YORK, Pa. — "Ripley's Believe it or Not!" is all about the amazing and the awe-inspiring.
Dan Block is one of the latest performers to grace the pages of Ripley's newest edition, "Dare to Discover."
Block has many unique talents that landed him among pages of mind-blowing stunts and wacky facts, but one in particular stands out: the ability to make balloon animals with his nasal cavities.
"I mean, I was just making balloon animals for fun, and then one day you put a balloon in your nose to find out you can blow it through!" Block said.
"Dare to Discover" includes amazing art like Rajacenna van Dam's, who can use both hands and feet to create eight detailed drawings—at the same time. There are also astonishing animals, like Pearl the Chihuahua, who at 2 years old weighs in at just over 1 pound (almost three times the weight of Ripley’s annual book!) and holds the record for shortest living dog in the world.
"What's great is everything is thoroughly fact checked; it's all new, we've never repeated anything. It's the 22nd edition," Sabrina Sieck with Ripley's said. "But you can believe it all. It's really hard to—it's incredibly hard to believe—but it's undeniably true."
Sieck says "Dare to Discover" is fun for anyone to peruse, but it can be especially accessible for those who have a hard time getting into books.
"It's really good for reluctant readers as well," Sieck said. "You can open up to any one of these pages, and you just get a snippet of information. You can have something to talk about at the dinner table or tell your friends, and you're not going to want to stop reading it."
"I was one of those kids that got that book; look at me now," Block said.
As for his particular talent...
"I don't recommend anyone try this at home, but it is a fun time for all of us," Block said.
Those interested in checking out the wacky and wondrous stories in "Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Dare to Discover" can find the book on Amazon, at other participating retailers or their local libraries.