Offbeat

Offbeat

This man's blood could unlock universal antivenom

Tim Friede, a Wisconsin resident with a long-standing fascination for venomous creatures, has endured hundreds of snake bites, many self-inflicted, in a quest to build immunity

3m ago

Offbeat / This banana could sell for over $1 million

At the international arthouse Sotheby’s, Maurizio Cattelan’s famous artwork 'Comedian' is about to hit the auction block for an estimated price between $1 million to $1.5 million. But... why?

8m ago

ChatGPT helps 89-year-old Japanese app developer learn programming

89-year-old Japanese Tomoji Suzuki took up coding in his retirement, developing apps specifically for the elderly Japanese population. As per a recent interview with AFP, he has credited ChatGPT as a "great teacher" and "programming mentor" in his coding journey.

1y ago

Offbeat / Biden hiring a 'meme manager'; will pay up to $85,000

The role, which offers a salary of up to $85,000, involves collaborating with podcasters, digital-media companies, and popular social-media meme pages, reports Business Insider. Successful candidates will need to relocate to Wilmington, Delaware, where the campaign is based

1y ago

4 Tejgaon College friends reunite 32 years later via Facebook

The last time they all spent quality time together was at a friend's wedding in 1991

1y ago

KFC launches perfume Eau De BBQ

Finger sniffin’ good?

1y ago

Did you know an Indian startup 3D-printed a house in 21 days?

On April 27, 2021, Tvasta, a startup founded by alumni from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, completed the construction of India's first 3D-printed house - in only 21 days. Modules for this 500 sq. ft. house were printed in the startup's facility in Chennai and assembled at the site, as per the company's official website.

1y ago

Storm in a teacup: US, UK banter over the perfect 'cuppa'

The "special relationship" between Britain and the United States came under pressure this week when a US academic had the cheek to suggest adding salt to tea, sparking a flurry of diplomatic banter

1y ago

Vietnam opens world’s ‘first’ gold-plated hotel

For guests at the “Dolce Hanoi Golden Lake” coffee comes in a gold cup and bath time is taken in gilded splendour.

5y ago

Japanese startup creates ‘connected’ face mask for coronavirus new normal

As face coverings become the norm amid the coronavirus pandemic, Japanese startup Donut Robotics has developed an internet-connected "smart mask" that can transmit messages and translate from Japanese into eight other languages.

5y ago

Scientists discover a new snake, name it after Salazar Slytherin

A team of Indian researchers are making the fictional world collide with the scientific one by naming a new species of snake they discovered -- "Trimeresurus Salazar" -- after Salazar Slytherin of Harry Potter.

5y ago

US doctor self-isolates in his kids’ treehouse

A South Texas emergency room physician chooses a novel place to self-isolate as he’s treating patients with the novel coronavirus.

5y ago

Robots replace Japanese students at graduation amid coronavirus

Spring graduation ceremonies in Japan have been cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic, but students at one school were able to attend remotely by controlling avatar robots while logged on at home.

5y ago

Newborn twins named Corona and Covid in India

A couple in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh named their new-born twins as 'Corona' and 'Covid'.

5y ago

Dinosaur DNA found preserved in 75 million year-old fossil

Scientists have discovered organic material preserved in 75-million-year-old dinosaur fossils, including cartilage cells, proteins, chromosomes, and DNA.

5y ago

Moscow police seize custom made ‘Batmobile’

Police officials in Moscow recently seized a custom-made vehicle with a likeness to the ‘Batmobile’ used by fictional crime-fighting superhero Batman in the “Batman V Superman” film, claiming the car does not fit road safety regulations.

5y ago

Adopt a stray dog, plant a tree as king’s birthday gift: Bhutan PM

As Bhutan celebrates the birthday of their king, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, the country's prime minister has a novel idea for a birthday gift.

5y ago

Filipino couple weds under volcanic cloud

A couple getting married in the Philippines over the weekend witnessed a surprise guest at their wedding. In what has made for dramatic shots that have since gone viral on social media, Chino and Kat Palomar exchanged vows in Cavite province on Sunday under a gigantic cloud of smoke and ash from Taal, one of the world’s smallest active volcanoes.

5y ago