Interesting & funny news from around the world, Интересные и забавные новости со всего мира

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Iowa man harvests massive 8.33-pound eggplant

A giant vegetable enthusiast from Iowa broke a world record when he harvested an eggplant weighing in at a staggering 8.33 pounds.

Dave Bennett from Davis County had his eggplant examined by Inspector Ivan Hankins of the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship's Iowa Weights and Measures Bureau.

Hankins confirmed the 8.33-pound eggplant is the largest in the world.

"I've been growing eggplants for probably five years now," Bennett told Radio Iowa. "Two years ago I set the state record at 5.6 pounds."

He said Guinness World Records has been in contact to tell him his application for the record was approved. The previous record of 7.21 pounds was grown in England in 2022.

"Eventually I will have a plaque that says I grew the world's largest eggplant," Bennett said.

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Rare prototype 'Star Wars' Boba Fett action figure from 1979 up for auction

An extremely rare prototype 1979 Star Wars Boba Fett action figure described as the "Holy Grail" of collecting is up for auction.

Auction house Goldin said the Kenner 1979 J-Slot (Version 2) Rocket-Firing (Mailer) Prototype Boba Fett, one of only 30 ever produced, is the the highest-graded example of the three known to still exist and is the first to be up for auction.

The toy was made as a prototype in 1979 but never made it to market due to the risk of injury to children from its firing rocket.

A similar Boba Fett figure became the most expensive vintage toy in the world when it was auctioned for $525,000 in June. That figure was one of 70 prototypes made with an "L-slot" firing mechanism.

The Boba Fett being offered from Goldin is the first "J-slot" to ever make it to auction, the auction house said.

"This item is looked at as one of the most important in the hobby," said Ken Goldin, founder and CEO of Goldin. "This is the first time a Mailer J-Slot V2/ Missile example has come up for auction, making this a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own this iconic piece of the Star Wars franchise."

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Massive dragonfly swarms descend on Rhode Island beach

Visitors to a Rhode Island beach found their peaceful day interrupted when massive swarms of dragonflies came in from the water.

Mark Stickney, who posted footage of the swarm to Facebook, told WBZ-TV he "started seeing dragonflies everywhere" right after he arrived at 11 a.m.

Visitors said the dragonflies arrived in waves, with the largest swarm making landfall at about 1 p.m.

Dragonfly expert Ginger Brown said the insects normally migrate between the middle of August and mid-September, but they have been known to travel en masse when their bog and swamp habitats dry up.

"It is entirely possible that's what we're seeing now," Brown said. "They can travel long distances with relative ease."

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Missouri museum unveils world's longest shoelace

A Missouri museum teamed up with the business located on its second floor to break a world record with a shoelace measuring 2,729 feet long — more than half a mile.

The City Museum, which broke the record for the largest gathering of people with underwear on their heads earlier in the year, said the shoelace record attempt came just days after officials learned they had lost the underwear record to America's Got Talent.

The museum, which is housed in the former Annex of the International Shoe Company building, teamed up with The Shoelace Factory, a business located on the second floor that uses antique machinery to craft artisanal shoelaces.

The 2,729-foot shoelace took about 24 hours to weave using the factory's antique machines. It was then fitted with custom-made aglets — the plastic ends of shoelaces.

The shoelace was laid out across the historic Eads Bridge to be officially measured by a survey team.

The museum's team had to prove the shoelace was created from woven threads and also had to prove it was functional by using it to tie a shoe.

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Disneyland honors free admission ticket won by California man in 1985

A ticket for free admission to Disneyland that was given to a California man in 1985 was honored by the park when his daughter attempted to use it 39 years later.

Scott King visited Disneyland during 30th anniversary celebrations on Aug. 28, 1985.

"At the time, they were giving away a lot of prizes. One was a Cadillac Seville. I thought I had won a car," King told KTLA-TV.

The prize turned out to be a Disney Passport ticket for free admission to the park.

"When I got there, they awarded me with a ticket and an 'I am a winner' badge, and I said, 'What about the Cadillac?' and they laughed and said, 'Not today buddy,'" King told KABC-TV.

King said he ended up putting the ticket into a scrapbook, where it remained forgotten for 39 years.

"My daughter decided that she wanted to go to Disneyland with her boyfriend," King said. "She was telling me about how expensive it was now and everything and I said, 'You know, I have a ticket. Let me see if I can grab it.'"

Sabrina King and her boyfriend, Ruben, took the Disney Passport to the park and brought it to a ticket-taker.

"My daughter handed the ticket to admissions, and the man collecting tickets was so animated, saying this was a really rare thing," Scott King said.

A park manager signed off on the 39-year-old Passport and Sabrina King entered the park for free.

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Thieving seagull snatches man's wallet in grocery store parking lot

A Massachusetts man is offering a reward for the return of his wallet after it snatched by a thieving seagull outside of a grocery store.

Noah Karberg of Nantucket said he made a trip to the Stop & Shop after a day of fishing on the island.

"I was in a fishing shirt and board shorts, so no pockets," he told NBC Boston.

Karberg said he placed his phone and wallet in the tray on top of his shopping cart, where they remained while he was loading groceries into his truck.

"I take the last couple of bags around to the backseat, come back around to the shopping cart, and there is a gull sitting on the cart, and right in front of me, grabs my wallet, flies off!"

Karberg captured video as the seagull made its way to the roof of a nearby car wash and started going through the wallet's contents.

"It was like a gull with an agenda," he said. "Tossed the cash and went straight for my Amex."

Karberg wrote in a local Facebook group that anyone who finds the wallet can keep any cash that remains inside and he is offering an additional $100 cash reward for the return of his license and cards.

"I have had a lot of people reach out to me, say they were sorry for me, but it was really funny," he said. "It has all been in good fun. The island has a pace in the summer. It can be frantic, people can get burned out, and I think this was a little bit of good fun that everyone had."

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Robin Hood tree being restored after vandalism

In England, the famous Robin Hood tree began to come back to life after a barbaric felling. It's been less than a year since vandals cut down Sycamore Gap, a tree that has survived two world wars, seven monarchs and more than 40 prime ministers. “MIR 24” reports this.

National Trust experts were delighted to discover signs of rebirth - with eight young shoots emerging from the remaining stump. They are still very tiny, but each of them has the potential to become part of a new majestic tree.

Experts suggest that these shoots can form a whole group of trees around the old stump. Although the trunk was cut off, the root system and base were resilient enough to give new life.

However, the situation remains challenging and the National Trust plans to take further steps to protect the young growth. They intend to fence off the area around the stump and closely monitor the development of new shoots in the coming years.

Sycamore Gap, located next to the ancient Hadrian's Wall, is considered one of the most recognizable trees in Britain. His popularity skyrocketed after appearing in the 1991 film “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves”.

Police have already identified and charged the two men responsible for destroying the tree. The damage from their actions is estimated at more than half a million pounds.

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David Rush breaks 15 Guinness World Records in one day

Serial record-breaker David Rush visited Guinness World Records headquarters in London and broke 15 records in a single day.

Rush, who is on a quest to hold the most concurrent world records, started his record-breaking marathon by taking 198 bites out of three apples while juggling the fruits for one minute.

Rush next tackled the fastest time to bounce a table tennis ball on two bottle caps ten times using alternate hands, managing the feat in 2.09 seconds.

His other records featuring table tennis balls were the most table tennis balls bounced against a wall with the mouth in 30 seconds, 47; the most hits of a table tennis ball against a wall in one minute, 398; and the most table tennis balls bounced and caught in shaving foam on the head in 30 seconds (individual), 16.

His other records for the day included the most touches of a baseball with alternating sides of the hand in 30 seconds, 125; most behind-the-back basketball passes against a wall in 30 seconds, 38; most juggling catches of a bowling ball and two balls on a balance board in one minute, 243; and most juggling tricks in one minute with three balls, 49.

Rush finished off his marathon with the fastest time to fold and throw a paper aircraft, 5.12 seconds; most chopsticks thrown at a target in one minute, 29; most T-shirts put on in 30 seconds (individual), 20; fastest time to stack 10 toilet paper rolls (one hand), 5.38 seconds; most water moved by the hands in 30 seconds, 5,100 milliliters; and fastest time to drink one liter of lime juice through a straw, 13.99 seconds.

Rush is on a mission to hold the most concurrent Guinness World Records titles, a distinction that currently belongs to Italian Silvio Sabba with 180. He is now in the process of confirming whether he has indeed overtaken Sabba.

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Dolce & Gabbana launches dog perfume named after founder's pet

Luxury Italian brand Dolce & Gabbana has released a perfume for dogs named after the co-founder's own pet.

Fefe is alcohol free and the firm says it has been safety-tested and approved by vets.

The €99 (£85) fragrance is described as an "olfactory masterpiece" featuring ylang ylang, musk and "creamy undertones" of sandalwood.

The bottle features a 24-carat gold-plated paw print and is said to be inspired by "the unwavering love for Domenico Dolce's loyal companion, Fefe".

The company's marketing says it offers "a touch of opulence, making every walk a fragrant and fashionable affair".

Domenico Dolce co-founded D&G with Stefano Gabbana in 1985, turning it into one of the world's most famous luxury brands.

Other companies, such as pet grooming firms, also sell dog perfume at a much cheaper price but it's believed to be the first time a big fashion house has released one.

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PhD Student Travels Across China For 134 Days Without A Phone, Shares His Experience

According to the South China Morning Post, Yang Hao, a PhD student, left his hometown of Taiyuan, the capital of Shanxi province, in November, and travelled extensively for six months, covering an impressive 24 provinces and regions. He left his mobile phone and computer at home, opting instead for two internet-free cameras to document his experiences.

''I feel that the mobile phone is like a digital organ for us. We cannot do many things without one. So I wanted to explore what happens if we have no internet access at all. What's the experience like, say, for several months?'' Mr Hao said.

Needless to say, his technology-free journey across China was laden with challenges. Simple tasks became daunting obstacles, like booking a hotel or hailing a taxi. Without a mobile phone, he had to rely on old-school methods, often resulting in frustrating experiences. Many shops didn't have card machines, leaving him scrambling to find ATMs to withdraw cash. But by engaging with fellow travellers and locals, he found creative solutions to his problems.

''Almost everybody who heard I was not using a mobile was shocked. Some asked if I was doing anything bad, some wondered if I was doing a special job, while others thought it was interesting to live with no mobile,'' he said.

However, Mr Hao found a surprising benefit to his phone-free journey. Without the constant ping of notifications and social media, he was able to devote himself to more meaningful pursuits. He spent his time reading books, writing, and reflecting. His journey finally came full circle in April when he returned home, bringing with him a wealth of new experiences and insights.

''I am like an ancient man who has time-travelled to the modern day. All those troubles and joys made me excited. It was a great life experience,” Mr Hao said.

This digital detox was no coincidence, as his research focuses on the profound impact of digitalisation on human lives. He is now planning to publish a book compiling the articles he penned during his journey, offering a written chronicle of his adventures. He is also working on a documentary, based on the films he shot while on the road.

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