Buzz
As another week concludes, explore the quirky and unusual side of the news with ten bizarre stories that grabbed headlines in recent days. If you missed last week’s roundup, you can check it out here.
This week, we witness adult content displayed on massive billboards and enjoy rock music performances deep underwater, surrounded by sharks. We honor the Nigels of the world while trying to unravel the mystery behind cattle mutilations in Oregon.
10. Outdated Explosives
Royal Navy divers were tasked with safely removing a World War II-era German bomb discovered in the remains of a 17th-century warship.
During the war, England faced heavy bombing, and even today, intact explosive devices are occasionally found. However, the location of this particular discovery was astonishing. Historical divers exploring the wreck of the London, a ship that sank in 1665 and lies at the bottom of the Thames near Southend Pier in Essex, came across the device. They promptly notified the navy, which identified it as one of the largest Luftwaffe ordnances—a parachute ground mine containing nearly 700 kilograms (1,540 lbs) of Hexamite, equivalent to 767 kilograms (1,690 lbs) of TNT.
Safely disposing of the bomb was no easy task due to zero visibility and strong tidal currents. A team of eight Royal Navy divers spent 27 hours and completed 20 dives to tow the mine to a disposal site in Shoeburyness, where it was successfully detonated.
9. An Accidental Triumph
A nine-year-old boy unintentionally entered an adult race and ended up winning the entire event.
Last weekend, the Francis Franny Flyer event was held in Sartell, Minnesota. The race features a 10-kilometer (6.2 mi) course for adults and a separate 5-kilometer (3.1 mi) route for children, which merges at the halfway point. Kade Lovell, a fourth-grader from St. Cloud, Minnesota, is an avid runner who previously set a record for the 5K event in his age group.
Naturally, his mother anticipated he would either win or be among the top finishers. When all the young participants began crossing the finish line and Kade was nowhere to be seen, she grew anxious. Could he have gotten lost, hurt, or even abducted?
As it happened, Kade was perfectly fine. Not only had he completed his race, but he also took a wrong turn and found himself in the adult race. He later explained that a woman instructed him to “keep going straight,” so he followed her advice. He ended up winning the adult race with a time of 48 minutes, finishing a full minute ahead of the runner-up.
8. A Night for Nigel
A pub in Worcestershire, England, hosted a “Nigel Night” to celebrate the quintessentially British name, which is rapidly falling out of favor.
According to records, only eight babies were named Nigel in England and Wales in 2018. This statistic surprised Nigel Smith, the owner of the Fleece Inn, who decided to organize an event to honor the dwindling number of Nigels.
Smith organized a gathering on Saturday, attracting 432 Nigels aged from seven months to 80 years. Attendees traveled from distant locations, including Australia, New Zealand, California, and Texas. The event became so popular that it outgrew the pub, necessitating an outdoor marquee tent. Non-Nigels were also welcome to join the festivities.
The evening featured performances by a comedian and two singers named Nigel, a specially crafted beer called Nige-ale, and a heartfelt moment when a woman proposed to her Nigel on stage.
7. Unexpected Visuals
Hackers were active last weekend, infiltrating devices to display adult content in unexpected locations. Two separate incidents occurred, one in New Zealand and another in the United States.
The first incident took place at an Asics flagship store in Auckland. The store’s outdoor screens, typically used for promotional content, were hacked to show explicit material for nine hours until staff discovered it the next morning. A security officer noted that while some passersby were shocked and offended, others paused to watch before continuing on their way.
A comparable incident occurred in Auburn Hills, Michigan, where explicit content was shown on a digital billboard visible to drivers on Interstate 75. However, this adult material was removed after just 30 minutes. Authorities have video evidence of two hooded individuals breaking into a nearby building housing the laptop that controlled the billboard.
6. An Underwater Musical Extravaganza
The rock band Kiss is set to perform one of the most unusual concerts ever, taking place beneath the ocean’s surface. A small audience will watch from a submarine surrounded by great white sharks.
On November 18, the band and their fans will travel by separate boats to a renowned shark hotspot off southern Australia. While Kiss performs on their ship above water, fans will be seated in a submarine and taken to an area teeming with shark activity. Underwater speakers will ensure both the audience and marine life can enjoy the music.
This unique event is part of Airbnb’s Animal Experiences initiative, where humans entertain animals rather than the reverse. Due to limited submarine capacity, only eight fans will experience this one-of-a-kind concert. Surprisingly, tickets are priced at just $50 and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis starting October 14.
5. A Crown Restored to Its Homeland
Arthur Brand, often dubbed the “Indiana Jones of the art world,” has made headlines once more. A priceless Ethiopian crown, hidden for over 20 years, is finally returning to its rightful place.
Sirak Asfaw, an Ethiopian native, fled to Rotterdam, Netherlands, during the 1970s to escape the brutal “Red Terror” campaign. Over the years, he has hosted numerous Ethiopians in Rotterdam, from refugees to diplomats.
In 1998, a guest left behind a suitcase containing an extraordinary treasure: a crown commissioned centuries ago by warlord Welde Sellase and gifted to an Ethiopian church. One of only 20 in existence, this gilded copper crown is regarded as one of Ethiopia’s most significant religious artifacts.
The guest attempted to reclaim the crown, but Asfaw refused, knowing it had been stolen. He kept it hidden for 21 years, protecting it from thieves and regimes he distrusted. With a new prime minister in power, Asfaw believed the country was finally led by someone who would preserve the artifact. However, he also worried the Dutch government might try to claim it.
Sirak reached out to Arthur Brand, who urged him to return the crown promptly before both he and the artifact vanished. They agreed that going public was the best course of action. The crown is currently stored in a secure, undisclosed location, awaiting arrangements for its return to Ethiopia.
4. The Brain-Reducing Fungus
Australia has become even more perilous with the discovery of one of the world’s most toxic fungi, far from its native habitats in Japan and Korea.
The Poison Fire Coral fungus was found in a Cairns suburb. Experts speculate that its spores were carried by wind thousands of years ago, leading to rare sightings in places like China and Papua New Guinea. Its presence may have gone unnoticed due to the scarcity of mushroom enthusiasts in Australia.
The Poison Fire Coral is uniquely dangerous, as its toxins can be absorbed through the skin. Mere contact can cause inflammation, while ingestion leads to vomiting, fever, numbness, and requires urgent medical care. Untreated, it can cause organ failure and brain shrinkage, resulting in death. Fatalities have occurred in Japan and Korea, where it was mistakenly used in traditional medicine.
3. Discoveries on Enceladus
NASA researchers have identified new organic compounds within the icy plumes erupting from Saturn’s moon, Enceladus.
Enceladus harbors a vast subsurface ocean, complete with hydrothermal vents similar to those found on Earth’s ocean floor. These vents occasionally trigger eruptions, ejecting water vapor, ice particles, and core material into space.
During a fly-by, the Cassini spacecraft collected crucial data, revealing for the first time that Enceladus contains organic compounds essential for producing amino acids, often referred to as the “building blocks of life.” Although the mission concluded over two years ago, the data continues to provide researchers with decades of new insights.
To clarify, this discovery does not confirm the existence of life on Enceladus or even suggest it. Instead, as lead researcher Nozair Khawaja explained, it is “a crucial piece of the puzzle” in the quest for extraterrestrial life, as these compounds are vital for even the simplest life forms on Earth.
2. Mysterious Cattle Incidents
Oregon is witnessing a series of unsettling cattle mutilations that have left authorities and locals baffled.
The incidents began in July with the discovery of a dead Hereford bull. There were no indications of an animal attack, gunshot wounds, or poisoning. However, the bull was entirely drained of blood, and its tongue and reproductive organs were missing. Over the next few days, four more bulls were found in a similar state, all within a 2.5-kilometer (1.5 mi) radius and owned by Silvies Valley Ranch.
Since then, the sheriff’s office has been flooded with tips and theories about the culprits behind these acts, which closely resemble the cattle mutilation cases from the 1970s.
The most plausible explanation suggests that scavengers and natural decomposition caused the unusual state of the bulls. The animals likely died of natural causes and were then preyed upon by carrion birds and insects, which target soft tissues. Additionally, since all the bulls belonged to the same ranch, it’s possible someone targeted them to inflict financial harm on the ranchers.
Colby Marshall, vice president of Silvies Valley Ranch, attributes the strange deaths to a cult. He suspects the animals were sedated, surgically drained of blood, and that the missing parts were removed using a knife or scalpel. His theory aligns with that of Dan Jenkins, the sheriff’s deputy heading the investigation.
And, as with any case involving a hint of mystery, some believe extraterrestrials are responsible.
1. Not a Meteor After All
Experts have determined that the fiery object seen streaking across Chile’s skies last week before crashing was not a meteorite.
Days ago, witnesses reported a fireball over Chiloe Island, which crashed and ignited several small fires. Initially, it was thought to be a space rock that survived atmospheric entry. However, Chile’s National Service of Geology and Mining examined seven fire sites and found no evidence of a meteorite.
For now, the event is categorized as a UFO. However, before jumping to conclusions about aliens, it’s important to note that the object was likely human-made, possibly debris from an old satellite or other space junk. While such objects rarely crash in populated areas, it’s not unprecedented. Chilean geologists have collected soil samples from the impact sites and will analyze them to identify the metals present. Findings are anticipated later this month.
