Zoo separates parrots who swore at visitors

A wildlife centre has been forced to separate five parrots who wouldn’t stop swearing at visitors. Billy, Eric, Tyson, Jade and Elsie were removed from view at Lincolnshire Wildlife Centre after they repeatedly cursed. However, the centre has revealed there had been no complaints about the naughty language. “When a parrot tells you to ‘f*** off’ it amuses people,” said a spokesman. “It’s brought a big smile to a really hard year.”

Graphics show Neanderthals were artistic

Neanderthals painted stalagmites in a Spanish cave more than 60,000 years ago, according to a new study. Experts have concluded that the graphics are at least 64,800 years old, made at a time when modern humans did not inhabit the continent. The Guardian says the discovery counters the perception that Neanderthals were “unsophisticated and brutish”.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Elvis ‘speaks to ex-lover by switching off lights’

A former lover of Elvis Presley claims The King has “contacted her” from beyond the grave. Linda Thompson, 71, says the rock legend has sent her signals by turning the power off in buildings on the anniversary of his death. She added: “I always said if anybody could come back and give a sign, it would be Elvis and not Houdini.” Presley died on August 15, 1977.