Photo by Saket Vora

The antenna grid of HAARP in Alaska that was theorized to lead to mind control and the tornado in Joplin, Mo.

Most people know at least a few conspiracy theories. Some of the more popular ones include Bigfoot, aliens being in Area 51, the Loch Ness monster and the many conspiracies involving the JFK assassination. However, there are some conspiracy theories that do not get talked about or discussed as much as some of the more popular ones.

The Mattress Conspiracy
In 2018, a Reddit user brought attention to the fact that there was a high amount of Mattress Firm stores in certain areas of the U.S. Following this information, people began to theorize that the mattress company was a money laundering business. However, an employee at Wedbush, an investment firm, claims that it is actually a business strategy. By having many stores in close proximity with each other, it reduces the number of choices that the customer has to where they essentially become the only choice a customer has, according to wbur.orq.

The Airport Conspiracy
The Denver International Airport is home to many conspiracy theories. For one, the airport was two billion over budget, leading many to believe that there is an underground structure that serves as either a fallout shelter or the headquarters of the Illuminati. Others believe that the airport was built by neo-nazis because there are plaques around the building that claim it was funded by the “New World Airport Commision,” but no information can be found about the existence of the organization anywhere. Some even say that the runways are laid out like a swastika if viewed from above, according to insider.com.

The HAARP Conspiracy
The High-Frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) is a research facility in the mountains of Alaska. The facility has over 180 antennas that collect data about the aurora borealis, radio waves and other atmospheric occurrences. Some people believe that the antennas are an experimental weapon that can control people’s minds. Others believe that it caused a Columbian space shuttle to be destroyed in 2003. But in 2016, the facility held an open house so the public could see that they were not up to anything dangerous, according to insider.com.

The Tornado Conspiracy
On May 22, 2011, Joplin, Mo. was hit with a disastrous tornado with winds reaching 200 mph. The tornado demolished the town and left 161 people dead. However, due to the unusual strength of the tornado, some people began to create the conspiracy theories surrounding the nature of it. One of the most popular theories was that it was created by the U.S. military at the HAARP facility. Due to the fact that the facility is used to collect atmospheric data, many believe that it can also create hurricanes and tornadoes, according to insider.com.