Frenchman Jumps off 1600-Meter Cliff on ‘Flying Carpet’

Frenchman Freddy Montigny jumped off a 1600-meter cliff on a ‘flying carpet’. According to the daredevil, he always wanted to be Aladdin since childhood, and at the age of 44, he finally achieved his dream by leaping from Mount Croix-de-Tôt in a ‘carpet wingsuit’. This is a special winged suit whose design allows the incoming air stream to fill the wings between the pilot's legs, arms, and body. By the way, the world record for the longest flight in a wingsuit, as recorded in the Guinness Book of Records, is 30.4 km.

The Great Garbage Patch drifts between California and Hawaii

The Great Garbage Patch, the largest 'dump' on water in the world, is drifting between the coast of California and Hawaii. It grew to the current ~80,000 tons of waste (mostly plastic) since the late 1980s, and now the non-profit organization Ocean Cleanup plans to get rid of it once and for all. The team is already vigorously collecting trash there with a 2-kilometer net stretched between two ships, and then sending it for recycling. Preliminary estimates suggest it will take up to 10 years and $7.5 billion to clean it all up.

Brit prints giant LEGO pieces with 3D printer and builds a minibike

A Brit has printed giant LEGO pieces with a 3D printer and built a minibike, which even Adam Savage appreciated. Interestingly, the project's author, Matt Denton, is not just any blogger but an animatronics specialist who created BB-8 for Star Wars and the world's largest rideable robotic spider.

8-Year-Old Girl from Ohio Steals Parents' Car for Coffee

An 8-year-old girl from Ohio stole her parents' car because she really wanted coffee. The schoolgirl drove 20 km by herself to get to her desired Frappuccino. Law enforcement then caught her. But even after her capture, the girl was allowed to enjoy the coveted drink that started this whole affair.

British Pensioners Choose to End Their Lives Together

Pensioners from Britain have decided to end their lives together voluntarily. They are currently traveling to Switzerland and signing all required documents for voluntary death. The story is tragic: the woman was diagnosed with inoperable cancer, and after 46 years of living together, her husband does not want to be left without his beloved. For this reason, they have chosen to use euthanasia.

Norway: First country with more electric cars than gasoline cars

Norway has become the first country in the world where the number of electric cars exceeds that of gasoline-powered vehicles. Currently, 2.8 million cars are registered in the country - of which 754,303 are fully electric, 753,905 are gasoline, and 366,000 are hybrid. The last frontier is diesel vehicles, with over a million still in the country. But according to government forecasts, at the current rate, electric cars could surpass them as well by 2026.

Useful novelty from Xiaomi: a flashlight that can be used as a desk lamp

Useful novelty from Xiaomi - a flashlight that can be used as a desk lamp. It shines with a brightness of 1000 nits, works on battery for up to 30 hours and is waterproof. Additional features include an SOS signal mode and adjustment of color temperature - 2700K, 3300K, or 4000K. In China, it costs ¥89.

Throwing cameras invented in the USA

The startup Bounce Imaging introduced the Pit Viper 360 - a video camera that looks like a rubber ball. The gadget will be useful for the military to check dangerous places: it can be attached to surfaces or thrown into rooms. The device provides a 360° view and even works as a thermal imager.

Students bought an island in Finland

Students bought an island in Finland because it turned out to be cheaper than a plot for a house. The purchase cost only 31 thousand dollars. Now the couple runs a blog where they talk about turning the uninhabited island into a paradise. A simple sauna and toilet are already ready, and the students themselves are currently living in a tent.

Larry Ellison on AI Surveillance Systems

Oracle founder and multi-billionaire Larry Ellison cheerfully claims that an extensive artificial intelligence-based surveillance system can guarantee the 'best behavior of citizens' and ensure control over disobedient populations. Autonomous drones could provide not only the escorting of offenders but also constant surveillance combined with other AI means for those whose behavior is or could potentially be threatening. By the way, Larry Ellison has surpassed Amazon owner Jeff Bezos to become the second richest person in the world with a fortune of $206.5 billion.

Bhutan has accumulated over $750 million in Bitcoin

The Kingdom of Bhutan has accumulated over $750 million in Bitcoins, analysts from Arkham have found. The country with a population of less than 1 million people has ranked 4th in terms of state crypto holdings. Unlike other countries, Bhutan's Bitcoins come not from asset confiscation but from mining.

China Surpasses USA in Growth of Ultra-Rich

China has surpassed the USA in the growth of the number of ultra-rich, according to analysts from Henley & Partners. The number of centimillionaires, i.e., individuals with assets over $100 million, has increased by 54% over the past ten years to 29,350 people, primarily Chinese and Americans. Relatively few centimillionaires are found in Britain, Germany, and France. One third of all the ultra-rich live in 50 key cities around the world, with the most in New York, the Bay Area (California), and Los Angeles.

Calculators are now helping with exams

Calculators have learned to help during exams. Tech YouTuber ChromaLock has integrated ChatGPT into a graphing calculator to create the ultimate cheating tool. The gadget looks like an ordinary school device, but now it contains an all-knowing neural network that answers any question.

AI Begins Predicting Crimes

In South Korea, a system has been developed to recognize potential criminals. Dejaview, created by scientists at the ETRI institute, monitors people through surveillance cameras and predicts based on their behavior whether someone will break the law.

Estonian Slackliner Crosses Bosphorus on a Slackline

Estonian slackliner Jaan Roose was the first in the world to walk on a slackline across the Bosphorus Strait between Europe and Asia. The 1074-meter-long slackline was stretched between the 165-meter-high towers of the Martyrs' Bridge in Istanbul. It took the extreme sportsman 47 minutes to complete the crossing. Incidentally, just a couple of months ago, Jaan attempted to walk a 3.6-kilometer slackline in Italy, setting a new world record, but it was not counted due to a fall just before the finish.

Dolphins Tease Pufferfish for Fun

Dolphins tease pufferfish for fun – they ram them with their noses, hold them in their mouths, and even throw them to each other. Scientists explain that this behavior is caused by the toxin contained in pufferfish. In large doses, it is lethal, but in small amounts, it causes a feeling of euphoria in dolphins.

Singaporean Scientists Develop a Smart Mouthguard

Singaporean scientists have developed a smart mouthguard. With its help, devices can be controlled through the mouth. It reads tongue movements and transmits commands to devices. One can type text, receive calls, and control a wheelchair. The gadget is intended to help people with disabilities.

UFC 306 Tournament with Special Effects in Las Vegas

The UFC 306 tournament took place in a spherical arena in Las Vegas. 'Fights of the Future' were equipped with so many special effects that the event became the highest-grossing in the history of the fighting promotion - organizers earned $22 million in ticket sales.

First Space Tourists Conduct Spacewalk and Return Safely

The first space tourists in history to perform a spacewalk have successfully returned to Earth - the SpaceX spacecraft landed normally in the Gulf of Mexico. During the mission, which lasted five days, the team reached a record altitude of 1400 km (farther than anyone has flown since Apollo 17 in 1972) and conducted several experiments in orbit, including studying the effects of cosmic radiation on the human body.

Tesla Semi Catches Fire on California Road

In California, a Tesla Semi electric truck caught fire on the road. Firefighters needed 189,000 liters of water to extinguish it. The incident was resolved only after 16 hours, and firefighters even had to deploy a plane.