1

$125 million for a Grade-school math error

Image: Aaron Lefler

Imagine losing a hugely expensive spacecraft due to a simple mix-up between English and metric measurements . That is exactly what happened to NASA in 1999 when a Mars orbiter designed by Lockheed Martin was lost in space.

The confusion caused a malfunction on the $125 million craft, resulting in the probe’s loss. Although it was unusual for Lockheed to use English measurements for a NASA design (since NASA had stipulated using metric measurements for many years), there were still several instances where the error should have been caught but wasn’t.

2

Toys ‘R’ Us blunder

Image: Taylor Heery

If you think an action figure of a drug dealer isn’t the best idea for a toy store , you’re not alone. Yet, for some reason, Toys "R" Us decided otherwise in October 2014, possibly hoping to cash in on the massive success of the Breaking Bad TV series.

Unsurprisingly, the giant toy retailer was forced to pull from its shelves four collectible dolls based on characters from the AMC hit show, each doll featuring a detachable sack of cash and a bag of meth.

3

Apple Maps' rocky beginnings

Image: CardMapr.nl

When Apple decided to launch its own map application on iOS devices after a conflict with Google in 2012, users quickly realized that the Apple app was not nearly as launch-ready as it should have been .

Locations were mislabeled, roads were missing, and it occasionally steered people in entirely the wrong direction. The problem was eventually, though largely, resolved, but it was an embarrassing misstep for a company known for never launching a product before it was as near-perfect as possible.

4

Bank of America debit card fee

Image: Ali Mkumbwa

Back in 2011, when the backlash against the banking industry had not yet reached its boiling point, Bank of America announced it would charge customers $5 per month to use their debit cards .

It was a bad business decision. More than 300,000 people signed an online petition, and Fox Business Network’s Gerri Willis cut up her debit card on air. The bank pointed to federal regulations as the reason for the charge but ultimately capitulated to consumer demand after a month before the fees went into effect.

5

$33 airline tickets from Toronto to Cyprus

Image: Miguel Ángel Sanz

If buying a business class ticket regularly priced at $2,558 for just $33 sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Except in 2006, when an Alitalia employee accidentally forgot to input two extra zeros when pricing business-class tickets from Toronto to Cyprus.

Due to the exchange rate on that day and the blunder, hundreds of buyers managed to snag fares for just $33. The airline honored those deals, accepting the heavily discounted price for the 509 people who purchased tickets before the error was detected.

6

A $70 million comma

Image: Nattipat Vesvarute

As the folks at NASA and Alitalia have shown us, small errors can lead to costly mistakes. The following blunder comes courtesy of Lockheed Martin , which issued a contract to a customer with a missing comma in the sale price .

The astute customer held the aerospace company to the contract, costing Lockheed Martin $70 million for a C-130J Hercules aircraft in June 1999.

7

Sears misses the ship

Image: Estefania Cortes

A retail giant that faced a situation similar to the one Kodak faced—embrace the new and unknown or cling to the old, successful recipe—Sears sold everything from socks to tires via mail order, shipping across the U.S.

Choosing to stick with the old method, the company ended its catalog and delivery business in 1993 . In 1994, Amazon was founded , filling the business void that Sears had just created. The rest is history.

8

Passing on Microsoft

Image: Jaime Marrero

$60 million might seem like a lot of money to us regular folks, but for someone with very deep pockets like Texas businessman and two-time U.S. presidential candidate Ross Perot, it wasn’t all that much.

In 1979, he was offered the chance to buy Microsoft for that sum. However, his final offer to the tech company was just $15 million, and as a result, the Texan missed out on the opportunity to own what would become one of the biggest companies in the world .

9

Blackberry sticks with the old

Image: Thai Nguyen

Another case of a brand sticking with the old instead of embracing the new, BlackBerry was all the rage at the start of the 21st century— until Steve Jobs came along with the Apple iPhone .

While BlackBerry Messenger was extremely popular, with over 80 million users worldwide, the device lacked the new touchscreen functionality and sleek design of the Apple product. From being a market leader, BlackBerry’s market share plummeted to 0.2% by 2016.

10

RadioShack’s downfall

Image: Jelleke Vanooteghem

Not so long ago, RadioShack was a familiar presence on the streets and the go-to place for buying batteries and electronics. But it was that same brick-and-mortar presence, coupled with a reluctance to embrace e-commerce , that ultimately led to its demise .

Eventually, poor profit margins on what they could sell, combined with a loan they couldn’t repay, brought down what was once the go-to place for electronics.

1

Area 51

Image: Michael Herren

Location: Nevada

Shrouded in secrecy, this military base has become synonymous with UFOs and government cover-ups. Its official purpose was testing aircraft like the U-2 spy plane and Stealth Bomber, but its classified nature fueled decades of wild speculation, ranging from secret weapons to actual aliens working for the government.

2

Coral Castle

Image: Audric Wonkam

Location: Florida

This massive stone structure was built by a single man, Edward Leedskalnin, using enormous limestone blocks—some weighing 30 tons. According to him, no heavy machinery was ever used during the construction, and he even claimed to know the secrets of the pyramids . To this day, engineers and historians debate how he moved and placed those stones with such precision.

3

Skinwalker Ranch

Image: Jacob Padilla

Location: Utah

This 512-acre property has long been at the center of UFO sightings, cattle mutilations , and alleged portals to other dimensions. The stories were so compelling that, in the ’90s, a private research organization purchased the ranch to try and make some scientific sense of the claims, conducting extensive field studies. However, after nearly a decade of research, they found no conclusive evidence.

4

Mammoth Cave

Image: Ksenia Kudelkina

Location: Kentucky

The world’s longest known cave system has its fair share of unexplored tunnels, ghost stories, and strange air currents. More than 400 miles have been mapped , yet many passages remain uncharted. Researchers have yet to fully understand the cave’s underground ecosystem, and new chambers are still being discovered today.

5

The Marfa Lights

Image: Alexandra Vo

Location: Texas

Reported since at least the late 19th century, floating orbs of light have been seen near this small town with no consistent explanation. Night watchers continue to gather at designated viewing areas along Highway 90, hoping for a glimpse. While scientific studies suggest that distorted car headlights are the most likely cause, many remain convinced otherwise.

6

The Devil’s Kettle

Image: Andrew Ling

Location: Minnesota

This unusual waterfall splits in two—one half flows normally, while the other vanishes into a deep pothole with no known exit. Scientists poured dye, ping-pong balls, and even GPS trackers into the mysterious hole, all to see where the water ends up. While researchers eventually confirmed it rejoins the river underground, exactly how and where remained elusive for decades.

7

Cahokia Mounds

Image: pcrm Dorego

Location: Illinois

Built centuries before Columbus arrived in the Americas, the ancient city of Cahokia featured massive earthen mounds, wooden palisades, and likely formed part of complex trade networks across the continent. Despite having a population rivaling London in the 1200s, according to archaeologists, the city was mysteriously abandoned in the span of a few years. No written records explain its decline, though environmental stress, resource shortages, and internal social factors are often cited as possible causes.

8

Blythe Intaglios

Image: Alexander Schimmeck

Location: California

Similar to Peru’s Nazca Lines, these giant geoglyphs are etched into the desert floor, seemingly visible only from the sky. Created by scraping away dark rocks to reveal lighter earth beneath, the figures are believed to be between 450 and 2,000 years old, depending on the specific design. While their exact purpose remains a mystery, they are believed to have had a ceremonial function.

9

The Spooklight

Image: Ben Griffiths

Location: Missouri-Oklahoma Border

Also known as the Hornet Spooklight, this floating orb has been seen since at least the late 19th century. It appears along a rural stretch of road near the small community of Hornet, Missouri, and Quapaw, Oklahoma. While some theorize it could be caused by car lights from miles away, some sightings predate automobiles.

10

Roanoke Island

Image: Stephen Crane

Location: North Carolina

In the 1580s, an entire colony vanished overnight, leaving behind only the word "Croatoan" carved into a tree. No graves, no remains—just an eerie disappearance that sparked centuries of theories, from disease and starvation to assimilation with local tribes. Modern archaeology uncovered European artifacts at sites associated with Native groups miles away, but no definitive evidence has ever solved the mystery.

1

Woodpecker

Image: Jaime Dantas

Surely, we could all recognize Woody Woodpecker's famous laugh anywhere, but have you ever wondered why this type of bird knocks on wood? Woodpeckers have larger and stronger bills than other birds. They use their beaks not only to dig holes in trees for nesting but also to drum on resonant objects like hollow logs and branches to communicate to other woodpeckers, about their territory and their availability to mate.

But is it true that they hammer away at wood at an incredible speed, as seen in the beloved cartoon? Yes! For example, the Red-headed Woodpecker, found in temperate North America, has the highest g-force (force of acceleration) experienced by a bird. When pecking wood, they hit trees with an impact force of 1,200 g’s. By comparison, astronauts on space shuttles experience 3.5 g's during takeoff, while a force of 60-100 g’s can cause a human concussion.

2

Northern Cardinal

Image: Joshua J. Cotten

Did you know most female songbirds in North America usually don't sing? Fortunately, both male and female Northern Cardinals break this trend with their beautiful songs . As a matter of fact, sometimes they even perform duets! Mated pairs usually sing back and forth to each other, sharing information about food sources and nest activity.

Another cool fact about Northern Cardinals is their tendency to fight their own reflections in windows and vehicle mirrors. Experts claim they see their image as a competing bird and attack it to defend their territory. This behavior can go on for days, even months.

Nevertheless, despite this somewhat aggressive attitude, Northern Cardinals are one of America's favorite birds. They hold the distinction of being the state bird of seven states: Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia.

3

Brown Thrasher

Image: Joshua J. Cotten

The Brown Thrasher may be an elusive, hard-to-see bird but it certainly doesn't go unnoticed. The state bird of Georgia, found throughout the eastern and central United States and southern and central Canada, is well known for its remarkable songs.

In fact, this big, foxy-red bird is not only a prolific singer but also an expert mimic, with an impressive repertoire of more than 1,100 tunes! And thrashers are so good at keeping the natural world entertained that they will repeat each phrase of a song twice before singing the next one.

4

Northern Mockingbird

Image: Patrice Bouchard

The Northern Mockingbird is another remarkable mimic. This bird listens to the songs of nearby species and learns to replicate their tunes. In fact, a male may learn around 200 songs throughout its life. The mockingbird, however, can be a bit more monotonous than the Brown Thrasher: it repeats phrases up to six times before moving on to the next one. Have you ever had one in your backyard?

Apart from its musical abilities, the Northern Mockingbird, very common in towns and cities, especially in the South, is one of the most influential birds in American culture. It serves as the state bird for five states : Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Texas. It also appears in many books, TV shows, folk songs, and lullabies.

5

Marsh Wren

Image: Alexis LOURS

Marsh Wrens are songbirds too, but in their case, it’s all about impressing the ladies! The Marsh Wren, a tiny brown bird found all around North America, learns songs from other males and sings them nearly identically. With a repertoire of more than 100 melodies, males often engage in musical duels and sing back and forth to each other to impress the females with their musical abilities.

But singing isn’t their only strategy for winning over a mate. Male Marsh Wrens build up to 20 dummy nests made from cattails for prospective females to evaluate. The female then chooses which one she prefers to lay her eggs in. Unused nests are left as is to confuse predators or are used by adult birds to sleep during nonmating seasons.

6

Black-capped Chickadee

Image: Margaret Strickland

The Black-capped Chickadee, the state bird of both Massachusetts and Maine, is a very popular bird across the northern United States. This small black, white, and tan bird, roughly the size of a sparrow, is well known for its vocalizations and for its ability to conserve energy during the winter months.

In extremely cold weather, Black-capped Chickadees enter a state of dormancy known as torpor. At night, the birds seek shelter and become inactive, causing their core body temperature to drop slightly. As they alternate shivering with staying still, the heart rate decreases. When they reach a full state of torpor, they lose consciousness. Toward morning, the birds start shivering again to regain temperature. This way, the Black-capped Chickadee starts the day afresh, using the precious fat it saved during the night as energy.

7

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Image: Skyler Ewing

They might be tiny but the myth that Ruby-throated Hummingbirds migrate on the backs of Canada Geese is totally false. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, the most common hummingbirds in eastern North America, migrate south at the end of summer, traveling to temperate climates in Central and South America entirely on their own.

This iridescent red and green bird is so small that it makes the most minuscule nests. The nest of a Ruby-throated Hummingbird is around the size of half of a walnut shell—only 1½ inches wide! Also, the smaller the bird, the fewer the feathers. The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is a record holder for the fewest feathers in a bird, less than 1,000 in total. For reference, a Whistling Swan, the record holder for the most feathers, boasts about 20,000 individual feathers.

8

Owls

Image: Keith Lazarus

Owls are both cherished and mysterious creatures. In North America, there are 19 different species, each with its own curious characteristics. For example, the Elf Owl, found in the Southwestern United States and Mexico, is special because it’s the smallest owl in the world —measuring just 5 inches tall!

Night-hunting owls present in North America, such as Barn Owls, Long-eared Owls, and Boreal Owls, have the best hearing in the bird world. Many of these nocturnal owls have asymmetrical ear openings, one opening higher and one larger. This unique adaptation allows sound to enter their ears at slightly different times, helping them to accurately triangulate the position of their prey. Also, Barn Owls have a specialized middle claw called pectinate claws. This special feature is a serrated edge that serves as a built-in comb to get rid of debris or parasites.

9

Snow Goose

Image: David Dibert

Isn't it great when we get to spot those amazing V-shaped migration formations in the sky? Did you know that most of North America’s small birds don’t fly in formations? They travel alone or alongside other birds that happen to be heading in the same direction. The Snow Goose, however, is an exception, often flying in huge V formations or single-angled lines.

During migration, Snow Geese, native to North America, form some of the largest flocks in the bird world. Flocks of more than 100,000 Snow Geese are a common sight during their northward spring migration. In some areas, such as Nebraska, there are even records of flocks with millions of geese. Flying in formations allows Snow Geese to save energy during flight.

10

Bald Eagle

Image: Pixabay

If you thought that, since it’s the national symbol of the United States of America, you knew all about the Bald Eagle, these facts will probably blow your mind! Did you know that young Bald Eagles are born with brown eyes, which eventually turn yellow? And what about the fact that they have talons that can grow up to 2 inches long , helping them grasp prey tightly for a quick kill?

Furthermore, Bald Eagles make the largest nests of any bird species. The largest Bald Eagle nest ever recorded measured more than 9 feet wide and 20 feet deep and was found in St. Petersburg, Florida. What's even more impressive is that they reuse their nests for many years—sometimes even decades. A Bald Eagle nest in Vermilion, Ohio, was used for 35 years in a row—mortgage-free! Can you imagine?