sâmbătă, 31 martie 2012
DO NOT OPEN: an encyclopedia of the world's best-kept secrets (read online)
From secret services to conspiracy theories, this book will
take you on a magical mystery tour of the truth behind
the known and the unknown.
Whichever way you choose to read this book, you’re
sure of an instant hit of cool info. Of course, if you want
to, you can just start reading Do Not Open in the old-
fashioned way, by starting at the beginning. Or you can
just dive in to the book at any point and then follow our
special links to related subjects on other pages. So, for
example, if you started with UFO, and then wanted to
know more about weird extra-terrestrial happenings, just
look for the links on the bottom of the right-hand page—
they’ll take you straight to other interesting alien stuff.
Your journey through the pages will depend on which links
you choose to follow. In time, you can probably work your
way through the whole book!
8 How to use
How do you get from “Hoaxes” to “Everyday surveillance”
in six easy steps? The fun way to get around the book.
10 Air Force One
Go behind the scenes and find out what really goes
on in the US president’s personal plane.
12 Mind the gaffe!
Be careful where you blow your nose. What’s polite
in one country may be bad manners in another.
14 Leaks and moles
Those people who specialize in poking and prying,
then spill the beans to the media.
16 The almighty dollar
Take a close look at the money in your hand.
There may be more to it than you think.
18 Flag it up
The fascinating facts behind some of the world’s
national flag designs.
20 Cheyenne Mountain
Deep beneath an American mountain lies a huge
military complex—a self-contained secret world.
22 Global eavesdropping
Do you think your emails and phone calls are private?
Think again—someone is always listening!
24 Watchers in space
The satellites that orbit Earth do a lot more than just
transmit TV signals...
26 Lost treasures
There’s a lot of lost loot out there just waiting for some
lucky dude to come and find it.
28 Christopher Columbus
Find out if the great explorer who discovered America
was really that great after all.
30 Who crossed the Atlantic first?
Which valiant voyager was the first across the Pond?
The answer might surprise you...
32 Nazca Lines
Stretching across a Peruvian desert are ancient pictures
that can only be seen from the sky. What’s that about?
34 Hidden gold
Find out where much of the world’s solid-gold bling
is stashed away—and how it’s kept safe and sound.
36 Lost tribes
Deep in rain forests around the world live tribes of people,
still untouched by the modern world. Can you find them?
40 Bermuda Triangle
What really happened to all those ships and aircraft
that “disappeared” in this small area of the Caribbean?
44 The mystery of the Mary Celeste
The eerie fate of this abandoned ship remained
unsolved for years... is the truth still submerged?
48 Who are the Men in Black?
Seen an alien recently? If so, you might just receive
a visit from the mysterious Men in Black.
50 Time travel
Imagine how amazing it would be to travel to the past
or future. Could it really be possible one day?
52 Piri Reis map
Just how did the creator of this mysterious ancient
map know what he knew?
54 Create your own state
Ever imagined running your own country? Now you can!
Just follow our simple instructions.
56 Everyday surveillance
Somebody is watching you! Via CCTV, the internet,
and even your cell phone, “they” can follow your every move.
58 Bar codes
Just how do those strange black-and-white stripes
on the back of everything you buy work?
60 Hackers
Learn the tricks of the trade that those cheeky
people use to break into computer systems.
62 Iris recognition
Did you know that your eyes are unique? Your future
security is the blink of an eye.
64 Secret services
From CIA to MI6, find out what the world’s secret
service agencies are up to.
66 Kremlin
The stories and secrets behind the official residence
of the Russian president.
68 Great escapes
The stories of ingenious and death-defying escapes
pulled off by plucky prisoners from around the world.
72 Escapology
The life and times (and secrets) of Houdini—the world’s
most famous escapologist.
78 Magic tricks
Hey presto! Three amazing tricks and how magicians
pull them off.
82 Holbein’s The Ambassadors
Can you find the hidden messages? There’s more
to this old painting than meets the eye.
84 Arnolfini Marriage
Discover the symbolic meanings behind the objects
that the artist has included in this famous painting.
86 Fibonacci
The intriguing system of numbers discovered by
this Italian mathematical genius.
88 Vatican
Myths, mysteries, and legends surround
the Pope’s city within a city.
90 Turin Shroud
The legendary burial cloth of Jesus Christ—a hoax or reality?
Look at the evidence and decide for yourself.
92 Mary Queen of Scots
How she was imprisoned, betrayed, and ultimately
murdered in a cold-blooded plan involving a secret code.
94 Haunted places
Some of the most haunted places around the world,
and the stories of the ghosts that inhabit them.
96 Spooky!
Spine-chilling supernatural goings-on—from pesky
poltergeists to icky ectoplasm.
98 At the theater
Go behind the scenes and discover a hive of activity,
from hair and hats to light and sound.
106 Private eye
Enter the murky world of the private investigators
and find out how they find out what we’re up to.
108 Strange vibrations
Ever felt like you’re being watched, or you know who’s
calling you before you pick up the phone? Read on...
110 Secret writing
Cryptic coding and inventive ways to hide messages,
including how to make your own invisible ink!
112 Numbers
Have you got a lucky number? Numbers can be lucky
in one country and unlucky in another. Find out why.
114 Nostradamus
Check out the predictions made by this 16th-century
French seer. Did he really see the future?
116 Rosetta Stone
The amazing carved stone that enabled archeologists
to decipher ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics.
118 Ancient pyramids
These enigmatic structures can be found all around
the world. Why were they built?
120 Giza secrets
The intriguing mysteries behind the famous pyramid
built as the tomb of the pharaoh Khufu 4,000 years ago.
122 The curse of Tutankhamun
When the Egyptian boy-king’s tomb was discovered
in1922, terrible things befell those who opened it...
128 Ancient technology
Was the jet engine really a modern invention? Or did
the ancient Greeks get there way before us?
130 Stealth technology
Find out why this cool craft can dodge detection
as it scoots around the skies.
132 Enigma code
The ingenious codemaker the Germans used in World War II
had the best brains in England scratching their heads.
134 Hitler’s secret
Hidden away deep in the mountains of Norway, Hitler
had a secret factory. What was it making?
136 Hoaxes
Don’t believe everything you hear... Would you have
fallen for any of these super spoofs?
138 Anastasia: the lost princess
When the Russian royal family was assassinated in 1917,
many believed that young Princess Anastasia survived...
140 Roswell Alien Tribune
Read all about it! Alien spacecraft crashes near quiet
American town! (Or did it...?)
142 Lord Lucan
The mysterious case of the missing lord, who
denied murder, then disappeared into thin air.
144 Two presidents
Creepy coincidences in the lives and deaths of
US presidents Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy.
150 Who was Jack?
The horrible murders committed by infamous Jack the Ripper
in 19th-century London are still in the news.
152 Human genome
The incredible chemical “recipe” hidden in your
cells that makes you the you that you are.
154 DNA time capsule
Did you know we can all trace our ancestry back
to one lively lady who lived in Africa?
156 Dark matter
The weird invisible space stuff that makes up 96%
of everything there is.
158 Brainwashing
Keep changing your mind? You will if you fall victim
to these crafty techniques.
160 Advertising tricks
What makes those trainers “must have,” or that ice cream
irresistible? Learn to resist the tricks!
162 What’s in your food?
You might think it’s just a chicken burger, but read
on to see what you’re really eating!
164 Want a strawberry milkshake?
It might shake you up to discover how many additives
and chemicals go into this favorite drink.
166 The body uncovered
Some weird and wacky facts about that incredible machine
known as the human body.
168 Dirt
How clean is your home? Check out the bugs and bacteria
that lurk in every nook and cranny.
170 Nuclear waste
What is it? What do they do with it? And what are the
long-term consequences of producing it?
172 Alchemy
Think it’s all hocus-pocus? Think again. This ancient
science is explosive stuff!
174 Alchemists and wizards
Magical folk through the ages who have dabbled in the
mysteries of alchemy.
176 Memory tricks
You need never forget anything again. These clever tricks
will turn you into a memory maestro.
180 Unconscious mind
Nightmares, sleep paralysis, déjà vu... what your mind
gets up to when you’re not in control.
182 Reincarnation
Lots of people think they have lived a previous life.
Have you been here before?
184 Spontaneous combustion
Weird tales of those unfortunate folks who suddenly
burst into flames.
186 Body language
Can you tell when someone’s telling lies? Learn
to read what people are saying with their bodies.
188 Hide and seek
Look closely. Can you see what’s cunningly camouflaged
in the landscape?
192 Fake diamonds
Can you spot a real sparkler from a fake? Find out
how the cheap copies are made.
194 Safecracking
The ingenious methods that burglars use to get at the
valuables locked in a safe.
196 Conspiracy theories
Did astronauts really land on the Moon? Was Marilyn Monroe
murdered? Or is it all a cover-up?
200 UFO
Are they the real deal or flawed photos? UFOs from around
the world caught on camera.
202 Secret societies
Psst... Want to be in my gang? Welcome to the dark domain
of clandestine clubs.
204 Forbidden City
Enter the secretive world of China’s Imperial Palace in Beijing
and discover what went on behind closed doors.
206 Law tour
Don’t go breaking any of these loopy laws, or they might just
lock you up and throw away the key!
208 Paris underground
Beneath the streets of France’s capital lies a hidden world
of tunnels that conceal a multitude of secrets.
210 Knights Templar
Was this mysterious order of knights from Jerusalem guardian
of the legendary Holy Grail?
212 Atlantis
Are the stories of an advanced civilization that disappeared
beneath the sea truth or legend?
214 Movie studios
Take an illuminating guided tour around a movie studio
and discover what goes on behind the scenes.
220 Magic Eye
Can you see the picture hidden in the pattern? Keep
looking—it may suddenly jump out at you!
222 Optical illusions
Is what you see what you get, or are your eyes playing tricks
on you?
224 Magic Eye
Look, another hidden picture! Can you work out how to see
it yet? Here we show you how.
226 Fractals
Check out the mysterious mathematical repeating patterns
that can be seen in nature.
228 Weird weather
Don’t leave home without your umbrella—it’s raining frogs
again! Check out how wacky the weather can be.
230 Standing stones
They can be found all around the world. Who built these
mysterious structures and what were they for?
232 Missing links
Are whales and hippos related? Check out how some
prehistoric creatures link to animals today.
236 Crazy zoo
Visit our zoo of mythological creatures—and find out
which of them escaped to reality!
240 Werewolves versus vampires
Two legendary freaky folks battle it out. Who do you think
will come out on top?
242 Elvis
Discover why some people believe that the king of rock
and roll lives on (the man, that is, not the legend).
244 Revealed
Check out the answers to some of our brainteasers.
246 Glossary
248 Index
255 Acknowledgments
How do you get from “Hoaxes” to “Everyday surveillance”
in six easy steps? The fun way to get around the book.
10 Air Force One
Go behind the scenes and find out what really goes
on in the US president’s personal plane.
12 Mind the gaffe!
Be careful where you blow your nose. What’s polite
in one country may be bad manners in another.
14 Leaks and moles
Those people who specialize in poking and prying,
then spill the beans to the media.
16 The almighty dollar
Take a close look at the money in your hand.
There may be more to it than you think.
18 Flag it up
The fascinating facts behind some of the world’s
national flag designs.
20 Cheyenne Mountain
Deep beneath an American mountain lies a huge
military complex—a self-contained secret world.
22 Global eavesdropping
Do you think your emails and phone calls are private?
Think again—someone is always listening!
24 Watchers in space
The satellites that orbit Earth do a lot more than just
transmit TV signals...
26 Lost treasures
There’s a lot of lost loot out there just waiting for some
lucky dude to come and find it.
28 Christopher Columbus
Find out if the great explorer who discovered America
was really that great after all.
30 Who crossed the Atlantic first?
Which valiant voyager was the first across the Pond?
The answer might surprise you...
32 Nazca Lines
Stretching across a Peruvian desert are ancient pictures
that can only be seen from the sky. What’s that about?
34 Hidden gold
Find out where much of the world’s solid-gold bling
is stashed away—and how it’s kept safe and sound.
36 Lost tribes
Deep in rain forests around the world live tribes of people,
still untouched by the modern world. Can you find them?
40 Bermuda Triangle
What really happened to all those ships and aircraft
that “disappeared” in this small area of the Caribbean?
44 The mystery of the Mary Celeste
The eerie fate of this abandoned ship remained
unsolved for years... is the truth still submerged?
48 Who are the Men in Black?
Seen an alien recently? If so, you might just receive
a visit from the mysterious Men in Black.
50 Time travel
Imagine how amazing it would be to travel to the past
or future. Could it really be possible one day?
52 Piri Reis map
Just how did the creator of this mysterious ancient
map know what he knew?
54 Create your own state
Ever imagined running your own country? Now you can!
Just follow our simple instructions.
56 Everyday surveillance
Somebody is watching you! Via CCTV, the internet,
and even your cell phone, “they” can follow your every move.
58 Bar codes
Just how do those strange black-and-white stripes
on the back of everything you buy work?
60 Hackers
Learn the tricks of the trade that those cheeky
people use to break into computer systems.
62 Iris recognition
Did you know that your eyes are unique? Your future
security is the blink of an eye.
64 Secret services
From CIA to MI6, find out what the world’s secret
service agencies are up to.
66 Kremlin
The stories and secrets behind the official residence
of the Russian president.
68 Great escapes
The stories of ingenious and death-defying escapes
pulled off by plucky prisoners from around the world.
72 Escapology
The life and times (and secrets) of Houdini—the world’s
most famous escapologist.
78 Magic tricks
Hey presto! Three amazing tricks and how magicians
pull them off.
82 Holbein’s The Ambassadors
Can you find the hidden messages? There’s more
to this old painting than meets the eye.
84 Arnolfini Marriage
Discover the symbolic meanings behind the objects
that the artist has included in this famous painting.
86 Fibonacci
The intriguing system of numbers discovered by
this Italian mathematical genius.
88 Vatican
Myths, mysteries, and legends surround
the Pope’s city within a city.
90 Turin Shroud
The legendary burial cloth of Jesus Christ—a hoax or reality?
Look at the evidence and decide for yourself.
92 Mary Queen of Scots
How she was imprisoned, betrayed, and ultimately
murdered in a cold-blooded plan involving a secret code.
94 Haunted places
Some of the most haunted places around the world,
and the stories of the ghosts that inhabit them.
96 Spooky!
Spine-chilling supernatural goings-on—from pesky
poltergeists to icky ectoplasm.
98 At the theater
Go behind the scenes and discover a hive of activity,
from hair and hats to light and sound.
106 Private eye
Enter the murky world of the private investigators
and find out how they find out what we’re up to.
108 Strange vibrations
Ever felt like you’re being watched, or you know who’s
calling you before you pick up the phone? Read on...
110 Secret writing
Cryptic coding and inventive ways to hide messages,
including how to make your own invisible ink!
112 Numbers
Have you got a lucky number? Numbers can be lucky
in one country and unlucky in another. Find out why.
114 Nostradamus
Check out the predictions made by this 16th-century
French seer. Did he really see the future?
116 Rosetta Stone
The amazing carved stone that enabled archeologists
to decipher ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics.
118 Ancient pyramids
These enigmatic structures can be found all around
the world. Why were they built?
120 Giza secrets
The intriguing mysteries behind the famous pyramid
built as the tomb of the pharaoh Khufu 4,000 years ago.
122 The curse of Tutankhamun
When the Egyptian boy-king’s tomb was discovered
in1922, terrible things befell those who opened it...
128 Ancient technology
Was the jet engine really a modern invention? Or did
the ancient Greeks get there way before us?
130 Stealth technology
Find out why this cool craft can dodge detection
as it scoots around the skies.
132 Enigma code
The ingenious codemaker the Germans used in World War II
had the best brains in England scratching their heads.
134 Hitler’s secret
Hidden away deep in the mountains of Norway, Hitler
had a secret factory. What was it making?
136 Hoaxes
Don’t believe everything you hear... Would you have
fallen for any of these super spoofs?
138 Anastasia: the lost princess
When the Russian royal family was assassinated in 1917,
many believed that young Princess Anastasia survived...
140 Roswell Alien Tribune
Read all about it! Alien spacecraft crashes near quiet
American town! (Or did it...?)
142 Lord Lucan
The mysterious case of the missing lord, who
denied murder, then disappeared into thin air.
144 Two presidents
Creepy coincidences in the lives and deaths of
US presidents Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy.
150 Who was Jack?
The horrible murders committed by infamous Jack the Ripper
in 19th-century London are still in the news.
152 Human genome
The incredible chemical “recipe” hidden in your
cells that makes you the you that you are.
154 DNA time capsule
Did you know we can all trace our ancestry back
to one lively lady who lived in Africa?
156 Dark matter
The weird invisible space stuff that makes up 96%
of everything there is.
158 Brainwashing
Keep changing your mind? You will if you fall victim
to these crafty techniques.
160 Advertising tricks
What makes those trainers “must have,” or that ice cream
irresistible? Learn to resist the tricks!
162 What’s in your food?
You might think it’s just a chicken burger, but read
on to see what you’re really eating!
164 Want a strawberry milkshake?
It might shake you up to discover how many additives
and chemicals go into this favorite drink.
166 The body uncovered
Some weird and wacky facts about that incredible machine
known as the human body.
168 Dirt
How clean is your home? Check out the bugs and bacteria
that lurk in every nook and cranny.
170 Nuclear waste
What is it? What do they do with it? And what are the
long-term consequences of producing it?
172 Alchemy
Think it’s all hocus-pocus? Think again. This ancient
science is explosive stuff!
174 Alchemists and wizards
Magical folk through the ages who have dabbled in the
mysteries of alchemy.
176 Memory tricks
You need never forget anything again. These clever tricks
will turn you into a memory maestro.
180 Unconscious mind
Nightmares, sleep paralysis, déjà vu... what your mind
gets up to when you’re not in control.
182 Reincarnation
Lots of people think they have lived a previous life.
Have you been here before?
184 Spontaneous combustion
Weird tales of those unfortunate folks who suddenly
burst into flames.
186 Body language
Can you tell when someone’s telling lies? Learn
to read what people are saying with their bodies.
188 Hide and seek
Look closely. Can you see what’s cunningly camouflaged
in the landscape?
192 Fake diamonds
Can you spot a real sparkler from a fake? Find out
how the cheap copies are made.
194 Safecracking
The ingenious methods that burglars use to get at the
valuables locked in a safe.
196 Conspiracy theories
Did astronauts really land on the Moon? Was Marilyn Monroe
murdered? Or is it all a cover-up?
200 UFO
Are they the real deal or flawed photos? UFOs from around
the world caught on camera.
202 Secret societies
Psst... Want to be in my gang? Welcome to the dark domain
of clandestine clubs.
204 Forbidden City
Enter the secretive world of China’s Imperial Palace in Beijing
and discover what went on behind closed doors.
206 Law tour
Don’t go breaking any of these loopy laws, or they might just
lock you up and throw away the key!
208 Paris underground
Beneath the streets of France’s capital lies a hidden world
of tunnels that conceal a multitude of secrets.
210 Knights Templar
Was this mysterious order of knights from Jerusalem guardian
of the legendary Holy Grail?
212 Atlantis
Are the stories of an advanced civilization that disappeared
beneath the sea truth or legend?
214 Movie studios
Take an illuminating guided tour around a movie studio
and discover what goes on behind the scenes.
220 Magic Eye
Can you see the picture hidden in the pattern? Keep
looking—it may suddenly jump out at you!
222 Optical illusions
Is what you see what you get, or are your eyes playing tricks
on you?
224 Magic Eye
Look, another hidden picture! Can you work out how to see
it yet? Here we show you how.
226 Fractals
Check out the mysterious mathematical repeating patterns
that can be seen in nature.
228 Weird weather
Don’t leave home without your umbrella—it’s raining frogs
again! Check out how wacky the weather can be.
230 Standing stones
They can be found all around the world. Who built these
mysterious structures and what were they for?
232 Missing links
Are whales and hippos related? Check out how some
prehistoric creatures link to animals today.
236 Crazy zoo
Visit our zoo of mythological creatures—and find out
which of them escaped to reality!
240 Werewolves versus vampires
Two legendary freaky folks battle it out. Who do you think
will come out on top?
242 Elvis
Discover why some people believe that the king of rock
and roll lives on (the man, that is, not the legend).
244 Revealed
Check out the answers to some of our brainteasers.
246 Glossary
248 Index
255 Acknowledgments
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