Local & Community

‘You Cannot Make This Up’: 3 Wild Stories Making Headlines

It’s time for “You Cannot Make This Up,” one of the unique segments featured on “First at Four-Thirty with Nour Milla,” highlighting some of the unusual headlines from around the world that make you stop and wonder, “What’s going on?”

This week’s lineup includes prehistoric fossils discovered beneath an Oceanside construction project, thousands of people attempting to set a barbecue world record in South Africa and a new development in a 44-year-old mystery connected to the 1982 Tylenol killings.

In Oceanside, crews working on a water project discovered massive fossil bones about 12 feet underground.

Scientists believe the remains could belong to a prehistoric animal described as a giant “thunder beast” or an ancient swamp rhinoceros. The fossils are believed to be about 40 million years old and have been sent to a laboratory in Carlsbad for further study.

Scientists have not yet recovered enough of the skeleton to identify the animal.

In South Africa, about 3,000 people fired up their grills at the same time in an attempt to set a world record for the largest simultaneous barbecue.

The event was part of Braai Day, but there are official rules to follow. Organizers attempted the record last year, when about 2,400 people participated, but the attempt failed after participants did not remain at their designated barbecue stations.

And then there is a 44-year-old mystery in Idaho.

Investigators have identified a man who had been known for decades as the “Unknown Wanderer.” Authorities identified him as Dr. Matthew Francis Bukowski, a chemist who died in 1982 after poisoning himself with cyanide. His body was found inside a Boise church.

Investigators are now looking into a possible connection between Bukowski and the 1982 Tylenol killings, in which seven people died after taking cyanide-laced capsules.

There is an important caveat: Authorities say they cannot place Bukowski in Chicago when the killings occurred and have not identified him as a suspect.

The Tylenol killings remain unsolved.

Those are just some of the stories featured in “You Cannot Make This Up,” a unique part of “First at Four-Thirty with Nour Milla,” bringing viewers the headlines that are unusual, surprising and, sometimes, hard to believe.

Explore: NBCPalmSprings.com, where we are connecting the Valley.

By: NBC Palm Springs

September 24, 2026

You Cannot Make This UpNBC Palm SpringsOceanside fossilsSouth Africa barbecueworld recordTylenol murdersIdaho investigationMatthew Francis Bukowskistrange newsunusual stories
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‘You Cannot Make This Up’: 3 Wild Stories Making Headlines