Nasa finds molecules on Mars
And other stories from the stranger side of life
Nasa’s Perseverance rover has discovered organic molecules on the surface of Mars, suggesting that life may have once existed on the planet. The molecules are chemical compounds normally found in living systems, which can consist of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. “They are an exciting clue for astrobiologists since they are often thought of as building blocks of life,” Joseph Razzell Hollis, told Newsweek.
Humans do not have to defecate every day
Human beings do not have to defecate every day, an expert has told CNN. Dr Folasade May, a gastroenterologist, said that “there’s really not a fixed or normal number of bowel movements” and “most people will have anywhere between a bowel movement up to three times a day to three times per week”. Dr Michael Camilleri, a consultant and professor in gastroenterology, said that “the stool form, appearance or consistency of the bowel movement is actually a much better criterion” for determining health.
Otter steals surfboard
A sea otter keeps pinching surfers’ boards in California, reported The Telegraph. Videos show the five-year-old otter, known as Otter 841, “jumping atop surfboards, nudging their owners out of the way and basking in the sunshine as it waits for the swell in Santa Barbara”, said the paper. However, while “most people have found the encounters charming”, officials are now attempting to return her to captivity, to prevent her biting someone.
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.
For more odd news stories, sign up to the weekly Tall Tales newsletter
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
Chas Newkey-Burden has been part of The Week Digital team for more than a decade and a journalist for 25 years, starting out on the irreverent football weekly 90 Minutes, before moving to lifestyle magazines Loaded and Attitude. He was a columnist for The Big Issue and landed a world exclusive with David Beckham that became the weekly magazine’s bestselling issue. He now writes regularly for The Guardian, The Telegraph, The Independent, Metro, FourFourTwo and the i new site. He is also the author of a number of non-fiction books.
-
Best TV shows coming in 2025
The Week Recommends From Wild Cherry to The Bear, next year's most anticipated new and returning watches
By Tess Foley-Cox Published
-
Sudan's forgotten pyramids
Under the Radar Brutal civil war and widespread looting threatens African nation's ancient heritage
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
'Being more nuanced will not be easy for public health agencies'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Zoos offer cockroach naming and hippo poo candles
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
NHS tells Scots to walk like penguins
Tall Tales Walk like penguins in the snow, says NHS
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Experts discover why dogs wag their tails
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Peruvian 'aliens' aren't really aliens
Tall Tales And other stories from stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Woman accidentally puts nan in washing machine
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Why Dutch people put pancakes on their heads today
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Fly found in man's colon
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Judi Dench accidentally video called co-star from bath
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published