25 Mind-Boggling Examples Of The Mandela Effect

Posted by , Updated on January 19, 2024

Mind-Boggling Examples of The Mandela Effect

Do you know what a Mandela effect is? If not, we have 25 mind-boggling examples of the Mandela effect to show you. While many people have mistaken it for Deja-vu, the feeling that an action you’ve just done has taken place previously, the Mandela effect is anything but that. Disturbingly, it’s the phenomenon that takes place when a group of people collectively misremember a fact or an event.

Deja-vu occurs on an individual basis while the Mandela effect occurs on a mass scale, with large groups of people. It’s a phenomenon that is intriguing, and full of mystery!

The term was coined by the paranormal enthusiast Fiona Broome.  She, along with other people, remembered the South African president Nelson Mandela dying in prison in the 1980s rather than from illness in 2013. There are other events similar to this where a collective group of people remembered an event incorrectly. Are you one of them? Take a look at these 25 mind-boggling examples of the Mandela Effect to see if you are.

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25

Nelson Mandela's Death

Source: wikipedia.org and mandelaeffect.com

The first Mandela Effect is on the man, himself, Nelson Mandela. A prominent South African anti-apartheid revolutionary and President (from 1994 to 1999), he died on December 5th, 2013 (aged 95) at his home in Houghton.

However, many people in different countries clearly remember Mandela dying in prison in the 1980s. Some of them even claim they remember his funeral being broadcasted on TV.

24

The Berenstain Bears

Source: mandelaeffect.com

Many people have fond memories of the Berenstain Bears books. They read them as children, or family members read them aloud. It is a cherished childhood memory.

However, the books are actually spelled “Berenstain Bears,” with an “a” in the last syllable, not “e” as so many people remember it.

23

Billy Graham's Death

Source: wikipedia.org and mandelaeffect.com

Billy Graham, a popular American Christian evangelist, only recently died in 2018. Yet, many people, including Fiona Broome, believe he died years ago. Some people even remember the funeral in detail with Bill Clinton speaking words in Graham’s honor.

22

Henry VIII Portrait

Source: mandelaeffect.com

This portrait of Henry VIII was painted by Hans Holbein the Younger circa 1540. Look at the picture for a second. Do you feel like something is off? Maybe the king should be holding something?

As you can see in the picture, there is nothing in the king’s right hand, but many people swear the king was holding a turkey leg in his right hand as a symbol of the king’s comfortable lifestyle and affluence.

21

Number of U.S. States

Source: mandelaeffect.com

This Mandela Effect is a bit surprising. The United States of America is a federal republic consisting of 50 states, right? So, why do many people recall the United States including 51 or even 52 states?

20

Canonization of Mother Teresa

Source: wikipedia.org and mandelaeffect.com

Renowned Roman Catholic nun and a missionary, and one of the most popular and influential people of the past decades, Mother Teresa was canonized on September 4th, 2016, 19 years after her death. Nevertheless, some people recall her being canonized in the 1990s’ when she was still alive. Some specifically reference Pope John Paul II as the pope who approved the canonization.

19

"We Are The Champions" Lyrics

Source: buzzfeed.com

We all know this legendary Queen’s song, whose final lyrics is “No time for losers, ’cause we are the champions… of the world!” But in fact, there is no “of the world!” The song just ends with “cause we are the champions,” and it’s driving so many people crazy because they feel 100% sure that they’ve heard otherwise in the past.

18

Explosion of Space Shuttle Challenger

Source: wikipedia.org and mandelaeffect.com

The second orbiter of NASA’s space shuttle program, the Space Shuttle Challenger, exploded on January 28, 1986, resulting in the death of all seven crew members. However, many people recall it exploding earlier. Most of them are convinced the accident actually happened in 1984.

17

Sex and the City

Source: buzzfeed.com

The iconic romantic comedy television series produced by HBO is called Sex and the City but many people insist they remember it being “Sex in the City” at some point.

16

JIF Peanut Butter

Source: wikipedia.org and mandelaeffect.com

The leading peanut butter in the United States since 1981, JIF Peanut Butter is a very popular snack but an alternate memory recalling it as “Jiffy Peanut Butter” is widespread.

15

Curious George's Tail

Source: wikipedia.org and mandelaeffect.com

Curious George, the main protagonist of a series of popular children’s books by the same name, is a little chimp monkey without a tail. Yet, a lot of people claim to remember seeing him use his tail to swing from the trees.

14

Darth Vader's Phrase

Source: wikipedia.org

Here’s a Mandela Effect for Star Wars fans. The iconic line in the film “The Empire Strikes Back” where Darth Vader tells Luke Skywalker “No, I am your father” is very often misremembered as “Luke, I am your father.”

13

C-3PO's Leg

Source: buzzfeed.com

Actually, there is another Star Wars-related Mandela Effect. In “Episode IV – A New Hope,” many fans recall C-3PO being completely gold so they were greatly surprised when they discovered that he had a silver leg the entire time. In fact, a lot of memorabilia do not even feature the silver leg.

12

Lindbergh Baby

Source: wikipedia.org and mandelaeffect.com

In one of the most famous and publicly-watched cases of kidnapping that have ever happened in the U.S., Charles Augustus Lindbergh Jr., a 20-month-old toddler was found dead on May 12, 1932. Some people, however, remember the kid was actually never found. There are also several alternative memories of the spelling of the name as some recall it as “Lindberg,” “Lindburgh,” and “Lindburg.”

11

Tank Man

Source: wikipedia.org and mandelaeffect.com

Also known as the Unknown Protester, the Tank Man was an unidentified man who stood in front of a column of tanks on June 5, 1989 after the Chinese military had suppressed the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 by force. The identity and the fate of the man officially remains unknown, but many people have a vivid memory of the man being run over and killed by the tanks.

10

Oscar Mayer

Source: buzzfeed.com

The famous brand of hot dogs and lunch meats is actually Oscar Mayer, although so many people remember it as “Meyer”, with an “e” instead of “a” in the first syllable.

9

Leonardo DiCaprio's Oscar

Source: mandelaeffect.com

It was a long-awaited and historical moment when Leonardo DiCaprio finally won his first Oscar in February 2016. However, some people clearly recall the ceremony where DiCaprio won the Oscar happening several years earlier.

8

Patrick Swayze's Recovery

Source: wikipedia.org and mandelaeffect.com

A popular American actor and dancer, Patrick Swayze died of pancreatic cancer on September 14, 2009, aged 57. But, some people remember him making a full recovery from the deadly disease.

7

Monopoly Man

Source: buzzfeed.com

Do you remember the Monopoly Man wearing a monocle? You’re not the only one. However, if you look at him carefully, you’ll realize he’s not wearing a monocle. He never has.

6

Sri Lanka Location

Source: mandelaeffect.com

The Mandela Effect also frequently occurs in geography as many people remember islands and countries in alternate locations. One of the most common alternate memories is related to Sri Lanka. A lot of people remember this island is located south of India, not south-east as the maps show.

5

Pikachu's Tail

Source: reddit.com

Many Pokemon fans remember Pikachu, the most iconic character of the series, having a black tip at the end of his tail. Some of them would draw Pikachu all the time and they would swear he had a black tip at the end of the tail. Well, not in this reality.

4

Snow White Queen's Phrase

Source: http://ahistoryofmystery.com

Most people remember the evil queen in “Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs” going up to her mirror and saying “Mirror, mirror on the wall,” but if you re-watch any version of the movie you will discover that this phrase has never been there. The real phrase is actually “Magic mirror on the wall.”

3

Martin Luther King Jr.'s Death

Source: mandelaeffect.com

The official version describing the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. says he was shot and killed by sniper James Earl Ray on April 4, 1968 at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. The gun was a Remington Gamemaster rifle, owned and fired by Ray. Nevertheless, many people remember MLK being killed with another weapon, mostly a handgun or a bomb.

2

Disney World

Source: mandelaeffect.com

Some people remember entering the Magic Kingdom through the castle. Another alternate memory is that the castle was much closer to the end of the Main Street than it really is.

1

Neil Armstrong's Death

Source: wikipedia.org and mandelaeffect.com

One of the world’s most important astronauts and the first person to walk on the Moon, Neil Armstrong died on August 25, 2012, in Cincinnati, Ohio. However, there is a common belief among his fans that he died one year later in 2013.



Photo: Featured Image - Shutterstock, 2. Jedi94 at English Wikipedia, Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom, CC BY-SA 3.0 , 3. WikipediaCommons.com (Public Domain), 4. Insomnia Cured Here, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, CC BY 2.0, 5. Matt Leyva, Pikachu Drawing, CC BY 2.0, 6. WikipediaCommons.com (Public Domain), 7. Rusty Clark ~ 100K Photos, McDonald's and the Monopoly Man, CC BY 2.0, 8. See Li, Leonardo DiCaprio January 2014, CC BY 2.0 , 9. See Li, Leonardo DiCaprio January 2014, CC BY 2.0 , 10. WikipediaCommons.com (Public Domain), 11. HiMY SYeD, Cairo Gadah & Tiananmen Tank Man Diptych - Cairo Egypt, January 25 2011, CC BY 2.0, 12. WikipediaCommons.com (Public Domain), 13. Darryl Moran, Star Wars Photoshoot-Tatooine Before The Force Awoke (368), CC BY 2.0, 14. Flickr.com (Public Domain), 15. nist6dh, curious-george-original, CC BY 2.0, 16. Mike Mozart, Jif Peanut Butter, CC BY 2.0, 17. Keete 37, Böyük şəhərdə seks, CC BY-SA 4.0 , 18. WikipediaCommons.com (Public Domain), 19. https://weheartit.com/entry/58777168, Freddie Mercury performing in New Haven, CT, November 1977, CC BY-SA 3.0 , 20. © 1986 Túrelio (via Wikimedia-Commons), 1986 / Lizenz: Creative Commons CC-BY-SA-2.0 de [» please add this credit below or near the image], MotherTeresa 094, CC BY-SA 2.0 DE , 21. SiBr4 and respective authors of base files, Map of the United States with flags, CC BY-SA 3.0 , 22. WikipediaCommons.com (Public Domain), 23. WikipediaCommons.com (Public Domain), 24. Alan Levine, Choose a Book of School, CC BY 2.0, 25. South Africa The Good News / www.sagoodnews.co.za, Nelson Mandela-2008 (edit), CC BY 2.0

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