Pandora from Hesiod’s 700 BC poem Works and Days showed us that there are questions better left unanswered and boxes better left closed. In the modern day, ‘Pandora’s Box’ could apply to more than 15 real (or rumored) places. Restricted on the grounds of safety and secrecy (some are even rumored not to exist), these places warn us of what Pandora had to learn the hard way—some locks are better left unopened.
Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Australia
With ambiguous sovereignty and an uninhabitable ecosystem, Heard and McDonald islands remain one of the world’s most breathtaking dangers due to their extreme weather. Located in the remote Southern Indian Ocean, neighboring the continent of Antarctica, these islands are home to the active volcano Big Ben (formerly called Big Ben Peak) and various species of birds, seals, and penguins. Without the human touch, these islands serve as a natural research site for geomorphic and glacial studies.
Fukushima Exclusion Zone, Japan
Japan is well-known for its picturesque tourist attractions, but even this country has a darker side. The restricted corner of this beautiful nation is the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant or the “Exclusion Zone” due to the high levels of radiation. Citizens within a 20 km radius were forced to evacuate in March 2011 when a tsunami struck the reactors and leaked lethal radiation from the power plant. To this day, visitors are still prohibited from entering this zone, although they can drive around certain parts of the place with written authorization.
Wittenoom, Western Australia
Just like the Exclusion Zone in Fukushima, Japan, the Wittenoom asbestos mine in Western Australia poses great health risks to visitors due to large amounts of asbestos, a group of toxic, carcinogenic minerals mainly used in commercial and manufacturing industries. The prolonged illnesses of the workers and citizens caused by the exposure to these harmful minerals led Wittenoom to forever close its doors to visitors.
The Red Zone, Verdun, France
World War I left humanity soulless and Verdun, France in ruins. The longest battle of World War I happened there, which effectively filled the soil with dense metals, harmful chemicals, and unexploded ammunition. The French government continues to monitor the Red Zone, preventing entry, residency, and farming on its bloodied grounds.
Kahoʻolawe Island, Hawaii, USA
Another once-hauntingly-beautiful place driven to oblivion by war is Kahoʻolawe Island. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor in December of 1941, this island in Hawaii—formerly rich in tradition and thriving with marine life—became the United States’ bombing range, replacing the laughter and marine life with explosives for years to come.
The Gangkhar Puensum, Bhutan
While other islands remain closed for health and safety reasons, some mountains remain unclimbed for spiritual beliefs. Such is the Gangkhar Puensum summit in Bhutan, with its peaks assumed to be the home of spirits and deities. Bhutanese people believe that disturbing them will bring bad luck, causing the Bhutanese government to completely forbid all mountaineering activities. Because of this, Gangkhar Puensum earned the title of the highest unclimbed mountain in the world. Do deities really get pissed over footprints on the summit? No one has dared to know.
The Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion, Ethiopia
Mysteries also surround the walls of The Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion in Ethiopia due to the belief that it contains the sacred artifact Ark of the Covenant. Based on the tradition of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, only a specially chosen monk delegated to guard the artifact can enter the premises. Does it really house the Ark? Apparently, only one person can answer.
Poveglia Island, Italy
If the Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion is for the spiritual, this one is for the paranormal. Dubbed one of the most haunted places in Venice, Italy, Poveglia Island is closed to visitors due to its roots stemming from a plague quarantine area to a mental asylum. Because of the tragedies the island witnessed, stories of the paranormal also haunt the island. But much like the existence of ghosts, no one can really know what lies on this island because no one is allowed to enter.
Svalbard Global Seed Vault, Norway
If you ever thought about the end of the world, you have one thing in common with the Norwegian government who built the Svalbard Global Seed Vault or the “Doomsday Vault” for catastrophic events. This underground vault stores various seed reserves regarded as the “world’s largest collection of agricultural biodiversity.” Entry is prohibited to the public, but you can still be guided to the entrance of the reserve, although that is how far you can go.
Pine Gap, Australia
Pine Gap is a top-secret defense facility operated by the United States, housing several “national security secrets” and other sensitive information such as missile launches and intelligence on phone calls and radio transmissions. Obviously, normal citizens like us without the blood of a spy or Eleven from Stranger Things are restricted from accessing it. But if you’re ever curious about what’s inside, a lot of spy movies may provide you with some insight.
Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp, Cuba
A heinous product of the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001, the Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp in Cuba was established to hold perceived enemies of the nation. It was highly classified since it was governed by neither the US nor international law, making the line between torture and imprisonment blurry. Its existence left a stain in the history of the United States as an unjust act against human rights.
The Coca-Cola Vault, USA
Mr. Krabs from SpongeBob SquarePants probably took inspiration from the Coca-Cola Vault in storing his Krabby Patty formula. Inside the specialized Coca-Cola vault is the original Coca-Cola formula. The company offers an exclusive tour around the vault, but it does not disclose the formula. Now we know how Plankton must feel.
Bohemian Grove, USA
Secret clubs and organizations not only exist in the Kingsman series but also in real life. The Bohemian Grove in California is the tangible proof. When the members are on the premises, the place is heavily secured by ex-military personnel and sometimes by the United States Secret Service. What this private club does behind closed doors remains a secret to the public. Some say the club is Luciferian or a Babylon mystery, but unless we become one of the “cool kids,” we will never know.
Metro-2, Moscow, Russia
Russia is not new to secrecy, and its Metro-2 underground railway system is suspected to be just one of its many secrets. It was believed to have been built during the Soviet era for nuclear emergencies and was highly protected from the public. The Russian government denied its existence, but one couldn’t help but wonder.
The Tomb of Genghis Khan, Mongolia
Amid all the superstitions, warnings, and beliefs surrounding these hidden places on Earth, the tomb of Genghis Khan may be the most extreme. No one really knows the exact location of the tomb, but Mongolians believe that letting the secret out will bring about the end of the world. Is this catastrophe what the vaults and hidden places are for? Until someone dares, this Pandora’s box will remain closed.
