Joseph Heindl

4 weeks ago | listverse.com | Joseph Heindl

America is full of urban legends, and one of the most enduring is Area 51. Numerous theories surround this mysterious military base. Because of the Roswell incident in 1947, most of these myths involve aliens. However, many also think the place holds secret weapons and ancient artifacts. Each guess is more outlandish than the last. At least these conspiracy theories make for entertaining stories. Narratives abound about Area 51.

1 month ago | listverse.com | Joseph Heindl

Pain may be annoying, but it’s a natural aspect of life. When you get hurt, you refrain from whatever caused the sensation. Your body essentially sends a cautionary message, thus ensuring your safety. Without pain, your existence would be empty and prone to danger. Fiction occasionally explores that emptiness in an uncanny fashion. Certain characters feel no pain whatsoever. Oftentimes, its absence means they’re impervious to physical harm. That concept sounds enticing, and some get a kick out of it.

1 month ago | listverse.com | Joseph Heindl

It’s always unfortunate when a species goes extinct. This tragedy usually happens over a prolonged period, but certain events wipe out a population simultaneously. Earth has seen several such events, which kill most life forms across the biological spectrum. These mass extinctions are as frightening as they are fascinating. For that reason, some storytellers fashion their own extinction events. These disasters can be either natural or man-made, yet both are invaluable for world-building.

1 month ago | listverse.com | Joseph Heindl

Casting can be counterintuitive. Studios often hire male actors for female characters and vice versa. Such decisions aren’t that unusual, especially in this age of gender-swapping established stories. For better or worse, they’re a fairly common practice nowadays, meaning they no longer draw the widespread attention they once did. Ironically, it’s the less overt examples that might throw people off. Certain characters are male in appearance and context, yet the actors playing them are women.

1 month ago | listverse.com | Joseph Heindl

Artificial intelligence usually strikes fear in people’s hearts. The concept of other sentient life forms is daunting enough; having those life forms be computerized entities adds a whole new layer of uncertainty. Their capacity for knowledge far exceeds our own, and they don’t have burdens like fatigue or emotion to slow them down. That mixture makes them an ominous prospect, one which entertainment has capitalized on.