[Zbignieww]

Arkansas man goes viral on social media scaring people while dressed as a bush



LITTLE ROCK, Ark— An Arkansas man is going viral on social media for dressing up like a bush and scaring people.

He wants to remain anonymous, but goes by “Arkansas Bushman” on his social media platforms.

For the past few months—he has dressed in a leaf-covered suit, jumping out at people who mistake him for a bush on busy sidewalks.

“I have been scaring people my whole life. I’ve been scaring my sister– nephew- and neighbors. I thought this would be a perfect job,” laughed Arkansas Bushman.

Bushman posts his videos to YouTube and Tik-Tok. In the last few months, he has grown to be an internet sensation. His Tik-Tok videos receive millions of views and says he gets more followers with every post he shares.

“We thought if we could find some people that like laughing, then it would take off,” he said.

Arkansas Bushman has posted videos in front of grocery stores, shopping centers, parks, and his personal favorite… Little Rock’s River Market.

“I love seeing people laugh. You can hear them down the block still laughing– all the way down there still laughing,” he said.

12-year-old boy dies after trying viral ‘blackout challenge’
Bushman plans to travel to smaller towns around the state and scare people on other streets.

He says once his YouTube platform reaches one million subscribers, he will reveal his true identify.

If you’d like to watch his videos, click HERE.

https://www.kark.com/news/local-news/ar ... as-a-bush/

[goldie0608]

Returning the Love, Frat Brothers Pay Off Mortgage For Their House Cook 30 Years Later



A house is where people live but a home is where people are loved. Sometimes, the bonds of family have no relation to biology. That’s why when a group of fraternity brothers learned their “second mom” needed help to retire, she didn’t even need to ask.

Jessie Hamilton worked as a cook at the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity house (affectionately known as Fiji) on the campus of Louisiana State University from 1982 to 1986. Though the single mom had three kids of her own, she treated the young men in her care like surrogate sons—listening to their worries, offering counsel, and even driving them to doctor’s appointments or ferrying them to the grocery store on occasion.

“I enjoyed doing it. They loved my cooking,” Hamilton told The Washington Post. “I was always there to talk things through with them. They’d come in the kitchen and sit on top of the counter and tell me their problems.”

Andrew Fusaiotti, who’s now 52 years old, was a Fiji brother in the late 1980s. “She was truly like a mother to us,” he told the Post. “She treated us like we were her own kids. She was always looking out for us.”

After leaving LSU, Hamilton found herself juggling several jobs to keep afloat financially. It was nothing new. She’d been caught in that cycle since the age of 14.

But yearning for a home of her own, in 2006 at age 60, Hamilton took out a 30-year mortgage for the house she hoped to someday retire in.

Over the years, Hamilton stayed in touch with several of the fraternity brothers, among them Fusaiotti, who now owns a car dealership in Mobile, Alabama.

At the onset of the pandemic, Fusaiotti gave Hamilton a check-in call to see how she was faring. During the conversation, he was dismayed to learn she was still working multiple jobs and that retirement wasn’t an option in her foreseeable future.

Not doing something to rectify the situation wasn’t an option for him.

Fusaiotti reached out to Hamilton’s family to find out how high he’d have to set a monetary goal, then started tag-teaming his frat brothers for financial donations to pay off her mortgage and give her a nice little cushion as well. With contributions averaging between $600 to $1,000 from about 900 alumnae, all told, Fusaiotti’s drive raised $51,765.

Just a few days prior to her 74th birthday, the boys of Fiji officially declared April 3 “Jessie Hamilton Day”, celebrating the event with a catered party that included the presentation of two giant checks, one for $45,000 to pay off the mortgage and another $6,675 check just for Hamilton, topped off with commemorative T-shirts and koozies—plus a whole lot of love and warm memories.

Now Hamilton is finally able to hand in her notice(s) once and for all.

As Fusaiotti and the other young men whose lives Hamilton touched can tell you, sometimes guardian angels turn up in unlikely places—including the fraternity kitchen—where you’ll find them doling out generous helpings of fried chicken, red beans, and comfort that goes way beyond comfort food.

“She is the type of person that inspires me, people that don’t have a lot but give a lot,” Fusaiotti told The Advocate. “She’s the most giving person you’ve ever met.”

https://youtu.be/O_E49BEweu8

[Fatima99]

Locals left terrified by 'mysterious headless beast' that turns out to be croissant

Animal welfare officials were called to reports of a dangerous creature hanging in a tree and residents were too afraid to leave their windows open through fear it might break in



Animal welfare officials were called to reports of a "mysterious headless beast" hanging in a tree but were instead met with a breakfast menu item.

Residents in Poland's Krakow were reportedly refusing to open their windows because they were afraid that the 'animal' would go into their homes.

A local resident called the Krakow Animal Welfare Society and reported the mysterious figure to authorities.

The concerned resident reportedly said the unidentified 'beast' was brown and sitting in a tree, before adding that the "dangerous creature" had been lurking outside for two days.

In a post on Facebook, Adam, the inspector who visited the scene and took the call, said: "I tried to guide the woman, her voice seemed to be growing hysterical."

The unnamed resident said in her report that she believed that the figure in question was an iguana.

The iguana theory was quickly disproven by officials as the weather in Poland is too cold for reptiles to survive outside.

Officials then wondered if the unidentified 'animal' was a lost pet that had wandered off due to boredom.

The welfare team also suspected that the animal was an abandoned pet as they had recently responded to reports of a sick cat left in a garage, as well as rats and hamsters which were left in the bin.

After taking the call, the team arranged a visit and when the animal welfare officials arrived, they discovered that the scary animal was in fact a croissant.

Black bear cubs wander into North Carolina nursing home



https://fo-fo.facebook.com/News13/videos/942367306564688/

A pair of curious young black bears figured out how to work the front door of a North Carolina nursing home and wandered into the vestibule.

Witness Cindy Brown captured video showing the two bears wandering up to the front door at Accordius Health at Asheville.

One of the bears manages to open the door and the bears wander in and out of the facility's vestibule while wrestling. The video shows the bears open the door from the outside at least twice.

Brown told WLOS-TV the unexpected visit brought "smiles to everyone" at the nursing home.

The North Carolina Wildlife Commission issued a statement in March asking members of the public to keep a safe distance from bear cubs as the animals began to become more active as temperatures rise.

[lush]

Couple discover giant Monopoly board in their house after ripping up carpet
10:00, 14 APR 2021Updated10:10, 14 APR 2021 *

The homeowners were left open-mouthed after they unexpectedly discovered the hidden huge gaming board underneath their carpet, while carrying out renovations at their house


The popular board game has been around since 1935 (Image: Getty Images)

Ah, Monopoly - the staple of family life.

Not only was the board game our first glimpse at how brutal the London property market is, but it's been the root of many blazing rows throughout childhood.

The pain of languishing in jail, while everyone else smugly moves on by, never truly leaves you.

But it seems some people love the game more than others, as one couple recently discovered after ripping up their carpet.

The previous owners had installed a massive Monopoly board, and it's truly incredible.

The photo was shared on Reddit, by the couple's son-in-law who explained: "While tearing up their carpet, my in-laws found a giant monopoly board."


The incredible board was discovered under carpet

He added: "Trying to convince them to cover it in epoxy and do the rest of the flooring around it how they originally wanted."

Since sharing the post, it has racked up thousands of comments, with many people sharing their stories of discovering similar designs.

Apparently, it was a massive trend at one time, and potentially one we could bring back?

One user revealed: "Showed this to my wife, and she reminded me that there's a whole neighbourhood near us, built in the mid-50s, that has game boards painted or tiled onto their basement floors.

"Seems to have been a selling point or something."

Another commented: "I didn't realize anyone actually liked Monopoly. And definitely not enough to do this. And more than once."

A third joked: "Playable with a real dog, hat, iron and shoe."

But one nay-sayer admitted they'd get rid of it, for fear of getting sick of it after the novelty wore off.

He wrote: "I think it is a super cool find... but as a homeowner, I think the novelty of having a monopoly board for a room would get old pretty quickly, unless it's a dedicated game room or something.

"I'm sure every new guest you bring to your house would gush about how cool it is, and you just inwardly sigh... yeah... 'cool'.

"While you hate the fact that you've decorated your shelves with oversized monopoly game pieces and stacks of Community Chest and Chance cards to stick with the theme.

"And you don't even really like Monopoly, you're more of a Scrabble person."

[hija]

The ‘right to disconnect’ campaign gained momentum



The French have it, so do the Irish. Now there are calls for UK employees to be given the ‘right to disconnect’ from work, as the boundary between business and pleasure blurs.

With homeworking becoming the norm during the pandemic, the union Prospect is calling on the UK government to use the forthcoming Employment Bill to give employees the right to switch off. It wants firms to be legally required to negotiate with staff about when they can and cannot be contacted for work purposes.

Prospect research director Andrew Pakes said: “Including a right to disconnect in the Employment Bill would be a big step in redrawing the blurred boundary between home and work.”

[PennySerenade]

“Hero” Dog Who Helped 5 Others Escape From Hoarding Finds The Perfect Home



Animal hoarding is a very serious form of cruelty. Sadly, an estimated 250,000 animals fall victim to this phenomenon every year. Animals in hoarding situations suffer without proper sanitation, veterinary care, or nutrition. They often suffer silently too, without their neighbors even knowing what they’re going through.

Serendipitously, Tonie Quinlin was outside her Colombus home on November 13, 2020, when she saw a dog hanging out of a window across the street. The 1 ½-year-old black Retriever mix had broken through the boards over the windows. The poor thing was covered in feces when Quinlin and her friend went over to inspect.

This dog certainly caught Quinlin’s attention, so she called animal control. Later, however, the dog had jumped completely out the window. Quinlin ran over with a leash, offering the scared pup treats to calm him.

“I got [the dog] and called the police department. He was in very bad shape…. God, it was sad. I had to help put him in the cop car. It was pretty nasty – I’ll never forget that.”

Police then retrieved five more dogs from the home the escape artist jumped from. Thanks to his hard work and attempts to get noticed, all of these dogs left horrible conditions and went on to find new loving homes. Quinlin explained:

“That’s why I named him Hero … because he was the one who jumped out [and] saved the others.”

Overcoming His Past And Creating A Brighter Future
Coming from a neglectful situation, Hero had to heal physically from scars and malnourishment. Naturally, he also had some behavioral adjusting to do before he could find a new home. Paws and Claws Adoption Center Director Deb Potter met Hero after authorities seized him from his home. She described his personality:

“He was very friendly but regressed and became highly energetic and anxious.”

A shelter isn’t necessarily the best place for a dog to thrive, and dogs who display behavioral issues have a harder time getting adopted. Black dogs (and cats) tend to have a harder time getting adopted as well. Still, a dog with a spirit like Hero’s deserves to be loved, and rescuers believed that.



Lincoln Police Officer Melissa Ripley reached out to Paws and Claws about Hero after seeing his story online. Ripley is a trainer and the adoption coordinator of Second Chance Pups. This program places shelter dogs with inmates at the Nebraska State Penitentiary for nine weeks of basic obedience training. Once their training is complete, the dogs are adopted to good homes.

“We’re just looking to get the least-adoptable dogs out of the shelters, get them to a point where they’re adoptable and get them into a good home.”

While the dogs with Second Chance Pups get a much better shot at finding their forever homes, inmates get a chance to learn skills and give back to society. Hero would be able to prove himself there.

Hero And His Adopter Helped Each Other
Carrie Herrera had been wanting a larger rescue dog for a while. Ever since her husband, Lincoln Police Investigator Mario Herrera, died in the line of duty last year, she could use some love. Ripley and Herrera are friends, and Herrera reached out to her after seeing Hero’s photo online.



Herrera knew Hero had overcome a lot, and when she met him, she also sensed he had a lot of love to give.

“I was nervous, to be honest with you. He was a little skittish because he hadn’t been around a lot of people, but he was super loving, very loving to us. It was kind of emotional, too. It was nice.”

Now, Hero is just about to finish his obedience training. After he graduates, he’ll have a loving forever home with Herrera. Ripley expressed joy and pride at this news:

“It’s a really cool story, just how he broke out of the house and saved the other dogs. He’s a really cool dog. I’m really proud of him, and the progress he’s made in our program has been fantastic and he’s going to a fantastic home.”

[Fivetide]

Colorful coffins lighten mood at New Zealand funerals


This photo provided by Ross Hall, shows a cream doughnut shaped coffin for the funeral of Phil McLean outside a church in Tauranga, New Zealand on Feb 17, 2021. Auckland company
Dying Art makes unique custom caskets which reflect the people who will eventually lay inside them, whether it's a love for fire engines, a cream doughnut or Lego. (Ross Hall via AP)

When the pallbearers brought Phil McLean’s coffin into the chapel, there were gasps before a wave of laughter rippled through the hundreds of mourners.

The coffin was a giant cream donut.

“It overshadowed the sadness and the hard times in the last few weeks,” said his widow, Debra. “The final memory in everyone’s mind was of that donut, and Phil’s sense of humor.”

The donut was the latest creation by Phil’s cousin Ross Hall, who runs a business in Auckland, New Zealand, called Dying Art, which custom builds colorful coffins.

Other creations by Hall include a sailboat, a firetruck, a chocolate bar and Lego blocks. There have been glittering coffins covered in fake jewels, a casket inspired by the movie “The Matrix,” and plenty of coffins depicting people’s favorite beaches and holiday spots.


This photo provided by Ross Hall shows Hall, owner of Dying Art with a selection of custom caskets in Auckland, New Zealand, Wednesday, April 14, 2021. Hall's company Dying Art,
makes unique custom caskets which reflect the people who will eventually lay inside them, whether it's a love for fire engines, a cream doughnut or Lego. (Sophie Clark via AP)

“There are people who are happy with a brown mahogany box and that’s great,” said Hall. “But if they want to shout it out, I’m here to do it for them.”

The idea first came to Hall about 15 years ago when he was writing a will and contemplating his own death.

“How do I want to go out?” he thought to himself, deciding it wouldn’t be like everyone else. “So I put in my will that I want a red box with flames on it.”

Six months later, Hall, whose other business is a signage and graphics company, decided to get serious. He approached a few funeral directors who looked at him with interest and skepticism. But over time, the idea took hold.

Hall begins with special-made blank coffins and uses fiberboard and plywood to add details. A latex digital printer is used for the designs. Some orders are particularly complex, like the sailboat, which included a keel and rudder, cabin, sails, even metal railings and pulleys.


This photo provided by Ross Hall, shows a chocolate bar designed casket in Auckland, New Zealand on April 30, 2020. Auckland company Dying Art makes unique
custom caskets which reflect the people who will eventually lay inside them, whether it's a love for fire engines, a cream doughnut or Lego. (Ross Hall via AP)

Depending on the design, the coffins retail for between about 3,000 and 7,500 New Zealand dollars ($2,100 and $5,400).

Hall said the tone of funerals has changed markedly over recent years.

“People now think it’s a celebration of life rather than a mourning of death,” he said. And they’ve been willing to throw out stuffy conventions in favor of getting something unique.

But, a donut?

Debra McLean said she and her late husband, who was 68 when he died in February, used to tour the country in their motorhome and Phil loved comparing cream donuts in every small town, considering himself something of a connoisseur.

He considered a good donut one that was crunchy on the outside, airy in the middle, and definitely made with fresh cream.


This photo provided by Ross Hall a casket in the design of a Ferrari F1 car in in Auckland, New Zealand on Dec 10, 2018. Auckland company Dying Art makes unique
custom caskets which reflect the people who will eventually lay inside them, whether it's a love for fire engines, a cream doughnut or Lego. (Ross Hall via AP)

After Phil was diagnosed with bowel cancer, he had time to think about his funeral and, along with his wife and cousin, came up with the idea for the donut coffin. Debra said they even had 150 donuts delivered to the funeral in Tauranga from Phil’s favorite bakery in Whitianga, more than 160 kilometers (100 miles) away.

Hall said his coffins are biodegradable and are usually buried or cremated along with the deceased. The only one he’s ever gotten back is his cousin’s, he said, because he used polystyrene and shaping foam, which is not environmentally friendly.

Phil was switched to a plain coffin for his cremation and Hall said he’ll keep the donut coffin forever. For now, it remains in the back of his white 1991 Cadillac hearse.

As for his own funeral? Hall said he’s changed his mind about those red flames. He’s emailed his kids saying he wants to be buried in a clear coffin wearing nothing but a leopard-pattern G-string.

“The kids say they’re not going,” he says with a laugh.


This photo provided by Ross Hall, shows a casket in the design of a fire engine in Auckland, New Zealand Feb. 5, 2019. Auckland company Dying Art makes unique
custom caskets which reflect the people who will eventually lay inside them, whether it's a love for fire engines, a cream doughnut or Lego. (Ross Hall via AP)

[BigGlen]

Google Maps captures Railway Track Thief Stealing Tracks

Earlier this month, one TikTok user reckoned he spotted a crime being carried out on Google Maps.

The user, going by the name 'Content Dropped', shared a video that appears to show a group in Poland stealing train tracks in broad daylight.

The video explains: "You won't believe what I've just found.

"I thought I'd seen it all."

The user then zooms into the map, showing a group of people carrying train tracks in a wheelbarrow across a train line.

The video continues: "But they're literally stealing train tracks."

The clip has racked up thousands of views, with many TikTok shocked at what they've seen.



One said: "They must have an inside connection in the railway company, normally those tracks are welded together."

Another joked: "It's just a good job they didn't steal the Google Maps camera."

A third added: "Happens all the time here in the UK. People in disguise themselves with hi-viz jackets to look like workers."

But someone else was willing to give them the benefit of the doubt, adding: "Maybe they're helping replace it."

Yeah right....

[johngriffen]

I sometimes get REALLY DEPRESSED reviewing the news these days.
It's always about a global pandemic threatening life as we know it,
protests around the world, stupid politicians, natural disasters,
or some other really bad story.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

Welcome to The mobi weekly news magazine
IN OTHER NEWS
SATURDAY APRIL 17
What is it?
Here is your chance to become an "ACE REPORTER" for our weekly news magazine.
It is your job to fine weird, funny or "good feel" stories from around the world and share them with our readers in our weekly magazine

How do you play?
Just post a story that you have come across that made you smile, laugh, feel good...
BUT NOTHING DEPRESSING

EXAMPLE POST

​Naked sunbather chases wild boar through park after it steals his laptop bag

A naked sunbather was seen chasing wild boar through a park after it stole his laptop bag.
Amusing photographs from Germany show the man running after the animal to try and claim the plastic bag back.
But the cheeky boar and its two piglets appear to be too quick for the sunbather, who can't keep up with their speedy little trotters.
As the incident unfolds, groups of friends and family sat on the grass watch on and laugh.
Heads are seen turning in surprise and amusement in the hilarious photographs.
The incident happened at Teufelssee Lake - a bathing spot in the Grunwell Forest in Berlin, Germany.

Rules:
Each Edition of IN OTHER NEWS will be open for 7 days...
You may post One Story in any 24 hour period
So in other words, you can enter only once a day
Each news day will start when I post announcing it
OR at:
9:00 AM CHICAGO TIME (UTC -5)
2:00 PM GMT (UTC -0)
on those days I space out and forget to post or can't due to Real Life
Stories may be accompanied with images - but No big images, please! 800x800 pixels wide maximum
Videos are allowed, but please keep them to under a minute, and post a short summary for those that don't like to click on videos
No Duplicate stories - Where a post has been edited resulting in duplicates, then the last one in time gets disallowed.
And please limit this to reasonably family friendly stories

Reward:
Each news story posted that I feel is acceptable (must be a real story, too few words or simply a headline are not considered acceptable) will earn you 50 WRZ$
If you post multiple stories on any given day, you will only earn 50 WRZ$ for the first story of the Day
All payments will be made at THE END of the weekly news cycle.
Special Bonus - Each week I will award "The Pulitzer Prize" for the best story of the week
The weekly winner of the "The Pulitzer Prize" will receive a 100 WRZ$ bonus
It's just my personal opinion, so my judgement is final

So help bring GOOD news to the members of mobi, and join our reporting team...

IN OTHER NEWS

[Fatima99]

Social media sensation Officer Clarence offers canine comfort at US Capitol

The 10-year-old Saint Bernard even got a kiss from President Joe Biden.



An angelic Saint Bernard named Clarence has been busy earning his wings.

The 10-year-old dog spent this week at the U.S. Capitol to attend services for Capitol police officer William “Billy” Evans, who was killed April 2 when a driver rammed his car into a security barricade outside the complex. He and his handler, Deputy Chief William Gordon of the Greenfield Police Department in Massachusetts, volunteer with the nonprofit K9 First Responders, which offers comfort to people affected by traumatic events.

“It’s kind of how you have a dark, cloudy day and it’s raining and then you get that first ray of sunshine, and it’s beautiful,” Gordon told TODAY. “That’s kind of what Clarence does: He brings a ray of sunshine into a dark world.”


Gordon and Officer Clarence, a police comfort dog who is named for the late musician Clarence Clemons and the angel from “It’s a Wonderful Life,” met with Capitol police before Tuesday’s service. During the ceremony, after President Joe Biden paid his respects, he happened to walk by the duo.

“He was on his way out and he came across Officer Clarence and bent over and gave him a hug and a kiss and shook my hand and then went to the family,” he said.



While Gordon thought the encounter was a special way to cap a decade of service for America’s first police comfort dog, Officer Clarence was unfazed. The dog enjoys getting attention from everyone he meets.

This week, Officer Clarence proved a hit with elected leaders and staff from both sides of the aisle, such as Republican Sen. John Cornyn, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. Vice President Kamala Harris asked them to take care of themselves, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell walked by and commented, “That’s a very large dog.”

The very large dog got his start helping others as a pretty small puppy. When Gordon and his wife, who is also a police officer, welcomed Clarence into their home in 2011, Gordon was struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder.

“Clarence was helping me and as I went to get treatment, they noticed how much he started helping other first responders,” he said.

[hija]

France moved to ban short-haul flights



Sweden’s ‘flight shame’ movement appears to have spread to France, where plans are afoot to outlaw short-haul air travel. A bill making its way through parliament proposes banning flights on domestic routes where trains can do the journey in under 2.5 hours.

The legislation advanced in the national assembly over the weekend as part of a broader debate on climate legislation. It still needs to go through the senate.

The International Council of Clean Transportation told Positive News that the ban would likely only affect a small number of flights, equating to around three per cent of the country’s domestic aviation emissions. Nonetheless, proponents argue the law could set an example for other countries to follow and help accelerate innovation in sustainable aviation technology.

Before the pandemic, aviation was one of the world’s fastest-growing sources of emissions.

[goldie0608]

Guy Fieri’s Restaurant Employee Relief Fund Has Raised Almost $25 Million for Struggling Workers



Celebrity chef Guy Fieri is known for his spiky bleached hair, a love of barbecue, and doing nice things. When California wildfires hit communities last fall, he went to affected areas to feed thousands of firefighters. And now? He’s helped raise nearly $25 million for restaurant staff facing financial struggles because of the pandemic.

Partnering with the National Restaurant Association, Fieri helped launch the Restaurant Employee Relief Fund last spring.

“You know, so many people work in the restaurant industry in multiple jobs, second jobs, single moms, single parents, students, retirees. And the restaurant industry is massively important to our communities,” Fieri told CBS News of the initiative. “And so, when I saw this coming, I said, ‘We got to do something to get some money to these folks.”

There are have 15,000 individual donations made to the fund. And so far, more than 43,000 restaurant employees have received $500 grants in all 50 states as well as in Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and D.C.

90% of the grant recipients have said they’ll be using their funds to help pay their rent or mortgage, utility bills, transportation expenses, or childcare.

“There was a story that was said to me about someone saying, ‘I live in a building with a bunch of people who work in the service industry, and none of us have any money—I don’t even have anyone I can borrow money from because nobody I know has any money,'” the Diners Drive-ins and Dives star told CBS. “When you start hearing those kinds of things… there’s nothing more important.”

[HogwartsExpress]

‘USS Jellyfish’ is a cosmic oddball

Faraway entity emits a strange radio wave pattern



Something ’s fishy in the southern constellation Phoenix.

Strange radio emissions from a distant galaxy cluster take the shape of a gigantic jellyfish, complete with head and tentacles. Moreover, the cosmic jellyfish emits only the lowest radio frequencies and can’t be detected at higher frequencies. The unusual shape and radio spectrum tell a tale of intergalactic gas washing over galaxies and gently revving up electrons spewed out by gargantuan black holes long ago, researchers report in the March 10 Astrophysical Journal.

Spanning 1.2 million light-years, the strange entity lies in Abell 2877, a cluster of galaxies 340 million light-years from Earth. Researchers have dubbed the object the USS Jellyfish, because of its ultrasteep spectrum, or USS, from low to high radio frequencies.

“This is a source which is invisible to most of the radio telescopes that we have been using for the last 40 years,” says astrophysicist Melanie Johnston-Hollitt of Curtin University in Perth, Australia. “It holds the record for dropping off the fastest” with increasing radio frequency.

Johnston-Hollitt’s colleague Torrance Hodgson, a graduate student at Curtin, discovered the USS Jellyfish while analyzing data from Australia’s Murchison Widefield Array, a complex of telescopes that detect low-frequency radio waves. These radio waves are more than a meter long and correspond to photons, or particles of light, with the lowest energies. Remarkably, the USS Jellyfish is about 30 times brighter at 87.5 megahertz—a frequency similar to that of an FM radio station—than at 185.5 MHz.


“That is quite spectacular,” says Reinout van Weeren, an astronomer at Leiden University in the Netherlands who was not involved with the work. “It is quite a neat result, because this is really extreme.”

The USS Jellyfish bears no relation to previously discovered jellyfish galaxies. “This is absolutely enormous compared to those other things,” Johnston-Hollitt says. Indeed, jellyfish galaxies are a very different kettle of celestial fish. Although they also inhabit galaxy clusters, they are individual galaxies passing through hot gas in a cluster. The hot gas tears out the galaxy’s own gas, creating a wake of tentacles. The much larger USS Jellyfish, on the other hand, appears to have formed when intergalactic gas and electrons interacted.

Johnston-Hollitt, Hodgson and colleagues note that two galaxies in the Abell 2877 cluster coincide with the brightest patches of radio waves in the USS Jellyfish’s head. These galaxies probably have supermassive black holes at their centers, the researchers say. The team ran computer simulations and found that the black holes were probably accreting material some 2 billion years ago. As they did so, the simulations suggest, disks of hot gas formed around each of them, spewing huge jets of material into the surrounding galaxy cluster

This ejected material had electrons that whirled around magnetic fields at nearly the speed of light, and the electrons emitted radio waves. Over time, the electrons lost energy. The most energetic electrons, which had been emitting the highest radio frequencies, faded the most. Then a wave of gas sloshed through the cluster, reaccelerating the electrons around the two galaxies.

“It’s a very gentle process,” Johnston Hollitt says. “The electrons don’t get that much energy, which means they don’t light up at high frequencies.” Instead, the gentle gas wave caused electrons to emit radio waves with the lowest energies and frequencies, giving the USS Jellyfish the extreme spectrum it has today.

[HogwartsExpress]