What a Weird Week Fri Feb 20, 2026: The bird sought treatment at a local hospital

Hi friends, I'm Scott and this is What a Weird Week, a look at the odd, interesting, strange, fun and weird stories that made news this week. See bottom of shownotes page for a transcript of the podcast episode. To Subscribe/ get in touch/ other/ see www.shownotes.page.
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These are the shownotes for Season 7, Ep 8 first published Feb 20, 2026.  

10 Bird goes to hospital seeking treatment.

See https://youtu.be/Jp18YJ25kcA and read https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2026/02/18/germany-bird-fish-hook-hospital-emergency-room/3011771427779/

9 Science needs your flatulence!

see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFyYScTfNqo and read https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2026/02/16/University-of-Maryland-Smart-Underwear-flatulence-farts/5281771261699/

8 Giant sock monkey

read https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/25862323.glasgow-school-art-graduates-work-enters-guinness-world-records/ and listen to this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZmTYXBAE5s and see it here https://youtu.be/1ZqrRauaJds

7 Sydney Fatberg is estimated to be the size of four buses.

watch this https://youtu.be/akK815xGipg?si=nwLCJkyHY8torU_i and read this https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2026/02/11/australia-massive-fatberg-Malabar-wastewater-plant-poop-balls/3871770828715/

***NOTE: it's never great when a url contains the phrase 'poop-balls' so viewer discretion advised.***

6 Restaurant "smells like chicken fingers" lawsuit.

read https://www.dexerto.com/food/raising-canes-files-lawsuit-as-landlord-tries-to-evict-them-for-chicken-smell-3317611/

5 Baby pigeon mystery solved!

read https://sciencesbrief.com/why-do-we-never-see-baby-pigeons-in-cities-the-scientific-explanation/

4 Puzzles versus Exercise?!

read https://studyfinds.com/crossword-puzzles-protect-older-brains-cognitive-decline-better-than-exercise-study/

3 Flushable wipes infused with coffee?!

read https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dude-wipes-morning-grind-flushable-wipes

2 Bad Date Bears!

read https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bad-date-bears

honorable mention: giant gravity anomaly under Antarctica is getting stronger,

read https://www.sciencealert.com/giant-gravity-anomaly-under-antarctica-is-getting-stronger-scientists-reveal

honorable mention: Be careful with those positive affirmations!

read https://www.sciencealert.com/do-positive-affirmations-really-work-a-psychologist-explains-the-science

1 Do solar flares trigger earthquakes? There is some disagreement on this.

read https://www.livescience.com/planet-earth/solar-flares-may-be-triggering-earthquakes-controversial-study-claims