15 Prophecies That Shockingly Came True
These prophecies sounded impossible at the time, but history proved them right.
- Daisy Montero
- 5 min read
Prophecies often get dismissed as wild guesses, yet some have played out in eerie detail. Whether passed down through ancient texts or spoken by modern figures, each prophecy in this list proved chillingly accurate. These stories remind us that sometimes the line between prediction and reality is thinner than we think.
1. 1. Nostradamus and the Great Fire of London
Unknown artist on Wikimedia Commons
In 1666, a massive fire tore through London, and many point to Nostradamus’ writings as having predicted it a century earlier. His vague but chilling verses about a “great fire” lined up too well with the city’s tragedy. It remains one of the most quoted examples of his eerie foresight.
2. 2. Mark Twain Predicts His Own Death
A.F. Bradley, New York on Wikimedia Commons
Mark Twain was born under the appearance of Halley’s Comet and famously said he would die when it returned. True enough, he passed away in 1910, just a day after the comet reappeared. His prophecy about his own fate still gives people goosebumps.
3. 3. The Sinking of the Titanic
Willy Stöwer on Wikimedia Commons
Fourteen years before the Titanic sank, author Morgan Robertson wrote a novel about a massive “unsinkable” ship called Titan that hit an iceberg and sank. The similarities were uncanny, down to the ship’s size and lack of lifeboats. It almost reads like a chilling rehearsal of the real event.
4. 4. The Rise of Hitler
Original: Heinrich Hoffmann Colorized: Phot-colorization on Wikimedia Commons
Some say Nostradamus also foresaw the rise of Hitler, calling him “Hister” in his cryptic writings. His verses described a leader who would plunge Europe into war and unleash suffering on millions. The eerie resemblance makes this prophecy one of his most haunting.
5. 5. The Atomic Bomb
Charles Levy on Wikimedia Commons
Centuries before Hiroshima, Nostradamus wrote about a “new, great power” that would rain destruction from the sky. Many see this as a grim foreshadowing of nuclear weapons. His words seem to capture the horror of the bomb decades before it existed.
6. 6. Lincoln’s Dream of His Death
Alexander Gardner on Wikimedia Commons
Days before his assassination, Abraham Lincoln told close friends about a dream where he saw himself lying in state in the White House. The dream played out almost exactly after his murder. His eerie vision remains one of history’s most unsettling prophecies.
7. 7. The Apollo Moon Landing
Étienne Carjat / Adam Cuerden on Wikimedia Commons
In 1865, Jules Verne wrote a novel about men traveling to the moon in a spacecraft launched from Florida. A century later, Apollo 11 lifted off from Florida and made it happen for real. His story came eerily close to reality, right down to the details.
8. 8. World War I Foretold
Unknown author on Wikimedia Commons
In 1914, Serbian mystic Mother Shipton’s old prophecies were said to have predicted a global war. Her verses about “iron monsters” and skies filled with fire sound strikingly like modern warfare. Many believed she foresaw the start of World War I.
9. 9. The Challenger Disaster
Kennedy Space Center on Wikimedia Commons
A few months before the Challenger exploded in 1986, psychic Jeane Dixon warned of a space tragedy. Sadly, her prophecy came true when the shuttle broke apart shortly after takeoff. It was one of the darkest moments in space exploration.
10. 10. 9/11 Attacks
UA_Flight_175_hits_WTC_south_tower_9-11.jpeg: Flickr user TheMachineStops (Robert J. Fisch) derivative work: upstateNYer on Wikimedia Commons
A line in Nostradamus’ writings about “two steel birds” falling from the sky has often been tied to 9/11. Many believe it eerily points to the attacks on the Twin Towers. While interpretations differ, the similarity is hard to ignore.
11. 11. The Assassination of JFK
Cecil Stoughton, White House on Wikimedia Commons
In 1865, a letter surfaced predicting a great leader of America would be shot in the head in the 1960s. The chilling detail seemed to match John F. Kennedy’s assassination in Dallas. It’s one of those prophecies that feels too close for comfort.
12. 12. Smartphones and the Future of Communication
Napoleon Sarony on Wikimedia Commons
In 1909, Nikola Tesla predicted that one day people would carry a device small enough to fit in their pocket to instantly communicate with anyone around the world. His vision perfectly describes today’s smartphones. It was decades ahead of its time.
13. 13. The Fall of the Berlin Wall
Unknown photographer, Reproduction by Lear 21 at English Wikipedia. on Wikimedia Commons
In 1989, psychic predictions circulated about the sudden collapse of a wall dividing Europe. That same year, the Berlin Wall fell, shocking the world. The prophecy became reality almost overnight.
14. 14. The Internet Envisioned
ITU Pictures on Wikimedia Commons
Author Arthur C. Clarke once said every home would have a computer connected to a worldwide network. At the time, it sounded far-fetched, but the internet made it happen. His prophecy shaped the very way we live today.
15. 15. COVID-19 Pandemic Predictions
CDC on Pexels
Some writings, including one by author Dean Koontz, spoke of a deadly virus emerging around 2020. While not exact, the timing and details startled readers after COVID-19 hit. The eerie overlap made many wonder how much of it was coincidence.