australia

Boxing Kangaroo Attack Barely Fazes Tough Grannie

Jeff Neumann · 07/26/11 07:27AM

94-year-old Australian Phyllis Johnson was attacked by a rampaging, psycho "Big Red" kangaroo while she was hanging laundry in her backyard on Sunday. Johnson told the Courier-Mail that she "bashed it on the head but it kept going for me," and she was only saved when cops showed up and pepper sprayed its ass. Then her son, who clearly underestimated his badass mother, wanted her to go to the hospital:

Koalas are STD-Ridden Beasts

Jeff Neumann · 06/15/11 05:29AM

Scientists are worried that Australia's koalas could become extinct due to a combination of global warming, being hit by cars, being eaten by dogs, and the rampant spread of Chlamydia among the koala community. And now you know.

TV Anchor's Dalai Lama Joke Goes Wrong

Matt Cherette · 06/14/11 01:20AM

Recently on Australia's version of the Today show, anchor Karl Stefanovic sat down for an interview with the Dalai Lama, during which he attempted a joke about the religious leader going into a pizza shop. That's when things got really awkward. [via Reddit]

Enormous Penis Located on Google Maps

Max Read · 06/08/11 01:02AM

Technology! Without it, we'd never be able to immortalize huge penises drawn on school lawns with weed killer. But thanks to the efforts of Google, a 2009 prank at Fairfield College in New Zealand lives on, much to the chagrin of principal Gerhard van Dyk, who says he plans to contact the internet search giant about the lawn dongs now appearing on Google Maps. Penis discoverer David McQuoid, who was looking for property when he stumbled across the phallus, says "at first I thought it was a large piece of art work." Well, yes, David.

Aliens Steal Australian X-Files

Max Read · 06/07/11 11:00PM

After searching for two months, Australia's Department of Defense claims to have "lost" all but one of its files concerning UFO sightings, which were requested by a newspaper through the country's Freedom of Information laws. This leads us to two, equally plausible theories:

Australian Newscaster Engages in Some Light, Racist Banter

Seth Abramovitch · 06/03/11 12:20AM

A reader sent in this clip from an Australian newscast last night. It begins with a short item about a lotto winner who showed up in a terrible Spider-Man costume to collect his prize, so he could remain anonymous. Pretty amusing already, but it gets better. The two anchors then share a few laughs over the eccentric guy, who happens to be Chinese, before the elder one launches into a cringe-inducing description of a Chinese person. Then watch how the other guy handles it. It feels like an episode of The Office, but it's real.

How to Respond When a Senator Meows at You

Max Read · 06/01/11 06:07PM

It's been a good few days for death stares in legislative sessions! Just a week after Rep. Patrick McHenry (R - N.C.) accused consumer advocate Elizabeth Warren of lying, provoking one of the great angry-shock faces of American politics, Australian opposition senator David Bushby meowed at his colleague, Labor senator Penny Wong. Meowed! Like, the actual noise. As you can see in the video of the incident, Wong was not pleased. If anyone ever asks you what the phrase "if looks could kill" means, please direct them to this GIF:

Helicopter Cameras Catch 2,000-Foot Waterspout 'Tornado'

Max Read · 05/30/11 09:42PM

Being from New Jersey, I didn't even know waterspouts existed until today, and now, having seen this footage — captured from a helicopter by Australia's Channel 7 news — I don't think I'm ever going to go out onto the ocean again. These reportedly reached 2,000 feet, though they never touched land.

Worst Honeymoon Ever Hits Six Natural Disasters

Max Read · 04/06/11 06:41PM

Poor Stefan and Erika Svanstrom! The newly-married Swedish couple and their infant daughter set out on a four-month honeymoon in December and managed to come into contact with six different natural disasters.

Prince William and Kate Middleton to Honeymoon in Australia?

Jeff Neumann · 03/19/11 01:29PM

Holy shit, Prince William and Kate Middleton might have a honeymoon destination in mind! The dashing prince, on a tour of cyclone-ravaged Queensland, Australia said he enjoys scuba diving and complained about the "dreadful" weather back home. Then, according to the Telegraph, he dropped the big one on a crowd in the coastal city of Cairns: "I will have to come back, maybe we'll have a honeymoon in Cairns?" And the crowd went wild.

Phil Hart's Beautiful Photos of Light-Up Algae

Max Read · 03/04/11 04:03AM

Thanks to Phil Plait of Discover Magazine's Bad Astronomy blog, who flagged this amazing photo, we are now freaking out about bioluminescence, because what could possibly be cooler than algae that light up like this? Australian photographer Phil Hart took these photos in 2008-2009, after intense bushfires, torrential rain, deep flooding, and one algal outbreak in the Gippsland Lakes in Victoria all finally led to the arrival of the algae Noctiluca Scintillans, which produces light (well, bioluminescence) when the water moves. So Hart did the smart thing and took pictures. Lots of them. You can read the story here, and enjoy more of his photos here. Bioluminescence! Right?

What Are the World's Most Livable Cities?

Brian Moylan · 02/21/11 04:50PM

Every year the Economist Intelligence Unit looks at all the cities in the world and ranks their livability based on stability, health care, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure. Which city came out on top?