This Week in Science: The “Ghost” Flight, The Baghdad Battery And More

The “Ghost” Flight: Helios Airways Flight 522

On August 14, 2005, Helios Flight 522 became a “ghost flight” after crew missed a pressurization switch left on “manual,” causing hypoxia (oxygen starvation) that made everyone unconscious (except one). The Boeing 737 flew on autopilot over Athens for hours before crashing near Grammatiko, Greece, killing all 121 people.

The Father of Hand Washing: Ignaz Semmelweis

In 1846, Hungarian doctor Ignaz Semmelweis — the father of handwashing — discovered that chlorine handwashing drastically reduced deadly childbirth infections. Despite clear results, doctors rejected his idea, partly out of pride that they were spreading infection. He pleaded, wrote furious letters, and died dismissed as mad, though his work later became a foundation of modern hygiene.

The “Black Knight” Satellite: A Century-Old Conspiracy Theory

In 1899, Nikola Tesla recorded unusual radio signals, speculating they originated from an intelligent alien civilization. This event, combined with decades of other sightings and unidentified orbiting objects, sparked the “Black Knight” satellite conspiracy theory, claiming an alien craft has silently orbited Earth for 13,000 years.

The Baghdad Battery: A 2,000-Year-Old Electrical Device or Modern Myth?

The Baghdad Battery is an ancient clay jar containing a copper cylinder and iron rod, discovered near Baghdad, Iraq. Archaeologist Wilhelm König theorized it was an early battery capable of producing electricity. However, most scholars believe it was a storage vessel for documents. It was looted from Iraq’s Museum in 2003 and remains missing.

AI Reported a Police Officer ‘Turned Into a Frog’

An AI-generated police report claimed an officer turned into a frog — because the body cam caught The Princess and the Frog playing in the background, and the AI system took it as part of the actual incident.