Black History Month: Celebrating Black Innovators in STEM

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From Nation, For Nation - Pulse of the Nation

Cliffs

The Burial Cliffs of Sagada and Their Hanging Coffins Taking burial traditions to new heights!

Believe It or Not!, there are cemeteries suspended from cliffs in Sagada, Philippines! They were put there by indigenous people following ancient traditions, which are said to stem from the belief that the higher the dead are to the sky, the more elevated their spirits are in the afterlife!

Because the coffins are attached and suspended at incredibly high points on the cliffs, they are seemingly unreachable and have attracted tourists from all over the world.

Six Feet… Up?
The practice dates back thousands of years but is no longer prevalent, with burials on the cliffs only taking place once every few years!

When it does occur, the body is wrapped tightly in fabric and carried up the mountain to be placed in its coffin. Some coffins are noticeably shorter; this is because it was once common practice to fold the deceased into the fetal position, sometimes breaking bones in the process, since it was believed the body should leave this world as it entered it.

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Meat

Mysterious Meat Phenomenon: The Kentucky Meat Shower of 1876. {A meat-eorologic mystery.}

Strange rain has long fascinated humanity, and people have written a lot about it over the years. For example, in June 2009, residents of Japan’s Ishikawa Prefecture woke up to tadpoles, frogs, and fish falling from the heavens. No one knows how the amphibians and marine animals ended up in the sky, but the theory that a waterspout sucked them into the atmosphere before they fell back to the ground sounds reasonable enough.

Of course, water creatures aren’t the only organisms that fall unexpectedly to the ground. On February 7, 2022, security camera footage caught the shocking moment a swarm of thousands of yellow-headed blackbirds slammed into the pavement over Chihuahua, Mexico, killing dozens of birds. Other strange objects falling from the sky have included jelly and spiders, according to the Farmers’ Almanac.

Sunny With a Chance of Meat
When it comes to bizarre local weather phenomena, the Kentucky meat shower ranks near the top to this day. A housewife living on a farm near Olympia Springs spotted the whole thing, and she described it as a significant event. She said that so much flesh fell from the heavens that it could “fill a horse wagon” (via Science Solved It). If you’re wondering what this means, you’re far from alone.

Kurt Gohde of the Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky, has long puzzled over the statement while researching the Kentucky Meat Shower episode. He’s come to this conclusion: “In 1876, if you said, ‘Oh it was a horse wagon full of meat,’ that was like saying now, ‘It’s like a Big Gulp from McDonald’s.’ So everybody knew exactly what that meant.” While a valid point, it does little to clarify what the housewife witnessed for us modern folk.

Ref: https://www.ripleys.com/stories/kentucky-meat-shower →

From Globe, For Globe - Pulse of the Planet

75 Years of Strange

Augustine Celebrates 75 Years of Strange

For 75 years, the unbelievable has felt right at home in America’s oldest city.
Ripley’s Believe It or Not! St. Augustine celebrates three-quarters of a century of strange memories,
jaw-dropping artifacts, and unforgettable experiences that continue to amaze visitors of all ages.
Since 1950, Ripley’s Believe It or Not! St. Augustine has stood as the first, oldest, and largest attraction of its kind.
Housed in the iconic and supposedly haunted Castle Warden building of 1887 on San Marco Avenue,
the historic site once welcomed world traveler Robert Ripley himself and now hosts millions of curious minds.

Marking its 75th year, the attraction introduces *Cryptids: Where Legends Live*, an immersive new exhibit.
Guests encounter legendary beings like Bigfoot and Mothman through artifacts, interactive displays, and compelling stories,
blending myth, mystery, and science while inviting visitors to explore the unexplained for themselves.
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Referred by ripleys.com - where the world’s most extraordinary stories are discovered and celebrated.

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Black History Month: Celebrating Black Innovators in STEM

From Nation, For Nation - Pulse of the Nation

The Burial Cliffs of Sagada and Their Hanging Coffins Taking burial traditions to new heights!

Mysterious Meat Phenomenon: The Kentucky Meat Shower of 1876. {A meat-eorologic mystery.}

From Globe, For Globe - Pulse of the Planet