Weird Universe Archive

November 2022

November 20, 2022

The house of 2020

Back in 1989, the BBC show 'Tomorrow's World' predicted what kind of technology people would have in their homes in 2020. They weren't that far off.

They got music on voice command right. But we don't yet have walls that turn into windows.

Posted By: Alex - Sun Nov 20, 2022 - Comments (4)
Category: Technology, Yesterday’s Tomorrows

TV INTROS TO 18 SHORT-LIVED SITCOMS OF THE 70s

Wow, what a bunch of bizarre stinkers from an odd decade.

Posted By: Paul - Sun Nov 20, 2022 - Comments (3)
Category: Success & Failure, Television, 1970s

November 19, 2022

Loving Bear Puffy

Loving Bear Puffy is a plush figure in the shape and size of a male human body, but with the head of a half-asleep bear...

Puffy replaces the need for the physical presence of a person in various moments and situations of everyday life, especially during long lonely nights...

ATTENTION! Due to Puffy's human figure and size, it will take some time to get used to him, but we assure you that very soon you will get used to his presence and will only enjoy and cuddle him.

More info: puffybear.com



Posted By: Alex - Sat Nov 19, 2022 - Comments (2)
Category: Dolls and Stuffed Animals

Les Baxter’s “Goliath and the Barbarians”



Space-age Bachelor Pad meets Sword and Sandals. What could be better?

If you dig the first track, embedded here, go to the Internet Archive listing for the album, click the Spotify option, and you get the whole thing.



Posted By: Paul - Sat Nov 19, 2022 - Comments (3)
Category: Movies, Space-age Bachelor Pad & Exotic, 1950s, 1970s, Europe

November 18, 2022

Underground Smog Shelter

Despite living on a hill that was relatively free of smog, millionaire Bill Bounds built an underground smog shelter where he could "breathe air filtered by activated charcoal."

"Bill Bounds at the entrance to his underground smog shelter"



Lansing State Journal - Dec 5, 1971

Posted By: Alex - Fri Nov 18, 2022 - Comments (3)
Category: Architecture, Urban Life, 1970s

November 17, 2022

Breakaway Stethoscope

Joshua Allen Stivers of Puyallup, WA recently received a patent for a "breakaway stethoscope." It works like a normal stethoscope, but breaks apart if someone tries to use it as a garrote to strangle a person:

Medical staff, such as doctors, nurses and technicians, are often required to deal with unruly and/or aggressive patients that may become violent and cause injury to themselves or others. Medical staff also often carry and wear a stethoscope while working and tend to rest the stethoscope around the neck and on the shoulders when not in use. Unfortunately, violent patients may see that as an opportunity to harm the doctor, nurse or technician by grabbing the stethoscope that is resting on the wearer's neck and strangle or injure the wearer and in some cases cause death. Thus, there is a need for a breakaway stethoscope that will separate into two or more pieces when forcefully pulled on or forcefully wrapped around a doctor's, nurse's, or technician's throat to prevent injury or death to the doctor, nurse or technician.


A quick google search reveals that stethoscopes become weapons disturbingly often. So it's kind of surprising that breakaway ones aren't already standard issue.

Derby Evening Telegraph - Aug 9, 1948



via Jeff Steck

Posted By: Alex - Thu Nov 17, 2022 - Comments (3)
Category: Crime, Medicine, Patents, Weapons

November 16, 2022

Color photographs to fight crime

Use color film so you can see the blood better.

Time - May 19, 1952

Posted By: Alex - Wed Nov 16, 2022 - Comments (1)
Category: Photography and Photographers, Advertising, 1950s, Blood

Fat Woman in Quicksand

Source: The New York Times New York, New York 14 Aug 1908, Fri

Posted By: Paul - Wed Nov 16, 2022 - Comments (0)
Category: Oceans and Maritime Pursuits, Danger, Risk, and Peril, 1900s, Obesity

Page 3 of 7 pages  < 1 2 3 4 5 >  Last ›




Get WU Posts by Email

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner


weird universe thumbnail
Who We Are
Alex Boese
Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction books such as Elephants on Acid.

Paul Di Filippo
Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1.

Chuck Shepherd
Chuck is the purveyor of News of the Weird, the syndicated column which for decades has set the gold-standard for reporting on oddities and the bizarre.

Our banner was drawn by the legendary underground cartoonist Rick Altergott.

Contact Us
Monthly Archives
October 2024 •  September 2024 •  August 2024 •  July 2024 •  June 2024 •  May 2024 •  April 2024 •  March 2024 •  February 2024 •  January 2024

December 2023 •  November 2023 •  October 2023 •  September 2023 •  August 2023 •  July 2023 •  June 2023 •  May 2023 •  April 2023 •  March 2023 •  February 2023 •  January 2023

December 2022 •  November 2022 •  October 2022 •  September 2022 •  August 2022 •  July 2022 •  June 2022 •  May 2022 •  April 2022 •  March 2022 •  February 2022 •  January 2022

December 2021 •  November 2021 •  October 2021 •  September 2021 •  August 2021 •  July 2021 •  June 2021 •  May 2021 •  April 2021 •  March 2021 •  February 2021 •  January 2021

December 2020 •  November 2020 •  October 2020 •  September 2020 •  August 2020 •  July 2020 •  June 2020 •  May 2020 •  April 2020 •  March 2020 •  February 2020 •  January 2020

December 2019 •  November 2019 •  October 2019 •  September 2019 •  August 2019 •  July 2019 •  June 2019 •  May 2019 •  April 2019 •  March 2019 •  February 2019 •  January 2019

December 2018 •  November 2018 •  October 2018 •  September 2018 •  August 2018 •  July 2018 •  June 2018 •  May 2018 •  April 2018 •  March 2018 •  February 2018 •  January 2018

December 2017 •  November 2017 •  October 2017 •  September 2017 •  August 2017 •  July 2017 •  June 2017 •  May 2017 •  April 2017 •  March 2017 •  February 2017 •  January 2017

December 2016 •  November 2016 •  October 2016 •  September 2016 •  August 2016 •  July 2016 •  June 2016 •  May 2016 •  April 2016 •  March 2016 •  February 2016 •  January 2016

December 2015 •  November 2015 •  October 2015 •  September 2015 •  August 2015 •  July 2015 •  June 2015 •  May 2015 •  April 2015 •  March 2015 •  February 2015 •  January 2015

December 2014 •  November 2014 •  October 2014 •  September 2014 •  August 2014 •  July 2014 •  June 2014 •  May 2014 •  April 2014 •  March 2014 •  February 2014 •  January 2014

December 2013 •  November 2013 •  October 2013 •  September 2013 •  August 2013 •  July 2013 •  June 2013 •  May 2013 •  April 2013 •  March 2013 •  February 2013 •  January 2013

December 2012 •  November 2012 •  October 2012 •  September 2012 •  August 2012 •  July 2012 •  June 2012 •  May 2012 •  April 2012 •  March 2012 •  February 2012 •  January 2012

December 2011 •  November 2011 •  October 2011 •  September 2011 •  August 2011 •  July 2011 •  June 2011 •  May 2011 •  April 2011 •  March 2011 •  February 2011 •  January 2011

December 2010 •  November 2010 •  October 2010 •  September 2010 •  August 2010 •  July 2010 •  June 2010 •  May 2010 •  April 2010 •  March 2010 •  February 2010 •  January 2010

December 2009 •  November 2009 •  October 2009 •  September 2009 •  August 2009 •  July 2009 •  June 2009 •  May 2009 •  April 2009 •  March 2009 •  February 2009 •  January 2009

December 2008 •  November 2008 •  October 2008 •  September 2008 •  August 2008 •  July 2008 •