THE WEEK June 14: Creatures vs Humans

China, aliens exchange visits?

China launched a shuttle this week, as three of the country's astronauts make their way to a space station for routine work. Their trip coincided with the celebration of Dragon Boat Festival, a national holiday in China, so they were able to enjoy the traditional zong zi, a traditional snack made of sticky rice. In the meantime, a man in Shandong province claimed that he had electrocuted, killed and captured an alien. Photos of the alien went viral on the Internet, and the man was soon arrested for a hoax that left many believing he had actually had an encounter with extraterrestrials.

Sea creatures making headlines

Over the last few months, giant, mysterious and sometimes scary sea creatures have been making headlines worldwide. This week, a man in England caught a catfish that weighed the same as a small human being. Just days earlier, a man in the US caught what is thought to be the largest mako shark ever reeled in. And in New Zealand earlier this year, scientists were stunned after people found what looked to be a dead sea monster washed up on a beach. When this type of thing happens, there is a strict process to be followed: care, weighing and measuring, study, research, transportation and disposal. As you can imagine, disposal can be the most difficult and grueling of the tasks, especially when it comes to beached whales.

Communicating with animals

Pet owners have started using new methods to try and communicate with their animals more effectively. People have turned to animal psychics and tarot cards to help them understand what their pets are thinking. Scientists are even developing technology that they say in 10 years will allow humans to communicate directly with animals. This all sounds like BS to me, but if it's true, the technology has some serious potential. Regardless, we have proof that one group of humans is less than skilled at communicating with animals: reporters.

This wacky world!

Japanese young people have started a new trend of licking each other's eyes. Aside from this "romantic" gesture being gross, it's also causing pink eye and other disgusting diseases.

After a man's death, his parents were devastated that they would never have a grandchild, so they gave their son's frozen sperm to a woman. The woman recently gave birth to the dead man's baby.

Chicago's Department of Public Health has released a campaign featuring pregnant young men to raise awareness of and prevent unplanned pregnancies.