- There's an exploding lake and a war on the birds on this list.
Do you think you know the things that sound like urban legends but are actually true that are on this list? Like the ship with no one on it?
The Man Who Survived a 22,000-Foot Fall
In 1972, Serbian flight attendant Vesna Vulovi? survived after the aircraft she was aboard broke apart at approximately 33,000 feet. She was trapped in part of the fuselage and fell into a snowy, wooded area. She suffered severe injuries but survived and later returned to work.
The Town That Moved
In 1962, the Alaskan town of Kivalina began facing severe coastal erosion. The community sits on a narrow barrier island, and changing environmental conditions have repeatedly threatened its location. The remarkable part is that the town itself is essentially fighting to relocate before its existing site becomes uninhabitable.
A Lake That Exploded With Gas
In 1986, Lake Nyos in Cameroon suddenly released a huge cloud of carbon dioxide. The gas flowed into valleys surrounding the lake and killed approximately 1,700 people and thousands of animals. There was no conventional volcanic eruption; an invisible gas caused the catastrophe. Does this sound like urban legends?
The Ship That Was Found With Nobody Aboard
In 1872, the Mary Celeste was discovered drifting in the Atlantic near the Azores. The vessel was still carrying cargo and supplies, but its entire crew and passengers had disappeared. No definitive explanation has ever been established.
A Man Survived Being Shot, Blown Up and Burned
Roy Sullivan, a U.S. park ranger, was struck by lightning seven separate times between 1942 and 1977. He survived every documented strike, although he suffered burns and other injuries. Does this sound like urban legends?
A War Against Birds
In 1932, Australia deployed soldiers armed with machine guns against emus damaging crops in Western Australia. The birds proved remarkably difficult to hit because they scattered rapidly. The operation was eventually abandoned, earning the nickname “the Emu War.”
A Wooden Bucket Helped Start a War
In 1325, Bologna and Modena fought the War of the Bucket. The conflict grew from much larger political tensions, but a famous story says Modenese soldiers stole a bucket from Bologna. The bucket became a symbol of the dispute and reportedly remained in Modena. Does this sound like urban legends?
People Really Danced Uncontrollably
In Strasbourg in 1518, numerous people reportedly developed an uncontrollable urge to dance. The episode continued for days and apparently involved hundreds of people. Historians still debate the exact explanation.
A School Was Destroyed by Natural Gas
In 1937, natural gas accumulated beneath the New London School in Texas. A spark ignited it, destroying the building and killing more than 290 people, mostly children. The disaster led to natural gas being deliberately odorized so leaks could be detected.
A Pope Put a Dead Man on Trial
In 897, Pope Stephen VI ordered Pope Formosus’s corpse exhumed and placed on trial. The dead pope was dressed in papal clothing and seated before the court. He was found guilty, and his corpse was eventually thrown into the Tiber.
Did you know all these stories of things that sound like urban legends? Tell us what you think in the comments!