'Very mean squirrel' seeking food has sent at least 2 people to the ER in a California city
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Residents of a San Francisco Bay Area city are on the lookout for an aggressive squirrel that has sent at least two people to the emergency room. Joan Heblack told ABC affiliate KGO-TV that she was walking in a San Rafael neighborhood when a squirrel attacked her leg. Isabel Campoy says she too had been walking in the Lucas Valley neighborhood of San Rafael when the squirrel attacked, leaving her arm bloody. Flyers are now posted warning residents of the “very mean squirrel.” Experts say the squirrel was likely accustomed to people feeding and caring for it. Squirrels are not vectors for rabies.
A Bangkok road collapse creates a sinkhole disrupting traffic and prompting evacuations
BANGKOK (AP) — A part of a road has collapsed in Bangkok, leaving a large sinkhole that disrupted traffic, damaged infrastructure and prompted evacuations in the surrounding area. The city's governor says there were no casualties but three vehicles were damaged by the collapse Wednesday. He says officials believe the collapse was caused by construction work at an underground train station. One edge of the hole stopped in front of a police station, exposing its underground structure. A nearby hospital says it plans to close the outpatient services for two days. Electricity and water in the area were cut as a precaution.
Maine wardens rescue moose trapped for hours in abandoned well
PEMBROKE, Maine (AP) — A bull moose that fell into an abandoned well in Maine was pulled to safety during an elaborate five hour rescue. The operation happened Wednesday after the family that owned forested land in northern Maine discovered the moose looking out from well that was about 9-feet deep. They alerted the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife. A biologist sedated the moose and then wardens put straps on the moose. Using an excavator provided by family, they gingerly lifted the moose out of the well. It eventually woke up and ran off — seemingly unhurt by the ordeal.
Ancient spear-throwing tool brings fun and history to Vermont competition
ADDISON, Vt. (AP) — A few dozen enthusiasts of ancient hunting tools participated in the Northeast Open Atlatl Championship in Addison, Vermont. The competition took place on Saturday. Humans invented the atlatl thousands of years ago for use as a spear-throwing hunting tool. They were used to hunt massive animals such as woolly mammoths in the days long before recorded history. Now, they are the passion of a group of hobbyists and anthropology lovers who see the atlatl as a way to learn about history and have fun.
Does painting cows with stripes prevent fly bites? Researchers who studied this win Ig Nobel prize
BOSTON (AP) — A researcher who studied fingernail growth and a group that explored whether painting zebralike stripes on cows reduced fly bites are among the winners of this year's Ig Nobels. Held less than a month before the actual Nobel Prizes are announced, Thursday’s 35th annual Ig Nobel prize ceremony was organized by the Annals of Improbable Research, a digital magazine that aims to make people laugh and think. The handcrafted prize is awarded to comical scientific achievement in 10 categories. Last year's winners included a study that explores the feasibility of using pigeons to guide missiles.
One man in an Italian supercar atop an aircraft carrier has a record in his sights
CIVITAVECCHIA, Italy (AP) — A driver off Italy’s central coast has made a bid for a new world record for the fastest car on a boat. Fabio Barone raced a Ferrari SF90 across the flight deck of a navy aircraft carrier on Thursday in Civitavecchia, on the coast near Rome. Last year, he reached 152 kilometers per hour on another ship. This time he was hoping to break 160. After speeding across the deck and coming safely to a stop, he announced to the crowd that he had clocked in at 164 kilometers per hour. The Guinness World Records says they look forward to reviewing Barone's application to have his record certified.
What to know about Fat Bear Week, and the brawny bruins ready to battle for the title
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — The annual Fat Bear Week featuring gluttonous brown bears at Alaska’s Katmai National Park and Preserve is back. Online voting for the fattest juvenile bear begins Thursday. The main event starts Tuesday, when organizers pit 12 of some of the largest brown bears on the planet against each other in a single-elimination, bracket-style tournament online. People can vote at fatbearweek.org after watching livestreams featuring the bears at explore.org. The contest started in 2014, and drew only about 1,700 votes from dedicated bear cam viewers. But the event has exploded online, and more than 1 million votes were cast last year.
A mysterious envelope from Czechoslovakia's founding father has been found
PRAGUE (AP) — Unknown musings of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, the founding father of independent Czechoslovakia, are believed to have been unearthed. An envelope, previously unknown to his family, was unveiled on Friday in a live broadcast with President Petr Pavel in attendance. It’s believed Masaryk dictated his thoughts to his son Jan about 90 years ago when he was bedridden at the presidential palace. The envelope, handed to the National Archive in 2005, contained five pages of handwritten notes. Experts say the notes appear genuine and suggest Masaryk thought his “days are numbered” but was not afraid of dying.
Nigerian chef breaks world record for cooking the largest jollof rice dish
LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — A new world record has been set for the largest serving of Nigeria-style jollof rice. Guinness World Records confirmed the achievement by Nigerian celebrity chef Hilda Baci. Last Friday, Baci, who briefly held the world record for the longest cooking marathon in 2023, made a pot of 8,780 kilograms of jollof rice, a popular West African delicacy made of rice cooked in pepper sauce. The food is a staple across the region.
Ghana's fantasy coffins are a colorful celebration of life and legacy
ACCRA, Ghana (AP) — Ghana's fantasy coffins are unique creations that embody the essence of a person's life. Known by locals as Abebuo, these colorful coffins, shaped like animals, tools, or symbols, serve as a final message from the deceased. While they are common among the Ga people of Accra, their popularity is spreading across Ghana. Families choose designs that reflect identity, occupation and status. Funerals in Ghana are vibrant, with music and dancing, and these coffins add a creative touch. Some coffins are even sought after by collectors as art pieces, destined for museums abroad.
