Scattered around the Mediterranean lie the remains of the ancient theaters of the Greek and Roman world. The Greek theaters were large, open-air structures constructed on the slope of a hill. Roman theaters, although heavily influenced by the Greeks, have specific differences, such as being built upon their own foundations.

The theater originates from the city-state of Athens where it was used for festivals honoring the god Dionysus and the famous Athenian tragedy, comedy, and satyr plays. The Romans, being a little bit less philosophical in spirit than the Greek, wanted more pure entertainment with lots of laughs and excitement. Popular entertainments in Roman times included mime plays, acrobatics, jugglers, animal fights and gladiator fights although the later two were more common in the Roman amphitheater.

Below is a list of some of the best preserved and most amazing ancient theatres of Greek and Roman antiquity. 

Taormina was a Greek colony on the east coast of the island of Sicily. The theater of Taormina was built by the Greeks in the 2nd century BC and restructured and widened by the Romans. The ancient theatre is beautiful situated, overlooking the bay of Naxos and mount Etna. Today it is the center of the Taormina’s international film festival.

Jerash is a popular archaeological site in Jordan, second only to Petra. The city’s golden age came under Roman rule and the site is now generally acknowledged as one of the best preserved Roman provincial towns in the world. Jerash contains not one but two Roman theatres. The north theatre, with a capacity of 1600, was built in 165 AD and was mainly used as the city council chamber. The larger south theatre was built between 90-92 AD and could seat more than 3000 spectators.

The Odeon of Herodes Atticus, cut into the southern slope of the Athenian Acropolis, was built in 161 AD by Herodes Atticus in memory of his wife. The structure was used as a theatre in ancient Athens for various plays and music concerts. It originally had a wooden roof and could seat up to 5,000 people.

According to an inscription, the Roman Theatre of Merida in present-day Spain was built in 16 BC by order of Agrippa, a general and friend of emperor Augustus. The ancient theatre could house up to 6,000 spectators. In later centuries the theater underwent several restorations which introduced new architectonic elements and decorations. The structure was restored to the current state in the 1960s-1970s.

The Roman Theatre of Amman in Jordan was built during the reign of Marcus Aurelius in the 2nd century AD. The large and steeply raked theatre could seat about 6,000 people. It is cut into the hillside and oriented north to keep the sun off the spectators. The theatre was built on three tiers: the rulers, sat closest to the action, the military had the middle section, and the general public sat on the highest section. Although far from the stage, even there the actors could be clearly heard, owing to the steepness of the theatre.

Pergamum was an ancient city founded by Greek colonists on the Aegean coast of Anatolia. Although Pergamum is one of Turkey’s lesser known archaeological sites it contains a number of notable structures, including the theater. The Pergamon theater was built in the 3rd century and could seat 10,000 spectators. It is one of the steepest ancient theaters in the world.

Side is a popular resort town on the Mediterranean coast of southern Turkey. The city was founded by Greek settlers in the 7th century BC and was one of most important trade centers in the region. In 25 BC Side became part of the Roman province Galatia and prospered through its trade in olive oil and slaves. The roman ruins of Side that are in fairly good condition today include a temple, city gate and an ancient theatre which could seat about 15,000 to 20,000 people.

Located in Libya, Sabratha’s was established around 500 BC as a Phoenician trading-post and reched its peak under Roman rules as a coastal outlet for the products of the African hinterland. The Theatre of Sabratha was built in the 2n century AD. The structure appears largely intact owing to its reconstruction by Italian archaeologists in the 1930s. The theatre had 25 entrances and could seat approximately 5,000 spectators.

The Roman Theater of Orange in France is a well preserved theatre build in the 1st century AD for watching theatrical performances. After the Roman Empire declined the theatre was closed by official edict in 391 AD as the Church opposed what it regarded as uncivilized spectacles. The ancient theatre was restored in the 19th century and today it is home of the summer opera festival, the Chorégies d’Oran.

The ruins of Ephesus are a popular tourist attraction on the west coast of Turkey. The city of Ephesus was once famed for the Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, which was destroyed by a mob led by the archbishop of Constantinople in 401 AD. Some of the structures can still be seen however including the impressive Great Theater. This large theatre, which was capable of holding 25,000 spectators, was used initially for drama, but during later Roman times it was also used for gladiator fights.

Aspendos boasts one of the best preserved ancient theatres of antiquity. Located in south-west Turkey, the theatre of Aspendos was build in 155 AD during the rule of the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius and could seat between 15,000 and 20,000 spectators. Because the stage area was later used as a caravanserai (a roadside inn) in Seljuk times, it was continuously repaired and maintained. Thus, the Aspendos Theatre has been able to survive to this days without losing almost any of its original qualities.

In ancient times Delphi was the most important site in ancient Greek religion, home to the sanctuary and oracle of Apollo. The ancient theatre of Delphi in Greece was built on a hill giving spectators a view of the entire sanctuary and the spectacular landscape below. It was originally built in the 4th and could seat 5,000 spectators.

Situated 140 Km south of Damascus in Syria, Bosra is an ancient city that was already mentioned in the 14th century BC by Egyptians hieroglyphs. The city was conquered by the Romans in 106 AD who made it the capital of their Arabia province. The theatre of Bosra was built in the 2nd century AD and could seat up to 15,000 people. Because a fortress was built around the theatre by the Ayyubids it is now one of the best preserved Roman theatres in the world.

The theatre of Epidaurus, located on the northeastern corner of the Peloponnesus in Greece, was constructed in the 4th century BC. It is still one of the most beautiful Greek theatres in the world. Unlike Roman theatres the view on a lush landscape behind the scene is an integral part of the theater itself. The theatre of Epidaurus is famous for its exceptional acoustics. Actors on stage can be perfectly heard by all 14,000 spectators, regardless of their seating.

A temple is roughly defined as a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities. Temples have been built throughout the ages and many new ones open their doors every year. The Akshardham Temple in New Delhi built in 2008 and the White Temple in Chiang Rai which is still under construction are just two recent examples. The ancient temples on this list however were built millenniums ago by people who’s religion and believe system are nog longer practiced. These buildings are among the oldest man made structures found on earth. They serve as a testimony to the gods and deities of cultures and civilizations long gone.

Located some 5 km (3 mi) south of Heraklion, the Palace of Knossos is the most important and best known Minoan palace complex in Crete. The great palace was built gradually between 1700 and 1400 BC, with periodic rebuildings after destruction until it was devastated once and for all by fire. The palace comprised living spaces, reception rooms, workshops, shrines and store rooms all built around a central square. The main function of the palace is still under debate. It could have been used primarily as an administrative center, a religious center—or both, in a theocratic manner. Knossos is also often associated with the legend of the Athenian hero Theseus killing the Minotaur.

Sometimes referred to as the first temple or oldest temple, Göbekli Tepe is a sanctuary built on a hilltop in southeastern Turkey. The houses or temples are round megalithic buildings while the walls are made of unworked dry stone and include numerous T-shaped monolithic pillars of limestone that are up to 3 meter (10 ft) high. The site, was erected by hunter-gatherers in the 10th millennium BC (!) making it by far the oldest human-made place of worship yet discovered. Göbekli Tepe not only predate pottery, and the invention of writing or the wheel but it was also built before the beginning of agriculture and animal husbandry.

The Temple of Amada is the oldest temple in Nubia and was first constructed by Egyptian pharaoh Thutmose III in the 15th century BC. The temple was dedicated to Amun and Re-Horakhty. Alterations and decoration were carried out by later pharaohs. Akhenaten had the name Amun destroyed throughout the temple for example while Seti I had this restored again. Although the temple is quite small and has crumbling exterior, its interior features some of the most finely cut reliefs with bright and vibrant colors.

High on a hill on the island of Gozo, is the Stone Age Ggantija prehistoric temple complex. Constructed from 3,600-3,000 BC, the Ggantija temples are the earliest of a series of megalithic temples in Malta, pre-dating Egypt’s pyramids and Britain’s Stonehenge by over a 1,000 years. This megalithic monument is in fact two temples, built side by side and enclosed within a boundary wall. The numerous figurines and statues indicate that the temples were possibly the site of a Fertility cult. The temples on Malta are the oldest temples in Europe.

The megalithic complex of Hagar Qim is located atop a cliff on the southern edge of the island of Malta. The Mnajdra temples are about 600 meters further down further down the cliff . Hagar Qim consists of a main temple and three additional megalithic structures beside it. The largest megalith at Hagar Qim is some 7 meters (23 ft) high and weights around 20 tons. Mnajdra consists of three conjoined but not connected temples . The oldest temples were built between 3600 and 3200 BC. Many artifacts were recovered from within the temples suggesting that these old temples were used for religious purposes. These structures were not used as tombs since no human remains were found.

The Temple of Seti I is the mortuary temple of Pharaoh Seti I on the west bank of the Nile in Abydos. The ancient temple was constructed towards the end of the reign of Seti, and may have been completed by his son Ramesses the Great after his death in 1279 BC. The temple was not only dedicated to Seti I but also to a number of deities. The raised reliefs in this old temple are some of the finest and most detailed in all of Egypt. The temple also contains the Abydos King List. It is a chronological list of many dynastic pharaohs of Egypt from Menes, the Egyptian king credited with founding the First dynasty, until Ramesses I, Seti’s father.

The Hypogeum in Malta is the only prehistoric underground temple in the world. The temple consists of halls, chambers and passages carved out of rock. Thought to be originally a sanctuary, it became a necropolis in prehistoric times. The complex is grouped in three levels – the upper level (3600-3300 BC), the middle level (3300-3000 BC), and the lower level (3150 -2500 BC). The deepest room in the lower level is 10.6 meters (35 ft) underground. Only a limited number of visitors are allowed entry and there can be a 2-3 weeks wait to get a ticket.

The Mortuary temple of Hatshepsut, who ruled Egypt from around 1479 BC until her death in 1458 BC, is situated beneath the cliffs at Deir el Bahari on the west bank of the Nile. It is a colonnaded structure, which was designed and implemented by Senemut, the royal architect of Hatshepsut, to serve for her posthumous worship and to honor the glory of Amun. The temple is built into a cliff face that rises sharply above it and consists of three layered terraces reaching 30 meters (97 ft ) in height. These terraces are connected by long ramps which were once surrounded by gardens.

The Luxor Temple is located on the east bank of the River Nile in the ancient city of Thebes and was founded in 1400 BC during the New Kingdom. The temple was dedicated to the three Egyptian gods Amun, Mut, and Chons. This old temple was the center of the festival of Opet, Thebes’ most important festival. During the annual festival the statues of the three Gods were escorted from Karnak to the temple of Luxor along the avenue of sphinxes that connect the 2 temples. The festival lasted 11 days during the 18th Dynasty but had grown to 27 days by the reign of Ramesses III in the 20th Dynasty. No longer an active religious site, holidays to Luxor are extremely popular with tourists nowadays.

One of the most famous sites in the world, Stonehenge is composed of earthworks surrounding a circular setting of large standing stones in south west England. Stonehenge was produced by a culture that left no written records so many aspects of Stonehenge remain subject to debate. Evidence indicate that the iconic stone monument was erected around 2500 BC while the last known construction at Stonehenge was about 1600 BC. The gigantic stones may have come from a quarry, around 40 kilometers (25 mi) north of Stonehenge on the Marlborough Downs. It is not known for certain what purpose Stonehenge served, but many scholars believe the monument was used as a ceremonial or religious center. Today, it is a popular tourist destination in England and Stonehenge tours are available from several English cities.

Šarolika i bogata staroslavenska mitologija u svom sadržaju imala je i nešto slično keltskim sirenama – rusalke. Ukratko, rusalke su bile prelijepe mlade žene koje su obitavale u svim vodama te uživale u mamljenju muškaraca.

Koncept rusalki potječe od drevne staroslavenske tradicije prema kojoj su mlade žene smatrane simbolima plodnosti. Te žene nisu se toliko uplitale u živote ljudi te su uglavnom smatrane donosiocima vode koja je usjevima osiguravala dobar urod, a šumama život, dok su rusalke u proljeće izlazile na obalu kako bi plesale na mjesečini.

Za vodene duhove vjerovalo se da pomažu urodu usjeva te ih se općenito tretiralo s poštovanjem. Ipak, u moderno doba pojavio se veliki broj mitova nepovezanih s plodnošću, već su upravo rusalke poprimile mračni epitet duhova koji uznemiravaju ljude.

Vodene nimfe bile su česta pojava u gotovo svim starovjerskim plemenima, a slična bića pojavila su se i u vjerovanjima starih Slavena. Međutim, porijeklo rusalki je raznoliko. Za njih se obično smatralo da su zapravo duhovi djevojaka koje su umrle nasilnom smrću. Ponekad je u pitanju bilo ubojstvo, ponekad samoubojstvo, ali najčešće je bila riječ o smrti izazvanoj utapanjem.

Priče o rusalkama obično se vrte oko žena koje su bile žrtve suprugove ili ljubavnikove nevjere. Neke rusalke navodno su za života skočile iz tih razloga u jezera ili rijeke, jer su u vrijeme nevjere bile i trudne.

Druge priče tvrde da su rusalkse sve djevojke koje umru kao djevice, bez obzira na način na koje su umrle. Prema nekim sasvim drugačijim vjerovanjima, rusalke su navadno sva bića nečiste duše odnosno svatko onaj tko je počinio samoubojstvo.

Za razliku od bogova, za rusalke se smatralo da imaju određen životni vijek. One su opsjedale jezera, rijeke, bare, močvare i svaku vodenu masu. Najčešće su opisivane kako mršava bića s velikim grudima, blijede kože i duge kose koja je bila plava, ali najčešće riđa. Njihove oči nisu imale zjenice, a ako je rusalka bila zle naravi, navodno su svijetlile zelenim plamenom.

Najčešće su nosile svijetle obične haljine načinjene od magle. Bile su prezentirane kao oličenja univerzalne ljepote, a čak su se mnogi divili i onim vrlo zlobnima koje su spominjane u staroslavenskim plemenima.

Svrha rusalki kao duhova razlikuje se ovisno o tome koji se dio Slavena promatra. Primjerice, tamo gdje su urodi usjeva bili plodni, a život bogat i ugodan, poput Ukrajine i područjima oko Dunava, rusalke su smatrane veselim i raspjevanim. Međutim, u oštra i teška vremena, rusalke su smatrane zlobnima. Ta neugodna bića tada bi ispuzala iz vode usred noći kako bi opsjedala muškarce, koje bi potom odvukla u smrt, na dno rijeka ili jezera.

Za razliku od mitskih sirena, za rusalke se mislilo da imaju noge i da mogu hodati po kopnu. Otuda i priče o njihovom plesu i penjanju na drveće. Svake godine, početkom ljeta, oko prvog tjedna mjeseca lipnja, slavenski narodi slavili su tjedan rusalki. Tijekom tog perioda bilo je zabranjeno plivati u bilo kakvoj vodi, jer to je značilo sigurnu smrt.

Za rusalke se vjerovalo da izlaze na obalu kako bi plesale i penjale se po okolnom drveću, a potom bi uvečer u kolu ponovno plesale na mjesečini. Svaki prolaznik koji bi imao nesreću svjedočiti nekom od ovih događaja, bio bi prisiljen plesati s njima sve dok ne umre od umora. Na kraju tjedna, gradovi i sela u blizini rijeka ili jezera održavali bi ceremonijalne pogrebe kako bi udovoljili rusalkama i vratili ih u vodu. Ove tradicije posebno su se održavale u Rusiji sve 1930-ih i represije od strane komunista.

Prije postojanja zemlje, neba i bilo kakvog života, postojala je jedino ogromna mračna praznina zvana Ginnungagap. Sjeverno od ovog prostora nalazilo se utočište hladnoće i leda Niflheim, a južno od njega dom vatre, lave i dima Muspelheim.

Mraz i led Niflheima kroz njegove rijeke te vatreni plameni Muspelheima postupno su se proširili u Ginnungagap. Od sudara vrućine i hladnoće, došlo je do topljena leda, a kapljice su u ovom mračnom bezdanu stvorile Ymira, prvog od božanskih divova zvanih Jotuni. Ymir bijaše takav da mu se znoj tijekom sna pretvarao u druge divove.

Kako se led nastavio topiti, od njega nastade krava Audhumbla koja je Ymiru davala mlijeko, dok se sama hranila ližući slane ledene blokove.

Jednoga dana, iz jednog od tih ledenih blokova niknuli su dijelovi tijela prvog od bogova, Burija. Buri bijaše velik poput diva, a kasnije je dobio sina Bora, koji je oženio Bestlu, kćer diva Bolthorna. Polubožanska, poludivovska bijahu djeca Bora i Bestle, a oni im dadu imena Odin, Vili i Ve.

Odin i njegovu dvojicu braće smetalo je što su divovi brojčano nadjačali Aesire, pa su odlučili ubiti Ymira koji ih je stvarao. Većina divova utopila se u krvi Ymira, a samo dva diva su preživjela krvavu muku, Bergelmir i njegova žena, koji su pobjegli i nastavili stvarati divove.

Odin, Vili i Ve odvukli su Ymirovo tijelo do središta Ginnungagapa, gdje su od njegovih ostataka stvorili svijet.

Krv Ymira tvorila je oceane, rijeke i jezera. Meso njegovo postade kopno, kosti planine. Zubi mu postaše stijene, a kosa trava i šume. Od njegovih trepavica nastade Midgard. Mozak mu bijaše razasut u oblake, a lubanja postade nebo. Od iskri iz Muspelheima, trojica braće stvorili su zvijezde unutar Ymirove lubanje.

Iz bojazni da bi Ymirova lubanja mogla pasti na zemlju, Odin, Vili i Ve zamoliše četiri patuljka da drže lubanju na četiri strane svijeta. Patuljke prozvaše Nordi, Vestri, Sundri i Austri. Ostatak patuljaka stvori si dom u Svartalheimu, domu patuljaka, gdje su stvorili i Mjölnir, Thorov moćni čekić.

Noć i dan nastadoše od kćeri diva Nörvi koja se zvala Nott, a koja rodi sina po imenu Dagr. Nott i Dagr dobiše kočije koje po nebu vuku dva konja. Nottinu kočiju vuče konj Hrimfaxi, a Dagrovu Skinfaxi.

U konačnici, Odin, Vili i Ve hodaše zemljom te vidjevši dva drvena trupca, od kojih je jedno od jasena, a drugo od brijesta.

Odin je trupcima udahnuo život, Ve im je dao pokrete, um, inteligenciju, a Vill im dade oblik, govor, osjećaje i pet osjetila. Tako nastadoše prvi ljudi. Muškarcu nadjenuše ime Ask, a ženi dadoše ime Embla. Oni se nastaniše u Midgardu, zemlji ljudi i jednom od devet svijetova Yggdrasila.

Tematski park Puy du Fou nalazi se u selu Les Epesses, na zapadu Francuske, a čini se i kako je jedno poprilično tajnovito mjesto koje je tek unatrag par godina postalo popularna destinacija za turiste željne pogleda u povijest i tradiciju nekih europskih plemena i naroda.

Regija Vendee u kojoj se nalazi mjesto Les Epesses, tijekom Francuske revolucije bilo je područje naseljeno uglavnom katolicima koji su se protivili revoluciji. Godine 1794. navodno je vlast poslala vojnike iz Pariza da uguše pobunu lokalnih farmera koji su se okupili da zaštite svećenstvo koje je odbilo pokoriti se novim načelima. Sukob je rezultirao masakrom lokalnih stanovnika.

Ipak, pored krvave povijesti, priča o Puy du Fou započinje s Philippeom de Villiersom, tada 27-godišnjim studentom koji je tek 2007. kao predsjednički kandidat na izborima osvojio 2 posto glasova. De Villiers tvrdi kako je sukob iz 1794. zapravo bio tipičan primjer genocida provedenog u ime demokracije te da su zapisi o događaju namjerno izbrisani iz povijesnih udžbenika.

De Villiers je nakon otkrića ruševina starog renesansnog dvorca u selu Les Epesses, odlučio stvoriti originalnu vizuelnu kulisu povijesnih događanja koju je nazvao Cinescenie.

Ubrzo je započeo sa izradom scenarija koji je uključivao lokalnu obitelj Maupillier, a priča se odnosila na jednog vojnika u periodu koji se protezao od 14. stoljeća, pa sve do Drugog svjetskog rata.

Cinescenie je kao predstava u realnom okruženju po prvi put odigrana 1978., nakon što je De Villiers uspio okupiti oko 600 članova skupine L’Association du Puy du Fou, koja je pomogla kreirati stvarne događaje.

Iako je početak bio težak, šou je ubrzo postao pravi spektakl. Sve do 1989., predstave su se odvijale uz druga slična događanja u tematskom parku.

Danas se u Puy du Fou još uvijek odigravaju različite predstave povijesne tematike. Točnije, radi se o čak 26 različitih priredbi, među kojima su brojni mitovi i legende iz Srednjeg vijeka.

No, tu je i predstava nazvana jednostavno Vikinzi, koja opisuje događaje u rekonstruiranoj 1000 godina staroj utvrdi koju je napao poznati vikinški brod Drakkar. Priča započinje sklapanjem braka nedugo prije dolaska broda, nakon čega dolazi do ozbiljnih tenzija.

Među predstavama se našla i ona o Galima iz doba Rimljana, u kojoj se mogu vidjeti i borbe gladijatora ili utrke kočija u pravom Koloseumu. Priča je postavljena u doba cara Dioklecijana, čije carstvo je tijekom njegove vladavine bilo u velikom kaosu.

Sve predstave prepune su specijalnih efekata koji dočaravaju povijesnu zbilju.

Poznato je da pilići mogu „živjeti“ nekoliko minuta nakon što im je odsječena glava, ali jedan takav slučaj odskače u povijesti.

Perad ima ovakvu mogućnost preživljavanja zahvaljujući položaju mozga, koji se nalazi malo zabačen u lubanji. Dio mozga i moždanog debla odgovorni za vitalne funkcije nalaze se u dijelu vrata, pa kada piletu odrube glavu, tijelo još neko kratko vrijeme može funkcionirati. Međutim, postoji jedan slučaj u kojem je pilić bez glave poživio punih 18 mjeseci.

Pilić je prozvan Miracle Mike, a bio je star pet mjeseci te obitavao na jednoj farmi u gradu Fruita u Coloradu. Ipak, vlasnik farme, Lloyd Olsen, 10. rujna 1945. odlučio je da je došlo vrijeme da Mike postane nečija večera, te je piletu odrubio glavu.

Međutim, Mike je odbio umrijeti. Nakon što je tijelo nastavilo trčati neko vrijeme, spustilo se dolje kao da se ništa nije dogodilo. Mike je čak neuspješno pokušao tražiti hranu, a Olsen ga je ostavio na životu. Slijedećeg jutra pronašao je pilića kako spava te se odlučio istražiti koliko dugo će Mike preživjeti. Započeo ga je hraniti te mu davati vodu i mlijeko uz zrna kukuruza. Hranu bi mu stavljao direktno u grlo pomoću male kapaljke.

Mike je preživio jer je farmerova mačeta promašila vratnu venu, a pilić je izgubio i dio mozga koji očigledno nije bio odgovoran za funkcioniranje vitalnih funkcija tijela. Osim toga, Mike je postao poprilično nespretan. Međutim, uskoro su novine počele pisati o ovom „čudu“, a Olsen je dobio ponudu da krene na  pokaznu turneju kroz SAD.

Nakon što su krenuli na turneju, postali su vrlo slavni i poznati. Dobre zarade također nije nedostajalo jer su ljudi bili spremni platiti mnogo novaca kako bi vidjeli tad već pijetla bez glave. Tako je Olsen zajedno sa svojim pijetlom Mikeom zarađivao i do 4500 dolara mjesečno. Vrijednost Mikea također je procijenjena na 10.000 dolara.

Mike se počeo pojavljivati u vijestima i magazinima kao što su Time i Life. Punih 18 mjeseci trajalo je ovo putovanje kroz gradove SAD-a.

Dana 17. ožujka 1947., dok su Mike i njegov vlasnik provodili večer u hotelu u Phoenixu u Arizoni, Mike se ugušio na zrnu kukuruza. Olsen sa sobom nije imao potrebnu opremu da ga spasi, a nakon ugibanja Mikea završila je i turneja.

Olsen neko vrijeme nije želio priznati javnosti da je Mike uginuo, pa je medijima tvrdio da je prodao pijetla.

Miracle Mike unatoč svemu postao je simbol grada Fruita, zbog čega mu je i podignut spomenik u znak sjećanja. TIjekom svakog svibnja u gradu se čak održava i svečanost pod nazivom „Headless Chicken Festival“.

Za vrijeme Drugog svjetskog rata Sjedinjene Američke Države su pokušavale osmisliti način na koji bi nanijeli dovoljno štete japanskom gospodarstvu kako bi prisilili Japan na kapitulaciju.

Premda se ovakav zadatak obično prepuštao vojnim inženjerima, tada se javio Lytle S. Adams, zubar iz Pennsylvanije i ujedno prijatelj prve dame Eleanor Roosevelt sa svojim prijedlogom.

Adams je primijetio da su tadašnje zgrade u Japanu bile građene od lako zapaljivog materijala poput drva, bambusa i papira. Sjetio se šišmiša koji imaju običaj tražiti zaklon na mračnim i teško dostupnim mjestima kao što su tavani ili krovne strehe. Predložio je ispustiti na tisuće bombicama opremljenih šišmiša iznad japanskih gradova. Nakon ispuštanja bi se razbježali i sakrili u zgradama pokrivši široko područje.

Adamsov plan je proslijeđen Bijeloj kući u siječnju 1942. godine, a Predsjednik Roosevelt ga je odobrio uz suglasnost vojnih stručnjaka. Budući da je u teoriji zvučao dobro, vojska ga je htjela čim prije provesti. Biološka svojstva šišmiša su svakako išla u prilog vojnom djelovanju: osim što je SAD obilovao šišmišima, teret koji bi premašivao njihovu tjelesnu težinu ne bi onemogućio let; hibernacija bi ih lišila potrebe za hranom, a po danu bi bili neprimjetni jer su aktivni tek noću.

Američka vojska je zatim započela projekt šišmiš bombi pod nazivom „X-zraka“. U ožujku 1943. godine odlučila se za meksičke slobodnorepe šišmiše (Tadarida Brasiliensis, iz porodice Molossidae). Spremnik u obliku bombe koji bi ih nosio se sastojao od 36 redom naslaganih ladica, a u svakoj je bilo mjesta za 40 šišmiša.

Što se tiče zapaljivih bombi namijenjenih šišmišima, Louis Fieser (otac napalma u ubojite svrhe) je izradio dvije inačice: jednu koja je težila 17 grama, a druga 28 grama. Spremnik sa šišmišima bi se ispustio iz bombardera na visini od 1,525 metara, a otvorio bi se pri visini od 305 metara zajedno s padobranom. Napad bi izvršilo 10 B-24 bombardera, a budući da je svaki mogao nositi do 100 spremnika, njihovim bacanjem bi se ispustilo 1.040.000 šišmiša koji mogu poharati grad.

Bombe su bile podvrgnute ispitivanju kasnije iste godine. Uslijedio je nesretni slučaj kada je pomoćna zračna baza Carlsbad blizu istoimenog grada u saveznoj državi New Mexico počela gorjeti. Šišmiši su bili slučajno ispušteni blizu vojne baze te su se uspjeli sakriti ispod spremnika goriva i zapaliti ga.

Razorna moć šišmiš bombi je time bila potvrđena, a vojska je ubrzo završila s ispitivanjima na posebnom vježbalištu u saveznoj državi Utah (tzv. Dugway Proving Grounds)  gdje su pripadnici Službe za ratovanje bojnim plinovima izgradili model japanskog grada kojemu su nadjenuli ime „Japansko selo“.

Ishod testiranja je bio izrazito uspješan, a naročito se svidio jednom od glavnih ispitivača koji je rekao sljedeće:

„Znatan broj požara se može izazvati usprkos sićušnosti oružja. Njegova glavna prednost je neopaženost pri dolasku do cilja koja omogućava nastanak i širenje požara, a da kućevlasnici i vatrogasci nisu odmah svjesni toga.“

Prema izjavama glavnog kemičara na vojnom vježbalištu, šišmiš bombe su bile učinkovitije od svih dotadašnjih istovrsnih bombi. Dok je obična zapaljiva bomba mogla prouzročiti od 167 do 400 požara, jedan spremnik šišmiš bombi bi izazvao od 3.625 do 4.748 požara.

Premda je bilo naručeno još nekoliko pokusnih bacanja za 1944. godinu, admiral Ernest J. King ih je mahom otkazao pozvavši se na prespor napredak. Šišmiše je uskoro trebalo zamijeniti daleko razornije oružje kojim bi se okončao rat: atomska bomba.

Uvidjevši katastrofalne posljedice bacanja atomskih bombi na Hiroshimu i Nagasaki dr. Adams je ustrajno tvrdio da su njegovi šišmiši bili bolje rješenje za okončanje rata.