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History is primarily shaped by the decisions individuals, groups, and societies make. Seemingly insignificant, little, and even last-minute choices have the potential to change the course of events and leave a lasting impression on the world. Many such instances await you in the list below, carefully curated by our Bored Panda team in hopes that it piques your interest in the bizarre side of history and reminds us that even the slightest and split-second decisions can hold a lot of power.
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#1
The Man Who Stopped Nuclear War
In 1983, Soviet Lieutenant Colonel Stanislav Petrov received a warning that US missiles were incoming. Protocol called for a retaliatory launch, but Petrov judged the alert to be a system error. He was correct, the system had misinterpreted sunlight reflecting off clouds and his decision likely prevented a nuclear war.
Nicky 8 months ago
Vasily Arkipov saved the world during the Cuban Missle Crisis when a US ship fired grenades at a Russian nuclear sub, causing two of the three officers to vote to launch a nuclear strike.
Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa) 8 months ago
Yeah but, just to be clear, that's a completely different person.
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Fakeus nameus 8 months ago
Also that one guy who didn’t launch when nato forgot to inform about training mission
RELATED:
#2
The Accidental Discovery Of Penicillin
In 1928, Alexander Fleming narrowly decided against throwing out some contaminated petri dishes before going on vacation. Upon his return, examining these specific dishes revealed mold that destroyed nearby bacteria. This chance observation, stemming from his choice not to discard the plates, led directly to the discovery of penicillin and the subsequent development of antibiotics.
Tee Mor 8 months ago
That's why I wait to do my dishes. What if I clean them to soon and miss out on the cure for cancer....
Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa) 8 months ago
This should be higher. I've actually replicated this in class when i I was studying microbiology,. It's crazy how effective it is. .
#3
Passengers Aboard United Airlines Flight 93 Made The Split-Second Decision To Fight Back Against The Hijackers
On September 11, 2001, passengers and crew aboard hijacked United Flight 93 made a critical decision to fight back after learning the plane was headed towards Washington, D.C. Their actions caused the plane to crash before hitting its intended target, likely the U.S. Capitol building. Because of their intervention, Flight 93 was the only one of the four hijacked planes that day that failed to reach the terrorists' goal.
Doodles1983 8 months ago
Some MAGA down voted you. Have an upvote from a NON-US (thank God) citizen.
Load More Replies... Wild Cream 8 months ago (edited)
Smeghead is just spreading long-debunked conspiracy theories. Don’t be a Smeghead, do better than him 😊 it’s not hard to find the facts but it’s incredibly easy to be led astray by crazy scary theories.
RedMarbles 8 months ago
They'd like us to do some "research" on the totally trustworthy journalistic website/scientific journal ae911truth.org, made up of 5 people. The founder has some presentations he can show you, and apparently you also may learn from him that vaccines are poisonous.
Load More Replies... Rebecca Ferguson 8 months ago
I am in awe of people like this. If heaven exists they have truly earned their places there.
Forrest Grump 8 months ago
I worked as a graphic designer through the 1990s and early 2000s. I designed this book cover. Lets-Roll-...121610.jpg 
Have you ever wondered what leads us to make certain decisions? Well, this article should’ve definitely sparked this thought in your mind. Just last year, Harvard scientists gained new insights into how neurons (nerve cells) in the brain communicate during decisions and how connections between neurons may help to reinforce our choices.
The neuroscientists at Harvard Medical School who studied mice were the first to combine structural, functional, and behavioral analyses to explore how neuron-to-neuron connections support decision-making.
#4
Potential Global Nuclear War
During the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, Soviet Naval officer Vasily Arkhipov was aboard submarine B-59 when US ships deployed depth charges nearby. The submarine's captain and political officer believed war had begun and wanted to launch a nuclear torpedo, but Arkhipov disagreed. Since launching required agreement from all three senior officers, Arkhipov's refusal prevented the use of the weapon and possibly averted a nuclear war.
Forrest Hobbs 8 months ago
More about this incident here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasily_Arkhipov#Involvement_in_the_Cuban_Missile_Crisis
#5
Buddy Holly’s Desire To Do Laundry Changed Rock History
Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson died in a plane crash on February 3, 1959. They had been scheduled to travel by bus to their next concert. However, Holly decided to charter a plane so they could arrive early and do laundry, as they were running low on clean clothes. This last-minute decision led to the fatal flight known as "The Day the Music Died."
Jrog 8 months ago (edited)
It wasn't about doing laundry, it was about being tired to sleep on old buses and looking for a more comfortable travel arrangement. Flu and colds were rampant among performers and the supporting crew, that were traveling in mid-February, in the coldest winter recorded in the Midwest in decades, sleeping in rundown motels and traveling on dilapidated buses arranged on the cheap by the promoter. Buddy Holly's drummer Carl Bunch had to be replaced because his foot toe had frozen when one of the buses broke down in a field near Hurley, IA two days earlier in -40°C weather, and he was recovering from frostbite. Holly wanted to avoid a 12-hours, 400 miles transfer and get some rest in decent conditions after 10 miserable 10-hour long trips over 11 days, on a terribly arranged schedule that left him physically debilitated. The crew had named the experience "the tour from Hell".
Joe Reaves 8 months ago
Either Valens or Richardson (I think Richardson but I'm not certain) was only on the plane because they had a cold and someone else swapped places with them because being on the cold bus would have made them sicker. It was an altruistic deed that led to the death of the recipient and survivor's guilt in the person they swapped with.
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Miracle Max 8 months ago
Jennings gave up his seat to JP "The Big Bopper" Richardson, who was suffering from the flu.
Load More Replies... Forrest Grump 8 months ago
I will quote actor Paul Le Mat as (John Milner) in American Graffiti (1973): "Rock & Roll has been going downhill since Buddy Holly died."
Gingersnap In Iowa 8 months ago
Buddy Holly told Waylon Jennings he hoped that bus would break down and Jennings replied; I hope the d**n plane crashes. Waylon Jennings regretted saying that for rest of his life.
Rebecca Ferguson 8 months ago
Bored Panda is showing off their great researching skills once again.
Catlady6000 8 months ago
For real, heck, a Wikipedia search is not that hard and definitely more reliable that...whatever this is
Load More Replies... #6
Einstein’s Letter To Roosevelt
Despite his usual reluctance to engage in politics, Albert Einstein signed a letter to President Roosevelt in 1939. It warned about the possibility of Germany creating atomic weapons. This action contributed to the start of the Manhattan Project, which ultimately had a major effect on warfare and global politics.
James Larsen 8 months ago
This is inaccurate. Einstein never wrote the letter, the letter was written by a Hungarian physicist named Leo Szilard. Szilard and Einstein were friends and Szilard convinced him to attach his name because Einstein was the most famous scientist in the world. Additionally the letter never got to Roosevelt, but was relayed to him by a White House aid that Szilard and Einstein were working with.
Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa) 8 months ago
That letter was sent by Leo Szilard. Signed by Eisenstein and Oppenheimer and Teller and a bunch of others. Leo Szilard is a name that deserves more recognition than he got.
zububonsai 8 months ago (edited)
But how could the allies have known for sure that Germany had abandoned nuclear bomb plans in 1942? Both sides were in a rat race and went to great lengths (when I first read about heavy water and the sabotage of the heavy water plant in Norway it felt like reading about a fantasy novel mixed up with a conspiracy theory)... That at least prevented the Germans from ever get a Uranium reactor going, and who knows what they had done with that...
Load More Replies...“How the brain is organized to help make decisions is a big, fundamental question, and the neural circuitry — how neurons are connected to one another — in brain areas that are important for decision-making isn’t well understood,” said Wei-Chung Allen Lee, associate professor of neurobiology and co-senior author of the study.
To finally get a better understanding of how the brain makes decisions, the researchers tasked mice with choosing which way to go in a maze to find a reward. Afterward, they found that the mouse’s choice to go right or left activated sequential groups of neurons and suppressed activity of neurons linked to the opposite decision.
#7
The Invention Of The Microwave Oven
While working near active radar equipment in 1945, engineer Percy Spencer observed that a chocolate bar in his pocket had melted. He chose to explore this effect right away, testing popcorn next. This quick decision to investigate led directly to the invention of the microwave oven, which significantly altered food preparation.
Forrest Grump 8 months ago
Without the microwave, I would be surviving on cold canned food instead of warm canned food.
Miracle Max 8 months ago
And the world was introduced to the burnt popcorn smell, 2 minutes and 2 seconds later!
#8
The Purchase Of Alaska
In 1867, Secretary of State William Seward arranged the purchase of Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million. The deal faced harsh criticism, nicknamed 'Seward's Folly', and only narrowly passed Congress after nearly failing. Despite the initial ridicule, Alaska later proved extremely valuable due to gold discoveries and its strategic importance.
Phil Green 8 months ago
It's ok though, Russia has already seemingly claimed Congress. So they are getting it back.
#9
Abraham Lincoln’s Assassination
President Lincoln made a last-minute decision to attend Ford's Theatre on April 14, 1865, even though General Grant had cancelled and Lincoln's preferred bodyguard was unavailable. During the play, the guard assigned to Lincoln left his post. This sequence of events left the president unprotected, allowing John Wilkes Booth to enter his box and carry out the assassination.
Joe Reaves 8 months ago
Another couple were invited due to the grants cancelling (Grant' and Lincoln's wives did not get on) and the man in that couple was almost fatally injured trying to stop Booth. As a result of the trauma from this incident plus his career during the war (his resume read like a tour of all the bloodiest spots of the war) led to him killing his wife and trying to k**l himself later in life.
Sam Trudeau 8 months ago
Also, he had a dream the previous night before the play (Lincoln) where he walks into the theatre, everyone around a corpse. He asks someone who died, they said "The president. He was shot by an assassin"
Forrest Grump 8 months ago
Bet you don't know anything except how to write nonsense.
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“As the animal is expressing one choice, the wiring of the neuronal circuit may help stabilize that choice by suppressing other choices,” Lee said. “This could be a mechanism that helps an animal maintain a decision and prevents ‘changes of mind.’”
Of course, these findings have to be confirmed with humans. But since mice are genetically very similar to humans, the same might apply to people. Interestingly enough, mice have become popular research subjects for the same reason, in addition to being easy to keep, having a short generation time, and being able to be produced in large numbers.
#10
The Decision By Rosa Parks To Refuse To Give Up Her Seat On A Bus
In 1955, Rosa Parks decided not to give up her seat on a Montgomery city bus to white passengers, leading to her arrest under local segregation laws. This single act sparked the Montgomery bus boycott. The boycott ultimately succeeded in desegregating the city's buses and became a significant catalyst for the American civil rights movement.
Fakeus nameus 8 months ago
To be fair not a last second decision it was thoroughly planned. Still a remarkable choice and a commendable figure
E Menendez 8 months ago
This. It was actually a very well coordinated effort to show case Rosa Parks as she was a more "palatable" example than Claudette Colvin.
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Robin Roper 8 months ago
Absolutely planned and absolutely necessary. In addition, she wasn't the first..Claudette Colvin was the first person to refuse to give up her seat on a bus and move to the back, nine months before Rosa Parks. Colvin was a 15-year-old student in Montgomery, Alabama, who was arrested in March 1955 for refusing to move. Parks' act of defiance in December 1955, which led to the Montgomery Bus Boycott, is more widely known, but Colvin's earlier action is recognized as a significant moment in the Civil Rights Movement.
Pencil 8 months ago
Framing it as a spur-of-the-moment decision she made on her own diminishes the hard work and bravery of everyone who helped plan it. She was a profoundly courageous woman who deserves our admiration but so are the nameless thousands who struggled for civil rights, far too many of whom gave their lives for it.
Forrest Hobbs 8 months ago
The full story seems to be complicated. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosa_Parks#Refusal_to_move
Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa) 8 months ago
Love that episode of the Boondocks. They do a better explanation than the one we all here in schools.
#11
NASA’s Apollo 13 Scrubbing Protocol
When an oxygen tank exploded on Apollo 13, the crew faced deadly carbon dioxide buildup. Engineers on the ground had to quickly design a filter using only materials available on the spacecraft, like plastic bags and duct tape. This improvised, last-minute solution was successful and saved the astronauts' lives.
Forrest Hobbs 8 months ago
The fix wasn't actually a filter. It was an improvised carbon dioxide absorber, using lithium hydroxide (LiOH) pellets. The problem was that they had to occupy the lunar module (LM) rather than the command module (CM), and the LM didn't have enough LiOH canisters. The CM did have enough canisters, but they were incompatible with the LM's ventilation system. Engineers on the ground figured out how to make an adaptor to attach the CM LiOH canisters to the LM equipment - using duct tape, plastic covers from manuals, and other bits and pieces they had on board. More here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_13#Return_to_Earth
Rinso The Red 8 months ago
If I recall it was literally a square peg in the round hole scenario
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Shelley Keenan 8 months ago
My paternal grandfather was one of the people on the ground designing the filter!
Forrest Hobbs 8 months ago (edited)
Yes, all this took place in space - but the launch is that of Apollo 13. My next post is a picture from Wikipedia showing the adaptor fitted with an LiOH canister to the left (in the picture; the right hand side from the astronaut's point of view) of the astronaut's right arm (John Swigert)
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#12
The Launch Of The Apollo 11 Mission
Just days before its scheduled launch in July 1969, the final go-ahead was given for the Apollo 11 mission, even with existing technical issues. This decision led to the first humans landing on the Moon. The successful mission met a national objective and represented a key milestone in space exploration.
Mike Crow 8 months ago
They had to change landing zones to avoid large rocks and made it safely with only seconds of fuel left.
Forrest Hobbs 8 months ago (edited)
If the selected landing spot had been clear, they would have landed purely under computer control. As it was, Neil Armstrong had to fly the LM manually. I recall (from a documentary) that apparently the medical telemetry data showed that Armstrong's pulse rate instantly doubled when he took the controls - but you'd never know it from his voice. No, he wasn't panicking (he never did): he just went from "relaxed" to "fully alert" in pretty much a single heartbeat. All that talk about "the right stuff"? All the Apollo 11 crew had it, but Armstrong probably more than anyone. Buzz Aldrin was probably more worried than Armstrong, because all he could do was sit there watching the fuel indicator drop lower and lower... 😬
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Jrog 8 months ago
This is overblown. Yes, they were aware of technical issues but none of them were considered "major" at the time. The LM had known software issues, and was known to give alarms due do lack of processing power. The crew found out during tests and the software had already been amended with fault-tolerant routines. Comms were the second largest issues, with known "dark zones" but at the time it was not possible to solve the issue so they were just built into the comm schedule. The landing radar was known to give erratic readings, that Armstrong learned to "average" with the correct ones, and were posing minor threat. The unknown risk from dust had been mitigated through hardware fixes and factored into the procedures for any possible threat. All the untested parts (docking sequence, descent engine, A7L spacesuits etc) had multiple redundant plans, leaving only a couple worst case scenarios unaddressed because it was simply not feasible to provide backup plans.
Jrog 8 months ago
The only real risktaking was with the LOR procedure, where the LEM would have to dock with the CM in lunar orbit. That was untested, and there was no way to test it fully in a safe environment. Calculations were made to find the optimal "safe corridor", that was extremely small and required perfect alignment, something that was a major element in Collins' training. Anything but the LOR docking and the reentry had contingency plans and in-built redundancies, as thoroughly highlighted by Apollo 13.
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MagicJacket 8 months ago
Balls of steel. The idea of going up that far in a tin can horrifies me to this day.
Forrest Hobbs 8 months ago
Tin can? Oh boy... Tin cans are perhaps more robust than the Apollo lunar module (LM; the Command Module, which served as the re-entry craft, had to be and was very tough). 😂 My memory recalls a documentary in which Buzz Aldrin mentioned he could have punched a hole through the LM's skin *with a pencil*. Then there was the Gemini 8 emergency which Neil Armstrong had previously dealt with - a stuck-on manoeuvring thruster caused the spacecraft to rotate faster and faster and faster (peaking at 296° rotation per second). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gemini_8#Emergency.
Load More Replies... JoNo 8 months ago
In this scenario the launch would have been delayed, not cancelled, so the moon landing would have happened, just on a different date. I highly doubt they would have thrown up their hands and said "That's it, this will never happen". Too much time, effort and money had been put into it.
Getting back to the topic of decision-making, researchers also claim that many of our choices are made unconsciously. Since we make hundreds of decisions every day, we don’t think carefully through each one of them and often rely on our subconscious and emotions.
While looking at brain activity, researchers could predict what choices people would make 7-10 seconds before they were even aware of it themselves. This means that even when we think we’re making a conscious, logical decision, chances are that we aren’t aware that it was unconscious.
#13
Kokura’s Escape From The Atomic Bomb
Kokura was the primary target for the second U.S. atomic bomb in August 1945, following Hiroshima. Due to clouds obscuring the city, the bomber could not proceed with the attack there. The mission was diverted to the secondary target, Nagasaki, which consequently suffered the bombing instead of Kokura.
Anonymouse 8 months ago
and thus, poor Tsutomu Yamaguchi gets nuked for the second time... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsutomu_Yamaguchi
Wild Cream 8 months ago
That guy honestly is one of the unluckiest dudes to ever live 😅 I hope many good things happened to him
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geezeronthehill 8 months ago
Some accounts say the clouds were actually smoke from the firebombing of nearby cities.
#14
Castro’s Close Call: Marita Lorenz’s Last-Minute Change Of Heart
CIA agent Marita Lorenz was assigned to poison Fidel Castro in 1959 using poison pills. However, at the decisive moment, she decided not to proceed with the plan and disposed of the pills instead. This inaction allowed Castro to continue leading Cuba for many decades.
CP 8 months ago
It would be interesting to imagine a what if, but the US doesn't have a great record in the aftermath of getting rid of leaders.
Geoffrey Scott 8 months ago
In an interview with Rolling Stone, Sting's father, a former CIA guy, related a story about how the CIA attempted to embarrass (Indonesian) President Suharto by soaking the paper of a speech he was to give in a psychedelic solution. "He gave one of the most electric, awe inspiring speeches of his life".
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David 8 months ago
1) Not a CIA Agent, 2) She was a mistress of Fidel who later claimed she had been recuited by the CIA to use poison pills. 3) Her claims have never been verified, 4) She made many claims over the years, about working with the FBI, being a CIA handler for Lee Harvey Oswald, etc. None of her claims have ever been verified, and many have been proven to have been impossible to have happened. No serious historians have ever accepted her claims. However she made a lot of money selling her books and speaking at conspiracy conferences
#15
How Misplaced Plans Of Attack Altered The Course Of The American Civil War
During the Civil War, Confederate Major General D.H. Hill inadvertently lost crucial battle plans meant for General Robert E. Lee. Reportedly left behind in an envelope, the documents detailed Union General McClellan's troop movements. A Union soldier found the plans, allowing McClellan to use this intelligence before the Battle of Antietam.
Don Adams 8 months ago
The plans were found by Union soldiers, wrapped around 3 cigars. While sensitive information, it's usefulness was diminishing as General McClellan was doing his customary foot dragging. Luckily, the Union possessed a 2.5:1 advantage in manpower, and was able to halt Lee's advance northward.
Michael Largey 8 months ago (edited)
There is a relation. Too many people died at both places.
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That’s probably what also happened with the people on this list who made the last-minute decisions that changed the course of history. In addition, they were also probably influenced by their gut feeling and emotions, since we can’t make choices without feelings, thanks to the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (or ‘vmPFC’) in our brain.
It’s a part of the front of the brain, which is responsible for regulating anxiety and fear, and allows us to make decisions. So when a person can’t make up their mind about something, they’re better persuaded by appealing to their emotions than logical arguments.
#16
A Coin Toss Named Portland, Oregon
The name of Portland, Oregon, was determined by a coin toss between its founders, Asa Lovejoy and Francis Pettygrove. Each wanted to name the settlement after his respective hometown, Boston, Massachusetts, or Portland, Maine. Pettygrove won the best two-out-of-three toss, and the Oregon city was named Portland.
MagicJacket 8 months ago
Not true. The choices were between Boston, Portland, and City McCityface. 😁
Wild Cream 8 months ago
Boat McBoatface is honestly my Roman Empire 😂 it’s probably one of the most adorably human things humanity has ever done lmao
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#17
The Assassination Of Archduke Franz Ferdinand: A Driver’s Error
A driver's error directly contributed to the start of World War I in 1914. After Archduke Franz Ferdinand survived an initial assassination attempt, his driver made a wrong turn. This mistake placed the Archduke's car directly in the path of Gavrilo Princip, who then shot and k**led him, triggering the war.
Corvus 8 months ago
Ummm, no, the assassination contributed, but did not directly "trigger" the war. Europe had been divided into two opposing alliances and in a large-scale arms race for many years before this incident, so the war would have likely started one way or another, even without this shooting.
Forrest Hobbs 8 months ago
Corvus, history is a matter of interpretation and a lot of arguing. Some argue that the multiplicity of alliances in Europe at that time existed to prevent a new big war. Me? 🤷 I'm no historian and I have no idea one way or the other.
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Zaach 8 months ago
The 'Rites of Spring' premiered during the lead up to the war (military builtup for years) - the audience reaction was severe. People started booing - the people who liked the music started hitting the booers who hit back. the theater was emptied and the riots took over Paris for 3 days (probably exaggerated) 30 years later The Rites of Spring was used in a children's movie (Fantasia).
Forrest Hobbs 8 months ago
Fantasia wasn't created just for children. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fantasia_(1940_film). The Rite of Spring's premiere wasn't quite as bad as some make out. "The unrest receded significantly during Part II, and by some accounts Maria Piltz's rendering of the final "Sacrificial Dance" was watched in reasonable silence. At the end there were several curtain calls for the dancers, for Monteux and the orchestra, and for Stravinsky and Nijinsky before the evening's programme continued" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rite_of_Spring#Premiere
Load More Replies... John Dilligaf 8 months ago
Not really fair to blame the driver. The initial assassination attempt (a thrown bomb) occurred at about 10:10 and failed. The Archduke continued on with his itinerary. After making a speech he decided, on the spur of the moment, to go to the hospital to visit those wounded in the first attempt. But someone neglected to brief the drivers about the change; so they went the route that was originally planned. When they made the turn the security escort started shouting at them that they were supposed to be going to the hospital, so they started to turn around. The turn-around kerfuffle occurred about 10:45, right in front of the deli where Princip was eating lunch after the previous, failed, attempt.
#18
The Key That Could Have Saved The Titanic
A last-minute crew change before the Titanic's voyage meant departing officer David Blair accidentally kept the key to the lookout's binoculars locker. Because the key was missing, lookout Frederick Fleet did not have access to binoculars on the night the ship encountered the iceberg. Fleet later testified that with binoculars, he might have spotted the iceberg sooner, potentially preventing the disaster.
Lee Gilliland 8 months ago
This is absolute nonsense. You cannot see an iceberg more easily with binoculars. They will help identify what you see, but not when you see it. There were many mistakes that nught, but this key wasn't one that could have prevented the tragedy.
Ace 8 months ago (edited)
Having spent some not inconsiderable time on a ships' bridges during ocean crossing, I can tell you that binoculars do indeed allow you to see things sooner, at a greater distance. At 30 miles or so (I haven't done the sums, could have been as low as 20 depending on the heights of the bridge and the berg) they would have had a line of sight, but potentially not enough light to distinguish the grey against grey at that distance, whereas constant scanning with binoculars would show up a line of different grey much more easily.
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Jrog 8 months ago
The lack of access to binoculars has been analysed in the inquiry and considered inconsequential, even as an accessory cause. Blair's family kept the key, and donated it to a charity who put it up for auction in the 2000s. The over-exaggerated importance of the key in the retelling of the story was popularized by the auction house, Henry Aldridge & Son, while drumming up interest for the sale.
Mike Crow 8 months ago
There was many things that would have prevented the sinking. Besides the lack of binoculars for the lookouts, there was the speed of Titanic at the time, Captain Smith decision to wait to turn west (he was ironically trying to avoid icebergs), the weather was calm and there were no waves crashing against the iceberg so made it harder to see, and finally the iceberg itself was believed to be a blue iceberg (meaning its top was heavier than the bottom and flipped upside down. The new top was much more transparent and harder to see).
Howl's sleeping castle 8 months ago
Lost count of how many times this post has appeared and how many times people commented that it is fake
T'Mar of Vulcan 8 months ago
There were about 14 things that went wrong before and during that voyage that, had even one of them not happened, the ship would likely not have sunk. But it's easy to say so in hindsight.
T'Mar of Vulcan 8 months ago
It was specifically the binoculars for the lookouts, maybe 2 pairs? Presumably they were kept locked up because they were expensive and they didn't want somebody walking off with them. The officers on the bridge had binoculars. Why they didn't give them to the lookouts is a question for the White Star Line.
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Most of our decision-making is unconscious or emotional, but that doesn’t mean that it’s poor or irrational. Since we receive an overwhelming amount of data every day, our unconscious has evolved to process most of it and to make decisions that, most of the time, are in our best interests. This could be described as “trusting your gut,” and it often tends to work, just like it did for the people in this list.
#19
Christopher Columbus’s Route Change
Shortly before his 1492 voyage, Christopher Columbus changed his planned route across the Atlantic. He decided against a more northern course and instead sailed west from the Canary Islands. This last-minute navigational choice resulted in his arrival in the Caribbean.
#20
Hannibal Created A Battle-Losing Avalanche By Striking A Snow Drift With A Walking Cane
While leading his army across the Alps, Carthaginian general Hannibal Barca encountered heavy snowfall. To demonstrate the ground was solid beneath the snow, he reportedly struck a large drift with his walking cane. This action triggered an avalanche, which unfortunately resulted in the deaths of many of his soldiers.
Jrog 8 months ago (edited)
That's BS. There is no historical sources about this factoid, that appears only in recent retellings from internet magazines. Polybius and Livy, the main primary sources about Hannibal, make no mention of this story; consider that they give a detailed ledger of the forces and losses of Hannibal, down to the number of elephants killed by cold, starving or enemy attacks. Please note that the reported source linked does NOT contain this claim.
Jrog 8 months ago (edited)
The oldest source for this factoid appears to be from a consulting firm, that in typical consulting firm fashion makes up some BS to justify some made-up business point (in this case, "slow is better than fast" and "caution is better than risk"... no s**t Sherlock!). https://tomorrowtodayglobal.com/2011/03/01/a-leadership-lesson-from-history-on-impetuosity-avalanches/
Load More Replies... Wild Cream 8 months ago
Reminds me of Mulan (the old Disney animated movie, I haven’t seen the live action)
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Forrest Grump 8 months ago
This page is a great example of how to write posts without checking the facts first.
Smeghead Tribble Down Under 8 months ago
Not exactly last-minute, but Hannibal Barca deciding not to march on Rome after the Carthaginian victory at the Battle of Caanae in 216BC. Try to imagine the world today without the influence of the Roman Empire.
Forrest Grump 8 months ago
This page is a great example of how to write posts without checking the facts first.
Smeghead Tribble Down Under 8 months ago
Not exactly last-minute, but Hannibal Barca deciding not to march on Rome after the Carthaginian victory at the Battle of Caanae in 216BC. Try to imagine the world today without the influence of the Roman Empire.
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