Ripley Entertainment Inc.'s Blog, page 57
November 8, 2022
November 7, 2022
Artist Cedric Laquieze Turns Dead Insects Into Fairies!
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Netherlands-based artist Cedric Laquieze turns dead insects into fairies! Believe It or Not!, Cedric has created hundreds of these peculiar pixies since starting more than a decade ago, and no two are alike.
A Bug’s LifeTo start, Cedric collects dead insect specimens given to him by breeders. He carefully takes apart the ethically sourced insects’ delicate exoskeletons and wings. Cedric can then rearrange and combine them into a new creation, sometimes using up to 10 insects in a single sculpture!
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By using a variety of colors, shapes, and textures, he can achieve different personalities, ranging from regal to whimsical. Cedric’s other work includes flower-covered skeletons and anatomical models made from plastic toys.
Bug Builds“The aspect of the fairies that I like the most is that over the span almost 20 years and hundreds of fairies, I’ve never made the same piece twice, and the shapes colors and designs are extremely diverse from dark and intimidating to almost cartoon like or Victorian and classic each one has found its counterpart,” Cedric Laquieze told Gloomth Magazine.
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Find this story and more inside Ripley’s all-new book! Escape the Ordinary‘s 256 pages spark curiosity, challenge perception, celebrate differences, and curate a sense of wonder for the weird world around us! Available now on Amazon and at most major retailers.
Source: Artist Cedric Laquieze Turns Dead Insects Into Fairies!
November 6, 2022
November 5, 2022
November 4, 2022
Swiss Break Record with 1.2-Mile-Long Passenger Train
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
The Swiss have commemorated the 175th anniversary of their first railway by launching a record-breaking 1.2-mile-long passenger train consisting of 100 cars.
Weighing 2,990 tons, the extra-long train was comprised of 25 smaller “Capricorn” electric trains, traveled approximately 15 miles from Preda to Alvaneu along a UNESCO World Heritage route in eastern Switzerland on October 29, according to CNN. The area is renowned for its plunging hills, switchbacks, viaducts, and tunnels.
Chugging AlongDuring the hour-long excursion, the train descended from 5,866 feet above sea level in Preda about 30 miles from Italy’s border to 3,279 feet at Alavneu. The route is slightly treacherous due to its sharp curves, 22 tunnels, 48 bridges, and narrow-gauge construction.
Belgium and the Dutch previously held the longest passenger train record but did so by operating their trains on standard-gauge railways on level landscapes. In contrast, the Swiss train traveled on a narrow-gauge railway in which the rails were spaced just 3.3 feet apart as opposed to the standard gauge of 4 feet 8.5 inches.
The feat drew crowds of train enthusiasts eager to watch history be made. Credit: swiss-image.ch / Mayk Wendt
Stay on TrackSwitzerland’s record-breaking display was spearheaded by the Swiss transport company, Rhaetische Bahn, otherwise known as Rhaetian Railway or RhB. Head driver Andreas Kramer told CNN that the terrain and type of track necessitated special focus among its seven operators and 21 technicians: “We need to be 100% synchronized, every second. Everyone has to keep their speed and other systems under control at all times.”
Those involved in its operation used software and an intercom system to stay in sync throughout the journey. Had there been any fluctuation in acceleration or deceleration, it could have led to high forces on the track and power supplies, a recipe for disaster. The train traveled just 22 mph to avoid power grid overload. It also featured additional control cables for safety.
Choo-Choose TrainsRail transportation is popular among the Swiss, who on average travel 1,522 miles on trains annually. In 2021, 880,000 passengers used 11,260 trains every day to travel on the country’s 2,029-mile-long system of tracks. The country also has private railways, creating a rail network of 3,293 miles.
However, ridership in Switzerland dropped 30 percent during the pandemic, according to EuroNews. Organizers hope the publicity from this record-breaking event will encourage people to consider train travel.
By Noelle Talmon, 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: Swiss Break Record with 1.2-Mile-Long Passenger Train
There’s a Giant, Unblinking Eyeball in Downtown Dallas
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Everything’s bigger in Texas, and this proves no less true in downtown Dallas, where you’ll find a 30-foot-tall lifelike sculpture of a human eyeball, red veins and all!
Seeing Eye to EyeThe Eye was created by American multimedia artist Tony Tasset in 2007 and is fabricated from roughly 18,000 pounds of fiberglass, steel, resin, and paint! Believe It or Not!, the sculpture was modeled after Tasset’s own eye and stares with its unblinking pupil at any visitors that may walk by.
Editorial credit: Dorti / Shutterstock.com
If you wish to feast your eyes on the larger-than-life artwork, you’ll find it across the street from The Joule hotel. The Eye moved there from Chicago in 2013 and has since become a hotspot for weddings, yoga classes, and of course, selfies. It is also home to Dallas Art Fair’s appropriately named Eye Ball gala.
Eye See YouWhen approached about what The Eye signifies, Tasset does not give a specific answer, rather stating the piece means “whatever you want.”
Even if Tasset insists there’s no deeper meaning, we want to know what you see in The Eye. What does it mean to you? Does it inspire you to look deeper within yourself or view the world from a different perspective? Or is it simply just an eye? Let us know!
Escape the Ordinary With Ripley’s Latest Book!Find this story and more inside Ripley’s all-new book! Escape the Ordinary‘s 256 pages spark curiosity, challenge perception, celebrate differences, and curate a sense of wonder for the weird world around us! Available now on Amazon and at most major retailers.
Source: There’s a Giant, Unblinking Eyeball in Downtown Dallas
Washington Woman Attacked by Owl… Twice
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
A Washington woman is currently living in fear of a wise guy neighbor after being attacked twice while walking near her home. Did we mention her neighbor is an owl?
Kirsten Mathisen’s first physical encounter with her new nemesis was when her daily walk through the woods near her Hansville home took a bloody turn. The attack was swift and silent as the white barred owl swooped down from the sky, aiming straight for her head with its claws out, ready to rumble.
“It felt like getting punched in the back of the head by someone wearing rings,” Mathisen said.
Kirsten was able to nab some quick photos and a video of her assailant before getting the heck out of the woods.
Upon returning home, her boyfriend helped clean her bloodied, cut-up scalp while she regaled him with the harrowing tale. Her next stop was a visit to the doctor for a tetanus shot to avoid contracting any disease or infection from the owl’s claws.
Kirsten decided to give the owl some space and avoid the woods to stay out of its territory; it did not work.
Targeted HarassmentExactly one week later, the owl came back for round two, accosting Kirsten in her own driveway! This time it left deeper, bloodier cuts behind.
Naturally confused, Kirsten hopped on Reddit, seeking answers about what was happening to make this owl so vicious despite being unprovoked.
While some cracked Hogwarts jokes (RIP Hedwig), others shared theories about the case of Kathleen Peterson, as featured in The Staircase, stating that they believe an owl and not Kathleen’s husband is responsible for her death. She also found a slew of similar stories from others in the Pacific Northwest, including a Seattle runner who wears an owl mask on the back of her head to avoid being attacked. Still, none of these stories explained why it was happening.
What’s This Owl’s Deal?According to wildlife biologist Jonathan C. Slaght of the Wildlife Conservation Society, who examined Kirsten’s photos to confirm the species, barred owls are “aggressive” and “highly territorial” creatures that typically nest in tree cavities. Alas, there are fewer and fewer dense forests for them to nest in, causing these unnatural altercations to become more common.
“The more you reduce the places where an owl can nest, the more likely it’s going to be nesting somewhere in close proximity to humans,” explained Slaght.
Kirsten has since taken her daily walks far from where the owl lives. She also added a hat and an umbrella to her workout gear for good measure.
She hopes to return to her regularly scheduled programming soon, and if Slaght is correct, she may be in luck.
“This will sort of work its way out,” he said, explaining that the owl’s aggressive actions indicate that it’s likely nesting or pre-breeding, which are seasonal activities.
It would be easy for Kirsten to hate her attacker, but she doesn’t seem to harbor too much ill will, saying, “I don’t want the owl to be put down or something. It’s very beautiful. It’s just a pretty b****.”
By Meghan Yani, 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!
November 3, 2022
Does Stress Cause Gray Hair? Yes. Is It Reversible? Also Yes!
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
The correlation between stress and gray hair has long been debated, but a new study proves that stress can indeed have an effect on the color of people’s locks. Researchers have even determined that a person’s hair can return to its original hue when the stress in his or her life is removed!
Stress is More“Our data add to a growing body of evidence demonstrating that human aging is not a linear, fixed biological process but may, at least in part, be halted or even temporarily reversed,” noted Martin Picard, PhD, senior author and associate professor of behavioral medicine (in psychiatry and neurology) at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons explained in Science Daily. The study is called “Quantitative Mapping of Human Hair Greying and Reversal in Relation to Life Stress.”
However, the effects are usually temporary, only happen to people within a certain age range, and apply to just a few strands of hair on the head.
Picard stated how hair records a person’s “biological history,” and when it is still beneath the skin in the follicle stage it can be affected by stress hormones and other factors. “Once hairs grow out of the scalp, they harden and permanently crystallize these exposures into a stable form,” he added. In other words, once your hair grows out of your scalp, it can’t change color. Only new growth at the root can be altered.
The Gray AreaThe data from the research was small — only 14 volunteers participated. The participants ranged in age from 9 to 65, and none of them used dye or chemical treatments to alter the color of their hair, reported Today. Each person kept a diary in which they wrote down their level of stress every week. The results showed that there was an association between stress and gray hair, and in some cases the hair reversed color when stress was eliminated.
In one particular instance, a volunteer went on vacation, and five gray hairs on that individual’s head returned to their original dark color during the trip. Situations in which the hair was white at the top segment but grew darker from the scalp, known as “repigmentation,” was observed in 10 of the 14 volunteers.
The researchers measured thousands of protein levels in the hairs and how they changed. When hair turned gray, they noted 300 proteins also changed, likely a result of stress-causing changes in mitochondria. “Mitochondria are actually like little antennas inside the cell that respond to a number of different signals, including psychological stress,” Picard noted.
The same effects involving reversible hair color were not observed in a separate study involving mice; however, mice have different hair follicle biology.
The Bottom LineStress is a survival method for humans in that it helps them avoid danger, such as fight-or-flight scenarios. But it may also cause cells to age more quickly. Unfortunately, removing stress isn’t a guarantee that your hair will return to its original color, particularly if you’re middle aged.
Once hair reaches the threshold to turn gray due to biological age and other factors, it will remain gray. Picard noted that a 70-year-old who has had gray hair for many years won’t revert to their original hair color if they reduce the stress in their life. In addition, adding stress to a 10-year-old’s life won’t “tip their hair over the gray threshold.”
The good news is that there are some ways to prevent your cells from prematurely aging. Eat moderately, exercise regularly, and participate in activities that make you feel good. These behaviors can aid in the release of positive hormones and better functioning mitochondria, which makes you feel like you have more energy.
By Noelle Talmon, 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: Does Stress Cause Gray Hair? Yes. Is It Reversible? Also Yes!
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