Nostradamus forecast a terrible 2021
And other stories from the stranger side of life

Nostradamus predicted that the year ahead will bring a zombie apocalypse, world famine, a meteor strike, and the third world war. Humanity will come under attack from a “pestilent she-monster,” he reportedly forecast, with a “famine” only making matters worse. A “great hail” will come from the sky, he added, and after a “great leader” dies, “the third big war will begin”.
Covid deniers red-faced
Covid deniers have been mocked for sharing pictures of an alleged blueprint for a 5G-vaccine microchip that turned out to be a guitar pedal circuit board. Sharing the image, the theorists explained: “The signal through the 5G network enters on the left on the INPUT. That’s how they control you.” Awkwardly, the picture was actually a blueprint for a Boss Metal Zone MT-2 guitar pedal, which retails for around £99.
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.
Aliens have visited, says professor
A professor at Harvard says an alien visited Earth in 2017 and more are on the way. Avi Loeb, who runs the Department of Astronomy at the university, said: “Some people do not want to discuss the possibility that there are other civilisations out there. They believe we are special and unique. I think it’s a prejudice that should be abandoned.”
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
-
Today's political cartoons - March 30, 2025
Cartoons Sunday's cartoons - strawberry fields forever, secret files, and more
By The Week US Published
-
5 hilariously sparse cartoons about further DOGE cuts
Cartoons Artists take on free audits, report cards, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Following the Tea Horse Road in China
The Week Recommends This network of roads and trails served as vital trading routes
By The Week UK 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
-
The New Jersey 'UFO' drone scare
In the Spotlight Reports of mysterious low-flying aircraft provoked outlandish theories, but old-fashioned hysteria appears to have been to blame
By The Week UK 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