Favorite Weird Stories of 2024

Enjoy some of our favorite items that were purchased in early 2024.

South Korean model Ain, also known as Angel Box Girl, is facing indecent assault charges following incidents last fall, Oddity Central reports. In Seoul and Gangnam, Ain walked the streets in a large cardboard box with holes for her arms and legs — plus two more, into which she invited strangers to put their hands in to touch her breasts and other body parts. Naturally, she gathered a large crowd, which was dispersed by the police. “It’s freedom of expression,” she said. “I just wanted to promote myself. I’ve actually seen a lot of positive reactions from people telling me they support me and applauding my courage.” If convicted, Ain could face a $3,800 fine or up to a year in prison.

The Associated Press reports that the Lexington, Kentucky, Convention and Visitors Bureau appears to be in desperate need of tourists. It uses an infrared laser to send messages to potentially habitable planets in the solar system 40 light-years away, luring the aliens with “lush green terrain … (and) famous bluegrass.” Lexington native Robert Lodder, an astrobiology and SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) expert, came up with the idea, and linguistics expert Dr. Andrew Byrd consulted: “We included… the molecular structure of water, bourbon, and even dopamine… because Lexington is fun !” he said. See you in 2064!

Thought you were having a bad day? On January 14, as an American Airlines flight was preparing to take off from Phoenix to Austin, Texas, the crew was forced to turn back to the exit, the New York Post reports. No, the doors did not fall from the fuselage. A passenger wrote on Reddit that an “audibly disgruntled” man walked in and sat down, then inexplicably yelled, “Did you think that was rude? Well, how about that smell,” and then passed on the gas. He then announced, “Yes, everyone, let’s just eat the smelliest food at the same time!” The flight attendant told the sullen man, “That’s enough,” but as the plane taxied to the runway, it stopped. A Reddit user shared, “We get back to the gate and the flight attendant comes back and tells the fartman that he won’t be staying on this flight.” He grabbed his bag and got off the plane; the flight was delayed for only 20 minutes.

Researchers from the University of Western Sydney have released the results of a study which shows that frequent nose picking may increase the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease. WION-TV reported on Feb. 7 that the habit introduces microbes into the nasal cavity that cause the brain to produce beta-amyloid as a defense. High amounts of beta-amyloid are thought to be the main cause of Alzheimer’s disease. “It is important to note that the temporary relief obtained from picking your nose is not a substitute for proper nasal hygiene,” the report says — “proper nasal hygiene” is “regular cleaning and maintenance of the nasal passages using gentle methods such as saline . rinsing the nose or blowing the nose”.

When 46-year-old Carol Germain from Brest (France) adopted a pig in 2020, she did not foresee that couscous would lead her to a new business: pig pedicures. Yahoo! News reported that Germain, who runs a bar in Brest, began traveling across France to trim pigs’ tusks and hooves. In fact, she is selling the bar to devote herself fully to the practice. “It’s crazy. I thought I was the only person holding the couch. But there are thousands of them,” she said. During one trip to the south of France, she cured 43 pigs.

In July 2023, Etienne Constable received a letter from the city of Seaside, California, asking him to hide the boat he had parked in his driveway for about four years, according to the Washington Post. City officials said boats and trailers must be “protected on the side and front by a 6-foot fence.” The constable erected a fence — and hired his neighbor, muralist Hanif Panni, to paint a photorealistic rendering of the boat and the rest of the driveway on the side of the fence facing the road. The mural was completed at the beginning of May. “We kind of hit the sweet spot between following the rules and making an elegant statement to the contrary,” Constable said. Nick Borges, Seaside’s city manager, got excited about the job and said, “The only action I’m going to take is high five and that’s it.”

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