Buzz
Wikipedia serves as a valuable resource for countless individuals tackling difficult assignments. It's a platform cherished by students but often disliked by teachers. With an overwhelming amount of information, it would take 17 years of non-stop reading to cover just the English section. It's a site that anyone, anywhere, can edit at any time.
Yet, what many don't realize is that daily skirmishes unfold across the site to safeguard the integrity of the content. These “edit wars” are waged by those who feel it's their responsibility to protect specific Wikipedia pages. They abide by one simple principle: To ensure the content aligns with their version of truth.
10. The Mystery of Cuteness
What defines cuteness? Is it a survival strategy, or is the perception of cuteness purely subjective based on individual opinions about an animal's appearance?
Numerous scientific studies suggest that young animals appear especially adorable to increase their chances of receiving care. Dogs, in particular, have been intentionally bred by humans to be cuter. In fact, for certain dog breeds, cuteness has been shown to be a key factor in ensuring the survival of their genes across generations.
However, many argue against the survival theory, claiming that cuteness is subjective and depends on personal perspective. Surprisingly, this ongoing debate has led to about 22,000 edits to the Wikipedia page on cuteness, with editors constantly altering or removing references to the survival aspect of adorable animals.
9. Chicken, Alaska
You might assume that the population of a small village wouldn't be a hot-button issue among Wikipedia editors, but the page for this remote Alaskan town has undergone around 9,000 edits. The primary controversy revolves around the 2000 census, which reported only 17 residents—eight of whom were children (or chickens, as one editor humorously put it).
One editor passionately insisted that the statement 'for every 100 females there were 88.9 males... [is] absurd nonsense from an outdated source. [...] There are SEVENTEEN PEOPLE IN THE VILLAGE, for f—k’s sake' was accurate. On the other hand, another editor argued that 'inserting irrelevant statistics from over a decade ago is vandalism.'
By early 2018, it appears the battling editors had reached a shaky ceasefire. The Wikipedia page now claims there were seven residents recorded in the 2010 census. However, it also mentions that the village typically has 17 inhabitants throughout the year due to nearby mining activity.
While this may seem insignificant to many, fortunately, there are those who care enough to ensure that this small town's population remains up-to-date and accurate.
8. Star Trek: Into Darkness?
Although Star Trek Into Darkness earned over $450 million globally, it faced criticism from Star Trek fans. You might assume that the focus of the Wikipedia debate would be on how the film was received by audiences, but that assumption would be mistaken.
The true source of the edit war was something far more minor—the capitalization of the word 'into' in the title. All the official materials released by the creators of Star Trek Into Darkness used the capitalized form of 'Into,' sparking a lengthy dispute among Wikipedia editors about whether the word should be 'Into' or 'into.' Believe it or not, around 3,000 edits were made over this seemingly insignificant issue.
The debate seemed to settle for a time when the editors agreed on using 'InTo.' However, this truce appears to have come to an end, with the Wikipedia page currently listing the title as Star Trek Into Darkness.
7. Cat
Cats are beloved by people worldwide and are considered one of the most popular pets. But what is the correct way to describe the bond between humans and their cats? This question has sparked a heated debate among Wikipedia editors.
The dispute centers around the 'power' dynamics in the human-cat relationship. Some argue that the human 'owner' is the dominant figure, while others believe the cat holds all the power, with the human simply playing the role of 'caregiver.'
A third perspective, perhaps the most optimistic, suggests that the relationship is one of mutual companionship with benefits for both parties, with the human taking on the role of a 'human companion.' This debate has resulted in nearly 11,000 edits, an impressive number for a simple cat-related discussion.
6. Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden, the legendary band that rose to fame in the early 1980s, has become a household name. With numerous platinum and gold albums in the US and UK and over 100 million records sold worldwide, you wouldn't expect any controversy over their popularity.
However, you'd be mistaken, as there’s an unexpected twist in the debate. The issue isn’t whether the band is famous, but whether they are more well-known than the terrifying torture device known as the iron maiden. Though the first recorded use of this device supposedly dates back to the 16th century, it's still debated whether it ever actually existed.
Despite this, Wikipedia editors continue to bicker over whether the primary page for 'Iron Maiden' should focus on the band or the torture device. While the device is undeniably more brutal, some claim the band is filled with Satan worshippers due to their song 'The Number of the Beast.' It's said to contain a satanic chant when played backward. But then again, what heavy metal track doesn’t have its own controversial rumor?
This ongoing dispute has led to around 9,000 edits to the destination of the 'Iron Maiden' link. It’s still frequently updated, meaning that searching for 'Iron Maiden' could lead you to either the band or the torture device page.
5. Mathematics
Here’s a fun fact: If you click the first link outside of brackets on almost any Wikipedia page, it will typically lead you to philosophy. Try it yourself—just visit any article, and you’ll notice that the first link usually traces its way back to philosophy. This is true for nearly all Wikipedia pages, except for those about mathematics and three of its first four links.
This oddity has sparked a multi-year edit war over how the first four links (leading to pages about quantity, change, structure, and space) should be ordered to ensure that the mathematics page eventually connects to philosophy. The page that ultimately leads to philosophy is 'space.' In order to play the 'every link leads back to philosophy' game, 'space' should be the very first link on the mathematics page.
Some, however, argue that altering the order of the links just to make philosophy come first undermines the integrity of the game, so they reverse the changes and restore the original link order. This disagreement has triggered countless edits to the mathematics page over the years.
4. Cow Tipping
Cow tipping refers to the act of pushing over an unsuspecting or sleeping cow just for fun. It is considered a recreational activity, particularly among people in rural areas. However, it's likely a myth, as toppling a cow would require around 1,360 newtons of force—about the equivalent strength of 4 to 5 people, though you might need even more than that.
Interestingly, the dispute over this topic isn't about the truth of the claim, but rather the caption that accompanies the image on the page. Some argue that the cow should be labeled as 'an unsuspecting potential victim.'
In 2006, Psychonaut3000 (an editor of this page) argued that the cow is unsuspecting because it has no awareness of cow tipping. Additionally, the cow is a potential victim as there's no evidence suggesting it can't be tipped. It's a valid point, but the debate has raged on for over 2,000 edits!
3. Tiger Or Lion?
Which is the most powerful cat? The tiger or the lion?
Although this might seem like a question for playgrounds, the debate about which is the more powerful cat rages on the Wikipedia page for tigers. This has led to frustration from both sides. One editor, JBoyler, remarked that the tiger's actions should speak for themselves and that those claiming the tiger is the strongest should 'grow up' and stop cluttering the page with 'childish tantrums and quibbling.'
Some Wikipedia editors, however, aren't satisfied with simply comparing tigers to lions. They also argue that tigers would likely prevail in battles against brown bears.
2. Jesus
Whether or not you are Christian, most people recognize that Jesus was born in 4 BC according to the Bible. The debate on the Jesus page is typical of any Wikipedia page with a date: should it be BC/AD or BCE/CE? (At Mytour, we prefer BC and AD.)
This issue has sparked a heated debate on Wikipedia, resulting in around 20,000 edits on the Jesus page alone. While numerous votes have been cast to settle the matter, the current consensus on the Jesus page seems to favor the BC/AD notation at the time of this writing.
1. Arachnophobia
While this page has only seen about 1,600 edits, the nature of the debate is significant enough to merit its place on this list. Arachnophobia—the fear of spiders—is the third most prevalent phobia in the United States, affecting 30.5 percent of the population. It trails only glossophobia (fear of public speaking) and necrophobia (fear of death) as the most common fears in the country.
The controversy surrounding the arachnophobia page revolves around whether a large image of a tarantula should be included. Some argue that for a page frequently visited by arachnophobes, displaying an image that might trigger their fear is inappropriate. Others believe that keeping the spider image is important for the site's integrity, suggesting that arachnophobes could simply disable images in their browser instead of removing the picture altogether.
