those that captivate through their mysterious and unsettling presence. In Egypt, the Great Pyramids continue to perplex even the most experienced engineers and architects, with their remarkable precision and lack of apparent technological aids—unless, of course, you believe in the theories of ‘ancient aliens’. Arizona’s Grand Canyon, on the other hand, is an immense natural spectacle, a massive testament to the power of erosion. However, beyond these remarkable feats, there are darker counterparts to consider: the remnants of history’s less-than-glorious moments. These “infamous wonders” are worth acknowledging because from them, we learn and grow. After all, the biggest mistake we can make is ignorance. Below are the ten most notorious of these wonders:
10. Guatemala City Sinkhole
A new wonder emerged in Guatemala last year after a tropical storm, and it has continued to grow ever since, consuming every building in its path. Even attempts to fill it with rocks and other debris have failed to slow its expansion. Sinkholes occur when the ground beneath the surface becomes saturated and unable to support the weight above, causing the earth to collapse into a hole that seems endless—like a bottomless abyss that could lead straight to Hell, or perhaps the resting place of an alien pod straight out of H.G. Wells’ *War of the Worlds*.
9. Smog Over Los Angeles
What could better symbolize a society indifferent to the environmental consequences of its actions than a massive cloud of pollution? This visible haze, often seen hovering over Los Angeles, is primarily caused by vehicle exhaust and industrial emissions. Smog, as we know, is dangerous to the ozone layer and human health, and it gives the city a surreal, almost *Ghostbusters 2*-like vibe.
8. Alcatraz
Housing notorious criminals like Al Capone and Robert Stroud (a.k.a. the “Birdman of Alcatraz”), this prison, perched on its own island off the coast of San Francisco, was known as the Titanic of correctional facilities. Although several inmates attempted escapes, few were successful; most were either recaptured, shot on sight, or disappeared into the sea. The prisoners housed here were often the worst of the worst—bootleggers, bank robbers, murderers, and infamous gangsters. Each of these notorious figures was a special guest at the Big House, where they were ‘invited’ to stay for a while.
7. Guantanamo Bay
A place that has become synonymous with unethical practices and has often gotten away with it, “Gitmo” is a detention center located outside the boundaries of U.S. law, hidden from the scrutiny of the world. Methods of cruel and unusual punishment—ranging from waterboarding (simulated drowning) to blasting unbearable music at ear-splitting volumes—have been used to extract information here. Just the thought of being subjected to non-stop Justin Bieber or The Jonas Brothers songs is enough to send shivers down anyone’s spine.
6. Trail of Tears
Now recognized as a historical landmark, the original “Trail of Tears” was the forced route along which countless Native Americans, under the Indian Removal Act signed by President Andrew Jackson, were driven from their homes. They were rounded up, confined in makeshift camps, and relocated to areas that settlers weren’t interested in—places too desolate for the construction of anything other than ghost towns. Many died, either through intentional acts of violence or from disease and starvation. A dark and painful chapter in American history, it wouldn’t be the first or last time that an entire people were treated as though they were mere livestock.
5. The Ashes of Pompeii
An ancient Roman city nearly vanished beneath layers of volcanic ash, only to be rediscovered centuries later. Excavations revealed a window into the daily lives of the people who once lived there. Among the shocking finds were the perfectly preserved remains of citizens frozen in their final moments, their bodies locked in death poses. These tragic figures were victims of the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. While it was long believed that the eruption’s ash suffocated them, recent research suggests that extreme heat may have been the true cause of death, not the suffocating ash clouds.
4. The Shadow of Little Boy
A tragic day in the history of war, countless innocent lives were lost when the first atomic bomb, known as ‘Little Boy,’ was dropped on Hiroshima. The name is misleading considering the massive, instantaneous, and enduring devastation it caused, with many of those exposed to the radiation still suffering its horrific consequences. As if the decaying flesh and ruined buildings weren't enough of a permanent scar, shadows were left imprinted across the city—burned silhouettes, like tattoos from a tanning bed, etched into flowers on telephone poles and outlines of guardrails on the streets. Some memories simply refuse to fade away.
3. Auschwitz
You can visit the Auschwitz museum anytime you wish to step back into a dark chapter of history—a time when genocidal monsters walked the Earth. Auschwitz, the largest of the Nazi death camps during the Holocaust, was responsible for the deaths of over a million Jews (along with many other non-Jews). It was a twisted version of a hotel, where the ‘showers’ released poison gas and crematoriums disposed of any evidence of an unwelcome stay. Despite the horrific evil that occurred there, it's a blessing that the site has been preserved and turned into a museum, so future generations can learn about the depths of human cruelty.
2. Chernobyl
There are serious consequences to ignoring safer, more eco-friendly alternatives to energy production (such as wind or water power) in favor of nuclear energy. Before Japan’s tragic nuclear disaster taught us about the risks of building power plants in seismic and tsunami-prone regions, there was Chernobyl. In 1986, the worst nuclear disaster in history took place in Ukraine when the power plant exploded, releasing a deadly cloud of radioactive material that continues to harm people today. Not only did this catastrophe devastate human lives, but it also crippled the Soviet economy, ultimately contributing to the downfall of the USSR. After such a disaster, Paul McCartney’s lyrics in *Back in the USSR* seem almost painfully ironic when he sings, “I’m back in the USSR, you don’t know how lucky you are, boy.”
1. Ground Zero
A decade later, the United States continues to rebuild from the remnants of the World Trade Center towers. For those with any connection to that fateful day, the memory resurfaces each year as 9/11 specials and documentaries flood the media. Recently, a permanent tribute in the form of a memorial was built to honor the lives lost, inscribing the names of the fallen in stone as a lasting reminder.
