Ripley Entertainment Inc.'s Blog, page 482
June 7, 2016
A Heat Wave in India is Melting the Roads
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Here in the States, we’re gearing up to greet Summer will cookouts and pool parties. But in India, they’re gripped by a relentless heat wave that’s been making life for residents miserable.
Sadly, this is becoming a regular occurrence in the country. India’s monsoon season lasts from July to September, and in the summer months before that, the temperature skyrockets to insane heights.
Residents in Gujarat would probably be happy to see Tropical Storm Colin.
Heat Wave
A heat wave is defined as a prolonged period of abnormally hot weather. Parts of India certainly qualify as they’re going on two months with temperatures reaching as high as 51° C (123.8° F) in some places.
As if to make matters worse, the high temperatures and the drought have caused the roads in Gujarat to melt! As a result, people trying to get from one area of the city to another have found themselves getting stuck to the road and losing their sandals on the sticky surface.
It’s like the start of a modern day tar pit.
Seeing video of people struggling on their morning commute is hard, but it’s important to remember that their hardships don’t overshadow the 130 people who have already died as a result of the heat and draught.
One thing is for sure, if the rains don’t come soon, India could be in for a long hot summer.
June 6, 2016
In 1892, it Rained Mussels
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
In 1892, over a town called Paderborn, Germany, it rained mussels from a yellow cloud.
Stories of solid objects raining from the sky go as far back as 3rd century AD
Claims include stones, frogs, fish, beans, jellyfish, candy
The working theory is that a strong wind blows the objects into the sky and carries them to their final destination
MINI BION EXTRAS
The mussel’s beard which grows on the shells of living mussels actually comprises colonies of tiny hydroid animals
The swan mussel and the bitterling fish exchange their eggs to incubate in each other’s bodies
Aborigine girls in Austalia gather freshwater mussels with their toes
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: In 1892, it Rained Mussels
Muhammad Ali, The Greatest: 1942 – 2016
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
On June 3rd, the world lost the greatest boxer to ever live, Muhammad Ali.
Whether you’re a boxing fan or not, you’ve heard of Ali. He is still the only boxer to be universally named the Heavyweight World Boxing Champion three separate times. He famously refused to allow himself to be drafted into the Vietnam War. He was outspoken in his views on race and in his support of Boxing. And in his later years, he offered his name, status, and larger-than-life persona to the fight against Parkinson’s.
There’s no question that Muhammad Ali more than earned his place in the pantheon of great athletes and influential people.
The Ripley’s Connection
Beyond the personal feelings over his passing, there’s a direct connection between the Champ and Ripley’s. We own artifacts connected to him.
The most extraordinary item (and my personal favorite thing in the entire Ripley’s collection) is the torch from the 1996 Olympics.
Ali’s connection to the Olympics goes back to his gold medal victory at the 1960 Games in Rome. He defeated Poland’s Zbigniew Pietrzykowski. When he won, he kissed his medal, held it aloft and proclaimed:
This was my last amateur fight!
And he went on to have the greatest professional career of any boxer.
This torch is the one he used to light the Olympic flame in his surprise appearance in 1996, and it’s signed by the man himself.
Also a part of the Ripley’s collection is this amazing piece of memorabilia from the movie Ali.
The two Everlast boxing gloves are autographed by Will Smith and Ali! Featured in the display is one of the most famous images in boxing history. Ali standing victorious over Sonny Liston.
Saying Goodbye
It’s with a heavy heart that we have to say goodbye to this great man and amazing athlete. The whole he’s left in our hearts and the world may never be filled, but his legacy will never be forgotten.
June 5, 2016
June 4, 2016
June 3, 2016
In 2014, Finland Made Reindeer Antlers Glow-In-The-Dark
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
In 2014, farmers in Finland sprayed reindeer antlers with glow-in-the-dark paint in an effort to reduce the number of car accidents.
Every year, about 4,000 reindeer lose their lives on Finnish roads
Previous attempts to make the roads safer included putting reflective tape on the reindeers, but they just pulled it off
Painting the antlers was deemed more effective because it could be seen from all angles
A solution to the problem is especially needed during November and December when Finland plunges into Polar Night and the sun doesn’t rise above the horizon
CC Reindeer Herder’s Association
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: In 2014, Finland Made Reindeer Antlers Glow-In-The-Dark
A Red Panda Eats Half Its Body Weight a Day
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Red Pandas can consume 200,000 bamboo leaves in one day! That’s half of their body weight.
Red Pandas are solitary animals that live in eastern Himalayas and southwestern China
Like full pandas, the red panda cannot digest cellulose, so it has to eat a lot of bamboo to get any nutrients
In addition to bamboo, red pandas eat insects, eggs, birds or small mammals, berries and fruit
A full grown red panda is slightly larger than a domestic house cat
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.
After 70 years, a Gold Ring Hidden in a Mug was Found
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
While doing routine work on an artifact, officials at the Auschwitz Museum found that a mug in their collection had a false bottom which concealed a gold ring and a necklace.
Decades of deterioration had worked the false bottom free
Officials say it’s probably impossible to identify the owner. The mug had not personal marks
The owner of the ring was almost certainly an inmate at Auschwitz
The items were probably hidden to keep them out of the hands of the Germans
The valuables were well hidden since no one knew they were there for over 70 years
The bottom of the mug
Source: After 70 years, a Gold Ring Hidden in a Mug was Found
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