History is full of bizarre, unbelievable events that sound like they were pulled straight from a work of fiction. Yet, these strange occurrences really happened—whether due to human eccentricity, bizarre coincidences, or just plain bad luck. Here are seven of the weirdest historical facts that seem made up but are absolutely true.
1. The Great Emu War (Australia Lost to Birds)
In 1932, Australia declared war… against emus. Yes, you read that right. After World War I, Australian veterans were given land to farm in Western Australia, but thousands of emus began destroying crops. The government sent soldiers armed with machine guns to cull the birds, but the emus proved surprisingly resilient—they scattered, dodged bullets, and even outmaneuvered the troops. After weeks of failed attempts, the military withdrew in defeat. The emus won.
Why It’s Weird: A modern military was outsmarted by flightless birds.
2. The Dancing Plague of 1518 (People Danced Themselves to Death)
In Strasbourg (then part of the Holy Roman Empire), a woman named Frau Troffea started dancing uncontrollably in the streets. Within days, dozens—and eventually hundreds—of people joined her, dancing nonstop for weeks. Many collapsed from exhaustion, heart attacks, or strokes. Historians still debate the cause, with theories ranging from mass hysteria to ergot poisoning (a fungus that causes hallucinations).
Why It’s Weird: An entire town was gripped by a mysterious, deadly dance epidemic.
3. The Boston Molasses Flood (A Deadly Syrup Tsunami)
In 1919, a massive storage tank holding 2.3 million gallons of molasses burst in Boston’s North End. A 25-foot wave of sticky syrup flooded the streets at 35 mph, crushing buildings, overturning vehicles, and killing 21 people. The cleanup took weeks, and the smell lingered for years.
Why It’s Weird: A sugary disaster caused more destruction than anyone could have imagined.
4. The Time a Pope Put His Predecessor on Trial
In 897, Pope Stephen VI held the Cadaver Synod—a trial against his dead predecessor, Pope Formosus. Formosus’ corpse was exhumed, dressed in papal robes, and propped up in court. Stephen accused him of various crimes, including unlawfully becoming pope. The corpse was found guilty, mutilated, and thrown into the Tiber River.
Why It’s Weird: A dead body was put on trial—and “convicted.”
5. The Great Stink of 1858 (When London’s River Thames Became a Sewer)
In the summer of 1858, London’s Thames River was so polluted with human waste that the stench was unbearable. The smell was so bad that Parliament had to suspend sessions, and people soaked their curtains in lime chloride to mask the odor. This crisis led to the construction of London’s modern sewer system.
Why It’s Weird: A city was nearly paralyzed by the smell of its own waste.
6. The Man Who Survived Both Atomic Bombs in Japan
Tsutomu Yamaguchi was in Hiroshima for work when the first atomic bomb dropped on August 6, 1945. He survived, returned to his hometown—Nagasaki—just in time for the second bomb on August 9. Miraculously, he survived both blasts and lived until 2010, earning the title of “the unluckiest luckiest man.”
Why It’s Weird: The odds of being in both cities during the bombings are astronomically low.
7. The 17th-Century Tulip Mania (When Flowers Cost More Than Houses)
In the 1630s, the Netherlands experienced tulip mania, where tulip bulb prices skyrocketed to absurd levels. At its peak, a single bulb could cost as much as a luxury house. People traded land, livestock, and life savings for rare tulips. The bubble eventually burst, leaving many bankrupt.
Why It’s Weird: A flower caused the world’s first speculative financial crash.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Did Australia really lose a war to emus? A: Yes. Despite machine guns and military tactics, the emus outmaneuvered the soldiers, forcing a retreat.
Q: What caused the Dancing Plague? A: No one knows for sure. Theories include mass psychosis, stress-induced hysteria, or toxic mold poisoning.
Q: How did the Boston Molasses Flood happen? A: Poor construction and fermentation likely caused the tank to rupture, creating a deadly wave of molasses.
Q: Why did Pope Stephen VI put a corpse on trial? A: Political revenge. Stephen wanted to delegitimize his predecessor’s rule.
Q: How did Tsutomu Yamaguchi survive both atomic bombs? A: Pure chance—he was far enough from ground zero in both cities to avoid fatal radiation.
History is stranger than fiction, and these events prove that truth can be wilder than any story we could invent. From dancing plagues to syrup disasters, the past is full of moments that make us question reality—and sometimes, just laugh in disbelief.