Buzz
As the weekend approaches, it's time to highlight some of the oddest headlines that surfaced this week. If you want to revisit the previous roundup, you can find it here.
This week is packed with scientific discoveries. Researchers have been hard at work exploring lost continents, identifying interstellar visitors, and even uncovering the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything.
In other news, we also have a heroic seal fighting crime, a cold case cracked using Google Earth, and an unexpected invasion by venomous caterpillars.
10. The Search for the Meaning of Life
Fans of Douglas Adams will recognize 42 as the answer to the ultimate question of “life, the Universe, and everything.” But as it turns out, it was also the key to solving a 65-year-old math problem. Now, it seems that two mathematicians have cracked the code with the assistance of a planetary supercomputer.
In 1954, mathematicians posed the question of whether all whole numbers between 1 and 100 could be represented as the sum of three cubes. Over the years, they progressively solved more and more numbers. At the beginning of this year, just two remained: 33 and 42.
Andrew Booker from the University of Bristol solved the puzzle for 33, but enlisted MIT’s Andrew Sutherland to tackle the final number. Together, they created an algorithm but needed a supercomputer to run it. This is where Charity Engine stepped in—a global project utilizing idle computing power from half a million PCs worldwide. After over a million hours of computation, they found the solution. Three 17-digit numbers, including a negative one, can be cubed and added to equal 42. Now, if they have free time, mathematicians might aim for numbers up to 1,000.
9. A Vanishing Act Beneath the Waves
A potential lead has surfaced regarding the mysterious disappearance of an underwater scientific observatory a few weeks ago. Investigators suspect that a fishing trawler unintentionally snagged the installation, valued at over $330,000, and dragged it away. The trawler's crew never came forward to admit responsibility as they had been operating in illegal waters.
The research station was deployed in the Baltic Sea in 2016, constantly monitoring key data points like salinity, water temperature, and levels of oxygen, methane, and carbon dioxide. This information was sent back to researchers in Kiel, Germany. On August 21, the transmission abruptly stopped. Initially, scientists thought it was just a connection issue, but when divers went to investigate, they discovered that the observatory had completely disappeared, leaving only the frayed cable that once connected it to the shore.
Natural explanations like currents or storms were ruled out, as the device weighed over 800 kilograms (1,760 lbs). Theories about Russian submarines and scrap metal thieves were also discarded because the station was located in shallow waters where submarines wouldn’t go, and the steel had little resale value.
Current theories suggest that a fishing boat inadvertently snagged the observatory. Marks on the equipment indicate it was dragged for some distance. However, one question remains: why didn’t the trawler just leave the device behind?
8. Escaping One Danger for Another
A hospital’s efforts to prevent birds from nesting in nearby trees inadvertently created a breeding ground for North America's deadliest caterpillar species.
At first, the reasoning seemed logical. Birds like pigeons and grackles tended to flock to the oak trees lining the sidewalks of Houston's Texas Medical Center (TMC). They carried diseases and made a mess, which was undesirable in an area heavily populated with sick individuals. To address this, the staff installed nets on the trees to prevent the birds from perching on them.
As a result, the local caterpillar population flourished. A recent three-year study published in Biology Letters revealed that the trees with nets had 7,300 percent more insects than the unnetted ones.
These caterpillars weren’t exactly harmless. The dominant species was Megalopyge opercularis, also known as the puss moth caterpillar, the most venomous caterpillar in North America. Its spines can detach when touched, sticking to the skin and releasing venom. Within about ten minutes, the victim experiences intense pain, nausea, vomiting, stomach discomfort, and red spots.
There’s no update yet on whether anyone has been stung by these caterpillars or what the TMC staff plan to do about them.
7. The Sleepy Seal That Halted a Drug Bust
Australian police reported that a massive seal played a key role in helping them apprehend a group of five men attempting to smuggle over a tonne of drugs into the country.
Two of the men, one British and one French, were carrying the drugs on their yacht when it ran aground on Stick Island, off the coast of Western Australia. They transported the illegal cargo to shore in a dinghy and tried to hide from search-and-rescue teams who were looking for them, suspecting the duo might be in distress. Eventually, they were spotted by planes due to one of the drug runners wearing a bright pink shirt.
When the officers arrived, the men attempted to flee in their dinghy, but their escape was blocked by a large seal that they accidentally disturbed. The animal, not in a good mood, convinced the criminals that it was safer with the police.
Three other men were arrested later as they waited in another boat to pick up the drug shipment.
6. Journey to a Lost Continent
A new study in Gondwana Research details the fascinating history of a lost continent now lying beneath Europe.
This landmass was named Greater Adria, primarily because parts of it still form the Adriatic coastline. Around 240 million years ago, it began detaching from the supercontinent Gondwana. By 100 million years later, it had become its own separate landmass, roughly the size of Greenland.
Greater Adria's decline began between 100 and 120 million years ago when it started colliding with Europe. Traveling at speeds of 3-4 centimeters (1.2-1.5 inches) per year, it was subjected to subduction—a geological process where one tectonic plate is forced under another and sinks into the Earth’s mantle.
Now, most of Greater Adria is buried deep beneath the Earth's surface. Some sections of the continent are located up to 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) below ground. A significant portion of the upper layers was scraped off during the collision and became part of Eurasia’s surface. Geologists have discovered rocks from Greater Adria in over 30 countries. Only a few remnants survived intact, attaching themselves to Italy’s boot and the Istria region of Croatia.
5. A Satellite Solves an Unsolved Cold Case
Google Earth has played a key role in solving a cold case that had remained unsolved for 22 years.
In November 1997, 40-year-old William Moldt from Lantana, Florida, vanished after a night out clubbing. His disappearance was a mystery until just a few weeks ago when someone used Google Earth to view their former neighborhood in Wellington. They noticed something submerged near the pond shoreline. It looked like a car, so they asked a former neighbor, who still lived nearby, to investigate. After using a drone, they confirmed it was a white sedan resting in the water.
When the police recovered the vehicle from the lake, they discovered Moldt’s skeletal remains inside. The car had been submerged for over 20 years, as a neighborhood had been developed around it. Some of the homes were just feet away from where Moldt’s body had remained. Even though the car had been visible from the sky, local residents had never noticed anything unusual from the shoreline.
4. Could It Be The Loch Ness Eel?
A team of researchers has published their environmental DNA (e-DNA) study of Loch Ness, suggesting that if the legendary monster ever existed, it was likely a giant eel.
The Loch Ness Monster, often affectionately referred to as Nessie, is perhaps the most iconic lake creature in the world. Sightings of this elusive being trace back nearly 1,500 years and have continued into the present day.
A team of researchers, led by Neil Gemmill from the University of Otago in New Zealand, set out to study Loch Ness using environmental DNA (e-DNA)—the genetic material that all living organisms release into their surroundings. This approach allowed the scientists to gather information about the creatures inhabiting the loch without ever needing to see them firsthand.
The researchers collected 200 one-liter samples from various locations across Loch Ness and compared these to samples from nearby lakes known to be free of monsters. They identified over 500 million DNA sequences from 3,000 different species, including land and air animals that occasionally visit the loch, such as deer, rabbits, birds, dogs, and humans.
However, the team found no traces of DNA from large, exotic fish like sharks or sturgeon, which might have been mistaken for a lake monster. There was also no evidence of reptiles in the loch. The scientists specifically searched for DNA sequences that could have belonged to a plesiosaur, the creature that many true believers of Nessie think could be the monster.
Interestingly, eel DNA was present in nearly every sample taken. The researchers propose that if any sightings of Nessie were real, they might have been caused by a large eel. However, they emphasize that this in no way proves the existence of a giant eel monster inhabiting Loch Ness.
3. Another Interstellar Visitor
A few years ago, the astronomical world was buzzing with excitement as the first-ever confirmed interstellar object visited our part of the galaxy. Named ‘Oumuamua, it sparked numerous debates about its true nature. Scientists alternated between classifying it as a comet or an asteroid, with a small group suggesting it might even be an alien spacecraft. Now, we’ve detected a second interstellar object within our solar system.
The rock was first spotted by amateur astronomer Gennady Borisov on August 30 at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory in Bakhchysarai. It stood out due to its extremely hyperbolic orbit, with an eccentricity of 3.2. For comparison, most objects that orbit the Sun elliptically have an eccentricity ranging between 0 and 1. Borisov alerted Harvard University’s Minor Planet Center (MPC), which formally announced the discovery. Initially called gb00234, the object is now officially designated as C/2019 Q4 (Borisov).
Unlike ‘Oumuamua, there will be no confusion regarding this object’s nature. It is undoubtedly a comet, complete with a visible coma and tail. With a width of 20 kilometers (12 miles), it is much larger than ‘Oumuamua and also shines more brightly.
The most significant difference, however, is that we noticed this object early. Unless something unexpected occurs, it will remain visible for at least a year, providing us with a rare opportunity to observe and study an object from beyond our solar system.
2. Help In A Bottle
A family stranded above a waterfall was saved thanks to a message in a bottle that made its way down the river to the right people.
Curtis Whitson, his girlfriend, and their 13-year-old son were exploring California’s Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, specifically the Arroyo Seco Canyon. An experienced hiker, Whitson had taken this same route years earlier when a rope was available to help climbers descend the waterfall. However, this time the rope was gone. The trio found themselves trapped, unable to rappel down due to the powerful currents, and with no phone signal, they realized they were stranded miles from the nearest camp.
Desperate, Whitson wrote a note on a bar order pad, placed it in a green bottle, and scrawled the word ‘help’ on the bottle’s surface. He threw the bottle over the waterfall, hoping that someone might find it.
Luckily, two hikers discovered the bottle, read the note, and notified the camp host, who then contacted the authorities. The next morning, Whitson and his family were rescued. Whitson is now on a mission to track down the two hikers who left the camp without revealing their names.
1. A Mind For Crime
A Japanese store cashier has been accused of stealing the credit card details of 1,300 customers using nothing but his exceptional memory.
Yusuke Taniguchi, 34, was arrested last Thursday, although no formal charges have been filed against him yet. Allegedly, while working as a part-time cashier at a shopping mall in Tokyo's Koto ward, Taniguchi used his remarkable memory to recall the credit card details of shoppers. He then used these details to make online purchases, spending approximately 270,000 yen ($2,600) on bags, which he planned to sell at pawn shops.
During a search of Taniguchi's apartment, police discovered a notebook containing the credit card information of 1,300 individuals, including the 16-digit number, expiration date, security code, and cardholder's name. He had memorized the information while processing purchases and later documented it in his notebook.
Taniguchi claimed his photographic memory enabled him to do this, though experts dispute the existence of such a memory type. Instead, it’s more likely that he possessed an eidetic memory, which would have allowed him to quickly retain and recall a vast amount of visual information.
