weird news – Page 20 – Museum of the Weird

Posted on June 15, 2012 by Guest Blogger

IS THE SHARK MANS’ ANCIENT ANCESTOR?

Is the shark a common ancestor of humans and fish?

Recent studies have revealed that humans may have evolved from a shark that dates back to 300 million years ago.

As research continues, more and more evidence is discovered that points our ancestral lines to a prehistoric shark that existed in a time when fish with cartilage and fish with bones (what humans are said to evolve from) were not separated into two different evolutionary lineages, yet.

Telegraph writes:

The primitive fish named Acanthodes bronni was the common ancestor of all jawed vertebrates on Earth – including mankind, according to new research.

Acanthodes, a Greek word for “spiny”, existed before the split between the earliest sharks and the first bony fishes – the lineage that would eventually include human beings.

Fossils have been found in Europe, North America and Australia.

Compared with other spiny sharks it was relatively large, measuring a foot long. It had gills instead of teeth, large eyes and lived on plankton.

Professor Michael Coates, a biologist at the University of Chicago, said: “Unexpectedly, Acanthodes turns out to be the best view we have of conditions in the last common ancestor of bony fishes and sharks.

“Our work is telling us the earliest bony fishes looked pretty much like sharks, and not vice versa. What we might think of as shark space is, in fact, general modern jawed vertebrate space.”

LOST ‘WHITE CITY’ OF GOLD FOUND IN HONDURAS

Honduras has dense jungles that could hide just about anything, even an ancient city.

Researchers at the University of Houston, together with the National Center for Airborne Laser Mapping (NCALM) have combined efforts to map an area of Honduras that legend says is hiding a full ‘White City’ of gold.

Looks like they found it.

Daily Mail writes:

A team of scientists using advanced laser mapping have detailed a remote region of Honduras that may have revealed the legendary lost city of Ciudad Blanca, known as the ‘White City’ of gold.

Researchers from the University of Houston and the National Center for Airborne Laser Mapping (NCALM) flew over the Mosquitia region in a small plane shooting billions of laser pulses at the ground to create a 3D digital map of the topology beneath the jungle canopy. Compiling their data, the analysts revealed what appears to be man-made elevation changes that are thought to show a forgotten city plaza dotted with pyramids reclaimed by the jungle.

According to legend, Ciudad Blanca or the ‘White City’ is full of gold and has been sought out by explorers and treasure hunters since conquistador Hernando Cortes first made reference to it in a 1526 letter to King Charles V of Spain. Inspired by this legend, cinematographer and Ciudad Blanca enthusiast Steven Elkins sought backing from private investors to pay for the team at NCLAM to use their laser mapping technology to chart the forest floor of Mosquitia.

Over the course of a week, the NCALM and University of Houston engineers flew over 60 square miles of forest in their dual-engine Cessna planes. And at the end of each day, the data was transferred to Bill Carter, a University of Houston engineer who works with the NCLAM. He discovered the first indications of what appeared to be man-made structures in the jungle.

‘I’m the only person right now on the planet that knows that there’s these ruins,’ said Carter as he recalled his thoughts when he saw straight lines and right angles on the 3D digital map. ‘My wife walked in and looked over my shoulder and she was the second person to know.’

This was one of the first times that laser mapping, specifically light detection and ranging (LiDAR) had been used to locate ancient ruins.

CREMATORIUM BURNS DOWN WHEN LADY IS MORE THAN THEY CAN HANDLE

Fire fighters had to battle the blaze caused by excessive body-fat clogging the air filters.

A crematorium went up in flames the other day when the rather-obese woman set to be cremated was too large and had more body-fat than usual ended up clogging the air vents, causing falmes, black smoke and soot to pour out of the building.

The Province writes:

A Graz Austria crematorium caught on fire this week. The unusual part of this whole bazaar incident is that they were cremating a 200 kg body that caused the fire. Usually there’s not enough fat on a body to cause such a fire but this one was extremely fat and started the place on fire billowing black smoke from the building. Graz firefighters rushed to the scene, where they were confronted by thick black smoke which, in the words of the Daily Mail, left them “covered with a layer of sooty grease”. See picture above. It’s the same principal as on a BBQ when the fat drips off the chicken or meat and flares up.

They eventually knocked the fire down by aiming water through the vents which are used to clear the filters of the cremation oven. This is not an uncommon occurrence as its happened in Germany and Switzerland before but now they have a weight limit. Graz likely will also instigate this weight limit in the crematorium.

WILL ALIENS REVEAL THEMSELVES AT LONDON OLYMPICS?

Nick Pope aka "The guy working on the X-Files of the UK".

An alien ‘expert’ has given fair warning to the people of earth, extra-terrestrials may be ready to reveal themselves very soon, and that may not be such a good thing.

Press TV writes:

“With the summer of mass events we are all on high alert for terrorism. But we must also cast our eyes further afield and be prepared for even the most seemingly unfathomable,” said Nick Pope, who has worked with the Ministry of Defense for more than two decades.

Pope who investigated UFO reports between 1991 and 1994, says his studies convinced him that the sightings raised important defense for national security and air safety issues.

“It has been a widely held belief in Ministry of Defense circles that “aliens” have been able to detect us for decades via TV and radio broadcasts,” he said adding that mass summer events would be a prime time for alien crafts to present themselves to mankind.

“If aliens have studied our psychology, they may choose to appear in our skies on a significant date – the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games is one date being widely circulated by conspiracy groups.”

ANCIENT VAMPIRES UNEARTHED IN BULGARIA

Could the legends and tales of old be true?

All the recent news stories of “zombie attacks” recently have gotten people wondering if the creatures from our darkest nightmares and classic horror movies are becoming a reality. Well, the signs don’t look so good when you throw in finding a couple of people that were buried 800 years ago with stakes in their hearts! Sounds like one classic horror movie monster I think we’re all familiar with, the vampire!

Bela Lugosi as Dracula, the original vampire!

Discovery News writes:

Two medieval “vampire” skeletons emerged near a monastery in the Bulgarian Black Sea town of Sozopol, local archaeologists announced.

Dating back 800 years to the Middle Ages, the skeletons were unearthed with iron rods pierced through their chests — evidence of an exorcism against a vampire. The ritual was aimed at preventing potentially dangerous people, such as enemies, murderers or individuals who died suddenly from a strange illness, from turning into vampires after death.

“The practice was common in some Bulgarian villages up until the first decade of the 20th century,” Bozhidar Dimitrov, chief of the National History Museum in Sofia, told reporters.

The newly discovered skeletons are the latest in a series of finds across Europe. According to Dimitrov, over 100 skeletons, buried in the same manner, had been unearthed in Bulgaria only.

UFO CAUSES PANIC IN THE MIDDLE-EAST

Another UFO is stirring up some up some trouble over in the Middle-East.

A large unidentified falling object was seen high above a number of middle-eastern like Georgia, Armenia, Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and other countries that left many of their people alarmed and confused.

RT.com writes:

A spaceship flying over Israel? A satellite or a Russian ballistic missile? An unidentified flying object observed in Middle East countries Thursday night has caused panic, with people calling the police to say they witnessed a UFO.

The mysterious shining object seen in the skies swirled around and looked like smoke, some observers said. The object gave off light and was followed by a smoke trail.

The strange flying phenomenon was also reported in Georgia, Armenia, Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and other countries in the region.

The Israeli Defense Forces made a statement following the incident saying they were unaware of any operations in the area.

MAMMOTH BONES FOUND IN IOWA MANS’ BACKYARD

A man from Iowa discovered a set of bones belonging to the ancient mammoth, similar to the one pictured above.

Well, this just goes to show you that you never know what you might find if you look, even in your own backyard!

A man in Iowa discovered a set of ancient Mammoth bones while hunting for, of all things, blackberries.

Huffington Post writes:

When an Iowa family first stumbled across the strange object in their backyard, it looked like an old bowling ball. But imagine the surprise when the “ball” turned out to be part of a massivemammoth bone.

The bone was discovered two years ago, and now the family’s quiet home in Oskaloosa has turned into a bustling excavation site, where the bones are kept in the living room, according to ABC-affiliate ABC5-WOI in Des Moines. The University of Iowa Museum of Natural History reportedly has stepped in to oversee the research.

“The size of this discovery is quite uncommon,” Sarah Horgen, the museum’s education coordinator, told ABC News. “It’s pretty exciting-–partially because the mammoth is being discovered where it died. And we know that because we’re finding very large bones right alongside very small bones.”

The mammoth bones, reported to be at least 12,000 years old, were found about 10 feet underground. “The conditions of the bones were ideal,” archaeologist Marlin Ingalls of the Iowa State Archeologist’s office told The Huffington Post.

MAN BUILDS CAT-COPTER FROM HIS OWN CAT!

Bart Jansen at an art gallery with his flying cat, Orville.

The love between a man and his beast is a beautiful thing but, this artist on the other hand, took things just a little further.

Geekologie writes:

Because what better way to start a Monday than with some weird/depressing news, Dutch artist Bart Jansen had his cat Orville (after the Wright brother) taxidermied and turned into a flying quadrocopter after it was hit by a car. You know, because that’s how you show respect for a deceased pet. Also, Bart — why is there fur on your bumper?

Jansen says Orville received his propellers posthumously ‘after a period of mourning’ and says he will be getting more powerful engines and larger props for his birthdayGood lookin’ Bart, I bet if there’s one thing that cat was hoping for, it was more powerful engines and larger props. Just kidding, it was definitely for a driver to look both ways. Also, you had poor little Orville turned into a helicopter “after a period of mourning”? You couldn’t even wait a whole day, bro?! That’s tacky. “Mourning, not morning.” I’m…not hearing the difference.

DISTRESS CALLS FROM AMELIA EARHART WERE IGNORED

Amelia Earhart may have been alive for days after she disappeared.

New evidence has surfaced that details exactly how distress call transmissions, that were made by Amelia Earhart herself, were ignored and dismissed as bogus.

Discovery News writes:

Dozens of previously dismissed radio signals were actually credible transmissions from Amelia Earhart, according to a new study of the alleged post-loss signals from Earhart’s plane.

The transmissions started riding the air waves just hours after Earhart sent her last inflight message.

The study, presented on Friday at a three day conferenceby researchers of The International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery (TIGHAR), sheds new light on what may have happened to the legendary aviator 75 years ago. The researchers plan to start a high-tech underwater search for pieces of her aircraft next July.

“Amelia Earhart did not simply vanish on July 2, 1937. Radio distress calls believed to have been sent from the missing plane dominated the headlines and drove much of the U.S. Coast Guard and Navy search,” Ric Gillespie, executive director of TIGHAR, told Discovery News.

“When the search failed, all of the reported post-loss radio signals were categorically dismissed as bogus and have been largely ignored ever since,” he added.

CUT THROAT FREAKSHOW ON AMERICA’S GOT TALENT!

The Cut Throat Freakshow on the AGT stage!

A couple nights ago a few friends of ours made a very big impression on Hollywood and the rest of the world with an astounding, daredevil performance that will not soon be forgotten!

Eric Odditorium, Lauren Grace CandyPants and Cut Throat himself, Jeremy Kinison, gave the judges and audience of America’s Got Talent a taste of something they’ve surely never seen …a true, authentic, freak show.

Watch the video below to see for yourself:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=HNqchIZTlt8

The Phoenix New Times writes:

Anyone hoping to impress Howard Stern would probably need some combination of scantilly-clad women and sordid tales involving sex or scandalous behavior.

Local daredevil performer Jeremy Kinison and a few of his fellow freaks, however, needed only some broken glass, an ordinary chair, and a couple of swords to astonish the iconic radio personality.

The overly tattooed 32-year-old touring sideshow artist and adrenaline junkie, who hasperformed at many First Friday art walks over the years, appeared on last night’s episode of America’s Got Talent along with his Cut Throat Freak Show troupe.

Needless to say, they put on a showstopping performance that wowed the crowd, nabbed some major kudos from Stern, and earned them a spot in the next round of competition.

As we reported earlier this month, Kinison tried out for AGT last October in Saint Louis along with fiancée Lauren “CandyPants” Grace and fellow sideshow artist Eric Odditorium during the reality show’s opening rounds. Tuesday evening’s episode finally featured their performance. And it definitely was one of the highlights of the night.