Parasitic roundworm in woman’s brain

Surgeons in Australia have successfully removed a live three-inch parasitic worm from a woman’s brain, the first case of such an infection in humans. The worm, an ophidascaris robertsi roundworm typically found in carpet python snakes in Australia, was discovered during a biopsy performed by doctors in Canberra. The woman’s symptoms, including stomach pain, diarrhoea, cough, night sweats and cognitive issues.

The woman likely contracted the infection by inadvertently consuming the worm’s eggs from vegetation gathered near her home, inhabited by carpet pythons. The incident highlights the potential for zoonotic diseases when humans and animals share environments. While this specific worm species is unique to Australia, related species infect snakes in other regions, indicating a global risk for similar cases.

Longest alligator in Mississippi

Four state residents — Donald Woods, Will Thomas, Joey Clark and Tanner White — harvested a male alligator in west Mississippi’s Sunflower River.

The alligator is the longest ever to be recorded in Mississippi, according to the state Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, weighing 802.5 pounds (364 kilogrammes) and measuring 14 feet, 3 inches long, breaking the previous record by over 2 inches, the department said.

After capturing the animal, the hunters hoisted it with a forklift and posed for a picture at Red Antler Processing in the Mississippi Delta town of Yazoo City. The area is located in a designated alligator hunting zone.

Massive ice ball falls from sky

A substantial ball of ice descended from the sky and landed on the Belvoir Park Golf Club, Australia. Superintendent Dylan Knight responded to reports of ice chunks on the fifth hole green, only to discover a sizable ice ball that had crashed and scattered into fragments spanning a vast 160-foot radius.

The impact left a notable 8-inch-deep dent on the ground, hinting at a considerable fall. Speculation has arisen that the ice ball may have fallen from an airplane, although such events, termed ‘megacryometeors’, are infrequent and rarely result in ground impact.

Modern aircraft de-icing systems typically prevent ice from reaching the ground, making this occurrence exceptionally unusual.

Curious deer strolls into candy shop

Jenn Strobel, owner of Buddy and Howie’s Candy Store in Ocean Shores, Washington, US, posted photos and video to the store’s Facebook page showing the deer peering in through the open door before calmly coming inside for a closer look. The deer appeared transfixed by the store’s taffy boat display.

“He came in and the only damage done was he might have got a piece of wonderful taffy,” Strobel told.

The deer left the store on its own after a few moments of browsing, the video shows.

Published in Dawn, Young World, September 2nd, 2023