Quick- does Curious George have a tail? 

If you answered yes, then you may have just fallen victim to the Mandela Effect.

The Mandela Effect occurs when a large group of people mistakenly believe something to have happened, when in reality, it has not. This phenomenon derives its name from writer Fiona Broome, who recalled that the death of Nelson Mandela was in the 1980s. However, she later realized that Mandela had died much more recently, in 2013. After discussing it with many others, Broome realized that she was not alone in this misconception.

Now, the term has been expanded to include several other scenarios. Going back to Curious George, it may surprise you that the cartoon monkey does not actually have a tail. Other notable examples include the famous quote from the movie series Star Wars and the spelling of the show “Looney Tunes”. In “Star Wars: the Emperor Strikes Back”, Darth Vader never really says the words, “Luke, I am your father.” The exact words are, “No, I am your father.” In addition, many recall the title of the show “Looney Tunes” being spelled as “Looney Toons” instead. 

So, why does this happen? Scientists are not sure, but there are many theories as to why the Mandela Effect occurs. One popular explanation is confabulation–when your brain creates a false memory in order to fill in the gaps. As opposed to lying, people who are confabulated are not aware that what they are saying is not the truth.

Other theories are a little less grounded in science and a little more far-fetched. Some say that the Mandela Effect is a result of alternate realities, where several different timelines are taking place and mix with one another. Despite the fact that this idea may sound outlandish, there is not a concrete way to disprove it. 

One of the biggest contributing factors to the Mandela Effect may be the internet. It can be far too simple for one person harboring a misconception to unintentionally spread it to millions of others. A study of over 100,000 news stories discussed on Twitter revealed that about 70% of the time, rumors won over the truth. However, the main reason for the Mandela Effects is still unknown–perhaps time will reveal its true cause. 

 

written by Keerthi Selvam

edited by Saanvi Gutta and Ananya Balachander

 

Citations:

Bakkila, B. (2020, September 16). What is The Mandela Effect? https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/entertainment/g28438966/mandela-effect-examples/

Cuncic, A. (2020, September 17). What Is the Mandela Effect? Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-the-mandela-effect-4589394#the-internets-impact

Nall, R. (2020, March 13). The Mandela Effect: What It Is and How It Happens. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/mandela-effect#why-this-happens