WEIRD

The Creepy Cryptids from Appalachia You Probably Haven’t Heard Of

You don’t want to run into these creatures in the woods after dark—or ever.

The “Evil” Album Prince Withdrew Days Before Its Release

It wasn’t just the cover of the Purple One’s shelved 1987 LP ‘The Black Album’ where things got dark.

Fine Feathered Fiends: 6 Bizarre Turkey Attacks

Your Thanksgiving turkey is harmless, but the live bird stalking your backyard might not be.

Just your average stroll with a baby carriage and knight's helmet.

Iron Man: The Weird Wager of Harry Bensley, Who Walked 2400 Miles in a Helmet

In 1908, a playboy made a bet he could walk around the world without being identified. Then things got weird.

Local Canned Air Is Being Sold as a Souvenir at Italy’s Lake Como

Forget the snow globes and ornaments. Buy souvenir air instead.

Get a better sense of how illnesses have shaped history in these gripping reads.

12 Fascinating Books on History’s Most Notorious Diseases

Get a better sense of how illnesses have shaped history with these gripping reads about history’s most notorious diseases.

The beaches of Newfoundland are covered with gooey white blobs.

Weird White Blobs Are Taking Over Some Canadian Beaches

The beaches of Newfoundland are a little less pleasant since white blobs have appeared everywhere.

A New Zealand Airport Just Instituted a 3-Minute Time Limit on Hugs

The move, which is intended to speed up drop-offs, has been criticized as ‘tyranny.’

Do Wombats Use Their Butts as Deadly Weapons?

An important investigation of the muscular marsupials’ bony backsides.

Friends consult a Ouija board during a séance.

8 Notorious Séances Involving Celebrities

Harry Houdini and Princess Diana are just a few of the spirits that mediums have tried to contact over the years.

The Surprising Origins of 5 Spooky Sayings

From ‘skeletons in the closet’ to ‘graveyard shift,’ here’s how five eerie idioms came to be.

Peter’s poor wife did not have a good time.

The History—and Surprisingly Dark Theories—Behind ‘Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater’

‘Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater’ may not be the most kid-friendly nursery rhyme, as several interpretations of it involve murder.

People had some interesting ideas about eels (top) and lamprey (bottom).

Putting a Skirt on a Herring, and Other Fishy Folklore From the British Isles

This excerpt from Ben Gazur’s book ‘A Feast of Folklore: The Bizarre Stories Behind British Food,’ out September 19 in the UK and November 19 in the U.S., dives into some unusual history.

When Schools Made Kids Care for ‘Egg Babies’ to Thwart Teen Pregnancies

To curb teen pregnancies, schools in the ‘80s forced kids to care for another delicate dependent: an egg.

What British mail was like around the time Ewart's postcard was mailed.

Snail Mail: Welsh Postcard Sent in 1903 Arrives 121 Years Later

The recipient has been identified, but it’s still a mystery where the postcard has been all this time.

13 Odd and Obsolete Occupations

History is full of jobs that are no longer needed due to technology, cultural advances, and everything in between.

Caffeinated instant ramen is destined to fuel many all-nighters.

This Caffeinated Instant Ramen Is a College Student’s Best Friend

You can now get your caffeine fix in noodle form.

You favorite plastic building blocks are popular on the black market.

Officers Recover Thousands of Stolen LEGO Sets From Oregon Toy Shop

Law enforcement officers in Eugene, Oregon, are cracking down on the LEGO black market.

Trader Joe's Everything But the Bagel seasoning is controversial in South Korea.

This Popular Trader Joe’s Seasoning Is Illegal in South Korea

Travelers arriving in South Korea from the U.S. have had a Trader Joe's staple confiscated from their bags.

Hawaii Overprint Note from the World War II era.

That Time the Government Burned $200 Million of Hawaii’s Cash

During WWII, the U.S. government was scared that Japan might take all of Hawaii's money. Here's what they did to stop it.

You’ll probably never see a manticore in the wild.

10 Strange Creatures That Prowl the Pages of Medieval Bestiaries

Contrary to what was once assumed, medieval people did not necessarily believe all these odd beasts actually existed.

The Maniac Next Door: The Surprisingly Bizarre Origins of Michael Sembello’s Pop Hit From ‘Flashdance’

Michael Sembello’s synth-driven hit song from ‘Flashdance’ is rumored to have been inspired by William Lustig's 1980 slasher classic, ‘Maniac.’ But as it turns out, the true story is even weirder.

Not an "all convertible waitress" in sight.

7 Weird Things You Might Have Missed in Disney Movies and TV Shows

The House of Mouse has stoked its fair share of controversy over the years, but the Easter eggs and subliminal messages some believe are hidden in these classic Disney movies and TV shows take it to the next level.

Perhaps she’s reading the screenplay for ‘The Murder in the Red Barn.’

7 Unusual Forms of Victorian Era Entertainment

Plays based on true crime, dog orchestras, and clowns were all the rage during the Victorian Era.