Thanks to Weird Things reader Mark Sissions for the link.

[After Disclosure]

In 2007, an illusion designer from the UK put up for auction what appeared to be the remains of a dead fairy. The winged creature was said to have been inspected by X-Ray and proved a biological organism. Although the bone structure seemed to be that of a child, the bones themselves were said to be hollow.

Here was the initial description according to a BBC article at the time:

“The 8in remains, complete with wings, skin, teeth and flowing red hair, have been examined by anthropologists and forensic experts who can confirm the body is genuine.”

The exact day of the posting should have been a tip off, so skeptics found it as no surprise when the April Fools Day hoax was revealed to be nothing but a model. However, even after it was revealed as a fake, the curiosity still sold for £280 to a private art collector.

Messages still poured in after the confession, with many upset that the seller listed the location where the fairy was found.

[Wikipedia // Dead Fairy Hoax]

You know, if we have a machine that can destroy legendary trivia heads at Jeopardy it’s high time we had a piece of software that could spot some creep trying to pull out their 4 Wood on sites like Chatroulette. But how?

A new research paper out of Cornell explains the symphony of algorithms behind identifying some random Johnson while adjusting for varying light, skin tone and image composition. For example, in a video demonstrating the program a picture of a couple lying together topless on a screen without exposing any naughty bits did not trigger as low of a rating a weirdo lifting their shirt to grip their tallywhacker for the cam. It also recognized low light and static images.

Pretty amazing stuff and a clever solution to a har… err… difficult problem.

[SafeVchat: Detecting Obscene Content and Misbehaving Users in Online Video Chat Services]

via [Improbable Research]

No one knows exactly why the sun rose roughly 48 hours ahead of schedule in the remote Greenland town of Ilulissat which like many arctic circle towns spends prolonged periods in total darkness.

Some say global warming has melted the ice caps that surround the town so far that the sun snuck over quicker.

However some have suggested a mischievous astronomical shift is to blame.

We are going to pin the blame on someone incorrectly programming the town’s only clock.

[Daily Mail]

The question of how the law should hand real life super heroes is a very interesting one. On one hand, they are mostly well-intentioned citizens who deter crime in a neighborhood. After all, if you were going to mug someone would you want to do it near the dude in a suit of molded rubber, or move a few blocks down the road. Then maybe while walking down the road you see a Little Caesars and totally agree to split a pizza. Then you forget about the mugging stuff whilst stuffing your face and laughing about the last episode of the Jersey Shore.

But on the other hand, tacitly approving vigilante justice can lead to situations like Phoenix Jones, who had his nose broken while being held at gunpoint last week.

A few of the Weird Things staff members (most notably Andrew Mayne whose production company produced the series) created an episode of G4 Underground about his very topic. You can check it out on iTunes.

[Boing Boing]

From PZ Meyer’s Pharyngula blog. Click through to see the full picture. This could, without alteration, be the cover of a metal album.

[Pharyngula]

The greatest minds in Sasquatch research will gather in British Columbia this April to best asses where we are in the long hunt for the crypto creature and to honor those who have done significant work in the field to track down and identify the elusive beast.

The event will be a gathering of Bigfoot researchers, authors and enthusiasts brought together to celebrate the life and contributions of John Green. Friday, April 8th will start with registration opening at 4 pm, and continue into the evening with light snacks and a no-host bar at an informal ‘Meet & Greet’ reception. Later there will be Round Table Discussions with well-known authors and investigators, a chance to catch up with friends, and time to browse amongst the vendors tables.

Tickets are running at $80 for the conference at Harrison Hot Springs, BC.

We very much wonder what kind of information can be gathered when so many who have searched so long of Sasquatch are put in the same room. At the very least there has to be some awesome stories about creative living in the forrest during stake outs. And possibly a great recipe for baked beans cooked over a campfire.

What would you hope to get out of the Sasquatch Summit?

[Cryptomundo]

A very specific kind of beetle is used as an edible red dye. It has been used in foods you’ve eaten your entire life. Now, you’ll be required by law to be aware that you’re munching on the remains of a bug.

[Live Science]

Meet Anatoli Petrovich Bugorski. He was a Russian scientist studying high energy physics when he accidentally stuck his face in the path of a proton beam being generated by a particle accelerator.

Reportedly, he saw a flash “brighter than a thousand suns”, but did not feel any pain.

The aftermath was even stranger. He’d received what was thought to be a a lethal dose of radiation and his face became swollen and began peeling. Everyone thought old Bugorski was a sure goner.

Except, he didn’t die. He lives to this day.

Aside from a loss of hearing and increased mental fatigue you’d have never known he took a FREAKING PROTON BEAM straight to the dome.

[Wikipedia]

It only gets weirder after midnight! More podcasts! More livestreams! More YouTube!

A huge thanks to Matt Finley, Bill Meeks and Ryan Crutchfield who have helped make this site so much more interesting with their writing.

From everyone here including publisher and dungeon master Andrew Mayne, constant victim of family-centric horror Brian Brushwood and wild-eyed moron Justin Robert Young, thanks for making 2010 the biggest year in our young history!

Guest starring Ashley Paramore. Subscribe to her on YouTube.

It might be a fake chupacabra but it definitely got real murdered on a front lawn in Kentucky.

[Fox News]

Finally, we can protect the planet while fleeing it. A team of Swedish scientists discovered a new molecule that could increase the power of rocket fuel 20% to 30% while leaving less of a carbon footprint.

[Fast Company]

A new finger bone fossil in Southern Siberia belonged to a young lady of an unknown human ancestor. She ain’t Neanderthal and she ain’t early human.

Yes, this means we have to set an extra place at Christmas dinner. No, you don’t have to get her a present. Maybe a nice ring.

[Science Daily]