strange stuff

From strange crimes to strange celebrity deaths, read all of the latest weird and strange stuff news stories on Newser.com

Stories 561 - 580 | << Prev   Next >>

Know What This Is? A Curious City Would Like to Know
Know What This Is?
A Curious City
Would Like to Know
in case you missed it
Jun 12, 2022 12:25 PM CDT

Know What This Is? A Curious City Would Like to Know

Amarillo, Texas, looking for help to identify strange figure spotted outside zoo

(Newser) - Is Sonic the Hedgehog looking for friends in Amarillo? Officials in the Texas city are asking for the public's help to identify an odd-looking object, possibly creature, spotted near the city zoo. In the "dark and early morning hours" of May 21, security cameras inside an Amarillo Zoo...

If Ikea Has Its Way, Your Baby Will Be Named Malm

Swedish retailer's Norway branch offers 'name bank' with hundreds of ideas based on its products

(Newser) - Have you thought about Malm, Kivik, or Trotten? Swedish retailer Ikea is known for the distinctive names of its flat-pack home products. Now, the company's Norway branch wants to use the brand's experience to help parents browsing the baby-naming department. Ikea Norway has built a "name bank"...

Check Your Uber for Tater Tots, Metal Legs, Slime

Those are just some of the odd items left behind in the company's vehicles last year

(Newser) - If you've ever left something behind in a cab—or, these days, in a ride-hailing vehicle—you're not alone. It's not uncommon for drivers to discover the phones, keys, wallets, or purses that customers forgot in the back seat, especially in Austin, Texas, the most forgetful city...

After the Club, They Spotted the Puncture Mark

A mysterious wave of needle attacks is being reported in France and beyond

(Newser) - Across France, 302 people have reported being pricked out of the blue with needles at nightclubs or concerts in recent months. Doctors and multiple prosecutors are on the case, but no one knows who's doing it or why, and whether the victims have been injected with drugs—or indeed...

Cops: Lake Had 'No Swimming' Signs, but Man Went in Anyway

Largo, Florida, cops believe man was killed by alligator while looking for Frisbees

(Newser) - Florida police believe a man who was searching for a Frisbee in a lake at a Largo park may have been killed by an alligator. The unidentified 47-year-old man was found dead Tuesday morning in John S. Taylor Park. Largo police say that despite there being "no swimming" signs...

Want to Scare a Male Mouse? Try a Banana


Want to Scare
a Male Mouse?
Try a Banana
new study
May 31, 2022 11:22 AM CDT

Want to Scare a Male Mouse? Try a Banana

Scientists make an odd, and accidental, discovery

(Newser) - It's one of the weirder scientific discoveries in a while: Scientists accidentally found that mice are afraid of bananas—but only male mice, and particularly virgins. It seems that bananas give off the same scent that female mice emit when they're warning males to steer clear of their...

Man Disguised as Woman Throws Cake at Mona Lisa

It was apparently done in the name of the planet

(Newser) - A man seemingly disguised as an old woman in a wheelchair threw a piece of cake at the glass protecting the Mona Lisa at the Louvre museum and shouted at people to think of planet Earth. The Paris prosecutor's office said Monday that the man, 36, was detained following...

Here&#39;s Why Changing Your Name to &#39;Salmon&#39; Might Be a Bad Idea
After a Quirky Name Change,
Now They're Stuck With It
in case you missed it
May 29, 2022 5:20 PM CDT

After a Quirky Name Change, Now They're Stuck With It

Taiwanese lawmakers debate rules change for those who adopted 'Salmon' moniker for restaurant promo

(Newser) - Is the free fish really worth it? A bunch of people in Taiwan who legally changed their name to "Salmon" to take advantage of a restaurant promotion are about to find out, because the government isn't letting some of them change their names back, reports the Guardian . It...

After Singer Walks Off, Spectators Fill In
Fans Step In
After Singer
Bails During
Concert
in case you missed it
May 28, 2022 5:00 PM CDT

Fans Step In After Singer Bails During Concert

But strange incident raises concern about Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes

(Newser) - A strange incident unfolded over the weekend during a concert in Houston, one that has raised concerns about the well-being of lead singer Conor Oberst of the group Bright Eyes. As the Chronicle reports, Oberst abruptly walked off the stage after just two songs, leaving the audience—and other band...

He's the No. 1 Josh in America. Again

Jokey battle of the Joshes turns into charity event for 2nd straight year

(Newser) - A couple of hundred people grabbed their pool noodles and headed to a Nebraska park again this weekend to battle over the right to the name Josh, per the AP . The event started as an online joke when Josh Swain from Tucson, Ariz., sent out a tweet challenging anyone who...

He Had Memorable Role in Jaws as a Kid. Now, Fitting News

Ex-child actor Jonathan Searle named police chief in Martha's Vineyard town where 1975 movie was shot

(Newser) - Life is definitely imitating art on Martha's Vineyard, where a former child star in one of Steven Spielberg's biggest blockbusters ever has just accepted a stars-are-aligned job. The Vineyard Gazette reports that the town of Oak Bluffs has named as its new police chief Jonathan Searle, a longtime...

Suspects' Mercedes-Benz Getting Loads of Attention

Irvine Police call it like 'something out of @007 movie'

(Newser) - They reportedly had a James Bond-like car, but not his luck. A California couple was arrested on Tuesday, and their white 2008 Mercedes Benz C300 is featuring big into the news. The Irvine Police Department says Garden Grove residents Yasmine Kambour, 37, and Chris Huynh, 44, were arrested after a...

Toddler Leaves Good Tip After Ordering 31 Cheeseburgers

Barrett Golden of Texas doesn't even like cheeseburgers

(Newser) - Know this about 2-year-old Barrett Golden of Ricardo, Texas: The kid tips well. KRIS 6 reports that the toddler got hold of his mother's phone and inadvertently ordered 31 cheeseburgers from McDonald's via DoorDash. The burgers were about $61, but Barrett also managed to tack on a $16...

Female Soldier's Promotion Ceremony Took Lewd Turn

Officer who allegedly 'motorboated' her was allowed to retire after court-martial

(Newser) - "Multiple Soldiers immediately reported the behavior," an Army rep made clear. Good thing. The Army Times reports on the story of a former Louisiana National Guard officer who was convicted by a general court-martial after allegedly "motorboating" a female subordinate. The incident reportedly occurred during her promotion...

Delay in Trial of Woman Accused of Being 'Killer Clown'

Lawyers for Sheila Keen-Warren say they need more time

(Newser) - The details of the crime are perverse: Marlene Warren opened the door to her Wellington, Fla., home in 1990 to be greeted by a person dressed as a clown, holding carnations and balloons, including one that read, "You're the greatest." The clown shot Warren in the face...

Cyclist's Podium Celebration Ends in Freak Prosecco Mishap

Biniam Girmay was forced to pull out of the Giro d’Italia on Wednesday as a result

(Newser) - An accident with a prosecco cork while celebrating his historic stage victory at the Giro d’Italia forced Biniam Girmay to pull out of the race on Wednesday. The Eritrean rider became the first Black African to win a stage at a grand tour when he beat Mathieu van der...

Alleged Thieves Return Items After 'Scary Dreams’

Idols were taken from a temple in India, but not for long

(Newser) - The 16 statues a group of thieves made off with last week in India ended up being less of a haul and more of a curse, according to the alleged criminals. The AFP reports the idols had been carried off from a centuries-old Hindu temple in Uttar Pradesh that honored...

Officials: UFO Sightings Are 'Frequent and Continuing'

Testimony comes amid Congress' first public hearing on UFOs in 50 years

(Newser) - UFO enthusiasts are hoping government officials will be more forthcoming about flying saucers than in days of old as Congress convenes its first hearing on UFOs in 50 years Tuesday. Two top military officials tasked with investigating UFOs—which the government now refer to as Unexplained Aerial Phenomena (UAPs)—are...

The Break-In, Kidnapping Was So Bizarre No One Believed Them

Katia Savchuk pens an incredible piece for 'Atavist Magazine'

(Newser) - Katia Savchuk's incredible piece for the Atavist Magazine is called "A Crime Beyond Belief," and that pretty much nails it. In nearly 20,000 words, she peels back the onion on a March 2015 home invasion and kidnapping in Vallejo, Calif., that was so bizarre police and...

Guy Makes Big Bucks Standing in Line for Others
He Makes a Nice Living
as Professional Line-Stander
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
May 14, 2022 10:00 AM CDT

He Makes a Nice Living as Professional Line-Stander

Robert Samuel has found a unique niche in New York City

(Newser) - Good things come to those who wait ... so others don’t have to. Robert Samuel figured that out a decade ago when he began his career as a line-stander in New York City. The Guardian recently found him waiting to buy tickets for The Music Man. He does this in...

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