In 1518, Strasbourg experienced a dancing plague where hundreds danced uncontrollably for days, leading to exhaustion and some deaths. 

In 1929, a small town in Italy elected the world's first female mayor, Luisa Spagnoli, before women had the right to vote in many countries. 

In 1904, a massive fire in Baltimore led to the creation of standardized fire hydrants across the U.S. after fire crews struggled to connect hoses to hydrants due to incompatible fittings. 

In 1856, a shipment of guano from Peru to the U.S. led to the Guano Islands Act, allowing Americans to claim unoccupied islands rich in bird poop for fertilizer. 

In 1961, a Soviet pilot, Valentin Bondarenko, tragically died in a training accident, but his story remained classified until the 1980s. 

In 1977, a blackout in New York City resulted in widespread looting, but also led to a surge of creativity in the city's music scene, birthing hip-hop in the Bronx.