Leech attaches to man’s throat

A Vietnamese man experienced throat discomfort and discovered a six-cm-long leech sucking blood from his throat.

Leeches usually manage to enter the human body due to a lack of proper hygiene. This 53-year-old patient said he had sustained an injury to his hand a month prior, so he went out and picked medicinal plants, put them in his mouth and chewed them into a paste that he applied to his wound.

His hand was fine, but doctors believe that by putting the unwashed leaves in his mouth, he allowed a tiny leech access to his body. They are usually tiny, but by constantly feeding on blood, they can grow very fast.

Student creates the world’s fastest toy car

A German engineering student, 31-year-old Marcel Paul, spent 10 months transforming a toy car into a high-speed vehicle capable of reaching 92.24 mph (148 km/h).

Inspired by his love for Bobby Cars, Marcel aimed to create the world’s fastest rideable toy car. Using a Baby Porsche 911 as the base, he built an aluminium chassis, upgraded the suspension and installed a custom electric motor and battery. Despite challenges and costs nearing $10,000, Marcel successfully set a new Guinness record at the Hockenheimring racetrack in Germany.

The world’s lightest handbag is 99 percent air

French fashion brand Coperni introduced a new version of its Swipe bag, called ‘Air Swipe,’ crafted from aerogel, the lightest solid material on Earth. Weighing a mere 37 grams, this accessory represents innovation in fashion.

Coperni collaborated with Greek researcher Ioannis Michaloudis to create the bag, showcasing the exceptional properties of aerogel, composed of 99% air and 1% glass. Despite its delicate appearance, aerogel is surprisingly durable and able to withstand significant pressure and high temperatures. The Air Swipe Bag debuted at the F/W 2024 Paris Fashion Week runway show.

Wooden plank from Titanic sold for over $700,000

A buyer shelled out $718,750 for one of the most controversial wooden planks in cinematic history: the door frame panel that saved Rose’s life in the 1997 film Titanic.

Heritage Auctions announced the ornate piece of wood, sold as part of a Planet Hollywood movie memorabilia auction, fetched the ship-sinking sum after numerous bids.

The prop, made from balsa wood, was based on the “most famous complete piece of debris” salvaged from the real sinking of the Titanic in 1912, the auction house said.

“Often mistakenly referred to as a door, the ornate structure was in reality part of the door frame just above the first-class lounge entrance,” the item description reads.

Published in Dawn, Young World, April 13th, 2024