Buzz
It’s time again to check out the weirdest and most outlandish headlines from this week. If you missed our previous collection of offbeat tales, you can catch up here.
This week, we have two space-related stories. One covers NASA’s investigation into the first possible crime committed in space, while the other discusses the potential end to the quirky tradition of astronauts urinating on the bus wheel en route to their launches. There’s also a story that will leave arachnophobes reaching for earplugs, a fascinating find in ancient puma poop, and a captivating account of a ship that remained “lost in time” for over 150 years.
10. Stripped Down in the Streets of Philly
Thousands of cyclists bared it all and took to the streets of Philadelphia for the 11th annual Philly Naked Bike Ride.
The purpose of the au naturel event includes raising awareness for cyclist safety, encouraging positive body image, and reducing our reliance on fossil fuels. Participants strip down to varying degrees: Some wear only their underwear, others opt for body paint, while some go completely nude. They then ride a 16-kilometer (10 mi) course through the heart of Philadelphia, passing iconic landmarks like the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall.
In past years, the Philly Naked Bike Ride took place in September, but organizers shifted the date to August to take advantage of warmer, more nude-friendly weather.
9. Crime . . In Space
NASA is reportedly investigating what could be the first criminal case in space, after astronaut Anne McClain allegedly accessed her former spouse’s bank account without consent.
McClain married Air Force intelligence officer Summer Worden in 2014, but the couple divorced four years later. During their marriage, McClain helped care for Worden’s son, Briggs. While aboard the International Space Station (ISS) during a six-month mission, McClain admitted to accessing the bank account, though she denies any ill intent. She claims her only concern was ensuring there were enough funds to support her son. Worden, however, filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, accusing McClain of identity theft, and also reported the matter to NASA’s Office of Inspector General.
Through her lawyer, McClain explained that she was simply continuing a practice she had previously agreed on with Worden to ensure the welfare of six-year-old Briggs. However, Worden, the Air Force officer, insists that McClain’s actions are part of an ongoing effort to gain custody of their son.
So far, neither NASA nor FTC officials have commented on the case, though they have indicated that this could be the first crime ever committed aboard the ISS.
8. A Surprising Encounter with Eight Legs
Arachnophobes, proceed with caution: If the mere thought of spiders makes you cringe, you might want to pass on this one.
A woman from Kansas City, Missouri, visited her doctor after believing she had water trapped in her left ear. To her horror, it turned out to be a brown recluse spider lodged in her ear canal.
Susie Torres woke up last Wednesday with odd sloshing and popping sounds in her ear. She figured it was just water, but decided to have it checked out. Things took a strange turn when the medical assistant left the room, only to return with six additional people, including a doctor. They nervously delivered the news: there was a spider in her ear.
The doctor first attempted to flush the spider out, but it didn’t work. After several tries, he finally managed to extract it in one piece. The nurses reassured Torres that the spider was dead, though she suspects they might have said that just to keep her from panicking.
Surprisingly, the spider managed to crawl in and out without biting the woman even once. She believes it might have entered her ear while she was sleeping and now swears she’ll always use earplugs from here on out.
7. Karma Strikes Back
In an astonishing case of instant karma, a man from Kennewick, Washington, had his truck stolen while he was allegedly busy robbing a store just across the street.
Early on Sunday, the Kennewick Police Department received a report from 42-year-old William Kelley claiming his Chevrolet pickup truck had been stolen. According to Kelley, he had been drinking at the tavern where his truck was parked on Saturday night. Not wanting to risk driving drunk, he left the truck there and went home.
However, surveillance footage told a different story. Police say Kelley actually parked his truck in front of the bar at 5:30 AM, then broke into and robbed the business across the street. Meanwhile, a man on a bike rode past the truck, saw the keys were inside, and decided to take the opportunity. He placed his bicycle in the bed of the truck and drove off with it.
Since Kelley already had an outstanding warrant, he was arrested for that and also charged with a new burglary offense. The identity of the other man involved remains unknown.
6. Surgery Assisted by the Groin
Surgeons in England managed to save a man’s nearly severed hand by temporarily attaching it to his groin for two weeks to allow it to heal.
Forty-six-year-old carpenter Anthony Lelliott was rushed to St George’s Hospital in London after a disastrous accident with a revolving saw, nearly slicing off half of his palm and the first two fingers of his hand. The doctors at the hospital were faced with one of the most complex amputations they had ever encountered.
He underwent a 17-hour surgery, during which doctors first repaired his broken bones and then used nerve and vein grafts from his forearm and foot. Unfortunately, his middle finger was too damaged to save, so the surgeons used the remnants of it to help reconstruct his palm instead.
Despite these efforts, there still wasn't enough skin to properly repair the injury. In a creative solution, doctors made an incision in Lelliott’s groin and attached his hand to it. After two weeks, enough new skin grew to complete the procedure. Since then, Lelliott has regained sensation and some movement in his hand.
5. Medieval Coin Hoard Exposes a Scam
A coin hoard discovered in January in England not only represents the largest-ever find from the period immediately following the Norman conquest but also includes evidence of a medieval coin scam.
The year 1066 marked a turning point in English history, as William the Conqueror overthrew the Anglo-Saxons to become the first Norman king of England. Almost a millennium later, a pair of metal detector enthusiasts stumbled upon a massive hoard of coins while teaching friends how to use metal detectors. The pair was in a field near Chew Valley in Somerset, and almost immediately, one of them unearthed a rare coin bearing the image of William the Conqueror. This was an exceptional find on its own, but the group went on to uncover another 2,500 coins.
Researchers were able to pinpoint the coins’ origins to the early Norman period based on the fact that half of them depicted William, while the other half showed his Anglo-Saxon predecessor, Harold II. Further analysis revealed that at least three of the coins were “mules,” a term used to describe coins that combined elements from both Anglo-Saxon and Norman designs. These hybrid coins were cleverly designed to deceive the illiterate Anglo-Saxons into accepting them as legitimate currency.
4. Prehistoric Puma Poop Leads to Parasite Discovery
A recent study published in the journal Parasitology revealed that a piece of ancient puma feces contained the oldest recorded parasite DNA ever found.
The 17,000-year-old coprolite was unearthed in Argentina's Catamarca province, located in a rock shelter at over 3,500 meters (11,500 feet) above sea level. Researchers were able to rehydrate and sieve the ancient feces, recovering parasite eggs that still contained DNA. Analysis revealed that the eggs belonged to Toxascaris leonina, a roundworm species that continues to infect animals today.
This study is significant for two reasons. First, it extends the maximum age for retrieving DNA from a coprolite, a feat made possible by the ideal preservation conditions in the rock shelter, including cold temperatures and high salt levels. Additionally, the findings challenge the theory that domesticated cats and dogs brought these parasites to the American wilderness. This sample is 6,000 years older than the arrival of humans in the region.
3. Exploring the HMS Terror
A new study released on Wednesday unveiled the results of the first-ever exploration of the HMS Terror since its discovery in 2016. One archaeologist described the wreck as “seemingly untouched by time.” Researchers are optimistic about finding intact logs, maps, and other artifacts, despite the ship having rested at the ocean’s bottom for nearly 170 years.
Franklin’s lost expedition had been one of the most intriguing maritime mysteries for over 150 years. Led by Captain Sir John Franklin, the HMS Terror and HMS Erebus set sail from England in 1845 to navigate the last uncharted stretch of the Northwest Passage. Tragically, all the crew members perished, and their fate remained a mystery until 2014, when the Erebus was discovered based on Inuit oral history passed down through generations. Two years later, the site of the Terror was also located.
This August, a collaborative effort between Parks Canada and Inuit researchers led to a 3-D survey of the wreck site of the Terror, in addition to seven expeditions inside the ship using a remotely operated submersible. They were able to explore nearly 90 percent of the lower deck and found that the icy waters of the Arctic had done an exceptional job preserving the interior. Additionally, many cabinets and drawers have been buried under layers of silt, and researchers are confident that the items inside will remain largely intact and possibly legible, offering a rare glimpse into the ill-fated Franklin expedition.
2. Astronauts Break a Longstanding Tradition
A redesign of Russian space suits is putting an end to a decades-old tradition of cosmonauts peeing on the launch pad for good luck.
This quirky ritual dates back to 1961, when Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space, had to relieve himself on the way to the launch pad at Baikonur Cosmodrome. The bus stopped, and Gagarin, still in his astronaut suit, urinated on the back wheel. Since then, the tradition has been repeated on every trip to Baikonur, with male cosmonauts and astronauts also peeing on the same wheel for good fortune. Some female cosmonauts even brought vials of urine to continue the custom, splashing them on the wheels to uphold the tradition.
The new Sokol-M suit eliminates the possibility of continuing the ritual, as it now has a diagonal zipper, replacing the V-shaped opening found in the previous version. Sergei Pozdnyakov, the director of Zvezda, the company responsible for the suit, clarified that the design never included a specification for allowing astronauts to engage in the tradition of peeing on the bus wheel.
The Sokol-M suit will be worn by all astronauts traveling to the ISS aboard a Soyuz spacecraft. Since this is a prototype, modifications are technically possible, although Zvezda has yet to announce any such plans.
1. A Jazz-Related Conundrum
During a Spanish festival, a disgruntled jazz fan dialed the police to lodge a complaint that the artist performing onstage was playing modern music instead of jazz.
American saxophonist Larry Ochs, who has been playing jazz for over four decades, might be facing a bit of an identity crisis after a recent incident. On Monday, Ochs performed with his Sax and Drumming Core group at the Siguenza Jazz Festival in Spain. While the majority of the audience likely enjoyed the performance, one particular attendee was not pleased. This person argued that Ochs was playing contemporary music, which, in his opinion, had no place at a jazz festival.
The man claimed that his doctor deemed it 'psychologically inadvisable' for him to hear anything resembling contemporary music. He demanded a refund, and when the organizers refused, he called the police. The Civil Guard responded and, after hearing Ochs perform, determined that the festivalgoer had enough grounds for a formal complaint, which was then forwarded to a judge.
As for Ochs, he appeared to take the odd situation in stride, quipping that at least he now has a wild story to share with his grandchildren.
