The phrase believe it or not has been used for more than a century to introduce odd facts and unlikely stories, helped by the long running Ripley's Believe It or Not books, cartoons and shows. Online, that familiar wording became a ready made label for clips that look staged but are real. Editors borrow the musical snippet as shorthand, posting it under sports flukes, animal surprises and lucky escapes. Its appeal stays simple: a few seconds tell viewers to expect something strange before they have processed what happened.