When the Vatican hosts a tennis prodigy named Sinner and the pope can’t resist a volley of puns, you know the story’s destined for oddity archives. From papal quips about dress codes to a diplomatic dodge of tennis balls among priceless antiques, this surreal meeting aces the intersection of sports, ritual, and subtle irreverence. Curious how it all played out?

What drives someone to spend two years preparing to dangle from their own hair—let alone do it longer than anyone before? In the shadow of California’s redwoods, Leila Noone set a new record for hair hanging, blending circus artistry, sheer willpower, and a dash of scalp-defying logic. Curious what else the human mind (and follicles) can achieve? Read on.

European cycling meets petting zoo in this year’s Giro d’Italia, as New Zealand’s Dion Smith found himself outpaced by a flying Albanian goat mid-race. Unpredictability is part of the sport, but “hoofed hazard” isn’t usually on the checklist. Curious how a cyclist keeps their cool—or their balance—when nature takes the lead? You’re about to find out.

Afghanistan has banned chess—yes, the ancient game of patience and strategy—calling it “haram” and dissolving the national federation. In a place where chess’s history runs deep, what happens when thinking ahead is itself put in check? Curious? Let’s see what’s at stake when the board is swept clean.

When Chicago’s own became Pope Leo XIV, Cubs and Sox fans battled to claim him—until his brother declared, with refreshing Chicago candor, that his loyalty lies firmly on the south side. Even papal authority, it seems, can’t bridge baseball’s holy divide. Curious how the saga unfolded? Click through for the peculiar play-by-play.

Postgame chaos at PNC Park is hardly unheard of—but few expected “employee belt-whipping a fan” to become part of the Pirates’ highlight reel. As investigations swirl following Sunday’s bizarre escalation from argument to improvised corporal punishment, one has to marvel at humanity’s knack for taking ordinary disputes down the most unexpected paths. Is this the new normal, or just peak ballpark absurdity?