Experts warn against dangerous ‘Borax Train’ TikTok trend
A highly dangerous new TikTok trend is taking over the platform, and experts are urging people to not follow it. The 'borax train' sees people consuming the cleaning product, with users erroneously claiming that it helps alleviate some health issues. Borax is a white powder often found in laundry detergents and used to get rid of stains and insects. The trend has seen people delve into another chemical element, boron, which borax is a compound of. Despite the TikTokers reportedly citing the work of Rex Newnham, who allegedly advocated that boron (not borax) was an essential vitamin, the National Institution of Health says it is not "classified as an essential nutrient for humans because research has not yet identified a clear biological function for boron". Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter If consumed, it can cause "headache, hypothermia, restlessness, weariness, renal injury, dermatitis, alopecia, anorexia and indigestion. In infants, high boron intakes have caused anaemia, seizures, erythema, and thin hair". Dr Kelly Johnson-Arbor, a medical toxicology doctor and co-director at the National Capital Poison Center reportedly told Yahoo In The Know that "borax is actually a poisonous compound and should never be eaten". She continued: "Borax consumption has been recently popularised on TikTok as a way to treat inflammation, but… there is no evidence that swallowing borax has any human health benefits." One chemist on TikTok reiterated the dangers, telling followers it can cause much more damage. "Don’t eat sh** out of the f***ing laundry box, people," @chem.thug told followers. "This is patently dangerous." "Borax is actually really not good for you. According to the literature, it can cause kidney failure. It can cause reproductive harm. It also can cause developmental issues," he added. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
1970-01-01 08:00
Core inflation in Japan's capital seen slowing sharply in July -analysts
TOKYO Core inflation in Japan's capital likely stayed above the central bank's 2% target but slowed sharply in
1970-01-01 08:00
Teens are using social media to diagnose themselves with ADHD, autism and more. Parents are alarmed
Some people browse TikTok and Instagram for recipes, memes and colorful takes on the news. Erin Coleman says her 14-year-old daughter uses these apps to search for videos about mental health diagnoses.
1970-01-01 08:00
How Much Money Do NFL Waterboys Make?
How much do NFL waterboys make?
1970-01-01 08:00
Hilarious prank sees Ryanair passenger use giant boarding pass
A viral TikTok prank that shows a traveller being pranked with a huge Ryanair boarding pass has sent users into hysterics. The clip, which racked up over 1.6 million views in 24 hours, shows a group of friends ready to scan their passes. One of the men pulls out the folded-up piece of paper from his backpack and passes it over to a friend as everyone erupts into laughter. To his disbelief, the boarding pass unfolded to be a staggering A0 size. The clip was soon flooded with fellow TikTokers, with one writing: "This is actually good I need my daughter's printed out for her birthday." Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter "Nothing as good as the Dublin sense of humour," another added, while a third commented: "I’ve watched that a few times now. Can’t stop laughing. The lad's laughter is contagious." Meanwhile, another person reiterated: "Think I have watched this like five times. Get funnier every time. The laughs make you laugh." @leebonnie2707 Will that boarding pass fit in your hand luggage sir ? @Ryanair @Dublin Airport #ryanair #fyp #holiday #dublinairport #dublin #ireland #boardingpass It comes after another lads' trip ended with one passenger sleeping in the Ryanair overhead cabin. The footage shows the man candidly chilling in the baggage compartment, with on-screen text reading: "One minute you're at a club in Ibiza... the next you wake up in the Ryan Air overhead carriage. In the comments the passenger who witnessed the scene added: "40 dudes at the back of the plane were having a TIME… they pushed their mate in there as the plane landed." "I need to know everything about this story immediately," one person quipped. Even Jedward chimed in, writing: "What a moment to see." Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
1970-01-01 08:00
What is 'perpetual stew?' TikTok obsessed with chef's stew that never ends
TikTokers has been left baffled by a never-ending “perpetual stew” being made by a chef to feed hungry New Yorkers. On TikTok, food trends and recipes come and go, capturing people’s imaginations for a time before the next thing comes around. The latest to grab the spotlight is one woman who is making a never-ending dish called a perpetual stew. Perpetual stew is a popular recipe from the Medival times that is made by continuously simmering the stew while topping up the ingredients to keep it going. It is rarely, if ever, drained fully. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Because it is so often strained and skimmed, it leaves behind “only dark, rich broth” according to How Stuff Works, making it very tasty and good for you. TikToker Annie Rauwerda has grown a large following by documenting the process of making the 14th-century Polish stew. What does TikTok think of perpetual stew? Rauwerda shared her first post about starting the process of making perpetual stew on 11 June. In the video, she said: “I’ve always wanted to do it. I’m finally doing it. It’s perpetual stew summer.” She shared a screenshot from the Wikipedia entry for perpetual stew, which claimed that, if properly maintained, the stew can continue cooking for “decades or longer”. @depthsofwikipedia more medieval behavior! In the next video about the stew, Rauwerda invited people to her house and everyone had to bring an ingredient to add to the stew. The ingredients included garlic, carrots, parsley, potatoes, onions, chives, celery, fennel and rice. @depthsofwikipedia come get your random community juice!!!!!!!!!message me if you want to come to the next ones Rauwerda explained in another update that someone added dill to the stew and that it was overpowering the flavour, adding, “I can't wait until we’re done with this batch”. She also invited people who live near Bushwick in New York to come and have some stew or bring an ingredient to add to it to message her. @depthsofwikipedia girls just wanna have stew! Rauwerda began having stew parties outside to give the stew to New Yorkers who wanted to try it. In her most recent update, posted four days ago, she said the stew has now been cooking for 38 days. TikTokers have jumped fully on board with the perpetual stew, with some saying they now want to move to Brooklyn, New York to be part of it. One person commented: “I’m literally so proud of u for making this stew I absolutely love this!!!!!!” Another wrote: “I’m being 100 per cent for real when I say I’m thinking about moving to Bushwick from Chicago so that I can contribute to the Stew.” “I’m visiting NYC for the first time in December and the stew is on my itinerary lol,” another hopeful fan wrote. Someone else said: “I’m not in New York but tbh I’d buy perpetual stew merch.” Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
1970-01-01 08:00
Satellite image has conspiracy theorists convinced Megalodon's still exist
Many on TikTok are convinced that the ‘megalodon’ still exists, after an old satellite image of the huge shark went viral. The earliest megalodon fossils date to approximately 20 million years ago, and went extinct 3.6 million years ago. Recently a satellite image has gained lots of attention on TikTok as users claim that a huge shark-like shadow that can be viewed beneath the ocean’s surface is in fact the extinct megalodon. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter One TikTok, from an account dedicated to creepy and unsettling sightings, says: “The following video is footage from a satellite. When you zoom in it appears to look similar to a shark.” The video proceeds to zoom into the shadow and compare to the size of a 40-foot yellow bus, emphasising the size. @theyrewatchingusnow MEGALODON STILL OUT THERE⁉️ Follow Back Up: @theyrewatchingusnow2 #ocean #megalodon #megalodon? #shark #deepoceanvideo #deepocean #scary #unexplored #atlanticocean #pacificocean #indianocean #oceans #conspirancytheory #oceancreatures #realfootage #greatwhiteshark #oceansecrets #creepy #sharkattack #sharksattack #fyp #fypシ #fypシ゚viral #foryoupage #foryou #foryourpage #foryourpages #foryouuuu #viral #virallllllllllllll #viralvideo #viralvideosofficial #oceanconspiracy #trending #screammovie The image has many viewers convinced that the extinct species exists: “Humans had to adapt to all world disasters repeatedly, do why would it be impossible for animals to adapt,” reads one comment. Another commented: “They’re absolutely still alive. The ocean is quite deep and we’ve only explored 5-10 per cent”. “People keep saying we would’ve found a meg by now but do you have any idea how little of the ocean we have discovered?” One commenter told sceptics. The clips used in the TikToks come from a video shared on YouTube by Discovery in 2014 (as seen above) as part of their Shark Week feature. The satellite image was captured by NASA and initially caused huge concern as it looked like an oil spill. It actually turned out to be a swarm of non-hazardous microbes. Whilst investigating the believed oil spill at the time, after the satellite image was zoomed in that shark-shaped shadow raised eyebrows. Almost 10 years later it’s still not clear what the shadow was, but it’s clear there’s still speculation on if it is in fact a megalodon. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
1970-01-01 08:00
TikTok 'stress test' shows it's not 'fully ready' for looming EU social media rules, commissioner says
TikTok has "more work" to do to meet tough new European standards that are coming for social media and content moderation, according to a top EU official who performed a "stress test" of the company this week.
1970-01-01 08:00
Woman left baffled by plane seats directly facing other passengers
A plane passenger has been left baffled by seats that were facing each other on the aircraft. Megan Homme sat in the bizarre seating arrangement onboard her flight. There were pairs of seats opposite one another. Like typical economy flights, she sat next to another passenger. Her knees were just an inch away from another pair of flyers who were sitting opposite her. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter A similar setup is popular on trains. However, it is unusual to see this on aeroplanes. Passengers were left to awkwardly look at each other during the flight. Megan, of Chicago, US, experienced it on a regional airline in Sweden. She didn’t disclose which airline it is. @meganhomme WHY #flying #traveltiktok #plane #travelvlog Megan was left feeling uncomfortable on the plane and criticised the airline. She said: “I’ve never seen this on a flight before. “Seats facing each other.” Megan said she wasn’t able to pick her seat. Other holidaymakers were left stunned by the bizarre seating arrangements. One person called Kayla said: “I’d rather sit down with the luggage.” Effie said: “That would be so awkward, especially on longer flights. ”Where do you look?” ”I’m walking out and I expect a full refund,” said Nancy Kaguima. ”I’ll just sit on the wing and hold on,” said Daniel. Opyemi Alexander said: ”I'll just have to walk. ”Don’t care how long it takes.” Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
1970-01-01 08:00
Husband screams and swears at wife after learning she is pregnant
The shocking moment a man yelled at his wife after she revealed she was pregnant with their fourth child has gone viral. The shock of finding out he was expecting another baby sent one man into a spiral after his wife, Anissa, filmed his reaction and shared it on TikTok. Also known on TikTok as The Cofer Family, Anissa shares clips of family life raising four children with her husband, James. The clip of her husband’s reaction to her note telling him that she was pregnant with their fourth child has been viewed more than 7 million times and isn’t the typical reaction you may expect. Text overlaying the video read: “When you’re done having babies but get a positive test and your husband’s reaction isn’t what you expected.” Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter In the video, Anissa told James to open an envelope on the bed which contained a note which confirmed her pregnancy news. He shouted: “Stop playing with me. Anissa, it’s not…Anissa, no!” James continued to shout, “NO” and sat with his head in his hands as he comprehended the news that they were about to have their fourth child. @anissacofer Needless to say, she’s the blessing we never knew we needed. ??#babynumber4 #pregnancyannouncement #blessed “Babe, please tell me you’re joking,” he continued before Anissa brought the positive test over to him and he screamed, “F**k". In the comments, people were surprisingly mostly understanding of the husband’s reaction, with many saying they have felt the same way. One person wrote: “THIS IS REAL LIFE… we have a 23, 13,9,8 and a MF 1 year old.. that last test we were like F*****K.. we were so close but she is a whole blessing!” Another commented: “Not him acting surprised like he isn’t 50 per cent the reason why we are here in the first place. Love it!” However, someone else told Anissa, "Divorce him now". “The most reasonable and true reaction I’ve seen after already having multiple and not really wanting more,” another TikToker wrote. Someone else argued: “Those ‘oh hell no’ babies end up being beloved in a special way. I know because I had one at 44.” Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
1970-01-01 08:00
Woman thanks Kim Kardashian for 'saving her life' after shooting
A woman has said thank you to influencer Kim Kardashian and credited her for “saving” her life after being shot four times. The woman, who goes by the name Angelina, explained the incredible story about how she got shot in a viral TikTok with the caption: “No but fr (for real), thanks Kim.” Key to her survival was the fact she was wearing a Skims bodysuit, sold by Kardashian’s company, that prevented her from bleeding out. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Angelina explained: “Kim Kardashian saved my life. This New Year’s I got shot four times. The night that I got shot, under my dress, I was wearing a Skims shaping bodysuit. “It was so tight on me that it literally kept me from bleeding out. I recommend it. I’m definitely going to buy some more. I mean, I should wear it every day, it’s like body armour for women. “Call it fate, or Jesus. But, I’mma call it Kim. I’mma call it Kim for sure.” @honeygxd no but fr, thanks kim ???? #fyp #foryou #gunviolence #kimkardashian #kim #skims #skimsbodysuit #gunviolenceawareness According to Page Six, the TikToker was shot four times in Kansas City, Missouri on 1 January 2023 as she waited for her Lyft to pick her up. Kardashian recently shared her TikTok on her Instagram story along with the word “Wow” and the praying hands emoji. Many people commenting on TikTok said they saw the post on Kardashian’s story and came to give Angelica their well-wishes. One person wrote: “Okay first… I’m so sorry you went through that. But also… slay @SKIMS.” Another commented: “Here after seeing this on Kim’s IG Story!” “Your sense of humour about it is so amazing, I’m glad you’re safe! @Kim Kardashian, help a girl out,” another replied. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
1970-01-01 08:00
"Hell no:" Plane full of singing Taylor Swift fans sparks debate
Taylor Swift fans made the most of their delayed flight and decided to have a Swift-themed sing-a-long, but it's received a mixed response online. Swifties were travelling back home from Denver after watching The Eras Tour after the Anti-Hero singer performed her first night in the city in Colorado. Clearly wanting the concert to continue, most of the people on the flight began to sing Swift's hit 'Love Story,' in a viral clip posted by Hannah Hazlett (@han._.haz). Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter The video shows passengers in their element as they recorded the sing-a-long on their phones while others also turned on their flashlights and swayed along to the country pop song. For the video caption, Hazlett tagged Swift, Taylor Nation and Southwest Airlines. @han._.haz @Taylor Nation @Taylor Swift @Southwest Airlines Since sharing the clip, it has gone viral with over 1.2m views, 228,000 likes, and plenty of comments from fellow Swifties who loved the rendition. One person said: "I WANNA BE IN THAT PLANE." "This would make my flying anxiety disappear," another person wrote. Someone else added: "Taylor Swift really is THAT powerful." "A core memory for these people," a fourth person commented. The video also went viral on Twitter where others felt differently about the singing, with many expressing that they wouldn't be a fan of this if they were a passenger on this particular plane. Although there were some who defended the Swifties, and argued it was all just a bit of fun. Elsewhere, Taylor Swift becomes the first woman to have four albums chart in the top 10, TikToker goes viral with Taylor Swift 'dark energy' conspiracy and 26 of the best reactions to Taylor Swift fans getting presale tickets. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
1970-01-01 08:00