The weekly weird

Published November 16, 2024

World’s smallest washing machine

www.huffingtonpost.com, www.upi.com, www.apnews.com
www.huffingtonpost.com, www.upi.com, www.apnews.com

An Indian man showed off his miniature engineering skills by crafting the world’s smallest washing machine, measuring just 1.28 inches by 1.32 inches by 1.52 inches.

Guinness World Records confirmed Sebin Saji’s washing machine, which is smaller than a Tamagotchi digital pet, is the smallest in the world.

To qualify for the record, Saji had to demonstrate that his washing machine was functional and could run a full cycle — wash, rinse and spin. The washing machine, which Saji needed special digital callipers to measure, weighs in at just .88 ounces — slightly more than two Oreo cookies.

Exotic caracal cat captured in Chicago suburb

www.huffingtonpost.com, www.upi.com, www.apnews.com
www.huffingtonpost.com, www.upi.com, www.apnews.com

Animal con­trol officers safely captured a wild caracal cat wandering in a Chicago suburb. The Hoffman Estates Police Department reported that the cat, native to Africa and parts of Asia, was found hiding under a resident’s deck.

Resident Jan Hoffman-Rau descri­bed the capture, noting that the cat resisted and went ‘crazy’ when placed in the cage. Officers used a tranquiliser gun to subdue the cat, but it took several minutes for the drug to take effect. Authorities ensured the cat was not injured during the capture.

The caracal will have a new home at the Valley of the Kings Sanctuary and Retreat in Sharon, Wis.

Museum opens 100-year-old time capsule

www.huffingtonpost.com, www.upi.com, www.apnews.com
www.huffingtonpost.com, www.upi.com, www.apnews.com

The National WWI Museum and Memorial in Kansas City, Mo., opened a 100-year-old time capsule buried in the Liberty Memorial Tower in 1924.

Extracted after overcoming 18 inches of limestone and concrete, the capsule contained a copy of the US Constitution, newspapers, a Bible and the U.S. declaration of war from April 1917. It also held letters from President Calvin Coolidge and Allied commanders from the 1921 ground-breaking ceremony, along with a November 1, 1921, printing plate from the Kansas City Star.

The copper box bore signatures believed to be from its assembly team, although their identities remain unknown.

Farm creates massive ‘Beetlejuice’ pumpkin mosaic

www.huffingtonpost.com, www.upi.com, www.apnews.com
www.huffingtonpost.com, www.upi.com, www.apnews.com

Sunnyfields Farm in Hampshire, England, has unveiled its latest pumpkin mosaic, inspired by Beetlejuice, following a fan vote that chose the theme.

Farmer Ian Nelson shared that the mosaic features over 10,000 naturally coloured pumpkins and squashes, assembled in one day by 15 people.

A time-lapse video shows the creation process, which took about 50 hours of planning. Many of the pumpkins are edible and available for visitors to pick. It remains unclear if this year’s mosaic will surpass the 2023 record, which depicted Jack Skellington and covered 2,081 square feet.

Published in Dawn, Young World, November 16th, 2024

Opinion

Editorial

Strange claim
Updated 21 Dec, 2024

Strange claim

In all likelihood, Pakistan and US will continue to be ‘frenemies'.
Media strangulation
Updated 21 Dec, 2024

Media strangulation

Administration must decide whether it wishes to be remembered as an enabler or an executioner of press freedom.
Israeli rampage
21 Dec, 2024

Israeli rampage

ALONG with the genocide in Gaza, Israel has embarked on a regional rampage, attacking Arab and Muslim states with...
Tax amendments
Updated 20 Dec, 2024

Tax amendments

Bureaucracy gimmicks have not produced results, will not do so in the future.
Cricket breakthrough
20 Dec, 2024

Cricket breakthrough

IT had been made clear to Pakistan that a Champions Trophy without India was not even a distant possibility, even if...
Troubled waters
20 Dec, 2024

Troubled waters

LURCHING from one crisis to the next, the Pakistani state has been consistent in failing its vulnerable citizens....