Ripley Entertainment Inc.'s Blog, page 265
June 27, 2019
Did Gutenberg Invent The First Printing Press?
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Johannes Gutenberg was a German inventor who lived during the 1400s and is often credited with inventing the printing press, or a mechanic device by which humans were able to begin printing the written word without having to handwrite everything. While his contribution to the world should not be diminished, the truth is that Gutenberg didn’t invent the printing press but rather made it accessible as well as popular. Simply put, the idea and innovation behind the printing press existed long before Gutenberg was even born.
This copy of the Diamond Sutra was printed in 868 AD.
Who Invented The Printing Press?
Printed, as in not handwritten, works have existed for a long time, as people have almost always been interested in finding an easier and faster way to give and receive information. Long before the printing press, people would use blocks of wood carved with the letters or pictures they wanted to convey, paint or dip the blocks in ink, and press the inked blocks against paper or cloth to create the message they wanted to share. However, this was extremely time-consuming.
The printing press is a machine that was created to make printing messages easier. It offered moveable type or the option to put together a message with symbols that could be moved and reused as many times as one liked without having to print each letter, word, or symbol one by one. The first movable type machine, and therefore, the first printing press, was created by a man named Bi Sheng who lived in Yingshan, China from what we believe to be 970 to 1051, over four full centuries before Gutenberg was even born.
We don’t actually have any of Sheng’s written books, but we do have a book that was printed by another Chinese man, Wang Zhen, who improved on the original device centuries later. His book, Book of Agriculture, was printed in 1313 and even has a description in it of how his device worked. Finally, a man named Baegun, a Korean monk, created another kind of moveable type technology, which was made of metal.
Why Does Gutenberg Get All the Credit?
Despite all these facts, Johannes Gutenberg gets the credit for inventing the printing press for a number of reasons. For one, this type of historical erasure happens all the time; people who weren’t male, white, or European often didn’t get credit for their accomplishments and instead praise was usually heaped on those who were. In addition, though, Gutenberg did make a mighty difference to the history of the printing press by making it accessible to the public.
First off, the Chinese language has many characters, which made even movable type way more complicated than when it was used for the English language. Gutenberg was able to streamline the technology to require only capital letters, lowercase letters, and punctuation. In addition, his machine, which still had to be operated by a person, was much easier to use, making it something many people and businesses were able to obtain. As a result, the printing press made the printed word easier to create and less expensive for those who wanted to purchase books and other printed material.
Did Gutenberg Know He Wasn’t the First?
At the time when Gutenberg was making his printing press, there was quite a bit of trade and communication between the East and the West, so it’s likely Gutenberg didn’t come up with the idea independently. Instead, he probably heard of or saw the technology and decided to improve upon it.
Even now, it is important to note that Gutenberg did not invent the printing press. We remember him because he made it popular and easy to use, but sometimes, we forget he wasn’t the first to envision the technology.
By Julia Tilford, contributor for Ripleys.com
The Man Who Makes The World’s Biggest Monsters
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
In the United Northwest neighborhood of Indianapolis, a 70-foot-tall Brachiosaurus rises up on her hind legs. Her front feet are planted on the green glass of Children’s Museum Indianapolis, her head through a groove in the top of the building. This impressive sculpture towers above visitors as a formidable attraction, but also an educational one.
Ames Kirkikis / Shutterstock
The artist who created the Brachiosaurus, Gary Staab, is known for his realistic constructions of long-gone prehistoric beasts—and for his ability to design them at a breathtaking scale.
“We’ve done some of the largest animals to ever live,” Staab explained of the work done at Staab Studios in Missouri. “We’ve done the largest crocodile, the largest shark, the largest dinosaur at the time, and the largest flying reptile.” That is, respectively, the Sarcosuchus, or super-croc, megalodon, Brachiosaurus, and Quetzalcoatlus, a flying animal as tall as a giraffe.
But before Staab had the opportunity to create scientific monster statues, he wasn’t sure if he wanted to study biology or music.
Then, one day, as a freshman in college, Staab visited the Hasting’s Museum of Natural History. As a lover of both art and animals, the sculptor-to-be was captivated by the concept of making educational displays. He did a directed study at the museum to help them make model animals, then he did an internship at the Smithsonian, another at the British Museum of Natural History in London, and later was on staff at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. He’s been creating prehistoric beasts for the public to enjoy ever since.
Recently, Staab made headlines for his construction of a life-sized megalodon, hanging menacingly from the ceiling at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. The animal, which went extinct 3.6 million years ago, was a relative of today’s mako sharks—but megalodon was bigger than a school bus. Staab’s construction was 52 feet long, 23 feet across the fins, and 34 feet around the belly.
Imagine fitting that through the Smithsonian’s front door.
“A big part of my job is getting really big animals through really small doors,” Staab explained. When his studio was constructing the beast, they also constructed a replica of the Smithsonian’s entry. They had to make the megalodon in 21 pieces, fit them through the doors of their studio, transport them to Washington, D.C., get the pieces inside the museum, and then put them all together, 83 feet in the air.
It’s a lot of work, but to Staab, it’s worth it.
“Scientists have only the bones [of many prehistoric animals,] so they have to work with folks like myself to create these renditions of animals,” Staab explained. “So that we can get a better idea of what animals looked like in the past.” Staab thinks of the creatures, from thousands to hundreds of millions of years old, as “markers” of their time.
“It gives us a way to frame time,” he continued. “Looking back with these animals is a way to time travel.”
By Kristin Hugo, contributor for Ripleys.com
June 26, 2019
June 25, 2019
Pepper-Box Pistols: The 19th-Century Revolver
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
While the advent of firearms was a turning point in human history—with ramifications powerful enough to topple cities, nations, and whole civilizations—their proliferation and innovation was a fairly gradual process.
Beginning with the invention of gunpowder in 9th-century China, it took nearly 700 years for firearms to show up in Europe. The Ottoman Army wielded the arquebus in the 13th century. These weapons were the first firearms to have a trigger. Firing mechanisms and ignition technology proved the toughest parts for ancient engineers to innovate.
Reloading and preparing one of these ancient firearms could take a fatal eternity on the battlefield. The flintlock era made guns light and durable enough for soldiers to carry multiple pistols into battle, but even this might only give a combatant a few shots, all while trying to switch weapons.
The revolver would eventually solve this problem a century later, but before the revolver came the pepper-box pistol. Instead of having a rotating set of chambers, the pepper-box pistol had multiple barrels that would be preloaded and then rotated as the gun was fired.
The best infantrymen might be able to reload their muskets and pistols in 60 to 90 seconds, but the pepper-box pistol usually only needed the trigger pulled again to rotate the next barrel into place and fire.
The earliest pepper-box pistols were developed around 1790. They used flintlock systems, and their barrels had to be rotated by hand. These pistols had three, four, or seven barrels depending on the design. With the invention of the percussion cap—a new device that created a spark when hit by the hammer—pepper-box pistols quickly became the most advanced handguns available to the wealthy.
Militaries didn’t ever really adopt these firearms in earnest, but many wealthy soldiers would purchase the pistols on their own as a backup on the battlefield. Pepper-box guns could have anywhere from three to 24 barrels, with the only real downside being the weight added by each additional barrel. While it might take an hour to load all 24 shots into one of these pistols, the barrels could be fired in just a few seconds. Pepper-box pistols proved most effective at close range when multiple shots had to be fired.
The pepper-box pistol wasn’t popular for very long, as machining processes developed soon after its inception, making the precision needed to make revolvers more available. Still, the gun was used for self-defense by many due to its later reduced cost.
Pepper-box designs today are mostly made for novelty purposes, much like pocket derringers, though some modern firearms do make use of the multi-barrel design. The gun’s relatively simple design and generous design tolerances have also made it the subject of many 3D printer firearm designs.
Pepper-Box Pistols: The 17th-Century Revolver
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
While the advent of firearms was a turning point in human history—with ramifications powerful enough to topple cities, nations, and whole civilizations—their proliferation and innovation was a fairly gradual process.
Beginning with the invention of gunpowder in 9th-century China, it took nearly 700 years for firearms to show up in Europe. The Ottoman Army wielded the arquebus in the 13th century. These weapons were the first firearms to have a trigger. Firing mechanisms and ignition technology proved the toughest parts for ancient engineers to innovate.
Reloading and preparing one of these ancient firearms could take a fatal eternity on the battlefield. The flintlock era made guns light and durable enough for soldiers to carry multiple pistols into battle, but even this might only give a combatant a few shots, all while trying to switch weapons.
The revolver would eventually solve this problem a century later, but before the revolver came the pepper-box pistol. Instead of having a rotating set of chambers, the pepper-box pistol had multiple barrels that would be preloaded and then rotated as the gun was fired.
The best infantrymen might be able to reload their muskets and pistols in 60 to 90 seconds, but the pepper-box pistol usually only needed the trigger pulled again to rotate the next barrel into place and fire.
The earliest pepper-box pistols were developed around 1790. They used flintlock systems, and their barrels had to be rotated by hand. These pistols had three, four, or seven barrels depending on the design. With the invention of the percussion cap—a new device that created a spark when hit by the hammer—pepper-box pistols quickly became the most advanced handguns available to the wealthy.
Militaries didn’t ever really adopt these firearms in earnest, but many wealthy soldiers would purchase the pistols on their own as a backup on the battlefield. Pepper-box guns could have anywhere from three to 24 barrels, with the only real downside being the weight added by each additional barrel. While it might take an hour to load all 24 shots into one of these pistols, the barrels could be fired in just a few seconds. Pepper-box pistols proved most effective at close range when multiple shots had to be fired.
The pepper-box pistol wasn’t popular for very long, as machining processes developed soon after its inception, making the precision needed to make revolvers more available. Still, the gun was used for self-defense by many due to its later reduced cost.
Pepper-box designs today are mostly made for novelty purposes, much like pocket derringers, though some modern firearms do make use of the multi-barrel design. The gun’s relatively simple design and generous design tolerances have also made it the subject of many 3D printer firearm designs.
Bruce Campbell’s Encounter With The Unexplained – Ripley’s Believe It or Notcast Episode 003
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Travel Channel has brought Ripley’s Believe It or Not! back to television with veteran actor Bruce Campbell introducing viewers to the strange, bizarre, and unusual.
This week on the Ripley’s Believe It or Notcast, Brent and Ryan talk to Bruce about the show, asking him what it’s like in the world-famous Ripley Warehouse. Bruce’s Believe It or Not! instincts are also put to the test with some “Or Not” trivia. Bruce reveals his creepiest fan interaction, and even regales our hosts with his very own encounter with an unexplained flying object.
Watch the show on Travel!
The Mandella Effect
For more weird news and strange stories, visit our homepage, and be sure to rate and share this episode of the Notcast!
Source: Bruce Campbell’s Encounter With The Unexplained – Ripley’s Believe It or Notcast Episode 003
June 24, 2019
Meet The “Narluga” And Other Weird Whale Hybrids
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Narwhals and belugas have always shared the waters of the Arctic, swimming peacefully in their respective groups. The animals, which are both similarly-sized whales, occasionally adopt each other into their groups. Sometimes, it turns out, they’ll even have babies together.
There are 90 different species of whale, including several species of dolphin, some whales with teeth, and some with mouths full of a feathery tissue called “baleen.” Despite the fact that all the whale species look and act differently, there have been numerous documented sightings of whale hybrids. That means that two members of different species came together to mate, and having offspring that look a little like Mom, and a little like Dad.
Narwhals and belugas are different enough that you would never mistake one for another if you were to see them both in their native habitat. Narwhals are dark and spotted, and the males have noticeable long tusks, spiraling out of their noses, like underwater unicorns. Belugas are white and melon-headed.
Narwhal mage courtesy of Kristin Laidre/NOAA
That’s why a group of Inuit hunters catching their dinners was so surprised when they killed a group of three animals that looked like no whale they had seen before. With grey skin, forward-pointing teeth, and a mish-mash of other body parts, the three animals couldn’t have been narwhals or belugas—or were they both, at the same time?
That was in the 1980s, and one of the hunters kept one of the skulls on his shed. Later, a scientist examined the skull and suggested that it might have been a hybrid of the two whales. That theory was based on the interesting shapes of the skull and teeth, that seemed to be at once narwhal-ish and beluga-ish.
Mikkel Høegh Post/CC Scientific Report
Since then, DNA sequencing technology has improved immensely, and scientists more recently set off to determine once and for all what animal the hunters had killed decades ago. They extracted DNA from a tooth of the strange skull one of the hunters had kept, sequenced it, and compared it to that of belugas and narwhals.
The researchers published their results in the journal Scientific Reports on June 20, 2019. The verdict? The animal’s mother was a narwhal, and its father was a beluga. Behold, the “narluga.”
Hybrids are only possible when two species are close enough genetically, and even then it can be rare. A shark and a dolphin would never be able to reproduce because they are not closely related. Some hybrids, like mules and zebra-donkey hybrids, almost never have babies of their own. If two animals are genetically close but don’t live in the same area or have the same mating rituals, they aren’t likely to hybridize either.
Illustrations by Larry Foster/CC Scientific Report/
Yet, many whales have crossed the species barrier and made new and exciting creatures. In 2016, scientists in British Columbia, Canada published a paper in the journal Ecology and Evolution listing some strange whale hybrids. That includes a cross between a blue whale and a fin whale, a cross between a common bottlenose dolphin and a long-beaked common dolphin, a cross between a southern right whale dolphin and a dusky dolphin. The researchers documented seven different hybrids in captivity and thirteen in the wild.
The authors of the 2016 paper also include the narluga on their list of hybrids, even though the DNA analysis hadn’t yet taken place. Still, the shape of the skull was convincing enough for scientists to know that the narluga is one of the weirdest whale hybrids ever found.
By Kristin Hugo, contributor for Ripleys.com
The Woman With Reversed Organs
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
The dead woman on the exam table harbored a strange secret inside her. The medical students standing above her didn’t realize it, though, until they opened her up.
Gross anatomy classes involve medical students dissecting the bodies of deceased donors to help them learn about human insides before they go on to perform surgery on living people. It helps to see the anatomy of multiple people so that students can get an idea of what the average person looks like, and what kind of variation there is.
Rose Marie Bentley/Photo courtesy of the Bentley family
Rose Marie Bentley, a 99-year-old Oregonian, was more of a variant type than an average. Bentley donated her body at death to be used for a gross anatomy class at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU). She had comparably few medical troubles in her long life, outside of arthritis, which is common in the elderly. But when the students looked inside, they saw something off.
“When we were looking in the chest and studying the cardiovascular system, we noticed some of the blood vessels were different,” said Cam Walker, an assistant professor at OHSU. On further exploration, they found that her organs were all placed in a mirror-image of how they should be. Walker presented Bentley as a case-study in the Experimental Biology 2019 meeting.
Lynn Kitagawa for OHSU
Bentley had a rare condition called situs inversus. The condition places the liver, stomach, and other organs in the abdomen in the wrong place, which can be dangerous when the blood vessels don’t reach the organs properly. However, Walker explains Bentley was lucky because her heart was (literally) in the right place, so her condition was much less dangerous. Medical literature describes two other people with the same condition, with similarly positioned hearts, and they both lived normal lifespans, into their 70’s.
Lynn Kitagawa for OHSU
Even though Bentley didn’t provide a perfect example of a normal study subject for the students to examine, her body was still useful. Walker explains that it’s important to understand people with this condition because if a doctor notices that one organ is transposed in a patient, they should image the heart as well to find out if it’s formed properly. If it is, the patient has a much better chance of living as long as Bentley.
By Kristin Hugo, contributor for Ripleys.com
Source: The Woman With Reversed Organs
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