“It might look like a giant tennis ball, but in the land of the rising sun this quirky contraption is being marketed as the answer to surviving an earthquake and tsunami. Dubbed Noah – after the ark which survived biblical floods – these floating spherical capsules are claimed to protect people from drowning and debris, should another disaster hit Japan. The modern, miniature version of Noah’s Ark has been developed by a small Japanese company, in case the country is hit by another massive earthquake and tsunami. The floating capsule is made from enhance fiberglass and is designed to withstand giant waves and flooding.” w/ photos

“A motorist who took a shortcut out of a busy car park has landed in hospital – after his car plummeted from the third floor of the multi-storey facility. The 44-year-old driver is believed to have lost control of his car while attempting to leave the car park in Leiden, Holland. The car ploughed through a brick wall before dropping 30ft to the street below and landing on its roof.” w/ photos

“This huge gorilla and tiny duckling became unlikely friends after the bird escaped into the ape’s zoo enclosure. Visitors to the Bronx Zoo in New York were stunned when the baby duck suddenly appeared inches from the massive primate. Fearing the 90kg western lowland gorilla might react badly to the feathered visitor, onlookers held their breath to see what would happen. But rather than attacking or teasing the duckling, the four-and-a-half foot gorilla became fascinated with the bird and inspected its new friend with a nearby stick. The 15-year-old female ape, called Fran, happily let it waddle about before the duckling was removed by zookeepers.” w/ photos

“Nimble Ma Jei astonished tourists when she scrambled 70ft up a virtually sheer castle wall in eastern China – just to dodge the $3.34 admission fee. Thrifty Jei – who had no rope or safety equipment – told fellow visitors she’d grown up in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, climbing the walls of Zhonghau Castle since childhood and had never once paid to get in. But unfortunately her stunt encouraged other visitors to follow her example – with two falling and breaking their legs and three others having to be rescued by police.” w/ photos

“London’s streets are often described as dirty and drab. But this road in the capital has been given a dramatic makeover following the spell of unseasonably hot weather and early autumnal leaf fall. On first glance, it could be any ordinary road on an October day, covered with thousands of fallen leaves. Except there’s something distinctly out-of-the-ordinary about this. The carpet of leaves comes complete with abrupt, geometric edges – made all the more striking by the patches of unaffected tarmac next to it. Motorists and pedestrians have been left baffled by the display. Could it be a street art project designed to brighten up the area?” w/ photos

“You might be waiting a while for one of these to pull up at the local bus stop. This is the world’s first super bus, crafted with state-of-the-art materials which seats 23 passengers and had a top speed of 155mph. Developed in Holland by an astronaut and a former Formula One aerodynamics expert, the midnight-blue, electric-powered vehicle costs $9.4million and was flown to the United Arab Emirates where it will be used by a sheikh. The hi-tech bus means he will be able to complete the 75-mile commute from Dubai to neighboring Abu Dhabi in under 30 minutes. Made of lightweight materials including aluminum, carbon fiber, fiberglass and polycarbonate, it is 49ft long, 8ft wide and 5ft 5in high. Passengers will be able to enjoy comfort equal to that of a luxury limousine or private jet. The super bus has eight gullwing-style doors on each side to allow for a swift exit.” w/ photos + video

“Honeybee carcasses coated the ground around hundreds of Florida beehives after a mysterious massacre claimed millions of bees and mutilated a way of life for local bee keepers. Experts have ruled out ‘colony collapse disorder’ and the bee keepers suspect that their bees were poisoned with pesticide. Florida agriculture officials and the local sheriff’s office are both investigating. No one can tell yet what killed as many as 12 million bees from 800 hives this week in Brevard County, on central Florida’s Atlantic coast. The massive bee die-off has stung Charles Smith, whose Smith Family Honey Company lost $150,000 worth of bees. ‘I’m a pretty tough guy but it is heart wrenching,’ he told News 13 in Orlando. ‘Not only is it a monetary loss here, but we work really hard on these bees to keep them in good health.” w/ photos

“Doug Coulson is in a spin over his tumble dryer – which is still going strong after 50 years and more than 15,000 cycles. And during that time, the electric appliance has become more than just about wringing his clothes dry – it has become a piece of history linked to his childhood. Doug, 45, grew up to the sound of the Parnall Auto Dry spinning the contents of his family’s wardrobe in his mother and father’s kitchen where it was used five times a week. He became so attached to the machine, bought in 1959 that when he left home at 18, he took it with him – and it is still alive and kicking at his flat in Southampton, Hampshire. Doug said: ‘It is very basic but I use it around three times a week. ‘It has never let me down, and is still going strong after all these years. ‘I have tried using other machines before at laundrettes but none are as good as my retro one.” w/ photos

“On your marks, get set, go-rilla! These wacky racers ran round the urban jungle today dressed like they were aping a wild animal. As temperatures soared for September, more than 1,000 made it round the 4.3 mile central London course wearing furry gorilla costumes. And as the mercury hit 23C, the sweaty runners cris-crossed the Thames going over Tower Bridge, back over London Bridge, then Southwark Bridge and Blackfriars Bridge. They passed a series of London sights including the Tower of London, HMS Belfast and The Tate Modern. The Great Gorilla Run was held by The Gorilla Organization to highlight the plight of gorillas in the wild and is expected to raise $532,000 for the cause.” w/ photos

“This Great Dane is a real canine super star after officially being recognized as the world’s tallest female dog – standing 5ft 11in on her hind legs. Weighing more than 154lbs ‘Super’ Nova, who lives with owner Ann Suplee in Addison, Illinois, was only recently given the title by the Guinness Book of Records. Taking her place in the record books after the previous record holder died, Nova still sleeps in Mrs Suplee’s queen-sized bed like a young puppy. Four inches taller than her father and eight inches taller than her mother, Nova eats up to 30lbs of food a week. Mrs Suplee said: ‘It took a lot of paperwork and a lot of footwork to secure the record, but it was all totally worth it and great fun.” w/ photos