The recovery of a Jim Morrison bust stolen nearly 40 years ago, a fresh take on the infamous Dyatlov Pass incident, and the world's largest gathering of Smurfs were among the weird and wondrous stories to cross our desk this past week.
The infamous Dyatlov Pass incident was back in the news this past week after a Russian professor offered a fresh take on the theory that the mysterious 1959 tragedy that took the lives of nine hikers in the Ural Mountains was the result of a rocket mishap. Dr. Petr Bartolomey, who was friends with the group leader and nearly participated in the doomed excursion himself, argued that the preserved footprints of the hikers across vast swaths of snow could only have been possible as a result of nitrogen-acid exposure. Such material, he posited, likely rained down upon the scene from a Russian rocket that malfunctioned shortly after launching a short distance away from the site where the bodies were later found.
Photo: Direction de la Police Judiciaire de la Préfecture de Police
After mysteriously vanishing from his grave in France nearly 40 years ago, a sizeable bust depicting Doors singer Jim Morrison reappeared this past week when police in Paris revealed that they had inadvertently recovered the stolen piece. Showcasing the find on social media, authorities explained that their Financial and Anti-Corruption Brigade stumbled upon the sculpture during an investigation into an alleged fraud case. While the whereabouts of the bust may have been resolved, a myriad of questions surrounding the lost piece remain, such as who stole it in the first place and where it has been for the last four decades.
Photo: Getty Images
The weirdest story of the week came by way of France where a small town finally succeeded in their years-long quest to set the world record for largest gathering of people dressed as Smurfs. After missing out on the title due to a technicality in 2020 and failing to meet the mark due to torrential rain in 2023, the third time was the charm for the community of Landerneau. With the help of a whopping 180 volunteers enlisted to wrangle the revelers, organizers of the effort counted a staggering 3,076 Smurfs in attendance at the event. The total smashed the previous record of 2,762 set by a German town six years ago.
For more strange and unusual stories from the past week, check out the Coast to Coast AM website.