Latest Oddities News
World's oldest-known wild bird lays an egg in Hawaii at age 74
The oldest known wild bird in the world has laid an egg at the ripe age of about 74, her first in four years, U.S. wildlife officials said. The long-winged seabird named Wisdom, a Laysan albatross, returned to Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge at the northwestern edge of the...
Stowaway who boarded New York-to-Paris flight claims she sought asylum in France
NEW YORK (AP) — A Russian woman with permanent U.S. residency who was returned to the United States after authorities said she sneaked on board a flight from New York to Paris made her first appearance in court Thursday, claiming she has been abused. Svetlana Dali, wearing jeans,...
FBI investigating reports of large drones flying in New Jersey, seeks public's help
The FBI is investigating reports about several mysterious nighttime drone flights that have recently occurred across central New Jersey and has asked the public for help. Witnesses have spotted a cluster of what appears to be drones — larger than those typically used by hobbyists...
A missing Wyoming man with dementia is safe after being spotted on TV hundreds of miles away
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A Wyoming man with dementia who wandered away from home and hitchhiked to Salt Lake City is safe after his wife spotted him in a TV news segment about helping those in need. Ninety-one-year-old Michael Black ended up at Rescue Mission of Salt Lake, over 200...
Police recover a stolen van with 2,500 pies after a chef's appeal, but they are too damaged to eat
LONDON (AP) — A British chef's appeal for thieves to return 2,500 pies that were in a stolen van ended in disappointment Tuesday when police found the vehicle abandoned, with its savory cargo too damaged to eat. Tommy Banks, who owns two Michelin-starred restaurants and a pub in...
2024 in pop culture: In a bruising year, we sought out fantasy, escapism — and cute little animals
NEW YORK (AP) — I’ll get you, my pretty! And your little pygmy hippo, too! Forgive us the shameless attempt to link the fantasy hit “Wicked” to the delightful Moo Deng. But, hear us out — there’s something the two have in common as the year draws to a close. Escapism....
Think 'brain rot' summed up 2024? Oxford agrees it was the word of the year
LONDON (AP) — Many of us have felt it, and now it’s official: “Brain rot” is the Oxford dictionaries’ word of the year. Oxford University Press said Monday that the evocative phrase “gained new prominence in 2024,” with its frequency of use increasing 230% from the year...
Houston firefighters rescue dog stranded on bridge pier in chilly water
HOUSTON (AP) — A dog has been reunited with its owner after being rescued by firefighters from the chilly waters of a Houston bayou. The little dog was spotted Friday stranded on a bridge pier in the Sims Bayou in southwest Houston by an employee of the Houston Botanic Garden....
Face facts: Statues of stars like Kane and Ronaldo don't always deliver. Sculptors offer advice
LONDON (AP) — One art critic compared the new Harry Kane bronze statue to a bulging-jawed comic strip character. In Miami, observers say the Dwyane Wade sculpture looks more like actor Laurence Fishburne than the former basketball star. Of course, the infamous Cristiano Ronaldo...
More than 3,000 fake Gibson guitars seized at Los Angeles port
LOS ANGELES (AP) — More than 3,000 fake Gibson electric guitars shipped from Asia were seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents at the Los Angeles-Long Beach Seaport, authorities said. Had the guitars been authentic, they would have been worth $18 million, U.S. Customs...
