Kumitaiso – Japan’s Controversial Human Pyramids
Kumitaiso, a gymnastic formation in which students climb on top of one another to create a pyramid, has at the center of growing controversy in Japan, due to the high number of serious injuries reported by schools. At its core, kumitaiso is a routine supposed to encourage teamwork and endurance among young students, and as […]
Restaurant Fined $62,000 for Giving Women Who Dined with Men Price-Free Menus
A famed restaurant in Peru was recently fined $62,000 for discriminating against women by giving ladies who dined with men menus that didn’t feature any prices. La Rosa Nautica, a pricey restaurant built on a peer overlooking the ocean in the Peruvian capital, Lima, was ordered to pay a 210,000 sol ($62,000) fine for offering […]
Futurist Creates Creepy Life-Size Doll of What Office Workers May Look Like in 20 Years
We all know sitting at a desk for long periods of time has negative effects on our health, but if this life-size model of what an office worker could look like in 20 years is any indication, the future doesn’t look too bright. Emma, as her creators have named her, doesn’t look so good. She […]
Real-Life “Sleeping Beauty” Can Fall Into Deep Slumber for Up to Two Months at a Time
The mother of a 17-year-old Colombian girl diagnosed with a very rare condition known as “Sleeping Beauty” syndrome has appealed to authorities for help as she is struggling to look after her. Sharik Tovar, a 17-year-old girl from the Colombian town of Acacías, has been suffering from Kleine-Levin syndrome ever since she was two. The […]
Man Collects Nail Clippings for a Year to Create Unique Engagement Ring “Diamond”
If you can’t afford a diamond ring, or if you simply want to propose to your beloved in a really special manner, you may want to check out this tutorial for creating an engagement ring out of a year’s worth of nail clippings. Kiwami, a Japanese DIY master famous for posting detailed how-to videos for […]
Inventor Accused of Conning Farmers by Promising to Bring the Rain, But Not Explaining How
David Miles, an Australian inventor who has been peddling weather modification technology for almost 20 years, has been accused of preying on desperate farmers by charging up to $50,000 Australian dollars for delivering rain on demand without so much as explaining the technology behind his business. On the official Miles Research website, controversial inventor David […]
Known Criminal’s Tomb Features Life-Size Statue of Him and Replica of Audi Q5
The marble tomb of a notorious truck hijacker is set to become one of the most famous attractions in the Spanish province of Granada, because of two bronze eccentricities – a life-size statue of the man buried there, and a realistic replica of an Audi Q5, the car he used to carry out his hijackings […]
French Researchers Build Creepy Phone Case That Mimics Human Skin
A team of French and English researchers recently showcased a prototype phone case called Skin-On, which not only mimics the look and feel of human skin, but also enables interaction communication through gestures like pinching or tickling. Developed by researchers at the University of Bristol in partnership with Telecomm ParisTech and Sorbonne University, Skin-On consists […]
81-Year-Old Man Gets Jailed Time for Working as Gangsters’ Getaway Driver Because He Was Lonely
Ian Hemmens, an 81-year-old former burger van worker from West Sussex, in England, was recently sentenced to nine months behind bars for aiding an alleged drug dealer flee the country while allegedly working as his getaway driver. Life as a pensioner can get pretty boring and lonely, so much so that some people will do […]
Red Lady of Bosnia – Woman Has Been Surrounding Herself with the Color Red for 40 Years
Ever since she was 18 years old, Zorica Rebernik, a 67-year-old woman from Breze, a small town in Bosnia, has been surrounding herself with the color red, even getting married in a red gown, and attending funerals in red clothing. Rebernik, a retired schoolteacher, lives in a bright red house filled with red furniture, eats […]
Five So-Called Hitmen Convicted After Subcontracting Deal to Assassinate Businessman To Each Other
A Chinese businessman and five would-be hitmen were recently issued prison sentences after the former reportedly hired one of the assassins to take out one of his competitors only to have the contact passed along to other hitmen until the fee got so small the last of them decided it wasn’t worth the trouble. Six […]
“Quantum Reading” Allegedly Helps Students Memorize 100,000 Words in Five Minutes
A student learning center in China, recently sparked controversy for claiming to have developed a “quantum speed reading” method that allegedly helps students read and memorize around 100,000 words in just five minutes. Can you imagine reading hundreds of written pages simply by rapidly flipping through them for a few minutes, sometimes blindfolded? That’s what […]
College Allegedly Makes Students Wear Cardboard Boxes on Heads to Prevent Cheating
A private college in the Indian state of Karnataka has sparked controversy after photos of its students wearing cardboard boxes during a chemistry exam went viral on social media. After photos of the students wearing cardboard boxes on their heads to prevent cheating started doing the rounds online, regional officials in Karnataka rushed to Bhagat […]
20-Year-Old Man Claims to Have Been Living On Macaroni and Cheese for 17 Years
Austin Davis, a 20-year-old man from Keystone Heights, Florida, claims to eaten almost nothing but macaroni and cheese for the last 17 years of his life. We’ve featured picky eaters before, people who only enjoyed things like pizza or french fries, but Austin Davis isn’t one such person. Even if he tries eating something other […]
Belgian Restaurant Serves Drinking Water Recycled from Its Toilets
To highlight a new type of water purification system, a restaurant in Kuurne, Belgium, has started serving its customers free drinking water recycled from its sinks and toilets. The water served at the Gust’eaux restaurant in Kuurne these days is the same as any other potable water – it has no smell, no taste, no […]