The weekly weird

Published November 16, 2024

World’s smallest washing machine

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An Indian man showed off his miniature engineering skills by crafting the world’s smallest washing machine, measuring just 1.28 inches by 1.32 inches by 1.52 inches.

Guinness World Records confirmed Sebin Saji’s washing machine, which is smaller than a Tamagotchi digital pet, is the smallest in the world.

To qualify for the record, Saji had to demonstrate that his washing machine was functional and could run a full cycle — wash, rinse and spin. The washing machine, which Saji needed special digital callipers to measure, weighs in at just .88 ounces — slightly more than two Oreo cookies.

Exotic caracal cat captured in Chicago suburb

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Animal con­trol officers safely captured a wild caracal cat wandering in a Chicago suburb. The Hoffman Estates Police Department reported that the cat, native to Africa and parts of Asia, was found hiding under a resident’s deck.

Resident Jan Hoffman-Rau descri­bed the capture, noting that the cat resisted and went ‘crazy’ when placed in the cage. Officers used a tranquiliser gun to subdue the cat, but it took several minutes for the drug to take effect. Authorities ensured the cat was not injured during the capture.

The caracal will have a new home at the Valley of the Kings Sanctuary and Retreat in Sharon, Wis.

Museum opens 100-year-old time capsule

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The National WWI Museum and Memorial in Kansas City, Mo., opened a 100-year-old time capsule buried in the Liberty Memorial Tower in 1924.

Extracted after overcoming 18 inches of limestone and concrete, the capsule contained a copy of the US Constitution, newspapers, a Bible and the U.S. declaration of war from April 1917. It also held letters from President Calvin Coolidge and Allied commanders from the 1921 ground-breaking ceremony, along with a November 1, 1921, printing plate from the Kansas City Star.

The copper box bore signatures believed to be from its assembly team, although their identities remain unknown.

Farm creates massive ‘Beetlejuice’ pumpkin mosaic

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Sunnyfields Farm in Hampshire, England, has unveiled its latest pumpkin mosaic, inspired by Beetlejuice, following a fan vote that chose the theme.

Farmer Ian Nelson shared that the mosaic features over 10,000 naturally coloured pumpkins and squashes, assembled in one day by 15 people.

A time-lapse video shows the creation process, which took about 50 hours of planning. Many of the pumpkins are edible and available for visitors to pick. It remains unclear if this year’s mosaic will surpass the 2023 record, which depicted Jack Skellington and covered 2,081 square feet.

Published in Dawn, Young World, November 16th, 2024

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