My last post on the Lumbering Contraption was featured on the Make blog where they noted that our Railcar was much like The Disgusting Spectacle ( a gloriously absurd work of art built by friends at NIMBY ).  While it is true that they are both human powered and both involve a large metal wheel it is not true that our Railcar in any way picks noses of any sort, as the internet would have you believe.

I found this on Gizmowatch (emphasis mine):

We aren’t very sure if we have come across giant-sized “breathing” noses, but are certainly curious to know how the Lumbering Contraption powers some weird devices that in turn drive a nose-picking machine. Basically a monstrously big 10×10-foot hamster ball, the Lumbering Contraption is an entry at the Handcar Regatta competition.

What’s Innovative: It isn’t every day that you come across metal hamster balls that can make you puke after a few rolls. And weird still is the fact that the end purpose of this giant hollow sphere is to pick noses.

Watch This: We are yet to come to terms with what we feel about this giant-sized contraption. Yet, we believe it stands a good chance at the Handcar Regatta.

Gizmowatch refers their link and “information” to Gearfuse:

In light of this coming Sunday’s Handcar Regatta, a race of human-powered rail-track creations, the team over at Almost Scientific have created a ginormous 10 feet tall 10 feet wide hamster wheel they’re calling the Lumbering Contraption. What purpose does it serve? Well, it controls a slew of doohickeys that mobilize a giant nose picking machine. Weird, right? If only we could use human-sized hamster wheels.

At least Gearfuse actually references my original link but got their information from Daily DIY, who basically reposted the entire, original Make post.

Yet another reason to not believe anything you find on the internets … except here at Almost Scientific … we would never tell you a lie.