• Nostradamus published a book in 1555 containing 942 quatrains that allegedly predict famous future events.
• Observers have come across a handful of predictions that due seem to reflect real world events.
• In reality, most of Nostradamus' prophecies are poorly translated - and vaguely worded enough to encourage tons of speculation.
Nostradamus' name is basically synonymous with predicting the future.
The alleged oracle began publishing his famous, cryptic quatrains in 1555. But these were no ordinary poems. Nostradamus was allegedly a diviner who was able predict future tidings.
The 16th century apothecary and astrologer's status as a reputed "seer" allowed him to solicit patronage from wealthy and prominent individuals like Catherine de' Medici, the queen of France.
Nostradamus' star didn't fade after his death in 1566. His works have continued to attract adherents who have connected his writings to earth-shattering events like the rise of Adolf Hitler and the 9/11 attacks.
But, like horoscopes, the predictions themselves tend to be vaguely worded, and therefore open to the reader's interpretations and biases.
In "Nostradamus, Bibliomancer: The Man, the Myth, the Truth," biographer Peter Lemesurier concludes that Nostradamus "believed that history repeats itself" and used the technique of projecting past events onto the future in order to make realistic-sounding claims. What's more, scholars have argued the modern translations of Nostradamus' writing are sloppy and unreliable.
With all that in mind, here's a look back at some of Nostradamus' most famous predictions: