Aliens wearing the skins of politicians. Vampires roaming the streets of New York. Elvis appearing in a piece of toast. All of these notions sound completely and utterly insane. But what if there was, underneath the unbelievable exterior, a tiny grain of truth in conspiracy theories?

Consider the following, as reported by National Geographic and the Smithsonian Institution: during Prohibition, the formula of alcohol was changed by the U.S. government, turning drinks into poison that killed many. Lee Harvey Oswald, the assassin of President John F. Kennedy, and Jack Ruby, the assassin of Oswald, knew each other well. And, between 1953 and 1973, the CIA performed illegal experiments on criminals and terminal cancer patients in over eighty colleges throughout the country, later burning and clearing the records so charges would not be pressed.

Those may sound just as crazy as the existence of vampires. However, poisoned alcohol, assassin knowing each other, and Project MK-Ultra are entirely true historical occurrences. Not only that, but conspiracy theorists were instrumental in unmasking the truth behind the incidents.

Without the vocal conspiracy theorists, persisting in their belief that something was wrong, we might still have poisoned alcohol and people locked in rooms, dying of botched lobotomies and LSD overdoses to this day.

There are obviously many conspiracy theories that have zero basis in fact – and I wouldn’t trust anybody who sees Elvis in their toast—but some have a lot to offer that is generally overlooked.

In no way am I saying that every piece of information from conspiracy theories is true. Of course, conspiracy theories are still primarily a blend of hype and fiction, with focus only on what supports the thesis of the theory.

However, at the crux of the matter, conspiracy theorists are some of the first people in our world who are tipped off to when something may be illegal, uncomfortable, and, on occasion, plain old morally wrong.

It is, of course, incredibly important to check multiple reliable sources for correct information. Once a source that you trust begins reporting things you’ve been hearing from conspiracy theorists, it’s very probable that those reports have been credible all along.
There may be a million incorrect red flags along the way. But, personally? If there’s the potential that we could catch illegal activity right at the start rather than later on, a la Russian athletes doping in the Olympics, sitting around in tinfoil hats might just be worth it—though I don’t think I’ll be looking for Marilyn Monroe in my coffee cup anytime soon. That’s going just a little too far.

Conspiracy Theories Every Patriot Should Know:

Elvis Presley in a Coffee Cup

A worker in Bristol was astonished when he saw the deceased singer floating in the dregs of his coffee, just this past December. This is not the first time this has been reported, with Presley – along with Michael Jackson and Marilyn Monroe – as the prime conspiracy suspects.

Celebrities are Aliens

Possibly one of the most persistent conspiracy theories over time, many people believe that celebrities – actors, musicians, and politicians among them – are really alien lizards wearing human skin suits. They also believe that Diana, Princess of Wales, and President John F. Kennedy knew the truth, which was why they were “eliminated”.

What’s in the Bermuda Triangle?

Multiple planes and boats, both passenger and commercial, have disappeared in the Bermuda Triangle, leaving no wreckage. Many people claim that the site is Earth’s link to Mars, and aliens have been regularly kidnapping Earthlings to use in experiments.