Ripley's Believe It Or Not
Episode #12
First aired March 29, 2000 (Rated TV-PG-V)
Segments:
Tale from the vault
Are you looking to add new members to your family? If not, then don't go near the mystic fertility statues. It is said that whenever someone touches these statues, the pitter-patter of little feet is not far behind. It is a mystery as to how these sacred talismans work. Unable to find a scientific explanation, officials have been boggled by the possibilities of this mystic force. For safekeeping, the statues were housed in the Ripley's offices. Despite the measures taken, every woman who touched them became pregnant soon after! Although people may think this is just a great coincidence, over and over again the statues have continued to demonstrate their strange power. Currently, there are over 500 people who claim that they have witnessed the statues' power.
Ice Man
Are you bored with mountain biking and rock climbing? Prepare to meet an unusual adventurer who takes extreme sports to the next level! Wim Hof challenges himself mentally and physically with dangerous physical stunts. For most of these stunts, Wim performs in extremely low temperatures and in low-oxygen conditions. Recently, this human polar bear plunged into freezing water (32 degrees) and swam under polar icecaps that were 1 ft. thick. Wim also recently beat a world record by holding his breath for one minute and 8 seconds in freezing water!
Body Farm
At the Forensic Anthropology Center Research Facility at the University of Tennessee, students simulate and study crime scenes in a unique manner. A visitor to the so-called "Body Farm" may be horrified to find fresh bodies scattered around the grounds of this facility. This isn’t a scene from the latest teen slasher film. This controlled setting actually allows students to study the various states of decomposition and help in "time-since-death" estimates and other forensic crime tools. Trained with this creative method, students from the facility often go on to become the nation's top forensic scientists and crime scene analysts.
Rat Temple
Most Americans think of rats as unwanted household pests, but that’s not the case throughout other parts of the world. In fact, the Bhagwati Karniji temple in Rajasthan India is home to thousands of rats. This rat-friendly temple not only allows rats to take up residence, but also considers them sacred. Rats are considered the children of the Hindu goddess Karniji to which the temple is dedicated. Followers pray amid the sounds of scurrying feet, and devotees to the temple even bring the rats offerings such as rice, sweets and alcohol. Remember this next time you lay a mousetrap down in your home!
Hide & Sheep
Next time you tour Europe or take a cross-country trip through the heart of Africa, watch out for the sheep! How would a sheep get to the top of the Eiffel Tower or the wilds of the Serengeti? Years ago, James Hartman and his family and friends began placing hand-painted miniature plaster sheep in amazing spots all around the world. It all started when James and his wife began taking the figures on their short trips. Soon, family and friends began taking the sheep with them whenever they traveled, hiding them in such diverse and bizarre places such as the clock tower of Big Ben. Thanks to this family’s strange hobby, these sheep are true citizens of the world!
Super Human Memory
If you’re like most people, sometimes remembering things such as birthdays and grocery lists can be difficult. You would never have to worry about forgetting things again if you were Tatiana Cooley. This remarkable woman has an unbelievable memory. She can look at a grocery list for a couple seconds and then go into a store and retrieve every item on the list. Tatiana’s memory isn’t just astounding, it’s award winning—she has won the Memoriad USA competition three years in a row.
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