Human-Animal Hybrids discovered in Australia

A colony of Human-Animal Hybrids has been discovered on an Island off the coast of western Australia.  Authorities believe that the Hybrids represent a set of failed genetic modification experiments.  It seems their twisted benefactor died unexplicably in the late 90's and the facility was deserted. All except for the current deformed inhabitants.

No not really, these bizzare creations are the works of Australian Artist Patricia Piccinini.  Donna Haraway describes Piccinini's work as "Speculative Fabulations for Technoculture's Generations". All I know is that this stuff freaks me out and I can't finish my lunch.

[ Source: Kontraband ]

50 Foot Spider Attacks Liverpool, England

This has got to be the coolest thing I have ever heard. In early September 2008, a mechanical spider dubbed 'La Princesse', walked through the city of Liverpool. Among other things, it shot flames, smoke, 'flung' people into the air, and spayed the public with water and snow. La Princesse weighs 50 tons, is made of metal and wood, is operated by 12 people and powered by complex hydraulics.

The fictional story behind the spider is that scientists arrived to investigate and transported it to their 'research base' to perform experiments. En route it escaped and terrorized the city. Pyrotechnics were required to prevent the spider from entering Liverpool's new concert stadium, Echo Arena. Music was played to try to calm the giant spider and finally, it nested at a derelict building, the Concourse Tower.

[ Source : Boston Globe ]

Were-Cow Discovered in Iraq! Wait, What?

GeekDad at Wired.com reports that two behavioral scientists from the Department of Psychiatry and Behaviours Sciences at UAE University have discovered several cases of Lycanthropy (Werewolf-ism) and one case of Were-Cow-ism. Here is an excerpt from the original article:

"The type of animal that the patients changed into were mainly dogs (seven cases) and only one case changed into a cow for the first time to report."

This was incredibly shocking to me (especially since I've always wanted to become a werewolf!), until I got to the bottom of the article:

"... Lycanthropy is the belief in the capacity of human metamorphosis into animal form... So, lycanthropy has less to do with an abundance of hair and a desire to devour raw flesh on a full moon. And, more to do with the belief that you can turn into another animal. Oh well, another of life's small disappointments."

[ Source: GeekDad ]