A list of intriguing things
One: Back in the 1920s, hearse cars in Spain were wonderfully decorative things. Such eye candy that their actual (rather morbid) purpose was easy to forget. Here’s a full collection of these antique beauties. Our favourite is below:
Two: Watasenia scintillans, also known as firefly squid—or hotaru ika in Japanese—emit their own mesmerizing light—all over their three-inch bodies. As you can see, they are stunning and also a cherished sushi delicacy. If you want to know more, read more over at Atlas Obscura or watch this Great Big Story video.
Three: We’ve all seen deepfake images in videos. But what about deepfake voices? AI has restored the voice of actor Val Kilmer—who lost his natural voice after a surgery for throat cancer in 2015. Hear him (or is it a machine?) speak below. Washington Post has more on this amazing story.
Four: This is the seed of the Coco de Mer—a delicious fruit that grows on just two islands in the Seychelles. The fruit is categorised as endangered, and the seed is the largest in the world—very popular as an ornament: “They have a distinctly suggestive shape, bearing a striking resemblance to buttocks on one side and female genitalia on the other, even down to a tuft of hair in the expected place.” and yes, they are considered a powerful aphrodisiac. Consider this fruit porn!
