Barista hospitalised after holding in farts for two years
And other stories from the stranger side of life

An Irish barista was hospitalised because she refused to fart around her boyfriend for two years. Cara Clarke was at work last week when she developed “extreme stomach pain” and was rushed to hospital. The 19-year-old was told she had an infection and would have to have her appendix removed before it burst, reported The Irish Mirror. She said the infection was caused by her reluctance to break wind around her partner and vowed to “let it out from now on”. In January, an influencer was hospitalised for the opposite reason: farting too much.
Mushrooms ‘talk to one another’
A professor has found that mushrooms talk to one another, reported The Guardian. Mathematical analysis of the electrical signals fungi send to each other has identified patterns that have a strong resemblance to human speech, said Professor Andrew Adamatzky at the University of the West of England. But Dan Bebber, an associate professor of biosciences at the University of Exeter, said the theory is “overenthusiastic” and there needs to be “far more research and testing of critical hypotheses before we see ‘Fungus’ on Google Translate”.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Dogs manipulate us with facial muscles
Dogs have mastered facial expressions to manipulate us, according to new research. A study at the Duquesne University in Pittsburgh found that there are several differences in the facial muscles of dogs and wolves. The research suggests the eyes of dogs have in effect been humanised, explained The Times. “They’re communicating with us and are able to make facial expressions just like us,” said Anne Burrows, the author of the study. “They want to grab our attention with a facial expression.”
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Law firms: Caving to White House pressure
Feature Trump targets major law firms tied to his past investigations
By The Week US Published
-
Venezuelan deportees: Locked up for tattoos?
Feature A former pro soccer player was deported after U.S. authorities claimed his tattoo proved he belonged to a Venezuelan gang
By The Week US Published
-
Saving the post office
Feature The U.S. Postal Service is facing mounting losses and growing calls for privatization. Can it survive?
By The Week US Published
-
'Like a sound from hell': Serbia and sonic weapons
The Explainer Half a million people sign petition alleging Serbian police used an illegal 'sound cannon' to disrupt anti-government protests
By Abby Wilson Published
-
The arrest of the Philippines' former president leaves the country's drug war in disarray
In the Spotlight Rodrigo Duterte was arrested by the ICC earlier this month
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Ukrainian election: who could replace Zelenskyy?
The Explainer Donald Trump's 'dictator' jibe raises pressure on Ukraine to the polls while the country is under martial law
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Why Serbian protesters set off smoke bombs in parliament
THE EXPLAINER Ongoing anti-corruption protests erupted into full view this week as Serbian protesters threw the country's legislature into chaos
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Who is the Hat Man? 'Shadow people' and sleep paralysis
In Depth 'Sleep demons' have plagued our dreams throughout the centuries, but the explanation could be medical
By The Week Staff Published
-
Why Assad fell so fast
The Explainer The newly liberated Syria is in an incredibly precarious position, but it's too soon to succumb to defeatist gloom
By The Week UK Published
-
Romania's election rerun
The Explainer Shock result of presidential election has been annulled following allegations of Russian interference
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Russia's shadow war in Europe
Talking Point Steering clear of open conflict, Moscow is slowly ratcheting up the pressure on Nato rivals to see what it can get away with.
By The Week UK Published