The historical record is vast and changes as we make new discoveries. Our understanding of many historical events is far more different now, even stronger, than it was years ago.
But there are still so many things we do not know and barring some crazy new discovery or admission from players with the right knowledge, it's likely that certain answers might be lost to history altogether.
People shared their thoughts with us after Redditor ottosoven asked the online community:
"You get to know the absolute truth about one historical event. What are you choosing?"
"The beginning of everything. Strap yourself for the first 10 seconds, it's going to be a wild ride."
ZZani
Damn it, I blinked, I missed the formation of every atom and star in the universe!
"The truth about..."
"The truth about Jack the Ripper and the Whitechapel murders."
CountessCraft
I think it was probably nobody of note, just a guy, or it was multiple people with no connection to each other.
"The disappearance..."
"The disappearance of Brian Shaffer."
Qwerty207
As a true crime buff, there are dozens of disappearances I would love to have resolutions for.
"I want to know..."
"I want to know the real story of Jesus, the man, like I have a pretty good idea but still want to know, theology aside he is a pretty interesting historical figure."
akuzin
Even as a non-believer I'm extremely curious about the life of that man or men or what the true story behind all of that is.
"Not historical per se..."
"Not historical per se but I need to know what actually happened to Madeleine Mccann."
PossibleMagazine917
Don't most people believe it was the parents?
"How the Trojan War..."
"How the Trojan War really looked like or played out."
imead52
Sadly, it was probably a just a trade dispute, which is a lot less exciting than you might have expected.
"How Elizabeth Short..."
"How Elizabeth Short actually died, and who the murderer was."
gracefutilme
Ah, yes, the Black Dahlia murder. At this rate, it's unlikely we'll ever be sure.
"What did Pope Leo..."
"What did Pope Leo say to Attila the Hun to convince him to back off from his invasion of Rome?"
[deleted]
He probably just asked nicely, and Attila ended up appreciating how nice and brave the dude was.
"The murder..."
"The murder of the Swedish Prime minister Olof Palme in 1986. One of the most expensive murder investigations ever and they still never found the guy. Look it up!"
eddieluxe1
Swedish prosecutors named Stig Engstrom as the murderer in 2020. Though doesn't seem like the evidence is concrete.
"Not just the events..."
"The Branch Dravidian seige at Waco. Not just the events leading to and during the seige, but what was life like inside the compound? I’ve read reports from surviving members, but I’d love to know the truth."
Hellfire2026
What a crazy time that was! You might want to ask the Waco Kid.
History is fascinating–think of how much we don't know due to twists of fate or simple poor record keeping. The possibilities are endless.
Have some suggestions of your own? Feel free to tell us more in the comments below!
Want to "know" more?
Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.
Never miss another big, odd, funny, or heartbreaking moment again.
@lpeterp/Bluesky
@FPWellman/X
@bobsbeatgmail.com5/Threads