Free Republic

A rash of seismic activity across an arc of southern Japan in recent weeks – including the most powerful earthquake to strike Tokyo in a decade – has triggered renewed concern that a major natural disaster may be imminent, potentially the much-feared rupture of the Nankai Trough. Experts and government agencies have called for calm and insist there are no signs of an impending disaster to rival the March 2011 magnitude-9 quake, a tremor that unleashed a towering tsunami and caused devastation across much of northeast Japan. The Great East Japan Earthquake caused nearly 20,000 deaths and the meltdown of...

A giant cannibalistic parrot that stood more than three feet tall and lived in New Zealand 19 million years ago has been dubbed 'squawkzilla'. Scientists reckon the animal, which is officially known as Heracles inexpectatus, feasted on other parrots to nourish its massive frame. The tree-dwelling creature is believed to have used its enormous beak to feed on the flesh of its own species. It is thought to be the largest parrot ever and rivals the famed dodo in its bulk, and towers above the current flightless inhabitants of New Zealand, the kakapo.

Video footage shows the dragon—a likeness of Maleficent from "Sleeping Beauty"—continuing to bob its head up and down as the flames consumed it. In a surreal scene, parade music blared from speakers as onlookers stared in amazement at the flaming monster. The steampunk-style dragon normally breathes fire as part of the show, but something malfunctioned and the entire head of the metal beast went up in flames. Perhaps thinking the fire was part of the show, people milled about, seemingly not alarmed by the flames. Most didn't flee the scene and continued to watch until they were ushered away by...