Ripley Entertainment Inc.'s Blog, page 77
July 14, 2022
July 13, 2022
For 30 Years, Garfield Phones Appeared On French Beaches Without Explanation
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Garfield, the lovable and lazy orange cartoon cat, remains a pop-culture icon known for wise sayings like “I’ve never met a lasagna I didn’t like” and “I hate Mondays.” But we should add a hearty round of “Bonjours” to the mix because for 30 years, hundreds of Garfield-shaped phones washed ashore in France without explanation.
After thorough investigations into the lasagna-loving feline and how his phones ended up in the ocean off the coast of northwestern France, the mystery was eventually solved. But the answer wasn’t to everyone’s liking. Keep reading to learn more about the fat cat that continues to take Gaul by storm.
Garfield Makes His First AppearanceThe Garfield mystery began in the mid-1980s when the bright orange plastic parts of a phone were discovered in a crevice on the Brittany coast, according to The Washington Post. This ushered in decades of similar finds, from his smug face to his corpulent body, his lazy bulging eyes to dial pads and curly wires.
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While there’s something oddly fitting about the indolent feline splayed out on the sun-warmed sands of northwestern France’s beaches, the origins of the endless parade of phones remained a mystery. No matter how often people cleaned the shore of the plastic items, more showed up.
Everybody’s Favorite Grumpy Cat Is BornThe Garfield phone hit store shelves in the early 1980s, following fast on the popularity of Jim Davis’ syndicated comic strip, which first appeared in newspapers beginning in 1978 (via Britannica). The cranky orange and black tabby’s charm garnered a strong fan following, and his commercial appeal exploded. From T-shirts to calendars, slippers to telephones, Garfield became the iconic cartoon cat of the 1980s. (Sorry, Heathcliff.)
Editorial credit: catwalker / Shutterstock.com
Of course, the coastal onslaught was anything but a laughing matter. Locals raced to get to the bottom of the pollution, worried the plastic would negatively impact local ecosystems and marine life. But the answer would prove elusive for decades to come. Fast forward to 2019, and we finally have some answers (and none of them can be blamed on Odie).
Garfield’s (Plastic) Toxicity ExplainedAlthough the Garfield phones first appeared in the 1980s, remarkably, their presence has remained steady ever since. More than 200 Garfield phone pieces littered northwestern France’s beaches in 2018 alone.
The continued appearance of these materials has made people like Claire Simonin-Le Meur fear Brittany’s coastline will be indefinitely contaminated by Garfield phones. As president of the environmental group Ar Viltansoù, Simonin-Le Meur has spent years trying to get to the bottom of the mystery with no luck. But then a tip from a local farmer broke the case wide open.
Farmer René Morvan led Simonin-Le Meur to a seaside cave located among the cliffs of Brittany. There, Morvan revealed that decades ago he and his brother found a metal shipping container inside and it was filled with Garfield phones.
Unfortunately, volunteers were unable to reach the container immediately after this revelation. It was located so deeply in the cave that visiting the location required the perfect timing. But when the tide finally changed, making the big reveal possible, the shipping container was empty.
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So, Now What?This anti-climactic event left little to celebrate. As Simonin-Le Meur explains, “[T]he bulk of the phones are already gone, the sea has done its job for 30 years. We arrive[d] after the battle” (via Smithsonian Magazine). This change in circumstances has forced Simonin-Le Meur to think out of the box.
She soon discovered a potential silver lining: instead of attempting to find and eradicate the source of the phones, she’s now using the appearance of the Garfield memorabilia to raise public awareness about ocean pollution. In a sense, Garfield has become the poster child for plastic pollution.
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: For 30 Years, Garfield Phones Appeared On French Beaches Without Explanation
July 12, 2022
Incredibly Preserved Baby Mammoth Uncovered In Canada
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Thirty-thousand years in the ground wreaks havoc (and oblivion) on most corpses. The best you can generally hope for is fossilization, as in the case of some lucky dinosaurs and other creatures of the prehistoric past. So, researchers had to pinch themselves after discovering a baby mammoth in Canada’s Yukon territory in such a remarkable state of preservation that it looked like it could get up and walk around.
Here’s what you need to know about this mindboggling find and how to get your own mammoth fix stateside.
An Incredible Story UnfoldsDiscovered lying in the fetal position, a baby woolly mammoth (likely female) was found buried in mud by a group of gold miners in June 2022. Geologists were excited by the find and believe the furry little pachyderm died in the Ice Age’s permafrost. But perhaps the most enthusiastic response came from elders of the Trʼondëk Hwëchʼin. You see, the mammoth showed up on the tribe’s ancestral land, and they welcomed the find by naming her Nun cho ga. Translated from the Hän language, the term means “big baby animal.”
The mummified baby woolly mammoth was discovered in Yukon, Canada.
Experts say it is ‘the most complete find’ in North America. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/vybXQuNrxr
— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) June 27, 2022
Nun cho ga follows in a fascinating tradition of frozen fossils found in the Yukon territory. This region of Canada contains a veritable treasure trove of evidence from the distant past. That said, Nun cho ga isn’t the first baby mammoth to show up in North America. In 1948, the partial remains of another one turned up.
But nothing beats the level of preservation of Canada’s newest find. It’s easy to imagine the diminutive critter roaming North America tens of thousands of years ago alongside cave lions, wild horses, and giant steppe bison. In fact, it must’ve been an incredible sight. (Where’s a time-traveling DeLorean when you need it?)
If You Melt It, They Will ComeThe find of Nun cho ga has touched many within Canada’s First Nations as well as the scientific community. Grant Zazula is an Ice Age paleontologist working in North America. Naturally, he couldn’t suppress the incredible excitement associated with his first sight of the little one. He explained, “It has been one of my lifelong dreams to come face-to-face with a real woolly mammoth … Nun cho ga is beautiful and one of the most incredible mummified Ice Age animals ever discovered.”
A rise in global temperatures has made such finds possible as Russia’s frozen tundra has begun melting for the first time in many thousands of years, per The New York Times. In the process, unbelievable sights have emerged. They include woolly mammoths, woolly rhinos, dog-wolves, and other beasts, including vanished big cat species, according to Radio Free Europe. The melting permafrost has inspired scientists to flock to this Siberian “field of dreams” in search of more well-preserved biological wonders of the prehistoric past.
See Mammoths, Stay WarmFortunately, you don’t have to trek to Russia or Canada’s coldest regions to get your mammoth fix. Ripley’s Believe It or Not! recently acquired two pieces of mammoth skin and a preserved mammoth leg that you’ve got to see to believe. Believe It or Not!, one of the pieces of skin even includes a mammoth nipple!
Each mammoth fragment was uncovered in the Laptev Sea in Siberia between 2005 and 2010. Although the leg has not yet been dated, the two pieces of hide stretch back to between 43,400 and 49,000 years ago! Each of the specimens contains tissue and bone, making them incredibly rare finds well worth a visit to a Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Odditorium!
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: Incredibly Preserved Baby Mammoth Uncovered In Canada
Meet Cheddar, The One-in-30-Million Orange Lobster
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
There was something obviously very different about one of the lobsters shipped to a Red Lobster restaurant in Hollywood, Florida. Employees at the restaurant immediately noticed the beautiful, bright orange color of the lobster, and they went on a mission to rescue the unique crustacean.
Here at Ripley’s, we take pride in honoring all of the unusual curiosities the world has to offer and when Red Lobster reached out about an orange lobster they had in their possession, Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach answered the call and happily welcomed the extraordinary crustacean to her new home this week!
Orange You Glad to Meet Me?The Red Lobster and Ripley’s Aquarium teams affectionately named the orange lobster Cheddar in a nod to the restaurant’s beloved Cheddar Bay Biscuits®. Cheddar will be forever protected in the safety of her new habitat at Ripley’s Aquarium. Believe It or Not!, orange lobsters like Cheddar are extremely rare — a one-in-30-million chance — because their bright, unusual coloring makes them very attractive to predators.
You’ve never seen a lobster quite like Cheddar!
Hollywood, Florida, Red Lobster manager Mario Roque, who worked to lead the rescue of Cheddar went on to say, “Sometimes ordinary miracles happen, and Cheddar is one of them. A group of incredible people helped us make this possible. We are so honored to have been able to save Cheddar and find her a good home.”
“We are incredibly proud of Mario and the team for recognizing what a special and rare creature Cheddar is and for working relentlessly to find someone to rescue her,” said Nicole Bott, Senior Director, Communications at Red Lobster. “It is an honor to be able to share the story of Cheddar and provide her a new home where she can be enjoyed by many for years to come, all from the safety of her tank.”
Claw-some NewsCheddar will live happily ever after at Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach and the timing couldn’t have been better as the Aquarium celebrates a major milestone: 25 years of welcoming guests, making memories, and promoting an awareness of conservation.
Myrtle Beach is also Ripley’s hub for scientific research. The company’s new Marine Science Research Center, where Cheddar is now acclimating, made waves earlier this year by producing the world’s first successful birth by artificial insemination of a sand tiger shark. Now Cheddar, the fabulous orange lobster, is a sight to add to your list when visiting Ripley’s in Myrtle Beach.
Mario and Cheddar.
Want to see Cheddar in person? Stop by Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach and see for yourself why Cheddar is truly a one-in-30 million find!
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!
July 11, 2022
Awaiting The First Color Photos From The James Webb Telescope
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
The Hubble Space Telescope has been operating for more than 30 years, and the photos it sent back to Earth have forever changed our understanding of the universe. Now, just over seven months since its launch, the James Webb Space Telescope photos are expected to do the same for science.
A Photo Worth 10,000 GalaxiesWhen most people imagine images of space, they think of the dazzling colorful photos taken by NASA’s most famous telescope — Hubble. The most remarkable of them all is the Hubble Ultra Deep Field. This image shows nearly 10,000 galaxies, and it took 800 exposures and required Hubble to orbit Earth 400 times in order to make the photo.
Hubble Ultra Deep Field. Credit: NASA, ESA, and S. Beckwith (STScI) and the HUDF Team
What Else Has Hubble Photographed?Hubble has taken pictures of comets colliding with Jupiter, a dead star ripping apart a planetary system, black holes, and more. The space telescope has photographed Pluto and discovered five moons that surround it. Because of Hubble’s orbiting position outside of the distorting light from Earth’s atmosphere, the telescope has been able to look further back in time and farther into the universe than any telescope that came before it.
The photographs that Hubble produced also reinvigorated public interest in space, science, and astronomy. Some of these iconic images have become woven into pop culture and have landed on all kinds of merchandise. An interesting fact about these dazzling photos is that Hubble doesn’t technically take color photographs.
The telescope doesn’t use color film, or even any film, to capture these incredible sights. Instead of imagining a film camera, think of a sort of digital camera. The telescope uses a CCD (charge-coupled device) and has filters that can let in different types of light, even light that is not visible to the human eye. Then, scientists work with the raw data to create a visual of the image and colorize it based on the light filters.
Images captured by Hubble. Credit: NASA, ESA, STScI
How Hubble Changed ScienceAccording to NASA, Hubble has helped us better understand the universe. Its findings have been used to write more than 19,000 peer-reviewed scientific topics, and it fuels more discoveries and further understanding to this day.
Some of the main mission goals for the Hubble telescope were to understand how quickly the universe was expanding and how old it is. Prior to Hubble, scientists guessed it could be anywhere from 10 to 20 billion years old. Data from the telescope has helped refine the current estimate to 13.7 billion years. Hubble pushed monster black holes from the pages of science fiction and comics to textbooks by proving they exist, and it changed how we view much of the universe.
Hubble against Earth horizon, 1997. Credit: JPL, NASA
According to NASA, “Hubble’s observations have charted the evolution of galaxies, stars, nebulae, comets, the outer planets, and their moons. Hubble’s discoveries have confirmed the existence of black holes in galaxy cores, measured the composition of exoplanet atmospheres, found the most distant galaxies to date, and verified the accelerating expansion of the universe.”
Hubble has also helped us to understand the dark energy that we now know permeates much of the universe.
How Does the James Webb Telescope Take Photos?Webb will provide us with insights into galaxies, planets, and more for years and years. Like Hubble, Webb captures the universe in ways that fall outside the scope of human vision.
In a NASA podcast called “Gravity Assist,” Joseph DePasquale, senior data image developer in the Office of Public Outreach at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Maryland, discussed Webb’s first images:
“The telescope is not really a point and shoot camera. So it’s not like we can just take a picture and there we have it, right? It’s a scientific instrument. So it was designed first and foremost, to produce scientific results. It just so happens with Hubble, and with Webb, that these instruments are exquisitely sensitive, and they create beautiful images of the universe. But it’s scientific data first, so we have to take that data and convert it into an image,” said DePasquale.
What Will the First Color James Webb Telescope Photos Show?NASA, the European Space Agency, and Canadian Space Agency will release the first color photos on Tuesday, July 12, at 10:30 a.m. ET. You’ll be able to find them at NASA.gov and on NASA’s social media. But what should we expect to see?
Technically, the first photo Webb took was of 2MASS J17554042+655127. This star was photographed as a test to make sure everything was working properly.
2MASS J17554042+6551277. Credit : NASA, STScI, JWST
The first full color photos are set to reveal five subjects. These are the Southern Ring Nebula (a cloud of gas surrounding a dying star), the Carina Nebula (a nebula approximately 8,500 light-years from Earth), Stephan’s Quintet (a group of five galaxies), an exoplanet labeled WASP-96b, and an area known as SMACS 0723 (this image will look back nearly 14 billion years and is the deepest view into space yet).
What’s Next After These Five Images?Webb will peer even farther than the image of SMACS 0723 in the photos to come later. Much like Hubble discovered things that weren’t in the initial plan, like dark energy, Webb may answer questions we haven’t even begun to ask. In the future, Webb will peer further into the past and the universe than ever before.
By Kelsey Roslin, 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: Awaiting The First Color Photos From The James Webb Telescope
Spice Up Your Life! Interview With A Spice Girls Doll Collector
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Here at Ripley’s, we take pride in honoring the unbelievable. So when Adam Weatherly came to our attention, we felt compelled to speak with him and honor his collection. Adam has spent many years collecting everything and anything related to the Spice Girls dolls, and he has the biggest and most expansive collection in the world!
We had the privilege of speaking with Adam about not only his collection, but also about how he got started and where he wants to take it, with his goal being to get the Spice Girls dolls recognized by the National Toy Hall of Fame!
So, without further ado, please enjoy our conversation with Adam Weatherly:
Tell our audience a little bit about yourself.
My name is Adam Weatherly; I’m 37. I’m an artist and collector. I collect many things, toys being my main focus. I currently live in Christiansburg, Virginia (that’s very close to Virginia Tech for those not familiar.) I was born and raised in Princeton, West Virginia.
How influential was your family in developing your passion for collecting?
I’m very lucky when it comes to my family. I have had so many adult male collectors tell me their parents wouldn’t let them play with or collect dolls. Nobody in my life has ever told me that I shouldn’t play with or collect dolls.
My first doll was given to me by my Aunt Sally; it was a Strawberry Shortcake doll. She also collected celebrity dolls. So, my love of Strawberry Shortcake and celebrity dolls started with her. My cousin Sonya collected KISS merchandise; my Aunt Rosa collected Bryer horses; my mother collected Snoopy, Rudolph and the Beatles; and my father collected records and westerns.
My biggest influence was my brother Jason and his love of Dolly Parton. He has collected everything he can get of her his whole life. He taught me more about collecting than I can even begin to list.
You now have the world’s largest collection of Spice Girls dolls. What was it about the Spice Girls that inspired you to start your collection?
I was completely obsessed with the Spice Girls from the moment I saw them on TV. It just made sense for me to collect them but also, it’s like something just called me to them. I remember seeing the prototypes on the news being revealed in London. At that moment I wanted nothing more than those dolls. I’m still searching for that very set of prototypes. I actually wrote Galoob [the toy company] a letter asking if I could have them. I still have the response letter that was a polite “no.”
I sadly wouldn’t get the first set of dolls called Girl Power until I had eBay as an adult. They sold out so fast; I never even saw them on shelves. Once more sets came out, I promised myself I was going to have all of them. Here I am, nearly 25 years later with 500 plus dolls and I’m not done. I count every variation and bootleg and I must have them boxed and loose.
You have prototypes, artwork, and even patterns — how difficult was the process of obtaining those pieces and do you have a favorite unreleased piece in your collection?
I wouldn’t say it’s been difficult; it’s just taken a very long time. There were so many things to consider for the dolls to wear, it’s hard to pick a favorite. I wished they would have made everything the girls wore. Recently, I was sent images revealing that their Pepsi outfits were considered. They also considered Ginger’s “Spice Up Your Life” outfit. I would have loved for any of those looks to have been made.
What is your most prized piece in your collection?
It’s hard to pick just one. My first Spice Girl doll, On Tour Posh, is very sentimental to me. Anything the Galoob employees have sent me means more than I can put into words.
A lady by the name of Kamela Portuges-Robbins worked on sculpting for the doll line; she sent me the Sporty Viva Forever Sprite Push Puppet and along with it came her words of encouragement, telling me it was a reward for how hard I worked on my collection. Almost three weeks to the day of receiving that she passed away.
She knew what that piece could be worth, and she gave it to me knowing it would be in good hands. Sometimes I cry when I look at it because I’m sad I never got to hug her or meet her in person. More than anything I look to that Sprite for encouragement every time I want to give up.
Sporty’s Viva Forever Sprite Puppet given to Adam by toy sculptor Kamela Portuges-Robbins.
Are there any unbelievable stories associated with any of the dolls or pieces in your collection?
Yes, there are many stories. The main one that comes to mind is at the beginning of my efforts contacting employees. While on the search for prototypes, I had someone I was friends with on a message board send me a link to an eBay listing for prototype Ginger clothes. He knew how much I was searching for them. At the time, I hadn’t found anyone who worked on the dolls to confirm or deny if they were real. So, I wasn’t about to lose them and ended up paying a decent amount.
When they arrived, the address label had the name of the friend from the message board. He had made them himself intentionally to scam me out of money. It turns out I wasn’t the only one that he had done that to. They had apparently been arrested for internet fraud before. The police became involved, but I eventually got my money back along with some other collectors.
I recently ran across them, and it looks like they have really turned their life around and I couldn’t be happier for them. Also, let it be a lesson. Sometimes bad things happen, but it’s ultimately a push in the right direction. I went out of my way to find an employee to make sure the clothes were indeed fake. That led me to find my first employee which led to another and so on. So, without that push, I may not have located all these wonderful people.
What do the iconic Spice Girls dolls mean to you, and do you feel as though they have gotten fair recognition in the world of toys?
They mean a lot of different things to me. They are toy replicas of the women I love so much. They are like a time capsule of my childhood and that magical time when the Spice Girls were at their height of fame. As far as recognition goes, I don’t think the real Spice Girls or their dolls ever get enough recognition in any form. Not to mention the world currently needs Girl Power more than ever.
This October, the Spice Girls are celebrating their 25th anniversary. What kind of legacy are you hoping to develop for your iconic collection?
I’m just hoping to find everything I can related to creating the dolls, along with finding anyone else who worked on them. I don’t want these dolls to sell or to brag to other collectors. I’m trying to find all these items so they are safe and kept together. I really hope that one day there is a permanent Spice Girls museum that I can donate all of it to.
I’m also working on a book about the dolls with one of my best friends and fellow Spice collector, Joe Richards (@spice_room on Instagram). We met years ago online due to our love of Spice Girls. His collection and knowledge of Spice Girls are both tremendous. It is amazing how many friends we have both made due to our love of the Girls.
You’re working to get the Spice Girls dolls inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame. Tell our audience a little bit about that process and what they can do to help in that effort.
Yes! They can follow this link to nominate a toy for the National Toy Hall of Fame.
It takes just a few minutes to do and anyone in the world can help me with this. Nominations end on July 31, 2022.
I know there are plenty of toys that haven’t been entered that people would say are more deserving. I’m not trying to argue that, but I know now is the time for the Spice Girls dolls to be entered. It would add to the Spice Girls legacy and introduce children to them.
Aside from leading new people to great pop music, I think the Spice Girls represent so many wonderful things like equality, equity, and how strong women are. Even Ginger leaving the group shows that sometimes you must do what’s best for you.
Most importantly, they show you the results of how important it is to believe in yourself even when nobody else does. Aside from all of that, I just want it to represent the people who worked on the dolls at Galoob. Anyone who works behind the scenes in toys never gets the appreciation they deserve.
I hope Spice fans everywhere take the time to nominate them even if they do not like the dolls. This may have started with me, but it can’t happen without all of you.
How can our audience follow you and stay up to date with your collecting?
My Instagram account for the dolls is @thespicegirlsdolls. My Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok for occasional Spice posts and everything else I collect is @sourpieman.
Is there anything else you would like to touch on?
There are a few things I would like to say. First, I want to thank Ripley’s for helping me with this. I’ve been turned away by so many magazines and websites. Also, thank you for not asking how much money I’ve spent. I never liked being asked that because I collect for the joy it brings me.
Second, I know I’ve done nothing but talk about myself. That’s not what any of this is about though. I’ve had to talk about myself to bring attention to the dolls. If anything is to be taken away from me, I hope it’s that it’s ok for boys to have dolls. Gender should have never had a place in toys. They should be for everyone no matter how they identify, no matter the color of their skin, no matter their age.
Third, I want to thank everyone who worked behind the scenes with the real Spice Girls that I’ve made contact with and to everyone who worked on the dolls, for being part of something that has brought me and so many others endless happiness all over the world. If I fail at this, I hope you know how hard I tried. None of you asked me to do this; I did it out of my love and appreciation for each of you and the Spice Girls. I never feel like I’m enough, but I hope just this once I have been.
Lastly, my thanks to the Spice Girls themselves (on the slim chance any of them see this). I was 11 years old when I found the five of you on TV in the desert. You swore that you would “give me everything, all that joy could bring,” and all I had to do was promise to be there. It is a promise I will never break; my love and support as a fan will always be there. Thank you for showing me and so many others that it is okay to be who we want to be.
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: Spice Up Your Life! Interview With A Spice Girls Doll Collector
July 10, 2022
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