! N I T S U J S THI
KING KID-WAL ROOPER STORMT
ING SOCCER-PLAY
PARROTS
RWARD FASHION-FO
E-DARK GLOW-IN-TH
SLUGS
PIGLETS
I S B N 978-1-4263-1514-5 / PRINTED IN U.S.A.
51299 VORED CICADA-FLA
ICE CREAM
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BANANA DOG
FROM OM O M THE HE
HEADLINES FE
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weird but true!
! E U TR
RIPPED FROM THE HEADLINES
weird and wacky headlines from across the globe! Weird But True! Ripped From the Headlines has all the things you’d expect from a regular news publication—world news, sports and science sections, entertainment stories, and more—but with a brand-new twist: These stories are almost too strange to believe! Ripped From the Headlines covers mind-bending trivia about animals, athletes, space, food, toys, geography, money, weather, and more. Get ready to open en your eyes to the wild wonders of the world. You’ll never look at the news the same way again! ain!
tru weird but true!
GET READY TO BE AMAZED by
weird but true!
THE MOST BIZARRE & SURPRISING NEWS STORIES YOU’VE EVER READ … AND THEY’RE ALL
REAL-LI
IES E STOR OU HAV Y TO TO READ
BELIEVE
SKATEBOARD SKYDIVING
9 781426 315145
4/4/14 9:37 AM
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 1
INCREDIBLE INVENTIONS . . . . . . . . 48
WACKY WORLD HEADLINES . . . . . . . . 8 Giant Rubber Duck Tours the World . . News Bites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Everything Old Is News Again! . . . . . Stormtrooper Troops Across Australia Photo Gallery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Blast From the Past . . . . . . . . . . . News Bites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bicycle Takes Flight . . . . . . . . . . . Fun & Games . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26
Into the Wild . . . . . How to Live Forever . News Bites . . . . . . Wearable Tech . . . . Spider Bots . . . . . . Photo Gallery . . . . . Blast From the Past . News Bites . . . . . . Fun & Games . . . . .
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50 52 54 56 58 60 62 64 66
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 4
WILD ANIMALS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
FREAKY FOOD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Animal (Mis)Adventures . . Two-Legged “Pandas” Spotted in China . . . . Blast From the Past . . . . Photo Gallery . . . . . . . . Polar Bears Party in San Francisco Snow . . News Bites . . . . . . . . . Mighty Ants Show Off Super-Duper Strength. News Bites . . . . . . . . . Fun & Games . . . . . . . .
News Bites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Italian Chefs Make World’s Largest Round Pizza . . . . . . . Sweet Sensations . . . . . . . . . . Photo Gallery . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pumpkin Regattas . . . . . . . . . . Stories That Put the EWW in News! Blast From the Past . . . . . . . . . Chef Dishes Dirt . . . . . . . . . . . Fun & Games . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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. . . . . . . . . 30 . . . . . . . . . 32 . . . . . . . . . 34 . . . . . . . . . 36 . . . . . . . . . 38 . . . . . . . . . 40 . . . . . . . . . 42 . . . . . . . . . 44 . . . . . . . . . 46
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72 74 76 78 80 82 84 86
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CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 7
STRANGE SCIENCE . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
WEIRD WORLD OF SPORTS . . . . . . . . 130
News Bites . . . . . . . . . . Ash Cloud Causes Chaos! . . Out of This World! . . . . . . Move Over, Skyscraper, Meet the Strawscraper! . Photo Gallery . . . . . . . . . Cloudy With a Chance of Art Alex the Parrot Aces Math . News Bites . . . . . . . . . . Blast From the Past . . . . . Fun & Games . . . . . . . . .
News Bites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Muggles Play in Quidditch World Cup Crazy Collectibles . . . . . . . . . . . The Need for Speed . . . . . . . . . . Photo Gallery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Where Victory Smells Like … Cheese. Animal Athletes . . . . . . . . . . . . Blast From the Past . . . . . . . . . . Fun & Games . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . 90 . . . . . . . . 92 . . . . . . . . 94 . . . . . . .
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. 96 . 98 100 102 104 106 108
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. 132 . 134 . 136 . 138 . 140 . 142 . 144 . 146 . 148
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 8
WAY-OUT TRAVEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
CULTURE SHOCK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Spaced Out . . . . . . . . . . . The Sweetest Destination . . News Bites . . . . . . . . . . . Photo Gallery . . . . . . . . . . Heads Up! . . . . . . . . . . . . Underwater Explorer! . . . . . Tour Tokyo in One Wacky Day . Photo Gallery . . . . . . . . . . Fun & Games . . . . . . . . . .
News Bites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rockin’ Underwater Concert . . . . Photo Gallery . . . . . . . . . . . . . Legendary Landmarks, Lego Style Superheroes Save the Day . . . . . What a Zoo! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Photo Gallery . . . . . . . . . . . . . Blast From the Past . . . . . . . . . Fun & Games . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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. 152 . 154 . 156 . 158 . 160 . 162 . 164 . 166 . 168
INDEX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170 CREDITS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
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INTRODUCTION If you’ve ever thought newspapers were boring, get ready to be amazed! Weird But True!: Ripped From the Headlines has all the things you expect in a newspaper—world news, sports and science sections, entertainment stories, and more—but with a twist. Everything in these newsy pages is factual, but also offbeat, odd, surprising, bizarre. In other words, weird but true! Did you know that playing pinball was once considered a crime? Have you heard about the dog that got married in a $6,000 wedding dress? How about the toilet that doubles as a soccer goalie? These are just a few of the fascinating stories from history and today that you’ll find in this exciting addition to the Weird But True series. Weird But True!: Ripped From the Headlines brings some of the strangest events of all 6
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E ART AT THE BOTTOM OF TH
SEA
PAGE 122
time to one jam-packed book. From glow-in-the-dark piglets in China to robot cameras in Kenya, you’ll discover astounding headlines from around the world and mind-bending stories that prove truth really is stranger than fiction. Read all about the four-story-tall rubber ducky currently touring the world. Learn about the World War I troops who took a Christmas break to play soccer or the American explorer who ate 36,000-year-old bison meat. It’s all here for you to find, along with awesome pictures and more of the insane facts you love. Covering animals, athletes, space, food, toys, geography, money, weather, and more, the news stories in this book will open your eyes to the world around you. Whether you’re reading about gargantuan spiderwebs, marveling at skyscrapers made of straw, or learning how to make your own Kool-Aid pickles, one thing is certain—you’ll never look at the news the same way again! 7
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CHAPTER 1
Y K C A W WORLD HEADLINES
OPS PER TROALIA, PAGE 16 O O R T M STOR AUSTR ACROSS
OG POOPT D ” T S O L “ • ORLD UCH? • NO SHOR W E H T S R U O CO T E K H C H•A T U S D R A E R R D E T N B U T B R U T O R A P H T GIAN AT’S T EN FORCED TO IM ROOPS ACROSS H W , Y E H • C I TRAFF N8 TO TOYS • SWED STORMTROOPER T P • DETECTIV TURN I OUT OF TRASH! • S MERMAID MIX-UAL SCARE • UF MUSIC TOPHER COLUMBU LISTENERS GET RE ALIAN CITY • CHRIS SH • RADIO NKET AUSTR CYCLE WBT_Ripped_Ch1 News_REL.indd 8
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WN O D W O L S S RD COP -UP SANDALS A O B D R A C • HOME OBLEM! • WASHED RA MAKES T N E S S T E G OG POOPTS ALLOWED? NO PRH! • YOUTH ORCHESMT ALL OVER NO SHOR A-MAZE-ING TRASNAZZY SNAPS FRO SS MONSTER TRASH •SS AUSTRALIA • S DUPED • LOCH NEO WRESTLERS S ACRO VE STORY WRITER OR FANCY? • SUM GOOSE9 CHASE I : FACT TOWN ON WILD NED HERE? G DETECTU N I T H G I S O CARE • FIN WEBS • SWEDISNH THE WORLD HAPPDECOPS SLOW AN CITY TAKES FLIGHT • I HOME • CARDBOAR ENT CYCLE WBT_Ripped_Ch1 News_REL.indd 9
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Giant Rubber
DUCK
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, U.S.A. IF A SMALL RUBBER DUCK CAN MAKE BATH TIME A LITTLE MORE FUN, what do you think happened when a giant, 40-foot (12-m)-tall rubber duck bobbed up and down in the Allegheny River in Pittsburgh? Lots of fun! The duck was created by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman, who titled his sculpture—what else?—“Rubber Duck.” Other versions of Hofman’s bright yellow floating sculpture have gone for swims in Osaka, Japan; Sydney, Australia; São Paulo, Brazil; Amsterdam, Netherlands; Hong Kong, China; and other places!
10
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TOURS D THE
WORL
11
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NEWS
BITES
“LOST”
POOTP DOG ETS SEN G
HOME
BRUNETE, SPAIN A small Spanish town sent a strong (and smelly) message to inconsiderate dog owners: Scoop the poop, or else! During a one-week experiment, undercover volunteers chatted with dog walkers who didn’t clean up their dogs’ mess. By sneakily learning the dogs’ names and breeds, the town looked up the addresses of 147 offenders. The volunteers then wrapped up individual packages of dog droppings and sent them by messenger to the offenders’ homes, marked “Lost Property.”
IAL SPEC VERY DELI
WED? NO SHORTS ALLO
NO PROBLEM! WHO MALE TRAIN CONDUCTORS WHAT PROTESTED THEIR COMPANY’S “NO SHORTS” POLICY BY WEARING SKIRTS TO WORK WHERE STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN WHY TEMPERATURES CAN BE SCORCHING IN THE TRAIN CONDUCTORS’ CAR, SO THE
CONDUCTORS WERE UNCOMFORTABLE IN THEIR UNIFORM LONG PANTS. THEIR FEMALE COUNTERPARTS WERE ALLOWED TO WEAR SKIRTS, SO THE MEN TOOK THAT OPTION FOR THEMSELVES. OUTCOME THE CONDUCTORS’ EMPLOYER CHANGED COMPANY POLICY AND ORDERED NEW SHORTS FOR MALE STAFF AT LAST!
NEWS FEED
>>>
OFFENBURG, GERMANY: A FRIGHTENED 75-YEAR-OLD WOMAN CALLED POLICE AT 3 A.M. BECAUSE HER DOORBELL KEPT RINGING. POLICE
12
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CARDBOARD COAPFSFIC SLOW DOWN TR BANGALORE, INDIA Since the police force in this big city in southern India can’t be everywhere at once, they’ve started posting life-size cutouts of police at a few busy intersections. When motorists think a scowling policeman is watching them, they slow down and drive more carefully. Not everyone is completely fooled, but the experiment has worked so well that the police plan to add several more dummies to the force!
HEY, WHAT’S THAT
UNDER THE COUCH?
PLYMOUTH, ENGLAND Colin Steer was always curious about a strange dip in the floor under his couch—so curious that, after 25 years of wondering about it, he finally dug down into his home’s foundation. What did he find? A medieval well 33 feet (10 m) deep—along with an old sword wedged in its walls! Now a trapdoor covers the well, and the family couch is back in place.
INVESTIGATED AND DISCOVERED THE CULPRIT—A LARGE ANT NEST PRESSING UP AGAINST THE DOORBELL’S SWITCH WIRES. 13
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EVERYTHING S W E N IS D L O AGAIN!
WASHEDS-UP SANDAL S TURN INTO TOY
>>>
“Think I’m a shoe-in for best looking toy?”
NAIROBI, KENYA
IT TAKES ABOUT
TWO-LITER FIVERECYCLED
PLASTIC SODA BOTTLES TO MAKE ENOUGH FIBERFILL FOR A
SKI JACKET.
When marine scientist Julie Church saw baby turtles fighting their way through beach trash to get to the ocean, she knew something had to be done. Taking inspiration from local children who made boats out of old flip-flops, she formed a company, now called Ocean Sole, that turns old rubber sandals from Kenya’s beaches into colorful toys! To make the toys, workers collect the rubber shoes from the shore and wash them thoroughly. Then they glue them together and carve them into giraffes, elephants, warthogs, and other animals. After the finished toys have been washed once again, they’re sold in stores all over the world.
NEWS FEED
>>>
ASUNCIÓN, PARAGUAY: A YOUTH ORCHESTRA MAKES MUSIC OUT OF TRASH! KIDS IN THE ORCHESTRA HAVE LEARNED TO PLAY CLASSICAL MUSIC, THE
14 8
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TO SWEDEN FORCED
In Sweden, household trash is burned to make energy for heating and electricity. There’s just one problem: The Swedes are so good at recycling, they don’t make enough garbage to fuel their own power plants! This unusual situation (which one could say is a very good problem to have) has forced squeaky clean Sweden to buy and import about a million tons (900,000 mT) of trash annually from its European neighbors. That’s a whole lot of rubbish!
THE
AVERAGE
AMERICAN CREATES
4.4 POUNDS
(2 KG)
OF
EVERY DAY.
A-MAZE-ING
TRASH! IN THE U.S.,
TWO-THIRDS
OF ALL PAPER PRODUCTS ARE
RECYCLED.
TRASH
SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL
>>>
STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN
>>>
IMPORT TRASH
Landscape mazes are often created with bushes in a garden, but Brazilian artist Eduardo Srur chose to do something a little different—he built his maze with giant blocks of recyclable trash! Srur’s public art display used up to 110 tons (100 mT) of recyclable waste. The labyrinth he designed covered an area about 4,300 square feet (400 m2). Building blocks were made from compressed plastic bottles, cups, wrappers, paper, aluminum cans, steel cables, and plastic mirrors. The artist’s idea was to entertain visitors, while bringing them face-to-face with the massive amounts of household garbage we humans dump out.
BEATLES, AND FRANK SINATRA ON INSTRUMENTS MADE OF OBJECTS RECYCLED FROM A HUGE DUMP NEAR THEIR HOMES. THEY’VE PERFORMED IN BRAZIL, PANAMA, AND COLOMBIA! 15 9
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