Shani Shingnapur – India’s Village without Doors
Believe it or not, there’s a village in India where none of the 300-odd buildings – homes, educational institutions, and even banks – have doors. Cash is stored in unlocked containers, as are valuable pieces of gold jewellery. Even most of the public toilets in Shani Shingnapur village square have no doors. “For reasons of […]
Villa Epecuen – The Argentinian Town That Spent 25 Years Underwater
The town of Epecuen, in the Argentinian farmlands southwest of Buenos Aires, was once a bustling lakeside resort with a population of over 5,000. Over a quarter of a century ago it was flooded by the waters of a nearby lake and, until recently, it remained submerged. Now it’s finally come back up for air. […]
This Lady Is Revolutionizing the Fur Industry by Using Roadkill
For a lot of people, the term “ethical fur” is nothing more than an oxymoron, since it still involves killing animals for their pelts, but one fashion designer is actually legitimizing the expression by using roadkill for her fur accessories. Pamela Paquin, founder of the aptly-named Petite Mort fashion label, picks up animal carcasses from the side […]
The Seemingly Normal Dutch Village Where Everyone Suffers from Dementia
The isolated Dutch village of Hogewey, located on the outskirts of the town of Weesp, has only 152 inhabitants who seem to be living a normal life – they eat, sleep, walk around the village and visit shops and restaurants. But in reality, every single one of them is being constantly watched. That’s because Hogewey […]
Ghana’s Hilariously Awful Hand-Drawn Movie Posters
The West African nation of Ghana is home to a subculture of artists who create outlandish versions of popular Hollywood movie posters. The art form was at its peak in the nation during the 1980s and 1990s, commonly referred to as the ‘Golden Age of Movie Posters’. During this time, artists would let their imagination run wild in order to […]
Welcome to Ifrane, Africa’s Little Switzerland
Ifrane is a small town and ski resort in Morocco, famous for its European style and its similarity to the tourist haven of Switzerland. Developed by the French in the 1930s, Ifrane is so reminiscent of the Swiss Alps that it is fondly referred to as ‘Africa’s Little Switzerland’. The town is located at an altitude of […]
Sticky Art – A Giant Human Head Covered in Thousands of Pieces of Used Chewing Gum
Canadian novelist and artist Douglas Coupland organised a colorful, albeit sticky, art project in May this year – he invited people to stick chewed up wads of gum on a seven-foot fiberglass statue of his own head. Located on Howe Street outside Vancouver Art Gallery, the aptly named ‘Gumhead’ statue was a part of Coupland’s ‘everywhere is […]
This Man Is on a Mission to Have Coffee at Every Starbucks in the World
Winter, a 42-year-old coffee fanatic from Houston, Texas, is on a mission to have coffee at every Starbucks coffee-shop in the world. Given that Starbucks operates on almost every corner of every street of every city in America, not to mention thousands of shops around the world, Winter seems to have set himself an impossible […]
Beggar Turned Millionaire Offers Passer-By Who Once Showed Him Kindness $160,000 Reward
This heartwarming rags-to-riches story is guaranteed to restore your faith in humanity. A Chinese businessman who was once helped off the streets by a passerby, is now repaying the kindness by offering his benefactor a whopping one million yuan (over $160,000). This story began in 1993, when 17-year-old He Rongfeng was forced to beg on […]
Amazing Woman Turns Her Apartment into Hospice for Terminally Ill Cats
Most people aren’t aware of this, but an alarmingly large number of cats die of leukemia every year. To raise awareness about the plight of these suffering cats, Maria Torero has converted her own two-story, eight-room apartment into a feline hospice. The 45-year-old nurse from Lima, Peru, currently has 175 patients residing with her, and […]
The Angel of the Gap – Australian Man Living Near a Cliff Saved 160 People from Suicide by Striking Up a Conversation
For nearly 50 years, Don Ritchie saved the lives of people who were on the verge of suicide. During his lifetime, he managed to stop 160 people from plunging to their deaths at Australia’s most famous suicide point – a cliff called ‘the Gap’ – with just a kind word and a smile. Although he […]
California Town Is Home to Hundreds of Free-Roaming Wild Peacocks
The residents of Rolling Hills Estates, a small community on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, in southwestern Los Angeles, have been sharing their home with dozens of beautiful wild peacocks for almost 100 years. The exotic birds have always added a rustic charm to the upscale suburb, but as their population continues to grow uncontrollably, many […]
Ungrateful Son Tells Mother Not to Visit Him Anymore Because She Is too Ugly
When 63-year-old Ding Liang was found crying on a street in eastern China’s Hangzhou city, her story attracted widespread media coverage. The poor woman had traveled five hours from her village to meet her son and his newborn child. Unfortunately, the son refused to see her for the strangest of reasons – because she’s too […]
The Russian Oligarch Who Gave It All Up to Live as a Modest Peasant
At an age when most people begin their business careers, German Sterligov was already a millionaire. He was only 24 years old when he founded the company that would make him one of the richest men in Russia. The financial empire he built – with offices in London and New York – ensured a lifetime […]
Homeless Man Finds Baby Girl While Digging through Garbage, Raises Her as His Own
Seven years ago, a homeless man in China was scavenging in a garbage bin when he found something that would change his life forever – a tiny baby girl! He was so overcome with emotion that he decided to raise her as his own child. 50-year-old Xiong Jianguo now lives under a bridge in Nanchang […]