Press "Enter" to skip to content

2019 Year in Review: Strange News Stories

To recap 2019, NewsForKids.net is taking a look back at some of the most interesting stories we’ve covered this year.
Today we’re looking at some of the strangest news stories from 2019.

Water Bears May Survive After Moon Crash

SEM image of Milnesium tardigradum in active state.
In April, a small spacecraft sent to the moon by an Israeli company crashed. But a special “library” the ship was carrying may have survived, including tiny living creatures called tardigrades.


Baking Bread with 4,500-year-old Yeast

Two loaves of breads.
How does a curious scientist who likes to bake entertain himself? Well, if it’s Seamus Blackley, he tries to get some ancient Egyptian yeast, so he can bake a loaf of bread.


In Japan, Some People Rent Cars to Take Naps

Carsharing station of Times Car Plus, Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan (Docomo Tower side Station) / 東京都渋谷区のタイムズカープラスのカーシェアリングステーション(ドコモタワーサイドステーション)
Japanese car rental companies have learned something interesting about their customers – many people in Japan don’t rent cars to drive somewhere, they rent because they’re looking for a quiet, private space.


Europe’s First Underwater Restaurant Opens

Entry way of the restaurant Under
Europe’s first underwater restaurant has recently opened in Norway. The restaurant offers visitors the chance to eat seafood while looking out at life under the ocean.


Funeral for a Glacier

A plaque placed at the former location of the Icelandic Okjökull glacier, which disappeared due to climate change
On Sunday, around 100 people in Iceland held an unusual funeral – for a glacier. The short ceremony marked the passing of one glacier and was meant as a warning to help save the glaciers that remain.


New Zealand Loses Steepest Street Record To Wales

Gradient warning sign at the top of Ffordd Pen Llech.
Baldwin Street in Dunedin, New Zealand has long been thought to be the world’s steepest street. But now, Guinness World Records says that a 1,000-year-old street in Wales has taken the title.


Cat Effect Adds Interest to Political Meeting

Pakistani politician Shaukat Ali Yousafzai with the cat filter.
Last Friday, a video of a Pakistani politician talking to reporters was sent out live over the internet. It was several minutes before anyone noticed that a special video effect was drawing cat faces on the people in the video.


Ladybug Swarm Shows Up on Weather Map

Weather radar image of a massive cloud of migrating ladybugs.
Last Tuesday night, people working at the National Weather Service in San Diego, California were puzzled by a strange shape on their radar screens. The unusual cloud turned out to be a massive swarm of ladybugs.


Lightsaber Duels Are Now a Sport in France

Lightsaber blue (with shimmering aura)
Star Wars fans in France got some good news recently – fighting with lightsabers has just officially become a sport in the country.

Share:

Settings

Most news on NewsForKids.net is appropriate for all ages. When there is news that may not be suitable for all ages, we try to tag it. You can use the setting below to control whether content tagged in this manner is shown.