And other stories from the stranger side of life
Scientists believe they may have finally found the answer to the question: which came first, the chicken or the egg? The chicken’s earliest reptilian ancestors, “dating back millions of years before even the dinosaurs evolved, may not have laid eggs”, said The Times. Researchers from the University of Bristol in the UK and Nanjing University in China believe the early ancestors of modern birds and reptiles may have given birth to live young rather than laying eggs.
Woman alive at her own funeral
Grieving friends and family at the funeral of an elderly Ecuadorian woman were surprised to discover she was still alive, reported the BBC. Although Bella Montoya, 76, was pronounced dead following a suspected stroke, five hours into her wake, relatives preparing to change her clothes ahead of the burial found her gasping for air. “Little by little I am grasping what has happened,” said her son. “Now I only pray for my mother’s health to improve. I want her alive and by my side.”
Tropical forest in Sheffield garden
A man has created his own tropical paradise to keep cool during heatwaves by making a rainforest in his own back garden in Sheffield. “While the rest of us swelter in the heat”, Dr Simon Olpin “has been able to spend his spare time basking in the shade as he’s devised the best way to keep cool”, said The Mirror. “We’re able to sit in the cool shade and have wine or tea with friends”, said Olpin. “It has a South-East Asian tropical atmosphere.”
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