History is filled with moments so bizarre, shocking, or downright unbelievable that they seem like they were pulled straight from a work of fiction. Yet, these events really happened, leaving behind records that continue to astonish us today. From ancient mysteries to modern-day oddities, here are some of the most unbelievable historical events that actually occurred—prepare to be amazed!
The Great Emu War: When Australia Lost to Birds
In 1932, Australia declared war—not on a foreign nation, but on emus. After World War I, veterans were given land in Western Australia to farm, but their crops were devastated by thousands of emus migrating inland. The farmers requested military assistance, and the Australian government deployed soldiers armed with machine guns to cull the emu population.
What followed was nothing short of absurd. The emus proved surprisingly resilient, scattering at the sound of gunfire and dodging bullets with ease. After weeks of failed attempts, the military withdrew, having killed only a fraction of the emus. The farmers dubbed it the “Great Emu War,” and to this day, it remains one of history’s most bizarre military campaigns.
The Dancing Plague of 1518
In July 1518, the streets of Strasbourg (then part of the Holy Roman Empire) became the stage for one of history’s strangest epidemics. A woman named Frau Troffea began dancing uncontrollably in the street. Within days, dozens more joined her, dancing for hours—even days—without rest. The phenomenon, known as the “Dancing Plague,” eventually affected hundreds of people.
Local authorities, baffled by the event, initially encouraged the dancing, believing it would help the afflicted “dance it out.” When that failed, they blamed supernatural causes and banned music. The dancing only stopped after weeks, with many participants collapsing from exhaustion or even dying. Historians still debate the cause, with theories ranging from mass hysteria to ergot poisoning.
The Boston Molasses Flood of 1919
On January 15, 1919, a 50-foot-tall steel tank holding 2.3 million gallons of molasses burst in Boston’s North End. A wave of sticky syrup, moving at 35 mph, flooded the streets, crushing buildings, overturning vehicles, and killing 21 people while injuring 150 others.
The disaster was so surreal that witnesses reported being knocked off their feet by the viscous tidal wave. Cleanup efforts took weeks, and the smell of molasses lingered for years. Investigations later revealed that the tank had been poorly constructed, leading to one of the most bizarre industrial accidents in history.
The Time the Vatican Put a Pope on Trial After His Death
In 897 AD, Pope Stephen VI ordered the exhumation of his predecessor, Pope Formosus, who had been dead for nearly a year. The corpse was dressed in papal robes, propped up on a throne, and put on trial in what became known as the “Cadaver Synod.”
Stephen accused Formosus of various crimes, including unlawfully claiming the papacy. A deacon was appointed to speak for the deceased pope, but the trial was a farce—Formosus was found guilty, his papacy annulled, and his body thrown into the Tiber River. The spectacle horrified the public, and Stephen VI was later imprisoned and strangled. The bizarre event remains one of the darkest and strangest chapters in Vatican history.
The Tanganyika Laughter Epidemic
In 1962, a laughter epidemic broke out in a girls’ school in Tanganyika (now Tanzania). It started with three students who couldn’t stop laughing, and soon the uncontrollable laughter spread to nearly 100 students, forcing the school to shut down. The phenomenon didn’t stop there—it spread to nearby villages, affecting over 1,000 people.
The laughter lasted for months, with symptoms including pain, fainting, and respiratory issues. Scientists later classified it as a case of mass psychogenic illness, where stress and anxiety manifest physically in a group. To this day, it remains one of the most unusual psychological events ever recorded.
Conclusion
History is full of events so strange they defy belief, yet they happened just as recorded. From wars against birds to dancing plagues and posthumous papal trials, these stories remind us that truth can be stranger than fiction. Whether caused by human folly, natural phenomena, or unexplained psychological effects, these unbelievable historical events continue to captivate and mystify us. The next time you hear an outlandish story, remember—it might just be true!