What are some obscure yet interesting historical events?

History is filled with fascinating and bizarre events that are often overlooked in popular discourse. Here are ten such events that are sure to pique your interest:

• The Dancing Plague of 1518: In Strasbourg, France, a woman named Frau Troffea began dancing in the street. Within a week, over 400 people had joined her in a frenzied dance that lasted for a month.
• The Great Emu War: In 1932, the Australian government declared war on emus, who were destroying crops. The emus won.
• The Pig War: In 1859, the United States and Great Britain nearly went to war over a dead pig.
• The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest: In 9 AD, a Germanic army led by Arminius defeated three Roman legions in a battle that would shape the future of Europe.
• The Invention of the Slinky: In 1943, Richard James was trying to create a spring that would keep sensitive equipment steady on ships. Instead, he invented the Slinky.
• The Banquet of Chestnuts: In 1501, Pope Alexander VI hosted a banquet where 50 courtesans competed to see who could have sex with the most men.
• The Tanganyika Laughter Epidemic: In 1962, students at a girls' school in Tanzania began laughing uncontrollably. The laughter spread until thousands were affected, causing the school to be shut down.
• The History of the Color Purple: In ancient Rome, purple dye was worth its weight in silver. It was so expensive that only emperors could afford to wear it.
• The Christmas Truce of 1914: During World War I, soldiers on both sides of the trenches laid down their weapons and celebrated Christmas together.
• The World's First Computer Bug: In 1947, a moth got stuck in the Harvard Mark II computer, causing it to malfunction. This is considered the first computer bug.