Laughing to death, tripping over one’s own beard, dying while trying to prove one can fly, and being killed by a robot… are just a few of the strangest and most bizarre deaths in history.
Greek philosopher Chrysippus died of laughter in 206 BC after witnessing a donkey drinking wine and getting drunk while eating figs. Stumbling in a drunken haze, Chrysippus happened to see a donkey being led by an old woman. The donkey was trying to eat the leftover figs that Chrysippus had apparently brought from a feast. Stuck with his own genius, Chrysippus seized the moment to throw out the greatest joke ever uttered in the history of humor: “Now let the donkey have a drink of pure wine to wash down the figs!”. He burst into laughter, joking with himself while the donkey’s owner seemed to struggle to find the humor in this joke. Delighted with his own joke to the point of excess, Chrysippus fell into a fit of uncontrollable laughter over the prospect of the donkey or something no one knows, and ultimately could not stop laughing, losing his breath and passing away. This is one of the most bizarre and unusual deaths recorded in history.
In 1518, a dancing plague struck Strasbourg, causing nearly 100 people to dance continuously for about a month, resulting in several deaths from exhaustion.
In 1567, Hans Steininger from Austria died after tripping over his own long beard.
In 1814, eight people in London died after a large beer barrel exploded, drowning them in beer.
Franz Reichelt, an Austrian tailor, believed he had invented a way for humans to fly. Therefore, in 1912, he jumped from the Eiffel Tower to prove he could fly but died instantly.
In 1923, Frank Hayes became the first person to die while winning a horse race. He suffered a heart attack during the race and died before crossing the finish line.
In 1958, British television actor Gareth Jones was playing a character having a heart attack. However, at that moment, he actually suffered a heart attack, but the crew thought he was performing. He ultimately died from this heart attack.
Robert Williams was the first person in history to die by robot. Specifically, in 1979, a robot unexpectedly struck Williams on the head with a steel arm, killing him instantly while he was working at Ford Motor’s Flat Rock assembly plant.
Joao Maria de Souza, a Brazilian man, died in 2013 after a cow fell from a roof and crushed him.
Garry Hoy, a Canadian lawyer, believed that the windows in his office could not break. To prove this, he threw himself through a window, ultimately proving himself wrong when he fell from the 24th floor to his death.
Died due to his own bald head. The father of modern tragedy, Aeschylus, was a renowned playwright of ancient Greece. According to many historical accounts, Aeschylus died in a rather strange situation. It is said that a hungry eagle mistook Aeschylus’s bald head for a rock and dropped a tortoise on it to break it open for food. This is perhaps one of the strangest deaths in human history.
Died from Laughing Too Much. Pietro Aretino was a playwright and a significant figure in medieval art and politics. His works often defied the strict regulations of authorities and religious institutions. He was also a sharp satirist and a pioneer in the field of modern erotic literature. There are various theories regarding his death. However, according to the most reliable account, Aretino died from laughing too much at a party with friends.
Died from Being Overwhelmed by Fans. Draco is considered the first legislator in human history. He documented the laws that became the first constitution of Athens, replacing the oral legal system. The laws established by Draco were clear and strict, albeit somewhat harsh. The citizens of Athens were very grateful to Draco and regarded him as a god representing justice. However, during a visit to the island of Aegina, he was honored before a crowd. Overwhelmed by the admiration of the people surrounding him, Draco suffocated to death.
Died from an Eyedropper Cap. Tennessee Williams is one of the greatest playwrights in American theater. However, his death remains a mystery to many fans. Williams had a habit of holding the cap of his eyedropper in his mouth while using it and then capping it again after use. However, that night, in a hotel room in New York, things did not go as they usually did. According to medical reports, he died from the very cap of his eyedropper.
Died from Trying to Embrace the Moon. Li Bai was a famous poet in Chinese literature. His poems are romantic and express a love for nature. Li Bai’s death occurred in a manner reminiscent of the romantic life depicted in his poetry. According to some anecdotes, while boating, Li Bai tried to lean over to embrace the moon reflected in the clear water, which led to him drowning.
Died from a Roof Tile. Pyrrhus of Epirus is considered one of the greatest strategists in history, second only to Alexander the Great. Throughout his life, he endeavored to become the king of ancient Epirus and Macedonia. After surviving numerous bloody battles, he died in a rather ironic circumstance. During an attack in Argos, Pyrrhus became trapped in a narrow street. At that moment, an elderly woman watching him from a rooftop unexpectedly threw a roof tile that struck Pyrrhus on the head, causing his immediate death. While some others believe that a soldier from Argos was responsible for killing Pyrrhus by beheading him in that street.
Died from a Throne Collapse. Béla I was the king of Hungary from 1060 until his death. He hailed from a branch of the Árpád dynasty. After ascending the throne, King Béla I consolidated power, eliminated opposition, and completed the transformation of Hungary into a Christian feudal state while also expanding its territory and population. King Béla I ruled for a brief period of three years before his bizarre death in 1063. While sitting on his throne, the canopy above collapsed onto his head, causing his skull to fracture and resulting in immediate death. Many contemporaries believed this incident was not an accident but rather the result of a clever assassination. Béla had many political enemies after he seized the throne from King Andrew I of Hungary.
Died in a Wine Barrel. As the Duke of York and Cecily Neville, and the brother of Kings Edward IV and Richard III, George Plantagenet played a significant role in the dynastic struggles between the opposing factions of the Plantagenets, known as the Wars of the Roses, before his death in 1478. After opposing his brother and being accused of treason, he was executed privately at the Tower of London. The typical execution method for nobles at that time was beheading, but George requested to be drowned in a large barrel of Malmsey wine—his favorite drink. Subsequently, his body was transported to a monastery preserved in a barrel full of wine before being buried.
Died from Dancing. In the 16th century, Austria witnessed an event known as the “dancing plague.” In 1518, 400 Austrians were obsessed with dancing. They danced for an entire month with very little rest. Ultimately, more than 30 people died from strokes, heart attacks, or exhaustion due to excessive dancing.
Lawyer Commits Suicide to Win a Case. Clement Vallandigham was a reputable lawyer who rarely lost a case. In an effort to prove that a man had committed suicide (rather than being murdered by his client), he took a gun and shot himself to demonstrate how the incident occurred. After repeating all the actions of the victim, he eventually shot himself and died because the gun was actually loaded. Fortunately for this story, the judges decided that lawyer Vallandigham was correct and that the accidental death could indeed happen, thus they acquitted the accused man.
Died from a Meteorite Strike. According to National Geographic, the odds of dying from a meteorite strike are 1 in 1,600,000. However, in 2016, Indian bus driver V. Kamaraj became the first person to be killed by a meteorite. While driving, he was struck by a “rock from the sky.” The driver died, and three passengers on the bus were injured. Of course, it is also possible that Mr. Kamaraj was not the only victim of meteorites, but this is the only recorded case.
Kurt Gödel – Mathematician Starved to Death Due to His Wife’s Hospitalization: Kurt Gödel, an Austrian, was once voted by TIME magazine as one of the greatest mathematicians and logicians of the 20th century. However, his later years were filled with misfortune as he suffered from illness and mental paranoia. Kurt was always fearful, hallucinating that others were poisoning him, and only trusted the meals prepared by his wife, Adele. Unfortunately, at the end of 1977, Adele had to be hospitalized for six months. During that time, Kurt reportedly ate very little. Ultimately, out of excessive caution and fear of being poisoned, he passed away in a state of severe malnutrition at Princeton Hospital on January 14, 1978. As a brilliant logician, his death seemed “illogical” to many. Kurt’s passing left the scientific community in deep mourning.
James Otis Jr. – An Unexplained Death by “Lightning Wish”?: American social activist and lawyer James Otis Jr. (1725 – 1783) often said that when his time was up, he wanted to die by lightning. Coincidentally, James’s wish came true when he was unexpectedly struck by lightning while standing in front of a friend’s house one May day.
