Whale Snacks
Two kayakers escaped unhurt after finding themselves in the mouth of a humpback whale that surfaced beneath them. Julie McSorley and Liz Cottriel said they were kayaking and whale watching off the coast of Avila Beach, California, when one whale surfaced from underneath their boat. “I thought, ‘Oh, no!’” said one of them. Luckily, the whale left them behind.
Model Citizen
A man has bypassed lockdown in the Czech Republic by taking a stuffed toy dog for a walk. The rules state that you are not allowed out after 9pm without a good reason, such as walking a dog. However, one man noticed that the ruling did not state which kind of dog, so he took the toy for a late-night stroll. When police stopped him, he told them: “I’m walking a dog here, I’m not doing anything illegal here.” The officers described it as a “really unusual case”.
Indian Rapunzel
An Indian girl has secured the Guinness World Record for the longest hair on a teenager. Nilanshi Patel’s hair was measured days before her 18th birthday at a length of 6 feet, 6.7 inches. She said: “I got my hair cut, a really bad haircut. So, then I decided that I won’t cut my hair. I decided that when I was six and have not cut it since.” She is now considering growing her hair out to seek length records in the adult.
Honourable Pineapples
The Queensland government is seeking to prevent a climate change activist named Pineapple from becoming the new mayor of Rockhampton. The elected mayor, Margaret Strelow, resigned after a scandal, meaning the role passes to her runner-up in the election: Chris “Pineapple” Hooper. Pineapple is a local climate and peace activist who travels around town barefoot and sleeps in a CBD shopfront.
Catch The Pigeon
A couple hiking in France have found a cylinder containing a carrier pigeon message dating from 110 years ago. “I dug it up and I cut it to see what was inside,” Jade Halaoui told the Les Dernieres Nouvelles d’Alsace newspaper. The message, dated July 16 1910, was written by a Prussian infantry officer to outline military drills in the Ingersheim area when Alsace was under German control.
Aussie Homo Cousins
Researchers in Australia say they have discovered a two-million-year-old skull in South Africa. The skull belonged to a male Paranthropus robustus, which the BBC describes as a “cousin species” to Homo erectus. “Most of the fossil record is just a single tooth here and there so to have something like this is very rare, very lucky,” said one of the team.
Scent Of A Librarian
A bookstore in Oregon has released a unisex fragrance that smells of books. With hints of violet, wood and biblichor, the $24.99 (£19) perfume at Powell’s City of Books aims to replicate the smell of old paper that “creates an atmosphere ripe with mood and possibility, invoking a labyrinth of books; secret libraries; ancient scrolls; and cognac swilled by philosopher-kings”.
Egg Armistice
A brawl broke out in the Tesco eggs aisle during yesterday’s two-minute silence. “We were all stood still, observing the two minutes’ silence when we heard lots of screaming and shouting,” said an onlooker at the branch in Middlesbrough. “There were smashed eggs all over the floor. I only went in for a chicken.”
Fisherman Lyin Fish
A fisherman in Florida broke a state record when he landed a non-native lionfish measuring 18.19 inches (46.2cm) long in the Gulf of Mexico. “I saw a monster lionfish and immediately knew I wanted to measure it,” said Donald Vautrinot. “I got really excited.” Lionfish are regarded as an invasive species in Florida and open season for the fish lasts all year long.
Four Seasons In One Day
Following the hilarity over the Donald Trump campaign’s last-minute news conference last week, an unofficial charity run from Four Seasons Total Landscaping to the Four Seasons Hotel is to be held in Philadelphia. The organisers say the Fraud Street Run is a “100% unsanctioned run: no fees, no awards, no aid stations”, but they are asking anyone who participates to donate $10 (£7.58) or more to the hunger charity, Philabundance.
Wolfing Down Porridge
A Japanese town is using robot wolves to scare away bears. After bears were found roaming neighbourhoods in September, officials on the northern island of Hokkaido purchased and installed a pair of the robots. The robots, with a shaggy body on four legs, a blond mane and glowing-red eyes, move their head, flash lights and emit 60 different sounds ranging from wolfish howling to machinery noises.
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