Welcome to this roundup of 10 offbeat stories you might have missed this week. From bizarre political races to cosmic dust storms, we’ve gathered the quirkiest headlines that deserve a second glance.
10 Hitler Runs For Mayor In Peru
Hitler Alba, the former mayor of the tiny Andean town of Yungar, is seeking another term despite the odd challenge posed by a rival named Lennin Vladimir Rodriguez Valverde. Between 2011 and 2014, Alba guided the farming community, and now he’s back on the ballot, undeterred by the historical baggage his first name carries. While some suggested a name change, Alba embraces his moniker, insisting he shares nothing with the infamous dictator beyond the name, branding himself as “the good Hitler.”
9 How To Think Like A Human
Researchers from MIT and the University of Pennsylvania devised a “Minimal Turing Test” to pinpoint a single word that separates humans from robots. After gathering 1,000 participants’ suggestions and grouping them into ten categories—love, compassion, mercy, empathy, banana, among others—they tested the most popular words on 2,000 additional participants. The surprising winner? The word “poop” emerged as the most distinctly human choice.
It’s worth noting that no actual AI was involved; the study focused on human psychology rather than machine behavior.
8 Put A Spell On It
Former drummer Kimberly Thompson has filed a civil harassment restraining order against Beyoncé, alleging the superstar employs “extreme witchcraft” to surveil her and manipulate her finances. Thompson also claims Beyoncé cast spells of sexual molestation and even murdered Thompson’s pet kitten. A temporary restraining order was denied, and a hearing for the civil order is set for October 11. Beyoncé’s representatives have yet to comment.
7 Nude Model Identity Revealed?
Gustave Courbet’s scandalous 1866 painting L’Origine du Monde finally has a confirmed model: Constance Queniaux, a former Paris Opera ballet dancer. Previously, scholars debated between Joanna Hiffernan and courtesan Marie‑Anne Detourbay. Historian Claude Schopp unearthed correspondence between George Sand and Alexandre Dumas that referenced Queniaux, solidifying her identity. After her death, Queniaux bequeathed a Courbet portrait featuring red and white camellias—flowers linked to courtesans—suggesting a personal connection.
6 The Largest Bird In The World
Scientists from the Zoological Society of London have crowned Vorombe titan as the biggest bird to ever walk the Earth. Living on Madagascar between 500,000 and one million years ago, this elephant bird tipped the scales at roughly 800 kg (1,760 lb) and stood about 3 m (10 ft) tall. A massive re‑examination of museum specimens revealed three genera and at least four distinct species, clarifying past taxonomic confusion. Formerly known as Aepyornis titan, the bird earned its new name after being distinguished from Aepyornis maximus.
5 The Thieves In The Weeds
Two separate cannabis‑related heists highlight the perils of the green industry. In Colorado Springs, teens crashed a stolen van into Native Roots, shattering display cases and fleeing with what they thought was marijuana—only to discover they’d walked off with premium oregano. Meanwhile, Vermont’s Humble Roots Horticulture repeatedly suffers robberies by thieves who can’t tell hemp from THC‑rich cannabis. Police have warned that industrial hemp, while useful for rope, won’t get anyone high.
4 The Storms Of Titan
Saturn’s moon Titan joins Earth and Mars as the third world with documented dust storms. Data from the Cassini spacecraft, analyzed in a recent Nature Geoscience paper, reveal organic dust being lofted from equatorial dune fields. Titan’s thick atmosphere, methane lakes, and seasonal cloud formations create powerful methane storms, but the observed features over dunes point to true dust activity—a first for the moon.
3 The Mystery Of The Hand Of Preles
Swiss archaeologists have uncovered the “hand of Preles,” a bronze hand with a gold cuff dating to roughly 3,500 years ago, making it Europe’s oldest metal body part. First found by treasure hunters near Lake Biel in 2017, further excavation revealed a burial with a middle‑aged man and assorted bronze accessories. The hand’s interior socket suggests it may have been attached to a statue, scepter, or even functioned as an ancient prosthesis. It will go on public display next month.
2 A Movie That’s Out Of This World
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) unveiled the first-ever movie shot on an asteroid. Hayabusa2 reached asteroid Ryugu after a four‑year trek, deploying two rovers that safely landed despite concerns over the rocky surface. Rover 1B captured a 15‑frame “movie” over an hour and fifteen minutes, showing the asteroid’s barren terrain below and a bright lens flare above. The mission aims to return samples to Earth by late 2020, promising insights into the solar system’s early days.
1 Galileo’s Letter
A newly discovered original letter from Galileo Galilei, dated December 21 1613, sheds fresh light on his clash with the Catholic Church over heliocentrism. The handwritten draft, complete with Galileo’s signature and numerous corrections, confirms that the scientist himself edited the more confrontational version of the letter, not the Inquisition. The document lay dormant in the Royal Society’s archives for over 250 years before historian Salvatore Ricciardo uncovered it in a mis‑dated catalogue.