It Rained Fish? 7 Unbelievable Historical Facts That Sound Fake But Are True

What if someone told you it once rained fish? You'd probably dismiss it as fiction. But surprisingly, it’s a real phenomenon reported in various parts of the world—along with frogs, rats, spiders, and even jellyfish falling from the sky. A recent online discussion asking, "What is a historical fact that sounds like fiction but is 100% true?" has unearthed a treasure trove of stories that challenge our understanding of reality.

The Science Behind Raining Animals

Reports of animal rain date back to ancient civilizations. According to the U.S. Library of Congress (LOC), this isn't rain in the traditional sense. The real culprit is powerful wind. Strong winds, like those in a tornado or hurricane, can lift animals and objects. Specifically, a tornadic waterspout—a tornado that forms over land and travels over water—can reach speeds of up to 100 miles per hour. This vortex is strong enough to suck up a school of fish or frogs and deposit them elsewhere as it loses energy. Documented cases include a shower of frogs in Kansas City in 1873 and a hail of frozen frogs in Dubuque, Iowa, in 1882.

A Bear of War and a Fictional Spy Network

During World War II, the Polish II Corps had an unusual soldier: a Syrian brown bear named Wojtek. Adopted as a cub, Wojtek was trained to carry heavy ammunition crates. He reportedly enjoyed wrestling with soldiers, learned to salute, and had a taste for beer and cigarettes. He was officially enlisted and even held the rank of Corporal.

In the same war, Juan Pujol Garcia, a Spanish citizen, ran what the Germans believed was their most valuable spy network in Britain. In reality, Garcia was a double agent for the Allies, and his entire network of spies was imaginary. He fed the Germans plausible-sounding nonsense that they completely believed, and his deception played a key role in the success of the D-Day landings.

The Small Details That Shaped History

History is filled with bizarre turning points. In 1325, a war broke out between the Italian city-states of Modena and Bologna over a stolen wooden bucket. Mexico once had a president who served for only 45 minutes. The Roman Emperor Caligula famously declared war on the sea god Neptune, ordering his soldiers to attack the waves and collect seashells as spoils of war. More recently, the Titanic’s sister ship, the Olympic, rammed and sank a German U-Boat during WWI. And to this day, there are still golf balls left on the Moon.