Weekly Weird News for July 9, 2021
Murder, murder, murder, some scary stuff, and more
I was not lacking for weird stories even though I just posted a roundup two days ago. Here's the news from the rest of the week. But first, an update on one story from last time.
The serval cat that surprised a woman in bed in Georgia has been captured. The very gorgeous animal was a pet, as suspected. Due to state law, the owner was not permitted to keep it and it will be rehomed in a sanctuary. The owner had previously resided in North Carolina where it was legal to own the exotic cat. https://www.ajc.com/neighborhoods/dekalb/african-cat-captured-near-buckhead-country-club-prompting-investigation/CMTJZJB5Z5CMHGTEZK6VF3Q4NA/
On to news about a new paper just published that reveals the admittedly unsurprising conclusion to a highly dubious story from the earliest days of cryptozoology. The 19th-century tale of Zana, the wild woman of Russian, was repeated countless times as evidence of an unknown human relative, possibly an Almasty - often categorized as a Bigfoot/Yeti type creature. Her strange appearance and behavior were legendary. But in the recent decade, the evidence for her strangeness began to dissolve when DNA tests showed she was a person. In a recent test of her genome, it is demonstrated that Zana's immediate genetic ancestry can likely be traced to present-day East-African populations. What's almost always missing in Zana's story is the undercurrent of racism that could be the most obvious explanation for why people thought a non-native, dark-skinned woman was so "strange".
Check out the full paper available online: The genomic origin of Zana of Abkhazia
Archaeologists discover 3,000-year-old victim of shark attack
The oldest known victim of a shark attack is discovered in Japan. The giveaway was the extensive serrated injuries to his arms, legs, chest and abdomen that showed he died quickly after the attack. The body, found in a cemetery among other bodies that showed less dramatic evidence of the cause of death was dated from 1370 to 1010 BC. https://arstechnica.com/?post_type=post&p=1776215
An incredible lightning storm took place in Western Canada between 3 p.m. on June 30 and 6 a.m. on July 1. 710,177 lightning strikes were detected across British Columbia and northwestern Alberta in about 15 hours. Most of these were cloud-to-cloud discharges that didn't hit the ground. Canada doesn't get the kind of summer thunderstorms common to the US but this event was more intense than those seen in the southern US, surprising scientists. The kicker is that the clouds from these storms were pyrocumulonimbus clouds formed as a result of wildfires leading experts to note this was the most dramatic effect they've ever seen from such a scenario. But, as warming continues, so do these types of events. https://www.sfgate.com/weather/article/pyrocumulonimbus-British-Columbia-lightning-Canada-16287681.php
An Australian press conference about COVID is interrupted by a guy who says he's 'God'. (Ok then, fix this viral problem, dude!) Well, he couldn't do much more than spout gibberish and make an ass out of himself. The document he passed around was textbook "crank" style. It's a good bet he suffers from paranoia and delusions. Sadly, it does not appear he was taken into custody but left to continue his mad crusade. https://www.news.com.au/world/coronavirus/australia/chaos-as-protester-crashes-nsw-press-conference/news-story/4fc7ee8e83d7ed8ba4fb0587b86895ad
The house in Massachusetts where Lizzie Borden's father and stepmother were axed to death has been purchased by a "hauntrepreneur" guy who is capitalizing on the grisly crime. The exploitation of the deaths into a money-making paranormal tourism spot is rubbing historians the wrong way. Locals are not too keen about the planned ax-throwing events and other themed events planned to bring guests to the former bed and breakfast. The previous owners had at least some respect for the historical nature of the house and the tragedy that took place. (That's debatable, it was geared for macabre paranormalists.) But the history-minded fear the current proprietor will turn it into just another modern, tasteless ghost hunters trap and virtual money-maker. Yep. Sounds like it. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/borden-murder-house-new-hands-will-real-history-get-hatchet-180978114/
Danyal Hussein killed two women he did not know in June of 2020 in London. His plan was to kill a total of six in the belief that these "sacrifices" would fulfill a Satanic pact and he would win the UK lottery. Hussein, only 19, had no prior crimes but local media say he was "radicalized" by the "dark web" into a Satanic cult. There appears to be no real evidence that the motivation was based on anything more than the fantasy world of his own making. The police have been criticized for sharing photos of the crime scene on WhatsApp. Hussein was convicted and will be sentenced in September. https://www.mylondon.news/news/north-london-news/danyal-hussein-arrogant-deluded-teen-20995684
Remember the giant murder hornet… er… buzz? Everyone panicked. It turns out that the find really indicated that this species had been coming into the US periodically prior to 2019. This article notes the "relentless influx of invading insects". While it is difficult to locate and halt all the sources of potentially dangerous (and economically devastating) pests into the US and Canada, it is actually more difficult for the few imports to gain a hold in their new land. https://www.sciencenews.org/article/asian-giant-murder-hornet-invasive-species-ecology
A strange lawsuit has emerged against the estate of Forrest Fenn. A man from France said he had discovered the location of the treasure but was thwarted in retrieving it after COVID blocked travel. Soon after, another person was announced as having retrieved the loot. Others have sued Fenn in the past. At first, it seemed possible that the treasure itself was a hoax. That seems less likely now that the finder has come forward. This lawsuit, as with the others, has no merit whatsoever but it does show how obsessed people can get with a mystery that yields such a promising reward. https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/lawsuit-alleges-fenn-retrieved-treasure-kept-contents/article_27e183b4-d9a7-11eb-9258-13da915ad23c.html
In a reveal that was no surprise to anyone with any critical thinking skills, the infamous Dybbuk Box, was a manufactured hoax. The legend was started in 2001 by a man who said an old wine cabinet held a Jewish curse that brought bad luck. The box was said to have brought bad tidings to the several people who were associated with it, including Ghost Adventure drama monger, Zak Bagans, who now owns the box. The original owner has confessed he cooked up the tale. Bagans was pissed! But, true to form, Bagans continues to assert it is really cursed, even if the initial tale wasn't true. Oh, how droll. Regardless, I doubt that some people (such as Bagans' admirers) will accept the hoax explanation because they will simply refuse to give up their more exciting version. https://www.inputmag.com/features/dybbuk-box-dibbuk-kevin-mannis-zak-bagans-haunted-hoax-revealed
Just for fun, a new twist on a old gimmick. Morbid Custom Magic 8-Ball Reveals How You're Going to Die
Unfortunately, the choices are limited by the virtual oracle. Will you die by falling whale, running with scissors, or by swallowed Rubik’s Cube. It's a novelty. https://gizmodo.com/custom-magic-8-ball-answers-just-one-morbid-question-h-1847231717
A long-time researcher at Lake Champlain is set to continue her quest to find Champ, the resident "lake monster". Katy Elizabeth has previously used sonar and audio recording devices from her boat. Now she is set to deploy an underwater drone. The problem is, this is not a scientific, objective search. She admits, “I know he’s out there, it’s just a matter of time until I find him.” She believes and likely nothing can make her think otherwise. While the lake may hold some interesting specimens, the evidence for a cryptid in the lake that resembles the Loch Ness Monster is practically nil. Several dedicated observers have spent over four decades and hundreds of thousands of dollars in the search that has turned up nothing conclusive. But, watch out for the Amazon Prime documentary about it. https://www.moultrieobserver.com/news/author-resumes-search-for-lake-champlains-monster/article_8f9b789d-4763-5903-abfe-a45b3866dc22.html
And finally, your weekly weird animal story. A calf is born with a third eye in Tamil Nadu, India. The locals believe it is the reincarnation of the god Shiva who is depicted with three eyes. https://www.ibtimes.co.in/cow-born-3-eyes-tamil-nadu-worshipped-shivas-incarnation-video-609226
The cow has a good chance of survival. Another three-eyed cow, born in May in Wales, has been saved from the slaughterhouse by being purchased by a local animal sanctuary. https://nation.cymru/news/three-eyed-welsh-cow-destined-for-the-slaughterhouse-saved-by-hindu-animal-sanctuary/