Swedish Couple Banned From Naming Baby ‘Vladimir Putin’
The Swedish tax agency, Skatteverket, rejected a young couple’s request to name their son Vladimir Putin, the name of the famous Russian president. Public radio broadcaster SR recently reported the case of a couple based in Laholm, Sweden, who were banned from naming their newborn son after Russia’s president. Skatteverket didn’t explain exactly why they rejected […]
The Brazilian Treehopper – The Most Alien-Looking Creature on Earth
The Brazilian treehopper, a pea-sized, rainforest-dwelling insect that spends its days munching on treetop leaves, is almost certainly the most otherworldly-looking creature on our planet. From the double-nosed Andean tiger hound, to the painting-like “Picasso fish“, we’ve featured our share of strange-looking creatures on Oddity Central, but none of them come close to the bizarre […]
Man Claims to Have Been Sleeping Just 30 Minutes a Day for the Last 12 Years
Daisuke Hori, a 36-year-old man from Japan, has spent the last few years training his mind and body to function on as little sleep as possible. He claims to get just 30 minutes of sleep a day and not get tired at all. Do you ever feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day, […]
The Hitachi Tree – A Beloved Japanese Corporate Symbol That Grows in Hawaii
Ever since 1975, a majestic monkeypod tree growing on the Hawaiian island of Oahu has been the symbol of electronics and technology giant Hitachi, making it one of the most beloved corporate symbols of Japan. The so-called “Hitachi Tree” is one of the several monkeypod trees growing in the privately-owned Moanalua Gardens, once the childhood […]
This Adorable Tabby Is the World’s Deadliest Feline
Felis nigripes, the African black-footed cat, stands at just 8 to 10 inches tall and weighs roughly 200 times less than the average lion, but it is actually the most efficient feline predator on the planet. The black-footed cat is actually the smallest African feline, smaller even than the average alley cat, but you shouldn’t […]
The World’s Fastest Roller Coaster Requires Riders to Wear Safety Goggles
Formula Rossa, the world’s fastest roller coaster, reaches a top speed of 240 km/h in just 4.9 seconds and requires riders to wear safety glasses to protect their eyes from impact with insects or grains of sand. As part of the Ferrari World theme park in Abu Dhabi, the Formula Rossa roller coaster was designed […]
Hagfish – Weird Slime-Spewing Monsters of the Ocean
At first glance, the humble hagfish looks like just another species of ocean-dwelling eel, but they are something much weirder and at the same time fascinating. From the bizarre slime-like substance it produces as a defense mechanism, to the lack of a backbone, there’s a whole lot of weirdness to address. The hagfish is a […]
Al Naslaa – Saudi Arabia’s Mysterious Rock Formation
Saudi Arabia’s Tayma Oasis is home to a 4,000-year-old geological mystery – a strange rock formation perfectly split down the middle with the precision of a laser beam. The world-famous Al Naslaa rock formation is made up of two large sandstone boulders supported by a natural pedestal that appears much too small for its purpose. […]
Man Holds the World Record for Most Signatures Tattooed on His Back, Over 225
Funky Matas, a social media entertainer based in Florida, holds the world record for most signatures tattooed on the back, including those of celebrities like Will Smith or Gerard Butler. Funky, real name Juan Matas, used to work as a tattoo artist himself and came up with the project that would end up defining his […]
Real Goldy Locks – Rapper Claims to Have Implanted Gold Chains Into His Head
Mexican rapper Dan Sur has been getting a lot of attention lately, not because of his music, but because of his drastic physical transformation – replacing his natural hair with metal gold chains implanted into his head. With the internet and social media constantly producing new artists and influencers, it’s hard to get noticed unless […]
Political Candidate Forced to Run Against Doppelgangers Who Also Stole His Name
An opposition party candidate running for a municipal position in St Petersburg, Russia, is competing against at least two other people who not only legally changed their names to his, but also borrowed his physical appearance to confuse voters. Russian opposition politicians are used to running against candidates with the same surname, it’s a commonly […]
Mother Makes 13-year-Old Girl Jump Rope 3,000 Times Per Day to Grow Taller
A 13-year-old girl was diagnosed with a serious joint disease caused by being forced to jump rope 3,000 times a day by her mother, as a bizarre way of growing taller. Chinese media recently reported the case of a 13-year-old girl in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province who developed traction apophysitis of the tibial tubercle after being forced by her […]
Food-Stall Owner Adds Poppy Husk Powder to His Dishes to Make Them Addictive
A Chinese food stall owner was recently arrested after admitting to adding poppy husk powder to his dishes to get patrons hooked on them. In late August of this year, the Lunan Police Station in Lianyungang City, China’s Jiangsu Province, received information that a local hot noodle stall owner might be using illegal ingredients to […]
Rat King – Russian Farmer Finds Five Rats With Their Tails Mysteriously Knotted Together
Reports of the bizarre rat king phenomenon date back to the 16th century, but the recent discovery of a Russian farmer who found five small rats with their tails tied in a giant knot is once again causing scientists to scratch their heads. A rat king occurs when the tails of multiple rodents become so […]
Woman Denounces Female Neighbor for Hanging Her Underwear in Plain Sight to Seduce Her Husband
Police in Quintana Roo, Mexico, recently received an unusual complaint from a local woman who accused her 23-year-old neighbor of hanging her underwear in plain sight in order to seduce her husband. 42-year-old Yuvitza E. decided to file a formal accusation against her “shameless” young neighbor, accusing her of breaking “good morals and decency”. She […]