Meet Hyperion, the World’s Tallest Tree
Up until August 2006, the tallest known tree in the world was a 369-foot California redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) nicknamed ‘Stratosphere Giant’, located somewhere in the Humboldt Redwoods State Park in California. To give you some idea about its massive size, that’s twice the height of the Statue of Liberty, minus the foundation. But the Giant lost its status […]
Japanese Professionals Put on Full-Body Lycra Suits to Escape Pressure of Everyday Life
In a bid to de-stress and break free from the tensions of daily life, Japanese students and professionals are taking to a bizarre trend called ‘Zentai’. It’s a community consisting of people of all ages and walks of life, donning full-body lycra suits and meeting on internet forums, in clubs, at barbecue parties, and sometimes just on the […]
Thrill-Seeking Hairdresser Leaves Family Behind to See the World and Cut Hair in Extreme Locations
Cutting hair can be a boring, repetitive task, but this globetrotting Russian hairdresser has found a unique way to add some zest to his job. Denis Yushin calls himself a ‘motobarber’, giving extreme haircuts as he rides his motorcycle across the globe. It all started last year, when Yushin announced that he would be touring […]
Man Spends 1,000 Hours and $200,000 Turning a Cave into His Dream Home
In search of a simpler life, a corporate honcho from Australia decided to give up his career and become a caveman. But not before spending an eye-watering £160,000 ($230,848) to renovate a 250-million-year-old cave in England to suit his tastes! Angelo Mastropietro, 38, was inspired to make the change after he was diagnosed with multiple […]
World’s Most Prolific Patent Holder Wants to Beat His Own Cancer by Inventing a Cure
Meet Yoshinari Nakamatsu, aka Dr. NakaMats, a prolific inventor and Japan’s very own ‘Patent King’. With over 3,500 patents to his name, the 87-year-old had no plans to retire – his dream was to live to the ripe old age of 144 and eventually produce at least 6,000 patents. Sadly, there’s a serious obstacle to […]
Japan Railways Allegedly Keeps Train Station Running for Just One Passenger
Last Friday, China’s CCTV News posted a heart-warming story on Facebook about how Japanese railway authorities are keeping a train station in a remote village open for the sake of only one passenger – a high school student. “The Kyu-Shirataki-Shirataki train station is located in Japan’s north island of Hokkaido,” the post read. “Three years […]
This High-Tech Travel Suitcase Follows You Around Like a Puppy
Thanks to this new hands free suitcase, carrying around heavy luggage may soon become a thing of the past. Designed by Israeli company NUA Robotics, this ‘smart’ suitcase is the technological equivalent of Mary’s little lamb – it’ll follow you everywhere you go. The carry-on suitcase, currently a prototype, connects to a smartphone app via bluetooth. It […]
Making a Difference: 12-Year-Old Collects Thousands of Coats for the Homeless
12-year-old Makenna Breading-Goodrich is showing the world that you’re never too young to have social conscience. In a bid to help the homeless people in her community, she’s spent the past three winters collecting and giving away thousands of coats. She calls her initiative ‘Makenna’s Coats for a Cause’. It all started three years ago, […]
Glasgow-Based Artist to Be Given $22,000 to Live in Glasgow for a Year
In a controversial move, the Scottish Government has decided to grant Ellie Harrison, a Glasgow-based academic, £15,000 ($22,000) just to continue living in the city for a whole year. The generous amount is a grant for an ‘art project’ during which London-born Harrison will not leave the city unless she’s unwell or a close relative […]
The Indian Village That Took Up Chess as an Alternative to Drinking
The people of Marottichal, a sleepy little village in the state of Kerala in southern India, have a rather unusual passion for chess. Believe it or not, they’re all chess enthusiasts. Their love for the game is such that even when they’re not playing, they’re talking strategy all the time. But villagers weren’t always interested in the checkered […]
Ukrainian Man Has Been Walking Barefoot for the Last 10 Years, Regardless of Weather
Despite the region’s sub-zero winters, a Ukrainian man from Kiev has been walking around barefoot since February 2006. Andrzej Novosiolov apparently began the bizarre practice on a whim – his feet felt unusually hot one evening, so he tried walking on fresh snow without footwear and found the sensation surprisingly pleasant. Although his feet began to ache […]
Chinese Companies Are Asking Female Employees to Get Pregnant on Schedule
While couples in China are welcoming the end of the nation’s decades-long one-child policy, private companies seem to be reacting to the news with ludicrous new policies regarding maternity leave. They’re actually asking female employees to submit an application of pregnancy, seeking the company’s approval to become a parent up to a year in advance. It seems […]
Mr Plastic Fantastic – Guy Has 1,497 Valid Credit Cards
Working up a credit score for Walter Cavanagh has got to be a mathematical nightmare – the man has nearly 1,500 valid credit cards to his name and holds the Guinness record for the most credit cards. ‘Mr. Plastic Fantastic’ – a title conferred on him by Guinness World Records – is also the proud owner […]
Startup Lets You Share a Hotel Room with a Stranger to Save Money
A new startup called The Winston Club is offering travelers the opportunity to book hotel rooms at just 50 percent of their cost. Obviously, there’s a catch – they have to be willing to share the room with complete strangers. “We started Winston Club because we felt there should be an easy way for people to […]
Millionaire Lends His Luxurious Mansions for $1 a Month to People Left Homeless by Tornadoes
A benevolent businessman from Texas has opened up two of his mansions to help house and rehabilitate the victims of the recent tornadoes that devastated the state. Ron Sturgeon, who is reportedly worth $75million, told affected families that they could live in his mansions for three months, at a meagre rent of $1 a month. […]