Ripley Entertainment Inc.'s Blog, page 65
September 23, 2022
Slime Trail Leads German Customs to Smuggled Surprise
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Customs officials at Germany’s Duesseldorf Airport followed a slimy trail to find bags full of giant African land snails, or GALS, smuggled from Nigeria!
Leading the Snail TrailOfficials were stunned when an eight-inch snail they stumbled upon and believed to be a toy started moving! Since snails aren’t exactly stealthy creatures, they were able to follow the fugitive’s trail until they found the source — a hole in a bag that had another snail peeking out, plotting its own great escape.
Upon searching the luggage, they discovered that not only were these two smuggled mollusks were not alone; they were joined by six bags full of others for a total of 93 GALS. (Quite the bachelorette trip!) The giant snails were also traveling with 62 pounds of fish and smoked meat, as well as a briefcase full of rotten meat.
While the meat and seafood were destroyed ASAP, the snails’ journey from Nigeria to an African goods store in west Germany was detoured to a local animal rescue service.
Spokesman Michael Walk remarked, “Never in the history of the Duesseldorf customs office has a trail of slime led us to smuggled goods.”
These GALS have been wreaking havoc around the globe recently, having hit up Florida’s west coast this summer, causing a quarantine!
While snails may seem harmless, these gastropods pack a ghastly punch, destroying native soil and carrying the rat lungworm parasite wherever they go. A cult leader even once used them to poison his followers!
Considering one snail can lay thousands of eggs at a time, we’d say it’s pretty lucky the customs officers were on their trail before they became a bigger problem.
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!Source: Slime Trail Leads German Customs to Smuggled Surprise
September 22, 2022
Woman Denied Swiss Citizenship Twice For Being Annoying
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Nancy Holten’s journey when it came to receiving her Swiss citizenship was not easy. She was born in the Netherlands but has lived in Switzerland the majority of her life. She moved to the country when she was eight and eventually raised her kids there in the village of Gipf-Oberfrick, located in the Aargau canton. Both kids are Swiss citizens, but Holten was still denied her own Swiss passport and citizenship not once, but twice!
Citizenship in Switzerland is decided by the cantons and municipalities, and the people who reside there. The application must go through each village committee for a vote. That’s right: Your very own neighbors could keep you from being granted full citizenship!
The Fight for Animal Rights (and Citizenship)Holten speaks up for what she believes in, even if it means getting denied a passport the first go-around (and again the second). You could say her public campaigning didn’t make a great impression with the locals — Holten, a vegan, was very vocal about her disdain towards longtime Swiss traditions like cowbells around animals’ necks, hunting, and piglet racing.
She posted on her public Facebook page about animal rights and did interviews with media expressing her views. Fellow Gipf-Oberfric residents said she had a “big mouth” and others referred to her as “annoying” and “boring.” They felt she was seeking media attention and publicly disrespecting the nation’s traditional ways.
Part of naturalization, another term for becoming a Swiss citizen, is living in the country for at least 12 years — and three out of the last five years before applying for citizenship. The applicant typically is required to speak one of the country’s primary languages and must follow orderly conduct consisting of: complying with Swiss laws, not presenting him or herself as a danger to Switzerland’s security, adopting their way of life, and being content with Swiss traditions.
The line about favoring Swiss traditions helped the village people to argue against Holten’s citizenship. They continued to reiterate and make it clear that she did not respect Swiss customs, which would ultimately have a negative impact on the community as a whole.
The VoteIn 2015, 144 out of 206 village committee members rejected her application even though local authorities approved it. Since the residents did not approve, Holten appealed to the Aargau cantonal authorities. The cantonal government reviewed the application and officially approved it after two failed attempts.
Now that she has been granted her citizenship, she says she will continue to fight for animal rights despite being “annoying.” It is something she believes strongly in and wants to ensure her voice is heard — citizen or not!
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: Woman Denied Swiss Citizenship Twice For Being Annoying
September 21, 2022
Who Is The Richest Person Ever? Hint: It’s Not Bezos Or Musk
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Nothing captures the imagination like extraordinary wealth. It’s one of the driving factors compelling people to buy lottery tickets, mail in sweepstakes forms, and crank slot machine handles. And who hasn’t daydreamed about what it would be like to live as a billionaire for a day? It’s safe to say most of us would enjoy taking a walk in Elon Musk or Jeff Bezo’s shoes for 24 hours.
But when it comes to unimaginable wealth, you’ve likely never heard of the richest man to ever inhabit planet Earth. His name was Musa I of Mali (a.k.a. Mansa Musa, “mansa” meaning “king”), and he lived in the 14th century, ruling over the ancient West African kingdom of Mali. Here’s what you need to know about the lifestyle of the richest (and one-time most famous) king to walk the globe.
Inheriting the Wealthiest Throne in the WorldMansa Musa’s rise to power came somewhat unexpectedly. He took the throne in 1312 A.D. after King Abu Bakr II got lost at sea while out with an exploratory fleet of ships on the Atlantic Ocean. Mansa Musa had everything he could ever want. Taking over the Kingdom of Mali involved inheriting substantial monetary holdings. But he wasn’t satisfied with the status quo.
He conquered 24 new territories and cities during his reign, augmenting his empire through warfare. He also worked hard to ensure the empire’s continued success by expanding its trade networks and ramping up Mali’s mining activities.
The kingdom boasted tremendous gold and salt deposits, guaranteeing continued wealth if these resources could be effectively extracted. So, Mansa Musa ramped up mining activities, fueled by the enslavement of thousands of men and women. He also brought in money through the ivory trade, placing pressure on local elephant populations. (Look, we never claimed he was a great guy.)
Building the Richest Kingdom in the WorldBetween 1312 and 1337 A.D., Mansa Musa ruled over the wealthiest place on the continent of Africa: the Kingdom of Mali. Maps have changed greatly since that time, so let’s do a quick refresher on where the Kingdom of Mali was located. The ancient kingdom stretched across a massive swathe of the African continent, including parts of modern-day Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Chad, Nigeria, Niger, Guinea, the Gambia, Senegal, and Mali.
Via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0).
With so much territory at his disposal, Mansa Musa inherited an amazingly affluent empire. He would continue to add to this throughout his lifetime while amassing a tremendous personal fortune, too. Realizing infrastructure could use an overhaul in the empire, Mansa Musa put out a call for architects from Africa and the Middle East to design whole cities.
He used these architects to establish impressive metropolises like Gao and Timbuktu. What’s more, he transformed Mali into a cultivated and vital center of learning renowned throughout the Islamic world.
His Famous Hajj to MeccaIn 1324 A.D., Mansa Musa went on a hajj (or pilgrimage) to Mecca, traveling across Egypt along the way. His entourage proved unforgettable according to Arabic writers of the period. Not only did he leave a massive impression wherever he traveled, but his wealth became renowned throughout the Old World.
Mansa Musa on his way to Mecca. Via Wikimedia Commons.
The cities of Cairo and Mecca received him with pomp and circumstance, but rivaling what Musa I brought with him proved a challenge. The Mali king must have thought packing lightly was overrated, because he brought along 60,000 men, plus 12,000 personal slaves dressed in Persian silk and brocade.
Arabic historians also noted that the king traveled on horseback with 500 enslaved people directly in front of him. These servants promenaded, each holding a golden staff in hand. Moreover, the royal train included 300 pounds of gold and 80 camels.
Legacy of the World’s Richest ManDuring his stay in Cairo, Mansa Musa and his entourage went on a lavish gold-spending spree deflating the price of bullion in Egypt for the next dozen years! And the reputation he developed during this pilgrimage had repercussions for decades, even centuries.
For Europeans, Mansa Musa’s reputation was cemented by the Catalan Atlas, a Spanish map created in 1375 A.D. The cartographers who designed it included a depiction of West Africa and an image of Mansa Musa sitting on a throne with a golden staff in one hand and a gold nugget in the other. Although the king died in 1337 A.D., people across the Old World made him the emblem of unimaginable wealth for centuries.
How Do His Riches Add Up?At this point, you’re likely wondering where Mansa Musa might rank among individuals like Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk. After all, could a medieval ruler really compete with today’s tech titans?
Currently, Jeff Bezos is worth an estimated $151 billion and Elon Musk $241 billion. As for Mansa Musa? He still slays today. If he lived in 2022, the Mali king would be worth an estimated $400 billion!
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: Who Is The Richest Person Ever? Hint: It’s Not Bezos Or Musk
September 20, 2022
New Zealand Beachcombers Stunned By Giant Squid Corpse
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
One of the most iconic lines from 1981’s Clash of the Titans remains, “Release the Kraken!” While the Hollywood version of the Kraken was an anthropomorphized, princess-eating monster, the real-life animal is alive and well in deep waters around the world.
Known as the giant squid, these fantastic and elusive creatures are a sight rarely beheld by human eyes. Yet, they populate the world’s oceans by the millions… some even say hundreds of millions.
Here’s the wild story of one gigantic cephalopod that recently washed ashore in New Zealand.
Population: More Than You’d ThinkThe sheer vastness of the ocean and the extreme depths at which giant squid typically reside make it difficult to determine just how many of these creatures are out there. Scientists must use indirect methods to even guess at what the giant squid population might be.
Based on the content of sperm whale stomachs, researchers Clyde Roper and Liz Shea estimate between 4.3 million and 131 million giant squids are eaten per year. The larger number comes with startling implications—it would mean sperm whales consume 3.6 million giant squids every single day. That’s 40 per second, Believe It or Not!
And that’s not counting how many millions of giant squids are out there not being eaten!
The Clandestine MillionsWhile the planet’s oceans potentially contain hundreds of millions of giant squids, the chances of catching sight of one remain astronomical. That’s why visitors to Farewell Spit felt so amazed when they spied a half-eaten squid body on the nature reserve beach in northern South Island. The corpse was initially found semi-buried in the sand by a reserve guide. After sending out an alert, a nearby tour group rushed over for a look-see.
The visitors reported feeling shocked by the sight of the big squid, measuring 13 feet long at the mantle. They snapped photos of the deep-sea beast remarking on its half-eaten tentacles. (The entire length of the sea critter is unknown because what remained of the tentacles lay buried beneath the sand.)
Anton Donaldson, the group’s guide, stated, “It’s not a common find on any beach, so if you’re able to be there at the right time, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” He also expressed a sense of tragic wonder at observing a “magnificent example of a large sea creature” that had perished.
Apart from these occasional sightings, most giant squids hide among the clandestine millions in the so-called Twilight Zone of the ocean. The Twilight Zone exists at depths of 1,000 to 2,000 feet. (For context, deep-sea diving begins at roughly 60 feet.)
Why New Zealand?A few locations in the world get regularly graced by the bodies of giant squids. These include New Zealand and South Africa. For example, in 2019, another portion of the beach at Farewell Spit became host to a giant squid body measuring 18 feet long.
As for South Africa, it’s also seen its fair share of beastly bodies. In April 2022, a nearly 12-foot-long squid washed up on a beach near Kommetjie. Moreover, a 14-foot-long squid showed up on the coastline near Cape Town in August 2022. These finds attest to the real-life fights that occur daily between two colossuses of the deep: sperm whales and giant squids.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Ali Paulus (@alipaulus)
What we know about giant squids is limited almost exclusively to what’s washed up in these coastal regions over the decades. Plenty of unanswered questions remain. Scientists don’t even know for sure what the animal’s range is. That said, massive cephalopod remains have been found in every ocean on the planet.
Researchers still debate how many species of giant squid exist. Some believe there may be as many as eight. While this sounds mindboggling, that’s a tiny sliver of the hypothesized 500 different species of squid thought to lurk in the world’s marine environments, ranging in size from one inch to a school-bus-sized 45 feet.
That said, the largest giant squid on record came in at a whopping 59 feet long and weighed one ton. That’s something any ancient Greek princess should fear!
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: New Zealand Beachcombers Stunned By Giant Squid Corpse
September 19, 2022
Contortion On A Stand-up Paddleboard With Tori Kubick
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Being a contortionist is no easy feat, and Tori Kubick has taken it one step further by introducing water into her act! That’s right, Tori has shocked the world by combining her stand-up paddleboard with her body-bending routines!
Bending ExpectationsTori began her career as a professional dancer, but while touring the world, she felt that something was missing. She came to the realization that she wanted to pursue contortion professionally and was encouraged by a friend to go to Mongolia to learn the art of Mongolian-style contortion.
Once her dancing tour wrapped, Tori took the first opportunity she had and used the money she saved to fly to Mongolia and train in a beginner class. The training pushed Tori to her physical and mental limits, and although she struggled in the beginning, she continued to push through and began to see herself make major improvements.
Courtesy of Tori Kubick, Jonathan Petit
Thinking Inside the BoxBecoming a professional contortionist was only the first challenge that Tori would endure. As Tori improved her flexibility, she began experimenting with balancing and adding more balance exercises to her daily routine.
Tori would go on to develop an entire contortion routine around her balancing ability by utilizing a floating paddleboard in the water, where she not only balances but bends and folds her body while simultaneously staying afloat!
Courtesy of Tori Kubick, Patrick Jansen
Tori’s deep understanding of balance is what would eventually allow her to bring her routine to the water through the use of her paddleboard. She remains constantly impressed by what the body is capable of with proper training and laser focus. And those observing her paddleboard routine are equally in awe of her physiology-defying moves!
Pushing the LimitsSince filming with Ripley’s, Tori has gone on to implement even more complicated components into her act, including handstand canes that leave her balancing more than a foot above her stand-up paddleboard!
Courtesy of Tori Kubick, Mike Winkles
Want to stay up to date with Tori and all of her mesmerizing body bending? Find her on Instagram and stay in the know about her whereabouts, newest routines, and of course, mind-boggling poses!
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 for preorder now on Amazon and hitting the shelves at most major retailers on September 20, 2022.
SAY “NO” TO NORMAL Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Escape the Ordinary transports readers of all ages to a world beyond imagination — where truth is always stranger than fiction! Every turn of the page reveals all-new and all-true stories from around the globe. Filled with stunning photography and engaging content, this book is every curious reader’s ticket to Escape the Ordinary.Source: Contortion On A Stand-up Paddleboard With Tori Kubick
Ripley Entertainment Inc.'s Blog
- Ripley Entertainment Inc.'s profile
- 52 followers
