10 Scariest Moments in Recent World History

10 Scariest Moments in Recent World History

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today were looking at moments from the mid-20th century and beyond that made the world stand still.

Chernobyl Disaster (1986)

The explosion of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plants No. 4 reactor remains, 40 years after it happened, the most devastating nuclear disaster of all time, as well as the costliest of any kind. Brought on by an ill-advised reactor cooling test, at least 30 deaths have been attributed to the events at Chernobyl, whether directly or by acute radiation sickness after the fact. Beyond its tragic significance, which led to the abandonment of the town of Pripyat, the disaster led to widespread distrust of the Soviet government, amid backlash for its efforts to cover it up. Chernobyl still looms large in the public imagination for the destruction it wrought and as a reminder of the fearsome power of nuclear energy.

Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 (2014)

38 minutes after takeoff from Kuala Lumpur International Airport, the crew of this 777-200ER made what they didnt yet know would be their final transmission to the outside world. Flight 370 never arrived at its destination in Beijing, and the scariest part is that literally no one knows for sure where it ended up. Described as the greatest aviation mystery of all time, the disappearance of Flight 370 is not only terrifying as a result of the unanswered questions it raises, but also heartbreaking for the families of those who were never seen again. Even more chilling? No one is even quite sure as to why it happened.

Paris Attacks (2015)

In 2015, France as a nation had maintained a heightened focus on security after a series of coordinated terrorist attacks on the Île-de-France administrative region in January. However, they were woefully underprepared for what was next to come. On Friday, November 13, three separate groups of militants associated with the Brussels Islamic State terror cell carried out a series of attacks. One such attack, which took place at an Eagles of Death Metal concert at the Bataclan, received massive international media coverage. That was for the fact that it resulted in the most casualties of any of the three attacks, with 90 deaths. Altogether, 130 people were killed, and 416 injured.

Great Recession (2007-09)

While some countries around the world were spared the worst of it, the late-2000s economic crisis wreaked significant havoc on nations thought to be untouchable. Ostensibly the result of the bursting of the United States housing bubble and the devaluation of mortgage-backed securities, the Great Recession was described as the biggest financial nightmare since the Great Depression, nearly 100 years earlier. Although the crisis was brought to a close in 2009, its ripple effects, including on employment, health, and politics, can still be felt today. These ripples remind us of the volatility and relative instability of the systems and institutions we trust implicitly.

Rwandan Genocide (1994)

Over the course of just three months, from April to July of 1994, a coalition of extremist Hutu militia groups in the East African nation of Rwanda, killed as many as an estimated 800,000 Tutsis. This was in addition to 10,000 members of the Twa peoples, and up to 500,000 Tutsi women who were sexually assaulted by Hutu militants. The most infamous moment of the larger Rwandan Civil War, which began in 1990 before ending in July 1994, the deadly chaos was spurred on by the assassination of Rwandan president Juvénal Habyarimana. The genocide didnt end, per se; while the mass killings ceased, the conflict instead morphed into the First Congo War in 1996.

Russian Invasion of Ukraine (2022-)

To be totally clear, its worth noting that 2022 didnt mark the beginning of Russias attempt to annex neighboring Ukraine. That began in 2014, kicking off an ongoing war effort. Having said that, 2022 marked a significant escalation in the conflict. On February 24, Russian president Vladimir Putin announced the beginning of a special military operation, which was largely interpreted by the international community as a euphemism for an all-out invasion. Amidst hundreds of thousands of civilian and military deaths, the Russo-Ukraine War has stoked global fears of what could happen if Putin achieves his goals.

Year 2000 Problem (2000)

Looking back, its easy to dismiss fears of the so-called Y2K panic as nothing more than the ravings of a few fear-mongering conspiracy theorists. However, it should be pointed out that there was a very real potential for disaster looking ahead to the year 2000. The public was warned that inadequately prepared computers could lead to massive system failures, leading some especially fearful believers full-on apocalypse prep. Any potential crisis was ultimately prevented by the tireless work of programmers and engineers worldwide, which resulted in the laissez-faire attitude about Y2K that we often hear about today.

COVID-19 Pandemic (2020-)

Regardless of whether you thought COVID was a legitimate global health emergency or a deep-state conspiracy to control the population, its inarguable that it was a frightening, uncertain, and deeply challenging time. Even if you werent personally affected by the coronavirus itself, you were undoubtedly hit by one of its side effects. Those included a disruption of the global economy, supply chain shortages, and a moratorium on in-person encounters. Most of the fear stemmed from the confusion around the virus, as well as the heavy volume of social media disinformation about it. The World Health Organization still considers COVID to be an active pandemic, and its likely that well be feeling its effects for years, possibly even generations, to come.

Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)

Perhaps the most notorious nuclear close call of all time, the Cuban Missile Crisis was not only the closest the Cold War ever came to full-on conflict, but an embarrassing misfire for the Soviet Union. In October 1962, the administration of American president John F. Kennedy deployed nuclear missiles in Italy and Turkey, and the Soviets responded by deploying missiles in Cuba (hence the name). The conflict deescalated following President Kennedys naval blockade around Cuba, which was followed by an agreement with Soviet premier Nikita Krushchev. That agreement stipulated that the Soviet Union would dismantle its Cuban nukes in exchange for assurance that the U.S. would not try to invade Cuba again.

The Events of September 11, 2001 (2001)

We dont think we need to get into the specifics of what remains the deadliest terror attack in not only American history, but the entire worlds. With nearly 3000 dead and as many as 25,000 wounded, 9/11 was an unmitigated disaster that changed history in an instant. Al-Qaeda terrorists, under the command of militant leader Osama bin Laden, took down the World Trade Center; additional attacks on the same day failed to do the same amount of damage. The attacks in New York City forever changed the way that the United States looked at national security, and spurred President George W. Bushs Iraq War.

Which moment in our video shocked you the most? Are there any we missed? Be sure to let us know in the comments below!