Story Times: The weekly weird

Published May 7, 2016

Man changes name to Buzz Lightyear

A UK man won the right to have the name of a Disney character appear on his driver’s license after legally changing his name for charity.

Buzz Lightyear, who was formerly known as Sam Stephens, changed his name to raise money for children’s cancer charity CLIC Sargent.

“I changed my name this time last year in April and at first the DVLA refused a driving license,” Lightyear said. “It has taken a year, but two weeks ago they issued a driving license in my name.”

Lightyear said his appeals were originally denied because using the name of a fictional character could cause complications while travelling abroad. A spokesman for the DVLA told the BBC that a range of evidence was needed before the change could be allowed.

“We recognise people may choose to change their name for many reasons. The driving license is an important official document which is used both here and abroad,” they said. “That is why we look for a range of evidence to support the application before we update our records.”


Baby girl born in a family after 101 years

A family, the Underdahls, is celebrating the first birth of a baby girl in their lineage after 101 years. The new parents Ashton Underdahl and her husband Scott welcomed little Auerelia in April in Post Falls, Idaho — the family’s first since 1914.

Auerelia comes as a little sister to almost-two-year-old Archer.

Although the family’s male history was clear, they had no idea how long it had been since they’d heard the pitter patter of female feet.

Ashton said, “Pink was a shock. Headbands, the girl aisle is overwhelming.”


Bedbugs are attracted to dark colours!

And if you have dark coloured bed sheets you might want to change the colours! Well, at least that is the theory behind a new study which suggests that there are some colours bedbugs like and others they don’t.

According to the research published in the Journal of Medical Entomology, the insects prefer to take shelter in black and red materials but hate green, yellow and white.

Author of the study, Corraine McNeill, from Union College in Lincoln, told it is more likely because they have a reddish exo-skeleton, therefore the colour suggests the presence of other bedbugs.

Alternatively, the creatures hate green, yellow and white, because those colours are usually found in well-lit areas, where bedbugs don’t like to hang out. The scientists suggest the data could be used to inform trap makers on what colours to use. Since most traps are white, maybe black or red might prove a more effective option, she said.


1,500-year-old mummy wearing red trainers!

Archaeologists unearthed the 1,500-year-old female mummy from a Mongolian cave which seemed to be wearing red boots with three distinctive white stripes, an emblem which is now synonymous with a famous ‘sports brand’.

The body was found in Mongolia’s Altai Mountains, 2,800 metres above sea level. And as soon as the video was released online, many viewers immediately pointed out the familiarity of the mummy’s footwear.

Experts claim the woman was actually wearing simple footwear with three white bands to hold it in place. The body was preserved so well due to a year-round temperature of almost zero degrees in the cave where it was found.

In addition to the human remains, an entire horse with a saddle was also found. Clothes, an iron kettle, a clay vase and a bowl were also scattered on the ground. Archaeologists believe the cave is part of an ancient Turkic burial site.

Published in Dawn, Young World, May 7th, 2015

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