Translate your cat’s meows into human speech

Whether your feline is hungry, tired or feeling lonely, all will be revealed, thanks to the Temptations Catterbox (neck collar). Created by London ad agency adam & eveDDB, inside the invention are a microphone and speaker, as well as WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity.

The idea is that it transforms what we usually hear as cat’s meows into human speech. As it’s not connected to the cat’s brain, it’s possibly not entirely reliable, but the fun will be in having a little speaking kitty following you around.

The devices are 3-D printed and coated in rubber lacquer which comes in four colours. The prototype has just been launched in the USA and New Zealand. Temptations global brand director Pete Simmons says: “At the Temptations brand, we are passionate about bringing cats and owners together,” he told.

The ‘ATM’ that dispenses Nutella-filled Krispy Kremes

Krispy Kreme (a doughnut company in the US) has come up with a mouth-watering recipe, the limited edition Nutty Chocolatta, which is filled with Nutella, dipped in rich chocolate icing decorated with a white chocolate swirl and caramelised hazelnuts.

But it has introduced ‘Hole in the Wall’, a pop-up at their London, Holborn store which offers fans a chance to sample the doughnut before it goes on sale around the country.

Once the doughnut hatch is unlocked, guests are presented with their very own limited edition Nutty Chocolatta doughnut. So who is interested?

Time for workout in ‘exercise bus’

An English fitness company is set to offer people the opportunity to exercise while traveling on a bus.

1Rebel UK announced the new service, known as ‘Ride 2 Rebel,’ which they described as a ‘ride studio on wheels’ that will allow riders to use stationary bikes while on the bus.

1Rebel is accepting registrations for the service on its website and has plans for four pick-up stations, including Stratford, Kensington High St., Angel and Clapham Common.

The programme has not been officially approved, as 1Rebel co-founder James Balfour told CNBC that safety concerns, including a lack of seat belts and helmets, present an obstacle.

“We are working with bus companies and the government to establish all health and safety conditions,” he said.

If approved the programme is expected to launch in the summer, but Balfour said that the listing has already gathered significant interest.

A mountain higher than Mount Everest?

Sir Edmund Hilary first accomplished the feat in 1953 by climbing Mount Everest but it turns out it is not the world’s highest mountain. At 8,848 metres above sea level, statistics suggest that the mountain in Nepal should be the highest point on earth.

But, technically speaking, the mountain is not the highest point on Earth – just the highest when measured from sea level. That honour actually goes to the lesser known Chimborazo in Ecuador.

Its altitude is far lower than Everest’s — 6,310 metres — if you stand on its peak you are actually closer to space.

Confused? It is all to do with the curvature of Earth. Our planet may be a sphere but it is not perfect. It is flatter at the poles but bulges slightly at the middle making its radius 13 miles greater than at Equator.

So if you are talking about highest points, Chimborazo is king. It is 3,971 miles from Earth’s centre compared to Everest’s 3,965.8 miles. This is all despite geologists realising on a recent climb that the mountain in Ecuador is 15 feet lower than previously thought.

Published in Dawn, Young World, June 11th, 2016