Sometimes you read a news story and think, “Surely this is the pitch for the next Marvel movie, right?” But no! This is just Tuesday in 2025.

Here’s the scoop: down in South Carolina at a former nuclear weapons site (because of course), employees discovered a radioactive wasp nest.  Yes, you read that correctly. A wasp nest. Glowing with that good ol’ forbidden nuclear spice. Found right by tanks storing liquid nuclear waste. But don’t worry, officials assure us it’s perfectly safe. Because nothing screams safety like a wasp hive pulsing with radiation.

Now, I’m not a comic book writer (yet), but if I were, I’d say we’re just one step away from the origin story of The Yellow Sting or maybe BuzzKill. Maybe Gamma Wasp? Waspzilla! Like my dog Godzilla!

Is this the kind of antihero our times are buzzing for?

In a world where we no longer trust billionaires, politicians, or flavored oat milk, a radioactive wasp-human hybrid who zaps injustice and spreads just a bit of fear might actually resonate. I mean, who among us hasn’t felt the sting of modern life? Why not make it literal? (By the way, I was being sarcastic above)

And let’s be honest, this might be a better video game than blockbuster. Gen Z doesn’t want another cinematic universe, they want to play as NukeNest, flapping radioactive wings over simulated dystopias, collecting power-ups shaped like Geiger counters and fighting off mutant hornets. If my son beta-tested it, he’d probably suggest a pizza power-up too.

Look, I get that weird news is the new normal. We’ve lived through murder hornets, brain-eating amoebas, and flamingos in Wisconsin. Now radioactive wasps are just background noise. But something about this one stuck with me (pun intended). Maybe it’s the image of a wasp so determined it builds its nest atop nuclear waste. That’s commitment. That’s resilience. That’s kind of how I feel after a week of endless Zooms and 17,000 steps before noon.

But also, maybe, just maybe, we should all keep an eye out. Because what’s next? Radioactive locusts? Mutant raccoons with a political agenda? A new pandemic of sentient slime mold? Totally can see this latter one.

I’m calling it now: the next weird headline will be something delightfully banal but tinged with chaos. Like…radioactive Girl Scout cookies. (And yes, I’d probably still buy a box.)

Stay safe out there, my friends. And if you see a glowing wasp, don’t swat it. Just nod respectfully. It may be your next antihero.