Meet the man who started by eating glass, metal, and then ate a whole airplane. Here's what doctors discovered
From Nails to Airplanes
The Cessna Feat: A Stomach of Steel
Entertainment and Health Risks
Michel Lotito, known globally by his nickname "Monsieur Mangetout" (French for 'Mr. Eat-All'), became one of the most bizarre figures in modern history due to his unmatched ability to consume objects no ordinary person could digest. Born in Grenoble, France, in 1950, Lotito's strange eating habits reportedly began around the age of nine, after he accidentally chewed on broken glass and discovered he could safely swallow it. Over time, this ability turned into a lifelong pursuit that brought him worldwide attention and an official title from the Guinness World Records for having the " strangest diet ."Lotito's dietary habits were linked to a rare psychological condition called pica, a disorder that causes people to crave non-nutritive substances. While most people with pica suffer negative health effects, Lotito's case was an anomaly. He claimed that traditional foods such as eggs, bananas, and bread made him ill, yet he could comfortably digest materials like metal, rubber, and glass.Doctors who studied him found that his stomach and intestines had a thick lining, allowing him to consume nearly two pounds of metal per day without serious internal damage. Over the years, he reportedly consumed items including eight bicycles, 15 supermarket carts, seven television sets, six chandeliers, a pair of skis, and even a coffin — handles included.His most well-known act was the consumption of a Cessna 150 aircraft. According to reports, Lotito began this endeavor in 1978, cutting the aircraft into small, manageable pieces and eating it slowly over the course of two years. By 1980, he claimed to have completed the aircraft, including its metallic structure and many internal parts. This feat was acknowledged in media outlets and by Ripley's Believe It or Not.Newspapers also documented his performances, describing how he would cut metal into pieces the size of one or two cubic centimeters and eat them with generous amounts of mineral oil and water to aid digestion. In one instance, he reportedly consumed 15 pounds of a bicycle in just 12 days, though he avoided parts considered entirely inedible, such as the pedals or crank-gear.By 1966, Lotito had turned his rare ability into a performing career, charging audiences to witness him eat items such as beds and computers. Performances sometimes earned him as much as $1,000 per day. But his acts were not without risk. Reports noted that metal fragments could scratch or even tear the digestive tract, creating the potential for internal bleeding and heavy metal poisoning. To prevent these dangers, he followed a strict method: chopping items finely, lubricating with oil, and spacing out consumption over days.He even participated in more extreme performance elements, allowing audience members to throw darts into his back or apply pliers to his skin. Yet, despite the risks, he managed to avoid serious health complications from his eating habits.According to Guinness World Records, Lotito had been eating metal and glass since 1959. Estimates suggest that between 1959 and 1997, he consumed around nine tons of metal. His ability remained unique among medical professionals, who documented but could not fully explain the physical resilience of his digestive system.Lotito passed away in 2007 at the age of 57 from natural causes. Despite skepticism around the full extent of his claims — with some details unverified — his legacy as a man with perhaps the most bizarre diet in human history remains intact.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
20 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Candice Miller's cryptic post a year after husband's suicide left her $33 million in debt
Influencer Candice Miller has shared her first Instagram post in nearly a year - breaking her lost social media silence after her husband's death by suicide. Miller, who ran the blog 'Mama + Tata' blog, was left saddled with nearly $34 in debt after her husband Brandon Miller took his own life in their sprawling Hamptons estate, reported the New York Post. On Monday night, the former influencer and socialite took to Instagram to share a photograph of the sun setting over the ocean. Accompanying the photograph was a quote by French existentialist philosopher Albert Camus. 'In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer. And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there's something stronger – something better, pushing right back,' the mother-of-two captioned the photograph. Candice Miller is the widow of Brandon Miller, the property mogul who took his own life at the age of 43. The couple had two daughters together. She is a popular internet personality who ran the lifestyle mommy-blog 'Mama and Tata' with her sister Jenna Crespi. The Mama and Tata account had roughly 80,000 followers on Instagram. Miller is also the co-founder of the women's wear label Black Iris. In July 2024, Brandon died by suicide in the Hamptons home after secretly accumulating $33.6 million in debt. At the time, his bank account held just around $8,000. At the time of his death, his wife Candice and their two children were vacationing in Italy. Brandon Miller's death sent shockwaves through New York high society, especially since his wife documented their luxurious lifestyle on social media. Her feed was filled with photos from the parties she attended, their opulent homes, $250 private fitness sessions, trips on private planes and more.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Viral Dubai chocolate gets desi spin. India can't get knafeh of it
Kochi-based Paul And Mike were one of the first to launch their own take Sometimes, a global trend finds its sweetest home far from where it began. Ashmeet Singh Dua didn't think a viral chocolate bar with a pistachio filling from Dubai would define his five-year-old Hyderabad-based dessert brand but the kunafa pistachio chocolate bar he introduced in Sept last year did just that. 'It's become our brand identity. In Hyderabad, people already love kunafa, so this was a hit the moment we launched it,' says the chef and founder of Xocolatl. If you haven't heard of Dubai chocolate, you probably don't have a sweet tooth. Inspired by the traditional Middle Eastern dessert knafeh (also called kunafa), it's become such a craze that global pistachio prices started climbing and every chocolate brand launched its own versions. Indian brands too have put their spin on it. Dua's take on the bar uses imported kataifi pastry for the crunch, house-roasted pistachio paste and a creamy filling. He's got a range of flavours as well: nutella, lotus biscoff, salted caramel. 'We've had celebrities try it and it's our best-selling product even today. Unlike other dessert fads, this one's here to stay,' he says. At Manam Chocolate, the award-winning craft chocolate brand from Hyderabad, the Dubai chocolate bar gets a layered, decadent spin. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với mức chênh lệch giá thấp nhất IC Markets Đăng ký Undo Called 'The Kunafa Stack', it brings together their house-made custard, tart bursts of fresh mulberries, pistachio cake crumbs with toasted granola and chopped dates. It's topped with crisp pistachio kataifi and a scoop of house-made gelato, and a final flourish comes with a warm pour of molten Manam chocolate. Ruby Islam, head chef at Manam Chocolate, says The Kunafa Stack was launched during Ramzan this year. 'I always look forward to creating unique experiences. But it's also important to hear what people are asking for. When the Dubai Kunafa chocolate went viral, people started asking us if we had something with crunchy pistachio and milk chocolate.' The brand is opening a New Delhi outlet this month, where this version will be available. Mumbai's French pastry shop Le15 Patisserie has also tapped into the Dubai chocolate trend. Founder Pooja Dhingra, aka the macaron queen, tried the famed bar in Dubai earlier this year and immediately understood the hype. 'It was bold, sweet, crunchy and satisfying. But I knew I wanted to reimagine it through the lens of French pastry. A tart felt like the perfect format,' says Dhingra. Her kunafa chocolate pistachio tart, launched last month, features a buttery chocolate tart shell filled with pistachio cream, toasted kunafa and dark chocolate ganache topped with a pistachio macaron. Dhingra admits that viral trends come with their own set of expectations. 'Trends push you to stay current and experiment, which is fun and keeps the creative energy high. But there is a pressure to constantly be 'new' and sometimes, that can feel more reactive than intentional,' she says. Kochi-based Paul And Mike's bar has a golden kataifi pastry and a pistachio-rich filling. Founder and business head Vikas Temani says openness to global trends isn't just philosophy — it's now an operational reality. 'What virality has done is really compress the product innovation cycle. We wanted to be the first among reputed Indian chocolate brands to launch this, so we did it real quick in terms of R&D and sourcing. That also gave us a window of no competition,' he says. As kataifi pastry is hard to find, home bakers in India have substituted the ingredients with what's locally available. Some have used roasted sevaiya noodles to recreate that signature crunch. Arun Viswanathan of Chitra'm Craft Chocolates in Coimbatore didn't want to replicate the trending Kunafa chocolate. Instead, he used a base of nool peni — a South Indian festive sweet made with fine strands of deep-fried dough, resembling delicate vermicelli, layered with ghee and powdered sugar — and cheekily named his bar Dubai Return, almost saying we've been there and come back with something of our own. The nool peni is layered with pistachio, saffron, rose and a touch of gulkand (rose petal preserve). 'Nool peni has a flaky, crisp texture that reminds me of kunafa. So, I thought, why not reimagine the Dubai bar with it? Our Dubai Return is familiar, yet it surprises you,' says Viswanathan, who did his chocolate training in Belgium. Poetry by Love and Cheesecake, a cafe chain in Delhi, gave the trend a seasonal spin last month with their Chocolate Mango Kunafa Cheesecake. 'We've never done anything like this before,' says chef Amit Sharma. 'But after the Dubai chocolate went viral, people got curious—now we're seeing repeat orders and planning more Kunafa experiments.'
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Inside the cryptic pattern behind Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's aesthetic date nights—and what it might reveal about their romance
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's relationship extends beyond public appearances, revealing a curated aesthetic through their restaurant choices (Getty Images) When it comes to celebrity couples, few can match the cultural clout of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce . Whether they're turning heads at the Super Bowl or cozying up courtside, the two have become media magnets. But beyond the cameras and viral moments, there's a subtler pattern in their relationship that fans are starting to notice—their taste in date night restaurants. And if the last few months are any indication, Taylor and Travis are more than just starstruck lovers. They're curating a very intentional aesthetic around their love story. Palm Beach favorites: sleek, elegant, and very on-brand Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's June 3 visit to Buccan in Palm Beach had the internet buzzing. Known for its sophisticated American cuisine and Palm Beach bistro decor—striped awnings, marble bar, and cozy banquettes—Buccan offered the perfect romantic backdrop. As one X user noted, the couple was 'bringing down the average age of the local community,' adding a dose of youthful charm to a famously refined locale. Just a couple of weeks earlier on May 23, they were spotted at Harry's in West Palm Beach, a stylish transplant from New York's Financial District. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Stylish New Mobility Scooters Available for Seniors (Take a Look) Mobility Scooter | Search Ads Undo The airy interiors and lush patio set the tone for another effortlessly stylish outing, proving the duo's knack for picking places that blend prestige with polish. Cozy meets chic across the country From Talula's Garden in Philadelphia—where the pair celebrated Mother's Day with their families—to Del Frisco's in NYC, Swift and Kelce seem to gravitate toward restaurants that provide both ambiance and privacy. Del Frisco's private dining room and dramatic city views catered perfectly to their low-key but luxe image. Meanwhile, their post-Super Bowl date at Firewood in Park City, Utah, revealed a more intimate side. The rustic, wood-fired eatery, complete with open kitchen views, suggests that even when licking wounds from a championship loss, the two opt for spaces that comfort without compromising style. Their February stop at Lilette in New Orleans may have been the most atmospheric yet. Set in a converted 1800s drugstore, the restaurant's French-Italian fare and tree-lined courtyard offered old-world charm. If you're curious, Taylor and Travis reportedly dined on Louisiana Crab Claws with passionfruit butter—talk about indulgent! Also Read: Travis Kelce slammed by his own brother Jason Kelce for letting fame go to his head while dating America's top pop star Through every reservation, Taylor and Travis are telling us something: aesthetic matters, but shared moments matter more. Their restaurant map isn't just a trail of good taste—it's the blueprint of a high-profile relationship grounded in experience, style, and intention.
