Paul the World Cup Octopus Retires

Paul, the octopus who correctly predicted eight out of eight World Cup outcomes, including the final match, is retiring. He’s taking a “step back from the official oracle business,” a spokesperson for his Germany aquarium tells the AP. “He won't give any more oracle predictions—either in football, nor in politics, lifestyle or economy. Paul will get back to his former job, namely making children laugh.”

No word on why Paul—who made four out of five correct predictions in the Euro 2008—is getting out of the psychic business, but perhaps he was uneasy about all the backlash from his fellow Germans after he predicted their team's defeat. Before his retirement, Paul was given his very own World Cup-like trophy garnished with mussels for him to eat.
(More octopus stories.)