Buzz
As we close another week, it's time to reflect on some of the most unusual stories that made waves. If you're more interested in uplifting news from around the world, feel free to click here.
From ketamine-loving alligators to the priciest pigeon on the planet, this week had it all. There are fascinating shipwreck discoveries and a historical journey to Bedrock, where we relive some ‘yabba-dabba-doo’ fun. Plus, Jack the Ripper resurfaced in the news alongside an unexpected visitor from outer space.
10. Saucy Jack Makes His Return
Even after 130 years since his infamous crimes, Jack the Ripper continues to intrigue. A new study from the Journal of Forensic Sciences has reportedly cracked the case, unveiling the notorious killer's identity through DNA from a shawl said to have belonged to one of his victims.
The researchers behind this claim are Jari Louhelainen from Liverpool John Moores University and David Miller from the University of Leeds. They suggest that Jack the Ripper was a Polish barber named Aaron Kosminski. While the revelation isn't groundbreaking, as Kosminski has long been considered a top suspect, the scientists argue that mitochondrial DNA found on a shawl, said to have belonged to Catherine Eddowes, matches that of Kosminski’s descendants.
This announcement has sparked backlash from the scientific community, with many labeling it 'unpublishable' and criticizing the quality of both the science and history. Geneticist Adam Rutherford emphasized that the tests were conducted in 2014 and faced substantial criticism at the time, but have somehow resurfaced in a scientific journal. Other experts, like Turi King from the University of Leicester, have raised concerns about potential contamination. Even if the shawl does indeed belong to Catherine Eddowes (which is far from certain), its mishandling over the years makes it unlikely that we’ve found Jack the Ripper’s true identity.
9. A Pigeon Worth Its Weight In Gold
Armando, a pigeon, made headlines by fetching a record-breaking price of €1.25 million ($1.42 million) at auction.
The previous record stood at €376,000 ($426,000). Auction house Pipa, renowned for specializing in racing pigeons, knew that Armando would command a significant price. Often referred to as the 'Lewis Hamilton of pigeons,' they expected bids to reach around half a million euros, perhaps even €600,000 at most. However, they were taken aback when Armando's final price more than doubled expectations, driven by an intense bidding war between two Chinese buyers.
So what makes Armando so extraordinary? He’s widely regarded as one of the best racing pigeons in history. Though his competitive days are behind him—he turns five this year and has retired from racing—Armando remains a valuable asset, capable of producing a new generation to continue his legacy.
8. Shipwreck Ale
Beer lovers now have a unique new brew to try—Deep Ascent ale, made with yeast harvested from a century-old shipwreck.
The SS Oregon was once the fastest liner crossing the Atlantic. Unfortunately, it met its fate in 1886, sinking after colliding with a schooner just a few miles off New York, in a region now known as 'Wreck Valley.'
As the name suggests, the area is home to numerous shipwrecks, making it a prime destination for scuba divers. One such diver is Jamie Adams, a former Wall Street trader who now runs Saint James Brewery on Long Island. He had the idea that by finding intact bottles, he could recreate beers that were brewed over 130 years ago.
Adams made his first attempt in 2015, but it wasn’t until 2017 that he managed to uncover some untouched beer bottles when shifting sands exposed the ship’s dining room. It took another two years, with the help of a microbiologist, to extract the yeast and use it to brew a modern ale. The result is a beer that Adams describes as having a 'slightly fruity taste and a hoppy finish.'
7. The Last Blockbuster on Earth
The city of Bend, Oregon, is about to earn a peculiar distinction: it will soon be home to the last remaining Blockbuster store in the world.
Currently, there are two Blockbuster video rental shops still operating—one in Bend, Oregon, and the other in Morley, a suburb of Perth, Western Australia. However, the latter will close permanently at the end of March, leaving the Oregon location as the last Blockbuster standing.
The American store was once part of a five-store chain owned by the same family, but all the others have closed down. General Manager Sandi Harding believes this location survived due to 'pure stubbornness,' though it’s also been able to stay afloat by running on an extremely tight budget. Its computer system still uses floppy disks to reboot, and business transactions are recorded on reel-to-reel tape. The employees manually write out membership cards because the dot-matrix printer they once had broke down.
These outdated measures were initially adopted to cut costs, but they’ve now become part of the store’s charm. Increasingly, customers are visiting the store seeking a nostalgic experience.
At its peak, Blockbuster had over 9,000 locations worldwide. It even had the chance to purchase Netflix for a mere $50 million, but it passed on the opportunity. The company filed for bankruptcy in 2010, though some of its franchised locations managed to remain open.
6. Herodotus Was Correct
Nearly 2,500 years ago, Herodotus penned The Histories, one of the most impactful literary works from the ancient world. In this text, he recounts his travels in Egypt, including a detailed description of a ship called a baris with 'long, internal ribs.' While Herodotus saw it being constructed, archaeologists never found any proof that such a vessel had existed. However, recently, a remarkably preserved example of this ship was found near the submerged city of Heracleion.
Herodotus detailed the construction of the baris, describing planks being inserted into strong, long tenons, with beams stretched over them. The seams were sealed with papyrus from the inside, and a rudder passed through a hole in the keel. The mast was made of acacia, and the sails were constructed from papyrus.
This method of shipbuilding had never been observed until now. The ship, named 'Ship 17,' had acacia planks held together with long tenons and fastened with pegs, forming a hull supported by the 'internal ribs' Herodotus had mentioned.
Ship 17 is one of 70 ancient ships discovered near the submerged ruins of Thonis-Heracleion, now located in Abu Qir Bay. About 70 percent of the ship's hull is still intact, and its structure aligns almost exactly with the description provided by Herodotus. It remains uncertain whether any other baris ships can be found among the other wrecks.
5. Ketamine-Enhanced Gators Reveal Insights Into Sound Processing
In a study featured in the Journal of Neuroscience, researchers administered ketamine to alligators and played sounds through headphones to explore the auditory systems of archosaurs.
Catherine Carr from the University of Maryland and Lutz Kettler from the Technical University of Munich conducted the experiment to investigate the 'neural maps' that alligators use to process sound. They concentrated on 'interaural time difference' (ITD), which is the brief delay between when each ear hears the same sound. While this gap is usually too short to notice, it plays a critical role in helping animals determine the direction of sounds.
To carry out the experiment, scientists had 40 American alligators listen to different sounds through headphones while electrodes placed on their heads recorded their neural responses. Since alligators aren’t the most cooperative subjects, they were sedated with ketamine for the study.
An earlier study conducted similar research with birds, and the latest experiment demonstrated that both groups share a comparable neural mapping system, though with some distinct differences from mammals. Crocodilians and birds belong to the ancient Archosauria lineage, which also included dinosaurs and pterosaurs. Researchers suggest that these extinct relatives likely had a similar auditory system, especially since head size doesn’t seem to play a significant role.
4. The Controversy Surrounding the Flintstone House
The owner of the Flintstone House is facing a lawsuit from her neighbors who believe her home to be a public nuisance.
In the mid-1970s, architect William Nicholson designed several experimental dome-shaped homes. One of these was constructed in Hillsborough, San Mateo County, California. Its distinctive appearance was achieved by draping a mesh frame over inflated aeronautical balloons, earning the residence its quirky nickname, the 'Flintstone House.'
The current owner is Florence Fang, a retired media mogul who has fully embraced the Flintstone theme and made several additions. These include various dinosaur statues and a sign reading 'Yabba Dabba Doo.'
The neighbors are not pleased with these alterations. Many consider the building, painted in shades of red, orange, and purple, to be an eyesore, and the dinosaurs certainly aren't helping the situation. Last fall, a group of code enforcement officials sided with the neighbors, agreeing that the recent renovations constitute a public nuisance. They are now hoping the courts will echo their sentiments. The lawsuit claims that Mrs. Fang did not obtain the necessary permits for these changes. Her grandson, Sean Fang, stated that she intends to fight to preserve the Flintstone House as it is.
3. When Meteors Strike
NASA disclosed that a massive meteor exploded in Earth's atmosphere last December. Although it created a spectacular fireball, it went mostly unnoticed because it detonated over the Bering Sea.
The meteor entered Earth's atmosphere on December 18, traveling at a speed of 30 kilometers per second (19 miles per second). It exploded in a fiery burst at an altitude of approximately 25.5 kilometers (16 miles) above the frigid waters between Russia and Alaska. NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies later determined that the blast had the energy equivalent of 173 kilotons, more than eleven times stronger than the Hiroshima bomb. However, it was only 40% as powerful as the 2013 Chelyabinsk explosion.
Unlike the Russian meteor, this one caused no injuries or damage. In fact, we nearly missed it altogether. Various institutions had equipment that detected the explosion, but it wasn’t until March 8 that the US Air Force notified NASA of the event, allowing them to log the fireball into their database.
The space rock measured about 10 meters (33 feet) in diameter. According to Rudiger Jehn, head of planetary defense at the European Space Agency (ESA), it was 'nothing out of the ordinary.' The event has sparked renewed calls for greater funding for planetary defense systems.
2. The Florida Man Challenge
This week's viral internet sensation is brought to us by the enigmatic and often misunderstood figure known as Florida Man. The 'Florida Man Challenge' invites people to search for bizarre escapades involving Florida Man that occurred on their birthday and share the results on social media.
Joining in on the fun is simple. Just search for 'Florida Man' followed by your birthday (month and day only). The first headline you find is your personal 'Florida Man' story. For example, if your birthday coincided with the day this article was published, you’d learn that Florida Man was 'attacked by a neighborhood squirrel, causing residents to go on high alert.'
The recent surge in fascination with the peculiar behavior of Florida residents has sparked fresh debates about its potential causes. Assistant State Attorney Ryan Butler suggests that the state's open government laws, which make all documents public records by default unless stated otherwise, make it much easier for journalists to report on criminal activity.
Some believe that the phenomenon is a result of the cyclical nature of the 'Florida Man' myth. The popularity of the meme encourages more sharing of odd crimes from Florida than from other states, which perpetuates and amplifies the myth in a continuous loop. Others simply acknowledge that there is a 'general craziness' that pervades the state.
1. Fossil Find Stuns Scientists
Paleontologists are calling a fossil discovery in China one of the most extraordinary finds on Earth.
The site, Qingjiang, is approximately 518 million years old and is notable for containing fossilized soft tissue, a rarity in paleontology. Soft tissues are far less likely to be preserved compared to hard structures like shells. Qingjiang is already being compared to the famous Burgess Shale in the Canadian Rockies. As Harvard paleontologist Joanna Wolfe remarked, these deposits represent 'the best of the best.'
The discovery was made by chance along the Qing River, a tributary of the Yangtze, in 2007. Since then, researchers have spent four seasons in the field to fully understand the significance of their find. Their findings were published in the journal Science earlier this week.
Scientists have identified the remains of 101 animal species so far, more than half of which are entirely new to science. The Qingjiang site will greatly enhance our understanding of the Cambrian explosion, the period when life rapidly diversified in an astonishingly short span of time, just a few tens of millions of years.
