Rabbits in Napoleon hunt
Rabbits in Napoleon hunt

31 Weird History Facts That Sound Fake But Actually Happened

Karin Lehnardt
By Karin Lehnardt, Senior Writer—Reviewed for accuracy by the FactRetriever editorial team
Published April 1, 2026

History isn’t just surprising; it’s often downright unbelievable. From emperors who trusted horses with political power to armies defeated by animals, these weird history facts sound completely fake… but every one of them actually happened.

  • Weird History Facts That Sound Too Strange To Be True

    Napoleon Was Once Defeated By . . . Rabbits

    During a celebration of the Treatise of Tilsit, Napoleon and his men planned to hold a traditional rabbit hunt. Instead of running away, however, the rabbits swarmed and overwhelmed Napoleon, forcing him and his troops to retreat.[16]

  • Australia Actually Lost a War Against Birds

    In 1932, Australia declared war on emus that were damaging crops. Despite plenty of soldiers and weapons, the Australian Army was forced to admit defeat when the emus proved to be extremely adaptable and clever. 

    [20]

  • A Deadly Wave of Molasses Once Swept Through a City

    In 1919, a 50-foot-tall tank of molasses exploded in Boston. The explosion sent a 2.3-million-gallon wave of molasses through the city at 35 mph, killing 21 people and injuring 150.[1]

  • A King Believed He Would Shatter Like Glass

    King Charles VI of France believed that he was made out of glass. He wore special clothing to avoid "shattering."[19]

  • Pineapples Were Once Too Expensive to Eat

    In 18th-century Europe, pineapples were such a luxury item that aristocrats would rent them as center pieces for special events. Eating them was secondary.[12]

  • A Nuclear Bomb Was Designed . . . With Chickens Inside

    In the 1950s, the UK considered making a nuclear bomb filled with live chickens. Codenamed "Blue Peacock," the plan was to bury a bomb in northern Germany and fill it with live chickens to keep the bomb's electric wiring from freezing in the cold German climate.[6]

  • The Soviets Tried to Make Tanks Fly

    Russia experimented with a "flying tank" concept during WWII. They conducted a single test in 1942, when they attached large wooden biplane glider wings to a tank. The tank briefly glided, but the concept was just too impractical.[5]

  • He Survived Niagara Falls—Then Died From an Orange Peel

    A man who survived a fall over Niagara Falls in a barrel later slipped on an orange peel. The fall injured his leg, which became infected and eventually killed him.[24]

  • History Facts That Sound Completely Made Up

    Tomatoes Were Once Feared as Deadly Poison

    In 18th-century Europe, many people believed tomatoes were poisonous because people would sometimes die after eating the "poison apples." The cause, however, was lead in the pewter plates rather than the tomatoes themselves.[15]

  • A Library Book Was Returned Nearly 300 Years Late

    The record for the most overdue library book is 288 years. The book was checked out from Sidney Sussex College in 1667/1668 and returned in 1956.[22]

  • The U.S. Once Considered Farming Hippos for Meat

    In 1910, Louisiana Representative Robert F. Broussard argued that hippo ranches could solve America's meat shortage. He referred to hippos as "lake cow bacon." 

    👉 Find out more wild hippo facts.
    [14]

  • A Founding Father Named His Dog “Satan”

    John Adams, second president of the United States, named his dog Satan. Speculation about the reason for the dog's name included ideas like a child named it; it was a naughty dog; or it was simply a joke.[2]
    • Weird forks from History Facts
    The Catholic Church argued that forks were effeminate, decadent, and blasphemous because God had already provided us with natural forks: our fingers

  • Forks Were Once Considered Offensive to God

    Two-pronged forks were used in the ancient Middle East and the Byzantine Empire. but when they arrived in Europe, where eating with fingers was the norm, the eating utensils were seen as blasphemous.[10]

  • Ancient Medicine Included Some Very Strange Ingredients

    Ancient Egyptians believed that mashed mice could help ease the pain of a toothache or ear infection.[17]

  • Einstein’s Brain Was Taken Without Permission

    After Einstein died, the pathologist who performed the autopsy took Einstein's brain without telling anyone. He later asked permission from Einstein's eldest son; and eventually the brain was donated to the Mutter Medical Museum in Philadelphia.[13]

  • The Most Bizarre Events in History

    People Danced Until They Collapsed in 1518

    The “Dancing Plague” caused people to dance uncontrollably for days, some even died from exhaustion.[9]

  • A Pope Put a Corpse on Trial

    In one of history’s strangest trials, a dead pope was exhumed and judged in court.[9]

  • A Roman Emperor Made His Horse a Politician

    Caligula allegedly appointed his horse to a high-ranking political position. 

    👉Read more Crazy Rome facts.
    [9]

  • A Laughter Epidemic Spread Across an Entire Region

    In 1962, uncontrollable laughter spread through communities in what is now Tanzania.[9]

  • Victorians Took Photos With the Dead

    Post-mortem photography was a common way to remember loved ones.[9]

  • Unbelievable Beliefs and Practices

    Vikings Gave Cats as Wedding Gifts

    Cats symbolized love and were considered meaningful gifts for new couples. Discover more cat facts: https://www.factretriever.com/cat-facts[9]

  • Animals Were Put on Trial Like Humans

    During the Middle Ages, animals were often put on trial, from farm animals to swarms of insects. Some animals, like pigs, were dressed in human clothes, given a lawyer, and often executed by hanging or burning.[23]
    • Mummy unwrapping Party Facts
    "Mummy Mania" swept Europe and the United States for several reasons: 1) exposure to ancient Egypt and the Middle East through colonialism, 2) the mystery and science, 3) and just for the spectacle

  • “Mummy Mania” Led to Parties and Medicine

    Victorians in the 19th century were so obsessed with ancient Egypt that they had mummy unwrapping parties. Some people even went so far as to nibble on the mummies as a type of medicine.[8]

  • One of London’s Worst Fires Started in a Bakery

    The Great Fire of London began with a small accident that spiraled into massive destruction.[9]

  • Even More Weird Facts You Won’t Forget

    Some Ancient Greeks Feared Redheads After Death

    There was a belief that red-haired individuals could become vampires. 

    👉 Want to know more about redheads?: Red Head Facts: Genetics, Myths, Surprising Truths

    [18]

  • The U.S. Government Once Poisoned Alcohol . . . And It Backfired

    During Prohibition, the U.S. government once poisoned alcohol to stop people from drinking. Known as the Chemists' War, this practice killed thousands of Americans.[4]

  • The CIA Drugged People Without Their Consent

    From 1953–73, the CIA gave civilians, soldiers, and prisoners LSD without their consent to see if LSD could be used for mind control.[7]

  • Canada’s ‘Fruit Machine’ Tried to Root Out Gay Government Workers

    In the 1960s, Canada attempted to develop a machine that could identify gay people in government and military positions. Called the "Fruit Machine," it measured pupil dilation while looking at images.[21]

  • A Real Plot Once Aimed to Overthrow a U.S. President

    During the Business Plot of 1933, a group of wealthy businessmen planned to overthrow FDR's "socialist" presidency and install a fascist regime in its place. They tried to recruit a respected military veteran, General Smedley Butler, but he refused and reported them.[11]

  • The FBI Tried to Destroy Martin Luther King Jr.

    The FBI spied on civil rights leaders and went so far as to wiretap, blackmail, and send anonymous letters to Martin Luther King Jr., telling him to kill himself.[3]
  • Think these weird history stories are wild? You won’t believe the other fascinating facts we’ve uncovered! 

    👉 Check out our full collection of incredible interesting facts.
    [9]
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