Did That Really Happen?!

Buckle up, history enthusiasts! Today on Did That Really Happen?, we're taking a plunge into the murky depths of medieval sanitation – literally – to explore the Erfurt Latrine Disaster of 1184. This unbelievable event is equal parts shocking, tragic, comical, and a testament to the precariousness of life in the Middle Ages.

We all love a good story of how someone seemingly defies the odds and survives an incredible accident. But today’s story seems impossible. Did a flight attendant free fall for over 30,000 feet after a jetliner exploded in the air? And, did she actually survive? Let’s find out!

While dancing may seem commonplace these days, it’s actually caused quite a bit of controversy through the ages. From some religious groups seeing it as a vulgar display of human depravity, to wild and uncontrollable dancing hitting towns and villages like a plague. In fact, such a “dancing plague” allegedly hit Europe in 1518. But did it really happen? Let’s find out!

The Olympic Games are considered the greatest display of athleticism in the world, reaching back to the time of the ancient Greeks. But there was one year when an Olympic event almost turned deadly for multiple athletes. Did people almost die in the men’s Olympic Marathon back in 1904? Let’s find out!

Military might is one major factor that greatly influences global politics, but did you know that there are some claims that Pepsi once had the world’s 6th largest navy? And it was all thanks to one country’s obsession with the North Carolina-born soda. But did it really happen? Let’s find out!

Did Xerxes I actually punish the sea for destroying a bridge? Let's find out!

The Roman Empire is known for its size, politics, and military might. But did the mighty Romans leave many of their important decisions to religiously significant chickens? Let’s find out!

In today’s episode, we’ll talk about the legend of Rose Greenhow: a DC socialite who used her charm and connections to spy for the Confederacy during the US Civil War. Did a young widow become one of the most important spies for the Confederacy? Let’s find out!

In today’s episode, we’ll discuss how a small rebellion in Western North Carolina almost ended with the 14th state in the union being named after Benjamin Franklin. Did the mountain folk in a portion of Western North Carolina form a rebellion that almost got them their own state? Let’s find out!

Greetings, listeners, and welcome to Season 2, Episode 5 of Did That Really Happen, where we explore strange, interesting, and vague moments in history in an effort to separate fact from fiction! In today’s episode, we’re tackling the issue of Abraham Lincoln’s birth. Was the 16th president actually born in Western North Carolina instead of his family’s log cabin in Kentucky? Let’s find out!

In today’s episode, we'll talk about how one of the last Japanese soldiers from World War II didn’t lay down his arms until nearly 30 years after Japan surrendered. Did Hiroo Onoda really keep fighting World War II until 1974? Let’s find out!

In today’s episode, we’re going to take a look at a popular legend that claims a bizarre trial in Salem convinced early Americans that the tomato wasn’t poisonous. Did the Salem Tomato Trial really happen? Let’s find out!

In today’s episode, we’ll discuss the bizarre case of the german submarine U-1206 and how a clogged toilet led to its sinking during World War II. But did it really happen? Let’s find out!

In today’s episode, we’ll be talking about one of the most fascinating aspects of the American Civil War.

More audacious historical boasts than Wilmer McLean's claim that the American Civil War "began in my front yard and finished in my parlor" are uncommon. One that is genuinely accurate, like McLean's, is even rarer. How did McLean, a simple 47-year-old Virginia businessman whose homes would serve as the beginning and ending points to a nation's arduous four-year struggle, become the Civil War's central figure? Let's find out!

In today’s episode, we’ll discuss a legend surrounding a fleeing prince in the aftermath of the doomed Jacobite rebellion in Scotland. Did Bonnie Prince Charlie really dress in drag to escape the English? Let’s find out!

In today’s episode, we’ll discuss one of America’s favorite presidents, Abraham Lincoln. While he’s known for preserving the union during the Civil War, there’s another side of Lincoln that many Americans aren’t aware of.

Was Abraham Lincoln a championship wrestler before he became a politician? Let’s find out!

Today, we’re going to talk about a pretty interesting claim linked to the Prohibition Era of the United States, and very few people are even aware of what happened.

Did the US government poison alcohol supplies to discourage illegal drinking, resulting in thousands of deaths? Let’s find out!

There’s a lot of interesting history surrounding the American Revolution, especially in regards to how it started. And one historical incident played a major role in sparking deeper support for the colonial rebellion against the British empire.

For many, the Boston massacre was the spark that lit the fire of the American Revolution: innocent colonists getting gunned down by the Red Coats. But is that really how things happened? Let’s find out!

In today’s episode, we’ll examine the classic story of the 300 Spartans at Thermopylae standing against the mighty Persian army for three days. Did a small group of Spartan warriors really hold off thousands of Persian soldiers? Let’s find out…

In today’s episode, we’ll take a look at a really odd occurrence in US history where fashion choices ended up creating a riot in New York City that lasted eight days! Did people really lose their minds over the wearing of straw hats in the 1920s? Let’s find out…

In today’s episode, we’re headed to the land down under to discuss a hilarious conflict known as The Great Emu War of 1932. Did Australia really fight against an army of giant flightless birds…and lose? Let’s find out!

Today, we’ll be looking at one of the more bizarre moments of European history to answer the question: Was Napoleon once attacked by a horde of bunnies? Let’s find out!

As a historian, I have an obsession with random history facts, especially ones that sound too crazy to be true. In each episode of Did That Really Happen, we’ll dive into the details of many of these hard-to-believe stories and determine which ones are real and which ones are victims of embellishment.