The weekly weird

Published July 18, 2015

A plot on Sun, anyone?

IT seems that property business is really going out of this world as Spanish woman Maria Angeles Duran who, back in 2010, declared that she owned the Sun and intended to bill all solar users for its use (yes, that really did happen). Incredibly the Spanish courts recognised her claim now, but as of yet no solar panel owners have received any invoices from her.

So just when Maria started to sell plots of the Sun on eBay, the company blocked her account after realising she was selling plots of our local star for one Euro per metre square.

However, a magistrate’s court in Madrid declared that Maria has the right to take them to court. Ms Duran claims she is using a loophole in the ‘Outer Space Treaty’ that states no countries may claim sovereignty over celestial bodies, however, it doesn’t specify individuals cannot stake a claim to planets and stars.

Maria claims she has received 600 orders worth 1,200 Euros (£883) before the page was closed by eBay who deemed it a scam. She is now claiming 10,000 Euros (£7357) compensation from the company.


enter image description here
enter image description here
A cute Pokemon-like octopus

SCIENTISTS have found a tiny, pink octopus which looks like a cross between a Pokemon and a puppy. In fact, he’s melted so many hearts at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, California that they now want to call him ‘Adorabilis’ — which actually sounds like a Pokemon, too.

Postdoctoral researcher Stephanie Bush says, “As someone that’s describing the species you get to pick what the specific name is. One of the thoughts I had was making it Opisthoteuthis Adorabilis — because they’re really cute.”

Opinion

Editorial

Pathways to peace
27 Apr, 2026

Pathways to peace

NEGOTIATIONS to hammer out the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement took nearly two years before a breakthrough was achieved....
Food-insecure nation
27 Apr, 2026

Food-insecure nation

A NEW UN-backed report has listed Pakistan among 10 countries where acute food insecurity is most concentrated. This...
Migration toll
27 Apr, 2026

Migration toll

THE world should not be deceived by a global migration count lower than the highest annual statistics on record —...
Immunity gap
Updated 26 Apr, 2026

Immunity gap

Pakistan’s Big Catch-Up campaign showed progress but also exposed the scale of gaps in routine immunisation.
Danger on repeat
26 Apr, 2026

Danger on repeat

DISASTERS have typically been framed as acts of nature. Of late, they look increasingly like tests of preparedness...
Loose lips
26 Apr, 2026

Loose lips

PAKISTANIS have by now gained something of an international reputation for their gallows humour, but it seems that...