Moments In History That Were The Most Terrible Mistakes

<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en-US"> <head> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"/> <meta name="viewport" content="user-scalable=yes, initial-scale=1.0, width=device-width"/> <meta name="robots" content="max-image-preview:large"> <meta http-equiv="Content-Security-Policy" content="block-all-mixed-content" /> <link rel="canonical" href="https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/10-moments-in-history-that-were-huge-mistakes.html"/> <meta name="description" content="It is said that history is written by the victors, but the following proves that it can also be the product of blunders and slip-ups."> <link rel="icon" href="/nwa_assets/img/site/favicon.png" type="image/x-icon"> <link rel="preload" href="https://www.worldatlas.com/nwa_assets/fonts/fontello/fontello.woff2?25012021" as="font" type="font/woff2" crossorigin> <link rel="preload" href="https://www.worldatlas.com/r/w960-q80/upload/7a/24/e3/shutterstock-794340445.jpg" as="image" media="(min-width: 768px)"> <link rel="preload" href="https://www.worldatlas.com/r/w768-q80/upload/7a/24/e3/shutterstock-794340445.jpg" as="image" media="(min-width: 410px) and (max-width: 767px)"> <link rel="preload" href="https://www.worldatlas.com/r/w500-q80/upload/7a/24/e3/shutterstock-794340445.jpg" as="image" media="(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 409px)"> <title>Moments In History That Were The Most Terrible Mistakes - WorldAtlas</title> <meta property="og:title" content="Moments In History That Were The Most Terrible Mistakes"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://www.worldatlas.com/r/w1200-q80/upload/7a/24/e3/shutterstock-794340445.jpg"/> <meta property="og:image:width:" content="1200"/> <meta property="og:image:height:" content="600"/> <meta property="og:url" content="https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/10-moments-in-history-that-were-huge-mistakes.html"/> <meta property="og:locale" content="en_US"/> <meta property="og:description" content="It is said that history is written by the victors, but the following proves that it can also be the product of blunders and slip-ups."/> <meta property="og:site_name" content="WorldAtlas"/> <meta property="og:article:published_time" content="2020-07-21T18:47:50-04:00"/> <meta property="og:article:section" content="WorldAtlas Originals"/> <meta property="fb:app_id" content="1534891833401557"/> <link rel="preload" as="style" href="/build/editorial-article-desktop.019f3db7.css"> <link href="/build/editorial-article-desktop.019f3db7.css" rel="stylesheet">  <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-EKNV4JVDSB"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; 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It is also marred by moments that can only be described as huge mistakes. These events tend to result in devasting loss, whether it be human or financial. Fear, negligence, happenstance, and schnapps all play some role in one or more of the mistakes explored below.\r\nIt is said that history is written by the victors, but the following proves that it can also be the product of blunders and slip-ups.\r\nThe Kerkoporta Gate (1453)\r\n\r\n\r\nPainting by the Greek folk painter Theophilos Hatzimihail showing the battle inside the city of Constantinople, Constantine is visible on a white horse.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nSince its establishment as the new capital of the Roman Empire, defensive stone walls surrounded the city of Constantinople to protect its citizens from outside forces. These walls were considered impregnable, giving the Romans a false sense of invulnerability. However, in May 1453, while under siege by the Ottomans, a single guard accidentally left the Kerkoporta Gate unlocked overnight. Aware of the blunder, fifty Ottoman soldiers snuck inside, attacked the guards, and raised their banner atop the inner wall. Panic ensued, resulting in a drastic loss of Roman morale which contributed to the eventual fall of the great city.\r\nThe Chinese Treasure Fleet (1525)\r\n\r\n\r\nA stationary full-size model of a \"middle-sized\" treasure ship (63.25 m long) at the Treasure Ship Shipyard site in Nanjing. It was built c. 2005 from concrete and wooden planking. Image credit: Vmenkov/Wikimedia.org\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThroughout the fifteenth century, China enjoyed the benefits of international travel and trade due to its superior Treasure Fleet. At the height of its power, this fleet was made up of 3,500 ships that were roughly five times the size of any European vessel. However, the political elites were growing concerned about the rise of the merchant class who were gaining influence as a result. At their behest, the Chinese government set fire to the majority of their navy, leaving the rest to rot from lack of use. By 1525, the entire Treasure Fleet had been destroyed. China\u2019s economy soon crippled and their global influence diminished, allowing Europe to emerge as the world\u2019s economic and technological powerhouse.\r\nThe Battle of Kar\u00e1nsebes (1788)\r\n\r\n\r\nBattle of Kar\u00e1nsebes. Image credit:\u00a0Craciun Cristiana/Wikimedia.org\r\n\r\n\r\nBy 1788, the Austrian army and the Ottoman Empire were engaged in what is known as the Austro-Turkish War. In September of that year, they were fighting for Kar\u00e1nsebes. One night, Austrian scouts patroling the outskirts of town ran into travelers who offered them schnapps. When they refused to share with a group of passing infantrymen, a skirmish broke out. Back in town, the Austrian soldiers were convinced that the ruckus was the result of Turkish invaders. The drunken scouts returned in alarm to the cries of \u201cTurks! Turks!\u201d In the dark, they were mistaken for the enemy and a bloodbath ensued. By morning, approximately 10,000 soldiers had been killed. When the Turks arrived two days later, the Austrian army was so battle-weary, they took Kar\u00e1nsebes with incredible ease.\r\nThe Alaska Purchase (1867)\r\n\r\nWith this check, the United States completed the purchase of almost 600,000 square miles of land from the Russian Government.\u00a0\r\n\r\n\r\nRussia\u2019s economy was shattered following their defeat in the Crimean War. During this time, their Alaskan territory continued to be a hub for international trade. Concerned that the British might take advantage of their weakened state, Tsar Alexander II sold the land to the United States for $7.2 million\u2014or $125 million today. At the time, the deal was quite sensible; it helped strengthen ties with the United States, while simultaneously annoying the English. However, the aptly named Alaska Purchase turned out to be a mistake as gold was soon discovered in the region. It is estimated that within the first fifty years, the United States had earned back their money 100 times over.\r\nRMS Titanic (1912)\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIn April 1912, the RMS Titanic set sail from Southampton to New York. Considered unsinkable, it was the largest passenger ship ever built. On the evening of the 14th, the Titanic lay approximately 460 miles south of Newfoundland. Despite receiving seven early warnings via wireless radio about icebergs, the crew maintained the same speed, only alerting the ship\u2019s course slightly. At 11:40 pm, the Titanic collided with an iceberg measuring up to 100 feet high and 400 feet long. The ship quickly took on water and sunk. It had only been equipped with twenty lifeboats for the 2,208 passengers on board. In total, 1,517 people died as a result of the crew ignoring those early warnings.\r\nThe Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand (1914)\r\n\r\nArchduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, his wife and children.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nArchduke Franz Ferdinand was the inspector general of the Austro-Hungarian army and heir to the throne. In 1914, he accompanied the army to the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo to demonstrate its awesome might. On June 14, after delivering a speech at the town hall, the archduke decided to visit a group of injured dignitaries at the local hospital. Because of the language barrier, the Czech chauffeur did not know about the schedule change and stuck to the original planned route. Once he was made aware of his mistake, he stopped the car right in front of Gavrilo Princip, a nationalist seeking to end Austro-Hungarian rule in Bosnia. Princip assassinated both the archduke and his wife. Due to the fragility of Europe at the time, historians consider this event to be the short-term cause for World War I. \u00a0\r\nThe Four Pests Campaign (1958 \u2013 1962)\r\n\r\nThe Eurasian tree sparrow was the most notable target of the campaign. Image credit: Andreas Trepte/Wikimedia.org\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nAfter banning private farming in favor of collective agriculture, Chairman Mao Zedong ordered the extermination of rats, flies, mosquitoes, and sparrows. With a sudden absence of birds, the insect population grew exponentially, ultimately contributing to what is known as the Great Chinese Famine. These insects\u2014particularly locusts\u2014engulfed the country, destroying the crops the Four Pests Campaign was designed to protect. There are reports claiming that the situation was so bad that people succumbed to cannibalism to fill their bellies. According to the Chinese government, approximately fifteen million people died of starvation, but some scholars put the number as high as 78 million.\r\nThe Chernobyl Disaster (1986)\r\n\r\nAbandoned amusement park in ghost town Prypiat. Image credit: Paparazzza/Shutterstock.com\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIn April 1986, a group of technicians performed an experiment on one of the four reactors housed at the Chernobyl nuclear power station near the Ukrainian city of Pripyat. The experiment was poorly designed and resulted in a catastrophic explosion that released radioactive material into the atmosphere. The Soviet government attempted to cover-up their mistake, but this proved to be a futile effort as the chemicals spread as far as France. An estimated 200,000 people were forced to evacuate their homes; those that stayed behind, including the livestock, suffered radiation-related illnesses. There is no official casualty statistic, but it is assumed that around 125,000 members of the clean-up teams had died by 2005. As of that year, the UN predicted that another 4,000 might die. The Chernobyl disaster is regarded as the worst nuclear accident in history.\r\nThe Mars Climate Orbiter (1999)\r\n\r\nArtist's rendering of the Mars Climate Orbiter. Image credit: NASA/JPL/Corby Waste/Public domain\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nBack in December 1998, the Mars Climate Orbiter (MCO) was launched with the intent of studying the planet\u2019s climate and atmosphere, among other things. After almost ten months of space travel, the MCO entered a trajectory that brought it too close to Mars where it eventually disintegrated upon entering the atmosphere. After investigating the cause of its destruction, scientists discovered that the team at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory had used the metric system in its calculations, while the company that built the spacecraft, Lockheed Martin Astronautics, used the imperial system. Such an avoidable mistake cost NASA approximately $125 million.\r\nThe Space Shuttle Columbia (2003)\r\n\r\nCrew of the Space Shuttle Columbia who perished in the tragedy. Image credit: NASA/Public domain\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nAfter being delayed eighteen times, the Space Shuttle Columbia launched on January 16, 2003. Within the first two minutes after liftoff, a piece of insulating foam detached from the shuttle\u2019s external tank and struck the left wing. Some NASA engineers did not believe it was a big deal, while others wanted to use ground-based cameras to examine the orbiting shuttle for damage. In the end, the foam incident was all but forgotten and so, on February 1, the Space Shuttle Columbia embarked on its return journey. Consequently, it disintegrated upon re-entry, killing all seven crew members. As a result, NASA was widely criticized for their failure to take all necessary precautions. \u00a0"},"isAccessibleForFree":"http://schema.org/True"}</script> <script type="text/javascript" async="async" data-noptimize="1" data-cfasync="false" src="//scripts.pubnation.com/tags/af7c1dab-ebf1-4768-8b49-e4fe264a4ad8.js"></script> <style> /* MV CSS to be added to site */ @media only screen and (min-width: 1024px) { .wa-stickyAsideParent #adStickyAside { position: static !important; } } @media only screen and (max-width: 359px) { .pagination_list { flex-wrap: wrap !important; } #content_body h2 { word-break: break-word !important; } } /* End MV CSS */ </style>  <script> var _paq = window._paq = window._paq || []; /* tracker methods like "setCustomDimension" should be called before "trackPageView" */ _paq.push(['trackPageView']); _paq.push(['enableLinkTracking']); (function() { var u="https://matomo.yourwriterportal.com/"; _paq.push(['setTrackerUrl', u+'matomo.php']); _paq.push(['setSiteId', '1']); var d=document, g=d.createElement('script'), s=d.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; g.async=true; g.src=u+'matomo.js'; s.parentNode.insertBefore(g,s); })(); </script>  </head> <body> <div id="wa_siteWrapper"> <div id="pageBody"> <article id="article_content" class="mod_content" > <section id="content_body" class="content_body"> <header> <h1>Moments In History That Were The Most Terrible Mistakes</h1> </header> <div class="article_facts_block"> <figure class="article_featured_media content_media_fixed"> <picture style="padding-top: 50%;"> <source media="(min-width: 768px)" sizes="960px" srcset="https://www.worldatlas.com/r/w960-q80/upload/7a/24/e3/shutterstock-794340445.jpg 960w"> <source media="(min-width: 410px) and (max-width: 767px)" sizes="768px" srcset="https://www.worldatlas.com/r/w768-q80/upload/7a/24/e3/shutterstock-794340445.jpg 768w"> <source media="(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 409px)" sizes="500px" srcset="https://www.worldatlas.com/r/w500-q80/upload/7a/24/e3/shutterstock-794340445.jpg 500w"> <img id="featured_media" src="/r/w1200/upload/7a/24/e3/shutterstock-794340445.jpg" alt="Image credit: Photoschmidt/Shutterstock.com" fetchpriority="high" > </picture> <figcaption>Image credit: Photoschmidt/Shutterstock.com</figcaption> </figure> <ul class="article_quick_facts"> <li>In 1788, thousands of men lost their lives when the Austrian army mistook their own drunken patrolmen for Turkish soldiers. </li> <li>Because his driver took a wrong turn, Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated by Gavrilo Princip, inadvertently starting World War I. </li> <li>All seven crew members aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia died upon re-entry because NASA engineers failed to inspect potential damage on the shuttle’s left wing. </li> </ul> </div> <section> <p>History is filled with moments of great triumph and success that in some way shaped society. It is also marred by moments that can only be described as huge mistakes. These events tend to result in devasting loss, whether it be human or financial. Fear, negligence, happenstance, and schnapps all play some role in one or more of the mistakes explored below. </p> <p>It is said that history is written by the victors, but the following proves that it can also be the product of blunders and slip-ups. </p> <h2>The Kerkoporta Gate (1453) </h2> <figure class=" content_media_fixed"><picture style="padding-top: 64.79%;"><source media="(min-width: 768px)" sizes="960w" srcset="https://www.worldatlas.com/r/w960-q80/upload/e9/5c/53/theofilos-palaiologos.jpg 960w"></source><source media="(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 767px)" sizes="768w" srcset="https://www.worldatlas.com/r/w768-q80/upload/e9/5c/53/theofilos-palaiologos.jpg 768w"></source><img loading="lazy" alt="" src="/r/w768/upload/e9/5c/53/theofilos-palaiologos.jpg"></picture><figcaption>Painting by the Greek folk painter Theophilos Hatzimihail showing the battle inside the city of Constantinople, Constantine is visible on a white horse.</figcaption></figure> <p>Since its establishment as the new capital of the Roman Empire, defensive stone walls surrounded the city of <a href="https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/where-was-constantinople-located.html">Constantinople</a> to protect its citizens from outside forces. These walls were considered impregnable, giving the Romans a false sense of invulnerability. However, in May 1453, while under siege by the Ottomans, a single guard accidentally left the Kerkoporta Gate unlocked overnight. Aware of the blunder, fifty Ottoman soldiers snuck inside, attacked the guards, and raised their banner atop the inner wall. Panic ensued, resulting in a drastic loss of Roman morale which contributed to the eventual fall of the great city. </p> <h2>The Chinese Treasure Fleet (1525) </h2> <figure class=" content_media_fixed"><picture style="padding-top: 75%;"><source media="(min-width: 768px)" sizes="960w" srcset="https://www.worldatlas.com/r/w960-q80/upload/02/36/f7/1280px-nanjing-treasure-boat-p1070978.jpg 960w"></source><source media="(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 767px)" sizes="768w" srcset="https://www.worldatlas.com/r/w768-q80/upload/02/36/f7/1280px-nanjing-treasure-boat-p1070978.jpg 768w"></source><img loading="lazy" alt="" src="/r/w768/upload/02/36/f7/1280px-nanjing-treasure-boat-p1070978.jpg"></picture><figcaption>A stationary full-size model of a "middle-sized" treasure ship (63.25 m long) at the Treasure Ship Shipyard site in Nanjing. It was built c. 2005 from concrete and wooden planking. Image credit: Vmenkov/Wikimedia.org</figcaption></figure> <p>Throughout the fifteenth century, China enjoyed the benefits of international travel and trade due to its superior Treasure Fleet. At the height of its power, this fleet was made up of 3,500 ships that were roughly five times the size of any European vessel. However, the political elites were growing concerned about the rise of the merchant class who were gaining influence as a result. At their behest, the Chinese government set fire to the majority of their navy, leaving the rest to rot from lack of use. By 1525, the entire Treasure Fleet had been destroyed. China’s economy soon crippled and their global influence diminished, allowing Europe to emerge as the world’s economic and technological powerhouse. </p> <h2>The Battle of Karánsebes (1788) </h2> <figure class=" content_media_fixed"><picture style="padding-top: 64.29%;"><source media="(min-width: 768px)" sizes="960w" srcset="https://www.worldatlas.com/r/w960-q80/upload/8f/ea/0c/battle-of-karansebes.jpg 960w"></source><source media="(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 767px)" sizes="768w" srcset="https://www.worldatlas.com/r/w768-q80/upload/8f/ea/0c/battle-of-karansebes.jpg 768w"></source><img loading="lazy" alt="" src="/r/w768/upload/8f/ea/0c/battle-of-karansebes.jpg"></picture><figcaption>Battle of Karánsebes. Image credit: Craciun Cristiana/Wikimedia.org</figcaption></figure> <p>By 1788, the Austrian army and the <a href="https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/why-did-the-ottoman-empire-fall.html">Ottoman Empire</a> were engaged in what is known as the Austro-Turkish War. In September of that year, they were fighting for Karánsebes. One night, Austrian scouts patroling the outskirts of town ran into travelers who offered them schnapps. When they refused to share with a group of passing infantrymen, a skirmish broke out. Back in town, the Austrian soldiers were convinced that the ruckus was the result of Turkish invaders. The drunken scouts returned in alarm to the cries of “Turks! Turks!” In the dark, they were mistaken for the enemy and a bloodbath ensued. By morning, approximately 10,000 soldiers had been killed. When the Turks arrived two days later, the Austrian army was so battle-weary, they took Karánsebes with incredible ease. </p> <h2>The Alaska Purchase (1867) </h2> <figure class=" content_media_fixed"><picture style="padding-top: 49.38%;"><source media="(min-width: 768px)" sizes="960w" srcset="https://www.worldatlas.com/r/w960-q80/upload/76/ed/c6/1280px-alaska-purchase-hi-res.jpg 960w"></source><source media="(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 767px)" sizes="768w" srcset="https://www.worldatlas.com/r/w768-q80/upload/76/ed/c6/1280px-alaska-purchase-hi-res.jpg 768w"></source><img loading="lazy" alt="" src="/r/w768/upload/76/ed/c6/1280px-alaska-purchase-hi-res.jpg"></picture><figcaption>With this check, the United States completed the purchase of almost 600,000 square miles of land from the Russian Government. </figcaption></figure> <p>Russia’s economy was shattered following their defeat in the Crimean War. During this time, their Alaskan territory continued to be a hub for international trade. Concerned that the British might take advantage of their weakened state, Tsar Alexander II sold the land to the United States for $7.2 million—or $125 million today. At the time, the deal was quite sensible; it helped strengthen ties with the United States, while simultaneously annoying the English. However, the aptly named Alaska Purchase turned out to be a mistake as gold was soon discovered in the region. It is estimated that within the first fifty years, the United States had earned back their money 100 times over. </p> <h2>RMS Titanic (1912) </h2> <figure class=" content_media_fixed"><picture style="padding-top: 68.42%;"><source media="(min-width: 768px)" sizes="960w" srcset="https://www.worldatlas.com/r/w960-q80/upload/c8/36/ad/stower-titanic.jpg 960w"></source><source media="(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 767px)" sizes="768w" srcset="https://www.worldatlas.com/r/w768-q80/upload/c8/36/ad/stower-titanic.jpg 768w"></source><img loading="lazy" alt="" src="/r/w768/upload/c8/36/ad/stower-titanic.jpg"></picture><figcaption></figcaption></figure> <p>In April 1912, the RMS Titanic set sail from Southampton to New York. Considered unsinkable, it was the largest passenger ship ever built. On the evening of the 14<sup>th</sup>, the Titanic lay approximately 460 miles south of Newfoundland. Despite receiving seven early warnings via wireless radio about <a href="https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-10-largest-icebergs-ever.html">icebergs</a>, the crew maintained the same speed, only alerting the ship’s course slightly. At 11:40 pm, the Titanic collided with an iceberg measuring up to 100 feet high and 400 feet long. The ship quickly took on water and sunk. It had only been equipped with twenty lifeboats for the 2,208 passengers on board. In total, 1,517 people died as a result of the crew ignoring those early warnings. </p> <h2>The Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand (1914) </h2> <figure class=" content_media_fixed"><picture style="padding-top: 97.2%;"><source media="(min-width: 768px)" sizes="960w" srcset="https://www.worldatlas.com/r/w960-q80/upload/1b/1f/b5/archduke-franz-ferdinand-of-austria-his-wife-and-children.jpg 960w"></source><source media="(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 767px)" sizes="768w" srcset="https://www.worldatlas.com/r/w768-q80/upload/1b/1f/b5/archduke-franz-ferdinand-of-austria-his-wife-and-children.jpg 768w"></source><img loading="lazy" alt="" src="/r/w768/upload/1b/1f/b5/archduke-franz-ferdinand-of-austria-his-wife-and-children.jpg"></picture><figcaption>Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, his wife and children.</figcaption></figure> <p>Archduke Franz Ferdinand was the inspector general of the Austro-Hungarian army and heir to the throne. In 1914, he accompanied the army to the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo to demonstrate its awesome might. On June 14, after delivering a speech at the town hall, the archduke decided to visit a group of injured dignitaries at the local hospital. Because of the language barrier, the Czech chauffeur did not know about the schedule change and stuck to the original planned route. Once he was made aware of his mistake, he stopped the car right in front of Gavrilo Princip, a nationalist seeking to end Austro-Hungarian rule in Bosnia. Princip assassinated both the archduke and his wife. Due to the fragility of Europe at the time, historians consider this event to be the short-term cause for World War I. </p> <h2>The Four Pests Campaign (1958 – 1962) </h2> <figure class=" content_media_fixed"><picture style="padding-top: 78.2%;"><source media="(min-width: 768px)" sizes="960w" srcset="https://www.worldatlas.com/r/w960-q80/upload/29/a2/a7/1280px-tree-sparrow-2009-16-02.jpg 960w"></source><source media="(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 767px)" sizes="768w" srcset="https://www.worldatlas.com/r/w768-q80/upload/29/a2/a7/1280px-tree-sparrow-2009-16-02.jpg 768w"></source><img loading="lazy" alt="" src="/r/w768/upload/29/a2/a7/1280px-tree-sparrow-2009-16-02.jpg"></picture><figcaption>The Eurasian tree sparrow was the most notable target of the campaign. Image credit: Andreas Trepte/Wikimedia.org</figcaption></figure> <p>After banning private farming in favor of collective agriculture, Chairman Mao Zedong ordered the extermination of rats, flies, mosquitoes, and sparrows. With a sudden absence of birds, the insect population grew exponentially, ultimately contributing to what is known as the <a href="https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-deadliest-famines-ever.html">Great Chinese Famine</a>. These insects—particularly locusts—engulfed the country, destroying the crops the Four Pests Campaign was designed to protect. There are reports claiming that the situation was so bad that people succumbed to cannibalism to fill their bellies. According to the Chinese government, approximately fifteen million people died of starvation, but some scholars put the number as high as 78 million. </p> <h2>The Chernobyl Disaster (1986) </h2> <figure class=" content_media_fixed"><picture style="padding-top: 66.67%;"><source media="(min-width: 768px)" sizes="960w" srcset="https://www.worldatlas.com/r/w960-q80/upload/9b/2e/4d/shutterstock-1713428203.jpg 960w"></source><source media="(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 767px)" sizes="768w" srcset="https://www.worldatlas.com/r/w768-q80/upload/9b/2e/4d/shutterstock-1713428203.jpg 768w"></source><img loading="lazy" alt="" src="/r/w768/upload/9b/2e/4d/shutterstock-1713428203.jpg"></picture><figcaption>Abandoned amusement park in ghost town Prypiat. Image credit: Paparazzza/Shutterstock.com</figcaption></figure> <p>In April 1986, a group of technicians performed an experiment on one of the four reactors housed at the Chernobyl nuclear power station near the Ukrainian city of Pripyat. The experiment was poorly designed and resulted in a catastrophic explosion that released radioactive material into the atmosphere. The Soviet government attempted to cover-up their mistake, but this proved to be a futile effort as the chemicals spread as far as France. An estimated 200,000 people were forced to evacuate their homes; those that stayed behind, including the livestock, suffered radiation-related illnesses. There is no official casualty statistic, but it is assumed that around 125,000 members of the clean-up teams had died by 2005. As of that year, the UN predicted that another 4,000 might die. The Chernobyl disaster is regarded as the worst nuclear accident in history. </p> <h2>The Mars Climate Orbiter (1999) </h2> <figure class=" content_media_fixed"><picture style="padding-top: 90.91%;"><source media="(min-width: 768px)" sizes="960w" srcset="https://www.worldatlas.com/r/w960-q80/upload/cc/fd/99/mars-climate-orbiter-2.jpg 960w"></source><source media="(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 767px)" sizes="768w" srcset="https://www.worldatlas.com/r/w768-q80/upload/cc/fd/99/mars-climate-orbiter-2.jpg 768w"></source><img loading="lazy" alt="" src="/r/w768/upload/cc/fd/99/mars-climate-orbiter-2.jpg"></picture><figcaption>Artist's rendering of the Mars Climate Orbiter. Image credit: NASA/JPL/Corby Waste/Public domain</figcaption></figure> <p>Back in December 1998, the Mars Climate Orbiter (MCO) was launched with the intent of studying the planet’s climate and atmosphere, among other things. After almost ten months of space travel, the MCO entered a trajectory that brought it too close to <a href="https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/how-far-is-it-from-earth-to-mars.html">Mars</a> where it eventually disintegrated upon entering the atmosphere. After investigating the cause of its destruction, scientists discovered that the team at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory had used the metric system in its calculations, while the company that built the spacecraft, Lockheed Martin Astronautics, used the imperial system. Such an avoidable mistake cost NASA approximately $125 million. </p> <h2>The Space Shuttle Columbia (2003) </h2> <figure class=" content_media_fixed"><picture style="padding-top: 80%;"><source media="(min-width: 768px)" sizes="960w" srcset="https://www.worldatlas.com/r/w960-q80/upload/fa/7e/64/1280px-crew-of-sts-107-official-photo.jpg 960w"></source><source media="(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 767px)" sizes="768w" srcset="https://www.worldatlas.com/r/w768-q80/upload/fa/7e/64/1280px-crew-of-sts-107-official-photo.jpg 768w"></source><img loading="lazy" alt="" src="/r/w768/upload/fa/7e/64/1280px-crew-of-sts-107-official-photo.jpg"></picture><figcaption>Crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia who perished in the tragedy. Image credit: NASA/Public domain</figcaption></figure> <p>After being delayed eighteen times, the Space Shuttle <em>Columbia </em>launched on January 16, 2003. Within the first two minutes after liftoff, a piece of insulating foam detached from the shuttle’s external tank and struck the left wing. Some NASA engineers did not believe it was a big deal, while others wanted to use ground-based cameras to examine the orbiting shuttle for damage. In the end, the foam incident was all but forgotten and so, on February 1, the Space Shuttle <em>Columbia </em>embarked on its<em> </em>return journey. Consequently, it disintegrated upon re-entry, killing all seven crew members. As a result, NASA was widely criticized for their failure to take all necessary precautions. </p> </section> <div class="article_credits_social"> <strong>Share</strong> <ul class="navSocial"> <li><button class="socialAction wa_badge_black icon-flipboard-icon" data-url="https://share.flipboard.com/bookmarklet/popout?v=2&title=Moments%20In%20History%20That%20Were%20The%20Most%20Terrible%20Mistakes&url=https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/10-moments-in-history-that-were-huge-mistakes.html" aria-label="Share on Flipboard"></a></li> <li><button class="socialAction wa_badge_black icon-facebook" data-url="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/10-moments-in-history-that-were-huge-mistakes.html" aria-label="Share on Facebook"></button></li> <li><button class="socialAction wa_badge_black icon-twitter" data-url="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.worldatlas.com%2Farticles%2F10-moments-in-history-that-were-huge-mistakes.html&text=Moments%20In%20History%20That%20Were%20The%20Most%20Terrible%20Mistakes&url=https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/10-moments-in-history-that-were-huge-mistakes.html" aria-label="Share on Twitter"></button></li> <li><button class="socialAction wa_badge_black icon-pinterest" data-url="https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/10-moments-in-history-that-were-huge-mistakes.html" aria-label="Share on Pinterest"></button></li> <li><button class="socialAction wa_badge_black icon-linkedin" data-url="https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/10-moments-in-history-that-were-huge-mistakes.html&title=Moments%20In%20History%20That%20Were%20The%20Most%20Terrible%20Mistakes&source=WorldAtlas" aria-label="Share on LinkedIn"></button></li> </ul> </div> <div class="article_byline"> <span><a href="/contributor/nathaniel-whelan" class="content_contributor"><span>Nathaniel Whelan</span></a> <time datetime="2020-07-21">July 21 2020</time> in <a href="https://www.worldatlas.com/world-facts/">World Facts</a></span> </div> <section class="mod_breadcrumbs breadcrumbs_in_content"> <ol itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/BreadcrumbList"> <li itemprop="itemListElement" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/ListItem"> <a itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/WebPage" itemid="https://www.worldatlas.com/" itemprop="item" href="https://www.worldatlas.com/"><span itemprop="name">Home</span></a> <meta itemprop="position" content="1"> </li> <li itemprop="itemListElement" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/ListItem"> <a itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/WebPage" itemid="https://www.worldatlas.com/world-facts/" itemprop="item" href="https://www.worldatlas.com/world-facts/"><span itemprop="name">World Facts</span></a> <meta itemprop="position" content="2"> </li> <li itemprop="itemListElement" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/ListItem"> <span itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/WebPage" itemid="https://www.worldatlas.com" itemprop="item" content="https://www.worldatlas.com"><span itemprop="name">Moments In History That Were The Most Terrible Mistakes</span></span> <meta itemprop="position" content="3"> </li> </ol> </section> </section> <aside id="content_sidebar" class="content_aside"> <h2 class="sidebar_header">Related</h2> <div class="mod_grid_list grid_stack"> <article class="grid_item mod_bclip bclip_full_16x9" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/WebPage"> <div class="bclip_container"> <a href="/articles/most-notable-moments-in-new-york-city-history.html" itemprop="relatedLink"> <figure class="bclip_media_box" itemprop="image" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/ImageObject"> <picture> <source media="(min-width: 768px)" sizes="400px" srcset="https://www.worldatlas.com/r/w400-h225-q40/upload/29/e4/14/maxresdefault.jpg 400w"> <source media="(min-width: 575px) and (max-width: 767px)" sizes="575px" srcset="https://www.worldatlas.com/r/w575-h323-q40/upload/29/e4/14/maxresdefault.jpg 575w"> <source media="(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 574px)" sizes="425px" srcset="https://www.worldatlas.com/r/w425-h239-q40/upload/29/e4/14/maxresdefault.jpg 425w"> <img class="bclip_media" src="/r/w1200/upload/29/e4/14/maxresdefault.jpg" alt="Firefighters fought vigourously on 9/11 to rescue those who were trapped inside the twin towers in New York City. 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