Researchers baffled by underwater tornado

Researchers dubbed a tornado-like formation off the coast of Australia as ‘completely weird.’

Schmidt Ocean Institute researchers were performing live commentary on a live-stream video of a remotely operated vehicle dive in Coral Sea Marine Park, off the Queensland coast, when the underwater tornado appeared on the sea floor.

Marine geologist Robin Beaman, one of the scientists performing the commentary, said the formation was reminiscent of a benthic storm, which involves waves travelling under the surface and creating turbulence near the ocean floor. The scientists said they do not know the cause of the whirling water.

Record-breaking 7.1-foot coriander plant

An Indian farmer was awarded a Guinness World Record after his coriander plant was confirmed to be the world’s tallest, at 7.1 feet.

Gopal Dutt Upreti, an organic farmer in Uttarakhand, northern India, said he used traditional Himalayan farming techniques to grow the large coriander plant at his apple orchard in Bilkesh, Almora district.

The previous record-holder was 5.9 feet — a goal Upreti’s plant surpassed by more than a foot. Upreti said he hopes his achievement will inspire more farmers to switch to organic methods of growing.

New lemon juice drinking record

An Idaho man turned a sour taste into a sweet achievement when he drank a litre of lemon juice through a straw in under 17 seconds for a Guinness World Record.

David Rush, who has broken more than 100 Guinness records to promote STEM education, emptied the glass containing a whole litre of 100 percent lemon juice in 16.53 seconds.

Rush’s time bested the previous record of 17.12 seconds, set by Andre Ortolf.

Rush said he kept from throwing up after finishing the juice, but his stomach discomfort lasted until the next day.

Forty baby snakes in air conditioner

A man found about 40 snakes slithering around inside his home air conditioning unit! Shradhanand, a farmer from the village of Pavli Khurd, Meerut district, India, said he spotted a snake on the floor of his bedroom in the night and released the reptile outside.

The man said he returned to his bedroom and found three more snakes in his bed. He searched for the source of the serpent invasion and ended up discovering about 40 snakes living inside his air conditioner.

Shradhanand said he was able to extract the snakes with the help of neighbours and released the reptiles in a nearby wooded area.

A mother snake had apparently laid eggs inside the air conditioner, which had not been in use for several months and they recently hatched.

Published in Dawn, Young World, June 20th, 2020