Ripley Entertainment Inc.'s Blog, page 114
December 1, 2021
Annual Crab Migration Brings Christmas Island Traffic To A Halt
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Seasonal changes differ depending on where you live, whether you’re greeted by the glow of autumn leaves in Maine’s Acadia National Park or thrilled by spectacular super blooms following a wet winter in Death Valley. But for the residents of Christmas Island, located off the coast of Western Australia, seasonal activities look different. Every year, locals deal with a migration of red crabs so thick it shuts down local roadways and highways.
Here’s what you need to know about what it’s like to live (and not drive) on Christmas Island during this strange, albeit natural, event.
How Not to Make Crabby PattiesDuring the march of the Christmas Island crustaceans, automobiles become useless. And pedestrians don’t get off much easier. As videos posted to social media show, people must carefully pick through waves of the scarlet-hued creatures, which make their way from the island to the ocean.
ICYMI: Millions of red crabs are emerging from the center of Christmas Island for their annual migration journey to the ocean https://t.co/r2KIBe24BJ pic.twitter.com/HN32zEWApN
— Reuters (@Reuters) November 28, 2021
What about thoroughfares that can’t be shut down? Locals have gotten downright innovative with engineering to protect the crabs. Some roads have even been fitted with special bridges to help the armored sea life avoid treacherous crossings. Parks Australia has declared this mass movement “one of the most incredible natural processes on Earth.”
Single Crab in Search of LoveWhat motivates the critters to head out like clockwork each year? The search for love. Large males lead the parade with interested females trailing close behind. All told, a single female can lay more than 100,000 eggs. They take a well-worn route used by their crabby ancestors, journeying from the jungle to the Indian Ocean where they find mates and make coastal burrows.
The Australian government estimates that roughly 50 million red crabs inhabit Christmas Island, their only home on the planet. The phases of the moon determine the ultimate timing of the event, as does the first rainfall of the wet season, permitting crabs to keep their bodies moist throughout the trip. Because of these different factors, the crabs have been known to travel as early as October or as late as January. Despite such flexible dates, the crabs complete the migration in synch.
Life on Christmas IslandAll this begs the question: What’s life like for residents of Christmas Island when red crabs make their move? According to Parks Australia, “The crabs [turn] up everywhere, including at the door of an office block.” As you can imagine, this makes for very busy Parks Australia staff who must manage road closures and rake crustaceans off essential roadways. They also construct crossings, underpasses, and bridges for the crusty travelers.
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But the arduous trip also makes for a thriving local tourism scene, with nature lovers and tourists flocking to the island’s beaches and coves to catch a glimpse of the action. Local radio stations even dedicate their airways to covering the migration with travel advice and updates. And Parks Australia has gone a long way toward protecting thousands of crabs from getting squashed by vehicles. The effort has proven beneficial for the island. After all, the crabs prove “extremely important to the island’s rich biodiversity.” When not migrating, the red crabs keep the forest floor in optimal health by eating leaf litter.
By Engrid Barnett, contributor for Ripleys.com
EXPLORE THE ODD IN PERSON! Discover hundreds of strange and unusual artifacts and get hands-on with unbelievable interactives when you visit a Ripley’s Odditorium!Source: Annual Crab Migration Brings Christmas Island Traffic To A Halt
Scale Up Your Wardrobe With Lizard-And-Me Clothing From Fashion Brand Company
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
With a name like Fashion Brand Company, this online shop alludes to the epitome of generic clothing offerings. But the real fun comes from being in on the action of this eclectic store — they’re far from a normal clothing line. Founded by Penelope Gazin, Fashion Brand Company is a subversive clothing store whose website states is “exclusively designed by, run by, and tailored to, lizards” — and also their human counterparts.
Photo courtesy of Fashion Brand Company
Each slow-fashion item made is infused with the artist’s mesmerizing sensibilities. These are creations you won’t find anywhere else. Fashion Brand Company has won over their loyal fan base with incredible pieces of clothing that shake the status quo, like the rich emerald green Moth mini dress, pairs of glasses crafted with human hair, and the Widow dress (complete with 8 functioning arm holes, of course).
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Where other brands steer clear of anything strange, Gazin frequently posts pieces on Instagram that lean into it (we’re looking at you, three-legged pants).
The company offers a much-needed break from the endless cycle of trends by reminding fans that fashion can be joyful. Many of the designs have a sense of nostalgia; remember the way you felt as a kid piecing an outfit together just because you liked it? This feeling, one that many adults may only rekindle by donning costumes on Halloween, is at the heart of Fashion Brand Company’s clothes. Gazin’s pieces remind buyers that we don’t need to wait for a special occasion to wear a dress with wing-like sleeves.
But humans shouldn’t have all the fun. If you’re a stylish person with a fashion-forward lizard pal, you’ve probably wished you could twin with your reptile BFF. Well, you’re in luck! The pictures on the brand’s Instagram account of lizards in jumpsuits and sweaters aren’t a phony marketing gimmick: they really do make lizard clothes! Gecko guardians need to look no further than the “Lizard and Me” line. A pink cowgirl dress on a human is great, but take one look at a bearded dragon in a gown, and you’ll see it’s the lizards who know how to really rock the brand’s creations.
Find Penelope Gazin’s design genius sported by scaled and tailed lizard friends inside the pages of our newest annual book, Out of the Box!
By Kelsey Roslin, contributor for Ripleys.com
STEP OUTSIDE OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE Experience the stories of adventurers near and far, from a three-year-old mountain climber to hair-hangers and acrobats. Leave inspired by unbelievable talents, breathtaking bucket list-worthy locations, and curious discoveries, all from people just like you as you uncover the pages of Ripley’s newest annual book!Source: Scale Up Your Wardrobe With Lizard-And-Me Clothing From Fashion Brand Company
November 30, 2021
Introducing Golden Rae, The One-Eared Unicorn Dog!
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Many have been dealt a hard hand in life, but few rise above their problems with as much cuteness as Rae! Afflicted by an injury at birth that left her with only one ear, this adorable golden retriever is now an Insta-famous “unicorn” with over 222,000 Instagram followers and millions of TikTok views! How’s that for a glow-up?!
Rae, which is “ear” spelled backward, is a special dog with a special story. Shortly after being born, she suffered a critical injury and had to be rushed to Family Friends Veterinary Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The breeder suspected that Rae’s mama was too enthusiastic when licking off the puppy’s placenta, causing an entire ear to peel off.
After undergoing major surgery only hours after birth, Rae’s future was in question. But against all odds, little Rae pulled through and went on to make a full recovery – albeit, with one unique feature: Her remaining ear strangely re-positioned itself at the top of her head!
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It was during her initial trip to the clinic that Rae found her forever home with Brianna Vorhees, who worked as a receptionist at the hospital. Brianna, who had recently lost her own golden, Loki, to lymphoma, felt an immediate connection with the special-needs puppy.
After taking the two-day-old baby home, Brianna was a devoted and doting mom, providing Rae with around-the-clock care that included routine bottle feedings.
Around the time Rae was six weeks old, fully healed, and started growing, Brianna noticed that the lone ear had migrated to the top of her forehead. Brianna’s colleagues started calling the puppy “unicorn” because of this distinct feature, and her husband came up with the name Rae.
Rae’s journey to social media stardom started after a vet tech at Family Friends Veterinary Hospital posted a video of her on TikTok. People around the world couldn’t get enough of the unicorn puppy, and soon the video amassed millions of views. On her social platforms, Rae can be seen napping, getting lots of love, and playing with Brianna’s family.
@sambosmittyCheck Rae the Unicorn dog out on insta – goldenunicornrae #petparent #PlayWithLife #fyp #dog♬ New Soul – Yael Naïm
Rae’s “horn” ear doesn’t affect her hearing, cause her any discomfort, or detract from her lust for life. She has also blessed Brianna and her family with endless amounts of love and loyalty.
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This just goes to show that every dog, or even a “unicorn,” can have her day! Read more about this pawsitively adorable and inspiring little pup inside the pages of our newest annual book, Out of the Box!
By Stephanie Weaver, contributor for Ripleys.com
STEP OUTSIDE OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE Experience the stories of adventurers near and far, from a three-year-old mountain climber to hair-hangers and acrobats. Leave inspired by unbelievable talents, breathtaking bucket list-worthy locations, and curious discoveries, all from people just like you as you uncover the pages of Ripley’s newest annual book!
November 29, 2021
Why Do Some People Never Return Their Shopping Carts? Science Has Answers
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Do you constantly see shopping carts not being returned to their proper homes? Turns out, it all comes down to a simple science.
According to Scientific American, there are a number of suggested reasons people don’t make the trip across the lot to bring back their basket on wheels. Some believe the receptacle is simply too far from their spot (also known as laziness), while others blame it on young children who can’t be left unattended or Mother Nature’s untimely downpours. Then there are people who assume it’s just the store employees’ job to collect the lone carts. Meanwhile, some believe someone else will grab it if they leave it stranded in the lot, making it easier for future shoppers.
All in all, there are many different thoughts traveling through the minds of these customers. Scientific American placed individuals in various “categories of cart users” based on these lines of thinking. There are the Returners who always bring back their carts no matter what (kudos to you!). On the other hand, there are the Never Returners who always leave their cart somewhere other than the receptacle. In the middle, there are the Convenience Returners (those who are parked nearby or see an attendant), the Pressure Returners (those who would prefer not to face societal guilt), and Child-Driven Returners (whose children want to play a little game of “push the cart into the stacked line”).
They say not to give into peer pressure, but in this case, it’s actually a good thing. Like the Pressure Returners, there are a group of people that don’t want to be seen by others leaving their cart in the middle of the lot or in the shrubbery, so they end up returning it to the proper place. Many people fall into social norms and do what’s deemed best by those around them. Although for some people, the idea of societal disapproval really doesn’t make a difference.
Published in the journal Science in 2008, a study based on the broken windows theory examined the behavior of individuals due to their surroundings. The theory states that visible signs of crime and disorder promote further crime and disorder. For the 2008 study, researchers put flyers on bikes in two different alleys. Both alleys had signs prohibiting graffiti, but in one of the alleys, that sign was clearly ignored and covered in graffiti.
In the alley that had the graffiti, 69 percent of people threw the flyer to the side or put it on another bike. Meanwhile, only 33 percent tossed it away in the one with no graffiti. This suggested that people are more likely to behave in a similar manner to those around them, even if the influencers aren’t physically there — just the signs of their order/disorder.
We suggest taking a page out of Aldi’s book: The grocery store makes customers pay a 25 cent deposit for a cart, which is returned when the cart is returned. This is mostly to prevent theft, but it’s also a great incentive to treat the cart with care. Do the right thing, and hopefully, your fellow shoppers will follow suit!
By Sam McCormack, contributor for Ripleys.com
EXPLORE THE ODD IN PERSON! Discover hundreds of strange and unusual artifacts and get hands-on with unbelievable interactives when you visit a Ripley’s Odditorium!Source: Why Do Some People Never Return Their Shopping Carts? Science Has Answers
November 28, 2021
November 27, 2021
November 26, 2021
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