Buzz
As the week wraps up, let’s take a moment to reflect on some of the unexpected stories that made headlines. Click here to dive into the bizarre and surprising tales from the past week.
This week, we explore the intriguing possibility of life on the Moon, but hold your excitement—it was brought there from Earth. Additionally, we look at two men: a basketball player and a Brazilian drug lord, who both tried to manipulate the women in their lives to further their own agendas. Despite their very different motives, neither succeeded.
10. A Surprising Pregnancy
A male basketball player was caught attempting to cheat on a doping test after it was revealed that he had tested positive for pregnancy.
Donell “D.J.” Cooper entered the 2013 NBA draft but went undrafted. Instead, he played for several European basketball teams. In 2018, he tried to join the Bosnian national team as a naturalized player, but was unsuccessful and did not play for any team that year.
Now we understand why: FIBA had suspended him for two years for fraud. A drug test showed the presence of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a hormone produced by the placenta during pregnancy. Since there was little chance Cooper was actually pregnant, it indicated that he had used someone else’s urine, reportedly from his girlfriend, to pass the test.
9. Available for Purchase: A Volcano
If you're an aspiring supervillain on a budget, a skull-shaped island for your secret lair may be out of reach. But fear not—now you can purchase the next best thing for just £50,000 ($61,000): a 250-million-year-old dormant volcano.
Nestled in Devon, England, this ancient geological formation sits beside a small village called Posbury. Despite its modest size, the area has been inhabited since the Iron Age and once housed a quarry that mined basalt stone. The volcano is referred to as Posbury Clump, as it lies beneath a dense forest.
The site is also a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest, thanks to the potassium-rich lava still found in the region, dating back to the Permian Period, when dinosaurs were beginning to emerge on Earth.
8. Horrifyingly Loud Toilet Disaster
In a plumbing first, lightning struck a house's septic tank, causing the toilet to explode.
Early on a Sunday morning, Marylou Ward and her husband were still in bed in their Port Charlotte, Florida home when they were jolted awake by a loud blast. To their astonishment, they discovered that the toilet in their master bathroom had exploded. The force of the blast was so intense it shattered the toilet and sent porcelain shards flying with enough force to penetrate the wall.
When the Wards called in a plumber to evaluate the damage, he told them that neither he nor his father had ever encountered anything like this despite decades of experience. In addition to the destroyed toilet, both the sanitary pipe and the lid of the septic tank had been obliterated.
The explosion was caused by a buildup of methane gas in the septic tank, which ignited when it was struck by lightning. Jordan Hagadorn, the plumber who inspected the damage, explained that the tank lid was buried only 2.5 centimeters (1 inch) underground, which may have contributed to the explosion's power.
7. Hercules the Parrot
In ancient times, massive versions of animals roamed the earth and many of them still exist today. Now, a new addition to that list is here: Heracles inexpectatus, the Hercules parrot.
The gigantic bird was first described just recently in Biology Letters based on fossils discovered over a decade ago in St Bathans, Otago, New Zealand. These fossils date back roughly 19 million years and belonged to a parrot that stood 1 meter (3’3″) tall and weighed as much as seven kilograms (15 lb).
In comparison, the kakapo, the largest living parrot species, rarely reaches half that size. Researchers believe that both species may share a common ancestry, both part of the Nestoridae family, also known as the New Zealand parrots.
Gigantism is a widespread characteristic in New Zealand’s bird species, most likely stemming from a lack of competition from mammals or reptiles. However, such gigantism has never been seen before in parrots.
6. The Mystery Behind the New England Vampire
In the 19th century, rural New England was gripped by a vampire hysteria. While tuberculosis ravaged entire families, many believed the plague was caused by their deceased relatives returning from the grave. In response, they unearthed the bodies of the dead and performed various rituals, with the most common being the burning of the heart.
These events mostly took place privately, though there were rare occasions, like the case of Mercy Brown, where the entire town was involved. Out of many recorded incidents, only one left physical evidence for modern archaeologists. In 1990, a group of boys discovered the remains of a “vampire” in Griswold, Connecticut, and researchers now believe they have identified him.
The coffin was marked with tacks spelling “JB 55,” likely the deceased’s initials and age. Inside, the remains of a middle-aged man were found, presumably a farmer or laborer based on the arthritis in his bones. He had indeed suffered from tuberculosis and had been subjected to an anti-vampire ritual. His skull had been detached from the spine and placed on his chest alongside his femurs, forming a skull and crossbones. His body had been exhumed, and his heart had been removed and likely burned.
Researchers employed modern forensic techniques to examine the remains while also reviewing historical records. Among the documents they found an obituary from 1826 for a young boy named Nicholas Barber, which also mentioned his father, John Barber, a farmer. The initials and age on the coffin match those in the obituary. Additionally, a nearby coffin had tacks spelling “NB 13,” presumably marking the grave of Nicholas.
Scientists are fairly certain that John Barber was the New England vampire, though they remain unsure of the exact actions that earned him this title, other than his death from tuberculosis.
5. Atomik Vodka
Bartenders from Bar Swift in London's trendy Soho made the world’s first-ever Atomik martini. This drink is one of the rarest on earth, as only one bottle of the vodka used to create it exists. Also called Atomik, the vodka was made using water and grain from Chernobyl.
The “artisan vodka” was created by a team of British scientists from the University of Portsmouth. They began by cultivating rye grain in the Exclusion Zone around the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine. After harvesting the crop, they mixed it with water from the Chernobyl aquifer and distilled the mixture into vodka.
Professor Jim Smith, the project leader, reassures the public that their vodka “is no more radioactive than any other vodka.” Tests conducted at the radioanalytical lab at Southampton University showed no signs of radiation.
Together with other scientists, the creators of Atomik vodka founded the Chernobyl Spirit Company. Their plan is to produce 500 bottles by the end of the year and use the proceeds to support Ukrainian communities around the Exclusion Zone.
4. Incognito Inmate Caught In Flagrante
A Brazilian drug dealer attempted to escape from prison by pretending to be his visiting daughter.
Clauvino da Silva was serving a 73-year sentence at Bangu 3, a facility in Rio de Janeiro. He had previously escaped in 2013 during a mass prison breakout, but his latest plan was far more unconventional.
Last week, da Silva's 19-year-old daughter came to visit him, and he tried to impersonate her by wearing a silicone mask, a wig, glasses, a bra, and a shirt. He likely hoped the guards would overlook him and that he could simply walk out of prison, leaving his daughter behind.
Unfortunately, the authorities saw through the ruse. Da Silva was returned to his cell after guards documented his peculiar escape attempt. There is still a discussion on whether to charge his daughter with assisting a criminal, and other visitors are being questioned as one of them may have smuggled in the disguise.
Earlier this week, da Silva was found dead in his cell. It appears that he took his own life after his escape attempt was thwarted.
3. Can You Believe Water Bears Were Sent to the Moon?
There may be life on the Moon, but it’s actually from Earth. In April, the Israeli probe Beresheet crashed on the lunar surface, carrying thousands of tardigrades. Experts believe that these tiny, resilient creatures not only survived the crash, but also have the ability to endure the harsh lunar conditions for years.
Tardigrades, also known as water bears, have intrigued both scientists and the general public for their incredible toughness. When exposed to unfavorable conditions, they shrink and enter a dormant state called “tun.” In this state, they can survive freezing cold, extreme heat, massive radiation, and even the vacuum of space. They can remain this way for years and be revived simply by adding water.
Scientists believe that the tardigrades could remain in their tun state until a future mission rescues them and brings them back to Earth, where they could be revived. While there are no immediate plans for such a mission, it’s something to consider when planning future lunar explorations.
Astrobiologist Philippe Reekie warns that while tardigrades can survive on the Moon, they can only do so in their tun state. If they are active, they are quite fragile and easily killed, so their survival depends on their condition when the probe impacted the Moon.
2. Sail Like the Egyptians
On the shores of Lake Varna in Bulgaria, an unusual sight unfolds: A group of researchers and expert shipbuilders are crafting a reed boat similar to those constructed by the ancient Egyptians millennia ago. Once completed, the plan is to sail it 3,000 kilometers (1,900 miles) across three seas to Cyprus.
The project is led by 53-year-old German archaeologist Dominique Gorlitz. The objective is to demonstrate that such a journey could have been feasible for Egyptian sailors in ancient times, proving that they were capable of such long-distance sea travel.
Gorlitz has argued that Egyptian traders ventured to the Caucasus and brought back iron, which was later used in the construction of the pyramids. He was part of a team that examined traces of iron found on the massive stone blocks used to build Khufu's Great Pyramid at Giza.
To preserve the vessel’s authenticity, an expert team from Bolivia, one of the few groups still using traditional methods, is helping to construct the reed boat. They plan to test it on Lake Varna soon before embarking on a voyage across the Black Sea later this month. Their journey will take them through the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits, across the Sea of Marmara, and into the Aegean.
1. Legalize It, Accidentally
Ohio lawmakers may have unintentionally legalized marijuana, at least temporarily.
On July 30, Governor Mike DeWine signed a bill legalizing hemp, which opened up a new crop for farmers. Marijuana remained illegal, with the distinction between the two based on THC levels. Hemp was considered legal if it contained 0.3 percent or less THC, while anything above that threshold was considered illegal marijuana.
The issue, however, is that there is no lab in Ohio capable of distinguishing between hemp and marijuana. Current tests can detect THC but cannot measure its exact quantity. Even the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) and the Columbus Police Department lack the necessary tools to address this challenge.
During the debate over the bill, some officials voiced concerns, but these were dismissed. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost informed prosecutors that the BCI is in the early stages of developing new methods to enforce the law, but this process may take several months.
Until those methods are ready, marijuana in Ohio is effectively legal. The BCI recommended halting cannabis-related prosecutions, a recommendation the Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association accepted. Additionally, the Columbus City Attorney's office announced that it would not pursue misdemeanor cannabis cases and would drop any pending marijuana-related charges.
