Wait, what? This really happened?

jason

Seanchaí
Staff member
The Dancing Plague (or Dance Epidemic) of 1518 was a case of dancing mania that occurred in Strasbourg, France (then part of the Holy Roman Empire) in July 1518. Numerous people took to dancing for days without rest, and, over the period of about one month, some of the people died from heart attack, stroke, or exhaustion.

Dancing Plague of 1518 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia



Do you have anything strange that happened in history?
 

jason

Seanchaí
Staff member
The Tanganyika laughter epidemic of 1962 was an outbreak of mass hysteria, or Mass Psychogenic Illness (MPI), rumored to have occurred in or near the village of Kashasha on the western coast of Lake Victoria in the modern nation of Tanzania (formerly Tanganyika) near the border of Kenya.

The laughter epidemic began on January 30, 1962, at a mission-run boarding school for girls in Kashasha. The laughter started with three girls and spread haphazardly throughout the school, affecting 95 of the 159 pupils, aged 12–18. Symptoms lasted from a few hours to 16 days in those affected.

Tanganyika laughter epidemic - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 

CoachN

Builder Builder
The Ruffian plague began stirring around 1723, increased progressively from that time and has yet to run its course. There is no known cure. :D
 

Bob Franks

Past District Deputy Grand Lecturer
The Ruffian plague began stirring around 1723, increased progressively from that time and has yet to run its course. There is no known cure. :D
Didn't they investigate this? I think I saw it on CSI: Jerusalem!

S&F
 

jason

Seanchaí
Staff member
How fast can you run?

The Boston Molasses Disaster, also known as the Great Molasses Flood and the Great Boston Molasses Tragedy, occurred on January 15, 1919, in the North End neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts in the United States. A large molasses storage tank burst, and a wave of molasses rushed through the streets at an estimated 35 mph (56 km/h), killing 21 and injuring 150. The event has entered local folklore, and residents claim that on hot summer days, the area still smells of molasses

Boston Molasses Disaster - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 

jason

Seanchaí
Staff member
Didn't they investigate this? I think I saw it on CSI: Jerusalem!

S&F
Want to read about a freaky "court case"?

The Cadaver Synod (also called the Cadaver Trial or, in Latin, the Synodus Horrenda) is the name commonly given to the posthumous ecclesiastical trial of Catholic Pope Formosus, held in the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome during January of 897.[1]
Before the proceedings the body of Formosus was exhumed and, according to some sources, seated on a throne while his successor, Pope Stephen (VI) VII,[2] read the charges against him (of which Formosus was found guilty) and conducted the trial. The Cadaver Synod is remembered as one of the most bizarre episodes in the history of the medieval papacy.


Cadaver Synod - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 

BG_TRBL

Watcher of the posts
If you haven't seen it yet, or didn't know it was on. I would like to suggest a show to watch. Thursday mornings at 7am (e.s.t.) on the history channel. "The Most" hosted by Mike Rowe (Deadliest Catch, Dirty Jobs) it is very informative, but these are just re-runs now, done several years ago, but some great history lessons.
 

jason

Seanchaí
Staff member
If you haven't seen it yet, or didn't know it was on. I would like to suggest a show to watch. Thursday mornings at 7am (e.s.t.) on the history channel. "The Most" hosted by Mike Rowe (Deadliest Catch, Dirty Jobs) it is very informative, but these are just re-runs now, done several years ago, but some great history lessons.
I've been trying to watch "How the States were made" or whatever that show is called. Some pretty neat information in there.

This was pretty cool, but I would have hated to be the first guy to try it.

During the Great War in the days leading up to and including Christamas troops from both sides on the Western Front started easing hostilities and conversing from the trenches. There were christmas carols being sung, some people started venturing out into "No man's land" and there were joint burials. Gifts were even exchanged and there were rumours that football games even took place. After news broke in the papers the higher-up gave strict order that this sort of behaviour was treason and it was stopped.

Christmas truce - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 
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