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Strange and Unusual

[Interview] Nikk Alcaraz of Practical Peculiarities

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Many people within the horror community possess an extraordinary ability to craft compelling, eerie worlds and scenarios. Their creativity allows them to explore the darker aspects of human nature and societal fears in imaginative and novel ways.

Nikk Alcaraz – Practical Peculiarities (Photo courtesy of The Washington Post).

Nikk Alcaraz is a versatile creator, wearing multiple hats as a Content Creator, Food Artist, and Actor. He has built a unique platform, Practical Peculiarities, where he showcases inventive food art and DIY projects. His work has garnered international attention and press acclaim, but his victory in a craft competition show truly set him apart. This achievement opened doors to collaborations with prominent brands, where he adds his signature touch of whimsy, inspiring others in the horror community.

Nick Alcaraz (Photo Courtesy of Facebook).

Nikk developed a deep appreciation for creativity from a young age. Growing up in Santa Fe, New Mexico, he was raised by his grandmother, whose fondness for the unusual and unique naturally influenced him. Unbeknownst to him, this early curiosity would stay with him into adulthood, eventually serving as the driving force behind his career.

Practical Peculiarities – (Photo Courtesy of YouTube).
Practical Peculiarities – (Photo Courtesy of Facebook).
“Peculiar Baking’ – (Photo Courtesy of Amazon).

Want more? Well, there is a treat in store for you. Prime Video is set to premiere a “deliciously gory” baking competition show. The two-part series Killer Cakes will debut exclusively on the platform in over 240 countries and territories worldwide on Thursday, October 8. Killer Cakes will be hosted by horror icon Matthew Lillard (known for Scream and Five Nights at Freddy’s) and will feature Nikk Alcaraz as one of the judges alongside Danielle Harris (Halloween Franchise). The show is described as a “unique competition show where bakers with spine-chilling skills tackle some of the most frightening challenges ever created for television.”

(L-R) Danielle Harris, Nikk Alcaraz, and Matthew Lillard in Killer Cakes. (Photo Courtesy of Amazon Prime & Deadline).

Our friendly, ghoulie ghoul next door, Krystale Noir, was on hand at Southern California’s Midsummer Scream, a popular annual event/convention celebrating the horror genre, particularly around Halloween and the spooky season, to speak with Nikk Alcaraz. Check out the interview below!

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Strange and Unusual

Real Space Egg Hatches, Causing Viral Internet Chaos

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Project Hail Mary is actually a documentary? We wish. But the internet got a little something to tease the idea when pictures of a space egg went viral, showing tendrils emerging from its cracks. Where’s Tom Cruise?

Actually, it’s not War of the Worlds. The egg is actually an experiment in agriculture being conducted on the International Space Station (ISS). In an X post (see below) apparantly a lot of people didn’t read the caption at first and thought the photo was some kind of extra-terrestrial being. Ironically, it’s one of the most terrestrial beings; it’s a potato.

“This is an early purple potato, complete with spot of hook Velcro to anchor it in my improvised grow light terrarium,” NASA astronaut and scientist Don Pettitt explained. “I flew potatoes on Expedition 72 for my space garden, an activity I did in my off-duty time.”

The spud is a personal project Pettitt is working on aboard the ISS.

Instagram/astro_pettit

“How did it compare to growing potatoes on earth?” asked someone in the feed. “Does the potato know how to send the plant above the soil and the roots/tuber down into the soil in microgravity?”

Pettit’s answer: “The roots would grow in all directions absent gravity, and all plants I have ever grown in space have grown far slower than they would have on Earth. I have more pictures I will share later.”

So, although a space egg that looks like the one from the poster for Alien isn’t as nefarious as some think, it’s still interesting because in space, the reason they can’t hear you scream might be because you’re eating a loaded baked potato.

NASA Astronaut Don Pettit, 70, is photographed in a mission control room at NASA’s Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center on Tuesday, June 17, 2025 in Houston.
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Strange and Unusual

Children Uncover Human Remains; Fifth Find This Month 

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Children in Dijon, France, have become unexpected archeologists after they found a human skeleton buried in the dirt near a playground. Even stranger, the skeletons are sitting in an upright position, which has some real archeologists scratching their heads. But this isn’t an isolated incident; there have been four other such discoveries this month already. 

But before you say serial killer or cold case, there might be an explanation. According to People, these skeletons could belong to a group of humans called the Gauls.

Archaeoanthropologist Annamaria Latron pointed out something interesting, “This seated position is atypical,” she said in Le Monde,

She adds: “We are more used to burials of reclining individuals, in general, on their backs, with the lower limbs extended and not bent like this.”

Reports say all of the remains are male who were between about 5-foot-3 and 5-foot-9, with well-preserved teeth and bone density that suggests intense physical activity.

HERVÉ LAGANIER/INRAP

“We do not have a preferred hypothesis,” Latron contends. “We’re missing the surface layer, which was above the tombs. Being an archaeologist can be a very frustrating profession.”

If you’re looking for a more sinister story about bones, you could check out the 1999 movie The Bone Collector starring Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie.

The Bone Collector

Header photo credit: Gallic burial site in central Dijon, France. Frédéric BOURIGAULT

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Strange and Unusual

“Super Lice” Are Now the Norm in Many U.S. Cities

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Medical experts are claiming that some head lice have developed a resistance to over-the-counter pesticides used to treat infestations. They are being called “super lice,” and their presence is a growing concern. 

Getting head lice in grade school is almost a rite of passage for some kids. But parents may want to take note, a new breed of these horrifying parasites are hard to kill. 

According to Daniel Harel, CEO of Lice Busters NYC, this shift has changed how families should approach lice treatment.

“Most over-the-counter treatments fail because lice have built resistance over the years,” Harel says. “Parents often assume they applied the product wrong, but the real issue is that the lice themselves have evolved.”

The blood-sucking pests are mostly contracted through skin-to-skin contact or via shared hats or hair accessories. They latch onto hair follicles and feed on blood from the scalp, quickly laying their eggs, causing a full-blown infestation. 

Bug

They inject a chemical in their saliva when they bite which causes a skin reaction making the host scratch incessantly. A head full of these monsters can create a “crawling” sensation, adding another layer to the creep factor. 

Procreation is done by laying eggs, or nits, which stick to the hair shaft and hatch in about a week. They’ll mature in about another week and start the whole process over again.  By the time the host realizes they’re infected, a full-blown colony has formed. 

Traditionally, either a buzz haircut or a readily available and FDA-approved over-the-counter shampoo solves the problem, but thanks to evolution, regular lice have become “super lice” and don’t die even with a thorough cleaning. 

Super lice are not biologically changed; it’s their tolerance to poison that has. If one louse survives the pesticide, it can transfer that gene to its offspring, creating generations of resistant bugs. 

“In places like New York City, families should assume they are dealing with treatment-resistant lice,” Harel explains. “That’s simply the reality of how lice have evolved.”

The question becomes: If poison doesn’t work, how do you deal with these seemingly unstoppable vermin? 

“Manual removal works because it doesn’t depend on pesticides,” Harel says. “If every louse and nit is removed from the hair, the infestation is over.”

Experts say the key is recognizing that many traditional treatments are no longer reliable and focusing on methods that eliminate lice completely.

“Parents often feel like they did something wrong when treatments fail,” Harel says. “But the reality is that the lice have changed. Once families understand that, the solution becomes much clearer.”

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