USOs, Gold Heists And Airport Mishaps In This Week's Beyond Cars Roundup

Officially, the U.S. government has no proof that sightings of unidentified aerial phenomena are the result of alien activity. Apparently, though, the definitely-probably-not-aliens have been observed operating unidentified submerged objects in our oceans, Fox News reports. They fly, too, but when they want, they just disappear beneath the waves without a trace. - Collin Woodard Read More

A large “HELP” sign made out of palm leaves saved the lives of three stranded sailors on a tiny island in the Pacific Ocean for more than a week after members of the U.S. Coast Guard spotted it from the sky. Sometimes you can learn a thing or two from the movies. - Andy Kalmowitz Read More

A massive container ship hit and destroyed the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore last month, killing six people and shutting one of America’s busiest ports in the process. The company that operates the ship is now trying everything to get out of paying up for the mammoth task of extracting the stricken vessel and repairing the ruined bridge. - Owen Bellwood Read More

Exactly a year after 6,600 bars of 99.99-percent pure gold were reported missing at Toronto Pearson International Airport, Peel Regional Police has announced multiple arrests in connection with the brazen heist seemingly ripped straight from the silver screen. Law enforcement claims two Air Canada employees were involved in the $15 million gold theft. Despite the charges levied, only $65,000 in gold has been recovered. - Ryan Erik King Read More

Scientists are developing all kinds of wild tech to try and change our climate, including carbon capture machines to suck CO2 out of the atmosphere and special chemicals that can create rain clouds in places susceptible to drought. Now, those very creations are being blamed for record-breaking flooding in the Middle East, but experts say the flooding is much worse than they could ever cause. - Owen Bellwood Read More

It’s a big day. Taylor Swift just released her heartbreaking new album and surprised fans by making it a whopping double release with 31 songs and more than two-hours of new music. Have you listened yet? If so, have you spotted the subtle Aston Martin reference that some fans think is a nod to Formula 1 racer Fernando Alonso? - Owen Bellwood Read More

After the MV Dali brought down the Franklin Key Bridge in Baltimore, folks wondered how this could happen, and could it happen again? As if to answer this unspoken question, it almost immediately happened again: the APL Qingdao lost power near the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge in New York Harbor earlier this month. - Erin Marquis Read More

Two airliners almost collided on a runway at Reagan National Airport just outside of Washington, D.C. on Thursday morning. A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 was cleared to taxi across a runway, while a JetBlue Embraer ERJ-190 was about to take off on the same runway. WTOP reports the potential disaster was averted as the planes were within 400 feet of each other. While no one was hurt and no aircraft was damaged, the Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the incident. - Ryan Erik King Read More

Protection around America’s bridges has been thrown into question in recent weeks after a massive container ship hit and destroyed the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore last month. Now, it’s emerged that the safety standards many U.S. bridges are built to are actually based on antiquated models developed in West Germany decades ago. - Owen Bellwood Read More