Nature
Mill Ends Park
In the middle of Portland, Oregon there is a small oasis of weirdness called Mill Ends Park. According to Wikipedia, Mill Ends Park:I've never been to Portland, but if I ever make it up there, I'll make a point to visit this park.
Posted By: Alex - Tue May 12, 2009 -
Comments (3)
Category: Nature, Urban Life
Breaking the Ice
Back in 1917, Railroad workers in Alaska who were bored during a long winter, set up a betting pool in which the winner determined the date and time that the ice on the Tanana River would break. Since then the event has grown to become the Nenana Ice Classic which attracts thousands. This year's jackpot is $283,723.00. But the neatest part is how they mark when the ice has broken. A wooden tripod is set up on the ice and wired to a clock in a tower along the shore. The winning time is determined when the ice moves enough to tighten the wire and trip the clock.
Posted By: Nethie - Mon May 11, 2009 -
Comments (2)
Category: Boredom, Contests, Races and Other Competitions, History, Nature
Too Much Of A Good Thing
You may have heard the warnings that people become more depressed in the winter months because of a lack of sunlight. Now researchers are saying that too much sunlight can be just as bad. The study shows that a lack of sleep is the real culprit. It all comes down to maintaining your circadian rhythm. You can read more about the sunlight issue here, and you can find out what a circadian rhythm is here.
Posted By: Nethie - Sat May 09, 2009 -
Comments (2)
Category: Death, Health, Nature, Science, Sleep and Dreams
A Slithering Spa
At Ada Barak's spa in northern Israel, slithering snakes don't give people the creeps. They give deep-tissue massages. For several years, Barak has been entertaining visitors to her carnivorous plant farm by passing around samples of the small reptiles her plants will consume. When her visitors claimed that holding the serpents was soothing, she got an idea, and thus, the Slithering Spa was born. Barak claims that the heavier king and corn snakes produce a kneading sensation as they move across your body. Want to get your own Snake Massage? Time magazine has more information.
Posted By: Nethie - Thu May 07, 2009 -
Comments (7)
Category: Animals, Body, Exercise and Fitness, Nature
Snow Rollers
Who knew that a combination of snow and wind could create "snow rollers"? Not me. NOAA explains that snow rollers are "extremely rare because of the unique combination of snow, wind, temperature and moisture needed to create them. They form with light but sticky snow and strong (but not too strong) winds."(Thanks to Prof. Music)
Posted By: Alex - Sat Apr 18, 2009 -
Comments (4)
Category: Nature, Natural Wonders, Weather
How to Tell the Birds from the Flowers
As children, my sibs and I were utterly fascinated by this weird little book. We studied the drawing for hours. Now you can too, thanks to the magic of the internet!
Posted By: Paul - Fri Apr 17, 2009 -
Comments (1)
Category: Animals, Nature, Books, 1900s
Surf Dogs!
Posted By: Paul - Thu Feb 26, 2009 -
Comments (4)
Category: Nature, Sports, Dogs
Jesus Freak Documentary
A fascinating time capsule from 1971. Thirty minutes long, but watch at least the first five or so.
Posted By: Paul - Sat Dec 27, 2008 -
Comments (1)
Category: Bums, Hobos, Tramps, Beggars, Panhandlers and Other Streetpeople, Drugs, Eccentrics, Family, Children, Parents, Hygiene, Nature, New Age, Pop Culture, Religion, 1970s, Facial Hair, Yesterday’s Tomorrows
Bernie Krause
The musician Bernie Krause has had an arguably weird and fascinating career. He's gone from being a minor pop star to being a scientist in the field of bio-acoustics, or the noises of the natural world. Along the way he came up with the concept of "biophony," short for the biological symphony that each ecosystem makes.The first clip below shows him at work, while the second is a trailer for his concepts.
Posted By: Paul - Sat Nov 29, 2008 -
Comments (1)
Category: Music, Nature, Science
Vision in the Forest
More proof that one line-item in the Forest Service budget was devoted to extra-potent hallucinogens.
Posted By: Paul - Tue Nov 18, 2008 -
Comments (3)
Category: Government, Nature, Documentaries, 1950s, Fictional Monsters
| 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 |