When you hear “10 experiments space” you might picture rockets, alien life, or zero‑gravity gymnastics. Yet the reality is a mix of oddball studies that sound absurd but hold genuine scientific intrigue. From fragrant roses drifting in micro‑gravity to genetically super‑charged mice, this roundup explores ten space‑borne projects that at first glance seem frivolous—but might just be the stepping stones to tomorrow’s breakthroughs.

10 A Rose By A Different Scent

Why These 10 Experiments Space Matter

Back in 1998, NASA teamed up with International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) to sniff out how weightlessness tweaks a rose’s perfume. The goal? To harvest a novel fragrance that could be bottled on Earth. By sending a rose into orbit, researchers discovered that micro‑gravity reshapes the plant’s volatile‑oil profile—the tiny molecules that give a rose its scent.

In the vacuum of space, the flower churned out fewer of those aromatic oils, dramatically altering its bouquet. The result was a muted, almost alien perfume that differed sharply from the classic rose aroma we all know.

Armed with this data, IFF spun a new scent called “Zen” for Shiseido Cosmetics, turning a celestial experiment into a commercial fragrance. One can only imagine the R&D bill for such a fragrant foray into the final frontier.

9 A Tragedy’s Small Silver Lining

The 2003 Columbia disaster was a heartbreaking tragedy, yet amid the wreckage, engineers uncovered a tiny, resilient survivor: a batch of nematode worms. These microscopic critters were part of an experiment tucked away in the shuttle’s cargo.

Remarkably, the worms endured the fiery re‑entry and subsequent crash, proving that life can persist even after an unprotected plunge onto another world. Their survival hints at a possible mechanism for panspermia—the spread of life across the cosmos via hardy organisms.

Today, those same nematodes continue to hitch rides to the International Space Station, where scientists keep probing their endurance and the broader implications for life beyond Earth.

8 The Twins Study

Curious about how prolonged weightlessness reshapes the human body, NASA launched the Twins Study, pairing astronaut Mark Kelly with his identical brother Scott Kelly. While Scott orbited the ISS for nearly a year, Mark stayed Earth‑bound, mirroring his brother’s daily routines to provide a control baseline.

The twin astronauts experienced a suite of physiological shifts: a dip in body mass, subtle reshaping of the eyes, an over‑active immune response, and even alterations at the chromosomal level. These changes underscored how deeply our biology is tuned to Earth’s gravity.

After Scott’s safe return, most of his metrics gradually rebounded, offering hope that the human body can recover from extended spaceflight. The study continues to inform strategies for safeguarding astronaut health on future deep‑space missions.

7 Extreme Tether Ball

Imagine a satellite trailing a 21‑kilometer tether behind a shuttle, each end whipping through Earth’s magnetic field to generate electricity. That was the daring premise behind NASA’s tether‑ball experiments.

The first attempt faltered when the cable jammed after just 840 feet. A second try in 1996 saw the shuttle Columbia deploy a 12.2‑mile tether before it snapped, catapulting the satellite into deep space. The ultra‑thin cable—only 2.54 mm thick—still managed to produce roughly 3,500 volts at half an amp, demonstrating the concept’s viability.

Though both missions ended prematurely, the experiments proved that orbital electrodynamic tethers can harvest power, hinting at greener energy solutions for future spacecraft if engineers can reinforce the tether’s durability.

6 Growing Plants In Space

The cinematic saga of “The Martian” sparked public fascination with off‑world agriculture, and NASA has been quietly turning that fiction into fact. Growing fresh produce aboard the ISS is vital for long‑duration missions, both for nutrition and crew morale.

To date, astronauts have cultivated a modest menu of leafy greens—lettuce, cabbage, kale, mustard greens—and even blossoming flowers. While the variety remains limited, each successful harvest proves that plants can complete their life cycles in micro‑gravity.

Future research aims to expand the repertoire to fruit‑bearing crops, ensuring that crews venturing to Mars or beyond can enjoy a garden of their own, reducing reliance on pre‑packaged meals.

5 The Water Walls Experiment

Dubbed the “Water Walls,” this inventive project examines how water behaves when freed from Earth’s pull. By corralling water into flexible “bags,” engineers create floating walls that can serve multiple life‑support roles aboard a spacecraft.

The concept envisions separate reservoirs for gray water, black water, air‑scrubbing algae, edible algae, and even a radiation‑shielding barrier. If successful, these modular water walls could replace bulky mechanical systems, streamlining the habitat’s infrastructure.

Because the only moving parts would be pumps, the design promises lower maintenance, lighter mass, and a more resilient environment for astronauts venturing far from home.

4 Mighty Mouse Isn’t Fiction Anymore

Enter the “mighty mouse,” a genetically engineered rodent boasting double the muscle mass of its ordinary peers. Scientists sent these super‑mice aloft to see how micro‑gravity would affect their enhanced musculature and skeletal density.

After a 33‑day stint in orbit, the fortified mice retained virtually all of their muscle and bone mass, while standard space‑faring mice suffered an 18 % loss in both. The stark contrast highlights the potential of genetic augmentation to combat the debilitating effects of weightlessness.

Researchers hope these findings will translate into therapies for patients on Earth facing muscle‑wasting diseases and for astronauts who must stay strong during prolonged missions, though human trials remain years away.

3 The Fire Experiment

Fire aboard a spacecraft is a nightmare scenario, capable of crippling life‑support systems in an instant. To preempt disaster, NASA devised the SoFIE (Solid Fuel Ignition and Extinction) experiment, which deliberately ignites controlled flames inside the ISS’s combustion rack.

By studying how fire propagates in low‑gravity environments, scientists aim to develop fire‑suppression strategies tailored for space habitats. The ultimate goal: ensure that lunar bases or Martian colonies can safely manage accidental ignitions without catastrophic loss.

This research could pave the way for robust safety protocols, keeping future interplanetary settlers out of the ash.

2 The Ice Crystal Experiment

At first glance, ice seems simple—just frozen water. Yet in the weightlessness of orbit, the way ice crystals nucleate and grow diverges dramatically from terrestrial expectations.

The Ice Crystal experiment tracks these formations, seeking clues about how water behaves under micro‑gravity. Understanding these processes helps scientists identify water‑rich bodies across the solar system, a key step in locating potentially habitable worlds.

By pinpointing where ice can accumulate and persist, researchers narrow the search for extraterrestrial life, shrinking the vastness of space into a more manageable map of promising targets.

1 The Human Genome Project

The Human Genome Project, a monumental international effort, set out to decode the roughly three‑billion‑letter blueprint of human DNA. After 13 years of painstaking work, scientists announced in 2003 that they had mapped 92 % of the genome, deeming the milestone achieved.

Fourteen years later, the full sequence was finally complete, unlocking insights into disease mechanisms, fostering novel treatments, and illuminating humanity’s evolutionary journey.

Some geneticists argue that this comprehensive map could become humanity’s ultimate survival tool, enabling gene‑editing strategies to bolster resilience against the stresses of space travel and beyond.

The comic book world is bursting with caped crusaders, but not every super‑skill is a game‑changer. In this rundown of 10 heroes seemingly equipped with abilities that feel more like party tricks than world‑saving tools, we’ll explore why some powers just don’t cut it. Buckle up for a tour of the most delightfully pointless powers ever inked.

What Makes These 10 Heroes Seemingly Pointless?

10 Hindsight Lad

Meet Hindsight Lad, a Marvel creation whose moniker says it all. His super‑gift? The ability to look back and instantly know how events could have unfolded differently. After each mission, he offers a running commentary on missed opportunities, as if his mind were a constant replay button. It’s a talent that sounds clever until you realize it’s essentially a glorified “I told you so.”

Marvel clearly dug deep into the bargain bin for this one. Hindsight Lad feels more like that friend who never stops giving unsolicited advice than a true defender of justice. One can only wonder what’s next—perhaps a Back‑Seat Driver Man or a Grammar Police Officer? The lineup that follows only gets stranger.

9 Cypher

Cypher boasts a name that could headline any language‑learning app, yet his mutation is oddly underwhelming. As an X‑Man, his power is the flawless comprehension of every spoken tongue. While that might have seemed revolutionary in the pre‑smartphone era, today it’s a skill that fits neatly into the pocket of any modern translation tool.

Marvel seemed to have a change of heart when they killed him off in 1988, only to resurrect him in 2009. Still, the ability to instantly understand any language hardly earns a spot among the heavy‑hitting powers of his teammates. It’s a clear case of a talent that, while unique, offers limited tactical advantage.

8 Squirrel Girl

Yes, the comics really did give us a heroine named Squirrel Girl, apparently because the name just rolls off the tongue. Her abilities revolve around communicating exclusively with squirrels and borrowing a few squirrel‑like traits—sharp claws, a balancing tail, and a penchant for gnawing wood. Outside of nut‑related emergencies, her skill set doesn’t exactly inspire confidence in a fight.

She’s a member of the Great Lakes Avengers, sharing the spotlight with other oddly powered heroes. While her enthusiasm is infectious, the practical applications of chatting with tree‑dwelling rodents are, frankly, limited. The creator must have been a little… nutty, to be honest.

7 Almighty Dollar

Almighty Dollar hides behind the bland alter‑ego J. Pennington Pennypacker, a name that practically hands his secret identity to the reader on a silver platter. By day, he crunches numbers as a CPA, and by night he transforms into a money‑wielding vigilante.

His signature move? Shooting pennies from his wrists. Coupled with a cringe‑worthy catchphrase about “throwing money at my problems,” the hero’s arsenal feels more like a bad infomercial than a threat to crime. Unsurprisingly, his brief stint in the comics left readers unwilling to part with even a single cent.

6 Badrock

Badrock hails from Image Comics’ “Youngblood” line and is essentially a carbon copy of Marvel’s The Thing. He possesses super‑strength and near‑invulnerability, yet his backstory is riddled with legal trouble. Originally named Bedrock, the Flintstones’ creators forced a rename to Badrock, and his catchphrase—“Yabba dabba doom”—didn’t help his case.

With a name that evokes construction material and a power set that feels borrowed, Badrock never managed to carve out a unique niche. He stands as a textbook example of a hero who was, quite literally, built on someone else’s foundation.

5 Phone Ranger

A.G. Bell started his career as a humble telephone repairman, a job that’s practically extinct today. One fateful day, while fixing a line, he intercepted an alien transmission, prompting him to craft a high‑tech suit and adopt the moniker Phone Ranger.

The suit grants him the ability to tap into any telecommunications device, theoretically allowing instant response to distress calls. In practice, however, it’s a power that duplicates what our phones already do on their own. The concept sounded fresh, but the execution left him disconnected from lasting relevance.

4 Razorback

Razorback was Marvel’s attempt to give Arkansas a home‑grown champion. Buford Hollis, a truck driver, becomes the titular hero, wielding the uncanny ability to operate any vehicle and donning an electrically charged hog‑shaped helmet. He affectionately names his ride “Big Pig.”

While the notion of a universal driver sounds impressive, it borders on the absurd—anyone can start a car. Paired with a flashy, hog‑themed headpiece, Razorback’s gimmick never resonated beyond a brief cameo alongside stalwarts like Spider‑Man and She‑Hulk.

3 Jazz

Jazz, born John Arthur Zander, is a Marvel mutant whose only distinguishing feature is blue skin—a condition more cosmetic than superhuman. His father, a mutant immune to pain, raised him in relative normalcy, but Jazz’s life spiraled into a failed rap career, drug dealing, and ultimately a tragic death at the hands of another mutant’s voodoo doll.

His storyline is a bleak commentary on wasted potential; despite being labeled a mutant, his blue complexion offers no combat advantage. Jazz’s narrative underscores how a seemingly unique trait can be rendered utterly pointless in the grand scheme of superhero lore.

2 Hepzibah

Hepzibah belongs to the Mephitisoid race—essentially a humanoid skunk. Her actual name is an unpronounceable blend of scents, so she’s known by the nickname given by her ally, Corsair. She boasts impressive night vision, a keen sense of smell, and the ability to release pheromones, yet these abilities rarely tilt the odds in battle.

Visually memorable thanks to a prominent skunk tail and occasional feline tweaks, Hepzibah has found a niche within the furry community. Nonetheless, her powers remain largely decorative, offering little beyond a distinctive silhouette.

1 Mr. Immortal

The final entry chronicles Craig Hollis, whose tragic upbringing—an arson set by the villain Deathurge that claimed his parents—led him down a dark path of attempted suicide. When death refused to claim him, Mr. Immortal emerged, boasting an inability to die.

He eventually formed the Great Lakes Avengers alongside Squirrel Girl, but eternal life without accompanying super‑strength or speed feels more like a cursed blessing. While his resilience is impressive, it lacks the versatility that makes other heroes truly formidable.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock since before the 1950s, you’ve probably heard of the Guinness Book of World Records. It’s the go‑to authority for every kind of record you can imagine, and its guidelines are surprisingly flexible. That flexibility means anyone can apply to have a bizarre talent officially recognized, as long as the achievement can be measured, verified and is truly different from anything else out there. Below, we count down the 10 most pointless world records ever logged, proving that fame can indeed be as fleeting as a flash of grease on a pole.

Why These 10 Most Pointless Records Matter

They may not change the course of history, but they showcase human creativity, determination, and the sheer joy of doing something just because you can. So buckle up, and prepare to be both amused and amazed.

10 Fastest Time to Cross a Greased Pole

Imagine strolling down a quiet lane, only to discover that your only way forward is a solitary pole slicked with grease. It’s the kind of scenario you’d expect only in a cartoon, yet it’s a real‑world challenge that someone decided to turn into a record‑breaking sprint.

In the spring of 2016, Italian daredevil Antonio Papa shattered the previous mark by sliding across the oily pole in a blistering 3.09 seconds. He dethroned American Joe DaSilva, who had first made the greasy‑pole run famous back in 2012 on the TV special Guinness World Records Gone Wild!. Papa’s slick victory cemented his place in the annals of absurd athleticism.

9 Most Tattooed Man

If you thought the most inked person you’ve ever seen was a customer at a niche boutique, think again. The record for the most tattooed man belongs to a true walking canvas whose skin is a living art gallery.

Lucky Diamond, a professional tattoo artist, boasts tattoos covering every inch of his body—from his eyelids and ear lobes to the very tips of his fingertips. He also performs as a sword swallower and juggler, but his most eye‑catching feat remains the complete body coverage. The sheer volume of pigment means his skin has been pierced thousands of times, turning him into a living masterpiece.

8 Largest Smurf Collection

Collecting is often about finding something unique that reflects your personality, and for one enthusiastic fan, that something is a sea of tiny blue figurines.

Gerda Scheurs has amassed a Smurf collection valued at over $100,000, filling her home with countless miniature blues. The collection has even spawned an online community of fellow Smurf aficionados, making it one of the most dedicated and lucrative hobbyist gatherings in the world.

7 Most “Flesh Tunnels” in the Face

If the phrase “flesh tunnels” makes you wince, you’re not alone—but the record holder for this body‑modification feat embraces the discomfort with style.

James Goss of the United Kingdom currently holds the title, having out‑pierced German record‑holder Joel Miggler. Flesh tunnels, also known as expanders or gauges, are tube‑shaped piercings that stretch the skin. Goss’s dedication to adding more tunnels earned him the record, proving he truly stretched himself.

6 Most Almonds Consumed in One Minute

Speed‑eating may sound like a niche talent, yet it’s a discipline that can turn a simple snack into a competitive sport.

Professional eater Leah Shutkever set the benchmark in October 2021 by devouring more than 40 almonds in just 60 seconds. Her expertise in rapid consumption has earned her multiple world‑record titles, making almonds the unlikely centerpiece of her impressive résumé.

5 Furthest Distance Traveled Across LEGOs

Walking barefoot over a carpet of LEGO bricks is a nightmare for most, but one man turned the pain into a record‑breaking trek.

Kevin Strahle, better known as “L.A. Beast,” covered an astonishing 3,886.2 meters (12,750 feet) across a sea of LEGO pieces on November 20th. The grueling journey left his feet in a sorry state, but it also secured his place in the history books as the person who endured the longest LEGO‑covered march.

4 Longest Continual Vocal Note

Holding a note might seem like a simple vocal exercise, yet mastering it to the point of breaking a world record requires extraordinary breath control and stamina.

Richard Fink IV currently holds the title, sustaining a single note for 1 minute and 52 seconds. His performance demonstrates that, much like Celine Dion’s endless heart, a note can truly go on and on.

3 Most Times Folding That Paper

Paper folding appears innocent enough, but pushing the limits of how many times a sheet can be folded turns it into a scientific challenge.

Britney Gallivan, a high‑school student from California, shattered expectations by folding a piece of printer paper a record‑breaking twelve times. Her teacher had insisted that paper could only be folded a few times, but Gallivan proved that perseverance and clever technique can defy conventional wisdom.

2 Most Objects in a Beard

The pandemic gave many people extra time to grow facial hair, but one man decided that a beard alone wasn’t enough—he turned his whiskers into a storage unit.

Joel Strasser, a record‑breaking beard enthusiast, has amassed a series of feats involving the insertion of various objects into his beard. His achievements include:

• Toothpicks: 3,500
• Chopsticks: 520
• Golf tees: 607
• Straws: 312
• Baubles (Christmas ornaments): 302

These feats require careful architectural planning to keep each item in place, and Strasser even advises using straws responsibly to avoid harming sea turtles.

Beyond the novelty, his beard‑based records showcase a blend of creativity, engineering, and sheer dedication to the bizarre.

1 Fastest Time to Eat a Burrito

When lunch hour feels too short, some people turn a regular burrito into a high‑speed challenge.

Leah Schutkever, the same speed‑eater who dominated the almond record, completed an entire burrito in a lightning‑quick 35.26 seconds back in 2019. Her goal was to beat the 40‑second barrier, and she succeeded, leaving only the bathroom break to take longer than the actual eating.

War. What is it good for? Absolutely nothing. And to drive that point home with some stark consistency, these are 10 of the most pointless wars that have ever been waged,

10. The Pastry War

Most wars are named in a way that gives you an incline about what they were about or at least between whom. The Franco-Prussian War, World War I, the names make sense. So when you hear about a war called the Pastry War, it’s not unreasonable to be a little confused about what it even means.

The Pastry War did have pastry at its root, but it was more a war looking for a cause than a cause for a war. It took place in 1838 and 1839 between the nations of France and Mexico. Before this time, Mexico was still a very young nation and France was not entirely on board with their independence. The king of France still considered Mexico an extension of Spain, and France and Spain were not on the best of terms, nor had they been for a few hundred years.

In 1830, France and Mexico developed a trade relationship, and this led to new tensions over taxes. And this helped exacerbate an already existing and relatively insignificant problem. In 1828, during a period of civil unrest in Mexico City, the pastry shop of a man named Remontel was ransacked by Mexican soldiers who ate all his pastries and he wanted compensation. 

Remontel demanded the Mexican government compensate him with 60,000 pesos. His shop was worth only 1,000. When Mexico declined, he complained to France. The King demanded Mexico pay 600,000 pesos. Mexico scoffed at the idea. France responded by deploying ships of war to set up a blockade. One thing led to another and the next thing you know, 30,000 French soldiers have taken over Veracruz and captured the entire Mexican Navy.

After seven months with no progress in defeating the French, Mexico had the British intervene on their behalf. They paid France 600,000 pesos and Remontel got his 60,000.

9. The Lobster War

If you’re going to go to war over food, you may as well make it something luxurious. In 1961, France and Brazil came to blows over the shellfish. French fishermen were 100 miles off the Brazilian coast, catching lobster. Brazil said that was still on their continental shelf and therefore they were their lobsters. Each side took the issue to their respective governments. Brazil sent six patrol boats to aid the fisherman which really ticked off French President Charles de Gaulle, who sent a French destroyer to help his own countrymen.

The Brazilians outnumbered the French, and so the French retreated. Brazil told them to leave within 48 hours. They refused, so one French ship was taken hostage. 

No guns were fired, but the dispute continued for three entire years. Diplomacy won out, and the countries went to an international court. The government of Brazil extended their waters to 200 miles, so there would be no further issue. 

8. Molossia vs East Germany

If you head to Dayton, Nevada, you may run across a patch of land that’s just a bit over an acre in size. This is the Republic of Molossia, a country that isn’t actually a real place, but the man who runs it definitely knows how to commit to a bit.

Considered an unrecognized micronation, Molossia was founded by Kevin Baugh, former sergeant first class in the US Army. His country started all the way back in 1977 when it was the Grand Republic of Vuldstein. Baugh does pay property taxes and, like any nation, it has had political strife. They’ve been at war with East Germany since 1983. 

You may recall that East Germany isn’t even a country anymore, but that hasn’t slowed Baugh down because when it was a country, he was stationed in West Germany. East German military exercises woke him up in the night and so he vowed to wage war on that injustice. Even when the country stopped existing, he pointed out that Ernst Thälmann Island was not named in the dissolution of East Germany and, therefore, he’s still at war with them.

If the whole thing sounds like a joke, then don’t worry. Baugh is well aware of the goofiness and is just having fun. But to stick to a joke since 1983 is pretty impressive. 

7. The Huéscar War

Most people are likely not familiar with Huéscar because it’s not a great nation with a long history. That’s because it’s not a nation at all, it’s a town in Spain. In 2021, it had a population of just over 7,000. So the fact that Huéscar went to war with Denmark seems like a bit of an unbalanced battle. And that doesn’t take into account the fact that, when the war officially ended in 1981, it had been going for 172 years.

The war dates back to the Napoleonic Wars in 1809. At that time, Denmark supported France in their war against Spain. Napoleon lost and in 1814 the Treaty of Paris was signed, ending the war between all combatants. All but one.

Back in 1809, the town of Huéscar decided to also formally declare war on Denmark alongside their countrymen. It was a needless declaration since Spain as a whole was involved, but local politicians can sometimes have bigger, weirder aspirations than their station normally allows. They never actually engaged in war because the town had a total of 8 municipal guards. The declaration was all but forgotten until 1981, when it was rediscovered.

The town had to decide what to do with their still open war against Denmark, alive and strong despite generations of people not knowing about it. They agreed that ending the war was the right thing to do and no doubt the people of Denmark slept a little easier that night. 

6. The Kettle War

It’s hard to call any war a good war, but there are things you may want to see in a war if you have the option. Low casualties are obviously the greatest outcome and if a war can somehow take place with no one dying, then all the better. The Kettle War was one such war. A single shot was fired and the only victim was a soup kettle. 

The not-quite battle took place between the Holy Roman Empire, here represented by the Spanish Netherlands, and then the Republic of the Seven Netherlands. The Seven Netherlands in the north had control of the Scheldt River. In 1784, the Holy Roman Emperor decided that it was time to reopen the river to trade and sent three ships to the northern nation. The Dutch responded with one. 

The Dutch vessel fired a single shot when they met. It hit the kettle on the Le Louis and the captain surrendered right away. The Le Louis was far better appointed for war than the Dutch vessel, so the surrender was unusual. 

The Emperor declared war soon after, but a series of floods on land made the entire incident a fast one with the Dutch capitulating and a compromise being reached. 

5. The Emu War

In a typical war, you have two or more sides in a dispute over land, religion, trade, or a host of other issues. But almost always the participants are human. Not so in the Great Emu War, which wasn’t named in any poetic or metaphorical war. It was a war on emus. 

After the First World War, the Australian government began giving out plots of land to their veterans. Thousands of acres were provided as farmland because Australia has a lot of room to spare. But it was technically not uninhabited. The emus were there. And they were causing a ruckus.They destroyed crops and they were big enough that they could literally knock over fences by running at them. 

By 1932, there was a bounty placed on the birds.The farmers couldn’t handle them all, so the military was called in. They managed to corner 1000 of them and the gun they were going to use to kill them jammed. They took out maybe 10. After several days of trying and 2500 rounds of ammo, they’d killed 200. The final tally was about 10 bullets wasted per emu shot. 

By 1934, the government had provided ammo to the farmers and, sadly, the emus didn’t fare well. Nearly 60,000 died, but the species persevered and now is a protected species.

4. The Anglo-Zanzibar War

The war in Afghanistan lasted nearly 20 years. It was by no means the longest war ever, but it was America’s longest war. There’s not really a time period for any given war, of course, but typically they last a while. At least a few days, right?  The Anglo-Zanzibar War lasted 38 minutes. 

Two days before the war, the Sultan of Zanzibar had died. The replacement sultan had not been approved by Britain, which was supposed to happen according to the official rules governing Zanzibar as a British protectorate. So Britain told the new sultan he had to go. In response, he locked himself in the palace. 

The British had several naval vessels, including warships. The sultan was ordered to stand down by 9:00 in the morning but he refused. By 9:02, his artillery was destroyed, and the palace was collapsing. Word is the sultan fled at the same time and by 9:40, his forces surrendered, ending the war.

3. The Bucket War

Numerous countries have experienced civil wars over the years and they’re typically over land or ideologies, but not always. For instance, in 1325, the Italian city-states of Modena and Bologna devolved into a war over a bucket.

The story goes that soldiers from Modena snagged a bucket from a well in Bologna. This prompted the Bolognese people to send their army to retrieve it. This, in turn, led to 30,000 Guelph foot soldiers on behalf of the Pope coming to the aid of Bologna, while 5,000 Ghibellines on behalf of the Holy Roman Emperor joined the cause for Modena. 

Over 2,000 soldiers died and by some accounts the bucket was nothing more than a colorful story to distract from much greater causes, including Modena taking a Bolognese castle. But even in that version, they still stole a bucket. 

2. The Stray Dog War

In 1925, Bulgaria and Greece proved that just about any pretence for war could be used if one nation was dedicated enough. In this case, it was fought over a stray dog. Of course, as we said, that was just some pretence and there were bigger issues at play, including a dispute over claims to Western Thrace. Many soldiers had died on both sides over the years.

In October 1925 a soldier stationed near the border between Greece and Bulgaria lost control of a dog. The dog ran towards Bulgaria.The soldier ran after and when he got too close the Bulgarians shot him. 

Greek general Pangalos was not about to let this stand. He threatened Bulgaria if they didn’t make amends, but they refused. Greece invaded and took possession of a town until the League of Nations ordered them out and ordered Greece to pay for the damage they had caused.

1. The Great Goat War

We already saw how Australia went to war against emus, but at least the emus had a fighting chance in that skirmish. Not so for the goats of the Galapagos Islands, which had $10 million in UN funding, two helicopters, 100 hunters and 500,000 rounds of ammunition after them. But hey, the goats lasted nearly 10 years after war was declared, so that’s something.

Feral goats were introduced to the Galapagos in the 1700s. A few goats turned into 120,000 goats by the 2000s and they were destroying the island, including the habitat of the native tortoises. They were very directly responsible for the near extinction of the tortoises. So they had to go. This also resulted in a serious loss of food and income for locals, but alas, no one was fighting back for the goats.