Since ancient times, photographs have been an integral part of human life. By capturing moments of the present, they allow us to relive these times in the future. But some photographs convey more than just people and their emotions. The existence of certain elements in these photographs is difficult to explain, creating a mystery that defies all logic. In this article, we've collected ten such enigmatic photographs that remain unexplained.
1. On September 11, after the plane hit the North Tower, a woman was seen at the very bottom, approximately the 97th floor, holding onto a broken column and waving.
After the September 11 attacks, a photograph emerged of the site where the plane crashed into the North Tower. In the image, a woman is visible below, approximately on the 97th floor. She stands on the edge, clutching a broken window frame with one hand and waving with the other, possibly asking for help. Although she appears almost serene in the photo, she must have been in shock nonetheless.
Her photograph sparked debate about whether the towers were deliberately blown up. This is because, since she was standing at the point of impact, the heat could not have been intense enough to melt the steel inside the building. Controversy aside, the image captures the utter despair of those trapped inside. The exact identity of the woman standing on the edge is unknown, but some claim it was 46-year-old Edna Cintron, an employee of the insurance brokerage firm Marsh & McLennan. (1,2)
2. In 1975, Peter Berthelot took a photograph of his wife in Worstead Church in Norfolk and, unknowingly, captured a "ghostly white figure" sitting next to her.
Diane Berthelot had been ill for several months following a gallbladder removal. To rest and escape the heat in August 1975, she went with her husband and son to Worstead Church in Norfolk. There, she prayed for a full recovery. Meanwhile, her husband, Peter, and son, David, wandered around the empty church, taking photographs. While they were taking the photo, Peter spotted Diane seated and snapped a picture. He said there was no one behind her at the time.
Six months later, the family was surprised when the film was developed. The photograph, which included Diana, clearly showed a woman in a bonnet and light, old-fashioned clothing, sitting across from Mrs. Berthelot in the pew directly behind her. The following summer, they returned to the same church and showed the slide to the priest. He told them of a local legend that the "White Lady" is a healer who appears when someone is ill. (1,2)
3. The "Somerton Man" who mysteriously appeared dead on Somerton beach in 1948 with a secret code in his pocket, despite his photograph being published in media around the world, has never been identified.
On December 1, 1948, at 6:30 a.m., the body of an unidentified man was discovered on Somerton Beach near Glenelg. The case sparked a huge public outcry, but the man's identity was never established. Several months later, a scrap of paper was found in the man's trouser pocket. Written on the scrap was a Persian phrase. «"tamám shud"» , meaning "finished" or "completed." After police issued a public appeal, the book from which the page had been torn was found. On the inside back cover of the book, detectives discovered a local phone number and another unidentified number. There was also text resembling an encrypted message. To date, no one has been able to decipher or interpret this encrypted message. (source)
4. The photograph of the Tulip Stairs ghost was taken in 1966 by Reverend Ralph Hardy, who was visiting the Maritime Museum in Greenwich, England, while on holiday.
In 1966, a retired Canadian priest and his wife visited the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, England. Reverend Ralph Hardy had heard of the famous Tulip Staircase in the Queen's House section. So he photographed the elegant spiral staircase. Returning home, he developed the photographs. After developing them, Reverend Hardy realized the photograph of the Tulip Staircase actually depicted a shrouded figure. Upon closer inspection, the figure appeared to be climbing the staircase, holding onto the banister with both hands.
Reverend and Mrs. Hardy insisted the staircase was clear when they took the photograph. A thorough investigation conducted shortly thereafter failed to provide a definitive, rational explanation for the image. Many experts who examined the original negative, including specialists from Kodak, concluded that it had not been tampered with. Unexplained figures are said to have been seen near the staircase several times. Several other apparitions and ghostly footsteps are still attributed to the 400-year-old building. (1,2)
5. "Grandma," an unidentified woman who may have photographed the grassy knoll and other locations where the second gunman may have been hiding, has never been identified.
«"Babushka" is the nickname of an unknown woman who was present during the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963. It is believed she may have been photographing the events taking place in Dealey Square in Dallas at the time of Kennedy's assassination. Because she wore a headscarf similar to those worn by elderly Russian women, she was nicknamed "Babushka.".
On the day of the murder, the woman was seen holding a camera. After the shooting, she crossed Elm Street and joined the crowd climbing the grassy knoll. She was last seen in photographs walking east on Elm Street. Neither she nor the film she may have shot have been identified. (source)
6. In 1959, while visiting her mother's grave, Mrs. Mabel Chinnery took a photograph of her husband sitting in the car and captured the "ghost" of her mother sitting in the back seat.
In 1959, Mrs. Mabel Chinnery went to the cemetery to visit her mother's grave. She took a camera with her to photograph the grave. After taking several shots of the grave, she snapped a picture of her husband, who was sitting alone in the car, waiting for her. When the film was developed, the couple was surprised to see a bespectacled figure sitting in the backseat of the car. Mrs. Chinnery immediately recognized her mother in the picture. An expert who examined the photograph and the negatives declared, "I'll stake my reputation on the authenticity of this photograph!"« (1,2)
7. In 2013, Elisa Lam was photographed in an elevator, acting strangely, as if reacting to some unknown presence, before disappearing. She was later found dead in a water tank in the building.
Elisa Lam was a Canadian student at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. She was reported missing in January 2013, and her disappearance received widespread media coverage. Her body was discovered in a water tank on the roof of the Cecil Hotel in downtown Los Angeles on February 19, 2013. Hotel workers discovered the body while investigating guest complaints about water supply issues.
Five days before her body was discovered, the Los Angeles police released video of Ms. Lam's last public appearance. The footage was captured by an elevator security camera. It shows Lam exiting and re-entering the elevator, talking and gesturing in the hallway outside, and at times appearing to hide inside the elevator, which appeared to be malfunctioning. The video quickly spread online, and many found it disturbing. Various explanations were put forward, ranging from claims of paranormal activity to Lam's bipolar disorder. But no one could definitively explain why Liam was acting strangely in the elevator. (source)
8. In 2014, the Curiosity rover took two images of Mars. One of them showed an unexplained light source, indicating the presence of extraterrestrial life.
In 2014, the Curiosity rover took routine photographs of Mars, but one of them was slightly different. A strange white spot of "light" was visible in this image. UFO blogger Scott Waring claims the rover's new image suggests intelligent beings living underground. However, a NASA spokesperson stated, "One possibility is that the light is a glint from the rock's surface, reflecting sunlight.". (source)
9. NASA has photographed the Black Knight satellite, a suspected extraterrestrial moon that has been orbiting Earth for over 13,000 years.
In 1998, NASA photographed a black object in space. Some believe it is an extraterrestrial satellite, the "Black Knight." Rumor has it that this satellite has been orbiting Earth for approximately 13,000 years. Some believe it is a thermal blanket, but there is no evidence to support this claim. (1,2,3)
10. A photograph taken near the site of the crash that killed three people shows a beam of light coming from above, while two lighter spots appear to be erupting from the wreckage.
On April 25, 2017, 23-year-old Hannah Simmons, her nine-month-old daughter, A'lanna, and her friend, 28-year-old Lauren Buteau, were driving near Gainesville, Georgia. Along the way, Ms. Simmons lost control of her Subaru Legacy and collided with another car. The accident caused a traffic jam, trapping the driver, Anisa Gannon, on her way to work. To prove to her boss that she was trapped, Anisa took a photograph of the accident scene. Remarkably, the photograph showed a beam of light shining onto the scene, and two bright spots appeared to be rising from the wreckage. After viewing the photograph, Anisa's aunt, Tara Noble, tracked down the victims' family and showed them the photo. The family believed the photograph showed their loved ones "ascending to heaven" after the tragedy. (1,2)