Strange, But True

Abstract

There are many strange tales of tsunamis that do not fit into researchers’ simple understanding of these events. Intact whale skeletons nearly 150 ft up on top of a cliff, exploding geysers, ships sunk by asteroids, alcoholic beverages running riot through city streets, and the Allies’ development of a tsunami bomb during World War II that was considered equally important as their atomic program are all strange but true stories of the bizarre world of tsunamis. Although none of the events discussed in this chapter necessarily changed the world, they are interesting nonetheless and should change either how scientists search for past tsunamis or how scientists define them.