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<channel>
	<title>Oddity Central &#8211; Collecting Oddities</title>
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	<link>https://www.odditycentral.com</link>
	<description>A collection of oddities that includes weird places, strange people, bizarre events and other odd stuff from all around the world</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Wed, 26 Aug 2026 21:07:47 +0000</lastBuildDate>
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		<title>World&#8217;s Fastest Humanoid Robot Can Already Run Faster Than Usain Bolt</title>
		<link>https://www.odditycentral.com/technology/worlds-fastest-humanoid-robot-can-already-run-faster-than-usain-bolt.html?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=worlds-fastest-humanoid-robot-can-already-run-faster-than-usain-bolt</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Spooky]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 26 Aug 2026 21:07:44 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Tech]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fastest humanoid robot]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fastest robot]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[humanoid robots]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tech]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Unitree]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Unitree Superman]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.odditycentral.com/?p=90057</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Superman, a humanoid robot developed by Chinese company Unitree, has surpassed the speed record set by the fastest human ever, Usain Bolt.]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p>On August 17, 2026, Chinese robotics giant Unitree released a video of its Superman model displaying its athletic abilities. Despite its clunky-looking exterior, Unitree&#8217;s newest humanoid robot can perform a 2-meter vertical jump and land firmly on its feet, beating the record set by Christopher Spell in 2021 (1.70 meters) by quite a large margin. </p>



<p>However, the main attraction of Unitree&#8217;s viral video is Superman running faster than Usain Bolt, the fastest human in history, reaching speeds of up to 12.66 m/s (45.6 km/h). Bolt, who became the first person to run the 100m in under 9.5 seconds, reached a top speed of 12.27 m/s (44.17 km/h).</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="750" height="433" src="https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/fastest-superman-robot2-750x433.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-90059" srcset="https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/fastest-superman-robot2-750x433.jpg 750w, https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/fastest-superman-robot2-150x87.jpg 150w, https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/fastest-superman-robot2-768x444.jpg 768w, https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/fastest-superman-robot2-1536x887.jpg 1536w, https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/fastest-superman-robot2.jpg 1688w" sizes="(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px" /></figure>



<p>Superman&#8217;s goofy running style doesn&#8217;t really do the humanoid robot justice, but if the figures reported by Unitree are real &#8211; they have yet to be verified by a third party &#8211; the humanoid robot revolution we are currently experiencing just got even scarrier. Just imagine being chased by one of these things and hearing its metal feet against the asphalt as it approaches&#8230;</p>



<p>This isn&#8217;t the first time Unitree goes viral with an impressive showcase. A few months back, it shocked the world with a <a href="https://www.odditycentral.com/news/real-life-terminators-chinese-made-humanoid-robots-blow-everyone-away-with-kung-fu-exhibition.html">synchronized martial arts performance</a> executed to perfection by dozens of its humanoid robots, but it also sparked controversy when some of its robots started behaving erratically and actually hitting people. That hasn&#8217;t been the case with Superman, but imagine the world&#8217;s fastest humanoid robot behaving like that.</p>



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<iframe title="Unitree New Robot Preview: “Superman” Breaking the Limits of Humanity" width="800" height="450" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/O7OkiZfIlS4?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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		<title>Indian Teen Allegedly Spent the Last Five Years in a Pond to Soothe Painful Skin Condition</title>
		<link>https://www.odditycentral.com/news/indian-teen-allegedly-spent-the-last-five-years-in-a-pond-to-soothe-painful-skin-condition.html?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=indian-teen-allegedly-spent-the-last-five-years-in-a-pond-to-soothe-painful-skin-condition</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Spooky]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 24 Aug 2026 19:47:26 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[India]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Iqbal Sheikh]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[medical mysteries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rare medical conditions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[unusual]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.odditycentral.com/?p=90052</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Iqbal Sheikh, a 16-year-old youth from West Bengal, India, claims to have lived mostly in water for the past five years to soothe a mysterious skin condition.]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p>Iqbal Sheikh, a youth from Murshidabad in West Bengal, India, has reportedly spent most of the last half-decade of his life in a small pond because the water helped cool his painful &#8220;burning skin&#8221;. Despite numerous visits to hospitals and self-proclaimed healers, no one has been able to cure or even diagnose his condition. </p>



<p>Spending five years day and night in a pond sounds difficult to believe, but according to Iqbal and his family, he experiences agonizing pain if he leaves the water for too long. He is convinced that his misfortune is the work of a ‘jinn, fairy or other supernatural entity’</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe title="Iqbal Sheikh: सालों से पानी में तड़प रहा Iqbal Sheikh मदद के लिए आगे आए &#039;अंबानी&#039;!" width="800" height="450" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3RB_NVvxD6Q?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



<p>Videos of the 16-year-old submerged up to his neck in water recently went viral online, sparking a heated debate around his condition. Several users on Reddit identified Iqbal&#8217;s symptoms as those of a rare condition called erythromelalgia. It mostly affects the feet, but can also affect other parts of the body, and its most common symptoms are a burning sensation in the skin and redness. It&#8217;s not clear what actually causes erythromelalgia, but some experts believe that it could be genetic.</p>



<p>Iqbal&#8217;s story reportedly caught the attention of Anant Ambani, heir of the massive Ambani business empire, who arranged for the 16-year-old to be transported over 1,300 miles to Mumbai, where a team of doctors can hopefully diagnose and treat his condition. </p>



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		<title>Man Faces Up to 8 Years in Prison for Ordering Hundreds of Pizzas to Random Addresses</title>
		<link>https://www.odditycentral.com/foods/man-faces-up-to-8-years-in-prison-for-ordering-hundreds-of-pizzas-to-random-addresses.html?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=man-faces-up-to-8-years-in-prison-for-ordering-hundreds-of-pizzas-to-random-addresses</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Spooky]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 24 Aug 2026 19:07:28 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Foods]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[food prank]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[offbeat]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pizza]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pizza delivery]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Poland]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[weird news]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.odditycentral.com/?p=90048</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A 23-year-old Polish man could spend the next eight years of his life in prison for a stupid pizza delivery prank.]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p>Poland&#8217;s Central Bureau for Combating Cybercrime (CBZC) recently announced the arrest of a 23-year-old man from Szczecin under suspicion of stalking, identity fraud, and causing massive financial losses to several Polish companies by ordering hundreds of pizzas at random addresses accross the country. None of the people indicated as recipients were ever informed about the orders placed in their name.</p>



<p>According to an investigation by Polish police, the pizza orders placed by the young suspect in this bizarre case not only included detailed information about the victims, which could only have been known to them or their closest friends and relatives, but also serious threats like abducting a minor, setting fire to workplaces or intentionally causing road accidents. This reportedly left many of his victims feeling threatened and tormented.</p>



<p>Most of the <a href="https://www.odditycentral.com/news/belgian-man-has-been-receiving-pizzas-he-never-ordered-for-almost-a-decade.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">bogus pizza delivery orders</a> were meant for addresses in Szczecin, but at least a few dozens targeted addresses in major Polish cities like Wrocław, Kraków and Warsaw. Although several eateries ended up incurring serious losses by fulfilling the received orders, some deliveries were rejected for technical reasons. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><img decoding="async" width="750" height="500" src="https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/pizza-boxes.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-90049" srcset="https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/pizza-boxes.jpg 750w, https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/pizza-boxes-150x100.jpg 150w" sizes="(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px" /></figure>



<p>In one instance, the 23-year-old suspect is believed to have placed an order for 300 pizzas for a total price exceeding 37,000 zlotys ($10,000). In several other instances, the restaurants canceled the order because the sheer number of pizzas made preparation in a timely manner impossible. </p>



<p>Officers from the Central Bureau for Combating Cybercrime and the Investigative Department of the Municipal Police Headquarters in Szczecin recently raided the suspect&#8217;s home and seized devices and data carriers that they suspect was used in the costly <a href="https://www.odditycentral.com/news/german-lawyer-cant-get-any-work-done-because-someone-keeps-ordering-pizza-on-his-behalf.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">pizza delivery prank</a>. </p>



<p>If found guilty, the 23-year-old man risks spending up to eight years behind bars. As for his motive, investigators are still trying to figure that out. </p>



<p></p>
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		<title>Dameisha, the World&#8217;s Most Crowded Beach</title>
		<link>https://www.odditycentral.com/travel/dameisha-the-worlds-most-crowded-beach.html?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=dameisha-the-worlds-most-crowded-beach</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Spooky]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 14 Aug 2026 13:46:34 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Travel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[amazing places]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Asia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[China]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Dameisha]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Dameisha Beach]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[offbeat]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.odditycentral.com/?p=90035</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Dameisha Beach is just 1.8 kilmeters long, but it can sometimes host crowds of around 200,000 beachgoers, making it the world's most crowded beach, by far.]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p>Located in Shenzhen, China, Dameisha Beach is a famously, or rather notoriously, busy destination, even by Chinese standards. The 1.8-kilometer (1.1-mile) stretch of sand turns into a sea of people on weekends, with authorities needing to limit the number of beachgoers allowed to access it. </p>



<p>To understand just how crowded Dameisha Beach can get during the summer months, it&#8217;s enough to go on platforms like TripAdvisor and read the reviews of angry visitors, some of whom complain that they couldn&#8217;t even reach the water because of how jam-packed with people the place was. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><img decoding="async" width="640" height="1137" src="https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Dameisha-Beach2.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-90038" srcset="https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Dameisha-Beach2.webp 640w, https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Dameisha-Beach2-84x150.webp 84w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /></figure>



<p>Dameisha is a public beach, so, technically, anyone can use it, but in recent years, Shenzhen authorities decided to limit the number of daily visitors to 80,000 from May to October to avoid overcrowding. People need to use a mandatory reservation system to make sure they can access the beach on the day they plan their visit. </p>



<p>While 80,000 people sounds like a lot, it&#8217;s worth pointing out that, on occasions, Dameisha Beach hosted as many as 200,000 people at once, making it extremely hard to even move around, let alone sunbathe or swim. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-9-16 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe title="This Beach in China Is So Crowded, It&#039;s Unreal! 🌊😱shorts, #viralshorts #beachlife #shenzhen" width="563" height="1000" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Lb72qdPvENw?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



<p>Paradoxically, one of the &#8220;problems&#8221; that contributes to the overcrowding of Dameisha Beach is the public transportation. There are multiple bus lines available to reach it, and, most importantly, a metro station is located right in front of it. This, coupled with the fact that it is free to access, makes Dameisha extremely popular among both locals and tourists. </p>



<p>Despite the negative reviews on TripAdvisor and other online platforms, Dameisha Beach remains extremely popular during the summer months, and photos of the sea of people that gather there routinely go viral online. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-9-16 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe title="Shenzhen Beach: So Crowded You Can’t See the Sand! 😱" width="563" height="1000" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9RjDqtxb2CI?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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		<title>Nine Lives, the Legendary Feral Cat That Feasted on Endangered Birds and Eluded Capture for 3 Years</title>
		<link>https://www.odditycentral.com/animals/nine-lives-the-legendary-feral-cat-that-feasted-on-endangered-birds-and-eluded-capture-for-3-years.html?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=nine-lives-the-legendary-feral-cat-that-feasted-on-endangered-birds-and-eluded-capture-for-3-years</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Spooky]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 14 Aug 2026 13:08:52 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Animals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cats]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[felines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[feral cats]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[New Zealand]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nine Lives]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nine Lives cat]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.odditycentral.com/?p=90031</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A feral cat dubbed "Nine Lives" by New Zealand conservationists was responsible for the killing of dozens of endangered birds and avoided capture for three years.]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p>The legend of Nine Lives began three years ago, shortly after conservationists from the Pest Free Purerua project released 20 captive-bred pāteke, or brown teals, onto New Zealand&#8217;s Purerua Peninsula. After just one week, one of them was found mangled, and the death toll among the critically-endangered birds began to rise. It didn&#8217;t take long for the scientists to discover the killer &#8211; an adorable gray tabby cat with distinctive markings. However, capturing the feline was a whole other story.</p>



<p>Despite their best efforts to capture the cat, its behavior was so erratic that tracking it and anticipating its movements proved impossible. It was dubbed Nine Lives for its ability to avoid capture for several years, and its reign of chaos eventually became the stuff of legends among conservationists. As the death toll among pāteke &#8211; New Zealand&#8217;s rarest mainland duck &#8211; continued to rise, in 2024, scientists introduced 20 more specimens into the wild, but the feline quickly killed 15 of them.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="550" height="363" src="https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Nine-Lives-cat2.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-90033" srcset="https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Nine-Lives-cat2.jpeg 550w, https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Nine-Lives-cat2-150x99.jpeg 150w" sizes="(max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px" /></figure>



<p>&#8220;It was a really stressful time. So we brought in more traps, gear, night cameras to try and get to the root cause of the problem,&#8221; Andy Mentor, project manager for Pest Free Purerua, told <em><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/aug/04/nine-lives-feral-cat-new-zealand-caught-trapped" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">The Guardian</a></em>. &#8220;This particular cat would be very erratic. It would show up in a particular place and then not show up for another two or three months. It would show up in the dusk, midnight, early morning, through the day, so it was never a predictable pattern, which made it very, very difficult to track.&#8221;</p>



<p>Scientists came close to cornering it on a number of occasions, but it always slipped away into tall grass, earning itself the nickname Nine Lives.  Over the three years it was known to be roaming the Purerua peninsula, the proficient predator is believed to have wiped out dozens of brown teals (1% of the entire population), as well as a number of kiwi chicks, native geckos, and other native wildlife.</p>



<p>Nine Lives became notorious among conservationists, so when a team of them noticed that the elusive feline that had thwarted their efforts for years had visited the same spot three nights in a row, they knew it was an unmissable opportunity. They installed cages and traps, and used salmon, fried chicken, and rabbit to attract the feral cat. This time, it finally worked!</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe title="The hunt for &#039;Nine Lives&#039;, New Zealand’s most elusive feral cat | CNN Creators" width="800" height="450" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3a1NISAXry8?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



<p>After a three-year-long hunt, Nine Lives was finally captured. But this is where the controversy begins. Instead of keeping it caged, a team of trappers &#8220;humanely shot&#8221; the cat on the spot, thus brutally ending its prolific onslaught. Conservationists celebrated its end, but cat lovers were appalled. They insisted that it could have been kept in captivity, even in a zoo where people would have paid to see the legendary scourge of Purerua wildlife.</p>



<p>&#8220;Why was it necessary to kill a cat that was already safe in its cage?&#8221; one person asked on social media.</p>



<p>&#8220;Why wasn&#8217;t it given a chance to live out its life in a zoo or an enclosure? Thousands of people would have flocked to see this legendary cat!&#8221; someone else commented. </p>



<p>While they never admitted it, conservationists probably considered that the price of Nine Lives somehow escaping would have been too high for the helpless wildlife. The contents of its stomach will now be analyzed and the body taxidermied as befitting such a legendary tabby. </p>



<p></p>
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		<title>Wealthy Woman Bankrolls Drama Series So She Can Star in It and Kiss Male Lead More Than 60 Times</title>
		<link>https://www.odditycentral.com/news/wealthy-woman-bankrolls-drama-series-so-she-can-star-in-it-and-kiss-male-lead-more-than-60-times.html?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=wealthy-woman-bankrolls-drama-series-so-she-can-star-in-it-and-kiss-male-lead-more-than-60-times</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Spooky]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 12 Aug 2026 20:30:41 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Asia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[China]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[offbeat]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[shocking]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[short drama]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[viral]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[weird news]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.odditycentral.com/?p=90021</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A Chinese woman is being accused of financing a short-format drama series just so she could star in it and make out with the young lead actor more than 60 times. ]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p>Zhong Yufei, an up-and-coming Chinese short drama actor, recently took to social media to speak about the nightmare he experienced on the set of a production that was supposed to be his big break. The 23-year-old actor was allegedly constantly harassed on set by his-co star, who just happened to be the sole investor in the project. </p>



<p>The wealthy woman reportedly set two main conditions for bankrolling the 50-episode short drama series: she had to play the lead female role, and she had the final say on the script. This gave her free rein over production, and because she could always pull the plug on the whole thing, no one dared argue with her, no matter how absurd her decisions were.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="750" height="729" src="https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/short-drama2-750x729.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-90023" srcset="https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/short-drama2-750x729.webp 750w, https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/short-drama2-150x146.webp 150w, https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/short-drama2-768x746.webp 768w, https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/short-drama2.webp 882w" sizes="(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px" /></figure>



<p>For example, the script she greenlit featured over sixty kissing scenes, and no matter how many times the director and other members of the filming crew tried telling her that the unusually high number of smooching scenes risked disrupting the rhythm of the plot and making the audience lose immersion, she never listened.</p>



<p>&#8220;I&#8217;ve seen more short dramas than you&#8217;ve ever made,&#8221; <a href="http://www.southyule.com/perspective/2026-07-29/180917.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">the woman allegedly said</a>, completely ignoring any and all advice. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="750" height="835" src="https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/short-drama4-750x835.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-90024" srcset="https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/short-drama4-750x835.webp 750w, https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/short-drama4-135x150.webp 135w, https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/short-drama4-768x855.webp 768w, https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/short-drama4.webp 770w" sizes="(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px" /></figure>



<p>23-year-old Zhong Yufei, who was selected to play the male lead in the drama series, said that he was shocked when he felt his co-star French-kiss him during their first of many romantic scenes. He instinctively tried backing away but she allegedly grabbed the back of his head with one hand and held him there as she forcibly kissed him.</p>



<p>The young actor, who had only played a couple of supporting roles in short dramas before, felt like this series could be his big break, so he didn&#8217;t object despite the constant harassment. He claims he was also discouraged from speaking out by the behavior of the other people on set who chose to ignore what was happening under their very eyes. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="646" height="823" src="https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/short-drama3.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-90025" srcset="https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/short-drama3.webp 646w, https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/short-drama3-118x150.webp 118w" sizes="(max-width: 646px) 100vw, 646px" /></figure>



<p>Film producer Meng Xing revealed that due to the unusually high number of kissing scenes, the series was rejected by the platform it was supposed to stream on. After filming was completed and the series entered post-production editing, the platform reviewed a few episodes and rejected them outright because they were too explicit, with too many kissing scenes, which could easily violate regulations.</p>



<p>Given the commercial disaster of the drama series and the negative reactions of the general public to the poorly scripted mess, producer Meng Xing decided to come forward and explain that he and his team had n]almost no say, and that all decisions were made by the lead actress/sole investor.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="750" height="740" src="https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/short-drama6-750x740.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-90027" srcset="https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/short-drama6-750x740.webp 750w, https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/short-drama6-150x148.webp 150w, https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/short-drama6-768x758.webp 768w, https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/short-drama6.webp 882w" sizes="(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px" /></figure>



<p>The recent revelations went viral on Chinese social media, sparking a heated debate about the harassment that young actors are subjected to on set, with accusations that capital turns film sets into private hunting grounds where actors are treated as objects to be disposed of at will.</p>



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		<title>Pastry Chef Spends Four Months Creating Awe-Inspiring 500-Kilogram Wedding Cake</title>
		<link>https://www.odditycentral.com/art/pastry-chef-spends-four-months-creating-awe-inspiring-500-kilogram-wedding-cake.html?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=pastry-chef-spends-four-months-creating-awe-inspiring-500-kilogram-wedding-cake</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Spooky]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 10 Aug 2026 20:59:05 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Art]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[amazing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cool]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[food art]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[luxury cakes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marc Suárez cakes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wedding cakes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wow]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.odditycentral.com/?p=90012</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Catalan pastry chef Marc Suárez recently unveiled his most impressive wedding cake yet, a masterpiece featuring tens of thousands of sugar paste petals and weighing half a ton.]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p>Marc Suárez is famous for his intricate luxury cakes, but his latest creation is in a league of its own! Measuring 3.5 meters tall and 1.8 meters wide, the Spanish pastry chef&#8217;s masterpiece looks more like a museum piece than a <a href="https://www.odditycentral.com/art/former-boxing-champion-turned-pastry-chef-creates-the-most-amazing-wedding-cakes.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" title="">wedding cake</a>!</p>



<p>Commissioned by a Saudi family for a royal wedding, Suárez spent about a month and a half coming up with a suitable concept, and another four months making his vision a reality. Even though he normally works alone, for this particular project, he enlisted several of his pastry chef friends, as well as their family members, because of the amount of work required. Simply placing the 33,000 petals on the cake was an extraordinary effort. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="387" height="516" src="https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Marc-Suarez-cake2.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-90014" srcset="https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Marc-Suarez-cake2.jpeg 387w, https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Marc-Suarez-cake2-113x150.jpeg 113w" sizes="(max-width: 387px) 100vw, 387px" /></figure>



<p>&#8220;Family, friends, and acquaintances all pitched in,&#8221; Suárez told <a href="https://www.rac1.cat/societat/20260809/365100/esllavissada-roques-obliga-tancar-principal-acces-aigueestortes-espot.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" title="">RAC1</a>. &#8220;I usually work alone, but this time the order was so large that even with my pastry chef friends, we didn&#8217;t have enough manpower. I had to call on the mothers and fathers of friends who all pitched in to help me make the 33,000 petals, paint them, and assemble them with branches and flowers.&#8221;</p>



<p>In total, some 1,800 hours of work went into making this incredible-looking cake, which ended up weighing a whopping 500 kilograms (1,100 lbs). It was unveiled at the Paris Opera Garnier for the wedding of a Saudi couple who asked to remain anonymous. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-tiktok wp-block-embed-tiktok"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="tiktok-embed" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@sandycluzaud/video/7636832234380479766" data-video-id="7636832234380479766" data-embed-from="oembed" style="max-width:605px; min-width:325px;"> <section> <a target="_blank" title="@sandycluzaud" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@sandycluzaud?refer=embed">@sandycluzaud</a> <p>Magnificent wedding cake by the talented Marc Suarez at Paris Opera Garnier.  operagarnierparis weddingcake paris luxurywedding </p> <a target="_blank" title="♬ son original - Sandy Cluzaud" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/son-original-7636832240132852502?refer=embed">♬ son original &#8211; Sandy Cluzaud</a> </section> </blockquote> <script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script>
</div></figure>



<p>Explaining the extreme intricacy of his cake, Marc Suárez said that the newlyweds &#8220;wanted a cake that didn&#8217;t look like a cake, but rather a kind of monument that would pay homage to the event&#8221; and to the flamboyant venue that hosted it. </p>



<p>Interestingly, Suárez revealed that only about 0.1% of his incredible creation is actual cake, with the rest being hand-moulded sugar paste and white chocolate.</p>
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		<title>Woman Arrested For Placing Over 2,000 Fake Orders on Online Manga Store in Less Than a Year</title>
		<link>https://www.odditycentral.com/news/woman-arrested-for-placing-over-2000-fake-orders-on-online-manga-store-in-less-than-a-year.html?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=woman-arrested-for-placing-over-2000-fake-orders-on-online-manga-store-in-less-than-a-year</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Spooky]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 10 Aug 2026 20:19:27 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Japan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[offbeat]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[online shopping]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[scams]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Shuesha]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[unusual]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[weird news]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.odditycentral.com/?p=90006</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A young Japanese woman was recently arrested after placing nearly 2,100 orders on an online manga store and refusing to accept the products when they arrived. ]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p>Shueisha Inc., one of the largest manga publishers in Japan, claims to have incurred serious losses due to the actions of a single woman who placed thousands of orders on the company&#8217;s online store and either rejected them when they arrived or let them be canceled automatically by failing to complete the payment. The culprit reportedly ordered merchandise worth about 4.3 billion yen ($27 million) without paying a single cent. </p>



<p>Mayu Yoshida, a 32-year-old restaurant worker from Osaka, was recently arrested for disrupting the commercial activities of Shueisha Inc. by using no less than 238 different accounts to place thousands of online orders knowing full well that she would never complete them. Between 2024 and 2025, Yoshida reportedly placed over 2,000 orders for merchandise worth about 4.3 billion yen ($27.2 million). </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="750" height="629" src="https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/fake-shopping-750x629.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-90008" srcset="https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/fake-shopping-750x629.jpg 750w, https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/fake-shopping-150x126.jpg 150w, https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/fake-shopping-768x644.jpg 768w, https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/fake-shopping.jpg 899w" sizes="(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px" /></figure>



<p>Japanese investigators discovered that Mayu Yoshida took advantage of Japan&#8217;s convenience store prepayment system, which allows people who don&#8217;t have or don&#8217;t want to pay with a credit card to place an order but pay for it at a convenience store, with the seller shipping the item once payment has been confirmed. After a certain time  passed without the buyer picking up the product, the order was canceled automatically, but the company still incurred logistical losses.</p>



<p>Alternatively, Yoshida also selected cash-on-delivery when ordering products from the Shueisha online store, only to reject them when they arrived. All in all, the company estimates that the woman&#8217;s antics caused a net loss of around 7.5 million yen ($47,000) in fees, not to mention other potential sales when the products she ordered were listed as &#8220;out of stock&#8221;. </p>



<p>Mayu Yoshida was arrested on Tuesday, following a year-long investigation. Confronted with the evidence, she admitted to placing over 2,000 orders from 238 different accounts, but insisted that it was just a way to cope with the stress in her life. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="750" height="563" src="https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/manga.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-90009" srcset="https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/manga.jpg 750w, https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/manga-150x113.jpg 150w" sizes="(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px" /></figure>



<p>&#8220;I do not have any resentment towards Shueisha,&#8221; the 32-year-old woman <a href="https://soranews24.com/2026/08/07/anime-fan-in-japan-arrested-for-ordering-and-cancelling-over-4-3-billion-yen-in-anime-merch/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" title="">said</a>. &#8220;I have been feeling stressed from daily life, and I felt a sense of satisfaction and refreshment from ordering items before they sold out.&#8221;</p>



<p>Perhaps she sould try one of those <a href="https://www.odditycentral.com/news/south-koreas-fake-online-stores-help-shopping-addicts-save-money.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" title="">fake online shopping platforms</a> to deal with her shopping addiction.</p>



<p></p>
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		<title>Teenage Boy Suffers Temporary Hearing Loss After Listening to Cicadas for Four Hours</title>
		<link>https://www.odditycentral.com/news/teenage-boy-suffers-temporary-hearing-loss-after-listening-to-cicadas-for-four-hours.html?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=teenage-boy-suffers-temporary-hearing-loss-after-listening-to-cicadas-for-four-hours</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Spooky]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 07 Aug 2026 19:32:13 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[China]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cicadas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hearing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[offbeat]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[unusual]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[weird news]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.odditycentral.com/?p=89999</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[An 18-year-old boy in China suffered temporary hearing loss and required medical treatment after being exposed to high-pitched cicada sounds for over four hours.]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p>Most people believe that natural sounds are harmless to human health, but a recently reported incident proves that there are some exceptions. An 18-year-old boy surnamed Wang went camping in a forest in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, where he was exposed to the clicking sounds of hundreds of cicadas for several hours, which affected his hearing.</p>



<p>Wang noticed that the cicada noises became noticeably louder around noon, but he remained in the forest until evening, when he began experiencing tinnitus and a sensation of fullness in his ears. As the cicadas started going silent, he noticed that he couldn&#8217;t hear the chirping of birds, or even the notification sounds of his phone. </p>



<p>Terrified that he could lose his hearing completely, Wang went straight to the hospital, where a quick checkup revealed that both his ears were swollen. He was prescribed medicine to bring down the swelling and advised to avoid loud noises for at least 14 days. Luckily, after two weeks, the teenage boy healed completely. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="750" height="500" src="https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/human-ears.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-90001" srcset="https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/human-ears.jpg 750w, https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/human-ears-150x100.jpg 150w" sizes="(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px" /></figure>



<p>&#8220;Many people mistakenly think that the sounds of nature are harmless to the ears,&#8221; Li Ji, a senior doctor in the otorhinolaryngology (Ear, Nose and Throat) department of Ningbo University No 1 Affiliated Hospital, explained.</p>



<p>Cicadas are recognized as the world&#8217;s loudest insects, but one single cicada can&#8217;t really cause and hearing damage, as its clicking rarely surpassed 70 decibels. The problem is that a choir of cicadas can exceed 85 decibels, the threshold past which hearing damage occurs. </p>



<p>&#8220;The hair cells in the cochlea can develop oedema due to the irritation from loud noises for a relatively short duration. They typically recover after avoiding the noisy environment and resting for 1-2 weeks,&#8221; <a href="https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/environment/article/3362987/chinese-student-suffers-temporary-hearing-loss-after-4-hours-cicada-noise-while-camping" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" title="">Dr. Li explained</a>. &#8220;However, if the hair cells become necrotic, they cannot regenerate. The resulting hearing impairment is permanent and irreversible, forcing the patient to rely on hearing aids for auditory assistance.&#8221;</p>



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		<title>Russia&#8217;s &#8220;Black Widows&#8221; Marry Vulnerable Men Before Sending Them Off to War for Profit</title>
		<link>https://www.odditycentral.com/news/russias-black-widows-marry-vulnerable-men-before-sending-them-off-to-war-for-profit.html?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=russias-black-widows-marry-vulnerable-men-before-sending-them-off-to-war-for-profit</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Spooky]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 07 Aug 2026 18:06:13 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Black Widow]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[marriage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Russia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[scams]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[war]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.odditycentral.com/?p=89993</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Materialistic women in Russia are allegedly tricking gullible men into sham marriages before sending them to be killed on the front lines of the Russia - Ukraine conflict. ]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p>When Russian soldiers get killed in the war, their spouses or closest relatives receive lump sums of money starting at 5 million rubles ($64,000) and sometimes exceeding 8 million rubles ($100,000). This is the Government&#8217;s way of reassuring conscripts that if, or rather when, they lose their lives on the battlefield, their families are taken care of. It&#8217;s a straightforward system, and apparently easily exploited by ruthless profiteers. </p>



<p>Ever since the Russia-Ukraine war began, Russian media have been reporting about so-called &#8216;black widows,&#8217; women who approach and trick men into marriage just so they can then send them off to war and cash their compensation check as soon as they get killed.</p>



<p>CNN recently sat down with Maria, a 37-year-old woman from St. Petersburg whose father had recently been shot on the front lines in Ukraine. She didn&#8217;t even know that her father had enlisted in the Russian army, nor that he had married a woman 22 years his junior, who apparently had no problem seeing him off to war just two days into their marriage. That same woman, whom Maria has never even met, conveniently cashed the handsome compensation following her husband&#8217;s death.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="750" height="500" src="https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/soldiers.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-89996" srcset="https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/soldiers.jpg 750w, https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/soldiers-150x100.jpg 150w" sizes="(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px" /></figure>



<p>“I’m still in shock and still can’t accept what happened,” Maria <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2026/08/05/europe/russia-black-widows-marrying-army-recruits-intl-cmd" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" title="">said</a>. “At first, it felt like a dream. Even now, I sometimes wake up thinking I must have just dreamt it all. But it is really happening. I’ve never even spoken to this woman. I don’t know what to say to her because I immediately suspected it was a scam.&#8221;</p>



<p>The black widow phenomenon is no secret in Russia. It is discussed openly online, even though the Government frowns upon those making claims they can&#8217;t prove. For example, in a viral clip, a female real estate agent talks about women who marry men going off to war just so they can cash in the compensation upon their deaths and buy a home. </p>



<p>“It’s simple,” real estate agent Marina Orlova said with a laugh. “Find a man who’s serving in the Special Military Operation, and when he gets killed, you get 8 million rubles ($102,000). Lots of women are buying cheap apartments like that these days. It’s business.” </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="750" height="500" src="https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/wedding-han.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-89997" srcset="https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/wedding-han.jpg 750w, https://www.odditycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/wedding-han-150x100.jpg 150w" sizes="(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px" /></figure>



<p>The real estate agent&#8217;s shocking remarks sparked outrage and eventually attracted the attention of Russian authorities. She was prosecuted, issued a suspended prison sentence and forced to apologize to the soldiers fighting in the war and their wives.</p>



<p>In some instances, members of the Russian army were allegedly involved in black widow schemes, conspiring with them to send their newly recruited husbands on dangerous missions in exchange for a cut of the compensation package when they got killed in action. </p>



<p>In an investigation in Primorsky Krai, a warrant officer, a sergeant, and a military accountant were suspected of recruiting vulnerable men, arranging marriages for them, and then sending them to the front line of the war where they were more likely to be killed. </p>



<p></p>
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