Wikipedia is full of useful information, but it also has lots of weird things to read about. These can be fun articles to read for an educational laugh.
We’ve rounded up some of the weirdest and strange Wikipedia pages to keep you entertained. Start reading and enjoy getting lost in these crazy articles.
1. Danish Protest Pig: A Porky Flag Replacement
The Danish Protest Pig is a nickname for the Husum Red Pied, a rare pig breed that originated at the beginning of the 20th century. Danes living in the Prussian-ruled North Frisia were prohibited from raising their red-and-white striped flag.
Because of the pig’s red color and white belt, the creature became a symbol of national identity and stand-in for the real flag. The breed was considered extinct in 1968, though small numbers have cropped up again since 1984 (mainly in zoos.)
2. Mary Toft: Claimed to Give Birth to Rabbits
Mary Toft was an English woman who in 1726 claimed to have given birth to rabbits. Following a miscarriage, Toft said she had become startled by a rabbit and then became obsessed with them, before eventually giving birth to parts of the animal. Supposedly.
The case came to the attention of King George I and gained national attention. Toft was studied in London, but after a grilling she eventually admitted that she had placed the rabbit parts inside her. She was imprisoned for the hoax, but later released without charge.
3. Ruth Belville: Sold People the Time
Believe it or not, a world existed before smartwatches. Since there was no internet to connect to for syncing clocks, Ruth Belville, along with her mother Maria Elizabeth and father John Henry, sold people the time from the mid-1800s to the mid-1900s.
Ruth Belville would attend the Greenwich Observatory at 9am, where she would set her watch to the conservatory clock—the most accurate clock in England. People would subscribe to her services, and she would travel around and set their clocks to the right time. Ruth retired at age 86 and died three years later.
4. My Immortal: The Worst Fan Fiction Ever Written
My Immortal is a Harry Potter fan fiction that was published online between 2006 and 2007, telling the tale of a vampire who falls in love with Draco Malfoy. It’s considered by many to be the worst fan fiction ever due to its awful writing, inconsistent plot, and disregard for the source material.
The true author is unknown and is considered to be a detriment to people who want to bring legitimacy to fan fiction—indeed, some believe the story to be a satirical work. Nevertheless, it has inspired a YouTube series and further fan fiction.
5. Elvis Sightings: The King of Rock and Roll Lives On?
You’d be forgiven for thinking that Elvis Presley died in 1977. In fact, according to authors like Gail Brewer-Giorgio, the famous singer didn’t actually die and instead went into hiding. Perhaps he checked in at the Heartbreak Hotel.
Alleged sighting locations include airports, amusement parks, and in the background of movies. Of course, all of them can be plainly explained, but it didn’t stop satirical newspapers like Weekly World News mocking the conspiracy theory with a front page headline of “New wave of Elvis sightings!”
6. Hubert Blaine Wolfeschlegelsteinhausenbergerdorff, Sr.: The Longest Name Ever
Hubert Blaine Wolfeschlegelsteinhausenbergerdorff Sr. may seem like a long name on its own, but that’s actually an abbreviated version of the real 988-letter surname—the exact length and spelling is even up for debate, owing to various printing errors over time.
Hubert was a German-born American typesetter who holds the record for the longest name. He said that his great-grandfather created the surname in the 19th century when German Jews were forced to take a second name as the government didn’t like traditional patronymic names.
7. Glasgow Ice Cream Wars: Violence Under the Cover of Ice Cream
The Glasgow Ice Cream Wars took place in Scotland during the 1980s. It wasn’t actually a feud over ice cream, but instead a turf war between rival criminal organizations operating out of ice cream trucks.
Drivers often used violence and intimidation tactics to try to hold their ground and eventually the tension mounted and bubbled over. Sadly, one family was killed in an attack which then resulted in a 20-year battle in court.
8. Great Stink: When London’s Sewage Filled the Thames
In the 19th century, London’s longstanding sewage problem came to a head when the hot weather exacerbated the smell of waste in the Thames river. The event was dubbed the Great Stink, but worse than the smell were the outbreaks of cholera, diphtheria, and scrofula.
An engineer, Joseph Bazalgette, came to the rescue and reworked London’s entire sewer system. He and his crew did so well that much of their system is intact today.
9. Extreme Ironing: Outdoor Thrills With a Well-Pressed Shirt
Ironing isn’t the most exciting thing. Extreme ironing, on the other hand, aims to add some danger to this mundane household chore.
The sport is tongue-in-cheek, with contestants aiming to take photos of themselves ironing in crazy locations. Spots include the Antarctic, the middle of a go-kart race, or whilst parachuting.
10. Shizo Kanakuri: Completed a Marathon in 54 Years
Shizo Kanakuri was a Japanese marathon runner who was reported to have set a world record in the qualifying trials for the 1912 Stockholm Olympics. He was then one of two athletes that Japan sent for the games.
However, during the Olympic marathon, he fainted. He was so embarrassed by this that he went home to Japan without telling anyone. The Swedes considered him missing until he was found 50 years later. He then completed the rest of the marathon, setting a time of 54 years, 8 months, 6 days, 5 hours, 32 minutes, and 20.3 seconds.
“It was a long trip. Along the way, I got married, had six children and 10 grandchildren,” said Kanakuri.
Discover More With Wikipedia
These are only a selection of the weird and wonderful articles that Wikipedia has. They even have their own list of all their unusual articles.
Wikipedia is undoubtedly an amazing resource. If you want to get more from it, check out these tools to make Wikipedia better.
Read the full article: 10 Insanely Weird Wikipedia Articles You Should Read
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