Strange. True. Today.
The unusual, unexpected, bizarre, funny, fascinating, and occasionally inexplicable stories happening around the world.
Worth a Look
Stories getting attention now
A common dolphin found dead near Goolwa has tested positive for H5N1, according to South Australian authorities. Separately, Australia plans to evacuate 24 workers from Macquarie Island before the seal breeding season because officials fear the psychological and workplace effects of a possible mass wildlife die-off.
2 sources reporting
A tiny orange kitten found inside an excavator at a Leavittsburg, Ohio, job site has joined the RiverReach Construction family. Named Komatsu—“Sue” for short—she now has a safety vest and hard hat supplied by the equipment manufacturer.
2 sources reporting
President Donald Trump has directed federal agencies to use “Lake America” for Lake Ontario on U.S. maps, documents and databases. The order cannot compel Canada, international organizations or mapmakers elsewhere to adopt the new name.
2 sources reporting
Fresh From the Feed
A design described in a peer-reviewed paper would replace the familiar fuselage-and-wings layout with a single flying-wing structure. The proposed aircraft could carry about 800 passengers, but it has no official name or development timeline and remains a concept rather than a confirmed future airliner.
A climber stranded on a narrow ledge more than 10,000 feet above the ground in California’s Sierra Nevada was rescued overnight by a volunteer search-and-rescue team. High winds ruled out a helicopter hoist, forcing rescuers to reach him on foot in darkness.
A plywood science-fair project Steve Jobs made in 1968 remained with his family after he declined to retrieve it. Decades later, the project reportedly sold for $34,375.
A Danish construction team has completed Skovsporet, a community of 36 student apartments in Holstebro. The homes were printed as concrete shells and then finished by conventional builders, with the entire project taking 12 months.
A study of the pelvis of Homo floresiensis suggests the extinct Indonesian human relative walked more like other human species than like the australopithecine known as Lucy. Its movement was probably slower and less suited to long-distance travel than modern humans’, however.
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Researchers studying Cova de les Dones in Spain have identified a Roman sanctuary chamber containing at least 110 Latin inscriptions, including five tributes to a goddess called Domina, or “the Lady.” Several inscriptions also use the previously unknown term MALACI.
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A three-year study of Murujuga’s vast collection of ancient petroglyphs found that rock deterioration is more pronounced near industrial facilities. Researchers say the damage likely reflects historic sulfur dioxide pollution, while current air quality has not appeared to accelerate the problem.
Richmond gastroenterologist Krista Edelman said she awoke at home after dreaming about a field mouse and discovered a bat on her face near her mouth. The animal was captured, taken to an emergency room and later tested negative for rabies.
SpaceX has recovered the Starship used in its July 24 test flight after the vehicle remained floating and intact in the Indian Ocean. The spacecraft is now being transported by semisubmersible ship to the company’s Texas base, a journey expected to take several months.
Science teacher Matthew Udall has been banned from teaching for life after giving a child a pen containing a concealed camera and instructing the student to change clothes before using it. He pleaded guilty to sex offenses against a girl under 13 and was sentenced to 31 months in prison.
Divers surveying the seafloor near a submerged Etruscan temple in central Italy have found limestone blocks arranged in a possible harbor structure. Researchers say it may have served visitors arriving at the temple, though its function has not been confirmed.
A new lawsuit against xAI alleges that images documenting the childhood abuse of a woman were included in material used to develop Grok’s image and video tools. The claim has not been established in court, and the complaint provides limited detail about how the alleged training data was obtained or used.
