Revealed: how other people judge your house
And other stories from the stranger side of life

Invest in an air freshener, brew some coffee or put a loaf of bread in the oven - it’s been revealed that British people are most likely to judge other people’s houses by their smell. A new study found that the average person takes just 38 seconds to evaluate a home they’ve walked into. Other common criteria include the temperature and whether it’s been recently vacuumed.
Woman texts dead father and receives surprising reply
A woman who texted her dead father’s number every day for four years says she eventually received an emotional reply from a grieving stranger. The man, who identified himself as “Brad”, said he had been reading her messages for years and revealed that he had lost his own daughter in a car crash.
Man drives to his own driving test
A man has been caught driving unsupervised to his own driving test. West Midlands Police says the “stupid” man was arrested after failing his test for the tenth time. A picture of the white Mitsubishi used by the driver has been posted online.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For more outlandish tales in ‘It must be true… I read it in the tabloids’ - and a concise, refreshing and balanced take on what really matters - try The Week magazine. Get your first six issues free–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
-
From Da Vinci to a golden toilet: a history of museum heists
In the Spotlight Following the ‘spectacular’ events at the Louvre, museums are ‘increasingly being targeted by criminal gangs’
-
Can Gen Z uprisings succeed where other protest movements failed?
Today's Big Question Apolitical and leaderless, youth-led protests have real power but are vulnerable to the strongman opportunist
-
The allegations of Christian genocide in Nigeria
The Explainer West African nation has denied claims from US senator and broadcaster
-
Zoos offer cockroach naming and hippo poo candles
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
-
NHS tells Scots to walk like penguins
Tall Tales Walk like penguins in the snow, says NHS
-
Experts discover why dogs wag their tails
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
-
Peruvian 'aliens' aren't really aliens
Tall Tales And other stories from stranger side of life
-
Woman accidentally puts nan in washing machine
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
-
Couple sues after ‘farting dog’ ruins flight
feature And other stories from the stranger side of life
-
Experts suggest the real-life Dracula was vegan
feature And other stories from the stranger side of life
-
Pedants forgive Waterstones over apostrophe
feature And other stories from the stranger side of life