Pesala Bandara

Journalist and Writer at PetaPixel

Journalist & Writer

Articles

Camera Captures Massive Glacier Break That Buried Swiss Town

1 week ago | petapixel.com | Pesala Bandara

Footage shows the devastating moment a huge chunk of glacier collapsed and wiped out 90% of a picturesque Swiss village. The Alpine village of Blatten in southern Switzerland was nearly wiped out when a massive section of the Birch Glacier broke off and crashed into the valley below around 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The collapse triggered a powerful landslide that swept down the mountainside, flooding the plains and demolishing homes in its path.
Tourist's Photo Shoot with Tiger Goes Horribly Wrong

1 week ago | petapixel.com | Pesala Bandara

A horrifying video of a tourist getting attacked by a tiger during a photo shoot at a zoo in Thailand is going viral online. Warning: The following video contains content that some may find upsetting. The alarming incident allegedly occurred as an Indian tourist, whose name has not been disclosed, was attempting to take photographs with the animal at Tiger Kingdom in Phuket, Thailand.
Tourist's Photo Shoot with Tiger Goes Horribly Wrong

1 week ago | flipboard.com | Pesala Bandara

6 hours agoThailand: Pupils flee classrooms as gunman kills three in shooting next to school in ThailandSuphan Buri, Thailand - May 30, 2025 A gunman killed at least three people in a shooting next to a school in Thailand this morning. The alleged killer opened fire at a house next to the school in Suphanburi province at around 9am local time. Officers shepherded hundreds of pupils and teachers into safe rooms as they locked down the area while tracing the suspected attacker.
You Can Now Search with Google Lens in YouTube Shorts

1 week ago | petapixel.com | Pesala Bandara

YouTube is introducing Google Lens to Shorts, allowing users to search for more information about items they see within a video. On Thursday, YouTube announced that the feature will roll out in beta over the next few weeks. It will allow viewers to search for information about animals, landmarks, plants, and other items they see in a YouTube Short video.
Trail Camera Theft Could Soon Land You in Jail in Pennsylvania

1 week ago | petapixel.com | Pesala Bandara

Pennsylvania lawmakers want to make the theft of a trail camera a specific crime punishable by jail time and a $1,500 fine. A panel of Pennsylvania lawmakers voted to support legislation to crack down on the theft and vandalism of trail cameras in the state with a new bill this month.
Influencer’s Stolen Photo Aesthetic Lawsuit Against Rival is Dropped

1 week ago | petapixel.com | Pesala Bandara

The highly publicized showdown between two influencers over a stolen photo aesthetic has ended with the lawsuit being quietly dropped. Texas-based influencer Sydney Nicole Gifford filed a first-of-its-kind copyright lawsuit last year against fellow content creator Alyssa Sheil accusing her of stealing her “neutral, beige, and cream aesthetic” in photos on social media.
NYPD Seeks Woman Who Stabbed Photographer With Scissors

1 week ago | petapixel.com | Pesala Bandara

The New York City Police Department (NYPD) is searching for a woman who stabbed a photographer in the back after he accidentally captured an image of her. The NYPD has released surveillance photos and video of the female suspect who attacked the photographer in the SoHo neighborhood of New York City in broad daylight on May 5.
Rare Signed Photo of Al Capone Sells for $62k at Auction

1 week ago | petapixel.com | Pesala Bandara

A rare signed photograph of Al Capone sold for over $62,000 at auction last week and is believed to be the largest signed image of the Chicago mob boss ever offered for sale. The vintage 8 x 10 portrait was sold by Boston-based RR Auction during its “Old West, Outlaws, Lawmen, and Gangsters” auction on Thursday. Originally estimated to fetch over $40,000, the rarity of a signed image of the Chicago mob boss drove the final sale price to $62,501.
Google's Veo 3 Nails the Infamous Will Smith Eating Spaghetti Test

1 week ago | petapixel.com | Pesala Bandara

Google launched its scarily-good new AI video model Veo 3 last week — and users wasted no time putting it to the ultimate benchmark: the “Will Smith Eating Spaghetti” test. The Will Smith Eating Spaghetti test has become an unofficial rite of passage for generative video models and a baseline for gauging how powerful AI models really are. Just got access to Veo 3 and the first thing I did was try the Will Smith spaghetti test.
Harvard Gives Up Ownership of Slave Photos After Descendant's Lawsuit

1 week ago | petapixel.com | Pesala Bandara

Harvard University will give up ownership of two 175-year-old daguerreotypes depicting an enslaved father and daughter, following the resolution of a years-long legal battle with a woman who claims to be a descendant of the individuals in the photographs. Tamara Lanier sued Harvard for emotional distress in 2019 over its possession of two daguerreotypes which she says are portraits of her enslaved ancestors.