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As they say, hindsight is always 20-20, so it’s easy to poke fun at predictions that turn out not only wrong, but comically, tragically wrong. There was no shortage of such predictions in 2012, many made by people who certainly should have known better. That said, here’s a tongue-in-cheek look at 10 predictions — some serious, some a bit bizarre — that totally missed the mark in 2012.

In the search for answers as to why 20-year-old gunman Adam Lanza would storm Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., and gun down 26 innocent children and staffers, media and pundits latched on to several possible explanations. One factor that quickly surfaced is that Lanza had Asperger’s syndrome. As we collectively struggle to understand why anyone would commit such a crime, some Asperger’s advocates say we risk further victimizing many other children who have this disorder, by associating Asperger’s with violent behavior and serious mental illnesses. It’s not the only misconception about Asperger’s that has surfaced in the wake of the shootings. Here are five of the most common myths about Asperger’s.

Hurricane Sandy made headlines for its assault on the Northeastern U.S. in late October, but overall 2012 turned out to be a quiet year in the U.S in terms of weather. The federal government declared only 47 Major Disasters in 2012, far fewer than the 99 such incidents in 2011, or the average of 75 incidents between 2007-2011 (the majority of all such disasters are weather-related). Dating to 1953, the U.S. government has designated almost 2,100 events Major Disasters, making areas and residents affected by the calamities eligible for federal benefits. These events encompass exactly 24 different scenarios, from relatively common events such as snowstorms and floods to much rarer events (tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, etc.) Here are the states that have been hit with the most declared “Major Disasters” since the federal government began such designations in 1953.

Robots have long been a classic element of science fiction lore. The first robots in the modern sense appeared in Czech writer Karel Čapek’s 1920 morality tale Rossum’s Universal Robots. Since that time, robots have embodied our hopes and fears in the best of science fiction tradition. Some people believe robots will ultimately free us from the drudgery of work and other tedious chores; others worry robots will acquire sentient intelligence and attempt to enslave/exterminate all of mankind. Either way, each passing year brings numerous advances in the booming field of robotics. Will your Roomba continue to obediently vacuum up the house, or will it link up with your toaster in a bid for world domination? We can’t answer that question, but here are 10 of the most memorable robotic characters in modern science fiction.

In case you missed the recent news, six new members have been selected for the Santa Claus Hall of Fame. Our first thought: Congratulations to all six, for enduring endless years of squirmy, often crying children sitting on their lap, all while wearing a hot suit and a scratchy fake beard. Our second thought: There’s a Santa Claus Hall of Fame? Are you serious? Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus Hall of Fame, as well as many other unusual halls of fame you’ve never heard of. Hey, every sport or profession has its Babe Ruth, its Michael Jordan, those who performed above and beyond the standard to bring glory to themselves and their occupation. That said, here are some of those legends and halls of fame you’ve probably never heard of.

Christmas is celebrated around the world, with feasts, gift exchanges and images of Santa Claus common even in countries with a scant Christian population. Yet many of these celebrations are very different from the Christmas customs so familiar to residents of the United States and many other Western nations. From strange Christmas meals to a bizarre demonic creature that spirits away bad children, here are some of the more unusual Christmas traditions from around the world.

As the United States spirals deeper into debt, the federal government continues to spend, spend and spend taxpayer money on some really bizarre stuff. Republican Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma brings 100 of these schemes to light every year in his annual Waste Book, and we took a look at the past three years to compile the senator’s greatest hits in terms of wasteful studies. Many of these studies are not only what most citizens, whether Republican, Democrat, or Independent, would regard as a waste of tax dollars, they’re totally bizarre as well. Here are 10 of these bizarre studies in all their glory, ranked from the least to the most expensive.

Many American towns big enough to have at least a few stoplights and a McDonald’s have an historic church, maybe a structure dating to the early 20th century. But scattered across the United States are churches that take the term “historic” to another level. These churches predate the American Revolution by almost a century or more, and more than being mere curiosities and great photo ops for tourists, these old buildings are still hosting regular religious services. Here’s a rundown on the 10 oldest active church buildings in the U.S.

Television executives, long in search of big ratings and big profits, all too frequently cast their eyes on big-name stars in a never-ending attempt at launching the next successful TV series. But as the below examples prove, signing a blockbuster star to headline a sitcom or drama on the small screen does not guarantee ratings success. This has proven true whether the star is new to TV or previously headlined a successful series. Looking back, it’s hard to believe some of these entertainment stars were ever considered a good fit for the small screen.

As the date for the much-hyped 2012 Mayan Prophecy passes without incident, there are no more doomsday scenarios to worry about, right? Not exactly. While few people really embraced the possibility of a Mayan apocalypse, scientists and government officials are monitoring several very real scenarios that could kill millions of people. If you’ve watched the show Doomsday Preppers on the National Geographic Channel, you’ve seen some of these threats outlined. In several cases, the U.S. government has either conducted drills to test responses to these possible disasters, or has established commissions to investigate how to avoid such threats. Following is a look at five disaster scenarios. We’ve left out some of the more clichéd events — the infamous planet-killer asteroid, to name just one — and we’ve focused on disasters that would mainly affect the U.S. A couple are so enormous, however, they would have a worldwide impact.