History is far from boring, with hundreds of wars, crazy monarchs, and natural disasters. However, what may be missed out on in history lessons are lesser-known events that don’t quite fit in with textbook topics. Some of these events are so bizarre that it’s hard to believe they actually happened; however, every event listed here did indeed take place.
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The Great Emu War in Australia
After WWI, Australia created a program to give farmland to soldiers; however, this resulted in an emu invasion. This land mainly consisted of wheat fields, and emus loved wheat. Ranker writes, “The flightless Australian birds decided the wheat farms were the perfect place to set up camp and ruined the crops to such a degree that the military got involved.”
The Watermelon Riot in Panama
The watermelon riot occurred in 1856 and was started over a dispute over a payment for a watermelon. It escalated into a full-blown riot, with stones and machetes involved. The Watermelon Riot resulted in many deaths and destroyed many U.S.-owned businesses.
Unsinkable Sam, the WWII Ship-Surviving Cat
A cat survived the sinking of three WWII ships and was thus given the name Unsinkable Sam. He soon became famous for his ability to survive three ships sinking. Unsinkable Sam served on both German and British Navy ships during the war. It seems the saying about cats having nine lives may well be true!
Soviet Scientists Starved to Protect a Seed Bank During WWII
The Washington Post writes, “During the terrible winter of 1941–42, while Hitler’s armies were blockading Leningrad and thousands were starving to death, a small band of Soviet scientists accepted the same fate, even as they guarded tons of rice, wheat, corn, beans, and potatoes in a huge seed bank.” Their sacrifice helped preserve genetic diversity in seeds.
Sergeant Stubby, the War Hero Dog of WWI
Stubby was found as a stray, but it wasn’t long before he became a mascot and then a war hero. Stubby was smart enough to alert soldiers to gas attacks and could locate any soldiers who had been wounded. Stubby was honored for his efforts, and was the only dog ever to be given the rank of sergeant through combat.
Chrysippus, the Greek Philosopher Who Died Laughing
The Greek philosopher died of laughter after seeing a donkey eating his figs. It’s not the only case in history where someone has died from laughter; however, this is certainly one of the more popular. This scenario shows the unusual and bizarre nature of historical anecdotes.
St. Columba’s Encounter with the Loch Ness Monster
An Irish monk, known as St. Columba, reported that he saw the Loch Ness monster in the year 565. Grunge supports this by writing, “He reached Loch Ness on August 22, 565, and there, he saw a man swimming in the lake, with a monstrous creature right behind him.”
John Quincy Adams and the Hollow Earth Theory
President Adams wanted to prove his theory that the earth is hollow. This theory revolved around the idea that there were entrances to the inside of the earth at both poles. The hollow earth theory centers around the planet being only 800 miles thick. The expedition never happened, meaning the theory has never been proven.
Mary Toft
Mary Toft tricked the doctors into thinking that she had given birth to rabbits. In 1726, she falsely claimed that she had been in labor and gave birth to a number of rabbits. Her case completely baffled medical professionals, as they all seemed to believe that this had actually happened. It just shows how gullible doctors used to be.
The Strange Death of King Stanislaw I of Poland
List Verse writes, “At the ripe old age of 88, he was snoozing by the fireside in his palace at Lunéville… wearing some highly combustible silk clothes. A spark ignited his attire, and the aged king suffered terrible burns all over his body, dying in agony a few days later.” It’s a bizarre chapter in European history that no one really speaks of anymore.
