August 2020
August 21, 2020
The Human Performance Enhancing Robot of Dr. NakaMats
AKA Cerebrex. Invented by Dr. Yoshiro NaKaMats. It was essentially a lounger chair that was supposed to improve brain function in only 30 minutes. Details from the Arizona Republic (Sep 12, 1986):Meanwhile, customers can use it only in his sun-flooded "oyasumidokoro," or sleeping place, a nearly empty room a few floors below his laboratory, where white-coated assistants bustle around prototypes of industrial robots in various stages of development.
The inventor explains how the chair works, sort of.
"It activates your alpha brain waves by emitting ultra-high frequency electronic pulses, which in turn increase the flow of blood to the head, through the chair's pillow and foot rest," he said.
York Dispatch - July 2, 1986
You can check out a (non-embeddable) video about Cerebrex on Vimeo.
Posted By: Alex - Fri Aug 21, 2020 -
Comments (5)
Category: Inventions, 1980s, Brain
Hand Taser, 1935
Source.
Posted By: Paul - Fri Aug 21, 2020 -
Comments (1)
Category: Crime, Inventions, Police and Other Law Enforcement, Technology, 1930s
August 20, 2020
What rights do goldfish have?
1978: The final act of a British play titled The Last Temptation involved a goldfish bowl, with a live goldfish inside, being thrown across the stage, causing the fish to tumble onto the ground, where it died. Outraged animal lovers sued, prompting a two-year legal battle in which the courts deliberated on whether it was possible to be cruel to goldfish. Or rather, should goldfish enjoy the protections given to other animals such as cats and dogs?The first court ruled that goldfish enjoyed no such protections, but in 1980 the High Court overturned this decision, ruling that it is, indeed, possible to be cruel to goldfish, and that the law should not allow such behavior.
I'm not sure if there's any equivalent American law pertaining to goldfish. But I imagine that if there was then surely boiling lobsters alive would also be illegal.
The Guardian - Nov 3, 1978
Victoria Times Colonist - July 30, 1980
Posted By: Alex - Thu Aug 20, 2020 -
Comments (3)
Category: Law, Fish, 1970s
Sun Ra Arkestra - Seductive Fantasy (A Chad Van Gaalen animation)
Weird music plus weird animation: two great weirds that go great together!
Posted By: Paul - Thu Aug 20, 2020 -
Comments (2)
Category: Music, Avant Garde, Surrealism, Cartoons, Psychedelic, Cacophony, Dissonance, White Noise and Other Sonic Assaults
August 19, 2020
Drive-Thru Art Exhibition
Life in the age of Covid: the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in the Netherlands has opened up a drive-thru art exhibition. Visitors can view the artworks from the comfort and safety of their car.However, only electric vehicles are allowed in the exhibition hall. For those who don't have an electric car, there are a few available to borrow on site.
More info: Deutsche Welle
Drive-thru @boijmans @rotterdamahoy is een unieke gebeurtenis! Trots op #rotterdam pic.twitter.com/8CFPELKtlU
— Marjolijn vd Assem (@Omasaurus) August 5, 2020
Posted By: Alex - Wed Aug 19, 2020 -
Comments (5)
Category: Art, Cars
Mystery Gadget 87
This device measures something. What?
The answer is here.
Or after the jump.
More in extended >>
Posted By: Paul - Wed Aug 19, 2020 -
Comments (3)
Category: Technology, 1900s
August 18, 2020
The Big Book of Mars
Friend of WU Marc Hartzman recently came out with The Big Book of Mars (published by Quirk Books, a division of Penguin Random House), and I was lucky enough to get a copy.
For anyone who's a Mars buff, the book is a must-have. Marc has collected together a smorgasbord of Martian-related weirdness. For instance, I was wondering if he'd cover the Martian beavers that I posted about a few weeks ago. And sure enough, the beavers are in there!
I've also been intrigued by his account of weirdo scientist Francis Galton, back in 1896, studying what he believed to be flashing light signals from Mars. Galton claimed to have decoded words such as 'brackets', 'circumference', and 'Jupiter'. Scientists now believe Galton was seeing sun flashing off the Martian polar ice.
Really, anyone who's at all curious about Mars, or just likes weird history, will enjoy the book. Plus, it's the kind of book that would look great on a coffee table as almost every page contains gorgeous, full-color illustrations.
Definitely recommended!
Amazon, Barnes & Noble
Marc's website
Posted By: Alex - Tue Aug 18, 2020 -
Comments (3)
Category: Spaceflight, Astronautics, and Astronomy, Books
Mystery Illustration 96
What's going on here?The answer is at the link.
Or after the jump.
More in extended >>
Posted By: Paul - Tue Aug 18, 2020 -
Comments (3)
Category: 1950s
August 17, 2020
Cockroach trained to carry cigarettes
1938: Prisoners in solitary confinement in Amarillo, Texas figured out how to get cigarettes by training a cockroach to carry them under the cell door.
Salt Lake Tribune - Mar 2, 1938
Klamath News - Apr 9, 1938
Posted By: Alex - Mon Aug 17, 2020 -
Comments (1)
Category: Prisons, Smoking and Tobacco, 1930s
Unauthorized Dwellings 14
Source.
Posted By: Paul - Mon Aug 17, 2020 -
Comments (2)
Category: Charities and Philanthropy, Family, Unauthorized Dwellings, 1980s
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| Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction books such as Elephants on Acid. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1. Chuck Shepherd Chuck is the purveyor of News of the Weird, the syndicated column which for decades has set the gold-standard for reporting on oddities and the bizarre. Our banner was drawn by the legendary underground cartoonist Rick Altergott. Contact Us |
