What a Weird Week is a show about the weird stuff that happened in the news this week. For Full Shownotes see https://www.shownotes.page ... Subscribe to the Audio Podcast at https://kite.link/weird ... and see the Video Podcast at https://www.youtube.com/@weirdweekpod
(transcript) Hi Friends, I'm Scott. This is the What a Weird Week Show, your weird news catch-up top 10 countdown. For audio, video, and shownotes see www.shownotes.page! Here's Season 5, Episode 02 first published on Friday Jan. 19th, 2024 ...
❿ From Study Finds: "Magic mushrooms traced back to asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs" ...
- icymi, magic mushrooms are called that because they look like tiny magicians wearing top hats... just kidding. Magic mushrooms are psychoactive and please consult ten physicians, 40 spiritual advisers and 9 lawyers before going any further on this journey. Especially foraging for them, because that can be extremely dangerous if you get it wrong!
The article is about how researchers have learned that the dinosaurs didn't have magic mushrooms but around the time the dinos went extinct, magic mushrooms showed up on planet earth... 65 million years ago, the same time that an asteroid hit earth and started the beginning of the end for dinosaurs... which was new information for researchers.
The article is about how researchers have learned that the dinosaurs didn't have magic mushrooms but around the time the dinos went extinct, magic mushrooms showed up on planet earth... 65 million years ago, the same time that an asteroid hit earth and started the beginning of the end for dinosaurs... which was new information for researchers.
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Magic Mushroom. file photo
❾ A New Approach to stop floods... get bent!
This is an article out of the UK from Sky News about how some rivers have gotten "canalised" over the years ("canalised" = "straightened out like a canal").
Now they're gonna try to bend those rivers again and if the researchers are right, when we bend it like Beckham our rivers might be less likely to flood. Or... you're able to control where it happens, maybe is more accurate... It's about slowing the water flow just like a bendy road slows down traffic. (Looking at you, Lombard St. San Francisco.)
Now they're gonna try to bend those rivers again and if the researchers are right, when we bend it like Beckham our rivers might be less likely to flood. Or... you're able to control where it happens, maybe is more accurate... It's about slowing the water flow just like a bendy road slows down traffic. (Looking at you, Lombard St. San Francisco.)
flood mitigation. artist rendering.
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The Top Ten Weird News Stories of the Week: this is What a Weird Week. 
The Top Ten Weird News Stories of the Week: this is What a Weird Week.
❽ Chicago's Rat Hole in the news!
In Chicago, there is a hole in the sidewalk (Roscoe Village near 1918 W. Roscoe St.) that is in the shape of a rat. The Chicago Rat Hole captured the imagination of the good people of Chicago and now there's going to be a "Name-the-Rat-Hole" contest.
In Chicago, there is a hole in the sidewalk (Roscoe Village near 1918 W. Roscoe St.) that is in the shape of a rat. The Chicago Rat Hole captured the imagination of the good people of Chicago and now there's going to be a "Name-the-Rat-Hole" contest.
- how it started? ... Chicago artist and comedian Winslow Dumaine shared a photo of the rat hole early this week...
- On Thursday they took all the submissions and are supposed to narrow the field down to a Top Five and put those up for a vote.
- suggested names include Flat-a-touille, The Roscoe Rat, and Lil Stucky.
- Chicago knows what's up! State Representative Ann Williams posted online about the Chicago Rat Hole like it was a landmark the same as Wrigley Field. That's pretty funny!
https://blockclubchicago.org/2024/01/12/name-that-rat-hole-roscoe-village-has-a-contest-to-name-chicagos-new-favorite-landmark/
- suggested names include Flat-a-touille, The Roscoe Rat, and Lil Stucky.
- Chicago knows what's up! State Representative Ann Williams posted online about the Chicago Rat Hole like it was a landmark the same as Wrigley Field. That's pretty funny!
https://blockclubchicago.org/2024/01/12/name-that-rat-hole-roscoe-village-has-a-contest-to-name-chicagos-new-favorite-landmark/
❼ New Study out changes the game on Blue Light at Night!
Researchers
including some from the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics
in Germany have found that blue light isn't the worst thing ever.
Hurray?!!
- Wait!? I always give my kids a hard time about being on the phone late at night because, didn't the experts tell us the Blue Light messed up our sleep patterns and we were gonna be zombies in a few years?!
- Wait!? I always give my kids a hard time about being on the phone late at night because, didn't the experts tell us the Blue Light messed up our sleep patterns and we were gonna be zombies in a few years?!
-
Well great news everybody,now they think all light does that... in what
might be a crushing blow to those apps that turn off the blue on your
phone screen after dark, the researchers are finding that all the colors
of light might be messing up our sleep pattern or making it hard to get
a good night's sleep.
https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/blue-light-sleep-research_uk_65a5426ee4b06444b223b33f 
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This is What a Weird Week. Thanks for being here.
This is What a Weird Week. Thanks for being here.
❻ a Very Expensive Ice Cream Bar is in the News... How much is it??
An Ice Cream Parlor in Key West, Florida has an ice cream bar on the menu that costs $250!
Why? What's in it?? Here's the recipe in case you can't get to the ice cream place, perhaps because you're stranded in a very cold/ very snowy Winter situation... now you can make one yourself at home...
- Start with a "luxury vanilla bar" and dip that in some premium chocolate... Then add shavings of the most expensive/ rarest chocolate on earth... next is a coating of edible 24k gold leaf... and finally top it all off with some sugar diamonds.
An Ice Cream Parlor in Key West, Florida has an ice cream bar on the menu that costs $250!
Why? What's in it?? Here's the recipe in case you can't get to the ice cream place, perhaps because you're stranded in a very cold/ very snowy Winter situation... now you can make one yourself at home...
- Start with a "luxury vanilla bar" and dip that in some premium chocolate... Then add shavings of the most expensive/ rarest chocolate on earth... next is a coating of edible 24k gold leaf... and finally top it all off with some sugar diamonds.
Enjoy!
❺ There is a theory in life that If you don't know someone with an annoying nose whistle, then the person with the annoying nose whistle is you... maybe it's even world-record level nose whistle territory!
A lady in Ontario has been in the news for her loud nose whistle...
A lady in Ontario has been in the news for her loud nose whistle...
Lulu Lotus is from Mississauga, and she has been recognized by Guinness World Records as the queen of the nose whistle... (44.1 decibels btw)...
Lulu hopes that her 5-year-old son might one day break her world record because apparently he has the nose-whistle super power as well!
https://canoe.com/news/weird/odds-and-ends-noisy-nose-world-record-and-other-offbeat-offerings/wcm/b5a6e989-035b-4aac-a909-94e726d038a5 and video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdUvwXBvGO4
https://canoe.com/news/weird/odds-and-ends-noisy-nose-world-record-and-other-offbeat-offerings/wcm/b5a6e989-035b-4aac-a909-94e726d038a5 and video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdUvwXBvGO4
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You're listening to the What a Weird Week Program. It's weird news!
You're listening to the What a Weird Week Program. It's weird news!
❹ Man drinks cup of coffee very fast, world reacts! Shout-out to Hoops at UPI who icymi is their weird news reporter...
A man in Germany named Felix drank a cup of hot coffee in 3.12 seconds and that is a World Record for "fastest time to drink a cup of coffee".
https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2024/01/16/germany-Guinness-World-Records-fastest-coffee/2111705422723/ and video https://www.instagram.com/reel/C2Ip3v7NFYM/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading
❸ Delicious Hidden Valley Ranch Flavored Lip Care Products!
It seems like an early April Fool's prank in a way... and that's because it was at first...
Here's the quote from the press release: ""This all started with an April Fools social post featuring Hidden Valley Ranch lip balm," stated Mariah Eckhardt, General Manager at Burt's Bees. "Fans responded so enthusiastically. So, for an exciting, limited release, we're bringing together two fan favorites—Burt's Bees lip balm and Hidden Valley Ranch."
- This is a limited-time, while supplies last thing.
- there are four flavors (sold in a 4-pack)... original Hidden Valley Ranch, Buffalo, Crunchy Celery, and Fresh Carrot.
- Cost is/was $11.99 on the Burt's Bees website https://www.burtsbees.com/landing/ranchbalm/ ... at time of recording they are already sold out but you can join the waitlist...
btw, the lip balm gets 4 outta 5 stars, but read the reviews... not sure everyone is being sincere or has even tried the stuff...
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We're almost to the number one weird story of the week... this is the What a Weird Week Show.
We're almost to the number one weird story of the week... this is the What a Weird Week Show.
❷ A Japanese Space Trash Laser Blaster company is in the news... they are not called Japanese Space Trash Laser Blasters but that would be a great name... the company is called EX-Fusion, and they are in the news because they are hoping to set up an earth-based laser blaster that takes out the space trash. They are planning to get started in Australia at a space observatory... step one is build a system that can track small pieces of space debris, then the next step will be fire lasers into space and take out the trash!! Imagine never having to worry about another piece of space garbage coming through the roof! Thanks, space trash science!!
What's that? Now you're worried about some drunk kids breaking into the laser facility and destroying the Sydney Opera House? Me too. Don't worry! These lasers won't actually blow up the space junk... they'll send a pulse at the space junk to slow the junk down so it has more time to burn up in the atmosphere.
ready to bust some space debris. artist rendering.
🍅 Honorable Mention! 4 new deep-sea octopus species discovered close to Costa Rica...
I like it when they find new animals in a time when animals are going extinct.
If you don't have a chance to click the link, they look like octopuses.
If you don't have a chance to click the link, they look like octopuses.
Why haven't they been discovered before now? It seems like maybe they were in a hard-to-reach part of the ocean near offshore hydrothermal springs... they found a bunch of octopus nurseries there (I didn't know that's what you call them). This might be the discovery that saves the Disney company because there definitely should be a Finding Nemo: Octopus Nursery movie.
🍅 Honorable Mention! What is that Jellyfish UFO/ UAP?
Hang on for number one!!
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Catch up on the weird news of the week with What a Weird Week.
❶ There is a World Record Dog Scandal in the news this week...
❶ There is a World Record Dog Scandal in the news this week...
This is about the late dog Bobi (from Portugal) who is in the Guinness Book as the oldest dog ever.
We talked about Bobi when that record happened. After getting the official world record from Guinness, Bobi passed away last fall at the age of 31. Now some veterinarians are asking questions. Bobi's dog breed is only supposed to live to age 14 (10 to 14 really).
The Guinness World Records folks are hitting pause on Bobi's record until they find out more. This story has legs. Bobi's owner says Bobi really did live to be 31 and that the Guinness World Records team already thoroughly checked out the claim before giving Bobi the award, so why the fuss (paraphrase),
We talked about Bobi when that record happened. After getting the official world record from Guinness, Bobi passed away last fall at the age of 31. Now some veterinarians are asking questions. Bobi's dog breed is only supposed to live to age 14 (10 to 14 really).
The Guinness World Records folks are hitting pause on Bobi's record until they find out more. This story has legs. Bobi's owner says Bobi really did live to be 31 and that the Guinness World Records team already thoroughly checked out the claim before giving Bobi the award, so why the fuss (paraphrase),
... and That's a Wrap on this week's What a Weird Week program. For Shownotes and more go to ShowNotes Dot Page. See you next Friday for another countdown of weird news. Streamers, if you're tuned in live, thanks! Every weekend we are one of
the things you can hear on Fun House Radio. Ask your smart speaker to
play Fun House Radio or see the link on our Shownotes Page.
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