Here is a rundown of the anomalous and credulous stories of the week courtesy of Doubtful News.

Strange news is a little light in the last two weeks of the year but there was no lack of interesting things to think about that  came our of the media feed. We saw several curious natural phenomena explained. 

There was a Christmas ice quake in the Toronto area. Cryoseisms are real things! Check it out. 

What made those tiny picket fence and tower structures on trees in the Amazon? We sort of know now but don't know why…   

Red rain deposited dust over south Texas spawning some very alien speculation. A meteorologist figures it out. 

In some unusual animal attacks, piranhas injure many on a river beach in Argentina.

 A bad decision to handle a wild animal cost this hotel employee his life. No one could help as he was killed by snake.

A legend of animal attacks that weren't: An internet tale of an octopus predator in Oklahoma lakes is all washed up. 

In Iceland, communities respect the elves. 

It was a terrible week for vitamin pushers and manufactures of dietary supplement. More coverage came out about the non-necessity and possible harm of using vitamin pills. 

A case of liver failure was reported as the USFDA finds real anabolic steroids in a muscle growth supplement. 

As we often report, exorcisms continue around the world. Superstitions kill. 

Finally, symbolism can be very powerful to people who believe in the miraculous. One man says this image in a tie-dyed shirt is the Virgin Mary. 

This family sees something symbolic out of the oven when the cheesecake cracked. 

Come visit Doubtfulnews.com for stories like this every day. Check out our twitter feed @doubtfulnews and our Facebook page . Send your story tips to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Have a very SKEPTICAL 2014!

 

Sharon Hill runs Doubtful News, a unique feed of news stories about the paranormal, pseudoscience, the weird and the unexplained with questioning commentary.