1. Weird news: A woman found a pearl in her oyster dinner

In 2020, a woman dining at a seafood restaurant in Washington, D.C., got more than she expected when she discovered a rare purple pearl inside her oyster. The pearl, estimated to be worth thousands of dollars, was a complete surprise and turned an ordinary dinner into an extraordinary find. While finding pearls in oysters is not unheard of, it’s rare to come across one in a restaurant meal. The woman chose to keep the pearl as a memento rather than sell it, making it a once-in-a-lifetime souvenir from her seafood feast.

2. Koalas sleep up to 22 hours a day

Koalas are one of the sleepiest animals on the planet, spending up to 22 hours a day resting. Their diet consists primarily of eucalyptus leaves, which are low in nutrition and difficult to digest. This means that koalas conserve energy by sleeping most of the time. The remaining two hours are spent eating, grooming, and moving between trees. Despite their adorable appearance, koalas are solitary creatures and prefer to avoid too much interaction, even with other koalas. Their extreme sleep habits and unique diet make them one of Australia’s most iconic and unusual marsupials.

3. Weird news: A man ordered 50 pizzas to a neighbor’s house as revenge

In 2021, a man in the Netherlands found a creative way to get back at his noisy neighbors—by ordering 50 pizzas to be delivered to their house. The unsuspecting neighbors were confused when delivery after delivery arrived at their door, all unpaid for and unwanted. The man behind the prank was eventually caught and fined for harassment. This unusual form of revenge left both the neighbors and pizza delivery workers baffled. The story serves as a reminder that while pranks can be funny, they can also go a little too far.

4. The planet Uranus smells like rotten eggs

Astronomers discovered that the upper atmosphere of Uranus contains large amounts of hydrogen sulfide—the compound responsible for the smell of rotten eggs. This was confirmed in 2018 using data from the Gemini North telescope in Hawaii. While no one will ever get close enough to Uranus to smell it, this discovery provides insight into the planet’s composition and how it formed. The presence of hydrogen sulfide also distinguishes Uranus from other gas giants like Jupiter and Saturn, which contain more ammonia in their upper atmospheres. This stinky fact adds to Uranus’s already quirky reputation.

5. Weird news: A man tried to board a plane with 35 lizards in his pants

In 2021, a man was caught attempting to smuggle 35 live lizards through airport security in Thailand by hiding them in his pants. The reptiles, including geckos and iguanas, were discovered when security officers noticed the man behaving suspiciously. Upon inspection, they found that his clothing was stuffed with wriggling creatures, which he had planned to sell illegally. The man was arrested, and the lizards were safely returned to authorities. The bizarre smuggling attempt made headlines for its sheer oddity and raised concerns about the illegal wildlife trade in Southeast Asia.

6. Bees can recognize human faces

Bees are incredibly intelligent creatures, capable of recognizing human faces. In experiments, scientists trained bees to associate specific human faces with sugary rewards. The bees learned to distinguish between different faces by processing visual information similarly to how humans do. While bees use this ability mainly for navigating and identifying flowers, their capacity to recognize faces highlights their advanced cognitive skills. These findings suggest that bee brains, despite being tiny, are surprisingly adept at complex tasks, including facial recognition, which is typically thought to require more advanced neurological systems.

7. Weird news: A town used “Baby Shark” to drive away homeless people

In 2019, the city of West Palm Beach, Florida, adopted a controversial tactic to prevent homeless people from sleeping in its parks: blasting the song “Baby Shark” on loop. The repetitive, catchy tune was played all night long in an attempt to deter people from camping out in the area. City officials claimed it was a temporary measure while they worked on a more permanent solution. The use of children’s music as a deterrent sparked public debate, with some criticizing it as cruel and ineffective, while others saw it as a quirky but harmless approach.

8. Octopuses have three hearts and blue blood

Octopuses are remarkable creatures with three hearts and blue blood. Two of their hearts pump blood to the gills, while the third pumps it to the rest of the body. Their blood is blue because it contains copper-based hemocyanin instead of the iron-based hemoglobin found in humans. This copper compound is more efficient at transporting oxygen in cold and low-oxygen environments, making it ideal for life under the sea. Octopuses are also known for their intelligence, problem-solving skills, and ability to camouflage, adding to their mystique as some of the most fascinating animals in the ocean.

9. Weird news: A man legally changed his name to “Nobody” to run for office

In 2020, a man from Keene, New Hampshire, legally changed his name to “Nobody” and ran for mayor. His campaign slogan was “Nobody tells the truth, Nobody cares about you, and Nobody will fix the system!” Despite his unconventional approach, Nobody’s candidacy was a serious protest against government corruption and inefficiency. Although he didn’t win the election, his campaign attracted media attention and highlighted the lengths some individuals are willing to go to in order to make a political statement. His name change is now a permanent part of his unique identity.

10. Peanuts are not nuts—they’re legumes

Despite their name, peanuts aren’t technically nuts. They belong to the legume family, which includes beans, lentils, and peas. Unlike tree nuts such as almonds and walnuts, peanuts grow underground in pods. They form when the peanut plant’s flowers grow down into the soil, where the peanuts mature. This botanical distinction often surprises people, but it explains why peanuts share more characteristics with legumes than with tree nuts. Peanuts are rich in protein and used in a variety of dishes worldwide, making them one of the most popular and versatile foods, even if they’re not true nuts.