• We have updated the guidelines regarding posting political content: please see the stickied thread on Website Issues.

Fortean Headlines

Sperm whales are using defensive diarrhoea to escape orca attacks​


Researchers on a tour boat off the southwestern tip of Australia have discovered a secret whale weapon these elusive creatures hide up their sleeves – or, rather, up their bowels – in use against an orca onslaught.

The new footage shows that when sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) are threatened by orcas (Orcinus orca) they can shoot a poop slushy into the faces of their attackers. A big, red bomb of explosive diarrhoea is apparently like kryptonite for killer whales. And who can blame them?

https://metro.co.uk/2024/03/25/sperm-whales-escape-orca-attack-thanks-defensive-diarrhoea-20526115/

maximus otter
 
Salmonellus said:

Montana Man, 80, Pleads Guilty To Creating Giant Mutant Hybrid Bighorns​


In an act that's been described as 'hornography', a man has created mutant wildlife to provide creatures for hunters to kill in hunting preserves.

A couple of quotes:

- Schubarth and at least five others used genetic material from parts from the world’s largest wild sheep species, Central Asia’s Marco Polo Argali sheep. They used cloning and artificial insemination to create hybrids.

- Wyoming biologists said they don’t want weird mutant hybrid species here.

To add to the bizarre nature of the charges, he hasn't been prosecuted for emulating Frankenstein, he's been charged with illegal interstate trade in wildlife.

https://cowboystatedaily.com/2024/0...-by-feds-for-creating-mutant-hybrid-bighorns/
Click to expand...
but, does it count as wildlife if it's not found in nature?
 

‘I am God’: Gainesville man shot in chest through a Bible during violent rampage​

https://www.wcjb.com/2024/03/29/i-a...ot-chest-through-bible-during-violent-rampage

MELROSE, Fla. (WCJB) - A man from Gainesville was shot multiple times in the chest, through a Bible, in a Stand Your Ground shooting after sheriff’s deputies say he harmed his baby and attacked bystanders.

Putnam County Sheriff’s Office officials say Jason Kaercher, 26, of Gainesville, began behaving erratically earlier this week. On Thursday, relatives took his 3-month-old baby to a home in Melrose off State Road 21 near the elementary school. Kaercher met with the family and a Department of Children and Families (DCF) case manager.

Kaercher took his wife and baby outside to get some air and moments later the case manager heard screaming. Kaercher was squeezing the baby hard enough to turn the child blue. He then began walking toward State Road 21 saying he was “God” while holding the baby and a Bible.

A family member grabbed a shovel and tried to convince him to release the baby. He then laid down on the roadway on top of the child and Bible. Eventually, he got up and the family member grabbed the baby.

Several vehicles, including a work crew, stopped on the road to avoid hitting him. The crew attempted to hold him down and the family member dropped the shovel. Kaercher broke free and grabbed the shovel.

He then jumped on top of a vehicle and began hitting and cracking the windshield. He approached a man in a truck, opened the door, and began beating the man with the shovel, breaking his arm. The shovel then broke and Kaercher discarded it. Another person grabbed the shovel and hit him.

The driver was then able to grab his gun to defend himself. As Kaecher approached him, holding the Bible, the driver fired multiple times, striking him in the chest through the book.
 
Erinaceus said:
I wore a hibernating hedgehog a whole winter by mistake when I couldn't find my hat with a pom-pom. It was only when it started to wake up and bit my ear that I realised my error.
Click to expand...
I was thinking of you when I read the article.
 

Pair out for walk struck by crashing plane in Delaware County​

https://www.mywabashvalley.com/news...-struck-by-crashing-plane-in-delaware-county/

If that's not Fortean enough for you, here's a golden quote:
“That’s a bad day,” Stanley said. “They’re out doing some exercise, going for a walk, and the next thing you know they’re being struck by a plane. It’s very unfortunate, we’re praying for the best for everyone involved.”
 
Aydee_Aitchdee said:

Pair out for walk struck by crashing plane in Delaware County​

https://www.mywabashvalley.com/news...-struck-by-crashing-plane-in-delaware-county/

If that's not Fortean enough for you, here's a golden quote:
“That’s a bad day,” Stanley said. “They’re out doing some exercise, going for a walk, and the next thing you know they’re being struck by a plane. It’s very unfortunate, we’re praying for the best for everyone involved.”
Click to expand...

This content is not available in your country/region.​

But it may be accessed here: https://www.outlookindia.com/intern...county-airport-in-muncie-3-critically-injured
 
Aydee_Aitchdee said:

Pair out for walk struck by crashing plane in Delaware County​

https://www.mywabashvalley.com/news...-struck-by-crashing-plane-in-delaware-county/

If that's not Fortean enough for you, here's a golden quote:
“That’s a bad day,” Stanley said. “They’re out doing some exercise, going for a walk, and the next thing you know they’re being struck by a plane. It’s very unfortunate, we’re praying for the best for everyone involved.”
Click to expand...
A local photographer captured the event:

north by northwest.png
 
Aydee_Aitchdee said:

Pair out for walk struck by crashing plane in Delaware County​


If that's not Fortean enough for you, here's a golden quote:
“That’s a bad day,” Stanley said. “They’re out doing some exercise, going for a walk, and the next thing you know they’re being struck by a plane. It’s very unfortunate, we’re praying for the best for everyone involved.”
Click to expand...
The pilot had a good day?
 

Botswana threatens to send 20,000 elephants to Germany​


In response to Germany calling for greater restrictions on importing elephant trophies, Botswana's President Mokgweetsi Masisi claimed that this would impoverish his country and threatened to send 20,000 elephants to Germany.

Tusk tusk! Ivory much disagree with Masisi's argument. Have you ever herd such irrelephant nonsense?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-68715164
 
Is 15" really so big? I measured the sole of one of my shoes and it's 13", toe to heel. The uppers measure slightly more.
 
Simulation Suggests Everyone In Japan Will Have The Same Surname By 2531

As of 2023, Sato was the most popular surname in Japan, shared by 1.529 percent of the population. That seems low considering that the claim is that shouting "Sato" in 2531 Tokyo will result in just about every local citizen looking in your direction. However, the surname Sato grew by 1.0083 times from 2022 to 2023.

tokyo-harajuku-japan-japanese.jpg


Continuing this growth rate (a huge assumption), everyone becomes Sato by 2531.

https://www.iflscience.com/simulati...apan-will-have-the-same-surname-by-2531-73657

maximus otter
 
Just measured my size 13 shoes and, toe to heel is 13½ inches or 34cm.
Given that a shoe size in UK is taken from the old barleycorn measure of 1⁄3 inch (8.47 mm), then a 15 inch shoe would correspond roughly to a UK size 17½.
The average shoe size for professional basketball players is a 15, with 17 and 18 not being uncommon.
I'm 6ft 3" and average height for NBA players is 6ft 6".
Big certainly, but not freakishly giant big.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoe_size
 
Last edited:
AI-generated Asians were briefly unavailable on Instagram


Oh noes!

“I was unable to generate any Asian people using the same prompts as the day before.

The tests I did yesterday were on Instagram, via the AI image generator available in direct messages. After dozens of tries, I was unable to generate a single accurate image using prompts like “Asian man and Caucasian friend” and “Asian man and white wife.” “

https://www.theverge.com/2024/4/4/24121419/meta-instagram-ai-image-generator-asian-race

maximus otter
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top