For one it is resistant to cancer. They also live up to 28 years, which is unheard of in mammals of its size. It seemingly does not age much in those 28 years either. It remains “young, healthy and fully fertile for almost all its days, which for an elderly animal is equivalent to an 80-year-old woman having the biological make-up of someone 50 years younger.”

The naked mole rat is used in both cancer research and the study of aging. The naked mole rat could unlock the secrets to immortality…

Lampreys are a type of jawless fish that live mostly in coastal and fresh waters whose adults are characterized by a toothed, funnel-like sucking mouth.

They attach themselves to fish and suck their blood. Lampreys have been around for nearly 300 millions years and their body structure has remained relatively unchanged.

The star-nosed mole is a small mole found in wet low areas of eastern Canada and the northeastern United States.

It is easily identified by the 11 pairs of pink fleshy appendages ringing its snout, which is used as a touch organ with more than 25,000 minute sensory receptors

These thorn bugs are related to cicadas, and use their beaks to pierce plant stems to feed upon their sap. Their strange appearance still poses many questions to scientists.

This, uhm… peculiar eyeless animal is actually called Atretochoana eiselti. It is a large, presumably aquatic, caecilian amphibian with a broad, flat head and a fleshy dorsal fin on the body.

Tell Lala that this thread has snake also oooo

But a different kind of snake.

The Mutillidae are a family of more than 3,000 species of wasps (despite the names) whose wingless females resemble large, hairy ants. Found in Chile, they are known for their extremely painful stings, hence the common name cow killer or cow ant. Black and white specimens are sometimes known as panda ants due to their hair coloration resembling that of the Chinese giant panda

This rare shark is sometimes even called a “living fossil”, “is the only extant representative of the family Mitsukurinidae, a lineage some 125 million years old.” Goblin sharks inhabit around the world at depths greater than 100 m (330 ft), with adults found deeper than juveniles. Given the depths at which it lives, the goblin shark poses no danger to humans.

Found on the Galapagos Islands, this fish is actually a pretty bad swimmer, and uses its pectoral fins to walk on the bottom of the ocean.

If you think you have seen it all well think twice on this thread I will bring your attention to some weird creatures you never knew existed. Am not talking about extinct creatures. So please relax and follow me on this thread.

Please help me tag people who you think will be interested in topics like this.

7. Feed the dead with wine in Rome

Romans believe in feeding the dead. So much so that graves contain pipes through which the kin of the deceased can pour honey, wine and other food items into their grave in the Roman burial grounds.

6. Throw the baby for good luck in India
This ritual is mostly followed in Karnataka where newborn babies are thrown off the 50-feet high Sri Santeswar temple. Before you jump to a conclusion; the babies are obviously caught by the family in a cloth. Couples who are blessed with a baby after taking a vow at the temple follow this 500-year-old tradition. It is believed to bring good luck to the babies. Don't know about the babies, but I sure wish we could throw some politicians without catching them.

Source : newszoom.org

5. Polterabend - Break the dishes and get the newly weds to clean the mess in Germany
In this weird pre-wedding German tradition, friends and family of the bride and groom come together and break dishes! And then the bride and groom have to clean up the mess. This way they get to practice 'working together in difficult times.' Aren't we getting a little to literal here, people?

Source : dothob.

4. Don't show up on time in Venezuela
Looks like Venezuelans are just like Indians! Reaching on time is considered rude in Venezuela and it is recommended to reach at least 15 minutes later than the scheduled time. Guests who reach on time are looked down upon as being too eager and greedy. Well, Venezuelans should take some cue from Indians!

Source : chinesewritersna.com

3. Don't ask for salt when at a host's place in Egypt
Looks like Egyptians get offended easily. So, if you are invited over for dinner and want to add more salt to your dish, dare not touch the saltshaker because Egyptians feel it is equivalent to insulting the host. Oops!

Source : ronaldh.id.au

2. Famadihana - Dancing with the dead
A funeral tradition followed by the Malagasy tribe in Madagascar, people literally dance with dead bodies as part of the Famadihana custom. After bringing bodies of ancestors from their burial place, they re-wrap them in fresh cloth and dance around the tomb to live music. The ritual is followed once in seven years, but has been in the decline of late.

Source : vimeo.com

1. Thaipusam - The festival of piercings
This Hindu festival is celebrated by the Tamil community and dedicated to Lord Murugan, the god of war, on the full moon in January or February. The festival is also known for its bizarre way of showing devotion to god. Devotees often pierce different parts of their body with silver skewers and take on other physical burdens. Why would god ever be pleased by you harming your own body? Source : www.letstravelsomewhere.com

We have taken a few look at some in africa let's take a look at the rest of the world. It's not only Africans that have weird culture and traditions.

3.Leblouh – Mauritania’s Force-Feeding of Girls for Marriage

Here, it is believed that a lady is more desirable and would attract fine suitors if she is well fed and robust. As such, young girls and maidens from as low as five years old to teenagers are being secluded and forced to consume a large portion of food and milk by their fatteners who would inflict pain on them if they fail to do so.
While this practice is most common in Mauritania, Northwestern Africa, it has also been associated with the people of southern Morocco and the people of Cross River state in southeastern Nigeria.

Should I continue?

12. Southern Africa’s Reed Dance/Virginity Testing

Umhlanga, an annual dance ceremony meant to celebrate virginity in  Swaziland is known as Umkhosi woMhlanga in South Africa. The culture is peculiar to the Swazi and Zulu people. It all has to do with maidens completely bare-breasted dancing for their respective kings. Before they can do this, they would have to queue up to have their virginity tested.
This is normally done in a traditional way which majorly revolves around examining the physical features of the vagina and shallow inserts into the organ to see if the hymen is intact. We learnt that ladies who are no longer virgins, for fear of being stigmatized, go as far as inserting raw meat into their vaginas so as to pass the test.

kolaa007:
.Namibia’s Offering of Wives to Visitors for Sex

In Northern Namibia, the Okujepisa Omukazendu treat is the most prestigious way the people of Ovahimba and Ovazimba tribes welcome their male visitors. To make the guest feel at home, a man would order his wife to go in and spend the night with the visitor. Although rare, wives can equally require their visiting friends to go in and be with their husbands.
It has has been speculated that the essence of this strange African culture is to eradicate jealousy and encourage oneness. Meanwhile, it is believed that this culture is also practised by the Tiv people of Nigeria.

Please if you know you still practice this culture please invite me to come and greet you.

.Namibia’s Offering of Wives to Visitors for Sex

In Northern Namibia, the Okujepisa Omukazendu treat is the most prestigious way the people of Ovahimba and Ovazimba tribes welcome their male visitors. To make the guest feel at home, a man would order his wife to go in and spend the night with the visitor. Although rare, wives can equally require their visiting friends to go in and be with their husbands.
It has has been speculated that the essence of this strange African culture is to eradicate jealousy and encourage oneness. Meanwhile, it is believed that this culture is also practised by the Tiv people of Nigeria.

10.Taking pictures
The first rule to note is that the Tanzanian government considers taking pictures of structures such as government buildings, bridges, and military personnel as illegal.  While this rule might be applicable in most African countries, there’s another weird fact attached to taking photos in Tanzania.
For instance, it’s advised that you seek permission before taking another person’s picture.  This is attributed to natives’ beliefs about taking pictures. Some might go as far as asking you for payment (money) before taking their pictures. Other tribes such as the Massai people believe that taking pictures means stealing their souls.

9.Widowhood among the Igbos - Nigeria
It is a common custom among the Igbos to find widows subjected to humiliation to prove that she had no hand in her husband’s death. The widow is subjected to punishments such as forcing her to drink the water used in washing her husband’s corpse, shaving off her hair, amongst them.

8. Banyankole Tribe, Uganda
The Banyankole tribe is a minority tribe in Uganda. And the mention of marriage is definitely a burden to the bride’s aunt. When a couple is about to get married, custom dictates that the aunt of the bride sleeps with the groom to ensure the potency of the groom. Furthermore, she also has to test the bride’s virginity.
Some traditions claim that the group must have sex with the aunt before sleeping with the bride. Another tradition asserts that it was the responsibility of the aunt to prove the potency of the groom by watching or listening to the couple while they’re having intercourse

7. Hamar Tribe, Ethiopia
To prove your manhood as a young boy in the Hamer tribe, it is expected that you run, jump and land on the back of a bull, before then attempting to run across the backs of several bulls while naked.
Before this ritual takes place, female friends of the young boy undergoing the test must cover their whole body, including their head and hair, with red ochre mixed with fats.  The girls are then expected to dance and get whipped by elders until they have scars and wounds on their backs. This is done to show their unflinching loyalty to their friend.

kolaa007:
6.Lip stretching

When a girl becomes a teenager in the Surma tribe of Southern Sudan, she begins the process of lip stretching. The girl has her bottom teeth removed to make space for a lip plate, which is increased in size annually.

I hope this has been abolished. Its horrific

6.Lip stretching

When a girl becomes a teenager in the Surma tribe of Southern Sudan, she begins the process of lip stretching. The girl has her bottom teeth removed to make space for a lip plate, which is increased in size annually.

5.A thorough cleansing

The Chewa people are one of the largest indigenous groups of Malawi but live throughout Central and Southern Africa. When a person dies, one family tradition involves taking the body into the woods, slitting the throat, and forcing water through the body to cleanse it. They do this by squeezing the corpse’s stomach until what comes out the rear end runs clear.

kolaa007:
4.Beating the suitor

The Fulani tribe live in many countries in West Africa and follow a tradition called Sharo. Sharo happens when two young men want to marry the same woman. To compete for her hand, they beat one another up. The men must suppress signs of pain and the one who takes the beating without showing signs of pain can take the wife.

Omo men if they still practice this so many girls will never marry ooo. Make dem flog me because of one girl. Mba

Hope am making small sense ooo.

Please help me share and like and tag some mods maybe they can move it to promise land.

But I doubt it since no be snake thread

4.Beating the suitor

The Fulani tribe live in many countries in West Africa and follow a tradition called Sharo. Sharo happens when two young men want to marry the same woman. To compete for her hand, they beat one another up. The men must suppress signs of pain and the one who takes the beating without showing signs of pain can take the wife.