strange stuff

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

Stories 641 - 660 | << Prev   Next >>

No, Missouri, the Joker Isn't on the Loose

Highway patrol accidentally sends out a fake alert

(Newser) - This week, people in Missouri got an emergency alert on their phones about a suspicious vehicle with the license plate "UKIDME." The message that buzzed on their phones read: “GOTHAM CITY MO PURPLE/GREEN 1978 DODGE 3700 GT MO UKIDME," per Fox News . There is no Gotham...

Woman Rescued After Driving Onto Frozen River, Taking Selfie

Witnesses say she was speeding along for as many as 18 miles before ice cracked

(Newser) - A woman drove onto a frozen river in Canada on Sunday, a move that perhaps predictably ended up with a rescue. Witnesses say the woman sped onto the frozen Rideau River near Ottawa, Ontario, and her vehicle cracked the ice. She climbed out and was seen taking smiling selfies atop...

His Bizarre 1970s Plan Involved Elvis, Plastic Surgery

'Rolling Stone' has the story of 'rogue '70s promoter' Danny O'Day

(Newser) - If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then Danny O'Day is ... well, he was in a category all his own. In a lengthy piece for Rolling Stone , David Browne digs into the "rogue '70s promoter," who decided to try to make a living by putting...

Maine&#39;s Spinning Ice Disk Returns
Maine's Spinning
Ice Disk Returns
Jan 13, 2022 12:15 PM CST

Maine's Spinning Ice Disk Returns

It formed over a vortex in the Presumpscot River

(Newser) - Maine's famous rotating ice disk is back. The disk has begun to form in the Presumpscot River, where it partially formed in 2020 but failed to draw a worldwide audience like in its first appearance in 2019. Westbrook city officials shared photos of the formation Wednesday on Facebook , encouraging...

In N. Korea, a 'Battle for Manure' Is Underway

Kim Jong Un wants citizens to meet poop quotas to help fertilize crops

(Newser) - The pandemic has wreaked havoc on North Korea's food supply, the result of a domino effect of sorts: With the nation's borders closed, it can't import the manure it needs for its crops from China. The hunt for that stinky commodity has now reached "crisis level,...

In Norway, 'Challenging' Times Lead to Odd Ask on Underwear

Conscripts asked to turn in socks, undies when leaving military so they can be reused

(Newser) - Conscripts in Norway have been ordered to return their underwear, bras, and socks after the end of their military service so that the next group of recruits can use them. The Norwegian military said Monday that it's struggling with dwindling supplies, in part due to the pandemic, per the...

Badger Unearths Stash of Ancient Roman Coins

Archaeologists in Spain are grateful

(Newser) - Archaeologists in northern Spain have discovered the largest stash of ancient Roman coins ever found in the region. And they're giving all the credit to a hungry badger, reports the Guardian . Researchers found more than 200 coins, dating back to between the third and fifth century AD, in the...

Candles and COVID: There's an Odd Correlation

Negative reviews of scented ones have risen amid the pandemic

(Newser) - It might be the weirdest red flag for a public health crisis ever: It seems that negative reviews for scented candles correlate with a spike in COVID cases, notes IFLScience.com . The apparent reason is that COVID sometimes causes people to lose their sense of smell, meaning that a person...

Man Says Ex-Boss Paid Him in 500 Pounds of Gross Pennies
He Paid Up in Pennies,
Now Faces Lawsuit
updated
Jan 7, 2022 4:15 PM CST

He Paid Up in Pennies, Now Faces Lawsuit

Federal government sues owner of body shop who gave worker last payment in the coins

(Newser) - Update: The US Department of Labor agrees that an auto body shop shouldn't have settled up with a former employee in pennies. So it filed a federal lawsuit Dec. 30 against Miles Walker and his A OK Walker Autoworks in Peachtree City, saying the dump was retribution after Andreas...

He's Running for President in S. Korea. Bald People Love Him

Lee Jae-myung is pushing government to pay for hair loss treatments

(Newser) - South Korean presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung isn't bald. But he is enjoying the support of many bald voters over his push for government payments for hair loss treatments. Since his proposal was disclosed earlier this week, hair loss has emerged as a hot-button topic ahead of March's presidential...

Meteor Likely Exploded Over Pittsburgh on New Year's Day

Happy 2022!

(Newser) - Residents of suburban Pittsburgh were startled on the first day of the new year by a large boom, which even shook homes. It was heard and felt throughout much of western Pennsylvania, CBS Pittsburgh reports. After much speculation (earthquake? bomb? thunder? demolition?) the National Weather Service tweeted later on Saturday...

Fixing His Tesla Would Cost $22K. So He Blew It Up
Told His Tesla Needed a $22K
Battery, He Blew It Up Instead
in case you missed it
Jan 2, 2022 4:30 PM CST

Told His Tesla Needed a $22K Battery, He Blew It Up Instead

Finnish man Tuomas Katainen teamed up with a YouTuber to get the job done

(Newser) - The first 932 miles were good miles for a Finnish man and the used 2013 Tesla Model S he bought. That's when a series of error codes began popping up, which led Tuomas Katainen to take the car to a Tesla dealer for repairs. The news he got was...

Bank Trying to Claw Back $175M in Mistaken Payouts

Santander in the UK is having a bad week

(Newser) - Some UK customers of Santander bank had an unexpectedly nice Christmas. The bank, not so much. It seems a glitch related to scheduled payments resulted in the bank mistakenly paying out a total of $175 million to 2,000 individuals and businesses, reports the Guardian . "We're sorry that...

Squirrel That Menaced Town Meets Unfortunate End

Stripe allegedly bit 18 people in the Welsh town

(Newser) - A squirrel that apparently terrorized a town in Wales has been put down, and the Guardian has the odd story. The animal dubbed Stripe—a nod to the creature of the same name in the movie Gremlins—had initially been fed by a 65-year-old local. But what began as a...

This Could Take Cooking Shows to Weird New Level

Japanese researcher invents a lickable screen

(Newser) - A Japanese researcher is generating headlines for his odd invention—a TV that allows you to lick the screen and taste different flavors. The device, called Taste the TV (TTTV) is yet "another step towards creating a multi-sensory viewing experience," reports Reuters . It makes use of built-in canisters...

Squirrels Force Change of Plans in Holiday Lights

St. Paul squirrels like to eat the wiring at a local park

(Newser) - A troop of hungry squirrels has put the kibosh on a downtown St. Paul park's holiday lights display. Friends of Mears Park had to forego the usual display this year because squirrels chewed through the lights' wires last year and the vendor refused to put up with the headache...

Surprise Discovery After Florida Rollover: 2 Gators

2 teens are arrested for illegally poaching them

(Newser) - The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission doesn't typically respond to the scene of auto accidents. But in this case, there were two good reasons: a pair of large alligators "hanging from the rear window of an SUV resting on its side," the commission explains in a...

It Began With a Bobby Pin. Now She Has a New Home

TikTokker Demi Skipper describes 'surreal' trading spree that nabbed her a Nashville abode

(Newser) - A few months into the coronavirus pandemic, Demi Skipper offered up a bobby pin for trade. She's been trading up ever since, acquiring an Xbox, a diamond necklace, and several cars. But the 30-year-old San Francisco resident, who amassed 5 million followers while documenting her trades with strangers on...

Homeowner's Attempt to Smoke Out Snakes Torches Home

At least they got rid of the snakes

(Newser) - A Maryland homeowner's Nov. 23 attempt to use smoke to dispense with a snake infestation was incredibly successful--but they managed to get rid of most of their house, as well. Per Fox 5 DC , Montgomery County fire officials said the owner of the home in the Poolesville area apparently...

Shellshocked Docs Call Bomb Squad for Man With Ordnance in Rectum

Memorabilia collector says he slipped and fell

(Newser) - A man went to an emergency room in Gloucester, England, with a WWII artillery shell lodged in his rectum. To be clear, it was a recent acquisition and hadn’t been there since WWII. The man said he “slipped and fell” and instead of skinned knee somehow wound up...

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