Real-Life Weirdness

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

What I find creepiest is that they decided thieves would be scared off by nursery rhymes.

I believe there have been demonstration that you can discourage kids from hanging around in shopping malls by playing classical music. If someone heard about that, and had hated their childhood, you might get this piece of weirdness.

[Daigoro]

Originally Posted by David Johnston2

The FBI Mysteriously Close New Mexico Observatory

Cover-up time:

“AURA has been cooperating with an on-going law enforcement investigation of criminal activity that occurred at Sacramento Peak. During this time, we became concerned that a suspect in the investigation potentially posed a threat to the safety of local staff and residents. For this reason, AURA temporarily vacated the facility and ceased science activities at this location.”
(source)

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by Daigoro

Cover-up time:

“AURA has been cooperating with an on-going law enforcement investigation of criminal activity that occurred at Sacramento Peak. During this time, we became concerned that a suspect in the investigation potentially posed a threat to the safety of local staff and residents. For this reason, AURA temporarily vacated the facility and ceased science activities at this location.”
(source)

It could be a meddling alien criminal and everything they said would still be true!

[William]

Wow, this one is right near my home!

Glowing rocks are washing up on the shores of Lake Superior, on Michigan's Upper Peninsula. My own Michigan Tech University examined them after a local mineral dealer found some. A blacklight makes them glow more vividly ("appearing to be partially molten"), though they'll fluoresce for a while after sunset.

Naturally the University came up with some mundane explanation like "syenite clasts containing fluorescent sodalite... originally sourced from the Coldwell Alkaline Complex in Ontario, Canada." Pfft. Like anyone's going to believe that.

If you want your alien-radiation superpowers, come to the U.P.! Beat the rush!

[thorr-kan]

Originally Posted by William

Wow, this one is right near my home!

Glowing rocks are washing up on the shores of Lake Superior, on Michigan's Upper Peninsula. My own Michigan Tech University examined them after a local mineral dealer found some. A blacklight makes them glow more vividly ("appearing to be partially molten"), though they'll fluoresce for a while after sunset.

Naturally the University came up with some mundane explanation like "syenite clasts containing fluorescent sodalite... originally sourced from the Coldwell Alkaline Complex in Ontario, Canada." Pfft. Like anyone's going to believe that.

If you want your alien-radiation superpowers, come to the U.P.! Beat the rush!

This came across my Facebook feed yesterday. Fun read!

For the conspiracy minded, MTU's results were vetted by a Canadian school. *OF* course they're claiming sourcing in Canada.

More interestingly, the discoverer is running guided tours as a side job. You to can try your luck at random superpowers for the bargain prices of $50/hr!

[Daigoro]

Eccentric clockpunk craft musician implores eccentric Japanese corporate daimyo to take him on moon mission with eccentric Iron Man expy.

Mr. Maezawa, Would you like to go to the Moon with me? / Dearmoon / Spacex

[Luke Bunyip]

The abandoned townships of the Salton Sea, California. It's like a RL AtE, just a bit earlier.

[dcarson]

Some restaurants use fake food for displays. Some other businesses do similar.

https://gazette.com/news/oregano-con...9214fe384.html

[Anaraxes]

Originally Posted by dcarson

Some other businesses do similar.

And the really weird thing about that to me is -- oregano plants look nothing like marijuana. Even if we write off the thieves as opportunists ignorant of their target, shouldn't the customers know better?

For a game, you might have an alien plant that looks exactly like the real thing, but has different effects (either none or more extreme). Or conversely, you could invent a plant that does look like, say, oregano, but still has exactly the effect of pot. This might serve as a hook when the PCs get duped into trying to rip off their underworld contacts, and have to make it up to them. Or city-wide hilarity ensues when the supervillain rearranges all the plants at the home store.

[tshiggins]

Scientific progress goes *boom*! 1200 Teslas!

https://bgr.com/2018/09/28/magnetic-...machine-study/