DIY fusion, Internet saint, 911-SUN-FISH and Pokemon Paul

A Tennessee preteen became the world’s youngest person to achieve nuclear fusion in their own home after the boy built a nuclear fusor in his family’s playroom (Oct. 6).

Marine biologists have noticed an uptick of whale sightings around New York City. Some scientists have theorized that the whales are being drawn to the city in response to an increased population of small fish called “menhaden” (Oct. 8).

A pregnant Loyola graduate went into labor while she was taking the bar exam — and completed the test. The woman began having contractions minutes into the exam, and called her husband to prepare her hospital room during her first mid-exam break. She completed the first day of testing, gave birth and then completed the second day of testing from her hospital room, breastfeeding during exam breaks (Oct. 9). 

A 15-year-old Italian teenager dubbed “the patron saint of the Internet” was officially beatified after Pope Francis officialized a miracle that the teen performed from Heaven. During his lifetime, the teen created an online catalogue to document earthly miracles (Oct. 11). 

A Massachusetts police department is begging citizens to stop calling 911 over a strange-looking fish in a nearby cove. Officers emphasized that the sunfish was doing “normal sunfish activities,” such as “swimming.” “PLEASE STOP CALLING THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ABOUT THIS SUNFISH!!” the department posted on Facebook (Oct. 12).

Peruvian monument Machu Picchu, which shut down in accordance with the country’s pandemic guidelines, was reopened for a single Japanese tourist who was stranded in Peru in March while on a trip to see the monument (Oct. 12). 

Sacramento election officials are asking residents to stop disinfecting, spraying and microwaving their mail-in ballots. Officials are resending new mail-in ballots to voters whose ballots were “spoiled” by some form of disinfectant (Oct. 12). 

Influencer Logan Paul was hospitalized after a Pokemon-based prank went wrong. The star, after pretending to discover that a rare Pokemon card he received was fake, punched a window and required several stitches (Oct. 14).