10 Strange but True Historical Events You’ve Never Heard Of
History is full of bizarre, unbelievable, and downright weird events that often get overlooked in textbooks. From wars fought over animals to accidental invasions, here are 10 strange but true historical stories that will make you question reality. 1. The Great Emu War (1932) – Australia Lost to Birds What Happened? In 1932, Australia declared war on emus—large flightless birds destroying crops in Western Australia. The military were called in with machine guns, but the emus outmanoeuvred them. After weeks of failed attacks, the government surrendered to the birds. Outcome: - Emus: 1,000+ casualties (but thousands survived). - Australia: Humiliated retreat. Why It’s Weird: This remains the only time a country lost a war to animals. 2. The Dancing Plague (1518) – When People Danced Themselves to Death What Happened? In Strasbourg (now France), a woman suddenly started dancing uncontrollably. Within weeks, 400 people joined her, dancing nonstop for day...