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Armored Diving Suit, France c. 1878 (via Xerposa)
Two-Headed Bull Shark Confirmed Rarest in the World
A two-headed bull shark found in the Gulf of Mexico is all too real according to scientists with Florida Keys Community College (FKCC) and Michigan State Community College. The scientists have confirmed that the shark, discovered in April 2011, is the first of its kind and is a single shark with two heads and not conjoined twins.
The shark was found by a fisherman when he opened the uterus of an adult shark. It died shortly thereafter and was brought to the marine science department at FKCC, where it was then transported to Michigan State.
“This is certainly one of those interesting and rarely detected phenomena,” MSU assistant professor of fisheries and wildlife Michael Wagner said in a statement from the school Monday. “It’s good that we have this documented as part of the world’s natural history, but we’d certainly have to find many more before we could draw any conclusions about what caused this.”
(Source: nbcmiami.com)
If Salvador Dali designed roads and bridges…
Human Remains and Wax - A Morbid Mixture for Art
The artist, American Sigrid Sarda, constructs life-size human figures made of wax incorporating human remains. The artist explains, “…The figures become talismans, reliquaries housing human bones. Each tableaux, in tradition of the diorama, is peppered with the grotesque, comic and at times empathetic life-size characters along with backdrops of popular cultural and biblical icons, engaging in what our culture deems acceptable by today’s standards…”
(Source: artvetting.com)
Houses in Scary Places
Although similar to my “houses in strange places” post, these houses are scary for one main reason, they look like they are about to topple over. Although the view from the side of a mountain would be nice, a foundation of wooden sticks is not.
(Source: awesomeimage.net)
“Morbid Curiosity” Taxidermy
After seeing what seemed to be an endless collection of work at the “Idiots” (their name!) website, I began to feel a bit queasy. Most of it is too disturbing for me to post here. I came across this bit of writing describing the artists “intentions” behind their work:
“The striking beauty and the vividness of the animals that figure in the works, conjure powerful emotions of awe and inspiration before giving way to our morbid curiosity surrounding death, which leads us ultimately to think of our own mortality. This contrast between beauty, luxury and greed coupled with the mystery of death, timelessly preserved, transports one into a transient state of mind, in which anything is possible.”
Forgive my lack of “knowledge” about art appreciation, but I found the collection upsetting. Click on the source link to see more…if you can stomach it.
(Source: idiots.nl)
A Farmer Plans and Attends His Own Funeral
In 1951 Colorado farmer Jim Gernhart held a rehearsal of his own funeral. He watched as eight pallbearers carried a casket from his home to a waiting hearse, then attended it to the local armory, where almost half of Burlington, Colorado, turned out for a funeral sermon by the Rev. S.H. Mahaffey.
Gernhart also bought a $465 headstone and a cemetery lot, and the local newspaper even published an obituary. “Real nice funeral, ain’t it?” Gernhart remarked. “Does a man good to see so many people out to bury him.”
Strange Vintage Illustration
The International Cryptozoology Museum
The International Cryptozoology Museum in Portland, Maine preserves and presents a collection of unique cryptids to the public. Cryptozoology is the study of hidden or unknown animals. These are usually larger zoological species that, to-date, remain unverified by science, such as Yetis, Bigfoot, lake monsters, and sea serpents, as well as hundreds of other yet-to-be-found animals (cryptids) worldwide.
