Category:
Animals
Animals
Manatee Alerting Device
Edmund Gerstein claims to have invented a "Manatee Alerting Device" (aka MAD) that, when attached beneath a boat, will emit a beam of sound alerting manatees to get out of the way. But it's controversial. Other researchers insist the device will just add more noise to an already noisy underwater environment. It would be like "putting a siren on every car on a highway." And that manatees wouldn't be able to tell where the sound is coming from.Complicating the controversy, it turns out Gerstein has a history of advancing unorthodox manatee theories. Back in the 1990s he claimed to have discovered that manatees can hear high-speed boats better than low-speed ones. His claim was promoted by boaters who wanted no speed regulations, but after paying tens of thousands of dollars on extra manatee research, the state of Florida decided Gerstein was wrong. He was also busted for faking a degree. Which is why researchers aren't exactly welcoming him with open arms now.
More info: tbo.com
"Demonstration of an acoustic warning system to alert manatees" [pdf]
Posted By: Alex - Fri Aug 18, 2017 -
Comments (2)
Category: Animals, Inventions
The William Stillman Award
Dr. William O. Stillman (1856-1924) was an early advocate of humane treatment to animals. He created "Be Kind to Animals" week in 1915.
Find an obituary and tributes here.
His name is also connected to an award which, oddly, can go to either animals or humans.
Here, the award is given to a brave dog who helped humans.
Source of article.
And again.
A pig won in 1984.
A cat won the award in 1997, the latest date I can find for the presentation.
Finally we see the award given to a brave human who helped an animal!
I like that any species of creature is eligible for the award.
However, the point might be moot, since I can find no evidence that the award is still given nowadays.
Posted By: Paul - Tue Aug 15, 2017 -
Comments (2)
Category: Animals, Contests, Races and Other Competitions, Twentieth Century
Follies of the Madmen #320
Sexy Owl Lady is recruiting cigar smokers.
Original ad here.
Posted By: Paul - Wed Jul 12, 2017 -
Comments (1)
Category: Animals, Business, Advertising, Products, Tobacco and Smoking, 1960s
Evidence that birds can read
Professor Katsufumi Sato thinks the signs work because people see the signs then look up into the sky for the birds, and when the crows realize they're being observed they fly away. More info: asahi.com
Or maybe the birds can read. I happen to have had in my files an example from 1960 of seagulls in San Diego who obeyed signs ordering them to stop dropping clams on the pavement.
The Lock Haven Express - Apr 7, 1960
Posted By: Alex - Sat Jun 24, 2017 -
Comments (0)
Category: Animals
Follies of the Madmen #318
I don't get it. Is "nimble as an ox" good or bad, the before or after status of fueling up with their gas?
Original ad here.
Posted By: Paul - Tue Jun 20, 2017 -
Comments (4)
Category: Animals, Business, Advertising, Products, 1950s, Cars
Recipes for Cooking Muskrat
How the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service came to publish a muskrat meat cookbook:
The Escanaba Daily Press - Mar 22, 1949
The recipes include Wine-fried Muskrat, Muskrat a la Terrapin, Maryland Shredded Muskrat, Muskrat Salad, Muskrat Pie, Pickled Muskrat, and Stewed Muskrat Liver. However, it doesn't include Cream of Muskrat Casserole, a delicacy that we posted about back in 2013.
You can read or download the full booklet at archive.org.
A muskrat - via wikipedia
Posted By: Alex - Thu Jun 15, 2017 -
Comments (4)
Category: Animals, Food, Cookbooks
Mayor Max
In 2012, the residents of Idyllwild, California elected Max as their mayor. He was a golden retriever. Tragically he died of cancer a year later, but the people of Idyllwild agreed that Maximus Mighty-Dog Mueller II, aka Mayor Max II, could complete his term of office. The new Max was subsequently granted a perpetual term as mayor. So he's still in charge there.Check out the official Mayor Max website.
Mayor Max I
Posted By: Alex - Mon Jun 12, 2017 -
Comments (3)
Category: Animals, Politics
ME Pearl and her Opossum
She's been posting videos to YouTube for the last six years featuring her opossum and sometimes a squirrel. Her two most viewed videos are below. You can also check out her website.
Posted By: Alex - Sun Jun 11, 2017 -
Comments (2)
Category: Animals, Video
Refrigerated Camels
Instead of using refrigerated trucks to deliver medical supplies to people who live in the deserts of Africa, inventors have built solar-powered refrigerators that can be carried by camels, and so the medicines are delivered via refrigerated camel.Apparently it wasn't that easy to build a camel-carried refrigerator. It had to be lightweight, but also sturdy enough to survive the motion of being on the camel as well as the extreme desert conditions.
More info: ABC News, inhabitat.com
Posted By: Alex - Wed May 31, 2017 -
Comments (4)
Category: Animals, Inventions, Medicine, Transportation, Africa
A Brief History of Westernized Snake Dances
Choose your favorite.I believe that "Janik and Amaut" are really Harold and Lola Leibman, as seen in the final clip. More about their eccentric careers here.
Posted By: Paul - Tue May 30, 2017 -
Comments (2)
Category: Animals, Sex Symbols, Dance
| Who We Are |
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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, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. 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. Contact Us |