The Forklift Driving World Championship Is a Surprisingly Exciting Event
Every year, Germany hosts the Stapler Cup, a competitive event that sees hundreds of forklift drivers from around the world going head to head in a series of difficult challenges for the title of world’s best forklift operator. Competitive forklift driving probably doesn’t sound like the most exciting competitive event in the world, but that’s […]
Chinese Bed-Making Competitions Are Surprisingkly Mesmerizing to Watch
China’s hospitality sector routinely holds bed-making competitions that both showcase the skill and dedication of hotel employees and motivate others to achieve the same level. In order to provide guests with the best hospitality services, Chinese luxury hotels require their staff to undergo intensive bed-making training, and the very best of them get to participate […]
Stobnica Castle – Poland’s Controversial Modern-Day Medieval Castle
Western Poland’s Notecka Forest is home to one of the country’s most controversial buildings, a medieval-style complex known as Stobnica Castle. The construction of Stobnica Castle began in 2015, but it didn’t start attracting nationwide attention until 2018, when people started wondering what this gargantuan structure rising up at the edge of a well-known nature […]
Scientsist Develop Light Exosuit That Helps People Sprint Faster
Scientists at South Korea’s Chung-Ang University have created an ultra-light exosuit that can help runners cover short distances faster. They may not be mainstream yet, but exoskeletons have been a part of our world for a while now. We’ve seen some that make carrying heavy loads a breeze, and others that help physically disabled people […]
The Giant Floating Island of Lake Chippewa Has to Be Pushed by Boats Almost Every Year
Wisconsin’s Lake Chippewa is home to a giant floating island that sometimes moves around blocking a critically important bridge and needs to be moved by local boat owners working in unison. Lake Chippewa, aka the Chippewa Flowage, was created in 1923, by flooding a large swamp. Soon after that, many of the peat bogs started […]
Woman with Chicken Bone Stuck in Throat Dissolves It by Drinking Coke
A New Zealand woman who had a small chicken bone lodged in her throat claims that she was prescribed an interesting remedy by an emergency room doctor – lots of Coke. Beth Brash recently sat down with New Zealand magazine Stuff to tell the unusual story of how she managed to get rid of the […]
The Speed Project – The World’s Most Mysterious Ultramarathon
The Speed Project is a relay-style ultramarathon unlike any other. It is an unofficial race for which runners have to receive an invitation, and it has but one rule – no running on freeways. You’ve probably never heard of it, but within the ultramarathon community, participating in The Speed Project is somewhat of a Holy […]
America’s Smallest Bank Has Just Two Employees, No Transaction Fees
With just $3 million in assets, two employees, no ATM, no website, and no transaction fees, Kentland Federal Savings and Loan is the smallest bank in America, and it’s been around for over 100 years. You’ve most likely heard of America’s banking giants – JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, Citigroup, Wells Fargo, and the Bank of […]
How a Popular Anime Caused Japan’s Raccoon Infestation
Raccoons are not native to Japan, yet in the last few decades, the furry critters have become naturalized in 44 of the country’s 47 prefectures, causing all sorts of problems for humans and other animal species. And to think it all started with a cute anime series… In 1963, American writer Sterling North launched his […]
This Slime Mold-Powered Smartwatch Is Literally a Living Gadget
In an attempt to explore the relationships people have with their modern accessories like smartphones and smartwatches, researchers recently created a smartwatch powered by a living organism. Devices like smartphones, smartwatches, and laptops have become a part of our daily routine, and scientific experiments have shown that many people feel that they can’t function properly […]
This Old Stamp Is the World’s Most Expensive Object by Weight
It’s hard to believe that a humble stamp could be considered exorbitantly expensive, but at $8.5 million, this 1856 postage stamp is considered the world’s most expensive object by weight. The world is full of valuable objects, from jewelry to rare artworks, but when it comes to value per gram, nothing even comes close to […]
The Wind Wall of Rozenburg Allows Giant Ships to Safely Pass Through a Narrow Channel
The Wind Wall of Rozenburg is a unique installation designed to block strong winds from hitting the large ships passing through a narrow canal on their way to the port. After World War 2, the Dutch port city of Rozenburg grew both in size and prosperity, and in order to cope with the ever-growing maritime […]
Poisoning Trees to Create the World’s Most Expensive Wood
IV therapy is usually associated with curing illnesses, but when it comes to creating the world’s most expensive wood, IV drips are a means of delivering poison. About a week ago, a couple of photos showing large IV drips filled with a dubious-looking liquid hanging from trees went viral on Chinese social media, prompting all […]
Animated Oats – The Wild Oat Seeds That ‘Walk’ To Suitable Planting Ground
Certain species of wild oats have a special seed dispersal system that looks as if the seeds are walking on the ground looking for suitable soil to take root in. Modern-day oats (Avena sativa) have been drastically altered through domestication and are entirely dependent on humans for their survival. Not only do they need to […]
Woman Cooks Recipes Found on Gravestones as a Hobby
A US woman recently went viral for dedicating herself to a very unusual hobby – cooking recipes etched into people’s gravestones as a unique way of remembering and celebrating their lives. About a year ago, Rosie Grant was studying library science at the University of Maryland and interning in the archives of the Congressional Cemetery. […]