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    A narwhal's tusk is a tooth.
    Blog 7 min read

    Five Things That Sound Made Up (and the Sources That Prove They Aren't)

    Last updated: Monday 20th April 2026

    Quick Summary

    The world holds surreal, verifiable realities that defy belief. The Great Emu War of 1932 in Western Australia saw soldiers armed with machine guns deployed against thousands of emus destroying crops. Despite the military's efforts and even an armoured car, the agile birds consistently evaded the organised forces. The campaign, intended to be decisive, became a national embarrassment and was ultimately a failure, with the emus effectively winning. This bizarre historical event is well-documented, proving the outlandish can be fact.

    In a hurry? TL;DR

    • 1Australian soldiers fought a losing battle against thousands of emus in 1932, a conflict dubbed the 'Emu War'.
    • 2Astronauts report that space smells like seared steak and raspberries, due to particles adhering to their suits.
    • 3The idea that a failed military operation against birds is a real historical event sounds far-fetched.
    • 4The scent of space, a metallic mix often compared to fried steak and raspberries, is a tangible astronaut experience.

    Why It Matters

    These astonishing facts, seemingly fantastical, underscore the power of diligent reporting to reveal startling truths about our world.

    The world often presents itself as a meticulously ordered affair, a cosmos of predictable outcomes and logical progressions. Yet, beneath this veneer of sense, lurk astonishing truths that mock our expectations, facts so improbable they feel chiselled from the fantastical. These are not urban legends spun in the shadows, but verifiable realities, each with a paper trail leading back to its surprising origin.

    The Fabric of the Unbelievable

    It is a curious human trait, this collective disbelief in the genuinely outlandish. We categorise, we rationalise, and when confronted with an exception, the gut reaction is often dismissal. Here, we peel back the layers to reveal a handful of such exceptions, demonstrating that sometimes, the most implausible narrative is simply the unvarnished truth.

    The Great Emu War of 1932

    Imagine, if you will, a military campaign waged not against a hostile nation, but against a feathered foe. In Western Australia in 1932, a detachment of soldiers, armed with machine guns, found themselves embroiled in a protracted conflict with thousands of emus. These large, flightless birds devastated wheat crops in the Campion district, prompting the farmers to appeal for assistance.

    The military intervention, led by Major G.P.W. Meredith, was intended to be a decisive operation. However, the emus proved remarkably adept at evading fire, scattering at the first sign of danger. Machine guns, designed for human combat, were poorly suited to dealing with agile, fast-moving birds. The conflict, officially known as the "Emu War", became something of a national embarrassment. Despite several attempts, including one using an armoured car, the emus largely outmanoeuvred their human adversaries. The campaign was ultimately deemed a failure, with the birds emerging victorious.

    :::pullquote[The emus proved remarkably adept at evading fire, scattering at the first sign of danger.]:::

    This peculiar episode is meticulously documented, often cited as an example of humanity's occasional inability to conquer nature, even when armed with superior firepower. Details can be found in historical archives, including reporting from the Sydney Morning Herald at the time, which chronicled the farcical events.

    Space Smells Like Fried Steak and Raspberries

    For those who have never left Earth's atmosphere, the concept of space having a scent is already intriguing. Most might imagine a sterile, acrid emptiness. However, astronauts and cosmologists alike report a very distinct, often surprising aroma that clings to spacesuits and equipment after spacewalks.

    The prevailing description is a metallic sensation, often likened to seared steak or hot metal, with hints of raspberries or rum. This isn't the smell of space itself, which is a near-perfect vacuum, but rather the airborne particles that adhere to surfaces exposed to it. These particles are thought to be hydrocarbons and other ionised molecules that react with oxygen upon re-entering the pressurised environment of the spacecraft.

    This observation is not merely anecdotal. NASA has even commissioned a perfume company to recreate the "smell of space" for training purposes, aiming to help astronauts familiarise themselves with every aspect of their extravehicular environment. The surprising confluence of industrial and fruity notes makes this one of the most unexpected sensory experiences reported from beyond our planet.

    :::insight[The smell of space is not from space itself, but from ionised molecules clinging to surfaces.]:::

    Octopuses Have Three Hearts

    While most vertebrates manage perfectly well with a single heart, the octopus, a marvel of marine evolution, operates with a trifecta. Two branchial hearts pump blood through the gills, oxygenating it. A larger, systemic heart then circulates this oxygenated blood to the rest of the body. This complex cardiovascular system allows octopuses to maintain high activity levels in their often cold, oxygen-poor environments.

    ###collapsible[The Cephalopod's Blue Blood] Adding to the octopus's unique physiology is its blue blood. Unlike vertebrates that use haemoglobin with iron to transport oxygen, octopuses use haemocyanin, which contains copper. This copper-based protein is more efficient at transporting oxygen in low-temperature, low-oxygen conditions, making it perfectly suited for their deep-sea habitats. This adaptation also gives their blood a distinct greenish-blue hue when oxygenated. :::

    This anatomical quirk is a fundamental aspect of cephalopod biology, widely studied and documented in zoology and marine biology textbooks. Their intricate biology is a testament to the diverse paths life can take, offering insights into alternative evolutionary strategies. When you consider the diet of some marine life, when you eat crab, lobster, or prawns, you're essentially eating the cockroach... a reminder of the unexpected connections in the natural world.

    Lobsters Do Not Die of Old Age

    The concept of a creature effectively immortal, at least in terms of senescence, seems the stuff of myth. Yet, lobsters, in an ideal environment free from predators, disease, or human interference, do not appear to age in the conventional sense. They continue to grow, moult, and reproduce until an external factor intervenes.

    Their internal organs do not degrade, and their metabolism does not slow down with age. Instead, they continually replace cells and tissues, growing larger and stronger with each successive moult. This indeterminate growth, coupled with an apparent lack of biological ageing, suggests a remarkable resilience.

    The largest known lobster, caught off the coast of Nova Scotia, weighed over 20 kg and was estimated to be around 100 years old. Reports from scientific institutions, such as the Maine Lobster Institute, detail this fascinating aspect of lobster biology, noting that their "ageing" is primarily a function of their size making them more vulnerable to predators and fishing gear.

    :::keyfact[Lobsters do not die of old age; they simply get too large to safely moult, or succumb to external factors.]:::

    The Earliest Known Example of "Hello" Was Not a Greeting

    Today, "hello" is synonymous with greeting someone. Its origins, however, are far less convivial. The Oxford English Dictionary traces the word's earliest usage back to the 14th century, primarily as an interjection to call attention, similar to "hey" or "hulloa." It was used to express surprise, summon someone, or shout from a distance.

    It was only much later, notably with the advent of the telephone in the late 19th century, that "hello" became firmly established as a standard greeting. Thomas Edison is often credited with popularising its use for telephone conversations, preferring it over Alexander Graham Bell's suggested "Ahoy!". The convenience of a short, clear word for initiating a conversation on what was then a novel device quickly cemented its role.

    This transformation of a simple exclamation into a ubiquitous greeting is a subtle yet profound example of semantic shift, a fascinating slice of logomachy. The evolution of words often holds surprising twists, reminiscent of how language adapts to new technologies and social norms. We're reminded that "never let yesterday use up too much of today," a sentiment that applies even to the shifting meanings of words.

    ###collapsible[More Words with Surprising Origins]

    • "Good-bye" is a contraction of "God be with ye."
    • "Awkward" originally meant "clumsy" or "wrong-handed."
    • "Nice" once meant "ignorant" or "foolish" in Old French and Latin.
    • The word fervid, meaning intensely enthusiastic or passionate, derives from the Latin fervere, "to boil."
    • Even the seemingly straightforward "deadline" has a grim origin, referring to the line in American Civil War prisons beyond which prisoners would be shot. You can read more about The Dark Origin of "Deadline".

    :::

    The Allure of the Improbable

    These instances, where reality veers sharply into the territory of the fantastical, serve as a potent reminder for us all. They underscore that our understanding of the world, however sophisticated, remains incomplete, prone to revision, and always capable of surprise. To assume we know everything is to close off the most redolent avenues of discovery.

    The natural world, history, and even the evolution of our language are replete with such improbable truths. These are not mere trivia; they are fissures in the mundane, inviting us to look closer, to question our assumptions, and to delight in the sheer, bewildering complexity of existence. The world, it seems, is far stranger and more wonderful than we often allow ourselves to imagine. Perhaps this is why a 2024 study found that a honey-sweetened drink taken 90 minutes before exercise reduced muscle soreness and improved lower-body endurance compared with placebo, another small, surprising fact nestled in the grand tapestry of scientific discovery. And a widely cited Seattle study found that men tended to slow their walking speed when strolling with a romantic partner, proving that even human interaction holds unexpected data.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Yes, in 1932, Australian soldiers armed with machine guns were deployed in Western Australia to combat a severe emu infestation that was destroying wheat crops. The unique engagement became known as the 'Great Emu War'.

    Astronauts returning from spacewalks often report a distinct aroma clinging to their suits. Common descriptions include the smell of seared steak, hot metal, or even hints of raspberries and rum.

    The military campaign against emus in 1932 was largely unsuccessful. The birds proved difficult targets, adept at evading gunfire, and the machine guns were ill-suited for their agility. The emus ultimately outmaneuvered their human adversaries.

    The smell isn't of the vacuum itself, but of particles that adhere to equipment during spacewalks. These are believed to be hydrocarbons and ionised molecules that react with oxygen, creating aromas astronauts liken to fried steak or raspberries.

    Sources & References