Belly dance: Massachusetts Institute of Technology has developed a new high-tech diet pill that vibrates after it's swallowed. VIBES (Vibrating Ingestible BioElectronic Stimulator) activates stomach receptors to induce a sense of fullness. Featured in the journal Science Advances, VIBES is hailed as a potential breakthrough in weight loss technology. With human trials pending, initial tests on pigs showed that 30 minutes of VIBES activity resulted in a 40% drop in food consumption. The mechanism works by tricking stomach stretch receptors. This signals the hypothalamus to produce hormones that create the sensation of being full. The innovation holds promise as a novel approach to trimming down, with a dance-worthy twist.
Autumn colours: Many countries take pride in their colourful autumn foliage, but nothing can really beat the gingko biloba tree in the village of Bangye-ri in Gangwon Province, South Korea. The tree is thought to be over 800 years old, and is a designated national monument. It measures 33 metres high. In the autumn, its leaves turn a blazing yellow-gold. As they fall, they leave a yellow carpet on the ground around the tree. In the last few years, visitors have been flocking to the tree, even though no restaurants or convenience stores are nearby. Legend has it that the tree grew from the cane of an ancient Buddhist monk.
Alligator trick: If the temperature drops low enough in Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina (U.S.), the ponds at Swamp Park Outdoor Adventure Centre can freeze. So what are the 12 resident alligators to do? The animals have an ability to go into a state called brumation. They can survive because they protect themselves by sticking their snouts up into the air above the water. That way, they can breathe while the water freezes around them. Visitors to the park can just see the snouts peeking above the ice. The alligators at the park can't be returned to the wild for various reasons, so the park protects and cares for them.
Ugly fountain: Sculptures are often commissioned for special anniversaries. That's what happened in Vienna, Austria, when authorities wanted to mark 150 years of the city's renowned modern water system. The commissioned piece is a fountain, but critics say it is extremely ugly. Costing NZ$3.1m, the fountain consists of 33 very unusual humanoid figures that encircle the spouting water. Gelitin is the Viennese artist group that designed the piece. While the selection jury liked the togetherness idea of the design, the public does not like it at all. There has been much backlash, including by opposing political parties, about the instalment.