One characteristic is that they often go against our common sense. For example, stories of people surviving extreme situations like being lost at sea for a long time without proper supplies.
There's the story of the Dancing Plague of 1518. In Strasbourg, a woman named Frau Troffea started dancing in the street. And then, inexplicably, more and more people joined in, dancing for days on end without rest. Some even died from exhaustion. It's a very strange and unbelievable event that still puzzles historians today.
Unbelievable short stories often have unexpected twists. For example, like in 'The Necklace', the ending where the main character discovers that the necklace she spent years working to replace was actually a fake. They also might have unique settings that are different from our normal world, or strange characters with extraordinary behaviors.
One example could be the story of Aron Ralston. He got his arm trapped by a boulder while canyoning alone. The fact that he survived by amputating his own arm is unbelievable but it's true. It shows the extreme will to live a human can possess.
One characteristic is the unexpected twist. For example, in a story where a man is trying to be very serious and proper all the time, but then he accidentally slips on a banana peel in front of his boss. It's unexpected and makes people laugh. Another is the absurdity. Like a story about a dog that can drive a car. It's so out of the ordinary that it's funny. Also, the use of humorous characters. If there is a really clumsy magician who always messes up his tricks, that can create a lot of funny situations in a short story.
One could be the story of a person who survived a near - impossible natural disaster. They were in the middle of a huge flood, and against all odds, managed to find a small floating object to hold on to until help arrived.
Sure. One unbelievable true story is about the Miracle on the Hudson. In 2009, US Airways Flight 1549 had to make an emergency landing on the Hudson River. The pilot, Chesley Sullenberger, managed to land the plane safely on the water, and all passengers and crew survived. It was truly a miracle considering the difficulties of a water landing.
Sure. There is a story about a man who survived a fall from a plane without a parachute. He landed in a snow - covered forest and some trees broke his fall. Another one is that a dog led rescuers to find its owner who was lost in the mountains for days. And there was a woman who found a valuable diamond in her backyard while gardening.
Sure. There's the story of Aron Ralston. He was trapped in a Utah canyon when a boulder pinned his right arm. After days of being stuck, he made the incredible decision to amputate his own arm to free himself. It's hard to imagine the willpower it took.
One such story is about the Winchester Mystery House. Sarah Winchester, the heir to the Winchester rifle fortune, believed that she was haunted by the spirits of those killed by the rifles. She continuously built onto her house in San Jose, California in a very strange and mazelike way. There were stairs leading to nowhere, doors opening to walls, and windows in odd places. It's said that the strange construction was to confuse the ghosts. And many people who have visited the house claim to have felt a strange presence.
One of the most unbelievable war stories is that of Desmond Doss during World War II. Doss was a conscientious objector who refused to carry a weapon but still served as a medic. He single - handedly saved 75 soldiers on Hacksaw Ridge under heavy fire, climbing up and down the ridge multiple times to bring the wounded to safety.