Ripley Entertainment Inc.'s Blog, page 213
March 18, 2020
No Views Compare To Those From The House on the Rock
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
In 1945, Alex Jordan decided to build a house. But not just any house, and not one in any old location, either.
The sandstone formation of Deer Shelter Rock, Wisconsin, was once a 60-foot sheer column of rock jutting out of a southern Wisconsin forest.
At first, the structure that Jordan built on that site was intended to be nothing more than a spot for weekend getaways and campouts. That soon changed.
Building a Legacy
Today, the thirteen-room house that Jordan built is just one part of a remarkably large complex of buildings, collectively known, and revered, as the House on the Rock. One after another, spaces and rooms began to house collections upon collections, from the exotic to the everyday. Jointly, they present an exceptional experience, one marveled at daily by curious visitors from nearly every reach of the globe.
“Before trees planted around the rock grew up, area residents could see the rock and the house taking shape amongst the ledges,” a representative of House on the Rock shares. “Curiosity about the project drew them to the site!”
Courtesy of House on the Rock management
If you haven’t visited in person, you may have already gotten a glimpse of House on the Rock thanks to ample television coverage—it’s also been featured on Ripley’s own television series. That’s not all—QVC filmed a segment on-site, American Pickers visited in 2016, and series American Gods even filmed an episode there.
The house has had its share of rocking, too. The Jack White-led Raconteurs recorded a video for their “Somedays (I Don’t Feel Like Trying)” track here, and 10,000 Maniacs dropped by to film a music video for their cover of Roxy Music’s “More Than This” in 1997.
It was all born of Jordan’s love for the sacred Deer Shelter Rock spot itself.
Rocky Captivation
Alex Jordan loved Deer Shelter Rock from the very start. His fascination grew from the occasional picnic and campout, to eventually renting space there. Eventually, he purchased the 240-acre property and, as construction began, materials made their way up the 60-foot rock tower, piece by piece.
The House on the Rock officially opened to the public in 1960, and—while there was already a keen interest in what he was working on—that official opening ignited the fascinations of locals and tourists like never before. It was an immediate sensation.
Curiously, despite the remarkable structure and its many rooms, Jordan himself only stayed at the House on the Rock a reported four times, opting instead to sleep at his modest apartment in nearby Madison.
Courtesy of House on the Rock management
In late 1988, House on the Rock was sold by Jordan to Art Donaldson, another passionate collector, and Jordan’s business associate. Today, the Donaldson family owns and operates the property as a private business.
“It’s a special place,” the folks at House on the Rock remind us.
“We think early guests recognized that right away, 60 years ago, when it opened. They still do today!”
House Highlights
Checking out House on the Rock in person is, without question, the best way to experience all that the property has to offer. There’s the main House on the Rock, the House on the Rock Inn and the House on the Rock Resort.
Three tours allow visitors different, unique visits:
Ultimate Experience: includes all three sections of the property
Highlight Experience: focuses on the first two sections
Original House Experience: a tour of the first section
It can be a challenge to take in all that the House on the Rock offers in a single day. So, if you don’t have time to observe every part of the experience, here are a few can’t-miss highlights.
You’ll want to check out the original house’s thirteen rooms, each boasting complementary color schemes. It also includes the Gate House, with not only an impressive fireplace but also the Gate House Ensemble music machine, built to replicate the music of a chamber orchestra. More mechanical music machines can be found in Music of Yesterday.
Courtesy of House on the Rock management
The Organ Room is home to three of the world’s most impressive theater organ consoles in the midst of bridges and even a spiral staircase.
Courtesy of House on the Rock management
The Circus Room may give the greatest show on earth a run for its money, with an array of circus-themed items and decorations. Don’t miss the automated 80-piece orchestra!
Courtesy of House on the Rock management
The Infinity Room reaches out over 200 feet to present an unrivaled view of the scenic valley below. Believe It or Not!, over 3,000 pieces of glass went into its construction.
Courtesy of House on the Rock management
All aboard! The world’s largest indoor carousel can be found at House on the Rock—are you really surprised? Nearly 270 animal figures, 20,000 lights, and 183 chandeliers create this mesmerizing ride.
Courtesy of House on the Rock management
A 14-foot waterfall in the Japanese Gardens? Check!
Courtesy of House on the Rock management
No matter which portion you decide to conquer at this magnificent man-made monument, you’re sure to find a spectacular view!
Courtesy of House on the Rock management
By Bill Furbee, contributor for Ripleys.com
Ripley’s contributor Bill Furbee happily makes his home in the hills of Kentucky, where he collects antique organs and ventriloquist dolls. He’s also a music heritage enthusiast, and has written for Cincinnati CityBeat, Chicago’s Newcity, Detroit Metro Times, Ugly Things magazine, and many other fine publications.
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Source: No Views Compare To Those From The House on the Rock
Are Bionic Jellyfish The Key To Exploring The Depths Of The Ocean?
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Jellyfish are nature’s lava lamps. Slow. Relaxing. Gelatinous. Wandering the oceans at a calming two centimeters per second. But, what if we could make cyborg jellyfish that zoom through the seas at a hasty 6 centimeters per second? That’s over 0.13 miles per hour!
Engineers at Caltech and Stanford University have done just that. By adding a device, similar to a cardiac pacemaker, to living jellyfish, the scientists have successfully increased the speed at which jellyfish swim.
Image provided by Rebecca Konte/Caltech
Here’s how it works: jellyfish swim by squeezing their bodies and propelling themselves through the water. They do so slowly in order to create a vortex that traps prey, but they can swim faster if they need to. To test the speeds of these creatures, scientists implanted a small device that sends an electrical current to them at a faster pace, which they, in turn, match with their movements. This results in the animals traveling three times as fast, but only using twice as much energy. The scientists published their results in the journal Science Advances.
And while this method seems a bit shocking, the implant is unlikely to harm the animals. When jellyfish are stressed, they secrete a mucus as a defense mechanism; the animals tested with these prosthetics did not. Furthermore, jellyfish have neither brains nor central nervous systems allowing them to return to normal once the devices are removed.
So besides the totally mesmerizing appearance of these swimmers, why do we need faster bionic jellyfish? There is a possibility that one day we may be able to use these creatures to help us measure changes in temperature and acidity in the ocean. Using jellyfish or other organisms would be more effective and efficient than building robots—which require external sources of power.
If we can get faster aquatic organisms to host sensors, then scientists don’t have to build an army of underwater robots, swimming without the efficiency of millions of years of evolution. With the information gathered on these sensors, scientists can get a better reading on pollution and climate change.
Turbocharging jellyfish is just one advancement in a long line of experiments that hack biology. The next step is to make devices that can guide the animals to explore the depths of the oceans for us.
By Kristin Hugo, contributor for Ripleys.com
Kristin Hugo is a science journalist with writing in National Geographic, Newsweek, and PBS Newshour. She’s especially experienced in covering animals, bones, and anything weird or gross. When not writing, Kristin is spray painting and cleaning bones in her New York City yard. Find her on Twitter at @KristinHugo , Tumblr at @StrangeBiology , and Instagram at @thestrangebiology .
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Source: Are Bionic Jellyfish The Key To Exploring The Depths Of The Ocean?
March 17, 2020
The St. Patrick’s Day Sham
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
No Snakes in Ireland
Think of Ireland and you can’t help but think of Saint Patrick’s Day. The holiday, honoring Ireland’s own Saint Patrick, celebrates the holy man’s many deeds and accomplishments, notably the introduction of Christianity to the country. The story of Saint Paddy, however, might just be a sham.
Abducted by Pirates
The real identity of Saint Patrick continues to be debated by historians, but they all agree that Saint Patrick wasn’t even born in Ireland. He was born in Britain, a colony of the Christian Roman Empire.
Coming from a family of wealthy clerics, Patrick was kidnapped by Irish pirates as a child and taken to the Emerald Isles to work as a shepherd. Eventually escaping back home, he resolved to return to Ireland to convert them from their Gaelic pagan tradition.
Becoming a Saint
Credited with introducing Christianity to Ireland, there’s much debate over the accuracy of this claim. While historians are certain Saint Patrick was alive in the 5th century, they aren’t certain he was the first missionary to the Emerald Isles. There’s even a theory that Saint Patrick was actually two people who lived through a 100-year span of time spreading Christianity, and that history combined their stories.
Known for his green wardrobe nowadays, it’s likely he really wore blue robes, which would have been more traditional for the time. Green was likely added to make his legend more in line with Irish colors.
The earliest known depiction of St. Patrick (right).
Slithering Snakes
Wandering the countryside of Ireland, you may notice the absence of snakes. While Britain has a handful of native species, Ireland is completely free of the reptiles—a feat credited to Saint Patrick. The legend goes that Patrick was fasting on a hill for 40 days when a colony of snakes began pestering him. Stricken with divine purpose, Saint Patrick gallantly drove the serpents into the sea, ridding Ireland of the creatures forever.
The truth is, the only snakes ever to live in Ireland have been in zoos or kept as pets. Paleontologists have confirmed that snakes haven’t lived in Ireland for at least 10,000 years. Isolated from mainland Europe, the only way the snakes could come over is for an ice age to strike, lowering sea levels and creating a land bridge. Unfortunately, this would also make Ireland far too cold for reptiles to live. If the temperatures drop, then the land bridge disappears, creating a cyclical barrier against serpents.
Glaciation in Europe
But the Druids
While the literal story doesn’t stand up to scrutiny, we could be taking it a little too literally. Snakes have long been used in Judeo-Christian religions as a symbol of sin and temptation. This is as core an allegory as the story of Adam and Eve. The story, instead, is likely a nod to the work Patrick did to convert the “blasphemous” pagans of the time over to Christianity.
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Source: The St. Patrick’s Day Sham
Tulpamancy Brings Thoughts Into Existence – Ripley’s Believe It or Notcast Ep. 33
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Did you ever have an imaginary friend? Did you ever wish you could make it real? Some people believe they’re doing just that. For centuries, Buddhist mystics have told legends of the Tulpa, or entities that can be “thought” into existence. Now, the practice is becoming more popular, thanks to online chat forums.
This week, we examine the science and even talk to a Tulpa.
For more weird news and strange stories, visit our homepage, and be sure to rate and share this episode of the Notcast!
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Source: Tulpamancy Brings Thoughts Into Existence – Ripley’s Believe It or Notcast Ep. 33
Does Beer Actually Have Health Benefits?
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
The year was 2018 when Michelob decided to take over the New York City Marathon. It papered the route with ads luring runners to the finish line with the temptation that once they crossed, they could finally enjoy a cold one.
But why would a beer company want to sponsor an athletic event of this magnitude?
Just like craft breweries of the past decade, the latest alcoholic fad stems from the belief that drinking a beer after a run is not only enjoyable but can also be good for your health!
Alcoholic Athleticism
In 2019, the new era of crafts, known as wellness beers, took off running—pun intended. Wellness beers are alcoholic beverages made specifically for athletes after a run or some other kind of athletic event.
“People like to come back from some sort of physical activity and have a beer. It’s like a tradition, it’s refreshing,” said Annie Daly, a freelance writer who has covered the topic for Healthyish.com. “I did interview a couple of the founders of these so-called wellness beers, and they all sort of have a similar origin story—which is that they made them not so that people drink them thinking that they’re a healthy drink, but more along the lines of acknowledging that this is something you are going to drink anyway.”
The companies lessened the amount of alcohol, and packed it full of electrolytes, just like a sports drink.
“So, the idea that a lot of these founders had was to acknowledge that tradition isn’t going away,” Daly said.
“But that instead of negating the effects of those beers, they make something that is a bit less unhealthy.”
Wellness beers are one thing. But can a good old-fashioned Miller Lite or Michelob be good for you?
In 2015, Matt Fitzgerald’s book The New Rules of Marathon and Half Marathon Nutrition tackled the topic. Of course, there are negatives to drinking beer. It will dehydrate you and it does contain a lot of calories. So, you don’t want to drink too many.
But, Fitzgerald did report that beer contains antioxidants and B vitamins, as well as ethanol and silicon, which help prevent osteoporosis and can grow new bone tissue. In a 2016 campaign, PETA even used his research to enforce the claim that beer is healthier for you than milk!
Gulping Guinness
Still, there are studies that show how moderate drinking will not make you any healthier at all—like one conducted by the University of Victoria shared in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs. Another, from New Zealand, says moderate drinking could lead you to be more likely to get seven different kinds of cancer.
It’s certainly not the first time people have debated the merits of beer. Society has been drinking some form of the stuff for over 10,000 years. In Medieval Europe, historians tell us that people drank beer and wine for the large amounts of calories they provided, making it essentially healthier than water. Later in the 18th century, beer was recommended over gin, which was quickly becoming a social problem.
Now it seems that every St. Patrick’s Day we hear the debate: Is Guinness really good for you? According to their advertisements of the past, they are. Some proclaimed you should “Have a Guinness when you’re tired,” while others said you should drink “Guinness for strength.” Others simply said, “Guinness is good for you.” As we’ve previously stated, the beverage does contain antioxidants and silicon, and Guinness specifically doesn’t have as many calories as many other beers.
CC Dumphasizer via Flickr
The Difference Is In The Dose
At its core, the age-old debate boils down to one thing: It’s alcohol. If we consume too much, there can be problems. Heavy drinking—considered more than 15 drinks a week for men and more than eight a week for women—can lead to liver disease, pancreatitis, and high blood pressure.
The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence says “alcohol is the most commonly used addictive substance in the United States: 17.6 million people, or one in every 12 adults, suffer from alcohol abuse or dependence along with several million more who engage in risky, binge drinking patterns that could lead to alcohol problems.”
And for every person who gets a heart benefit from alcohol, the Centers for Disease Control says daily consumption can increase a woman’s risk for breast cancer.
While some advertisements have led us to believe that alcoholic drinks are good for us, just two years ago German courts ruled that beer cannot be marketed as beneficial. And that’s coming from Germany, folks—where beer is kind of a big deal.
Perhaps those at the Harvard School of Public Health put it best:
“The difference lies mostly in the dose. Moderate drinking seems to be good for the heart and circulatory system, and probably protects against type 2 diabetes and gallstones. Heavy drinking is a major cause of preventable death in most countries.”
In this exhausting back-and-forth debate, it seems only one consensus can be reached: If you want to drink, do so in moderation, and responsibly.
Cheers, everyone!
By Ryan Clark, contributor for Ripleys.com and host of Ripley’s Believe It or Notcast
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!
March 16, 2020
Groovy! These Lava Lamps Help Encrypt the Internet
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
The next time you’re in San Francisco, California, visit the home office of Cloudflare, a cybersecurity company, and take a look at their wall of lava lamps. Then pride yourself on the fact that you just helped protect the Internet a little bit more from the threat of hackers.
Cool Yet Practical
Founded in 2009, Cloudflare currently works with a large number of companies requiring web security and encryption services. These services help conceal data by preventing unauthorized access and hackers. Between clients like Reddit, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and OK Cupid, Cloudflare is helping secure about ten percent of all web traffic. And while fun to look at, the 100 lava lamps in their lobby are not just decorative, but a necessary part of the company’s security model.
Filmed through a small camera in the lobby, images of the lava lamps are sent to the Cloudflare servers. The images are then repurposed into data, which is used to create the encryption keys for their clients.
Courtesy of Cloudflare. Camera view of the lava lamp wall.
Why Lava Lamps?
Randomness is key in encryption and coding. You don’t want the password to confidential or secure information to be something like “Password12345.” But, while this might seem like an obvious statement, it’s a bit more complicated than you may think. In the world of cryptography, random equals unpredictable, and unfortunately, computers aren’t equipped to create completely unpredictable sequences on their own because they are built to be logical, and logic follows patterns.
This is why companies like Cloudflare look to the real world to find random inspiration. They require arbitrary input that the computer can use as a jumping-off point, also known as a cryptographic seed. When the computer can take in this random output of the cryptographic seed, a program known as a pseudorandom number generator, or a CSPRNG, collects data from the output and converts it into a completely haphazard series of numbers that is different every time.
Groovy Security
But, not every cybersecurity company uses groovy lava lamps to create random patterns to turn into encryption coding. Cloudflare’s London office uses a double-pendulum system that is filmed like the lava lamp wall. Other companies might use mouse clicks or typing on a keyboard, but according to Cloudflare’s website, these options are much more time-consuming.
The lava lamp wall is, as one would imagine, quite an attraction. People often stand in front of the wall to watch the lamps or to converse in the lobby. Fortunately, when the camera captures an image with people standing in front of the lamps, it only adds to the unpredictability of the images produced. So, when you visit the lava lamp wall, you’re doing your part to increase Internet security.
By Julia Tilford, 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!
March 15, 2020
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