The weekly weird
Canine mum carries unconscious puppy to vet
Security camera footage caught the heart-warming moment a mother dog carried her unconscious, hypothermic puppy to a veterinary clinic to get help in Istanbul, Turkey. The puppy was one of two surviving siblings from a litter of six.
The veterinary team successfully revived the puppy, which had arrived in an unconscious and hypothermic state.
Both puppies and their mother are now recovering, with the clinic providing formula for the pups. The viral video has sparked an outpouring of support, and the clinic hopes to find a forever home for the family.
The world’s only mostly vegetarian spider
Bagheera kiplingi, a rare jumping spider native to Central America and Mexico, is the world’s only mostly vegetarian spider. Unlike other spiders, it feeds primarily on Beltian bodies, nutrient-rich structures found at the tips of acacia leaves.
These spiders must navigate aggressive ants that also feed on the Beltian bodies, making their diet a risky pursuit.
Discovered in 2001, bagheera kiplingi occasionally consumes ant larvae, but mostly avoids carnivorous behaviour. Their herbivorous diet is a unique adaptation, helping them thrive in a competitive environment.
Surfer catches possible world record wave
A California surfer may have broken a world record when he shredded a wave estimated to be 108 feet tall.
Alessandro ‘Alo’ Slebir, was surfing with friends at Mavericks, near Half Moon Bay, California, USA, when he caught the enormous wave.
“That wave was so tall that it was sucking so much water coming back at you that it was a weird feeling, feeling the friction of the water underneath the surfboard. I’ve never felt that on really any other wave that I’ve ever caught,” Slebirsaid.
If the wave’s height is confirmed by Guinness World Records and the World Surf League, Slebir will hold the record for the largest wave surfed —a title currently held bySebastian Steudtner, who rode an 86-foot wave off the coast of Portugal in 2020.
Bags of popcorn as edible cushioning material
A Japanese company, Azechi Foods, has created an innovative edible alternative to traditional packaging materials by using popcorn as cushioning. Inspired by a seminar where a technician used puffed corn snacks for packaging, manager Shihoko Wada saw the potential to promote popcorn as both a snack and a sustainable packing material.
The popcorn is packaged in transparent bags labelled ‘not edible’ with ‘not’ crossed out. The idea quickly gained popularity on social media, leading to increased orders from various businesses. While more expensive than Styrofoam, popcorn offers the benefit of being consumable and reducing waste. Azechi Foods offers two package sizes and plans to expand its offerings.
Published in Dawn, Young World, February 8th, 2025