Buzz
After a brief week-long break, our quirky news roundup is back, diving into the more bizarre side of current events. If you missed our previous compilation of strange stories, you can click here to catch up.
In this edition, we explore tales of alligators on meth, a championship for heavy metal knitting, a growing rivalry over the world’s steepest street, and millions of people planning to storm Area 51 to seek out aliens. Additionally, scientists delve into the secrets of asteroid Ryugu, and chimpanzees form bonds while watching videos.
10. The First-Ever Heavy Metal Knitting Championship
While many might assume that knitting and heavy metal music don't mix, Finland set out to prove otherwise. Last Thursday, Joensuu hosted the inaugural Heavy Metal Knitting World Championship.
The competition rules were simple: as a heavy metal band played their set, participants took to the stage, knitting furiously while headbanging. A panel of three judges scored the contestants based on their stage performance and the quality of their knitting.
Competitors from nine different countries participated, including 35-year-old Elise Schut from Michigan, who performed with her mother and family friend. Ultimately, it was the Japanese group, Giga Body Metal, that claimed the top spot. The performance featured a man in a kimono knitting while two other members played music, and two sumo wrestlers fought around him.
9. The World's Steepest Street
Guinness World Records has officially declared Ffordd Pen Llech, located in the historic Welsh town of Harlech, as the steepest street in the world, taking the crown from Baldwin Street in Dunedin, New Zealand.
It hasn't been a great week for New Zealand, which first lost to England in the Cricket World Cup final on Sunday, and then saw Wales snatch the 'world's steepest street' title the following day. Gwyn Headley, the man behind Harlech's campaign, expressed regret over the timing but noted that 'steeper is steeper.' At its steepest point, Ffordd Pen Llech has a gradient of 37.5%, surpassing Baldwin Street's 'modest' 35%.
Guinness set a surprisingly stringent set of criteria for the title. The street must be a public thoroughfare accessible by vehicle. Harlech nearly faced disqualification as it lacked a blueprint, a requirement for the title. However, the town successfully argued that Ffordd Pen Llech has existed for nearly 1,000 years, making a blueprint unnecessary.
Whether the residents of Dunedin will accept this loss remains to be seen. Some have proposed resurfacing Baldwin Street to reclaim the title.
8. The Grapes Of Wealth
In the near future, a select few guests staying at Japan's Hyakurakuso hot spring hotels will have the rare chance to indulge in grapes worth about $458 each. This is because the business recently bought the priciest grapes ever auctioned, spending 1.2 million yen ($11,000) for a bunch of 24 Ruby Roman grapes.
Expensive fruits are a common gift in Japan, often purchased by companies to symbolize a prosperous business and a thriving economy. In this instance, Takashi Hosokawa, the hotel chain's manager, stated they spent 1.2 million yen to celebrate the 12th anniversary of the Ruby Roman grape’s market debut and to honor the first auction of Reiwa, the new imperial era.
Ruby Roman grapes are typically the priciest variety. They are about the size of a Ping-Pong ball, red in hue, and are particularly known for their sweetness and juiciness. Grown exclusively in Japan’s Ishikawa Prefecture in limited quantities to maintain high demand, approximately 26,000 bunches of Ruby Roman grapes are expected to be sold this year—though none will come close to the auction price of these grapes.
7. Teenage Mutant Meth Gators
A police department in Southern Tennessee made an online appeal for residents to stop flushing their drugs down the toilet, warning that this could result in the appearance of 'meth gators.'
The Loretto PD issued a statement last Saturday after arresting a criminal who was caught in the act of flushing his drug stash. Officials are concerned about the growing issue because all sewer water ends up in retention ponds for treatment before being released downstream, and these facilities aren’t equipped to handle meth.
Already, waterfowl like ducks and geese have been affected by meth after visiting one of these treatment ponds. However, officials are mostly worried about the potential for 'meth gators' if the drug remains in the water long enough to reach Shoal Creek in Alabama, where the alligators reside.
6. Quantum Entanglement Captured On Camera
For the first time ever, scientists have successfully captured an image of quantum entanglement.
As the term implies, quantum entanglement happens when two particles become linked at a quantum level. Their physical characteristics are correlated, despite the particles being able to exist at vast distances from one another.
This phenomenon is a cornerstone of quantum mechanics. The concept has existed for some time, and Albert Einstein famously described it as 'spooky' because of the instantaneous interaction between the particles. For a while, it was believed that this effect contradicted parts of Einstein's special theory of relativity until John Bell, a scientist, thoroughly explained the idea.
Now, thanks to a team of physicists from the University of Glasgow, we have a visual representation of quantum entanglement in action. Their image reveals a potent form of the effect, achieved by shooting a stream of entangled photons from a quantum light source at 'non-conventional' objects. The resulting image was displayed on liquid-crystal materials, which altered the phase of the photons as they passed through.
5. Life In Stone Age Israel
A massive Stone Age settlement uncovered near Jerusalem promises to offer an unparalleled insight into life in ancient Israel.
The unexpected discovery occurred during a survey for a new highway. This ancient metropolis, dating back approximately 9,000 years, stretches across several acres near Motza, located 5 kilometers (3 miles) west of Jerusalem.
The settlement housed between 2,000 and 3,000 individuals. According to experts from the Israel Antiquities Authority, it stands as one of the largest known sites from this era in the Middle East. To date, excavations have revealed burial sites, substantial buildings, storage structures, alleyways, and thousands of tools.
Researchers believe that the findings will significantly enhance our understanding of this period. Early evidence indicates that the ancient civilization displayed advanced city planning and sophisticated agricultural techniques.
4. Touchdown on Ryugu... Once Again
The Japanese spacecraft Hayabusa2 has successfully touched down on asteroid 162173 Ryugu.
If this headline seems familiar, it’s because this event already occurred last September. This marks the second time the spacecraft has landed on the asteroid, but this time it went even further. The probe detonated part of the space rock and, for the first time, retrieved samples from inside the asteroid.
The Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) pulled off this remarkable achievement by sending two smaller devices ahead of Hayabusa2. The first was the Small Carry-on Impactor (SCI), a 2.5-kilogram (5.5 lb) module designed to fire an explosive charge. The second was the Deployable Camera 3 (DCAM3), which captured the explosion and mapped the landing site afterward.
Both devices performed their tasks successfully, and Hayabusa2 was able to land on Ryugu on July 11 to collect subsurface samples. These ancient materials remain in pristine condition, untouched by the Sun’s radiation, and scientists consider them to be time capsules from the early formation of our solar system. If all goes according to plan, Hayabusa2 will depart from Ryugu at the end of the year and return to Earth by December 2020.
3. Storm Area 51
A humorous online post calling for people to invade Area 51 this September has spiraled into a massive viral sensation. As of now, 1.7 million people have committed to attending, with an additional 1.3 million expressing interest.
The event is named 'Storm Area 51, They Can’t Stop All of Us,' and its aim is to 'see them aliens.' It was created as a joke by Matty Roberts from California. Since his post went viral, Roberts has expressed concern that the FBI might come knocking. He clarified that the page is meant for fun and he doesn’t expect anyone to actually show up at the Air Force base where secretive experiments on aliens and alien technology are rumored to take place. However, Roberts has suggested the possibility of organizing a safe and legal event in the desert on that day.
Others wanted to get involved as well. Budweiser announced it would give free Bud Lights to any aliens who manage to escape Area 51. In response, rival events have emerged, such as 'Storm The Bermuda Triangle, It Can’t Swallow All Of Us.' The event’s organizer is working on raising funds for a real-life celebration featuring music, food, and entertainment, where attendees are encouraged to dress as pirates or Spongebob characters.
2. Netflix And Chimp
A recent study revealed that chimpanzees not only enjoy watching movies but that it also helps them become more sociable.
Researchers from Duke University in the U.S. showed films to pairs of chimps and bonobos and found that the experience fostered an 'increased sense of closeness'—a trait we had previously thought was exclusive to humans.
The study involved 45 primates who were shown videos of other apes. Eye trackers and fruit drinks were used to ensure the chimps stayed engaged with the films. After watching the movies, the primates exhibited more social behavior, often bonding through touch, interaction, or simply staying close to each other.
Researchers concluded that the act of watching something together is a social experience shared by both humans and great apes, which indicates that it has 'deeper evolutionary roots' than previously thought.
1. Baby Shark In The Park
A Florida city has turned the children's song 'Baby Shark' into a tool of deterrence, playing it on an endless loop to drive homeless individuals away from one of its upscale venues.
The Waterfront Lake Pavilion in West Palm Beach is a popular venue for weddings, banquets, and various events, generating around $240,000 in annual revenue. However, it has also become a common sleeping spot for homeless people during the night.
In an attempt to encourage them to find alternative places to sleep, the city has started playing two well-known children's songs—“Baby Shark” and “Raining Tacos.”—on a continuous loop throughout the night.
Leah Rockwell, the city’s director for parks and recreation, described the strategy as effective, though she noted it was only a 'temporary solution.' While homeless advocates have condemned the move as unethical, Rockwell emphasized that the music is limited to the patio area, leaving the rest of the waterfront 'Baby Shark'-free.
