History's Top 10 WTF Moments: The CIA, A Corpse Pope, and Secrets Your Teacher Never Told You

History is often stranger than fiction. Ready to have your mind blown? These 10 unbelievable true stories are guaranteed to leave you in awe.
10.Wojtek the Soldier Bear

History's Top 10 WTF Moments: The CIA

TIL that there was once a bear who was a private in the Polish army. He was a Syrian brown bear named Wojtek, and an army subdivision adopted him after his mother died, raising him to assist in World War II. Wojtek would help carry artillery, and even had his own rank and number.

9. The Heart Attack Gun
A Corpse Pope

The CIA developed a silent gun that fired frozen shellfish toxin, causing symptoms resembling a heart attack. A similar cyanide-based weapon was used by the KGB in assassinations. It remains unknown if the CIA's version was ever deployed.

8. Cats vs. Spy Rats
and Secrets Your Teacher Never Told You

The CIA used dead rats to secretly deliver items like money or messages to spies. However, cats frequently stole the rats, prompting the CIA to coat them in hot sauce or wormwood oil as deterrents.

7. Unusual Animal Espionage
History's Top 10 WTF Moments: The CIA

During the Vietnam War, the CIA employed pigeons for photography and designed fake tiger poop to detect movement. They also experimented with turning cats into spies, though controlling the animals proved difficult.

6. Acoustic Kitty
A Corpse Pope

In the 1960s, the CIA implanted a cat with microphones and transmitters to spy on conversations. The project failed because the cat could not be directed to specific locations as intended.

5. A Secret Morse Code Message
and Secrets Your Teacher Never Told You

During the Vietnam War, U.S. Senator Jeremiah Denton was taken as a POW and forced to give a propaganda interview. While speaking on camera, he bravely blinked the word "TORTURE" in Morse code. This secret message confirmed that American prisoners were being tortured without alerting his captors.

4. Governor’s Human Skin Shoes
History's Top 10 WTF Moments: The CIA

Wyoming’s first Democratic governor, John E. Osborne, owned shoes made from the skin of outlaw Big Nose George. The shoes were reportedly worn at his inauguration and included parts of George’s original footwear.

3. Cynthia the Celebrity Mannequin
A Corpse Pope

Sculptor Lester Gaba created Cynthia, an ultra-realistic mannequin who became a celebrity. She attended events, received gifts from brands, and even had her own radio show and credit card.

2. A Life Without Women and Secrets Your Teacher Never Told You

Mihailo Tolotos lived his entire 82 years in a monastery on Mount Athos, never encountering a woman. He also never saw modern inventions like cars or airplanes. Tolotos chose to remain there until his death.

1. The Cadaver Synod
History's Top 10 WTF Moments: The CIA

Pope Stephen VI put his predecessor, Pope Formosus, on trial—despite him being dead. The corpse was exhumed, found guilty, mutilated, and thrown into a river. Stephen was later strangled.

History is full of unexpected chapters. Which of these stories shocked or surprised you the most? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

📅 Last updated: Nov-11 ,2025