The BLT Episode 14: Thief In Turd

The news this week has given us plenty to get our teeth into. From cat cameos to magnetic slime, we loved applying visual thinking to yet another crop of diverse stories, all with unexpected links and crossovers.

Do you have some news that’s perfect for the BLT that we’ve missed? Tell us, and find out more about how we work by getting in contact today!

A cat cameo causes trouble

After art teacher Luo’s cat made an appearance on her livestreamed lesson five times, she was fired. Referring to the cat, Lou’s employer claimed she had taken part in ‘non-teaching’ activities.

Happily, the story didn't end there. This week, after appealing the decision, Lou was awarded 40,000 yuan ($6,000; £5,000) for unfair dismissal.

A former coal mine allows rare water lilies to shine

A coal mine in Alabama that had been considered toxic has been transformed into a refuge for rare wildlife. One of the wildlife stars that has emerged is the rare white Cahaba lily (or shoals spider-lily).

The lily’s beauty caused 18th century naturalist William Bartram to exclaim that ‘nothing in vegetable nature was more pleasing’, and the water lily has drawn thousands of tourists to the wildlife refuge.

No bear to run

If you look in that stuffed bear today, you’re sure of a big surprise. People go to great lengths to hide from the police. It might be lying low or even moving to another country.

For 18-year-old car thief Luke Dobson though, hiding from the police meant climbing into a five-foot teddy bear. In the search for Luke, police became suspicious when they saw the bear breathing, and found him stuffed inside it.

Could Tasmanian tigers make a comeback?

Last week it was mammoths, this week it’s the thylacine. Researchers from the University of Melbourne and US based Colossal have joined forces to work on resurrect the species, whose last known member died in 1936. The multi-million-dollar project will use DNA from closely related marsupials, and the first thylacine could be born in just 10 years' time.

Watch out for wonky veg

Something else that could be making an appearance is wonky veg, previously discarded in favour of more standard vegetables. Farmers are warning that supermarkets may have to accept more of it after the hot and dry weather has affected crops this year, stunting growth. Farmers are quick to point out, however, that they will taste just as delicious!

Are you ready for magnetic medial slime?!

Able to change shape and travel through narrow spaces in the body, the slime can remove objects from inside the body. Made from a combination polyvinyl alcohol, borax and particles of neodymium magnet - it could be particularly helpful in cases such as swallowed batteries. For all the advancement it represents, this magnetic slime does have an unfortunate nickname - ‘the magnetic turd’.

What’s in a name?

For campaigners in Leicester, the answer to this question is quite a lot! Animal rights group PETA have requested that Leicester’s ‘Pork Pie’ roundabout should be renamed to promote healthier food and help the environment.

PETA have suggested ‘Vegan Pie Roundabout’, building on Leicester’s link to veganism. The term ‘vegan’ was coined in Leicester back in 1944.

We love using visual thinking and visual storytelling to create connected and layered whiteboard animations like this. We’d love to talk to you about how your message could look as a whiteboard animation, contact us today!