Many citizens of the world are weary of the war and strife that seem to be consuming the news, and about 200,000 of them have already signed up to put it all in the rearview mirror by becoming citizens of Asgardia. This coming-soon colony on the moon is led by Igor Ashurbeyli, a Russian engineer, computer scientist and businessman who was inaugurated as its leader on June 25 in Vienna. Asgardia's parliament plans to set up "space arks" with artificial gravity in the next 10 to 15 years, where its projected 150 million citizens can live permanently, Reuters reports, and Ashurbeyli hopes settlement on the moon will be complete within 25 years. Asgardia is named after Asgard, a "world in the sky" in Norse mythology. Its leaders hope to attract a population from among the "most creative" in humanity, perhaps using "IQ tests," according to Ashurbeyli. Best of all: For the time being, becoming a citizen online is free.

Ewwww!

Susan Allan of Kelowna, British Columbia, was driving with her son on May 9, enjoying the beautiful weather with the sunroof open, when they were suddenly hit with a cold material that smelled to them like feces mixed with chlorine. "Like a clean poop smell if that's possible," Allan told Vice. "My son threw up, and we had so much in our faces. Both of us, our faces were covered in poop." Apparently, poop is falling from the sky all over Canada; Transport Canada has received 18 such reports this year. But the government has not issued an explanation for the phenomenon. Allan thinks it is related to airplanes flying overhead and the Canadian government is covering it up. But Transport Canada pooh-poohed her theory and has declined to comment further.

Weird science

Montgomery, Ala., resident Kayla Rahn, 30, had been trying for months to lose weight, but instead experienced dramatic weight gain and pain in her stomach. She became out of breath just taking a short walk. Finally, in May, Rahn's mother took her to the emergency room at Jackson Hospital, where doctors discovered a growth attached to her ovary and removed what turned out to be a 50-pound benign cyst, reported WSFA-12 News. The cyst resembled a large watermelon in size. "This is one of the largest I have ever seen," Dr. Gregory Jones told reporters. "We are very excited things went well for her."

Perspective

An 82-year-old Japanese man who has lived as a naked "hermit" on a deserted island near Taiwan since 1989 has been forced to return to Japan. Masafumi Nagasaki made his way to Sotobanari Island 29 years ago and told Reuters in 2012 that he wished to die there. "Finding a place to die is an important thing to do," Nagasaki said, "and I've decided here is the place for me." Earlier reports indicated that he at one time had a wife and two children, and he ran a hostess club in Niigata, Japan. "In civilization people treated me like an idiot and made me feel like one. On this island I don't feel like that," he said. Nagasaki explained that at first he wore clothes on the island, but a typhoon destroyed his belongings. Alvaro Cerezo, who documents the stories of island castaways, told News.com/au that in April, authorities removed Nagasaki from the island and placed him in government housing in Ishigaki, Japan, because he was ill and weak. "They took him back to civilization and that's it," Cerezo said. "They won't allow him to return."

News of the Weird is compiled by the editors at Andrews McMeel Syndication. Send your weird news items to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com.