Ripley Entertainment Inc.'s Blog, page 473
July 7, 2016
July 6, 2016
There be Gold in That There Cow Urine
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
It’s no secret that cows are rather sacred in India. The Hindu community that dominates the area hold them in high esteem. Cows walk the streets and hold up traffic without causing offense, they’re worshiped in festivals, and cow urine and dung can be found in cosmetic products.
In addition to the general reverence shown to cows in the country, there’s also the practical reasons behind all of the cow love.
The Gyr (or Gir) Cow originated in India. Although they aren’t eaten, the cows provide a lot in the way of the economy in the area. Gir cows are known for their milking prowess.
But it’s not the milk of the cow that had researchers most interested recently.
Gold Cow Urine
I mentioned earlier that there was cow urine found in cosmetic products. This is in part because there is thought to be healing properties attached to cow urine.
Gomutra, or the practice of using “cow water” for therapeutic or healing purposes, has been around for years. But now science is weighing in on the argument. A study is shedding light on the substance, and its findings are more than a little surprising.
Scientists at the Junagadh Agricultural University analyzed the urine of 400 Gir cows and found traces of gold.
There was three mg to 10 mg per one liter of urine.
Visual Approximation By Alchemist-hp via Wikimedia
The study was sparked by information found in ancient scriptures about the presence of gold in the urine. But this is the first time anyone thought to check those claims against scientific fact. The tests used to determine these findings were held in the university’s Food Testing Laboratory, which sounds perfectly reasonable and sanitary if you ask me.
The good news is that the gold can be extracted and solidified using chemical processes. So India might well be on its way to untold riches.
In addition to the gold, the scientists found that out of the 5,100 compounds found in the urine of cows, 388 have an immense medicinal value that can cure several ailments. Maybe people practicing Gomutra were onto something all along.
This Dangerous Plant Might Be in Your House Right Now
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
The popular “dumb cane house plant” will cause paralysis of the vocal chords for weeks if any part of it is ingested.
The plant’s scientific name is Dieffenbachia
It’s a perennial herbaceous plant that’s tropical in origin
It’s a popular choice for a house plant because it prefers medium sunlight, moderately dry soil, and only needs to be watered twice a week
The cells of the plant contain needle-shaped calcium oxalate crystals
In both children and pets, chewing can cause intense numbing, oral irritation, and swelling
MINI BION
“BIONs” – short for Believe It or Not – is the word we use at Ripley’s to refer to anything that is unbelievable and worthy to become part of Ripley’s lore and collection.
Source: This Dangerous Plant Might Be in Your House Right Now
July 5, 2016
Scientists Invent Perfume that Smells like a Comet
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
After their spacecraft, the Philae lander, bounced off of and then landed on the comet 67P/Curyumov-Gerasimenko, the European Space Agency has commissioned a perfume that smells like the comet.
The perfume combines elements of substances found on the comet
Some of them are odorless like water, carbon monoxide and dioxide
But other gases were also found such as ammonia, methane, and sulfur dioxide
The smell has been described as “rotten eggs, cat urine, and bitter almonds”
MINI BION
“BIONs” – short for Believe It or Not – is the word we use at Ripley’s to refer to anything that is unbelievable and worthy to become part of Ripley’s lore and collection.
Day 52, Tuesday 5th July
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Good morning! Sunshine and no fog so far! Wind also a little less, thank goodness. Still cool!
It was not the best night as the W wind and waves continued quite strong with noise and minor bangs and spray to stern and starboard. One cockpit full at midnight. Emptied it and took the board and water can inside, only leaving the tied-on bucket. No more big splashes after that. Early morning one must have sprayed high from starboard side, though, as a couple of drops fell from the ventilator straight down on my face! Efficient wake-up call!
A little bit warmer, but condensation a big problem as it is not just on the fittings and perspex of the two hatches, but on the cabin wall as well. Yesterday, the two lighters would not work, although no visible moisture. I had to dig out spare matches. But having wrapped the lighter in paper and plastic it worked again today and I got the gas lit and enjoyed my cups of hot tea!
I listen to CBC (Canadian) radio, including local Labrador and Newfoundland news during breakfast. No commercials, much like BBC and NRK back home. It’s a country with many similarities to Britain and Norway and a place one could easily settle; as Diana’s brother and his late Marion did many years ago. Jim has three children and many grand-children, several of that big family came to my send-off in New York and I know will be reading this: thank you again for honoring me and a special greeting to all the grans who had to stay at home! I know Tristian is a follower for sure. Hope to see you all before the end of the year!
Wet weather gear is on, warmed-up socks and shoes are ready, now off to the two oars waiting at the bow position.
I still have 120 nm left of Grand Banks E, a little less NE.
Source: Day 52, Tuesday 5th July
Fish gets Prosthetic Eye to Stop Bullying
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Life in a tank must be boring. All you can do is swim around and see the same places over and over again. That’s why fish generally have to make their own fun. Sadly, that fun can often come at the expense of the other fish. And just like with humans, if fish sense a weakness, they will exploit it.
Such was the case for a fish in Missouri who only had one eye. Kiwi, a light green saltwater fish, had to have an eye removed after it developed a cataract. In the time after the surgery, Kiwi’s friends started picking on him.
They figured out which eye was not working. They’d go up behind him, biting his tail. He had chunks of his tail taken out. -Julie Morgan, Kiwi’s owner
How do you help your pet to live a full life when it’s being picked on because of a physical defect? You get it surgery to fix the defect, of course. So Morgan arranged to get Kiwi a prosthetic eye.
A Fish Prosthetic Eye
Morgan was in luck since a precedent was set with a fish from the Vancouver Aquarium. The fish in the video attached to this story had the same problem as Kiwi, and he had the first surgery of its kind performed on him.
While he was being bullied, the Vancouver fish stayed at the bottom of the tank and tried to avoid contact with the other fish.
Ever since we put in the prosthetic, the fish is right back in the mid-water column, interacting with other fish. He’s more robust. -Dr. Martin Haulena
Julie Morgan was hoping for a similar recovery for Kiwi. She contacted the vet, Dr. Megan Baebler, who had performed the surgery to remove Kiwi’s bad eye in the first place.
This pet fish was being bullied in his tank so a vet made him a fake eye https://t.co/38xPlOGXcT pic.twitter.com/DQSToE3Rlt
— BuzzFeed (@BuzzFeed) June 27, 2016
Baebler designed the prosthetic eye herself.
I actually hand-painted the eye myself. I used a mixture of some nail polish and some eye shadow pigments, actually, to give it some iridescence.
Once it was created, all that was left was to implant it. The surgery lasted 30 minutes, and Kiwi was under anesthesia during the procedure.
Now, Kiwi is doing much better.
I think he’s doing great. He’s eating, he’s swimming. He’s happy. -Julie Morgan
Kiwi’s story is a beacon of hope for others who may be getting bullied, it shows that it really does get better.
July 4, 2016
July 3, 2016
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