Author: everhance

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Get to Know the Oarfish: The Terrifying Sea Serpent of Folklore

I don’t like going into the ocean. There’s a lot you can’t see swimming around in there. Even when it’s not dangerous, I don’t particularly relish the thought of swimming with it.

Maybe it’s because of the time I went snorkeling and people started throwing food over the side of the boat, so that suddenly I was positively swarmed by fish. Touching me. (Shudder)

Well after learning about the creature called the giant oarfish, I may never go in the water again.

What is an oarfish, you ask?

Well, they’re in the same family as eels (Actinopterygi), but they’re not eels.

Recently, a Tumblr user asked to be told about something anxiety producing, and “Be careful what you wish for,” would be an understated warning because user @biggest-gaudiest-patronuses brought the goods.

digitalrabbit asked: Hey I heard you're giving out anxiety, can I have 1 anxiety please? biggest-gaudiest-patronuses answered: yes, here is a baby oarfish.

Image credit: Tumblr via Cheezburger

Because of the fish’s length, users were surprised to read it was a baby, and @biggest-gaudiest-patronuses was happy to provide more detailed information.

imaramennoodle: that's a BABY? biggest-gaudiest-patronuses: boy howdy are you in for a treat! introducing, the Oarfish!

Image credit: Tumblr via Cheezburger

Turns out, they’re fairly mysterious creatures, which is probably why they’re the stuff of Japanese folklore, where they’re known as “the Messenger from the Sea God’s Palace.”

The user shared bigger and bigger examples of the creature, and it gives me the willies.

Not much is known about Oarfish. Their maximum length is debatable, though there are reports of specimen up to 56 ft long. They live at great depths, and are rarely observed alive.

Image credit: Tumblr via Cheezburger

Image credit: Tumblr via Cheezburger

I’m sorry, but it has to be said…

I think they’re going to need a bigger boat.

Image credit: Tumblr via Cheezburger

No one bothered to question who @biggest-gaudiest-patronuses was, or why they had so many pictures close to hand and sounded like the world’s foremost authority on wicked-long fish.

Yeah. These children get long. Like I said, length-variable. That one's only about 28 feet long. So, like, imagine that but double.

Image credit: Tumblr via Cheezburger

The user then zoomed in for a close-up on the faces of the people and the fish, and dropped a little more knowledge.

Look how excited everyone is. Well, everyone but the fish. Oh, fun fact! They can self-amputate up to 3/4th of their body. Lizard-style.

Image credit: Tumblr via Cheezburger

Close up, the fish just looks like any other fish.
Maybe even less mean-looking than an eel.

Historically, Oarfish have been described as sea serpents, and are probably responsible for a fair portion of myths. In Japanese folklore, their appearance portends earthquakes. Though rarely seen, Oarfish live in every ocean. All around the world. Everywhere. No matter what coastline you're on, they're always there.Just a few thousand feet below water. Waiting.

Image credit: Tumblr via Cheezburger

Watching. Fireball-me: Jesus that was more than 1 anxiety! biggest-gaudiest-patronuses: I am a wholesale provider.

Image credit: Tumblr via Cheezburger

(Double shudder.)

I mean. They seem pretty harmless, but I’m still probably going to have nightmares about them.

What do you think of this ridiculously long fish? Tell us in the comments.

The post Get to Know the Oarfish: The Terrifying Sea Serpent of Folklore appeared first on UberFacts.

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A 4,000-Year-Old Dolmen of Guadalperal Stone Henge Emerged from the Depths of a Canal in Spain

Any fan of Outlander can tell you about the value of a good stone circle or megalith.

They are an incredible feat of engineering that evokes imagery of giants and druids and ancient gods and ancient humans overcoming extraordinary limitations (and doing math!) in the service of those gods.

There is something magical about such places, and even more magical when one emerges before our eyes like Atlantis.

 

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A post shared by Sera Verdade? (@sera_verdade_isso)

The Dolmen of Guadalperal is believed to be about 4,000 years old, built around 2,000 BCE.

Think “Stonehenge’s little sister.”

According to My Modern Met:

The Dolmen of Guadalperal is a collection of 150 large granite stones arranged in a circular structure with what appears to be an entranceway guarded by a menhir (standing stone) carved with snake and cup motifs.

Incredibly, this Spanish structure was first discovered by a German archaeologist named Hugo Obermaier in the 1920s.

In case you were wondering what the difference between a henge and dolmen and a stone circle are, My Modern Met explains:

The term dolmen is typically used to describe an ancient structure where standing stones support a large capstone to create a chamber–a structure often used for early Neolithic tombs.

Whereas a henge is defined as a prehistoric monument consisting of a circle of stone or wooden uprights.

A henge may or may not include the topping capstone, and can be used for many ceremonies and purposes, as opposed to being a burial chamber.

(For extra nerdy readers, a megalith is one single large stone of several composing a henge or dolmen.)

Proving that modern humans are all pretty much alike, the historic structure was not protected for posterity, and in the 1960s, the Spanish government deliberately flooded the area in order to create the Valdecañas Reservoir.

This left the majority of the stones almost entirely submerged, with only a handful of the talest points visible above the water.

 

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A post shared by Carlos j. (@cjmaraver)

Like much of the world, 2019 was a hot dry year for Europe, and Spain found itself in a deep drought.

By the spring of 2021, that drought had persisted enough that even NASA satellites could see the waters of the Valdecañas Reservoir had receded, and the magnificent stones had finally reemerged after decades.

Understandably, the years under water have not been kind to the structure.

Granite is porous, meaning water was able to infiltrate the stones’ interiors.

Those snake carvings which once decorated the megaliths have largely eroded.

But they are still a sight to behold.

 

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A post shared by Fede (@fedevignerons_vigne_)

Many local residents are now calling to protect the stones, even if that means moving all 150 of them to higher ground and reconstructing the existing structure, so that once the drought is over, the site can be preserved for tourists and researchers.

Moving the stones wouldn’t be quite the same, but it’s better than nothing, and I really hope they can do it.

I’m a sucker for stone circles myself, having visited both Stonehenge in England and the Standing Stones of Stenness on Orkney, and I’d love the chance to see these old stones in person.

What do you think? Planning a trip to Spain to check them out and attempt to travel through time?

Tell us in the comments!

The post A 4,000-Year-Old Dolmen of Guadalperal Stone Henge Emerged from the Depths of a Canal in Spain appeared first on UberFacts.

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People Talk About Their Favorite Ways to Deal with Scam Callers

I would say that roughly 1 out of every 1 phone call I get is from a scammer.

That’s not to say I don’t have friends or family who communicate with me. It’s just that that’s usually over some form of text, or in person. If it’s an actual *phone call,* it’s almost definitely a scam.

And boy oh boy are they tiring to deal with.

Lucky for us the internet is replete with suggestions on ways to turn those annoying calls into fun little diversions. Let’s let Twitter teach us how to scam the scammers.

10. Dead serious

The best supervisor tag-in ever.

9. Windows 95

How about you just come do it for the entire state while you’re at it?

8. The Accident

The Batman was right – The Penguin is a true menace to our city and must be dealt with at once.

7. Stay togeher, pray together

You’d be surprised what people will hang on through in the pursuit of cash.

6. Memories of old

Getting into character is one of the most fun ways to mess with ’em.

5. Keep ’em talking

Think of it as a public service to put your unlimited plan to use.

4. What’s it to ya, mac?

The ol’ bait and switch.

3. The new record

Now I know my ABCs, next time won’t you please not be.

2. More alphabet fun

I don’t know what’s so confusing about that.

1. Highly suspicious

It was a dark and stormy night…

That oughta keep ’em busy for a while.

How do you handle scam calls?

Tell us in the comments.

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16 Posts to Make You Laugh

If you’re having one of those days when nothing is going right, and you don’t think anything could make you smile, well, that’s when you turn to the internet. I mean, who better than a bunch of strangers trying to be funny to raise your spirits, right?

I don’t know why that logic works, but these 16 folks are ready to prove that it does – just take a scroll and see if I’m not right!

16. But like what did he actually say?

This is such a funny take.

15. I know there’s a real explanation behind the song.

This one is better, though.

14. I know which one I’m choosing.

Is it a choice, really?

13. This book ruins dating chances.

Just any way you slice it.

12. You never meet the goals you don’t set.

I think we might need to talk about the definition of “modest,” though.

11. And yet she’s still his girlfriend.

Maybe she appreciates thrifty-ness.

10. Why is this so funny?

I literally just snorted.

9. Poor choice of words.

Happens to the best of us.

8. Is he eating anything in bed?

I feel like he probably is.

7. A serious double whammy.

I mean, ouch.

Image Credit: Ruin My Week

6. Some people just aren’t rule breakers.

And that’s why they’re dead.

5. That should do the trick.

Way to think ahead, man.

4. How you know the prayers work.

Either that or he got bit by a spider.

3. The Lord of the Teeth.

I would die of happiness if this happened in real life.

2. Brilliant.

I mean, it’s torture, but it’s brilliant.

1. Oh, baby.

You should have rapped back about his grandma DIDN’T drop him off.

You’re at least smiling, right?

What’s your go-to joke when you’re trying to cheer someone up? Share it with us in the comments!

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Repair Setups that OSHA Might Have an Opinion About

OSHA stands for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which is a government agency.

Their role is to basically look at super unsafe workplace practices – often put into place in order to cut corners or save money – and go “HEY. NO.”

I mean, there are huge thick books full of rules and regulations, but the gist of it is “HEY. NO.”

Which is what any OSHA administrator worth their salt would doubtlessly be saying when they saw any of these situations playing out, which are brought to us by reddit.com/r/osha.

10. Check under the car

I’ve seen enough cartoons to know where this is going.

9. Are you there, God?

It’s me, somebody who’s run out of f**ks to give.

8. Up, up, and away!

There’s no amount of money you could pay me to do this.

7. Chip off the old block

Dude, have you never even watched Fargo?

6. Swing for the trees

I’m not even sure what’s trying to be accomplished here.

5. Torch itt

“No smoking near the gas.”
“What about flame-throwers?”
“Sure, why not.”

4. Holy crap

Father, forgive me, for I have sinned.

3. The hidey hole

Once a year he comes out to tell us all if it will be a long winter.

2. Cat hanger

“Well, it took a lot of effort, but we can finally confirm that these are, in fact, rocks.”

1. The crash

Don’t wanna maybe strap that thing down?

Woof. Nobody tell OSHA. Or maybe do immediately.

What’s the most dangerous thing you’ve been involved in?

Tell us about it in the comments.

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People Share Their Hilariously Bad First Car Stories

Jimmy Fallon took to Twitter and asked everyone one specific question: what was your worst car?

I think my answer would probably be the Ford Probe I had as a teenager. Don’t even remember what year it was. It was a stick shift that didn’t handle so great, and the AC had broken years ago. If it was hot outside, my choices were to either keep the windows up and show up to wherever I was going drenched in sweat, or roll the windows down and show up absolutely windswept. Or, most often, some combination of both.

But what are so other stories of vehicular horror? Let’s see what Twitter had on offer.

10. The Baja Bug

I’m not sure that even actually counts as a car to be honest with you.

9. The Ford Temp

Hey, it was just trying to keep time.

8. The Lada

In Soviet Russia, car draws you.

7. The Datsun

As in “Dang, where’d you get dat, son?”

6. The Icemobile

I sure hope you were spouting Mr. Freeze lines the entire time.

5. The Renault LeCar

I’m sorry, were you just driving backward down highways like a lunatic?

4. The AMC Hornet

Ok that’s one of the most dangerous things I’ve ever heard.

3. The Runt

It’s kinda cute tho?

2. The Toyota Station Wagon

That sounds super secure.

1. The Alarmist

Guess that’s how you always beat the traffic, huh?

Glad those days are behind us, eh?

What’s the worst car you ever had?

Tell us in the comments.

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People Share Absurd Pieces of Clothing and Their Outrageous Price Tags

When I want to buy an unusual new product, I remind myself that without risk there’s no reward.

Sometimes it works, and the unusual new product is a massive success!

Other times it’s a huge disappointment, and I kick myself for days.

The point is, we all make weird choices sometimes. And the luxury goods industry exists to feed those retail therapy choices.

When a woman went viral recently for posting her ridiculous discovery from Nordstrom, the post took off, with others joining in to share the weirdest and most expensive items they’ve seen for sale as well.

She wrote:

The $895 price tag may sound like a lot, but at least you won’t have any money left that you need to carry around, since, as one keen-eyed user pointed out the fine print:

This bedazzled objet d’art doesn’t actually carry anything, except for a conversation.

It sounds like something David Rose would say.

In addition to outrageously expensive and useless “purses”, there were a number of examples of horrifying (and useless?) clothing trends in the thread.

User @chelbee611 shared these bizarre underwear-exposing trousers.

Good thing they have free returns.

And who can forget this aptly described travesty, which I guess you could wear with those pants.

If you’re really looking to be classy, there’s this dress, which I would describe as “tarp & bungee chic” – perfect for any occasion.

And to really kick it up a notch, pair that dress with these matching gloves.
(They match the bungee cords.)

If the tarp dress isn’t to your liking, because, idk, you’re worried about rain on your back? Never fear, there’s always this shower curtain dress option shared by Ellen Grace.

Perfect for a rainy day or a chili dog eating contest.

And if you’re worried about getting cold (maybe in that backless dress) user @TSatch17 has you covered with this… sleeping bag wrap?

Another user, @jamiesanpedroo, who really got into the exercise, found these wacky toe-sock-boot-gizmos, and I don’t even know what to do with them.

Is Nordstrom okay?

Not to single out high end retailers, @my_tv_life pointed to her favorite source for the ridiculous, Etsy, and these fabulous handmade pants.

Mars OBSESSED responded to the original post with a joke, but these glasses (?!) are blowing my mind.

Several users shared the same $1300 hat, which I personally thought looked like an attempt to imitate an orca.

And don’t forget about the bling. There was the bike lock necklace that costs more than any actual bike lock.

Just in case, you know, you’re worried someone’s going to steal your head.

Honestly, these all make me feel better about the electric toothbrush I bought last week.

What about you? What’s the most absurd item to come into your social media ads?

Tell us in the comments!

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15 People Share Their Best Good Neighbor Stories

If you’re anything like me, you have no idea who your neighbors even are. You’ve never met them, you don’t know their names – if you’re lucky you might RECOGNIZE them as, in fact, people that live around you.

If you’re like my dad on the other hand, you know all of them, and have a strict friend/enemy list onto which each one has a slot.

But either way, we can all appreciate the truly GOOD neighbors, which is what makes these posts from Reddit so special.

15. Special delivery

Gotta give it up for ’em.

A UPS driver went above-and-beyond this year, delivering nearly 200 packages a day through lockdowns and the flurry of the Holiday season. This week, hundreds of neighbors came out to give him a hero’s salute from aww

14. Never forget

Now get out there and party!

So my 102 year old neighbour was emiddited to hospital with a stroke and she still remembered my 21st from pics

13. Love over hate

Keep tryin’, you’re gonna get defeated every time.

Some guy spraypainted some very explicit anti-gay slurs on a garage down the street (a gay couple live there), so our neighborhood got together and painted this. from MadeMeSmile

12. The plate

Now I’ve really got something to be thankful for.

My neighbors brought me a "plate" since I didn’t go anywhere for Thanksgiving. from pics

11. The sweet treats

Kids are just puppies that slowly learn how to talk.

Our neighbor gives treats through the fence. Recently he has been giving my daughter treats too. This is them waiting patiently today. from aww

10. The flood

The greatest note you can possibly come across in a situation like this.

Apartment complex flooded at least 3 feet. Good neighbors saved dogs trapped inside. from HumansBeingBros

9. The smile

Look at that little half-stash booger. What a cutie.

Lost my husband suddenly 6 months ago, lost my cat last week. Today, my neighbor brought me this baby girl. Smiled for the first time in days and haven’t stopped from MadeMeSmile

8. Notes from abroad

Oh man, I wonder how long they’d been waiting!

Our neighbour doesn’t have Wi-Fi, so we talked her through joining ours. Once on she received 70 messages from her children living overseas from HumansBeingBros

7. God bless

That’s what compassion looks like.

In 2019, this 15-year-old kid started to take care of his elderly neighbors every single day after they had medical setbacks. God bless you Romemylion. from MadeMeSmile

6. I’ve got time

En excellent use of your time.

After bad storms, this retired old man goes around our neighborhood and cleans the debris out of yards and catch basins. When I asked him why he said “because I am retired and have the time to help”. 10/10 great dude from HumansBeingBros

5. A burning fire

It’s bad, but you can make it a little bit better.

Neighbours helping out strangers during the Australian bushfires. Everything helps and it all adds up!! from HumansBeingBros

4. Now, scoot!

What kind of dingus steals from a kid.

Someone stole a kids razor scooter in our neighborhood. An anonymous neighbor decided to restore some joy back for the kid. from HumansBeingBros

3. Garden cheer

I just think they’re neat!

Left this in my neighbor’s garden to cheer them up. from pics

2. The sled hill

There’s a perfect one in every neighborhood, and not all the owners are as cool as this.

Neighborhood kids were using this lady’s yard for sledding without asking. She responded by blasting Xmas music out her window, putting on a Santa hat with a beard and joining them. from MadeMeSmile

1. Sebastian

It’s the light in the eyes.

[Crosspost from /r/nextdoor] A note left for a neighbor from MadeMeSmile

Just warms your heart all over!

What’s your best neighbor story?

Share it with us in the comments.

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Scientists Make Mistakes…and Sometimes They Create New Fish

Science is a process. It follows a method, but it’s all about learning.

And sometimes the best learning comes from mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes, right?

Well last year, scientists at a lab in Hungary had a real OOPS moment.

But after the OOPS comes the learning.

Their hearts were in the right place. At the Research Institute for Fisheries and Aquaculture, they just wanted to try to preserve critically endangered species.

Their focus was the Russian sturgeon, also known as the diamond sturgeon.

Image credit: GlobalP via iStock

As Popular Mechanics explains:

The research team tried to breed more Russian sturgeons via gynogenesis, a type of asexual reproduction in which sperm is necessary but leaves no traces of its DNA behind.

As a result, the offspring ends up with 100 percent maternal DNA (and none from the paternal contributor.)

Easy-peasy, right?

The plan was to use sperm from another endangered species, the American paddlefish.

Image credit: tunart via iStock

What came next was completely unexpected.

Instead of merely fertilizing the eggs and then disappearing into the ether, the sperm actually fused with the eggs, creating a hybrid fish, affectionately known as a “sturddlefish.”

SCIENCE, am I right?

This new, uninentional hybrid species had some interesting differences.

Again, Popular Mechanics explains:

Some are close to an even 50/50 genetic split between their two parents, but others appear more sturgeon-like while others have stronger paddlefish traits.

The differences include things like what the fish like to eat.

Sturgeons are carnivores. They feast on smaller sea creatures like mollusks and crustaceans.

Paddlefish, however, prefer plankton, which are not exactly vegetables, but are microscopic organisms quite different from the usual sturgeon diet.

Not all of the hatched hybrids survived, but of those that did, some preferred a sturgeon diet and others preferred the plankton.

According to The New York Times about 100 of this new species survived.

And while the accident has proven an interesting one, the team has no intention of creating any more hybrids.

Sorry little sturddlefish.

What do you think about this wild story? Are you here for creating weird new animal hybrids? Tell us your thoughts in the comments.

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Design Choices That Definitely Should Have Been Given More Thought

Human ingenuity is a great thing – it’s one of the core elements that has allowed us to become the dominant species on this planet.

Our propensity for tinkering, crafting, organizing, and beautifying is central to our existence.

But MAN, are we bad at it sometimes.

Just take these dangerous design fails, courtesy of Reddit.

15. The Bike Yike

I like the added touch of the little dividers on the side so you can’t even get around it.

This will probably work out just fine for bicycles… from dangerousdesign

14. The Non-Kick Kickball

P.E. used to be simple, now we’ve got THIS crap.

That would explain why my ankle hurts from dangerousdesign

13. Bomb Packaging

I um…I’mma need a minute with this one.

Food aid packages and cluster bombs, both dropped on afghanistan in 2001 from dangerousdesign

12. The Death Ray

Thanks a lot, Lex Luthor!

This architect accidentally built a death ray that melts cars and fries eggs… again from dangerousdesign

11. Asbestos Snow

Roll around in the magic!

In the 1930s you could buy artificial snow made out of 100% asbestos from dangerousdesign

10. The Crushing Garage

A sign that you have too much money.

Leaving your child in the car here. from dangerousdesign

9. The Novelty Helmet

Yeah, I can dig it. All my seat belts are made of silly string.

Warning label inside a helmet I received when we rented 4-wheelers from dangerousdesign

8. The Wheel Stand

I’ve seen enough cartoons to know where this is going.

Seems legit… from dangerousdesign

7. The Monopod

I’d like to think that someone who knows more about physics than me made sure this was sound, but I have my doubts.

It’s fine, nothing to worry about from dangerousdesign

6. The Cleansing Wheel

You don’t even need the airbag to deploy for this to go horribly – one slightly-too-quick brake pump and you’re in head wound city.

Cursed_Airbag from cursedcomments

5. Stairway to H**l

I THOUGHT I TOLD THOSE DANG KIDS TO CLEAN UP THEIR ROCKS.

Staircase beautified with loose boulders and a broken pelvis from CrappyDesign

4. Yummy Bleach!

I mean, normal bleach! Definitely not cereal! But maybe cereal? Try it! No don’t! Look at the fuzzy boi!

This hair bleach… from dangerousdesign

3. The Playground

Check out the kid plummeting from five stories up.

Children’s playground in 1912 from dangerousdesign

2. Extra Seating

I guess it’s probably less dangerous than it looks as long as nobody tries to get over the railing?
Still. Terrifying.

Couldn’t get a good seat? Risk your life trying to watch the game! from dangerousdesign

1. A Relaxing Flight

There’s literally no way for this to go well.

Step out of a bathtub down a flight of stairs, anyone? from dangerousdesign

Yanno, I didn’t think I could get a career in product design, but now I’m thinking maybe it’s not all that hard.

What’s a dangerously designed thing you’ve seen?

Tell us in the comments.

The post Design Choices That Definitely Should Have Been Given More Thought appeared first on UberFacts.