The Mary Sue

WWE Pioneer Joan Laurer, a.k.a. Chyna, Dies at Age 45

by Teresa Jusino Apr 21st

I was never a huge fan of the WWE (then the WWF) when I was a kid, but it was so popular that it kind of permeated everything. Like, everyone knew who Hulk Hogan was, who Rowdy Roddy Piper was. And when Chyna burst onto the scene in the late 1990s, everyone knew who she was. Especially girls. Sadly, Joan Laurer, the woman behind Chyna, a.k.a. "The 9th Wonder of the World," has passed away at the age of 45.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson Hawking WWF “Rage Pagers” in 1999 Justifies the Entire Existence of Pagers

Our unintentional Flashback Friday entry.

by Dan Van Winkle Jul 3rd

Presented without further comment, because The Rock is perfect unto himself and does not need our petty explanations.

How Yak Insurance Could Help Save The Endangered Snow Leopard

by Ian Chant Dec 26th

There are a lot of troubles facing endangered snow leopards in the Himalayan mountains that conservationists and others working to save the big cats can't really control -- habitat loss, poaching, and Yeti rampages, just to name a few. In the interest of lighting a candle rather than cursing the darkness, though, Nepalese yak herders have decided to do something about one of the dangers to the cats: The herders themselves, who are known to shoot the animals to protect the lives -- or avenge the deaths -- of the yaks they depend on for their livelihoods. To do so, they've pooled their resources and worked with the University of Zurich to create a yak insurance fund that covers the loss of livestock to snow leopards, preserving farmers ability to feed their families and offering less incentive to hunt down snow leopards in the wake of the death of their yak, sheep, or goats.

This is a Rhino Being Carried Through the Air By Its Feet

by Max Eddy Nov 14th

So, let's say you're the WWF. No, the other WWF; the one that deals with wildlife conservation. And let's say that you've spent years preparing the expansion of wildlife habitats with the highly endangered black rhino as the flagship for the project. But how do you get more rhinos to the space you've prepared? The answer, apparently, is to tranquilize the beasts, blindfold them, and dangle them from a helicopter while flying them to their new homes. Any similarity to the film Operation Dumbo Drop is purely coincidental. The result is happier, healthier rhino populations, and also some astounding, improbable imagery. Read on after the break for an incredible video of the process.