Strange News

Researchers discovered ancient animal mummies piled up in heaps inside a catacomb. Many of the mummies were in poor condition.

Science

Millions Of Mummified Dogs Found In Ancient Egyptian Catacombs

6:57pm July 05, 2015

by NPR Staff

Researchers have uncovered 8 million mummified animals dating back 2,500 years. Most are dogs. Archaeologist Salima Ikram says the huge number points to the likely existence of ancient puppy mills.

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This is a photo taken in the town of Smell No Taste, where a teenager died of Ebola this past week. The home where he passed away is now under quarantine.

Yes, There Really Is A Town In Liberia Called 'Smell No Taste'

8:19am July 03, 2015

by Marc Silver

It's the place where a teenager died of Ebola this week. And, like all unusual geographic names, there's a story behind it.

Siri's answer to the brain-teaser question "What's zero divided by zero" generates a response that people find both funny and unnerving.

National

Asked To Divide Zero By Zero, Siri Waxes Philosophical (And Personal)

2:36pm June 30, 2015

by Bill Chappell

Siri's elaborate reply easily surpasses the simple "Does not compute" with which robots in old sci-fi movies used to announce a bout of cognitive dissonance.

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The Cherry Sisters: Three of the siblings strike a theatrical pose.

National

The Cherry Sisters: Worst Act Ever?

8:37am June 28, 2015

by Linton Weeks

How a group of perhaps-clueless farmgirls from Iowa rose to theatrical fame and infamy at the same time.

For decades, scientists have wished for a handy, controllable volcano they could keep in the lab. Now two men at Syracuse University have created just that.

Make Lava, Not War

3:12pm June 25, 2015

by Adam Cole

A sculptor and a geologist are melting hundreds of pounds of rock in a giant cauldron to create realistic lava flows. Cool! NPR reporter Adam Cole pays a visit to learn more about lava's allure.

A father who snagged a foul ball at a Chicago Cubs game Tuesday is getting praise — even though the play was overturned.

Yoink! Dad Nabs Foul Ball While Holding Baby At Cubs Game

2:49pm June 24, 2015

by Bill Chappell

Cubs fan Keith Hartley got a round of applause for focusing on making the catch — and not disturbing his infant son Isaac, who kept enjoying his bottle while his dad lunged over the rain tarp.

An Aka man smokes hemp while hunting in the Central African Republic.

Pot For Parasites? Pygmy Men Smoke Out Worms

5:32pm June 23, 2015

by Michaeleen Doucleff

When it comes to reefer madness, nobody can top a group of traditional hunter-gatherers in the Congo Basin. About 70 percent of men smoke cannabis. The drug could be doing more than getting them high.

National

4 Forgotten Fads Of The Past

2:55pm June 23, 2015

by Linton Weeks

A quartet of quirky fads faded away into the American mist.

A crow dives on a researcher during a trial. Crows recognize people who have scared them or wronged them for years afterward.

'They Will Strafe You,' Bird Expert Says Of Seattle's Dive-Bombing Crows

11:02am June 19, 2015

by Bill Chappell

"We had crows literally come down and tap me on the head, trying to scare me," a man says of crows that aggressively swoop at humans.

Hobbes the tiger surveys the scene at Tampa International Airport, where he was briefly stranded.

National

Boy Who Lost Stuffed Tiger At Airport Finds Tiger Stayed Very Busy

1:57pm June 17, 2015

by Bill Chappell

After he was found by a Tampa airport's janitorial crew, a stuffed tiger named Hobbes was taken out for some gelato and on a behind-the-scenes tour of the airport.