Sometimes, the world feels almost too perfectly aligned, doesn’t it? There are those bizarre moments in history and everyday life that make me stop and wonder—was it pure luck or something bigger at play?
Whether it’s random meetings that seem meant to be, history repeating itself, or numbers that line up in the most mind-boggling ways, coincidences have this magical way of turning the ordinary into something extraordinary.
These stories, gathered from all over, remind me of how life can surprise us when we least expect it. Here are 12 incredible coincidences that might make you stop and think twice, too.
Edgar Allan Poe Predicted a Real-Life Shipwreck
In his 1838 novel The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket, Edgar Allan Poe wrote about four shipwreck survivors who, stranded at sea, decide to eat a cabin boy named Richard Parker. Forty-six years later, an actual ship named Mignonette sank, leaving four survivors. Desperate, they ate a cabin boy. His name? Richard Parker. It seems Poe may have tapped into something deeper than fiction.
The Curse of the Hoover Dam
The Hoover Dam claimed over 100 lives during its construction, but the first and last deaths are particularly strange. The first person to die was J.G. Tierney on December 20, 1922, while surveying the site. The last person to die during construction was his son, Patrick Tierney, exactly 13 years later, to the day.
Mark Twain and Halley’s Comet
Mark Twain was born in 1835, the same year Halley’s Comet passed by Earth. He famously predicted that he would “go out with it” as well. Twain died in 1910—the year Halley’s Comet made its next visit. He arrived and departed with the comet, just as he said he would.
Violet Jessop, The Unsinkable Woman
Violet Jessop was a nurse and ship stewardess who survived not one, not two, but three famous ship disasters. She was aboard the Titanic when it sank, survived the sinking of the Britannic, and was also on the Olympic when it collided with a warship. How she managed to walk away each time remains a mystery.
The Tragedy of the Identical Twins
In 2002, two 70-year-old twin brothers were killed in separate accidents on the same day in Finland. They died just hours apart while riding their bikes in different towns, both hit by trucks. The driver of the second accident said he hadn’t even heard about the first brother’s death yet. Fate seems to have had a chilling hand in their stories.
The Mysterious Connection Between King Louis XVI and 21st of the Month
French King Louis XVI seemed to have a strange connection to the number 21. On June 21, 1791, he was arrested while trying to flee the country. Fast forward two years to January 21, 1793, and Louis XVI was executed by guillotine. He was deeply superstitious about the 21st, and it’s not hard to see why.
The Forgotten Book That Told the Future
A 19th-century book titled Futility, or the Wreck of the Titan told the story of a massive ship named Titan that sank after hitting an iceberg. Sound familiar? This was written in 1898, 14 years before the actual sinking of the Titanic. The similarities are uncanny, down to the size, speed, and tragic end of both ships.
The Crossed Paths of King Umberto I
In 1900, King Umberto I of Italy visited a restaurant and was shocked to discover that the restaurant owner looked exactly like him. Even more bizarre, they had the same name, were born in the same town, and were married to women with the same name. The next day, both men were shot—one in an accident, and the king in an assassination.
Tamerlane’s Tomb and Hitler’s Defeat
In 1941, Soviet archaeologists opened the tomb of the ancient warrior Tamerlane (also known as Timur), despite warnings that disturbing his grave would unleash a terrible curse. Just days after opening the tomb, Hitler invaded the Soviet Union. After the Soviets returned the remains to their rightful place in 1942, the tide of the war turned in favor of the USSR.
The Mysterious Origins of the Sandwich
The sandwich, famously attributed to the Earl of Sandwich, was actually invented by him during a gambling session. The coincidence? His name, “Sandwich,” happened to be perfect for the food he would popularize. It’s as if history neatly folded itself together in a way no one could have predicted.
The Uncanny Alignment of the Adams Presidents
John Adams and his son John Quincy Adams were both U.S. presidents, but that’s not the strange part. Both men lost their bids for re-election exactly 24 years apart. On top of that, both were succeeded by men named Jackson—Andrew Jackson, to be exact.
The Unlikely Survivor of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Tsutomu Yamaguchi was in Hiroshima during the atomic bombing in 1945. Miraculously, he survived. A few days later, he returned to his hometown of Nagasaki—just in time for the second atomic bombing. He survived that, too, becoming one of the rare people to endure both catastrophic events.
17 Old Wives’ Tales That Are Actually True
Old wives’ tales have been passed down through generations, often dismissed as mere superstition. However, many of these age-old beliefs are rooted in truth. From health tips to weather predictions, these stories from the past can surprise us with their accuracy. Here are 17 old wives’ tales that are actually true.
Read More: 17 Old Wives’ Tales That Are Actually True
Ellen has been obsessed with logic puzzles, jigsaws, and cryptograms since she was a kid. After learning she was taught how to play chess wrong by a family friend (so they could win), she joined her school chess club and the rest is history.
