Is laughter the best medicine? 2024 had more than its fair share of weird and hilarious news stories reflecting the preoccupations of the modern world.
Review of the year: funniest moments
Ridiculous realities: Amid war, climate disaster and political strife, 2024 also saw a man eating a £5m banana, a woman divorce herself and a robot which caused its own ruin. Glossary
Asylum seeker - A person who has left their country due to danger and is seeking refuge elsewhere.
Oklahoma - A state in the south-central USA.
Cryptocurrency - A digital currency in which transactions are verified and records maintained by a decentralised system using cryptography, rather than by a centralised authority.
Entrepreneur - A person who sets up their own business.
Speculated - Made theories or guesses without clear evidence.
Epidemic - A widespread disease or infection.