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

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Mysterious sonic boom rattles South Carolina counties

Experts said a suspected earthquake that rattled portions of South Carolina was actually a sonic boom of unknown origins.

The U.S. Geological Survey confirmed the incident just before 5:30 p.m. Thursday was not an earthquake, but a sonic boom estimated to have originated in the St. Andrews area before traveling across multiple counties, including the Columbia area and the Midlands.

The Geological Survey said its equipment is not calibrated to measure sonic booms, so the event was given a rating of 0.0.

The National Weather Service said staff noted the blast at Columbia Metropolitan Airport.

NASA officials said the boom does not appear to have originated from space.

"We have no eyewitness reports of a fireball and no satellite detections of a meteor over the area at the time," Bill Cooke, lead for NASA's Meteoroid Environments Office, told WLTX-TV.

The American Meteor Society concurred that the origin of the boom was likely terrestrial.

Shaw Air Force Base said Friday morning that there were no activities at the base Thursday that would have caused the boom.

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Man balances running chainsaw on his chin for over 4 minutes

An Idaho man broke a potentially deadly Guinness World Record he has pledged to never attempt again: the longest duration balancing a running chainsaw on the chin.

David Rush, who holds the most concurrent Guinness World Records titles, attempted the record at his oldest son's last soccer practice of the season in May 2025, and the record-keeping organization has now confirmed he officially holds the title.

"Some records are simple. Some are hard. Some are flat-out terrifying. Balancing a running chainsaw on my chin falls squarely into the 'terrifying' category, a challenge that took me years to even work up the nerve to attempt," Rush wrote online.

He opted to use an electric chainsaw instead of a gas-powered tool for the attempt, to prevent the jerky and unpredictable motions of a two-stroke engine.

Rush said there were still numerous obstacles involved, including oil dripping from the blade onto his face, necessitating the use of safety goggles.

"I had to keep the center of gravity just above my chin while the blade spun inches from my face. The oil dripped down and my nerves ramped up," Rush said.

He ended up keeping the chainsaw balanced for 4 minutes and 1.44 seconds before letting it fall, enough to take the record.

"I have no desire to ever do this one again, but I'm proud that the record is mine. It was a powerful reminder that while we can push ourselves to extraordinary lengths, we must also respect the lines between determination and sheer recklessness," he said.

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'Britain's loneliest sheep', Fiona, gives birth for first time
The ewe became a global celebrity when she was rescued from the foot of a steep coastal cliff in the Scottish Highlands in 2023, after spending years alone.

Fiona won hearts across the globe when she was rescued from the foot of a steep coastal cliff close to the Cromarty Firth in the Scottish Highlands in 2023.
Kayaker Jill Turner first spotted the stranded ewe in 2021 and then raised the alarm when she saw her on her own again two years later - which led to Fiona being dubbed "Britain's loneliest sheep".

Fiona was winched to safety during a daring rescue mission and taken into the care of Dalscone Farm in Dumfries.

The farm said she had now traded her title for "world's best mum" after giving birth to two healthy lambs - a boy and a girl - on Tuesday night. Dalscone Farm manager Ben Best told Sky News a vet was on hand to help Fiona give birth and she has since taken to her new role amazingly well after her nine-hour labour.

He said: "She's doing great. She was a superstar.
Given Fiona's struggle to fully interact with other sheep, it is hoped she will enjoy a close bond with her own little family.

Mr Best said: "The whole reason we put her in lamb is so that she can get that bond with them and she'll have an amazing companionship going forward in her life.

"I think it's really going to make a massive difference to her quality of life as well.

"It's not a decision we took lightly. We had a lot of discussions about whether it was the right thing to do.

"But ultimately, for her as an animal, the best decision was to put her in lamb."

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Oklahoma parade features record-breaking 3,596 classic cars

A parade on Route 66 in Oklahoma broke a Guinness World Record by including 3,596 classic cars in the procession.

Tulsa's Route 66 Capital Cruise: Classic Car Centennial Parade, which took place on Saturday, broke the record for the largest parade of classic cars. The parade bested the previous record by 1,105 cars.

The event marked the 100th anniversary of Route 66.

"I am so proud of Tulsa and so thrilled to set a new world record," Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols said in a news release. "Tulsa's Route 66 Capital Cruise was a nearly year-long effort from partners all over Tulsa to remind the world that we are the Capital of Route 66 and that no city does things the way Tulsa does. Now, for the next hundred years, whenever anyone mentions the Centennial of Route 66, they'll remember Tulsa, Oklahoma."

The cars featured drivers from 42 states, as well as Canada and France.

"For years, we have looked to 2026 as a Super Bowl in Oklahoma, and today, Tulsa delivered," Oklahoma Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell said. "Capital Cruise was a massive undertaking, and it paid off in a massive way, nearly doubling the existing world record, proving that Route 66 is not just central to the history of Oklahoma, but the future as well. Congratulations, Tulsa! Here's to the next hundred years of the Mother Road."

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Pigeons may be navigating with their liver, study suggests
NEW YORK (AP) — A surprising gut feeling may help pigeons find their way home.

Animals use various techniques to navigate including following the stars and remembering key landmarks. Birds, fish and turtles orient themselves using Earth’s magnetic field as a compass. But it’s not yet clear how exactly they do this.

Pigeons are a well-known group of frequent flyers that can traverse hundreds of miles (hundreds of kilometers) in a single day. For thousands of years, humans have used them to carry news, notes and military messages.

Scientists have long tried to untangle how pigeons travel without getting lost. Some think the birds detect magnetic cues using light-sensitive molecules in their eyes, while others suggest it happens in the beak or inner ear.

“The magnetic sense has been this mystery for almost 100 years,” said Martin Wikelski with the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior in Germany.

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New York village to vote for mayor with a blank ballot

A village on New York's Long Island is facing a highly unusual mayoral election after no candidates registered to run for the office.

Bayville Mayor Steve Minicozzi announced in April that he would not be seeking reelection, and Christopher Vivona, the village's deputy clerk-treasurer, confirmed no one else registered to run.

Vivona said June 16 will mark the first time he knows of that the village of approximately 7,000 people will go to the polls to vote for mayor with a blank ballot.

Former Mayor Doug Watson said he understands why it might be hard to attract a candidate, as the position can be time consuming and the only compensation is a yearly stipend of about $5,000.

Officials said the election will be decided by write-in votes. John Taylor, who ran against Minicozzi in 2022, said he would be willing to serve if he gains enough write-in votes.

"[If] some guy comes up there with 50 of his friends, he's your mayor," Watson told NBC New York. "If 100 people get one write in each it's a tie. So it's a strange situation."

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Viral 'Donald Trump' buffalo spared from Eid sacrifice in Bangladesh
A home minister ordered the rare albino buffalo be spared after generating significant online interest.
A viral buffalo nicknamed "Donald Trump" for its blond tuft has been spared from Eid al-Adha sacrifice after a last-minute government intervention.

The rare albino, weighing nearly 700kg, had already been sold to a ritual slaughter.
But a Home Ministry official said on Wednesday that authorities had stepped in, citing safety concerns, following a surge of public interest ahead of Thursday's festival.

Home minister Salahuddin Ahmed ordered the buffalo be spared and the buyer refunded.
The animal was then moved to the national zoo in Dhaka.

A ministry official said: "At ⁠the last moment, the ⁠decision was taken to spare the buffalo from sacrifice due to security ‌concerns and the unusual level of public interest."

Videos of the buffalo were widely shared online and crowds began to gather at the farm, with visitors travelling long distances to see its blond fringe and calm demeanour.
Farm owner Ziauddin Mridha said the name came from his younger brother who spotted an apparent resemblance to the US President.

Mr Mridha added that the animal is unusually gentle and needs careful upkeep, including frequent feeding and regular baths.

In Bangladesh, albino buffaloes are rare and most cattle in the country are dark, making this one a standout during the Eid livestock season.

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Orphaned long-tailed weasel returned to the wild in California
June 3 (UPI) — The San Diego Humane Society's Project Wildlife program announced an orphaned long-tailed weasel has successfully been rehabilitated and returned to the wild.

Officials said the weasel was found as a newborn in Riverside County on March 20 and was taken to the Humane Society's Bahde Wildlife Center.

The weasel, the youngest ever admitted to the organization's care, was in critical condition and required round-the-clock care.

"That included daily medication for ringworm, which was tricky as the caregivers worked hard to not habituate her to humans. After 10 days of intensive monitoring, she reached a major milestone when her eyes finally opened," the Humane Society said in a news release.

The weasel was transferred to the Ramona Wildlife Center, where she was placed in a habitat to help her develop the required survival skills for her species.

The animal spent about 70 days at the center before being released back into the wild in the Ramona area.

"Caring for a mammal this young and this rare requires precision and expertise," said Alexis Wohl, wildlife veterinary manager at San Diego Humane Society. "Because we so rarely see this species, every milestone — from the first time she successfully ate on her own to opening her eyes — is a major victory for our team and local biodiversity."

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World's largest blanket fort constructed in Las Vegas

A blanket fort designed by Nevada high school students officially broke a Guinness World Record when it was confirmed to cover an area of 14,103 square feet.

Clark County announced the fort, designed by students from West Career & Technical Academy, was constructed at the Desert Breeze Community Center with help from local volunteers and sponsors including Las Vegas Grand Prix, Atlas Crane, Foster Kinship and Leverage LV.

"This project was about much more than breaking a world record," Clark County Commissioner Justin Jones said in a news release. "It was about bringing the community together, creating unforgettable memories for foster and kinship families, and raising awareness for the needs of children and caregivers in foster care."

An official Guinness World Records adjudicator was on hand to confirm the structure was large enough to break the record for the largest blanket fort at 14,103 square feet. The previous record, set in South Carolina in 2024, stood at 12,291 square feet.

Guinness World Records rules required there to be no gaps in the fort larger than 1 inch, the sheets all had to touch the ground and the inside had to be spacious enough for a person to comfortably sit.

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Police use tarp to catch bear falling from tree in Arizona

An Arizona police department shared video of officers and wildlife officials using a tarp to catch a tranquilized bear as it fell out of a tree.

The Sahuarita Police Department said officers were called to a location in Rancho Sahuarita where a wandering bear had climbed up a tree.

Arizona Game and Fish personnel shot the bear with a tranquilizer.

The video shows officers and wildlife personnel using a tarp to catch the bear as it fell asleep and plunged from the tree.

Police said the bear was relocated.

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