Strange News

'A Strange Situation' Indeed: Leech Spends Weeks In Woman's Nose

4:32pm October 13, 2014

by Bill Chappell

Mr. Curly. That's the name Daniela Liverani gave the 3-inch leech that doctors found living in her nostril last week. With that tone of creepiness established, we can now provide more details.

Woman Finds Jeweled Treasure In Agatha Christie's Trunk

2:20pm October 11, 2014

When an English woman bought a trunk at an estate sale, she was surprised to discover a diamond brooch and other jewels that belonged to Agatha Christie. She speaks with NPR's Scott Simon.

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National

The Surprising Start To The Never-Ending Pasta Pass

10:06pm October 05, 2014

What happens when you partake of the Olive Garden's Never-Ending Pasta Pass? NPR's Ari Shapiro gets the skinny from Hagana Kim and Thomas Reyes about the all-you-can-eat deal.

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This grocery store packet of porcini mushrooms contained a surprise: three species of fungi never before named or described.

Before You Take A Bite Of That Mushroom, Consider This

6:03pm September 26, 2014

by Alison Bruzek

Guess what scientists found lurking inside a common-looking packet of supermarket porcini? Three entirely new species of fungi. That's what happens when you sequence the DNA of your dinner.

Syracuse Researchers Melt Rock, Grill A Steak Over Magma

7:14am August 01, 2014

Researchers at the university built a furnace that can melt rock, then had a cookout. Chefs placed a ribeye on a grill over the 2,100-degree magma. Seconds later, a very charred, medium rare steak.

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Pushing A Brussels Sprout Up A Mountain — For A Cause

8:12am July 31, 2014

Stuart Kettell also has stalked a town on stilts and run in a human-sized hamster wheel to support cancer patients. His stunts have raised nearly $70,000. He's pushing this sprout with his nose.

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Arts

Dressing Up As A T-Rex Is All Part Of The Job

1:32pm July 26, 2014

by Kirk Siegler

Remember in Empire Strikes Back where Han Solo slices open the belly of a tauntaun so Luke can stay warm? That's not much different from how Eli Presser climbs into his T-Rex costume.

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Giant Toad Resembling Former President Attracts China's Censors

8:14am July 25, 2014

The 72-foot-tall inflatable is installed on a Beijing Lake. A photo of it — wearing large square glasses just like those worn by a former president — went viral online.

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Sarah Palin Gets A Speeding Ticket, Says She 'Can't Drive 55'

7:39am July 24, 2014

The former governor faces a fine for exceeding the limit in Wasila, Alaska. She joked that the Sammy Hagar song distracted her, adding, "I wasn't speeding; I was qualifying."

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Judge To Bulldog Thief: 'You Hid The Pup; The Jig Was Up'

7:39am July 24, 2014

The judge composed a rhyme to let an Oregon man know he'd been found guilty of the crime: stealing a bulldog puppy from its owners at gunpoint.

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