The Mandela Effect is a phenomenon where a large group of people collectively remembers events or details inaccurately. Named after Nelson Mandela, whom many mistakenly believed died in prison in the 1980s, the term gained traction in 2010 through Fiona Broome’s observations of shared false memories. The effect is influenced by cognitive biases such as confirmation bias and misinformation, social dynamics, and the constructive nature of memory. Let’s get more detailed, shall we?

The Simulation Theory suggests that our reality could be a sophisticated virtual environment created by an advanced civilization, captivating thinkers across philosophy and science. The theory's roots can be traced to philosophical inquiries dating back to Plato's Allegory of the Cave, which questions the nature of reality. Philosopher Nick Bostrom's 2003 paper revived interest in the concept, proposing that either humanity will not reach the technological capacity to create simulations, advanced civilizations won't be interested in doing so, or we are most likely living in a simulation.