Strange News

Arts

Police Tell Driver Half A Windshield Clear Of Snow Isn't Enough

7:35pm January 20, 2016

by Merrit Kennedy

The vehicle was barely visible beneath a deep blanket of snow when a policeman apprehended the 80-year-old daredevil in Brussels, Ontario. He got a fine and help clearing the car off.

A computer registered the current largest prime in September, but such numbers are considered "discovered" only when a human notices.

Science

Ready For Prime Time: A Number With 20 Million-Plus Digits

6:03pm January 20, 2016

by Merrit Kennedy

The largest-ever prime number has been discovered at the University of Central Missouri. It breaks the previous record by almost 5 million digits.

The huge statue of Chairman Mao Zedong in central China's Henan province before it was demolished.

World News

Mysterious Giant Golden Statue Of Mao Is Gone

11:29am January 08, 2016

by Merrit Kennedy

It's not immediately clear why the 121-foot-high homage to Mao Zedong in central China was brought down, but widespread ridicule might have had something to do with it.

A giant statue of late Chairman Mao Zedong was under construction Monday near crop fields in a village in Tongxu county in China's Henan province.

World News

In Remote Field In China, There's Now A Giant Golden Statue Of Mao

12:32pm January 05, 2016

by Merrit Kennedy

The 121-foot-high statue in one of the country's poorest areas was paid for by local businessmen and villagers.

Major #squadgoals? Taylor Swift (center) — with, from left, actress and singer Zendaya, models Martha Hunt and Lily Aldridge, and actresses Hailee Steinfeld and Ellen Pompeo at the 2015 Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas this May — refers to her poss

From #Squadgoals To Schlonged, Contenders For 2015's Word Of The Year

2:15pm December 28, 2015

by NPR Staff

Military jargon in Syria, mythical beasts in Silicon Valley, Yiddish vulgarities in the presidential campaign: Linguist Ben Zimmer breaks down some noteworthy terms from the past year.

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The East and South will see unseasonably high temperatures on Christmas Day.

World News

A Rare Full Moon On Christmas, And Other Unusual Celestial Events

7:54pm December 24, 2015

by Merrit Kennedy

The bright moon will be "an added gift for the holidays," NASA says. Record high temperatures on the East Coast, snowfall on the West Coast and an asteroid passing Earth are also in the mix.

National

A 'Breastaurant' That Turns The Tables

8:34am December 20, 2015

by Lauren Silverman

There's a restaurant in Dallas that's attracting some attention. Instead of waitresses wearing skimpy clothes, it's the waiters who do. It's called, "Tallywackers."

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Books
Arts

Rebel Brew: What The Boston Tea Party And The Mad Hatter Had In Common

1:34pm December 15, 2015

by Nina Martyris

This week marks the 242nd anniversary of the Boston Tea Party. This year is the 150th anniversary of Alice in Wonderland. If you'll follow us down the rabbit hole, you'll find some surprising links.

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, seen here delivering a speech during his 91st birthday celebration in February, is the latest Confucius Peace Prize winner. Like his predecessors, he has shunned the award.

World News

The Peace Prize Nobody Seems To Want

9:13am December 12, 2015

by Hannah Bloch

The winners of the Confucius Peace Prize, launched in reaction to a 2010 Nobel given to a Chinese dissident, rarely acknowledge it. Even this year's winner, Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe, doesn't want it.

Science
Arts

How What Makes You Laugh (And Cringe) Reveals Your Hidden Biases

12:04am December 08, 2015

by NPR Staff

This week on Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam looks at what we find funny and what, well, crosses the line. Comedian Bill Burr joins us to talk about why race, gender and Caitlin Jenner can be so funny.

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