The much-maligned pigeon was recently found by researchers to be as skilled as humans at distinguishing between slides of benign versus malignant human breast tissue. Writing in the journal PLOS ONE, specialists from the University of Iowa and University of California, Davis lauded thebirds' processing of colour, contrast, brightness, and image compression, marvelling that pigeons see more wavelengths of light than humans, even though their brains are one-thousandth the size. (Birds are already known to distinguish "hostile" humans in celebrated dive-pecking incidents.) (Source: News of the weird.com)
Robber loses tug-of-war
A near-certain robbery of the PNC Bank in Zebulon, North Carolina, on January 28 was prevented, with employees treated to an almost-slapstick scene in which the bank manager kept the suspect outside by winning a tug-of-war for the front door. The manager had grabbed the door after noticing an armed, masked man approaching from the parking lot just after the bank opened. (The frustrated perp fled empty-handed but was at large.)
Derek Wilby writes: "A recent visitor from the UK was seen at Auckland airport wearing a T-shirt saying, "I don't need therapy, I'm going to New Zealand."
A touch of Chinese ingenuity in Pakuranga
"Having travelled extensively in China," writes Roger, "I know it is quite common to see people carrying loads of fruit, water, etc in baskets tied to each end of a long stick and balanced on their shoulders. However, to my utter amazement today, I saw a Chinese couple in Pakuranga carrying home their daily shopping using this method."
It pays to shop around
It pays to shop around. Photo / Supplied
"I know Scotland is at the other end of the world but this postage was over the top," writes Ngaire Bates. "Managed to buy it from The Book Depository, also in UK, for £14.37 including postage, compared to £51.60, a saving of £37.23 ($77.72)."
"If only nature would find a way to cover these oranges so we didn't need to waste so much plastic on them," tweets Athalie Gordon.
