News of the Weird: Week of May 1, 2025

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The Tech Revolution

Tien Kung Ultra took home the gold medal on April 19 in the Humanoid Robot Half-Marathon in Beijing, CNN reported. Ultra and more than 20 other robots ran alongside (but in a separate lane from) their 12,000 human competitors, supported by navigators, operators and engineers. It crossed the finish line in 2 hours, 40 minutes and 42 seconds, after three battery changes and one fall. The winner of the men's race finished in 1 hour and 2 minutes. Almost every robot in the race suffered falls or overheating issues, and one spun in two circles after leaving the starting line, hit a wall and dragged its human operators down with it. Another's head repeatedly fell off.  

Best-Laid Plans

In case you hadn't heard, the 250th anniversary of the start of the Revolutionary War was last week. In commemoration of that event, the city of Lexington, Massachusetts, held a Patriots' Day Awards Ceremony, during which an arch was unveiled, Boston.com reported on April 18. But as the arch was moved to the front of the stage at the event, the top part of it fell backward and broke into pieces. Mona Roy, the vice chair of the Lex250 Commission, remarked, "Don't worry, completely fixable" as the audience gasped and laughed. One Reddit user commented, "The symbolism is unbelievable."  

Police Report

On April 18, the Bozeman, Montana, police department held a press conference to share that 13 of its officers, including two sergeants, had been involved in a bingo game with different kinds of arrests on the card, KBZK-TV reported. The game took place over 12 days in mid-January, with custom bingo cards with squares reading "Over .30 BAC DUI," "3+ Vehicle Accident," "Butt-Ass Naked" and "Extinguish Fire Before BFD." Police Chief Jim Veltkamp said the game was shut down and an investigation was done to make sure there were no wrongful arrests or officers acting outside their normal duties. He said the officers involved "were warned about how inappropriate this is." He added that participating supervisors were disciplined.  

Saw That Coming On Good Friday in Weston, West Virginia, an unnamed 84-year-old man went to the hospital after falling about 10 feet from a cross at a crucifixion reenactment at the Masonic Cemetery, WDTV reported. The event was sponsored by the Vandalia Community Christian Church. The reenactor was life-flighted to an emergency facility, but family members said he was doing better, and doctors no longer considered his injuries life-threatening.  

News You Can Use

On April 19, NOAA Ocean Exploration sent a remote-control camera inside the wreckage of the USS Yorktown, which was sunk in the Pacific Ocean, about 1,000 miles from Honolulu, in 1942 during World War II, the Miami Herald reported. Along with all the expected finds, the researchers discovered something odd: a "1940-'41 Ford Super Deluxe 'Woody' in black," with flared fenders, what's left of a rag top and chrome trim. Ocean Exploration officials called the car "an exciting find. Perhaps the car belonged to someone important on the ship or to the fleet: the captain or admiral." The wreckage, about 3 miles deep, was first discovered in 1998.  

Rude

A 20-year-old Indian man identified only as Rahul disappeared nine days before his planned wedding, The Economic Times reported, taking with him cash and jewelry and, most insultingly, the bride-to-be's mother. On April 9, Rahul said he was going shopping for wedding clothes, but he later called his father to say, "I'm leaving. Don't try to look for me." Around the same time, his future mother-in-law also went missing without leaving a message. Police say the new couple may be in Uttarakhand, where he works, and are investigating there. Invitations for the wedding, scheduled for April 16, had already been sent. Bride-to-be Shivani said her fiance and her mother "used to talk on the phone a lot over the past three to four months. All we want is that the money and jewelry should be returned to us."  

Can't Possibly Be True 

CNN took a deep dive into the latest fashion trend on April 10, chronicling $150-plus "nap dresses" one could use for ... napping. CNN calls the style "one of the latest iterations of the house dress," which has been a "staple in women's fashion for decades and potentially even centuries." CNN Underscored Director of Social Stephanie Griffin notes that a dress from Hill House Home, which sells for $150, is "comfy enough to nap in, but the ruffled shoulders, elasticized smocking and tiered midi skirt are elevated and sophisticated enough to wear to fancy drinks." Uh, that's just a DRESS. Also, who would spend $150 for something to wear while snoring on the couch? Griffin would: "One word: obsessed."  

Unclear on the Concept

Katelyne Dye, 33, a postal worker in Melbourne, Florida, was arrested on April 12 after she allegedly stopped to attend a house party along her route, ClickOrlando reported. Police were alerted to a postal truck driving the wrong way on South Harbor City Boulevard. When they caught up with the driver, the truck was swerving "in and out of its lane"; Dye "appeared confused and disoriented." She told police she had consumed two shots of vodka at the house party and had been falling asleep while driving, which caused her to swerve. Dye was charged with DUI.  

There Goes the Neighborhood

A Rockport, Massachusetts, neighborhood is reeling from a wave of vandalism that has claimed at least 25 car mirrors in recent weeks, People.com reported on April 24. When resident Janelle Favaloro caught the culprit in the act, she posted on Facebook: "There has been a vandal breaking car mirrors. He is described as 18"-24" tall, wearing black and white, with a red hat." If that sounds a bit like Woody Woodpecker, that's because the guilty party is a pileated woodpecker -- the inspiration for the cartoon character, and a species that happens to be in the throes of mating season. Experts believe the felonious fowl is mistaking its own reflection for a rival, and residents have taken to covering their car mirrors in the hope of preventing the bird's attacks.  

An Unrefined Palate

When Luna, a 7-month-old Bernese mountain dog who had been vomiting and clearly in pain from a distended stomach, arrived at the Corona Animal Emergency Center in Corona, California, on Feb. 16, veterinarians took X-rays that revealed a large buildup in the pup's gastrointestinal system, and quickly began exploratory abdominal surgery. The L.A. Times reported that among their findings were "24 socks, a scrunchie, two hair ties, a shoe insert, a onesie and multiple pieces of cloth," for a grand total of 44 foreign objects. The center posted on Instagram that Luna survived and is recovering, and also served up a helpful PSA: "If your dog swallows something unusual, don't wait -- act fast and contact your vet." 

Send your weird news items with subject line WEIRD NEWS to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com.  

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