Pascal Henry, a Swiss motorcycle courier, had planned the trip of a lifetime. Over the course of 68 days he was going to eat at every three-star Michelin-rated restaurant in the world -- all 68 of them.
By June 12 he had reached #40 on his list, El Bulli in Spain. He had finished his dessert, but had not yet paid his bill, when he excused himself from his table to go outside to his car to get one of his business cards to give to the couple at the next table. He hasn't been seen since.
What happened to him? The most popular theory is that he must have run out of money and decided to go into hiding. But there's also the possibility he may have wandered off a nearby cliff (though no body has been found) or that foul play is involved. Supporting the theory that he went into hiding are "reports that he is divorced and deeply secretive and went missing for several months as a teenager." Links: Times Online, Independent.
This sounds like something out of a horror novel. A mysterious red and black insect has been found in parts of London, baffling experts who have no idea what it is. Ominously, it is spreading rapidly. From BBC News:
The tiny red and black bug first appeared in the Natural History Museum's Wildlife Garden in March 2007. Since then it has become the most common insect in the garden and has also been spotted in Regent's Park and Gray's Inn. The bug appears to be harmless, but there is potential for it to spread throughout the UK, said experts...
Despite containing more than 28 million insect specimens, the museum failed to find an exact match for the new bug. Experts said it closely resembles the rare species Arocatus roeselii that is usually found in central Europe. But the roeselii bugs are brighter red than this new bug and they are usually associated with alder trees. The National Museum in Prague discovered an exact match to the mystery insect but experts there have also failed to determine exactly what it is. "It seems strange that so many of these bugs should suddenly appear," said Mr Barclay.
Sure, it appears to be harmless for now, but what are the odds it'll remain that way? Haven't they read The Day of the Triffids?
The Chicago Tribune reports on a mysterious cryptogram received by Fermilab:
The enigma began last year when a plain envelope with no return address arrived at the world-famous physics laboratory outside Chicago, addressed simply to "Fermilab." Inside was a single sheet marked by pen with a bizarre series of hash marks, numbers and alien-looking symbols. No one at the lab could make sense of the letter. Was it a joke? A threat? A hint at some exotic new theory?
The lab eventually posted the puzzle on its website, and the online community within days had partially solved it. The first part says, "FRANK SHOEMAKER WOULD CALL THIS NOISE." (referring, apparently, to a physicist who used to work at Fermilab). The bottom part reads: "EMPLOYEE NUMBER BASSE SIXTEEN." The middle section remains unsolved.
Unfortunately, these messages are as cryptic as the code itself. If you like puzzles, see if you can be the one to shed light on this enigma.
Category: Unsolved Mysteries