- Do you know about these bizarre coincidences that happened in the past?
From the Titanic to comets, these are some bizarre coincidences that actually happened. Do you think you know all the items on this list?
The Two Men Named Jim Twin
Identical twins Jim Lewis and Jim Springer were separated shortly after birth and adopted by different families. When they eventually reunited as adults, investigators noted striking similarities in their names, marriages, occupations and hobbies. Some details have been exaggerated in popular retellings, but their unusual similarities are documented.
Lincoln and Kennedy
Abraham Lincoln was elected president in 1860, while John F. Kennedy was elected in 1960. Both were assassinated while president and were succeeded by men named Johnson. Numerous other similarities are circulated, although several are coincidental exaggerations. Is this one of the bizarre coincidences you knew about?
The Falling Tree Coincidence
Historical records contain multiple cases in which people were killed by trees falling during storms or accidents. What makes some cases extraordinary is when relatives or neighbors are involved in remarkably similar circumstances.
The Titanic and Futility
In 1898, author Morgan Robertson published a novel about a huge luxury ship called the Titan striking an iceberg in the North Atlantic. Fourteen years later, the real Titanic suffered a remarkably similar fate. The similarities are striking, although the novel’s ship and the Titanic were not identical in size or circumstances. Is this one of the bizarre coincidences you knew about?
The Two Lincoln Assassination Coincidences
John Wilkes Booth and Lincoln had names and historical circumstances that generated numerous coincidences afterward. Booth’s brother, Edwin, reportedly saved Lincoln’s son Robert from a dangerous railway incident before the assassination.
Mark Twain’s Comet Prediction
Mark Twain was born in 1835, the year Halley’s Comet appeared. He predicted that he would “go out with” the comet when it returned. He died in 1910, shortly after Halley’s Comet returned. This is a genuine coincidence, although Twain deliberately made the prediction.
The Violet Jessop Connection
Violet Jessop survived disasters involving the Olympic, Titanic and Britannic. Her repeated presence aboard ships that later experienced catastrophic incidents made her survival history extraordinarily unusual. Is this one of the bizarre coincidences you knew about?
The Same-Day Historical Events
History contains countless examples of unrelated famous people being born or dying on the same date. The apparent mystery generally disappears when the enormous number of people and historical events are considered, but some combinations remain remarkably striking.
Twins With Similar Lives
Numerous documented twin studies have found surprising similarities in separated identical twins, including preferences, occupations and habits. Genetics explains some similarities, while shared cultural influences and coincidence can explain others. Is this one of the bizarre coincidences you knew about?
The Repeating Accident
Investigations into industrial disasters sometimes reveal multiple accidents caused by the same design flaw in different facilities. What appears to be coincidence can ultimately reveal that the same engineering mistake was independently repeated.
Which of these was the most bizarre coincidences that actually happened? Tell us in the comments!