Rated X Planet

New Dinosaur with one finger?

noreply@blogger.com (RX) — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 13:31:00 +0000

Linhenykus' hand does have a leftover bone for a second finger, but the nub of a digit wouldn't have worked at all, Xu added.

That makes Linhenykus the only known one-fingered dinosaur, he said.

The new dinosaur was discovered in a fossil-rich rock formation that dates to the late Cretaceous period, between 84 and 75 million years ago. The site is near the Inner Mongolian town of Linhe (map), which helped inspire the dinosaur's name.

Alvarezsauroid fossils have been found in North and South America as well as Asia, dating from the late Jurassic to the late Cretaceous. Finding an alvarezsauroid in Asia dated to the late Cretaceous adds to the story of this group's dispersal around the world, Xu said.

"[They] probably originated in Asia, then dispersed from Asia to [the ancient supercontinent] Gondwana, and then back to Asia, and finally from Asia to North America," he said.

Most theropods had three fingers on each hand. But Linhenykus belongs to a family known as the alvarezsauroids: small, long-legged dinosaurs that had one big finger alongside two barely functional nub fingers.

"Some researchers speculate that these dinosaurs used their hands to dig [up] termite nests," said study leader Xu Xing of the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology in Beijing. This was probably the case for Linhenykus as well, he said.

13th Sign Of The Zodiac - Ophiuchus

noreply@blogger.com (RX) — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 05:02:00 +0000

Ophiuchus the 13th sign of the Zodiac - also known as Serpentarius, the Serpent Holder.

The constellation Ophiuchus has been known about since ancient times, but you wouldn’t know it.
It was never added to the Zodiac chart as astrologers said that the Sun went straight from Scorpius into Sagittarius, disregarding the fact that the sun travelled through Ophiuchus for 19 days before entering Sagittarius.

Basically then what that means is that there is another sign! a lost sign. Serpentarius is it’s name which would bring us perhaps lots of Serpentariuns?

The 13th sign of the zodiac, unlike the other 12 signs is actually associated with a real person. In the 27th Century BCE in Ancient Egypt lived a man known as Imhotep. Imhotep was known as ‘Aesclepius’ by the Ancient Greeks, however the attributes are the same under either name.

One of Imhoteps abilities was healing and it is said that it was he who introduced it to mankind. His accomplishments also included a wide knowledge of medicine. The serpent or snake symbol which is still used today to symbolize the medical profession was also used to represent Imhotep. Below is a list of attributes associated with the Serpent Holder, Imhotep i.e Aesclepius. The descriptions below are associated with the 13th sign - Ophiuchus.

This is the Zodiac as some astrologers believe it should be:
ARIES = APRIL 19 - MAY 13
TAURUS = MAY 14 - JUNE 19
GEMINI = JUNE 20 - JULY 20
CANCER = JULY 21 - AUG 9
LEO = AUGUST 10 - SEPTEMBER 15
VIRGO = SEPTEMBER 16 - OCTOBER 30
LIBRA = OCTOBER 31 - NOVEMBER 22
SCORPIO = NOVEMBER 23 - NOVEMBER 29
OPHIUCHUS = NOVEMBER 30 - DECEMBER 17
SAGITTARIUS = DECEMBER 18 - JANUARY 18
CAPRICORN = JANUARY 19 - FEBRUARY 15
AQUARIUS = FEBRUARY 16 - MARCH 11
PISCES = MARCH 12 - APRIL 18

So have your horoscope change?

World's Tallest Buildings Part I

noreply@blogger.com (RX) — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 09:32:00 +0000

Human being are amazing creature which capable of doing things that seem impossible. Human don't have powerful physical body but are gifted with the most powerful tools in all living things - the Mastermind. Over the century, human civilization had build skyscrapers as symbol of power and development of a culture or country. Now we look at these amazing building...

1. Burk Khalifa

This residential and office tower officially became the world's tallest building when it opened its doors on Jan. 4, 2010.

Piercing the Dubai landscape at a height of just over 828 meters (2,716 feet) tall, the United Arab Emirates landmark and has more than 160 stories, the most of any building on Earth.

2. Taipei 101

Topping out at 1,676 feet tall, the Taipei 101 building in Taiwan reigned supreme as the world's tallest tower for seven years after it opened in 2003.

The design of Taipei 101 borrows heavily from Chinese culture. Both the building's interior and exterior incorporate the Chinese pagoda form and the shape of bamboo flowers. The lucky number eight, which means blooming or success, is represented by the eight clearly delineated exterior sections of the building.
This skyscraper is approximately 165 feet taller than the Petronas Towers.

3. Shanghai World Financial Center

This night view of the Shanghai World Financial Center shows China's tallest skyscraper front and center in the Pudong, with the smaller Jin Mao Building behind it.

Coming in as the third tallest building on Earth, the 492-meter (1,614-foot) landmark tower hosts the world's highest Chinese restaurant on the 93rd floor.

The Shanghai World Financial Centre, or Center, is a soaring glass skyscraper with a distinctive opening at the top. The original plans called for a 46 meter (151 foot) circular opening that would reduce wind pressure and also suggest Chinese symbolism for the moon. Many people protested that the design resembled the rising sun on the Japanese flag. Eventually the opening was changed from circular to a trapezoid shape.
The ground floor of Shanghai World Financial Centre is a shopping mall and an elevator lobby with gyrating kaleidoscopes on the ceiling. On the upper floors are offices, conference rooms, hotel rooms, and observation decks.

4. Petronas Twin Tower

Petronas Twin Towers 1 and 2 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, were the largest towers in the world when they first opened in 1998.

Standing at 452 meters (1,483 feet) each, they've since fallen to fourth and fifth place.

Traditional Islamic design inspired the floor plans for two Petronas towers in Kuala Lumur, Malaysia. Each floor of the 88-story towers is shaped like an 8-pointed star. The two towers have been called cosmic pillars that spiral heavenward. At the 42nd floor, a flexible bridge connects the two Petronas Towers.

5. Willis Tower

Once the tallest in the world, the Willis Tower in Chicago was built in the 1970s under another name -- the Sears Tower -- to house the offices of the largest retailer in the world at the time, Sears, Roebuck & Co.

The name was changed in 2009 when London-based insurance broker Willis Group Holdings moved into the 108-story-tall building.

To provide stability against high winds, architect Bruce Graham used a new form of tubular construction for Sears Tower. Two hundred sets of bundled tubes were laid into the bedrock. Then, 76,000 tons of prefabricated steel in 15-foot by 25-foot sections were put into place. Four derrick cranes moved higher with each floor to lift these steel "Christmas Trees" into position.

Meet the woman whose breasts just won’t stop growing!

noreply@blogger.com (RX) — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 03:52:00 +0000

Meet the woman whose breasts just won’t stop growing!

Chelsea Charms’ 164XXX boobs grow 1 INCH every month and she claims they’re the biggest augmented breasts in the world. Her rapidly growing assets are all down Chelsea’s now widely illegal polypropylene string implants.

The implants consist of a coil of polypropylene inserted into each breast. There is no silicone or saline implant. The “string” irritates the internal breast tissue, which causes the boobs in question to produce a natural serum.

This fluid gets absorbed by the implant, which then swells, grows and irritates the tissue further, causing continuous breast growth.

Each of the 34-year-old’s 65ins breasts weigh two stone and together contain 12 litres of fluid.

She said: “I call them Itsy and Bitsy.

“I didn’t set out to have the world’s biggest boobs, but, well, they do have a mind of their own. Fortunately, they pay their way.”

As her breasts are continually growing, Chelsea has to splash out hundreds of pounds for specially made bras every two months.

She added: “People often ask why I don’t have the implants removed now that they are illegal. Why should I?

"I am not ashamed of my body; it’s a work of art. Itsy and Bitsy are my biggest assets. You may think I am a freak but I wouldn’t have my body any other way.”

So, what do you think about it? Think twice before implant your boobs. XD

Why Are Birds Falling From the Sky in Arkansas and elsewhere?

noreply@blogger.com (RX) — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 03:31:00 +0000

A mysterious rain of thousands of dead birds darkened New Year's Eve in Arkansas, and this week similar reports streamed in from Louisiana, Sweden, and elsewhere. But the in-air bird deaths aren't due to some apocalyptic plague or insidious experiment—they happen all the time, scientists say. The recent buzz, it seems, was mainly hatched by media hype.

At any given time there are "at least ten billion birds in North America ... and there could be as much as 20 billion—and almost half die each year due to natural causes," said ornithologist Greg Butcher, director of bird conservation for the National Audubon Society in Washington, D.C.

But what causes dead birds to fall from the sky en masse? The Arkansas case points to two common culprits: loud noises and crashes.

"Right before they began to fall, it appears that really loud booms from professional-grade fireworks—10 to 12 of them, a few seconds apart—were reported in the general vicinity of a roost of the birds, flushing them out," Rowe said.

"There were other, legal fireworks set off at the same time that might have then forced the birds to fly lower than they normally do, below treetop level, and [these] birds have very poor night vision and do not typically fly at night."

So the firecracker is the murderer of birds???

"Vampire Flying Frog" Found; Tadpoles Have Black Fangs

noreply@blogger.com (RX) — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 09:47:00 +0000

The mountain jungles of Vietnam are home to a new breed of "vampire"—a "flying" tree frog dubbed Rhacophorus vampyrus.

First found in 2008, the 2-inch-long (5-centimeter-long) amphibian is known to live only in southern Vietnamese cloud forests, where it uses webbed fingers and toes to glide from tree to tree. Adults deposit their eggs in water pools in tree trunks, which protects their offspring from predators lurking in rivers and ponds.

"It has absolutely no reason to ever go down on the ground," said study leader Jodi Rowley, an amphibian biologist at the Australian Museum in Sydney.

However, that trick isn't what earned the species its bloodsucking name. Rather, it's the strange curved "fangs" displayed by its tadpoles, which the scientists discovered in 2010.

Frog Fangs Still a Mystery

Tadpoles normally have mouthparts similar to a beak. Instead, vampire tree frog tadpoles have a pair of hard black hooks sticking out from the undersides of their mouths—the first time such fangs have been seen in a frog tadpole. (See more frog pictures.)

Vampire frog tadpoles have small black fangs. Photograph courtesy Jodi Rowley, Australian Museum

The scientists do not yet know what purpose the fangs serve. However, frogs that raise tadpoles in tree-trunk water holes often feed their young by laying unfertilized eggs as meals. The fangs, Rowley speculated, could help in slicing these open.

New Zealand releases UFO government files

noreply@blogger.com (RX) — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 02:15:00 +0000

New Zealand's military has released hundreds of documents detailing claims of sightings of unidentified flying objects (UFOs).

The files, dating from 1954 to 2009, include drawings of flying saucers and alleged samples of alien writing. The files include details of New Zealand's most famous UFO sighting when strange lights were filmed off the South Island town of Kaikoura in 1978. An official report from the time said natural phenomenon could explain it.

Although the incident made international headlines at the time, the military report suggested it could be lights from boats reflected in clouds or an unusual view of the planet Venus.

Following the release of the files, New Zealand Air Force spokesman Kavae Tamariki said the military did not have the resources to investigate UFO sightings and would not be commenting on the documents' contents.

"We have just been a collection point for the information. We don't investigate or make reports, we haven't substantiated anything in them," he told the Dominion Post newspaper.

The reports have been released under freedom of information laws after officials removed names and other identifying material. The files - which run to about 2,000 pages - include accounts by members of the public, military personnel and commercial airline pilots describing close encounters, mostly involving moving lights in the sky. All the original documents on which the reports were based are to remain sealed in the national archive.

Megafauna Part II

noreply@blogger.com (RX) — Sat, 25 Dec 2010 04:07:00 +0000

Continues by Megafauna Part I.....

6. Sarcosuchus imperator - The Super Croc

Sarcosuchus imperator, or “flesh crocodile emperor,” lived roughly 110 million years ago, when rivers coursed over what is now sub-Saharan Africa. Sarcosuchus prowled the rivers’ banks, crushing fish—and other creatures—in its massive jaws. The giant creature, which lived during the Middle Cretaceous, grew as long as 40 feet (12 meters) and weighed as much as eight metric tons (17,500 pounds). Growth lines were found in cross-sections of the armor plates--one line was laid down each year. A plate from an individual 80% grown had over 40 lines, so we suspect that a fully-grown individual would be at least 50-60 years old - about twice the longevity of living crocs. Its jaws alone were nearly six feet (1.8 meters) long and its more than 100 teeth so powerful that the colossal creature probably consumed small dinosaurs as well as fish, the researchers say.

7. C.Megalodon

Carcharocles megalodon (abbreviated to C.megalodon) was a huge prehistoric shark that lived between 25 and 1.5 million years ago (the Miocene and Pliocene epochs). It is now extinct but no one is sure when C.megalodon died out.

Two teeth of great white shark (white) compared to a single tooth of Megalodon (black). A coin 23 mm in width shows the scale.

We will probably never know for sure why Megalodon became extinct. But we can probably be grateful that it did: a 52-foot (16-metre) version of the White Shark with jaws large enough to engulf a rhino would almost certainly make recreational swimming or pleasure boating a LOT less enjoyable.

8. American lion

The American lion, also known as the North American or American cave lion, is an extinct feline known from fossils. It is comparable in size to the Eurasian cave lion, considered to be the second largest species of lion to have ever existed (after the cave lion), and was about 25% larger than the modern African lion.

The American lion averaged 3.5 m (11.5 ft) in length, with a typical male weighing about 235 kg (520 lb), and a typical female weighing about 175 kg (385 lb). It was comparable in size to its close relative the Eurasian cave lion, the modern Amur tiger and the hybrid liger, which is a hybrid that probably never occurs without human interference . They were still smaller than their contemporary, the short-faced bear, which is the largest carnivore of their era.

8. Toxodon

Toxodon was about 2.7 metres (8.9 ft) in body length, and about 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) high at the shoulder and resembled a heavy rhinoceros, with a hippopotamus-like head. Because of the position of its nasal openings, it is believed that Toxodon had a well developed snout. It had a massive skeleton, which suggests that it supported a large muscular body. It had short stout legs with three functional toes, with most of the body weight being borne by the central toe.

The vertebrae were equipped with high apophyses, which most likely supported the massive weight and muscles as well as its powerful head. Toxodon had broad jaws which were filled with bow shaped teeth and incisors. These teeth would have allowed the animal to tear through and bite off the plants and leaves.

9. Andrewsarchus mongoliensis

Andrewsarchus was a predatory ungulate (hoofed mammal) that lived during the late Eocene Epoch of the Cenozoic Era. This group constituted the only segment of the ungulates that was carnivorous, and the largest, andrewsarchus mongoliensis was the largest mammalian predator ever to walk on land. Oddly enough, andrewsarchus was most closely related to hippos and pigs rather than to more familiar groups of predators like big cats or dogs. Fossils of this giant have been uncovered in Central Asia, primarily Mongolia.

Extrapolating from the body proportions of similar mesonychids, such as Mesonyx, Andrewsarchus was probably about 4 metres (13 feet) long and may have stood nearly 2 metres (6 feet) at the shoulders. The cranium is about twice the length of an Alaskan brown bear (Ursus arctos middendorffi), but much narrower, and about triple the length of an Rocky Mountain wolf (Canis lupus occidentalis). Since the average brown bear weighs less than 1,000 pounds, and only an extreme specimen of a wolf weighs up to 77 kg (170 lb), we can only suggest, proportionately extrapolating body sizes, that Andrewsarchus probably weighed somewhere between 400 to 1,000 pounds at the most. But since we have only the skull, and no other fossil evidence, this is pure speculation.

10. Smilodon

Smilodon was the largest saber-toothed cat (or saber-toothed tiger). It was a fierce predator about 4-5 feet (1.2-1.5 m) long and 3 feet (0.9 m) tall. It weighed about 440 lbs (200 kg). It was a bit smaller than a modern-day lion (Panthera leo), but much heavier.

It had relatively short legs and a short, bobbed tail. Its front legs were especially powerful. Its body was adapted for springing onto prey, but it was not a very fast runner. Its 12-inch-long (30 cm) skull had 2 huge canine teeth. These saber-like teeth were serrated, oval in cross-section, and up to 7 inches (18 cm) long. Many Smilodon fossils have been found with broken canines; a fossil wolf was found with a Smilodon tooth fragment embedded in its skull. Smilodon had powerful jaws that opened to an angle of about 120°. Today's lions can only open their jaws 65°. Smilodon also had very strong jaw and neck muscles that let it stab prey with its deadly teeth.

Smilodon first appeared about 1.6 million years ago. This ferocious cat went extinct about 11,000 years ago. It lived during the last Ice Age, in which the Earth got much colder than it is now. Ice sheets and glaciers covered much of the land and sea levels fell as sea water froze into polar ice and glaciers. It lived during the Pleistocene Epoch (the early part of the Quaternary Period)

Megafauna Part I

noreply@blogger.com (RX) — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 08:22:00 +0000

When we are talking about largest living things ever step foot on Earth, we will think about dinosaurs. This is mostly correct but not totally true. Most of us don't even notice the exist of megafauna, or large animal. These large animals are not dinosaurs. They are mammals, reptiles and even insects, their sizes can go to amazing big or long. Most of them are already extinct
.
In terrestrial zoology, megafauna (Ancient Greek megas "large" + New Latin fauna "animal") are "giant", "very large" or "large" animals. Their original and most common definition is 100 lb, often rounded in the metric system to 40 or 45 kg.

Here I would like to introduce to you some of mega fauna that already extinct.
1. Jaekelopterus rhenaniae

November 2007, a fearsome fossil claw discovered in Germany belonged to the biggest bug ever known. Jaekelopterus rhenaniae measured some 8.2 feet (2.5 meters) long, scientists estimate, based on the length of its 18-inch (46-centimeter), spiked claw. The newfound fossil creature is estimated to be at least one and a half feet (46 centimeters) longer than any previously known prehistoric sea scorpion, a group called eurypterids. Jaekelopterus lived approximately 390 million years ago. Although called a "sea scorpion", it is speculated to have lived in fresh water rivers and lakes, rather than in saltwater seas.

2. Palorchestes azael

Palorchestes was a ground dwelling marsupial that lived in a woodland habitat. It possessed powerful forelimbs and razor sharp claws, and was capable of ripping through tough vegetation such as bark on tree trunks in order to obtain food. The strong, high-crowned teeth provide further evidence that its diet consisted largely of abrasive vegetation.

3. Rat as big as a Bull

A 4-million-year-old rat skull found at a coastal site in Uruguay set a new world record in the giant rodent category. The 21-inch-long skull is likely to have belonged to a creature as large as a bull and as heavy as a small car, according to researchers’ estimates. The previous record holder was a 1,500-pound, 8-million-year-old guinea pig discovered in Venezuela a few years ago.

4. Indricotherium - largest mammal ever live

Indricotherium is an extinct early relative of modern rhinos that lived during the late Oligocene and early Miocene Epochs of the Cenozoic Era. It was also the largest land mammal ever to live on land, at about 25 feet long, 17 feet tall, and weighing nearly 18 tons. In terms of weight, it was four times larger than a modern day bull elephant and rivaled the size of large sauropod dinosaurs that lived during the Mesozoic. Fossils of indricotherium have been unearthed in the Baluchistan province of Pakistan.

5. Haast’s Eagle - Man-eating Eagle

In New Zealand, both the fossil record and Maori legend tell us of a giant raptor known as Haast’s Eagle (Harpagomis moorei) that was once the largest predator in New Zealand. The giant Haast’s Eagle, it is believed, attacked and killed the 300-pound moa, a flightless bird reminiscent of an ostrich or emu though much larger, as one of its main food sources. Both the Haast’s eagle and the moa are now extinct. The oral legends of the Maori people, however, recall the Haast’s eagle, called pouakia or kokioi in their language, as a flying beast of fearful hunting prowess, and, if they are to be believed, the giant Haast’s eagle may have been hunting and killing human beings around the same time as Columbus was discovering America.

End of part I, hope you enjoy. Read Part II now....

Science Explains Why Breaking Up Is Hard to Do

noreply@blogger.com (RX) — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 07:41:00 +0000

Helen Fisher, a biological anthropologist at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, knows all about love. She has observed the brain regions associated with romantic love light up as a man gazes at his inamorata, both in new relationships and in decades-long marriages. Fisher seems to have become a bit jaded by years of Hallmark moments, however. “Who cares about people who are happily in love?” she wants to know. “It’s when you’ve been rejected that you turn into a menace.” So she has started exploring the science of heartbreak instead.

In a study published in May, Fisher and her colleagues asked 15 people who had recently been dumped but were still in love to consider two pictures—one of the former partner and one of a neutral acquaintance—while an MRI scanner measured their brain activity. When looking at their exes, the spurned lovers showed activity in parts of the brain’s reward system, just as happy lovers do. But the neural pathways associated with cravings and addictions were activated too, as was a brain region associated with the distress that accompanies physical pain.

Rejected lovers also showed increased neural response in regions involved in assessing behavior and controlling emotions. “These people were working on the problem, thinking, what did I do, what should I do next, what did I learn from this,” Fisher says. And the longer ago the breakup was, the weaker the activity in the attachment-linked region. In other words: Love hurts, but time heals.

Out-of-place artifact (OOPArt) Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (RX) — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 07:38:00 +0000

One of the unsolved mysterious that can't be explain by sciences is Out-of-place artifact (OOPArt).
Out-of-place artifact (OOPArt) is a term coined by American naturalist and cryptozoologist Ivan T. Sanderson for an object of historical, archaeological, or paleontological interest found in a very unusual or seemingly impossible context that could challenge conventional historical chronology.

An out-of-place artefact is an object that exists in a place in which it is impossible for it to exist. OOPArts are often of interest to creationists and others who seek evidence that may refute the theory of evolution; they are also used to support religious descriptions of pre-history, ancient astronaut theories, or the notion of vanished civilizations that possessed knowledge or technology more advanced than our own.

Here are few famous OOPArt:
1. Dendera Light

The Dendera light comprises three stone reliefs (one single and a double representation) in the Hathor temple at the Dendera Temple complex located in Egypt. The images are interpreted by traditional Egyptologists to depicting lotus flowers spawning a snake, representing aspects of Egyptian mythology. Controversy arose when the main object in the images was interpreted by some as electric lamps based on comparison to modern devices. These individuals believe the object may be electric lamps. Engineers have constructed a working model based on the reliefs and some authors (such as Peter Krassa and Reinhard Habeck) have produced a basic theory of the device’s operation.
2. Antikythera Mechanism

The Antikythera Mechanism is believed to be an ancient mechanical calculator (also described as a “mechanical computer”) designed to calculate astronomical positions. It was discovered in the Antikythera wreck off the Greek island of Antikythera, between Kythera and Crete, and has been dated to about 150-100 BC. It is especially notable for being a technological artifact with no known predecessor or successor; other machines using technology of such complexity would not appear until the 18th century. While a century of research is finally answering the question of what the mechanism did, we are actually no nearer to answering the question what it was for.

3. Baghdad Battery

The Baghdad Battery was discovered in the village of Khuyut Rabbou’a (near Baghdad, Iraq) in 1936. These artifacts came to wider attention in 1938, when Wilhelm König, the German director of the National Museum of Iraq, found the objects in the museum’s collections, and in 1940 (having returned to Berlin due to illness) published a paper speculating that they may have been galvanic cells, perhaps used for electroplating gold onto silver objects. The artifacts consist of ~130mm (~5 inch) tall terracotta jars (with a one and a half inch mouth) containing a copper cylinder made of a rolled-up copper sheet, which houses a single iron rod. At the top, the iron rod is isolated from the copper by asphalt plugs or stoppers, and both rod and cylinder fit snugly inside the opening of the jar which bulges outward towards the middle (reverse hourglass shape). On MythBusters’ 29th episode (which aired on March 23, 2005), the Baghdad battery myth was put to the test. Ten hand-made terracotta jars were fitted to act as batteries. Lemon juice was chosen as the electrolyte to activate the electrochemical reaction between the copper and iron. (Oddly enough, it was discovered that a single lemon produced more voltage than one of the batteries). When all of the batteries were linked together in series, they produced upwards of 4 volts. Then, the major question was, “What were these ancient batteries used for?”

4. Crystal Skull

The crystal skulls are a number of human skull hardstone carvings made of clear or milky quartz rock, known in art history as "rock crystal", claimed to be pre-Columbian Mesoamerican artifacts by their alleged finders. However, none of the specimens made available for scientific study have been authenticated as pre-Columbian in origin. The results of these studies demonstrated that those examined were manufactured in the mid-19th century or later, almost certainly in Europe.

5. Nazca Lines

The Nazca Lines a series of geoglyphs located in the Nazca Desert, a high arid plateau that stretches 53 miles or more than 80 kilometers between the towns of Nazca and Palpa on the Pampas de Jumana in Peru. They were created by the Nazca culture between 200 BC and 700 AD. There are hundreds of individual figures, ranging in complexity from simple lines to stylized hummingbirds, spiders, monkeys, and lizards. The Nazca lines cannot be recognized as coherent figures except from the air. Since it is presumed the Nazca people could never have seen their work from this vantage point, there has been much speculation on the builders' abilities and motivations.

'Left-handed' coiling snails survive more snake attacks

noreply@blogger.com (RX) — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 06:14:00 +0000

Snails with shells that coil anti-clockwise are less likely to fall prey to snakes than their clockwise-coiling cousins, scientists have discovered.

The arrangement of the snakes' teeth makes it difficult for the reptiles to grasp these "left-handed" snails.

The effect of this advantage on the survival of Satsuma snails is so great, say the researchers, that they could separate into a distinct species. Biologists in Japan report the finding in the journal Nature Communications.

Angle of attack

Satsuma snails come in two forms: those which have shells that coil anti-clockwise, considered sinistral or "left-handed" and those that coil clockwise, considered "right-handed".

Land snails copulate face-to-face, and a snail with a reverse-coiled shell has its whole body reversed - including the position of its genitals. This means that oppositely coiled individuals are anatomically incompatible when it comes to mating, so the scientists were puzzled as to why "reverse-coiled" snails continued to survive and evolve.

See the Snake Attack Video on BBC

To investigate, the team, led by Masaki Hoso from Tohoku University in Sendai, set up "predation experiments". They observed snail-eater snakes' (Pareas iwasaki) as they attempted to eat the snails. To consume the soft-bodied molluscs, the predators had to extract them from their shells.

"When attacking, the snake always tilts the head leftward," Dr Hoso told BBC News. The "right-handedness" of this sequence of movements, Dr Hoso explained, means that the snake "cannot grasp [left-handed] or sinistral snails well". The scientists wrote: "This study illustrates how a single gene for reproductive incompatibility could generate a new species by natural selection."

Bizarre hairy fly is rediscovered

noreply@blogger.com (RX) — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 06:01:00 +0000

Scientists have rediscovered a bizarre insect in Kenya, collecting the first Terrible Hairy Fly specimen since 1948.

Scientists are unsure how the insect is related to other flies

Since then, at least half a dozen expeditions have visited its only known habitat - a rock cleft in an area east of Nairobi - in search of the fly.

Two insect specialists recently spotted the 1cm-long insect, known as Mormotomyia hirsuta, living on the 20m-high rock. They point out that it looks more like a spider with hairy legs.

The fly was found by Dr Robert Copeland and Dr Ashley Kirk-Spriggs during an expedition led by the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE).

"The rediscovery of the species, which has been collected on only two occasions before, in 1933 and 1948, has caused excitement in insect museums world-wide," the team members said in a statement.

Unable to fly and partial to breeding in bat faeces, the fly is thought to live only in the dank, bat-filled cleft of the isolated rock in Kenya's Ukazi Hills.

The insect - found in only one location in Kenya - is covered in yellow hairs

It also has non-functional wings that resemble miniature belt-straps, and tiny eyes.

Dr Copeland of the Nairobi-based ICIPE said the fly's physical appearance had left scientists bamboozled about where exactly it belonged in the entire order of Diptera, or "true flies".

"We have collected fresh specimens for molecular analysis to see where exactly the Terrible Hairy Fly fits into the evolutionary process," Robert Copeland told Reuters news agency.

"The fly has no obvious adaptations for clinging onto other animals for transfer from one place to another. With its long legs, it could perhaps wrap itself around a bat and get a ride... but it's never been found elsewhere."

But he added: "Since Mormotomyia cannot fly, there is a strong possibility that it is really restricted to this tiny habitat."

Total Eclipse of the Moon: 2010 December 21

noreply@blogger.com (RX) — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 05:48:00 +0000

The December 2010 lunar eclipse occurred from 5:27 to 11:06 UTC on December 21, coinciding with the date of the December solstice. It was visible in its entirety as a total lunar eclipse in North and South America.

Animation showing the moon's passage through the earth's partial and full shadows in relation to Universal time. Based on information from NASA.

The picture below shows global visibility of this lunar eclipse:

The eclipse of December 2010 was the first total lunar eclipse in almost three years, since the February 2008 lunar eclipse. It is the second of two lunar eclipses in 2010. The first was a partial lunar eclipse on June 26, 2010.The eclipse was the first total lunar eclipse to occur on the day of the Northern Winter Solstice (Southern Summer Solstice) since 1638, and only the second in the Common Era.

Here some picture of it.

Sequence from Toronto, Ontario

Progression from Raleigh, North Carolina

Progression from Sao Paulo,Brazil

Progression from Anchorage, Alaska

From Jacksonville, Florida, 8:29 UTC - 10:06 UTC

From Easton, Pennsylvania

Chinese Woman Adopts 1,500 Stray Dogs

noreply@blogger.com (RX) — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 05:00:00 +0000

Ha Wenjin of Tangquan County, Nanjing, China, is a Good Samaritan beyond any definition of the word. She has relinquished her job, her home, her jewelry and her car to adopt more than 1,500 stray dogs.

She used the funds she got from the sale of her worldly goods to establish an unofficial dog rescue center.
“At first I did this in my spare time, but as I gathered more and more abandoned pets, I had to work full time for them,” said Ms. Wenjin.

In her efforts to run the center effectively, she hired 10 people to help her look after the dogs and two others to tend to the needs of some 200 cats at a nearby shelter she also set up with her own funds.

Her efforts were almost all for naught when local government officials who were indifferent to her humanitarian work reclaimed the land for redevelopment.

“I had to find a new place which was deserted and not close to any human habitat, as 1,500 dogs are not quiet. And the place had to be very cheap to rent, as most of our income comes from donations,” Ms. Wenjin told the press.

Ms. Wenjin eventually found a new location for the shelter, in Houyu village, Pukou County, but she is desperate for financial aid in setting up the new rescue center. She partly relies on the many animal loving volunteers who visit during the day and bring hundreds of “pork buns” to feed the dogs.

She moved the dogs to the new place on December 4th.
Kudos to you, Ms. Wenjin, for caring for these unwanted animals and giving them a new chance at what may turn out to be a dog’s life worth living after all.

Houses on the Cliff

noreply@blogger.com (RX) — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 04:50:00 +0000

It is amazing that human are capable of adapting the environment and survive until today. Not even the cliff could stop human being from building their home up there. Let us see some of these amazing scenery of human architecture.

1. El Tajo Gorge, Ronda, Spain

Located at Spain. Ronda is a beautiful town build 750km upon the cliff. The El Tajo gorge is bridged in two locations, the new bridge “Puente Nuevo” being the most spectacular and you can look down to see the River Guadalevín below. A truly spectacular view. This leads round the hotel, Parador de Ronda to the Mirador which is a beautiful park which is surrounded by flower beds and scenic views of the surrounding plato.
This place is the origin of Spain bull fight, it has the oldest bullring.

2. Bonifacio Corsica France

Set on Corsica’s southernmost point, Bonifacio owes its charm to medieval houses built on dazzling limestone cliffs. Built by the Genoese, Bonifacio’s Old Town is a fascinating maze of narrow streets, where you can wander around for hours. More Italian than French, the town has strong Renaissance influences and an old dialect from the times of the Genoese is still spoken to this today. Bonifacio’s natural harbour has been transformed into a chic marina, where tens of yachts from the Mediterranean come to drop anchor. You will find a vibrant display of trendy bars, restaurants and hotels, with a landscape of superb unspoilt beaches and rugged mountains. This all results in high prices and large crowds all through the summer months.

3. Castellfollit de la Roca, Spain

This small village in Girona, Catalonia is set on a steep cliff overlooking the Fluvià river. The basalt cliff the village is on is a result of two lava flows that took place thousands of years ago. Due to its unique location, Castellfollit de la Roca is illuminated after nightfall until midnight for 6 months throughout the year. The village was built during medieval times with dark, narrow streets and houses made from volcanic rock. Apart from its spectacular location, Castellfollit is a gateway to the Natural Park of the Volcanic Area of the Garrotxa, where you can admire beautiful volcanic scenery.

4. Santorini, Greece

The Aegean Sea gem of Santorini is part of the Cyclades volcanic archipelago. A good deal of the the island’s architecture, from Santorini hotels to private villas, is built on high cliffs. As a result this island of natural white, black and red beaches offers remarkable views.

5. Cinque Terre, Italy

Cinque Terre is composed of Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore, five small villages built on a precarious stretch of rocky Liguria coast. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997, the car-free area is accessible by train, eco-friendly electrical bus, ferry, bike and of course, on foot. Each town has its own quaint charm: Riomaggiore is home to many artists and great beaches; Vernazza is a natural harbour overlooked by a ruined castle; Monterosso has gorgeous sandy beaches and excellent seafood; Corniglia sits on a hilltop, attracting many hikers and Manarola offers remote rocks for private sunbathing. Visitors will have to pay a small entrance fee to help preserve Cinque Terre’s beauty, but it is definitely worth it.

They are all so beautiful, which one do you like the most?

Nertherlands Orange Festival

noreply@blogger.com (RX) — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 05:13:00 +0000

The Queen's official birthday (Queen's Day, koninginnedag) in the Netherlands is celebrated each year with parties, street markets, concerts and special events for the royal family on April 30 or on April 29 if the 30th is a Sunday.

This is not really a Netherlands festival. It is, in fact, from the south of France where they actually grow citrus. These pictures are from the French Festival Citrusov.

Oranges, anyone?

Top Ten Weirdest Phobia Ever

noreply@blogger.com (RX) — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 04:26:00 +0000

10. Kathisophobia
The Fear of Sitting Down

It is an intense fear of the meeting or any activity that is related to pain while sitting. Also known as cathisophobia, thaasophobia, people who have been kidnapped or have been tortured as they sit on nails, pointed objects, amber burning, etc. usually suffer from this phobia.

9. Phobophobia
Fear of Fear, Fear of phobia

Phobophobia can also be defined as the fear of phobias or fear of developing a phobia. Phobophobia is related to anxiety disorders and panic attacks that are directly linked to other types of phobias, such as agoraphobia. Phobophobia might develop from other phobias, in which the intense anxiety and panic caused by the phobia might lead to fearing the phobia itself, which triggers phobophobia before actually experiencing the other phobia.

8. Telephonophobia
Fear of Telephone

Telephonophobia can be define as fear of generating or taking phone calls. Victims typically report fear that they would fail to respond appropriately in a telephone conversation, and fear finding absolutely nothing to say, which would finish in embarrassing silence, stammering, or stuttering. The associated avoidance behavior consists of asking others (e.g., relatives at home) to take their phone calls and exclusive use of answering machines. As being a outcome, the sufferers steer clear of several actions, for example scheduling events or clarifying info.

7. Ablutophobia
Fear of Bath

Ablutophobia will be the persistent, abnormal and unwarranted fear of bathing, washing, or cleansing. This phobia is a situational particular phobia. Ablutophobia tends to be more typical in children and ladies than in males and particularly with those those who are very emotional. Such a phobia makes you feel dejected and lonelier. It may be an influence of an event from the past linking bathing, washing or cleansing to emotional trauma. The original catalyst would be a real-life scare of some kind, the condition may also be triggered by any event observed on Tv, films or even witnessing someone else expertise trauma.

It is different from fear of water or hydrophobia as the person is not afraid of the water, but the cleansing. He might not care about the water if it is not being utilized to clean him/her. Those suffering form Ablutophobia expertise – dizziness, breathlessness, excessive sweating, heart palpitations, nausea, dry mouth, feeling sick, shaking, becoming mad or losing control.

6. Anthophobia
Fear of Flowers

Anthophobia is a persistent fear of flowers. Although victims usually understand that they face no threat from flowers, they invariably experience anxiety at the sight or thought. Any genus or species of flowers can instill fear, as can any flower component, for example a petal or stem. Anthophobia is also referred to as the fear of little harmless issues, such as a little torn piece of paper.

5. Chrometophobia
Fear of Money

Fear of money: An abnormal and persistent fear of money. Sufferers experience undue anxiety even though they realize their fear is irrational. They worry that they might mismanage money or that money might live up to its reputation as "the root of all evil." Perhaps they remember well the ill fortune that befell the mythical King Midas. His wish that everything he touched be turned to gold was fulfilled, and even his food was transformed into gold.

4. Nephophobia
Fear of Clouds

Nephophobia is the fear of clouds. The prefix nepho- is derived from the Greek word nephos meaning 'cloud'. Clouds in the sky and even cloud photos can cause extreme anxiety.

3. Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia
Fear of long words

Believe it or not, this is the fear of long words. If you suffer experience of anxiety looking at the word "Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia". You might be a victom of "Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia"....lol

2. Nomatophobia
Fear of Names

This normally cause by parents who give their child some abnormal, weird and funny name like "pizza", "road", "butt". Which later cause their child felt embarrass to their name thus afraid of the name.

1. Panophobia
Fear of Anything!

From the Greek 'pan' and 'phobos,' also called Omniphobia, Pantophobia, or Panophobia, is a medical condition known as a "non-specific fear" or "the fear of everything" and is described as "a vague and persistent dread of some unknown evil", or only seeing the extremes to everything.

Germain researchers declaire cure in HIV patient

noreply@blogger.com (RX) — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 02:26:00 +0000

(Reuters) - German researchers who used a bone marrow transplant to treat a cancer patient with the AIDS virus, have declared him cured of the virus -- a stunning claim in a field where the word "cure" is barely whispered.

The patient, who had both HIV infection and leukemia, received the bone marrow transplant in 2007 from a donor who had a genetic mutation known to give patients a natural immunity to the virus.

Nearly four years after the transplant, the patient is free of the virus and it does not appear to be hiding anywhere in his body, Thomas Schneider of Berlin Charite hospital and colleagues said.

"Our results strongly suggest that cure of HIV has been achieved in this patient," they wrote in the journal Blood.

AIDS researchers have rejected the approach on any kind of scale for patients with HIV. A bone marrow transplant is a last-ditch treatment for cancers such as leukemia.

It requires destruction of a patient's own bone marrow -- itself a harrowing process -- and then a transplant from a donor who has a near-exact blood and immune system type. Months of recovery are needed while the transplant grows and reconstitutes the patient's immune system.

"It's not practical and it can kill people," said Dr. Robert Gallo of the Institute of Human Virology at the University of Maryland, who helped discover the human immunodeficiency virus that causes AIDS.

"It is possibly a cure, that's for sure, you won't know for absolute sure until the person dies and undergoes extreme PCR (genetic) analysis of post-mortem tissue."

The mutation affects a receptor, a cellular doorway, called CCR5, that the AIDS virus uses to get into the cells it infects.

Since the 1990s scientists have known that some people, mostly of Northern European descent, have the mutation and are rarely infected with HIV.

"They are uninfectable, virtually," Gallo said.

Some researchers are working on the idea of gene therapy to treat or try to cure HIV, but the technology is still in experimental stages.

"I don't want to throw cold water on an interesting thing, but that's what it is -- an interesting thing," Gallo said.
Schneider's team has been following the patient, taking samples from his colon, liver, spinal fluid and brain as he developed various conditions that justified the tests. They tested all these samples for evidence of the virus, which can be difficult to detect unless it is actively infecting cells.

All these places are suspected "reservoirs" where HIV can hide out for years, to rebound in patients who stop taking drugs that suppress the infection.
This patient appears to have a fully functioning immune system, they found, which appears genetically identical to cells from the donor -- not the patient's own immune cells.

Schneider's team found no evidence of HIV anywhere.
"From these results, it is reasonable to conclude that cure of HIV infection has been achieved in this patient," they wrote.

The AIDS virus infects 33 million people globally and has killed more than 25 million since the pandemic began in the 1980s. Cocktails of strong drugs can suppress the virus, keeping patients healthy and reducing the chance they will infect others, but there is no vaccine.

Werewolf boy from india

noreply@blogger.com (RX) — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 12:31:00 +0000

An 11-year-old "werewolf" boy - Pruthviraj Patil is one of 50 in the world who suffers from hypertrichosis, a rare genetic condition known as Werewolf Syndrome. As a result his face and body is covered in thick, matted hair. Born in the Indian district of Sangli, near Bombey, he hardly ever leaves his village because of his fear of being traunted by strangers.

The only parts of his body that are not covered with hair are the palms of his hands and soles of his feet. It is believe his genetic condition was caused by a flaw during pregnancy.Pruthviraj says he is anxious to get the hair removed but even after laser treatment it simply grows back. The doctors don't have any answers to his predicament.

Let us prey together for god to recover his poor child....God Bless You

New Egg House Concept

noreply@blogger.com (RX) — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 12:18:00 +0000

Dai Haifei, a recent 24 year-old college graduate, working for an architectural design company and the inspiration came from the company’s display of a mobile, egg-shaped cabin called “egg of the city”. The reason to build this egg house is because it provided small homes for those struggling with low incomes.For your information, the house price in China is extremely high especially in city which almost impossible for any average family to afford.

He spent 6,400 yuan (US$958) to build this egg house. An oval-shaped gate with no lock surrounds the house, which stands about 2 meters high (more than 6 feet). The gate was hollowed out of the cabin’s exterior, which is comprised of gunnysacks. the interior of the cabin is constructed of woven bamboo boards fastened with nails. Bamboo mats and two kinds of insulation above the bamboo boards effectively retain the heat and keep out the water.

The egg house is solar powered as you can see there are a piece of solar power collector that look like a window on top of the house. Inside the egg house there are one 3 feet bed with several books on an overhead shelf and a water tank with a pressurized system provide water for bathing. However there are no kitchen inside the house (mostly because this egg house was made of flammable materials.)

Best of all the house was built with small wheels to render mobility, which mean you can move it to any place you want easily. According to the proud homeowner, the sacks contain grass seed that will sprout in the spring.

The Truth: Human Pig

noreply@blogger.com (RX) — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 05:48:00 +0000

There were rumors about human pig in the internet. The rumors said that it is the hybird of human and pig. Amazing? It look just like real, living in a human family.

This is the human pig baby.

This is human pig and real human being.

So is it real? No, these creatures models were made by Patricia Piccinini. A famous Artist from Autralia where these models was shown in her gallery.

for more pictures, please visit http://www.patriciapiccinini.net/wearefamily/index.php

World’s first commercial Christmas card

noreply@blogger.com (RX) — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 01:45:00 +0000

This image is of the world’s first commercial Christmas card. It was commissioned by Henry Cole in 1843, the same year Charles Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol.

Henry Cole was a lifelong civil servant with a great interest in art and design. Henry Cole worked under Rowland Hill between 1837 and 1840 as they worked to introduce the universal Penny Postage and the first postage stamp, the Penny Black. Cole later played a key role in organising the Great Exhibition of 1851.

1,000 of these Christmas cards were printed, and Cole used as many as he required before selling the rest for 6d (sixpence) each. This price that made them a luxury item, unavailable to the working class.

The card was designed by John C Horsley. It was printed lithographically and then hand-coloured. Although 1,000 were printed, very few are known to remain in existence. One example was sold in December 2005 for £8,500.

Human Sperm Bank - The Process

noreply@blogger.com (RX) — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 00:53:00 +0000

A sperm bank is a facility that collects and stores human sperm mainly from sperm donors, primarily for the purpose of achieving pregnancies through third party reproduction, notably by artificial insemination. But how is the process of donating sperm happen?

There are rumors about pretty nurses will help the donor to "get" the sperm. Like you see in a movie..that is freaking hilarious..lol. Just like the picture below, which is fake, it was originated from a porn video.

That is totally a mistake. Today, I'll bring you to China to see what actually happen in a real sperm bank. First of all, there are no pretty or sexy nurses which help you to get the sperm at all. You have to Do-It-Yourselves. By the aids of porn movies or magazines. As you can see in the picture, that is the room for donor to make the job done. Which have the complete set of things you needed for sensation like a bed a TV.

After the donor get the sperm, they will put it into a window which will transfer the donor sperm to the Lab. In the lab, stuff will examine the sperm to see the quality of it. They will run various experiment on the donor sperm to make sure that it is healthy and usable. The donor sperm must be up the a standard.

If the donor sperm pass the quality check, it will proceed to next stage which the stuff will frozen it for 6 months. After 6 months, the donor sperm will meet it's final check for HIV virus. If it is free of HIV, then it will be finally qualify as donor sperm.

The information of donor is extremely confidential and locked. Only specific stuffs were allowed to view their files.

Unknown creature caught by hunter's cam

noreply@blogger.com (RX) — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 00:22:00 +0000

An automatic camera set up by a Louisiana hunter on a deer stand appears to capture a mysterious human-like creature. The camera had been setup on the tree stand. This picture is retrieved from a chip inside the camera, which had been broken.

If this picture is true then what the hell is that? As you can see, this picture was capture in midnight with night vision turn on. The eye of this creature was shining just like a cat which mean it is a predator. Only predator who hunt in the night will have this kind of eye. It look very skinny and it's structure look just like human. As you can see, it has leg but he is crawling with knee. I don't think any creature with leg and feet will crawl with knee. However it was crawling when the picture was taken. Which I think he was in position for hunting, you know...just like "hunter" in Left 4 Dead.

So, in my opinion, If this picture was unedited and true. This might be a new creature that never seen by human. It could be mutated animal or even just a crazy human wearing a costume. Who know? Judge it by yourselves.