‘World’s first’ kitten with no sexual organs discovered
And others stories from the stranger side of life

A kitten born without any sexual organs has been discovered in what vets think may be a world first. The kitten, called Hope, is part of an abandoned litter being cared for by the Cats Protection Tyneside adoption centre. Speaking to The Telegraph, Fiona Brockbank, the senior field veterinary officer at Cats Protection, said: “Hope came into care like all other cats who get relinquished and at the point that she had her vet check, underneath her tail just did not look as we would expect for either of the sexes.”
Oldest written sentence found on a nit comb
What is thought to be the “oldest known sentence written in the earliest alphabet” has been discovered on a head-lice comb, reported The Guardian. “May this tusk root out the lice of the hair and the beard,” reads the inscription on the comb, which was unearthed in Lachish, a Canaanite city state in the second millennium BCE and the second most important city in the kingdom of Judah. “The inscription is very human,” said Prof Yosef Garfinkel, an archaeologist at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, who helped direct the Lachish excavations.
‘Hooker’ ghosts haunt Texan home
A Texas homeowner said “hooker” ghosts have taken over her rental property, reported Fox News. Linda Hill said she was taking a shower when she heard someone say “looking good”. She explained: “I thought it was my husband. I mean, he and I were the only ones in the house.” However, she insisted, the voice turned out to be coming from a ghost. She added that the house is actually home to several spooks. “We’ve got kids, and we’ve got old people, old guys, and we’ve got hookers,” she said.
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.
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
-
RFK Jr.'s focus on autism draws the ire of researchers
In the Spotlight Many of Kennedy's assertions have been condemned by experts and advocates
By Theara Coleman, The Week US
-
Protein obsession is oversaturating the health food space
Under the Radar Some experts say that fiber is now the most important macro to focus on
By Justin Klawans, The Week US
-
Codeword: April 23, 2025
The Week's daily codeword puzzle
By The Week Staff
-
Why Russia removed the Taliban's terrorist designation
The Explainer Russia had designated the Taliban as a terrorist group over 20 years ago
By Justin Klawans, The Week US
-
Inside the Israel-Turkey geopolitical dance across Syria
THE EXPLAINER As Syria struggles in the wake of the Assad regime's collapse, its neighbors are carefully coordinating to avoid potential military confrontations
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
'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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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