The weekly weird

Published August 1, 2015

The green abandoned village

MAN is used to developing the natural world into settlements — but here’s what happens when nature decides to take it back.

There is a fishing village on Gouqi Island, part of a group of 394 islands known as Shengsi Islands in China. The fishing industry in the area started dwindling when shipbuilding, shipping and tourism become bigger money spinners and, as a result, fishermen left in great numbers.

Soon lush greenery and plant started creepers crawling all over the buildings, and now it looks like nature has reclaimed what was once part of the manmade world that’s no longer needed.


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The first fully warm-blooded fish discovered

THE opah, which researchers say dwells in the cold, dark depths of the ocean, is able to produce heat by constantly flapping its fins like wings as it moves about, keeping its blood warm as it circulates throughout its body.

The opah’s warm-bloodedness is advantageous for the fish, as it’s able to keep itself at least five degrees Celsius warmer than its surrounding water and move about quickly to prey on other fish.

Researchers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association said the fish is the first known one to be identified as fully warm-blooded, a characteristic typical to mammals and birds; tuna and shark are only partially endothermic, meaning warm blood pumps to only select organs. Researchers are curious about the fish, given its large size, big eyes, and agility in cold water.


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Crochet food hats

A HEADWEAR like this certainly grabs attention but it needs a lot of hard work and creativity as crocheting is not a piece of cake, but Phil Ferguson from Australia is injecting some fun into the craft by making giant food-themed hats.

Chili Philly, aka 22-year-old Phil Ferguson, was looking for something to do after he moved to Melbourne and so started crocheting hats as a hobby.

Phil told that he was inspired by his job in a burger bar to make his first food-themed wearable item.

He said: “After I’d spent three months making that one I just kept getting inspired by that as a theme-food and stuff like that — because everybody loved it.”

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