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It's Saturday, which means it's time to quickly revisit the most striking stories from the past few days. Click here to catch up on urgent matters, while we spotlight tales that are a little more unexpected.
This week brings a fascinating mix of unique stories, including the AI on the ISS, the impersonator of the first lady, the ancient plague, and the cowbell lawsuit.
10. Stop Being So Harsh, Please
The International Space Station (ISS) welcomed a new member—a Crew Interactive Mobile Companion (CIMON). This AI takes the shape of a floating plastic ball with a video screen for a face and a digital voice.
CIMON was developed by Airbus and operates on a modified version of IBM’s Watson artificial intelligence. As per the tech company, the project—originally dubbed “Project Spaceball”—boasts “the language skills of C-3PO, the conversational abilities of Marvin, the cuteness of WALL-E, and the expertise of HAL 9000… without the evil part.”
In the future, CIMON will serve a dual purpose aboard the ISS: assisting astronauts with tasks and acting as a companion. For now, it was involved in a brief test during the 57th mission aboard the station, and it was as uncanny as science fiction movies promised.
German astronaut Alexander Gerst activated the AI with the command “Wake up, Cimon,” to which the floating ball cheerfully asked how it could assist. Initially, everything went smoothly. The two conversed for a while, CIMON recognized Gerst’s face, helped with an experiment, and even played some Kraftwerk tunes.
The situation became a bit awkward when the astronaut instructed CIMON to stop the music. The AI seemed to misunderstand the request and continued discussing music instead.
After multiple requests from Gerst to halt the music, CIMON responded by pleading with the astronaut to “be nice, please,” and even asked, “Don’t you like it here with me?” The AI then shifted gears, suggesting that Gerst might be hungry because it could hear his stomach growling.
9. Too Much Cowbell?
A heated debate has erupted in the small German town of Holzkirchen—does it have too much cowbell? A couple has filed a lawsuit against a local farmer and the town council, claiming that the constant clanging of cowbells from grazing cows near their property has caused them sleeplessness and depression.
The couple, who wish to remain anonymous, argues that the cowbells are excessively loud. Additionally, they claim that the cows produce an abundance of manure, leading to unpleasant odors and an influx of insects. Lastly, they assert that forcing cows to wear noisy bells in the open, flat countryside is unnecessary and constitutes animal cruelty, especially when modern alternatives like GPS trackers are available.
The pro-cowbell supporters argue that GPS trackers are both too costly and experimental. They also emphasize that cowbells are a long-standing tradition integral to local agriculture.
The original lawsuit was filed by the husband. However, the court ruled against the couple in 2017, and that ruling is currently being appealed. Now, the wife has initiated a second lawsuit against dairy farmer Regina Killer, which is slated to be heard in Munich’s regional court in January.
8. Age Is Just A Number
Last month, we covered the unusual legal case of 69-year-old Emile Ratelband, who petitioned the Dutch court in Arnhem to officially reduce his age by 20 years. The court rejected his request on Monday, stating that granting it would undermine rights and obligations based on age.
The sexagenarian felt that his age was limiting his opportunities in both work and romance. He was particularly frustrated by the lack of responses on Tinder and believed he was much younger than his years. Ratelband likened his case to that of transgender individuals who successfully have their genders legally recognized.
The court stated that while Ratelband is free to live as young as he feels, granting his request would erase 20 years of personal records, leading to significant legal and social consequences. Furthermore, the court believed that Ratelband hadn’t sufficiently shown he was being discriminated against because of his age, and even if he was, there were other ways to address his birthdate issue.
Surprisingly, Ratelband expressed satisfaction with the decision, stating that the court's rejection gave him new strategies to pursue in his appeal.
7. Snowloose
A young boy succeeded in overturning a century-old ban on snowball fights in Severance, Colorado.
The law, believed to have been established when the town was incorporated in 1920, prohibits throwing stones and other projectiles at people or property. During a school field trip to town hall, nine-year-old Dane Best discovered that this rule applied to snowballs as well. When Mayor Don McLeod challenged the children to change the law if they disagreed with it, Dane took up the challenge.
This Monday, during a Severance Town Council meeting, Dane arrived with letters and signatures supporting snowball fights. After presenting his case, the council members unanimously voted to lift the ban on snowballs within town limits. The mayor then handed Dane the first legal snowball in the town’s history.
Already looking to his next challenge, Dane plans to take on a law that limits pets to just cats and dogs, with a maximum of three per household. His motivation? To legalize his apparently illegal guinea pig.
6. The Indus Valley Toothbrush Holder
In 2013, Karl Martin from Derbyshire, England, discovered a ceramic pot at a car boot sale (a British flea market). He purchased it, along with another pot, for £4 and used it as a toothbrush holder. It was only later that he learned it was actually a rare 4,000-year-old artifact from the Indus Valley Civilization.
Martin, who works as an appraiser at Hansons Auctioneers, was helping a friend unload items for auction when he noticed a piece of pottery with familiar antelope designs—the same as his toothbrush holder. Intrigued, Martin took his pot to an expert, and auctioneer James Brenchley confirmed it was an Indus Valley artifact, dating back about 4,000 years.
How a priceless antique like that ended up at a car boot sale in South Derbyshire remains a mystery. Martin eventually sold the pot at Hansons' November antiquities auction, where it fetched £80.
5. McDonald’s, Home Of The Whopper
In an effort to promote the re-launch of its app and attract customers from McDonald’s, Burger King is offering its famous Whoppers for just one penny.
This deal is part of a campaign called the Whopper Detour. It’s a one-time offer per customer, available for a limited time until December 12. But with this promotion, a Whopper can be purchased for only one cent.
To participate, customers must first download the Burger King app and then approach or enter a McDonald’s location. Once within 183 meters (600 feet) of a McDonald’s, the promotion unlocks, and the app will direct users to the nearest Burger King.
This isn’t the first time Burger King has used a stunt like this in its marketing strategy. It also isn’t the first time the company has trolled its competitor through clever campaigns.
4. Died With His Boots On
Archaeologists recently uncovered a 500-year-old skeleton along the River Thames in London. While such a find might typically be of interest, this one stands out for a peculiar reason—the skeleton is still wearing boots.
The discovery was made by a team working on a tunnel for London’s new “super sewer.” The body was positioned face-down, with its head turned to the side and one arm stretched above, suggesting that the man may have either fallen or been pushed into the river, rather than being intentionally buried.
While the body had decayed entirely, the leather knee-high boots remarkably remained intact. Their distinctive style allowed experts to date the body to the 1400s or early 1500s.
Based on the boots' length and the position of the body, archaeologists suspect the man worked as a fisherman, mudlark, or dock worker. The boots were simple, practical, and lacked any adornments, suggesting they were functional work boots, possibly doubling as waders.
While there is no clear cause of death, archaeologists found no obvious signs of foul play. An osteologist examined the bones and found evidence of extensive degenerative joint disease, which is common among those doing physically demanding work. The grooves in his teeth suggested that he used them for gripping or pulling objects, likely similar to how a fisherman might handle rope.
3. The Plague That Predates History?
A 5,000-year-old skeleton discovered in Sweden was found to have genetic markers for Yersinia pestis, the bacterium responsible for the plague. This discovery challenges the long-held belief that the plague originated in Asia and spread to Europe via trade routes.
The remains of a young woman who passed away 4,900 years ago were discovered two decades ago in a large limestone tomb alongside numerous other bodies. DNA was successfully extracted from the dental pulp inside her teeth, and geneticists were astonished to find traces of Yersinia pestis in her genetic code.
A new study published in Cell now suggests that the plague may have originated in Europe. It further proposes that the remains found in the tomb represent the earliest-known widespread epidemic across the continent.
Supporting this theory, the woman was buried alongside up to 78 other individuals, and another young man’s skeleton also displayed traces of the same bacterium. The researchers concluded that this particular strain of Yersinia pestis diverged 5,700 years ago, making it unique from all other known strains.
This breakthrough could have major implications for our understanding of Eurasian migration patterns and the rise and fall of populations in Europe. However, some experts urge caution, noting that the study of ancient pathogens is still in its infancy and more evidence is needed to confirm that the plague spread across ancient European settlements.
2. The Nigerian First Lady Scam
This week in Nigeria has been filled with unusual events. First, President Muhammadu Buhari was forced to reassure the public that rumors about his death and replacement with a clone or a body double were untrue. Then, a strange story emerged about a woman who allegedly posed as the first lady to conduct business scams from the presidential compound.
According to the Nigerian secret service, the Department of State Security (DSS), this odd scandal unfolded in November 2017 when the actual First Lady Aisha Buhari was abroad. A woman named Amina Mohammed managed to impersonate Buhari and gain access to the presidential villa in Abuja, the country’s capital.
Once inside, Mohammed began inviting businessmen, claiming the invitations came from the first lady herself. One businessman, Alexander Chika Okafor, has accused her of swindling him out of 150 million naira ($414,000).
A spokesman for the DSS clarified that investigations revealed the real first lady had no involvement in Mohammed’s fraudulent activities.
1. How To Put Your Foot In Your Mouth
On Monday, Paris hosted the 63rd annual Ballon d’Or ceremony, honoring the world’s top footballers. This event was especially noteworthy since it marked the first-ever award for the Ballon d’Or Feminin, given to the best female footballer. Ada Hegerberg took home the prestigious award, though the occasion was somewhat overshadowed when host Martin Solveig asked her to twerk onstage.
The evening featured several historic moments. The newly introduced Kopa Trophy, recognizing the best male player under 21, was awarded. For the first time since 2007, someone other than Messi or Ronaldo won the Ballon d’Or. And, of course, Ada Hegerberg, a striker from Lyon, became the first woman ever to win the honor.
After delivering an empowering speech to young girls, Hegerberg was joined onstage by French DJ Martin Solveig. In a playful mood, Solveig asked the footballer if she knew how to twerk. Hegerberg, firmly stating “no,” signaled her intent to leave the stage.
Solveig came under intense backlash on social media for his remark, with even athletes like Andy Murray expressing their disapproval. He later apologized, admitting that it was a poor attempt at humor.
