The concept of false memories has been around for centuries, but these focused on individuals. There hasn't really been much evidence for larger groups of people experiencing them before. Is it just a co-incidence these Mass Memory Discrepancy Effect reports started coming in just after the Large Hadron Collider was first turned on?
- Joe Hutt 0 Comments
Marylin Monroe's birth name?
MMDE: Norma Jean Mortenson
Current: Norma Jeane Mortenson
Ask most people today what Marylin Monroe's birth name was, and they'll probably say "Norma Jean Baker". Some who know a little more might say it's "Norma Jean Mortenson". However, both are wrong.
According to todays records, she was born Norma Jeane Mortenson and baptised Norma Jeane Baker. In both cases, the Jeane ends with an "e" and is not spelt the way most remember.
In fact many people pronounce the name very differently. To them, it rhymes with "genie". Whilst the popular French derivative does sound like "Jean", it is odd that such a difference has only come to light recently.
- Ray Wu 0 Comments
What was Madonna's birth name?
MMDE: Maria Louise Ciccone
Current: Madonna Louise Ciccone
Many people remember Madonna's birth name not to be "Madonna Louise Ciccone" but "Maria Louise Ciccone", or sometimes "Maria Louise Veronica Ciccone".
They remember her adopting the "Madonna" name, and recall it caused a controversy with the church at the time.
Most records today show she was always called Madonna, but there are a few remaining clues this might not always have been the case. Here's such a website, which claims to cover her life story.
- Ray Wu 0 Comments
What color is his neckerchief?
MMDE: Blue
Current: White
Ahh ... The Pilsbury Dough Boy. Who can picture him without wanting to poke his stomach to hear that famous giggle?
When you do picture him, what color is his neckerchief? If you thought it was blue, you may have the same false memory as many others who are shocked to find that today it's white - and always has been.
His actual name is Poppin' Fresh, and he's been around since 1965. He became so popular a line of children's toys were created, and he even has an extended family now. He first appeared in the adverts using stop-motion animation, but from 1994 he's all CGI.
- Joe Hutt 0 Comments
Martial arts
MMDE: Elvis was a black belt
Current: Elvis was not a black belt
Records today show Elvis trained with Muhammad Ali and Bruce Lee, and reached the 7th degree.
This surprises many, including life long Elvis fans, because every detail of his life is thought to be common and widespread knowledge by now. Those caught out are pointing to the Mandela Effect as the cause for this news "suddenly" appearing from nowhere.
He was awarded his 7th degree black belt in 1972, and went on to teach kenpo at the Pasaryu Karate Association. The similarity to the white fighting suits he wore and the later high collared ones in his Vegas years is striking too.
- Joe Hutt 0 Comments
"I'll be there for you ..."
MMDE: When the rain starts to fall
Current: When the rain starts to pour
Did ITV's Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway uncover a new Mandela Effect?
On Sat April 7th, 2018, the show featured The Rembrandts, who are best known for their "I'll be there for you" theme tune to the hit 90's show "Friends". It's been a huge favorite since it first aired, and has enjoyed an almost constant re-run presence since. The theme tune is loved and well-known to millions, yet most were caught out, as was one of the contestants, when asked to complete the line after the first "I'll be there for you". They said "when the rain starts to fall", whereas it's seen today as "when the rain starts to pour".
Being on national TV meant Twitter went crazy too, with many people commenting on how stunned they were to have been wrong all these years.
- Ian Scott 0 Comments
He abolished slavery, but was a slaveholder himself
MMDE: Thomas Jefferson did not father 6 children with his slave
Current: Thomas Jefferson fathered 6 children with his slave
He was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, an American Founding Father and the third US President. But did Thomas Jefferson hide a secret so embarrassing it could have destroyed him? Various reports, such as Wikipedia, are claiming there is strong evidence he fathered some, or all , of the children Sally Hemings gave birth to. The problem? She was his slave.
DNA tests on various descendents have strongly indicated this is the case.
This is one of those news stories which seems to have come from nowhere. Many people point to every detail of each US President being widely available, especially one seen as being a scandal. The fact it's not better known is causing it to be regarded as a Mandela Effect of the "reverse false memory" kind.
- Ray Wu 0 Comments
Mind the gap
MMDE: No gap between the V and W
Current: A gap between the V and W
The VW logo is very familiar to most people, but when you look closely today you see there is a small gap between the upper V and the lower W. This might seem insignificant, but some are convinced there was once no gap and believe this is more than a false memory.
Long term VW fans are also caught out with this, from Beetle-owning enthusiasts to Beastie Boys/Hip Hop fans who took to wearing them round their necks for a while.
As if things couldn't get more complicated, there's an MMDE concerning the Back to the Future van where some remember it as a Toyota. Now, it appears as a VW camper and some are claiming the logo in that movie has flip-flopped between having no gap and having one.
- Tracy Cooper 0 Comments
As today: motivated by money
MMDE: There was no network telecoms hack in 1834
Current: There was a network telecoms hack in 1834
Here's another alternative memory which seems to jump out to people suddenly, and hence is being called a Mandela Effect.
When you hear the terms "hack" and "telecoms network" you picture up shadowy figures in a darkened room, hunched over keyboards in front of computer screens with lots of flashy lights. In fact, this represents just the modern version of a system designed in the 1790's, which used a series of mechanical arms on towers placed on hills to communicate. Both are intended to communicate messages futher than a single person could see as quickly as possible using the technology of the day.
However, a system did indeed exist - and was used to communicate stock prices. One of the operators in the chain was bribed to send fake data, which allowed the bad guys to profit since they were the only ones with the real info.
- Ray Wu 0 Comments
More anatomy changes
There have been a few alternative memory reports of the human body changing.
These range from the from the holes in the skull, to the location of the kidneys and even the heart being in a different location.
Sceptics pointed to the fact that human anatomy had been studied quite possibly more than any other subject throughout history. This is for obvious reasons - we need to understand it to survive, so changes of this kind just don't seem possible.
However, reports that there are still a few surprises in store are coming in following the discovery of what is being classed as a new human organ - Interstitium.
