Weird Universe Archive

August 2018

August 27, 2018

August 26, 2018

Designer Duct Tape

Another item for our ongoing collection of ridiculously overpriced merchandise. It's duct tape from designer Raf Simons with the phrase "Walk With Me" stamped on it. Yours for only $286.

Or you could buy a roll of duct tape at Home Depot for $5.



Raf Simons also sells jeans with a "duct tape detail at back." They usually go for $504.08, but right now they're on sale for only $252.04.

Posted By: Alex - Sun Aug 26, 2018 - Comments (5)
Category: Fashion, Overpriced Merchandise

TV Panties



Source.

Posted By: Paul - Sun Aug 26, 2018 - Comments (4)
Category: Business, Advertising, Underwear, 1940s

August 25, 2018

Vital Power Vacuum Massager

A questionable medical device widely advertised in the early twentieth century.

The article "Two Millennia of Impotence Cures" details some similar "equally flawed" devices including "the Erector-Sleigh, Gassensche Spirale, Gerson’s Constriction Bandage, and Virility, a double cylinder connected to a bellows to produce a vacuum."

If the Vital Power Vacuum Massager cost $15 in 1921, that would be around $500 today.

Jackson Daily News - Oct 30, 1921



via National Library of Medicine

Posted By: Alex - Sat Aug 25, 2018 - Comments (6)
Category: Patent Medicines, Nostrums and Snake Oil, 1920s

The Seamaster Airplane

A jet that takes off and lands from water? Filled with nuclear bombs? What could go wrong?

Wikipedia page.





Source of foto.

Posted By: Paul - Sat Aug 25, 2018 - Comments (1)
Category: Oceans and Maritime Pursuits, Technology, War, Weapons, Air Travel and Airlines, 1950s

August 24, 2018

Non-melting popsicle

Recently announced by the U.K. design firm Bompas & Parr, who say that it took them a year to develop and that it was "designed with global warming in mind," so that lollipops popsicles won't melt, even as temperatures rise. Or, at least, the popsicles will only melt very slowly.

The technology is based on pykrete, which is a frozen mixture of sawdust and water that resists melting. Pykrete was invented during WWII, and for a while the British Royal Navy was considering building a supersized aircraft carrier out of the stuff.

The non-melting popsicle uses edible fruit fibers instead of sawdust to achieve the same non-melting effect. A company rep said, "The texture of the ice lolly is not far off a regular lolly, though a tad chewy."

More info: fast company



Posted By: Alex - Fri Aug 24, 2018 - Comments (7)
Category: Food, Candy, Inventions

Follies of the Madmen #380




Original ad from Radio Mirror for September 1937.

Posted By: Paul - Fri Aug 24, 2018 - Comments (5)
Category: Business, Advertising, Products, Hygiene, 1930s

August 23, 2018

Fungi sneakers

I recently posted about sneakers made from chewing gum. Here are some made from fungi. I wonder what other materials sneakers could possibly be crafted from?

The fungi sneakers are made by nat-2, which describes itself as "german engineered high-end footwear." From their website:

The leather like material is created from the Trama of the tinder sponge. Fomes Fomentarius aka. tinder sponge is a parasite growing on dead or weak birches and Beeches. In a very costly process the found fungus gets tried for about a year after a ling search and following nature friendly, gentle and certified hand harvest. Afterwards it gets peeled off and further worked on by hand. The material is organic, vegan, gluten- and chemical free. The fungus is antiseptic and anti-bacterial.

They seem to be currently sold out. But when they were available, they cost €899, or around $1043.

Posted By: Alex - Thu Aug 23, 2018 - Comments (6)
Category: Shoes

The Punt Gun



Wikipedia page.

Longer article.

Posted By: Paul - Thu Aug 23, 2018 - Comments (1)
Category: Animals, Guns, Nineteenth Century

August 22, 2018

Life preserver suitcase

Just imagine if everyone on the Titanic had had one of these! (I'm guessing it must have been inspired by that disaster).



The Kiowa Journal - Oct 7, 1915



Posted By: Alex - Wed Aug 22, 2018 - Comments (3)
Category: Boats, Inventions, Travel, 1910s

Page 2 of 7 pages  < 1 2 3 4 >  Last ›




Get WU Posts by Email

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner


weird universe thumbnail
Who We Are
Alex Boese
Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction books such as Elephants on Acid.

Paul Di Filippo
Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1.

Chuck Shepherd
Chuck is the purveyor of News of the Weird, the syndicated column which for decades has set the gold-standard for reporting on oddities and the bizarre.

Our banner was drawn by the legendary underground cartoonist Rick Altergott.

Contact Us
Monthly Archives
March 2024 •  February 2024 •  January 2024

December 2023 •  November 2023 •  October 2023 •  September 2023 •  August 2023 •  July 2023 •  June 2023 •  May 2023 •  April 2023 •  March 2023 •  February 2023 •  January 2023

December 2022 •  November 2022 •  October 2022 •  September 2022 •  August 2022 •  July 2022 •  June 2022 •  May 2022 •  April 2022 •  March 2022 •  February 2022 •  January 2022

December 2021 •  November 2021 •  October 2021 •  September 2021 •  August 2021 •  July 2021 •  June 2021 •  May 2021 •  April 2021 •  March 2021 •  February 2021 •  January 2021

December 2020 •  November 2020 •  October 2020 •  September 2020 •  August 2020 •  July 2020 •  June 2020 •  May 2020 •  April 2020 •  March 2020 •  February 2020 •  January 2020

December 2019 •  November 2019 •  October 2019 •  September 2019 •  August 2019 •  July 2019 •  June 2019 •  May 2019 •  April 2019 •  March 2019 •  February 2019 •  January 2019

December 2018 •  November 2018 •  October 2018 •  September 2018 •  August 2018 •  July 2018 •  June 2018 •  May 2018 •  April 2018 •  March 2018 •  February 2018 •  January 2018

December 2017 •  November 2017 •  October 2017 •  September 2017 •  August 2017 •  July 2017 •  June 2017 •  May 2017 •  April 2017 •  March 2017 •  February 2017 •  January 2017

December 2016 •  November 2016 •  October 2016 •  September 2016 •  August 2016 •  July 2016 •  June 2016 •  May 2016 •  April 2016 •  March 2016 •  February 2016 •  January 2016

December 2015 •  November 2015 •  October 2015 •  September 2015 •  August 2015 •  July 2015 •  June 2015 •  May 2015 •  April 2015 •  March 2015 •  February 2015 •  January 2015

December 2014 •  November 2014 •  October 2014 •  September 2014 •  August 2014 •  July 2014 •  June 2014 •  May 2014 •  April 2014 •  March 2014 •  February 2014 •  January 2014

December 2013 •  November 2013 •  October 2013 •  September 2013 •  August 2013 •  July 2013 •  June 2013 •  May 2013 •  April 2013 •  March 2013 •  February 2013 •  January 2013

December 2012 •  November 2012 •  October 2012 •  September 2012 •  August 2012 •  July 2012 •  June 2012 •  May 2012 •  April 2012 •  March 2012 •  February 2012 •  January 2012

December 2011 •  November 2011 •  October 2011 •  September 2011 •  August 2011 •  July 2011 •  June 2011 •  May 2011 •  April 2011 •  March 2011 •  February 2011 •  January 2011

December 2010 •  November 2010 •  October 2010 •  September 2010 •  August 2010 •  July 2010 •  June 2010 •  May 2010 •  April 2010 •  March 2010 •  February 2010 •  January 2010

December 2009 •  November 2009 •  October 2009 •  September 2009 •  August 2009 •  July 2009 •  June 2009 •  May 2009 •  April 2009 •  March 2009 •  February 2009 •  January 2009

December 2008 •  November 2008 •  October 2008 •  September 2008 •  August 2008 •  July 2008 •