Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Week
The Week
National
Chas Newkey-Burden

‘City killer’ asteroid to pass Earth

And other stories from the stranger side of life

An asteroid large enough to destroy a city will pass between Earth and the moon’s orbit this weekend. Nasa said it was rare for an asteroid so big to come so close to the planet and the close encounter will give astronomers a chance to study a space rock from just over 68,000km away. Earlier this week, the Daily Mail said an asteroid big enough to “blow off part of Earth’s atmosphere” is three times more likely to hit our planet than previously thought.

Study has good and bad news for coffee fans

There is mixed news for coffee drinkers after scientists said the drink boosts the number of calories people burn during the day but dents their sleep quality at night. Researchers found that people who drink coffee regularly walk 1,000 more steps than non-drinkers each day but lose out on around 30 minutes of sleep at night, said the Washington Post. “Coffee is not all good or all bad — it has different effects,” said the report.

Why do some farts feel warmer?

A scientist said she has discovered why some farts feel warmer than others, reported the Daily Star. Lisa Ganjhu, DO, clinical associate professor in the Division of Gastroenterology at NYU Langone Health, said that wind can feel “hot” as it leaves the body but this is based on body temperature. “If it burns your mouth going down it’s going to burn your butt coming out,” she said, because “the tissue in your mouth is very similar to the tissue in your rectum”.

For more odd news stories, sign up to the weekly Tall Tales newsletter.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.