explorer

10 Legendary Lost Cities

2012-01-29T23:12:00.000+05:00

The popular imagination is that lost cities were real, prosperous, well-populated areas, fell into terminal decline and whose locations have later been lost. Some lost cities at known sites have been studied extensively by scientists. Cities may become lost for a variety of reasons, including geographic, economic and social (e.g. war). So here is a list of 10 Legendary Lost Cities

#10. The City of the Caesars

The City of the Caesars is a mythical city of South America. It is supposedly located somewhere in Patagonia, in some valley of the Andes between Chile and Argentina. Despite being searched for during the colonization of South America, no evidence proves that it ever existed. In 1766, the Jesuit Father José García Alsue explored the area now part of Queulat National Park in Aisén Region, Chile searching for the City of the Caesars.

Most of the descriptions of the city talk about the city as a prosperous and rich city full of gold, silver and diamonds. At least one description, also says it was located in between two mountains, one of gold and another of diamonds. Sometimes it is described as an enchanted city that appears in certain moments. Said to have been founded by survivors from the shipwreck of a Spanish ship, and full of riches such as gold and silver. The alleged inhabitants of the city have been described as consisting of people of European descent who shipwrecked in the Strait of Magellan, survivors in exile of the Disaster of Curalaba, survivors of the Inca Empire, ghosts and Patagonian giants.

#9. Troy

Troy was a city, both factual and legendary, located in northwest Anatolia in what is now Turkey, southeast of the Dardanelles and beside Mount Ida. It is best known for being the focus of the Trojan War described in the Greek Epi Cycle and especially in the Iliad, one of the two epic poems attributed to Homer.

In 1865, English archaeologist Frank Calvert excavated trial trenches in a field he had bought from a local farmer at Hisarlık, and in 1868 Heinrich Schliemann, wealthy German businessman and archaeologist, also began excavating in the area after a chance meeting with Calvert in Çanakkale. These excavations revealed several cities built in succession. Troy VII has been identified with the Hittite Wilusa, the probable origin of the Greek Ἴλιον, and is generally (but not conclusively) identified with Homeric Troy. Today, Truva is a small Turkish city supporting the tourist trade visiting the Troia archaeological site. Troia was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1998.

#8. Memphis

Memphis was the ancient capital of Aneb-Hetch, the first nome of Lower Egypt. Its ruins are located near the town of Helwan, south of Cairo. According to legend related by Manetho, the city was founded by the pharaoh Menes around 3000 BC. Capital of Egypt during the Old Kingdom, it remained an important city throughout ancient Mediterranean history. It occupied a strategic position at the mouth of the Nile delta, and was home to feverish activity. Its principal port, Peru-nefer, harboured a high density of workshops, factories, and warehouses that distributed food and merchandise throughout the ancient kingdom. During its golden age, Memphis thrived as a regional centre for commerce, trade, and religion.

The history of Memphis is closely linked to that of the country itself. Its eventual downfall is believed to be due to the loss of its economical significance in late antiquity, following the rise of coastal Alexandria. Its religious significance also diminished after the abandonment of the ancient religion following the Edict of Thessalonica. The ruins of the former capital today offer fragmented evidence of its magnificent past. They have been preserved, along with the pyramid complex at Giza, as a World Heritage Site since 1979. The site is open to the public as an open-air museum.

#7. Pompeii

Pompeii is a partially buried Roman town-city near modern Naples in the Italian region of Campania, in the territory of the comune of Pompei. Along with Herculaneum, its sister city, Pompeii was destroyed and completely buried during a long catastrophic eruption of the volcano Mount Vesuvius spanning two days in 79 AD. The eruption buried Pompeii under 4 to 6 meters of ash and pumice, and it was lost for over 1,500 years before its accidental rediscovery in 1599. Since then, its excavation has provided an extraordinarily detailed insight into the life of a city at the height of the Roman Empire. Today, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of the most popular tourist attractions of Italy, with approximately 2,500,000 visitors every year.

Pompeii has been a popular tourist destination for 250 years; it was on the Grand Tour. In 2008, it was attracting almost 2.6 million visitors per year, making it one of the most popular tourist sites in Italy.

#6. Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu is a pre-Columbian 15th-century Inca site located 2,430 metres (7,970 ft) above sea level. It is situated on a mountain ridge above the Urubamba Valley in Peru, which is 80 kilometres (50 mi) northwest of Cuzco and through which the Urubamba River flows. Most archaeologists believe that Machu Picchu was built as an estate for the Inca emperor Pachacuti (1438–1472). Often referred to as “The Lost City of the Incas”, it is perhaps the most familiar icon of the Inca World.

The Incas started building the estate around AD 1400 but abandoned it as an official site for the Inca rulers a century later at the time of the Spanish Conquest. Although known locally, it was unknown to the outside world before being brought to international attention in 1911 by the American historian Hiram Bingham. Since then, Machu Picchu has become an important tourist attraction. Since the site was never known to the Spanish during their conquest, it is highly significant as a relatively intact cultural site. Machu Picchu was declared a Peruvian Historical Sanctuary in 1981 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. In 2007, Machu Picchu was voted one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in a worldwide Internet poll.

#5. Atlantis

Atlantis is a legendary island first mentioned in Plato’s dialogues Timaeus and Critias. In Plato’s account, Atlantis was a naval power lying “in front of the Pillars of Hercules” that conquered many parts of Western Europe and Africa 9,000 years before the time of Solon, or approximately 9600 BC. After a failed attempt to invade Athens, Atlantis sank into the ocean “in a single day and night of misfortune”.

Scholars dispute whether and how much Plato’s story or account was inspired by older traditions. Some scholars argue Plato drew upon memories of past events such as the Thera eruption or the Trojan War, while others insist that he took inspiration from contemporary events like the destruction of Helike in 373 BCor the failed Athenian invasion of Sicily in 415–413 BC. The possible existence of a genuine Atlantis was discussed throughout classical antiquity, but it was usually rejected and occasionally parodied by later authors. As Alan Cameron states: “It is only in modern times that people have taken the Atlantis story seriously; no one did so in antiquity”.

#4. Lost City of Z

The Lost City of Z is the name given by Col. Percy Harrison Fawcett, a British surveyor, to a city that he thought existed in the jungle of the Mato Grosso region of Brazil. This mysterious city is referenced in a document known as Manuscript 512, housed at the National Library of Rio De Janeiro by Portuguese explorer (bandeirante) João da Silva Guimarães who wrote that he visited the city in 1753. The city is described in great detail without providing a specific location. Fawcett allegedly heard about this city in the early 1900s and went to Rio de Janeiro to learn more, and came across the earlier report. He was about to go in search of the city when World War I intervened. In 1925, Fawcett, his son Jack, and Raleigh Rimell disappeared in the Mato Grosso while searching for Z.

#3. Petra

Petra is a historic and archaeological city in the Jordanian governorate of Ma’an that is known for its rock cut architecture and water conduits system. Established sometime around the 6th century BC as the capital city of the Nabataeans, it is a symbol of Jordan as well as its most visited tourism attraction. It lies on the slope of Mount Hor in a basin among the mountains which form the eastern flank of Arabah (Wadi Araba), the large valley running from the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba. Petra has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985.

The site remained unknown to the Western world until 1812, when it was introduced by Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt. It was described as “a rose-red city half as old as time” in a Newdigate Prize-winning sonnet by John William Burgon. UNESCO has described it as “one of the most precious cultural properties of man’s cultural heritage.” Petra was chosen by the BBC as one of “the 40 places you have to see before you die”.

#2. El Dorado

El Dorado is the name of a Muisca tribal chief who covered himself with gold dust and, as an initiation rite, dived into the lake Guatavita. Later it became the name of a legendary “Lost City of Gold” that has fascinated – and so far eluded – explorers since the days of the Spanish Conquistadors. Imagined as a place, El Dorado became a kingdom, an empire, the city of this legendary golden king. In pursuit of the legend, Francisco Orellana and Gonzalo Pizarro would depart from Quito in 1541 in a famous and disastrous expedition towards the Amazon Basin; as a result of this, however, Orellana became the first person known to navigate the Amazon River all the way to its mouth.

#1. Angkor

Angkor is a region of Cambodia that served as the seat of the Khmer Empire, which flourished from approximately the 9th to 13th centuries. The Angkorian period began in AD 802, when the Khmer Hindu monarch Jayavarman II declared himself a “universal monarch” and “god-king”, until 1431, when Ayutthayan invaders sacked the Khmer capital, causing its population to migrate south to the area of Phnom Penh.

In 2007, an international team of researchers using satellite photographs and other modern techniques concluded that Angkor had been the largest preindustrial city in the world, with an elaborate system of infrastructure connecting an urban sprawl of at least 1000 square kilometres to the well-known temples at its core. The closest rival to Angkor, the Mayan city of Tikal in Guatemala, was between 100 and 150 square kilometres in total size. Although its population remains a topic of research and debate, newly identified agricultural systems in the Angkor area may have supported up to one million people.

10 Most Expensive Cell Phones

2012-01-26T19:30:00.000+05:00

As we know cell phone became a necessity for most people these days. For some a cell phone is just not enough, they need a super smart phone like Blackberry or iPhone. For others smart phones are not enough, they need more than that. Well I thought the Blackberry and iPhone were the most advanced and expensive phones out there, but I was wrong. Here’s a list of 10 most expensive phones out there.

#10. Nokia 8800 Sirocco Lamborghini Edition – $ ?

This cell phone has a 2 megapixel camera as well as an integrated digital mp3 player, three-band gsm coverage for up to five continents as well as 128 mb of internal memory. It has also bluetooth, instant messaging, video streaming services as well as data transfer over edge, gprs and tcp/ip. There is no mention about the price yet but it become one of the most expensive cell phones in the world.

#9. Gresso Luxury Mobile Phone – $ 1,000

The gresso luxury phone is made from gold and African black-wood. There are two versions of the African black-wood phone, the one with pink gold highlights named the gresso black-wood gold edition while another one made entirely of African black wood. It is the new entry into the luxury phone market.

#8. Bang and Olufsen Serene – $ 1,250

This phone has a hooked up with samsung to design the slim but unconventional serene. It’s not very practical, requiring a special screwdriver to access the battery and the Sim Card and its circular keypad will take some getting used to.

#7. Mobiado Professional EM – $ 1,900

The mobiado professional em is a limited edition phone of 200 phones. The price of this phone is about $ 1,900 and according to the site, this phone is not currently available in the U.S, and made from a bony and sporting titanium buttons, bluetooth and 1,3 megapixel camera.

#6. Nokia 8800 Gold Edition Phone – $2,700

The Nokia 8800 will now be available in 24k gold. There are options of connectivity includes edge, infrared, bluetooth, java, mms, usb, sms, wap and has 64 mb of internal memory. The feature was found on the gold edition of the standard 8800 features (bummer) with price about $ 2,700.

#5. Motorola V220 Special Edition – $ 51,800

This Motorola type is dedicated for women with price of about $ 51,800. Peter Aloisson is the designer of this phone. It’s studded with 1,200 diamonds and a keyboard inlaid with 18k of gold.

#4. Vertu Diamond – $ 88,000

The body of vertu diamond phone was constructed from the finest platinum, underpinned with ruby bearings and equipped with a similar ceramic composition originally intended for the space shuttle. The price of this phone is about $ 88,000, with tiny diamonds dotted all over.

#3. Sony Ericsson Black Diamond – $ 300,000

Sony ericsson black diamond includes internal memory of 128mb and will come with a 2gb sd card for external storage plus a respectable 4 megapixel camera. The black diamond has quad-band with wi-fi, an intel 400mhz processor running windows mobile 5 and a touch sensitive screen. The price of this phone is about $ 300,000.

#2. Vertu Signature Cobra – $ 310,000

The cobra is the new signature vertu and was designed by French jeweler Bouncheron. The cobra features of one pear-cut diamond, one round white diamond, two emerald eyes and 439 rubies. The price of this phone is about $ 310,000.

#1. Goldvish “Le Million” – $ 1,000,000

The goldvish phone is the most expensive cell phone in the history of mankind. The nickname of “Le Million” was bought by a Russian businessman for his wife for $1,2 million. This phone is made of 18k white gold, mounted with 1800 VVS-1 graded diamonds and equipped with the latest in mobile technology.

World's 10 Most Beautiful Fountains

2012-01-26T17:51:00.001+05:00

We get to see them in every city we travel to and the bigger, more colorful it is, the bigger the hype. In this presentation, you will see some of the most famous, beautiful and creative fountains around the world which is going to refresh your memories. Here is our list of the 10 most beautiful fountains in the world that you must see and visit.

#10. King Fahd’s Fountain

King Fahd’s Fountain, also known as the Jeddah Fountain, is the tallest water fountain in the world. Located in the coast of Jeddah, west coast of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The fountain jets water 312 metres (1,024 ft) above the Red Sea. It was donated to the city of Jeddah by King Fahd, hence its name. The fountain is visible throughout the entire vicinity of Jeddah. The water it ejects can reach a speed of 375 kilometres (233 mi) per hour and its airborne mass can exceed 18 tons. It was constructed between 1980 and 1983 and began operating in 1985. The fountain uses saltwater taken from the Red Sea instead of freshwater. It uses over 500 spotlights to illuminate the fountain at night.

#9. The Fountains of Peterhof

The fountains of Peterhof are one of Russia’s most famous tourist attractions, drawing millions of visitors every year. Fountains were intrinsic to Peter the Great’s original plans for Peterhof – it was the impossibility of engineering sufficiently powerful jets of water that prompted him to move his attentions from the Strelna site to Peterhof – and subsequent generations competed with their predecessors to add grander and ever more ingenious water features to the parkland surrounding the Grand Palace.

#8. The Fontana dell’Ovato

The Fontana dell’Ovato (Oval Fountain), also called Fontana di Tivoli (Tivoli Fountain), is near the Fountain of Neptune. The design is of Pirro Ligorio, while the rusticated arcade of the concave nymphaeum, peopled with marble nymphas, is by Giovanni Battista Della Porta. A visitor may walk behind the water through the arcade (currently this is not allowed). Above the nymphaeum you find three statues symbolizing the three rivers of Tivoli (Aniene, Erculaneo, Albuneo), and finally the sculpture of Pegasus.

#7. Trevi Fountain

The Trevi Fountain is a fountain in the Trevi rione in Rome, Italy. Standing 25.9 meters (85 feet) high and 19.8 meters (65 feet) wide, it is the largest Baroque fountain in the city, and it is one of the most famous fountains in the world.

#6. People’s Friendship Fountain

People’s Friendship Fountain (also known as the Friendship of Nations) in Moscow has 16 sculptures that wear their national costumes, representing all of the Soviet Union. The fountain is complemented by a pool of red granite with octahedral surface area square meters 4000. This fountain is run by an eight-pump system that can fire 1 200 800 liters of water from the jet until it reaches the high 24 meters per second.

#5. Big Wild Goose Pagoda Fountains

The big wild goose pagoda fountains were built in 652 during the reign of Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda is an ancient building protected and holy place for Buddhists. Located on the southern outskirts of Xian City (China), this place is home to the largest musical fountain in Asia, with a line the longest in the world of light.

#4. Volcano Fountain

In 2004 Volcano Mountain – had become a famous land mark of Abu Dhabi and one of the most beautiful fountain in the world – demolished to make room for housing development. 80 foot-high fountain was built to resemble the pyramid of the circle, the children climbed the stairs of the four sides of the six platforms to the top fountains. In the afternoon, it turned into a fountain with colored the show light while water flows downward.

#3. Magic Fountain of Montjuic

Magic Fountain of Montjuic is a spectacular play of color, light, movement, music and water acrobatics in Barcelona. Placa d’Espanya is located in and the National Palau, the magic fountain attracts thousands of tourists every night. Built by designer Carles Buigas 1929 for the Great Universal Exhibition, nearly 3000 workers are involved in this project in less than one year.

#2. Fountain of Wealth

Fountain of Wealth is located below ground in the largest shopping mall in Singapore’s Suntec City and famous because it is the world’s largest fountain. Symbol of wealth and life, the designs are based on the Hindu mandala, and is a symbolic representation of spiritual unity, unity and harmony among the four races in Singapore. Made of bronze, and consists of a circle with 66 meters long which is assisted by four large pillars. Area occupies 1683 m (5521 ft), with a height of 13.8m (45.2 ft). The fountain reaches a height of 30 meters.

#1. Fountains of Bellagio

Fountains of Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas (USA) is a large fountain with performances involving light and music. The Fountains is built on an artificial lake covering nine acres. Water movement is set to follow a variety of music; examples include “Fly Me To The Moon” (Frank Sinatra), “Time to Say Goodbye” (Sarah Brightman and Andrea Bocelli) and “My Heart Will Go On” (Céline Dion). In fact, this fountain uses less water than a golf course. They use a network of underground pipes with more than 1200 hose that makes it possible to do a show together with the 4500 fountain lights.

World's 10 Most Dangerous Volcanoes

2012-01-25T23:46:00.001+05:00

Volcanic eruptions arevstill of the most common natural disasterin 21 century, they could responsible for the deaths of hundreds or even thousands of people especially in places like Indonesia. For example the Krakatoa island that exploded in 1883, killing approximately 40,000 people, although some estimates put the death toll much higher. The explosion is still considered to be the loudest sound ever heard in modern history, with reports of it being heard nearly 3,000 miles from its point of origin. Here is a list of World’s 10 Most Dangerous Volcanoes.

#10 Mauna Loa

Mauna Loa is the largest volcano on Earth in terms of volume and area covered and one of five volcanoes that form the Island of Hawaii in the U.S. state of Hawaiʻi in the Pacific Ocean. It is an active shield volcano, with a volume estimated at approximately 18,000 cubic miles (75,000 km³), although its peak is about 120 feet (37 m) lower than that of its neighbor, Mauna Kea. The Hawaiian name “Mauna Loa” means “Long Mountain”. Lava eruptions from Mauna Loa are silica-poor, thus very fluid: and as a result eruptions tend to be non-explosive and the volcano has relatively shallow slopes.

#9. Taal Volcano

Taal Volcano is a complex volcano on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. It is situated between the towns of Talisay and San Nicolas in Batangas. It consists of an island in Lake Taal, which is situated within a caldera formed by an earlier, very powerful eruption. It is located about 50 km (31 miles) from the capital, Manila. It is one of the active volcanoes in the Philippines, all part of the Pacific ring of fire. The volcano has erupted violently several times, causing loss of life in the populated areas surrounding the lake, the current death toll standing at around 5,000 to 6,000.

#8. Ulawun

Ulawun is a basaltic and andesitic stratovolcano situated on the island of New Britain, Papua New Guinea, about 130 km southwest of Rabaul. It is the highest mountain in the Bismarck Archipelago at 2,334 metres (7,657 ft), and one of the most active volcanoes in Papua New Guinea. The first recorded eruption of Ulawun was by William Dampier in 1700. Several thousand people live near the volcano.There have been 22 recorded eruptions since the 18th century.

#7. Mount Nyiragongo

Mount Nyiragongo is a stratovolcano in the Virunga Mountains associated with the Great Rift Valley. It is located inside Virunga National Park, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, about 20 km north of the town of Goma and Lake Kivu and just west of the border with Rwanda. The main crater is about two km wide and usually contains a lava lake. The crater presently has two distinct cooled lava benches within the crater walls – one at about 3175m (10,400 ft) and a lower one at about 2975 m (9800 ft). Nyiragongo’s lava lake has at times been the most voluminous known lava lake in recent history. The depth of the lava lake varies considerably. A maximum elevation of the lava lake was recorded at about 3250 m (10,700 ft) prior to the January 1977 eruption – a lake depth of about 600 m (2000 ft). A recent very low elevation of the lava lake was recorded at about 2700 m (8800 ft). Nyiragongo and nearby Nyamuragira are together responsible for 40% of Africa’s historical volcanic eruptions.

#6. Mount Merapi

Mount Merapi is an active stratovolcano located on the border between Central Java and Yogyakarta, Indonesia. It is the most active volcano in Indonesia and has erupted regularly since 1548. It is located approximately 28 kilometres (17 mi) north of Yogyakarta city, and thousands of people live on the flanks of the volcano, with villages as high as 1,700 metres (5,600 ft) above sea level. Smoke can be seen emerging from the mountaintop at least 300 days a year, and several eruptions have caused fatalities. Hot gas from a large explosion killed 27 people on November 22 in 1994, mostly in the town of Muntilan, west of the volcano. Another large eruption occurred in 2006, shortly before the Yogyakarta earthquake. On the afternoon of 25 October 2010 Mount Merapi erupted lava from its southern and southeastern slopes.

#5. Galeras

Galeras is an Andean stratovolcano in the Colombian department of Nariño, near the departmental capital Pasto. Its summit rises 4,276 metres (14,029 ft) above sea level. It has erupted frequently since the Spanish conquest, with its first historical eruption being recorded on December 7, 1580. A 1993 eruption killed nine people, including six scientists who had descended into the volcano’s crater to sample gases. It is currently the most active volcano in Colombia.

#4. Sakurajima

Sakurajima is an active composite volcano (stratovolcano) and a former island (now connected to the mainland) of the same name in Kagoshima Prefecture in Kyūshū, Japan. The lava flows of the 1914 eruption caused the former island to be connected with the Osumi Peninsula. The volcanic activity still continues, dropping large amounts of volcanic ash on the surroundings. Earlier eruptions built the white sands highlands in the region. Sakurajima is a composite mountain. Its summit is split into three peaks, Kitadake (northern peak), Nakadake (central peak) and Minamidake (southern peak) which is active now.

#3. Popocatepetl

Popocatepetl is an active volcano and, at 5,426 m (17,802 ft), the second highest peak in Mexico after the Pico de Orizaba (5,636 m/18,491 ft). Popocatepetl is linked to the Iztaccihuatl volcano to the north by the high saddle known as the Paso de Cortés, and lies in the eastern half of the Trans-Mexican volcanic belt.

#2. Mount Vesuvius

Mount Vesuvius is a stratovolcano on the Bay of Naples, Italy, about 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) east of Naples and a short distance from the shore. It is the only volcano on the European mainland to have erupted within the last hundred years, although it is not currently erupting. Mount Vesuvius is best known for its eruption in AD 79 that led to the destruction of the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. They were never rebuilt, although surviving townspeople and probably looters did undertake extensive salvage work after the destructions. The towns’ locations were eventually forgotten until their accidental rediscovery in the 18th century.

The eruption also changed the course of the Sarno River and raised the sea beach, so that Pompeii was now neither on the river nor adjacent to the coast. Vesuvius itself underwent major changes – its slopes were denuded of vegetation and its summit changed considerably due to the force of the eruption. Vesuvius has erupted many times since and is today regarded as one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world because of the population of 3,000,000 people living nearby and its tendency towards explosive (Plinian) eruptions. It is the most densely populated volcanic region in the world.

#1. Yellowstone Supervolcano

The Yellowstone Caldera is the volcanic caldera located in Yellowstone National Park in the United States, sometimes referred to as the Yellowstone Supervolcano. The caldera is located in the northwest corner of Wyoming, in which the vast majority of the park is contained. The major features of the caldera measure about 34 miles (55 km) by 45 miles (72 km).

World's 10 Most Expensive Diamonds

2012-01-25T23:31:00.000+05:00

Approximately 130,000,000 carats (26,000 kg) of diamonds are mined annually, with a total value of nearly US$9 billion, and about 100,000 kg (220,000 lb) are synthesized annually. Roughly 49% of diamonds originate from central and southern Africa, although significant sources of the mineral have been discovered in Canada, India, Russia, Brazil, and Australia. They are mined from kimberlite and lamproite volcanic pipes, which can bring diamond crystals, originating from deep within the Earth where high pressures and temperatures enable them to form, to the surface.

#10. Allnatt Diamond – $ 3,000,000

The Allnatt’s origins are unknown prior to Major Allnatt’s purchasing of the diamond in the early 1950s. After purchasing the diamond, he commissioned Cartier to make a setting for it. The final setting was a platinum flower with five petals, a stem and two leaves, all set with diamonds. The Allnatt was resold at auction in May 1996 by Christie’s in Geneva for $3,043,496 US. At the time of its sale the Allnatt was 102.07 carats (20.41 g). and was graded Fancy Intense Yellow. After being sold to the SIBA Corporation, the diamond was re-cut to its current weight and the intensity was upgraded as a result.

#9. Moussaieff Red Diamond – $ 7,000,000

The Moussaieff Red is reported to have been found by a Brazilian farmer in the Abaetezinho river in 1990, in a region known as Alto Paranaiba which has a reputation as a source of large and fancy-coloured diamonds. In the rough, it is believed to have weighed 13.9 carats (2.78 g). The diamond was purchased and cut by the William Goldberg Diamond Corp., where it went by its original name the Red Shield. It is currently owned by Moussaieff Jewellers Ltd.

#8. Heart of Eternity Diamond - $ 16,000,000

The Heart of Eternity is a member of an exceedingly rare class of colored diamonds. It was found in the Premier Diamond Mine of South Africa. Blue diamonds account for less than 0.1% of the output of the Premier mine, which is the only mine in the world with an appreciable production of blue diamonds. Of the ten colored diamonds that drew the highest bids, six of those ten were blue diamonds, rating values as high as $550,000 to $580,000 per carat ($2750–2900/mg).

#7. Wittelsbach-Graff Diamond - £ 16,400,000

The Wittelsbach-Graff Diamond is a 31.06 carats (6.21 g) Fancy Deep Blue diamond with internally flawless clarity. Lawrence Graff purchased the Wittelsbach Diamond in 2008 for 16.4 million pounds Sterling. In 2010, Graff revealed he had had the diamond cut by three diamond cutters to remove flaws. The diamond was now more than 4 carats (800 mg) lighter and was renamed the Wittelsbach-Graff Diamond. There is controversy, as critics claim the recutting has altered the diamond as to make it unrecognizable, that its historical integrity has been compromised.

#6. Steinmetz Pink Diamond – $ 25,000,000

The Steinmetz Pink is a diamond weighing 59.60 carats (11.92 g), rated in color as Fancy Vivid Pink by the Gemological Institute of America. The Steinmetz Pink is the largest known diamond having been rated Vivid Pink. As a result of this exceptional rarity, the Steinmetz Group took a cautious 20 months to cut the Pink. It was unveiled in Monaco on May 29, 2003, in a public ceremony.

#5. The De Beers Centenary Diamond- $ 100,000,000

The De Beers Centenary Diamond is, at 273.85 carats (54.77 g), the third-largest diamond to have been produced in the Premier Mine. The Centenary Diamond is rated in color as grade D color by the Gemological Institute of America, which is the highest grade of colorless diamond and is internally and externally flawless.While the stone has never been publicly appraised for value, it is known to have been insured at over US$100 million at the time of its unveiling in May 1991. The stone was loaned to the Tower of London, where it was displayed for a number of years. It is believed that De Beers no longer owns the Centenary, but the current owner is unknown. Gabi Tolkowsky has said that he believes that the gem was sold in June 2008 to a previously unknown young (some sources quote an 18-year-old ) entrepreneur, apparently of British/Israeli origin, living in the United States, although De Beers declines to comment, citing its anonymity policy.

#4. Hope Diamond- $ 250,000,000

The Hope Diamond (previously “Le bleu de France”) is a large, 45.52 carats (9.10 g), deep-blue diamond, housed in the Smithsonian Natural History Museum in Washington, D.C. The Hope Diamond is blue to the naked eye because of trace amounts of boron within its crystal structure, but it exhibits red phosphorescence after exposure to ultraviolet light. It is classified as a Type IIb diamond, and is famous for supposedly being cursed. It is currently unset for the first time since it has been on display.

#3. Cullinan Diamond – $ 400,000,000

The Cullinan diamond is the largest rough gem-quality diamond ever found, at 3,106.75 carats (621.35 g). The largest polished gem from the stone is named Cullinan I or the Great Star of Africa, and at 530.4 carats (106.1 g) was the largest polished diamond in the world until the 1985 discovery of the Golden Jubilee Diamond, 545.67 carats (109.13 g), also from the Premier Mine. Cullinan I is now mounted in the head of the Sceptre with the Cross. The second largest gem from the Cullinan stone, Cullinan II or the Lesser Star of Africa, at 317.4 carats (63.5 g), is the fourth largest polished diamond in the world. Both gems are in the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom.

#2. Sancy – (Unestimated, Probably priceless)

The Sancy, a pale yellow diamond of 55.23 carats (11.05 g), was once reputed to have belonged to the Great Moguls of antiquity, but is more likely of Indian origin owing to its cut which is unusual by Western standards.

Henry III of France suffered from premature baldness and tried to conceal this fact by wearing a cap. As diamonds were becoming increasingly fashionable at the time, Henry arranged to borrow de Sancy’s diamond to decorate his cap. Henry IV also borrowed the stone, for the more practical purpose of using it as security for financing an army. Legend has it that a messenger carrying the jewel never reached his destination, but de Sancy (by then Superintendent of Finance) was convinced that the man was loyal and had a search conducted until the site of the messenger’s robbery and murder was found. When the body was disinterred and autopsied, the jewel was found in the faithful man’s stomach.

De Sancy later sold the diamond to James I (successor of Queen Elizabeth) about 1605 when it is thought the Sancy acquired its name. It was described in the Tower of London’s 1605 Inventory of Jewels as “…one fayre dyamonde, cut in fawcetts, bought of Sauncy.” The Sancy remained in England until 1669 when it was briefly possessed by the unfortunate Charles I (King of England, Scotland and Ireland) and then by his third son James II. Beleaguered after a devastating defeat, James took shelter under Louis XIV of France, a fickle host who tired of his exiled guest. Facing destitution, James had no choice but to sell the Sancy to Cardinal Mazarin for the reported sum of £25,000. The cardinal bequeathed the diamond to the king.

The Sancy was thus domiciled in France but disappeared during the French Revolution when brigands raided the Garde Meuble (Royal Treasury). As well as the Sancy, other treasures stolen were the Regent diamond, and the French Blue diamond which is known today as the Hope diamond.

The Sancy’s history is unknown from then until 1828 when purchased by Prince Demidoff for £80,000. It remained in the Demidov family collection until 1865 when sold to Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy, an Indian prince, for £100,000. He sold it only a year later, creating another gap in its history. It reappeared in 1867, displayed at the Paris Exposition, carrying a price tag of one million francs; the gem then vanished again for forty years.

The Sancy next surfaced in 1906 when bought by William Waldorf Astor, 1st Viscount Astor. The prominent Astor family possessed it for 72 years until the 4th Viscount Astor sold it to the Louvre for $1 million in 1978. The Sancy now rests in the Apollo Gallery, sharing attention with the likes of the Regent and the Hortensia.

#1. Koh-i-Noor - (Unestimated, is one of the British crown jewels)

Koh-i-Nur, is a 105 carat (21.6 g) diamond that was once the largest known diamond in the world. The Kōh-i Nūr originated at Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy district in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India. It has belonged to various Hindu, Mughal, Persian, Afghan, Sikh and British rulers who fought bitterly over it at various points in history and seized it as a spoil of war time and time again. It was finally seized by the East India Company and became part of the British Crown Jewels when Queen Victoria was proclaimed Empress of India in 1877.

Biggest Aquarium In The World

2012-01-25T23:14:00.001+05:00

The AquaDom in Berlin, Germany, is a 25 meter tall cylindrical acrylic glass aquarium with built-in transparent elevator. It is located at the Radisson SAS Hotel in Berlin-Mitte. The DomAquarée complex also contains a hotel, offices, a restaurant, and the aquarium Sea Life Center. The AquaDom was opened in December 2003. It cost about 12.8 million euros. The overall construction of the aquarium was designed and built by International Concept Management, Inc.

A photograph from above of the AquaDom in the DomAquarée complex in Berlin.

The acrylic cylinder was constructed by the U.S. company Reynolds Polymer Technology. It is now the main attraction of the Berlin Sea Life Center. The outside cylinder was manufactured on-site from five pieces; the inside cylinder for the elevator was delivered in one piece. The Aquadom is the largest acrylic cylinder in the world, with a diameter of over 11 meters, built on a 9 meters tall concrete foundation. Filled with about 900,000 liters of seawater, it contains some 2600 fish of 56 species. The feeding of the fish and the cleaning of the fish tank is performed daily by a pair of full-time divers.

A view of the AquaDom from a room on the sixth floor of the Radisson SAS.

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10 Deadliest Natural Disasters

2012-01-24T19:15:00.000+05:00

A natural disaster is the effect of a natural hazard (e.g., flood, tornado, hurricane, volcanic eruption, earthquake, or landslide) that affects the environment, and leads to financial, environmental and/or human losses. Here’s a list of the 10 worst ones.

#10. 2010 Haiti Earthquake

Death Toll: 222,000 People

The 2010 Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake, with an epicentre near the town of Léogâne, approximately 25 km (16 miles) west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital. The earthquake occurred at 16:53 local time (21:53 UTC) on Tuesday, 12 January 2010. By 24 January, at least 52 aftershocks measuring 4.5 or greater had been recorded. An estimated three million people were affected by the quake; the Haitian government reported that an estimated 230,000 people had died, 300,000 had been injured and 1,000,000 made homeless. They also estimated that 250,000 residences and 30,000 commercial buildings had collapsed or were severely damaged.

#9. 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami

Death Toll: 230,210 People

The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea megathrust earthquake that occurred at 00:58:53 UTC on December 26, 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The earthquake was caused by subduction and triggered a series of devastating tsunamis along the coasts of most landmasses bordering the Indian Ocean, killing over 230,000 people in fourteen countries, and inundating coastal communities with waves up to 30 meters (100 feet) high. It was one of the deadliest natural disasters in recorded history. Indonesia was the hardest hit, followed by Sri Lanka, India, and Thailand.

#8. 1920 Haiyuan Earthquake

Death Toll: 234,117 People

1920 Haiyuan earthquake was an earthquake that occurred on December 16, 1920. The earthquake hit at local time 20:06:53 (GMT 12:06:53), reportedly 7.8 on the Richter magnitude scale, followed by a series of aftershocks for three years. Today’s Chinese media claim the earthquake as of magnitude 8.5, although the scale is not specified. Over 73,000 people were killed in Haiyuan County. A landslide buried the village of Sujiahe in Xiji County. More than 30,000 people were killed in Guyuan County. Nearly all the houses collapsed in the cities of Longde and Huining. Damage (VI-X) occurred in 7 provinces and regions, including the major cities of Lanzhou, Taiyuan, Xi’an, Xining and Yinchuan. It was felt from the Yellow Sea to Qinghai (Tsinghai) Province and from Nei Mongol (Inner Mongolia) south to central Sichuan Province.

Total casualty was reported as 200,000 in a summary published by the United States Geological Survey (USGS),240,000 according to Ningxia Daily, a Chinese publication in the current administrative area, and 235,502 according to the Catalog of Damaging Earthquakes in the World (Through 2008) maintained by the International Institute of Seismology and Earthquake Engineering.

#7. 1976 Tangshan Earthquake

Death Toll: 242,419 People

The Tangshan Earthquake also known as the Great Tangshan Earthquake, was a natural disaster that occurred on July 28, 1976. It is believed to be the largest earthquake of the 20th century by death toll. The epicenter of the earthquake was near Tangshan in Hebei, People’s Republic of China, an industrial city with approximately one million inhabitants. The number of deaths initially reported by the Chinese government was 655,000, but this number has since been stated to be around 240,000 to 255,000. A further 164,000 people were recorded as being severely injured. The earthquake came in between a series of political events involving the Communist Party of China, ultimately leading to the expulsion of the ruling Gang of Four by Mao’s chosen successor Hua Guofeng. In traditional Chinese thought, natural disasters are seen as a precursor of dynastic change.

#6. 526 Antioch Earthquake

Death Toll: 250,000–300,000 People

In 526 during late May, probably between the 20th and the 29th, a major earthquake hit Syria and Antioch in the Byzantine Empire, killing approximately 250000 people. The earthquake was followed by a fire that destroyed most of the buildings left standing by the earthquake. Damage estimates on the Modified Mercalli scale are; VIII Antioch, VII Dafna & Seleucia Pieria. In the port of Seleucia Pieria an uplift of 0.7–0.8 m has been estimated, and the subsequent silting up of the harbour left it unusable. It was the 3rd most deadly earthquake of all time.

#5. 1839 India Cyclone

Death Toll: 300,000 People

A 40-foot storm surge from a huge cyclone that hit Coringa, India on November 25 destroyed 20,00 ships and killed approximately 300,000 people.

#4. 1970 Bhola cyclone

Death Toll: 500,000 People

The 1970 Bhola cyclone was a devastating tropical cyclone that struck East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) and India’s West Bengal on November 12, 1970. It was the deadliest tropical cyclone ever recorded, and one of the deadliest natural disasters in modern times. Up to 500,000 people lost their lives in the storm, primarily as a result of the storm surge that flooded much of the low-lying islands of the Ganges Delta. This cyclone was the sixth cyclonic storm of the 1970 North Indian Ocean cyclone season, and also the season’s strongest, reaching a strength equivalent to a Category 3 hurricane.

#3. 1556 Shaanxi Earthquake

Death Toll: 830,000 People

The 1556 Shaanxi earthquake was a catastrophic earthquake and is also the deadliest earthquake on record, killing approximately 830,000 people in China. It occurred on the morning of 23 January 1556 in Shaanxi, during the Ming Dynasty. More than 97 counties in the provinces were affected. An 840-kilometre (520 mi)-wide area was destroyed, and in some counties 60% of the population was killed. Most of the population in the area at the time lived in yaodongs, artificial caves in loess cliffs, many of which collapsed during the catastrophe with great loss of life.

#2. 1887 Yellow River Flood

Death Toll: 900,000–2,000,000 People

The 1887 Yellow River flood was a devastating flood on the Yellow River in China. This river is prone to flooding due to the elevated nature of the river, running between dykes above the broad plains surrounding it. The flood that began in September 1887 devastated the area, killing some 900,000 people. It was one of the deadliest natural disasters ever recorded.

#1. 1931 China Floods

Death Toll: 1,000,000–2,500,000 People

The 1931 Central China floods or the Central China floods of 1931 were a series of floods that occurred during the Nanjing decade in the Republic of China era. It is generally considered the deadliest natural disaster ever recorded, and almost certainly the deadliest of the 20th century (when pandemics and famines are discounted) and in China. The human deaths are estimated from 1,345,000, to between 3.7 million to 4 million.

What's The Most Poisonous Animal In The World?

2012-01-22T17:46:00.003+05:00

What’s The Most Poisonous Animal In The World? Everyone asks that question at some point in their life. Most people think that snakes are the most poisonous animals in the world, well they are wrong. The most poisonous guy(lets call him guy for now) is actually one of the smallest guys in the tough world of wildlife.

Golden Poison Frog or the Golden Dart Frog is a poison dart frog endemic to the Pacific coast of Colombia. This amphibian of the family Dendrobatidae is currently considered the most poisonous vertebrate worldwide. The Golden Poison Frog’s skin is drenched in poison, one of a number of poisons common to dart frogs which prevents nerves from transmitting impulses, leaving the muscles in an inactive state of contraction. This can lead to heart failure or fibrillation. Alkaloid batrachotoxins can be stored by frogs for years after the frog is deprived of a food-based source, and such toxins do not readily deteriorate, even when transferred to another surface. Chickens and dogs have died from contact with a paper towel on which a frog had walked.

The average dose carried will vary between locations, and consequent local diet, but the average wild Golden Dart Frog is generally estimated to contain about one milligram of poison, enough to kill about 10,000 mice. This estimate will vary in turn, but most agree that this dose is enough to kill between 10 and 20 humans, which correlates to up to two African bull elephants. This is roughly 15,000 humans per gram. This extraordinarily lethal poison is very rare.

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10 Biggest Yachts In The World

2012-01-21T23:14:00.001+05:00

Super yachts are privately owned vessels that are professionally crewed and are found in the greatest abundance in the Mediterranean, Caribbean and the Middle East. Each year, SuperYachts.com compiles a list of the largest yachts currently on the water, giving owners the bragging rights of having one of the world’s largest boats, and at times, competing with each other.

Although some of these yachts have not yet had their first voyage, the vessels not yet on the water are expected to be delivered before the end of 2010.

#10. Al Mirqab

Length: 437 feet

Top speed: 23 knots

Total power: 13,400 hp

At approximately 437 feet, the Al Miqab, is the 10th largest yacht in the world. Owned by Qatar’s Emir Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, it was launched in 2008 and is estimated to value between $250 and $300 million. The vessel is considered one of the most beautiful in the world, awarded “Motor Yacht of The Year” and “Best Interior Design” at the World Super yacht Awards in 2009.

The Al Mirqab can accommodate up to 60 guests and 60 crew members and features a helicopter landing pad, a Jacuzzi on deck, a movie theater and an on-board elevator. With gross tonnage of 5511 tons, the hull is made of steel with an aluminum superstructure and is nearly 64 feet at its widest point. She sails under the flag of the Cayman Islands.

#9. Serene

Length: 440 feet

Top speed: N/A

Total power: N/A

Built by Fincantieri Yachts and designed by Monaco’s Espen Oeino designers, the Serene is set to launch in 2010 and is currently being outfitted, according to SuperYachtTimes.com. When completed, it will be the largest yacht ever to be built in Italy.

The yacht began construction in 2007 and is considered to be one of the most technologically advanced super yachts currently being built. It features seven decks, two helicopter landing platforms, storage for a large submarine and a large internal seawater pool.

#8. Savarona

Length: 446 feet

Top speed: 18 knots

Total power: 6,600 hp

Once the world’s largest yacht, the Savarona was built in 1931 and had a length that was certainly ahead of its time. Originally intended for Presidential use, the vessel is owned by Turkey but had been leased to a number of clients in recent years. However on September 30th 2010, the vessel was reverted back to the Turkish state after being involved in a prostitution scandal involving a Kazakh businessman.

The first yacht to be built by German-based Blohm and Voss, it cost $4 million to construct ($57 million in 2010 dollars) it is known for its 282 foot gold-trimmed grand staircase, as well as its library, swimming pool and Turkish bath.

#7. Rising Sun

Length: 454 feet

Top speed: 28 knots

Total power: 48,920 hp

Owned jointly by Oracle founder Larry Ellison and media mogul David Geffen, the Rising Sun is rumored to have been commissioned by Ellison to eclipse Paul Allen’s Octopus in size. Built in 2004 and refitted in 2007, the vessel has accommodation for up to 16 guests and 45 crew members.

It is estimated that the yacht costs $13 million annually to maintain and cost in excess of $200 million to build. The Rising Sun has also become so popular that it has spawned its own fan site, YachtRisingSun.com, which features videos and postings related to the ship.

#6. Al Salamah

Length: 457 feet

Top speed: 22 knots

Total power: 17,540 hp

The sixth largest yacht in the world is the Al Salamah, owned by Saudi Arabia’s defense minister Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz. Built in Germany by HDW and Lurseen Yachts, much of the ship is kept secret, but it is believed to have over 80 rooms, a helipad and an indoor swimming pool with a glass roof.

During its construction it was code named “Mipos,” standing for “Mission Impossible” because it was built after only 2 years and cost in excess of $200 million. She can accommodate up to 40 guests and 96 crewmembers and was last refitted in 2009, a decade after her first launch.

#5. El Horriya

Length: 478 feet

Top speed: 16 knots

Total power: 19,550 hp

The fifth largest yacht in the world is also one of the oldest super yachts still in operation. El Horriya was originally built in London in 1865 for the King of Egypt and the length was extended in 1872 and in 1905 and last refitted in 1987.

The yacht is berthed out of Alexandria and is listed as a training ship by the Egyptian Navy, but it still has the capacity for carrying up to 160 crewmembers.

#4. Prince Abdulaziz

Length: 482 feet

Top speed: 22 knots

Total power: 15,600 hp

Owned by the Saudi Royal Family, the Prince Abdulaziz was the largest yacht built in the 20th century, first setting sail in 1984. The vessel is used by the Saudi Royal Family for both official business and personal voyages.

At its widest point, the Prince Abdulaziz measures 60 feet and has a superstructure and hull composed of steel. She can accommodate up to 64 guests and 65 crewmembers, carrying a gross tonnage of 5092 tons.

#3. Al Said

Length: 508 feet

Top speed: 25 knots

Total power: 21,992 hp

Another royal super yacht makes the list, owned by the Sultan of Oman. The vessel features 6 decks and a concert room capable of accommodating a 50 piece orchestra. At its widest point, the ship measures nearly 79 feet across.

The Al Said was completed in 2008 and was designed by Espen Oeino International, which is the same company that designed Paul Allen’s Octopus. The yacht can accommodate as many as 70 guests and up to 154 professional crewmembers.

#2. Dubai

Length: 531 feet

Top speed: 26 knots

Total power: 38,500 hp

Although currently owned by Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, the ruler of the Emirate of Dubai, the yacht was originally commissioned by Prince Jefri Bolkiah of Brunei. The construction was originally delayed until 2001 when Sheik Mohammed bought out the project for a rumored $300 million.

The vessel includes luxurious interior designs, including fine fabrics and handmade mosaics, a dramatic spiral staircase with color-changing glass steps, numerous VIP and guest suites and 7 decks. She also has a mosaic swimming pool, several Jacuzzis and the helicopter pad can service a helicopter in excess of 10 tons. The Dubai has room for 115 people including crew and guest staff and boasts a range of 8,500 miles.

Sheik Mohammed has also been reportedly considering an extension to the Dubai, adding up to 8 feet in order to reclaim the title of world’s largest. For now, however, it remains at the number 2 spot.

#1. Eclipse

Length: 533 feet

Top speed: 25 knots

Total power: N/A

With a reported price tag of nearly $1.2 billion, the Eclipse is not only the largest yacht, but also the most expensive. The Eclipse is due to be delivered later this year to Russian Billionaire Roman Abramovich, who is known worldwide for big spending on everything from super yachts to England’s Chelsea Football Club.

The Eclipse has two helicopter pads, 11 guest cabins, 2 swimming pools, exterior fireplace and a dance hall. The vessel is also equipped with intruder detection systems and a German-built missile defense system, while bullet-proof glass and armor plating in the master suite and bridge. Abramovich also made news in 2009 when he had an “anti-paparazzi” shield installed, which reportedly uses lasers to detect a camera and ruin any photographs taken by it with a flash of light.

The Eclipse also features a three-person submarine and can accommodate up to 30 guests and 75 crewmembers. Although much of the details of the ship have yet to be confirmed, estimates place the ship between 533 and 557 feet long. It was delivered for testing in September 2010 and is expected to be delivered to Abramovich before the end of the year.

10 Highest Paying Jobs In The World

2012-01-21T20:23:00.000+05:00

You think that in order to make the big bucks, you have to get involved in the glamour professions, such as acting or professional athletics. You might be surprised to learn, however, that none of those professions made the top 10 or even the top 25 list of highest-paying jobs, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. It should be noted that, according to the Department of Labor, 8 of the top 10 highest-paying professions were in the medical field. Here are the top 10 highest-paying jobs in the U.S.

#10. CEO: $160,440

#9. Family and General Practitioners: $161,490

#8. Physicians: $165,000

#7. Prosthodontists: $169,810

#6. Internists: $176,740

#5. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons: $190,420

#4. Obstetrician and Gynecologists: $192,780

#3. Orthodontists: $194,930

#2. Anesthesiologists: $197,570

#1. Surgeons: $206,770

10 Most Expensive Cars Of The World

2012-01-21T19:32:00.001+05:00

Expensive cars is one of the men’s most favorite toys. It’s the rich men’s pride. In this recession, still quite a lot of people have enough money to buy these expensive cars. These cars are very expensive because of their detailed production, speed and the features. So let’s take a look at 10 most expensive cars one by one, begining with the 10th:

#10

Mercedes Benz SLR McLaren Roadster - $495,000.

Its an Anglo-German supercar jointly developed by Mercedes-Benz and McLaren Automotive, built in Portsmouth and the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, Surrey, England.

Koenigsegg CCX – $545,568.

Its a mid-engined roadster from Swedish car manufacturer Koenigsegg. The CCX has been engineered to comply with the U.S. regulation and market demands and is a newer design that replaced the Koenigsegg CCR.

Saleen S7 Twin Turbo – $555,000.

Its a limited-production, hand-built, high-performance automobile developed jointly by Steve Saleen for the initial concept and direction, Hidden Creek Industries for resources and initial funding, Phil Frank Design for the body and interior CAD design and development, and Ray Mallock Ltd. for the chassis engineering, and produced solely by Saleen in Irvine, California.

SSC Ultimate Aero – $654,400.

Its an American-built mid-engine supercar by Shelby SuperCars. Its higher-performance limited production version, the SSC Ultimate Aero TT, is the fastest production car in the world, with a recorded speed of 259.12 mph.

Pagani Zonda C12 F – $667,321.

Its a mid-engined sports car produced by Pagani in Italy. It debuted in 1999 and continues through the present, with production proceeding at roughly 10 cars per year.

Ferrari Enzo – $670,000.

Its a 12 cylinder mid-engine berlinetta named after the company’s founder, Enzo Ferrari. It is currently one of the most powerful naturally aspirated production cars.

Mercedes Mclaren F1 – $970,000.

Its a sports car designed and manufactured by Gordon Murray and McLaren Automotive.

Lamborghini Reventon – $1,600,000.

Its a mid-engined sports car that debuted at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show. It ranks as one of the most powerful and expensive Lamborghini road cars to date.

Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 - $1,700,000.

The most recent version of a mid-engined full-sized hypercar developed by the German car-manufacturer Volkswagen.

Maybach Exelero - $8,000,000.

The Maybach Exelero is a high-performance sports car designed and built by German luxury car manufacturer Maybach. It was presented in May 2005 in Berlin, Germany.

The Fastest Snake In The World

2012-01-18T23:21:00.002+05:00

There are all kinds of snakes in the world some poison some long and others very fast. Is there a snake that is long, poisonous and very fast? That snake lives in variety of climates ranging from savanna, woodlands, rocky slopes, dense forests and even humid swamps of Africa. Even though this snake uses its speed to escape threats, not to hunt prey. I still would never want to cross it’s path.

The black mamba is the longest venomous snake in Africa, averaging around 2.5 meters (8.2 ft), and sometimes growing up to 4.3 meters (14 ft). Its name is derived from the black coloration inside the mouth; the actual color of the skin varies, from dull yellowish-green to a gun-metal gray. It is the fastest snake in the world, capable of moving at 4.5 to 5.4 metres per second (16–20 km/h, 10–12 mph).

The venom of the black mamba consists mainly of neurotoxins with an LD50 of 0.25 mg/kg. Its bite delivers about 100–120 mg of venom on average; however, it can deliver up to 400 mg. The mortality rate is nearly 100%, unless the snakebite victim is promptly treated with antivenom. Black mamba bites can potentially kill a human within 20 minutes, but death usually occurs after 30–60 minutes, sometimes taking up to three hours. (The fatality factor depends on the health, size, age, psychological state of the human, the penetration of one or both fangs from the snake, amount of venom injected, location of the bite, and proximity to major blood vessels. The health of the snake and the interval since it last used its venom mechanism is also important.) Nowadays, there is a polyvalent antivenom produced by SAIMR (South African Institute for Medical Research) to treat all black mamba bites from different localities.

The black mamba is one of the most dangerous and feared snakes in Africa due to its potent venom, large size, and the ferocity of its attacks. However, humans bitten by black mambas are rare, as the snake would rather avoid confrontation with humans, and their occurrences are uncommon.

If bitten, common symptoms for which to watch are rapid onset of dizziness, coughing or difficulty breathing, and erratic heartbeat. In extreme cases, when the victim has received a large amount of venom, death can result within an hour from respiratory or cardiac arrest. Also, the black mamba’s venom has been known to cause paralysis. Death is due to suffocation resulting from paralysis of the respiratory muscles.

The Biggest House In USA

2012-01-15T23:13:00.003+05:00

What’s the biggest house in the USA? I went searching on Google and barely found the answer….?????? Yeah I was like “Isn’t USA the richest country in the world?” so the biggest house in the world must be here.. But apparently not. But I got the answer for you anaway.

The biggest house in the US is Biltmore Estate in Asheville NC

•Biltmore Estate in Asheville NC holds Four acres under one roof
• 175,000 square feet
• 250 rooms, 65 fireplaces, one indoor pool and a bowling alley.

In the 1880s, at the height of the Gilded Age, George Washington Vanderbilt, youngest son of William Henry Vanderbilt, began to make regular visits with his mother, Maria Louisa Kissam Vanderbilt (1821–1896), to the Asheville, NC area. He loved the scenery and climate so much that he decided to create his own summer estate in the area, which he called his “little mountain escape”, just as his older brothers and sisters had built opulent summer houses in places such as Newport, Rhode Island, and Hyde Park, New York.

In an attempt to bolster the Depression-driven economy, Vanderbilt’s only child, Cornelia Stuyvesant Vanderbilt, and her husband, John Amherst Cecil, opened Biltmore House to the public in March 1930. Family members continued to live there until 1956, when it was permanently opened to the public as a house museum. Visitors from all over the world continue to marvel at the 70,000 gallon (265 cubic meter) indoor swimming pool, bowling alley, early 20th century exercise equipment, two-story library, and other rooms filled with artworks, furniture and 19th-century novelties such as elevators, forced-air heating, centrally-controlled clocks, fire alarms and an intercom system. The estate remains a major tourist attraction in Western North Carolina and has over 1 million visitors each year.

Biltmore Estate in 1900

The grounds include 75 acres (30 ha) of formal gardens, a winery and the Inn on Biltmore Estate, a AAA four-diamond 213-room hotel.

An ongoing program of restoration has seen the Louis XV Suite restored and opened to the public in 2009, and plans program the restoration of the Oak Sitting Room and Second Floor Living Hall in 2012.

View From West Side Of The House From The Shrub Garden

World's Largest Aquarium

2012-01-15T22:49:00.002+05:00

If you were looking for a big aquarium we found one for you on Youtube. Somewhere between a super big aquarium or a super big screensaver(that does’nt make your eyes hurt) this Kuroshio Sea Aquarium is unbelievable. Definitely one of the best videos on youtube. Enjoy!

The main tank called the ‘Kuroshio Sea’ holds 7,500-cubic meters (1,981,290 gallons) of water and features the world’s second largest acrylic glass panel, measuring 8.2 meters by 22.5 meters with a thickness of 60 centimeters. Whale sharks and manta rays are kept amongst many other fish species in the main tank.

Largest Indoor Amusement Park In The World

2012-01-15T22:42:00.004+05:00

Ferrari World is a Ferrari themed amusement park on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. The park is situated under a 200,000 square metres (2,200,000 sq ft) roof making it the largest indoor amusement park in the world. Ferrari World is due to open on October 28 2010.

The iconic roof of Ferrari World was designed by Benoy Architects. It is modelled after the side profile of a Ferrari GT. The roof has a total surface area of 200,000 square metres (2,200,000 sq ft) with a perimeter of 2,200 metres (7,200 ft). The theme park, measuring 86,000 square metres (930,000 sq ft), is located under this 50 metres (160 ft) high roof. These factors make Ferrari World the largest indoor theme park in the world.

A Ferrari logo adorns the roof of the building and measures 65 metres (213 ft) by 48.5 metres (159 ft) – the largest Ferrari logo ever created. 12,370 tonnes of steel has been used to support this roof. The centre of the roof is marked by a 100-metre (330 ft) glazed funnel. The structure was declared complete on the 29 October 2009 with the park due to open one year later.

Click Here To See The Inside Of Ferrari World

10 Most Expensive Houses In The World

2012-01-15T00:40:00.000+05:00

Russian billionaire, lost £36million deposit on the most expensive villa in the world, we decided we would look into the extravagance of the world’s most expensive homes.

During a time when many of us are struggling to make monthly mortgage payments, the idea of living in or maintaining one of the world’s top ten most expensive homes is difficult to fathom. Nevertheless, for ten “lucky” individuals, their homes serve as their playgrounds, boasting luxuries and unique amenities. Below is a brief description of each home and its respective claim to fame, not just the large price tag. You be the judge; beautiful extravagances or superfluous eccentricities?

#10

Dracula’s Castle, Romania – $135million.

Built in the late 14th century this castle is a national monument and technically a museum thanks to Vlad the Impaler. However, this historical castle came on the market in 2009. Very different from the others on this list, this potential home would be more enticing due to its history and name, rather than the flash features it may possess. With 57 rooms in total, including 17 bedrooms filled with antiques and historical artefacts, this property is one for the quirkier billionaire. Only a few drawbacks may hinder; the 450,000 tourists that visit each year, as well as the fact that there is no central heating. However, is that all worth living in Dracula’s Castle? For people with this kind of money to spend that may be the case.

Updown Court, Windlesham, Surrey – $139million.

This 40,000 sq/ft mansion is bigger than Buckingham Palace, has 103 rooms, is known as the most luxurious mansion in the world and has been billed as “the most important private residence to be built in England since the 19th century”. It too has a bowling alley, squash court, movie theatre, five swimming pools, a heated marble driveway and a staircase apparently modelled after the one found in Gianni Versace’s Miami mansion. Its standout factor however is the 24-carat gold leaf mosaic floor feature in 22 bedrooms and 27 baths. World famous in its reputation, it has been said of this property that, “if Elton John were a house, he’d be Updown Court”.

“The Manor”, Los Angeles – $150million.

His wife Cindy dubbed Aaron Spelling’s 56,000-square-foot LA mansion “The Manor”. Built for him in 1991 it has 123 rooms for his family to choose from. Nothing was spared in the creation of this home, with an indoor skating rink, multiple pools, three kitchens, sports courts, private orchard, and a bowling alley. Not happy with the “norm” for these mansions, there are also more unusual additions, such as a doll museum, a room used exclusively for wrapping presents and an entire floor dedicated to closet space.

“The Pinnacle”, Montana – $155million.

This luxury ski-lodge is to be the largest property in the exclusive billionaires-only private ski and golf community, “Yellowstone Club”. Naturally then, it will be the home of the owners of this elite group, Tim and Edra Blixseth. While not considered big compared to others on this list with only 10 bedrooms, this home will include heated flooring throughout the house that stretches all the way to the heated driveway, as well as fireplaces in all bathrooms, a huge wine cellar, an indoor/outdoor pool, gym and massage room.

Franchuk Villa, Kensington – $161million.

This Victorian Villa was a girl’s prep school until 1997. Bought by developers and upgraded in 2006 with more than £10million worth of work, it was purchased by Ukrainian AIDS philanthropist, Elena Franchuk. Unusually for London, this 5-story home is freestanding, with 10 bedrooms, an underground indoor swimming pool, movie theatre, panic room, saunas and gym.

Hearst Mansion, Beverly Hills – $165million.

This mansion, formerly owned by publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst (the inspiration for the main character in “Citizen Kane”), features 29 bedrooms and three pools. It even comes complete with its own disco and theatre. Steeped in pop culture history, it was the estate used in The Godfather when the infamous severed horse’s head turned up in its owner’s bed. It was also used by President JFK, who stayed at the mansion during his honeymoon. The house has some notable neighbours, including Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes and David and Victoria Beckham

Fairfield Pond, The Hamptons. – $170million.

At 63 acres, the home of Ira Rennert, is considered the largest residential compound in the whole of America. The publicity shy billionaire is the proud owner of the most valuable home in the Hamptons; with 29 bedrooms, 39 bathrooms, as well as a huge dining room (91 feet long), 5 sports courts, bowling alley and a $150,000 hot tub, this beachfront home cuts no corners. Locals were outraged when they discovered that is was not in fact being built as a hotel, spa or religious retreat as they were apparently lead to believe, but in fact this massive property was to be used as a private house.

The Penthouse, London – $200million.

Atop the 82 other apartments at the famous Number One Hyde Park address will sit the most expensive flat in the world, at £6,000 per sq/ft. Only the highest level of security will do for these residents, guarded by the SAS, with special features such a panic rooms, bulletproof windows, iris scanners and even a secret tunnel to the nearby Mandarin Hotel. The building boasts communal spas, squash courts and even wine tasting rooms! This plush apartment will have 24-hour room service despite the floor to ceiling refrigerators.

Villa Leopolda, French Riviera – $506million.

Made even more famous by recent press, this villa on the French Riviera was built in 1902 by King Leopold II of Belgium. Rumoured to have been home to many renowned people, including Bill Gates, it actually belonged to Edmond Safra, and still belongs to his wife Lily.

This 80,000+ sq/ft estate furnished with beautiful antiques is easily one of the worlds most spectacular. It boasts 19 bedrooms, sports courts, a bowling alley, multiple kitchens and dining rooms and movie theatre, all in the main villa. The size of the grounds is outstanding, with guest homes, multiple swimming pools and lavish gardens that need more than 50 full-time gardeners for maintenance.

“Antilla”, Mumbai – $1billion.

This 27-story, 40,000 sq/ft tower, pictured above, where no two floors are the same, is the unique and extravagant creation of owners Mukesh and Nita Ambani. Costing more than a hotel or high-rise, due to its custom measurements and fittings, it comes complete with a six-story car park and actually begins on the ninth floor.

570 feet tall and mostly glass, it has a staff of 600 servants. The ballroom boasts a crystal chandelier ceiling and features retractable showcases for artwork and entertainment stages. It has an indoor/outdoor bar, green rooms and a nearby “entourage room” for security guards and assistants to relax. Each floor is double the average height, technically making it 60 stories tall, perfect for its own helipad. This home dwarfs any other, financially and in stature, and will probably be number one for a while.

10 Shortest NBA Players

2012-01-15T00:00:00.000+05:00

Here is a list of 10 Shortest NBA Players that I compiled for you guys. NBA (National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men’s professional basketball league in North America which composes thirty franchised member clubs, which twenty-nine are located in the United States and another one in Canada. NBA consists of truly profesional athletes of all sizes and ages. It’s obvious that being a short player in NBA is a disvantage. Yet these short players are not only famous for being the shortest NBA players, but for being good players in general. Here is a list of the 10 shortest NBA players that I found for you based on some research I made.

#10

Terrell Brandon – 5 Feet & 11 Inches (179 cm)

Terrel Brandon is a player from the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 1990′s era, although his ony 5’11′ , he still was elected as an All Star player in 1996 and 1997. He was even awarded the best point guard in the year 1997.

Read More About Terrell Brandon At Hoopedia

Damon Stoudamire – 5 Feet & 10 Inches (178 cm)

Damon “Mighty Mouse” Stoudamire is the legendary Toronto Raptors player, he began his career in 1995 and immediately received the grace of the NBA Rockie of the Year in 1996. His brilliant performance of scoring an average of 19 points per game made him one of the best mini players.

Read More About Damon Stoudamire At Hoopedia

Avery Johnson – 5 Feet & 10 Inches (178 cm)

Avery Johnson played for Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets, Golden State Warriors and Dallas Mavericks. He is most known for his season with the San Antonio Spurs. He is also known for his help in winning the NBA Championship in 1999 against the New York Knicks after scoring the last shot in Game 5.

Read More About Avery Johnson At Hoopedia

Michael Adams – 5 Feet & 10 Inches (178 cm)

As a rockie Sacramento Kings, he only scored an average of 2.2 points per game, but once plunged into Denver Nuggets, he scored an average of 26.5 points and 10.5 assists per game.

Read More About Michael Adams At Hoopedia

Calvin Murphy – 5 Feet & 9 Inches (176 cm)

Calvin Murphy was a guard for the Houston Rockets from 1970 to 1983. Though his only 5’9′ , he scored over 1022 points in the 1979 season. In 1971, he was part of NBA All-Rookie Team, and in 1979 he was at the NBA All-Star Team.

Read More About Calvin Murphy At Hoopedia

Nate Robinson – 5 Feet & 9 Inches (176 cm)

Nate Robinson played for the New York Knicks. During the 2006 All-Star Weekend, Robinson won the Sprite Rising Stars Slam Dunk Contest, he jumped over Spud Webb and dunked getting a perfect score of 50.

Read More About Nate Robinson At Hoopedia

Wataru Misaka – 5 Feet & 7 Inches (171 cm)

Wataru Misaka was one of the little-known NBA players from Asia. Although he is now retired, he was also known as the first Asian player and as the first non-Caucasians who was part of the NBA. Wataru has a very short career (1947-1948), and he only played three games before being cut from the team.

Read More About Wataru Misaka At Hoopedia

Spud Webb - 5 Feet & 7 Inches (170 cm)

Spud Webb stands as the third shortest player to become part of the NBA. After attending Midland College and North Carolina State University, his fourth round draft pick played for the Detroit Pistons in the 1985 Draft. In 1986, Webb entered the NBA Slam Dunk Contest, and although the shortest, has the highest jump of 42 inches and he won the contest.

Read More About Spud Webb At Hoopedia

Earl Boykins – 5 Feet & 5 Inches (165 cm)

Earl Boykins is the second smallest player ever in the NBA. Although the 2nd smallest, he stood as the lightest player. He also played for the LA Clippers, Golden State Warriors, Milwaukee Bucks, Charlotte Bobcats, and many others.

Read More About Earl Boykins At Hoopedia

Muggsy Bogues - 5 Feet & 3 Inches (160 cm)

Tyrone Curtis “Muggsy” Bogues (born January 9, 1965, in Baltimore, Maryland) is an American retired professional basketball point guard and former head coach of the now-defunct Charlotte Sting of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). He played for four teams during his 14-season career in the National Basketball Association (NBA), but is best known for his stint with the Charlotte Hornets. He is the shortest person ever to play in the NBA, standing 5’3″ (1.60 m) and weighing 136 pounds (66.64 kg). He played for the Washington Bullets, Charlotte Hornets, Golden State Warriors and Toronto Raptors. He also was part of the New York Knicks and Dallas Mavericks, but never played a game for either team.

Read More About Tyrone Bogues At Hoopedia

Smallest House In The World

2012-01-14T19:26:00.000+05:00

On the outskirts of Sebastol, this small house has been a childhood dream for artist builder Jay Shafer that created it. The entire house has only 96 square feet, basically smaller than most of people’s bathrooms. It is equipped with a stainless-steel kitchen, customized storage and has a classy wood interior. The artist’ next dream is to create a community of such small houses, connected by walking paths, having the same shrunk size as the homes.

The Biggest House In The World

2012-01-14T19:14:00.000+05:00

The Istana Nurul Iman palace is the official residence of the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah. The palace is located on a leafy, riverside sprawl of hills on the banks of the Brunei River directly south of Brunei’s capital, Bandar Seri Begawan, no more than a few miles outside the city center. Its name is taken from Arabic, meaning Palace of the Light of Faith. It is the largest residential palace in the world and the world’s largest residence of any type. It was designed by Leandro V. Locsin, and built.

Taken from the Arabic name, means Palace of the Faith Light; is the largest residential palace in the world and the world’s largest residence of any type.

It contains 1,788 rooms, 257 bathrooms, and a floor area of 2,152,782 square feet (200,000 m²). Amenities include 5 swimming pools, and an air conditioned stable for the Sultan’s 200 polo ponies, a 110-car garage, a banquet hall that can be expanded to accommodate up to 4,000 guests, and a mosque accommodating 1,500 people.

The palace was built in 1984 at a cost of around $1.4 billion USD and has 564 chandeliers, 51,000 light bulbs, 44 stairwells, and 18 elevators. It is also a home to a car collection that includes custom-made Ferraris and Bentleys as well as 165 Rolls-Royces.

It was designed by the National Artist of the Philippines for Architecture, Leandro V. Locsin and built by the Filipino firm, Ayala International.

The Sultan’s palace is only open three days a year for the Islamic festival of Hari Raya Aidilfitri, marking the end of Ramadan.

Read More About Istana Nurul Iman At Wikipedia

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The Most Expensive Car In The World

2012-01-14T18:58:00.001+05:00

The Maybach Exelero is a high-performance sports car designed and built by German luxury car manufacturer Maybach. It was presented in May 2005 in Berlin, Germany. The 700 hp (522 kW) two-seater with a bi-turbo V12 engine is a one-off design commissioned by Fulda Tyres. Fulda is using this car as a reference vehicle to test a new generation of wide tires. The German luxury car manufacturer created the one-off model as a modern interpretation of its legendary streamlined sportscar from the 1930s. There are various allusions to the historical predecessor, which was likewise based on a powerful Maybach automobile. In this case, the Maybach SW 38 was also used by Fulda for tire testing.

Maybach Exelero Price – $8,000,000

Why Are Flamingos Pink?

2012-01-14T18:48:00.003+05:00

Nearly everyone knows what flamingos look like —pink birds with long legs. You can see them at just about every zoo. You can find them in storybooks. Alice uses flamingos as croquet mallets in Through the Looking-Glass (by Lewis Carroll). Images of flamingos, standing under palm trees, appear in paperweights and snow globes. Plastic flamingos make colorful lawn ornaments!! But did you know that some flamingos live high up in the Andes Mountains of South America? Flamingos can swim, and flamingos can fly.

Ornithologists (scientists who sturdy birds) spent many years arguing whether flamingos are more like ducks, or more like storks, until they decided that flamingos belong in a group by themselves. Yeah But Why are flamingos pink?

Why Are They Pink?

Flamingo feathers obtain their wonderful rosy pink color from pigments in the organisms they eat. The flamingos’ feathers, legs, and face are colored by their diet, which is rich in alpha and beta carotenoid pigments.

Carotenoids in crustaceans such as those in the flamingo diet are frequently linked to protein molecules, and may be blue or green. After being digested, the carotenoid pigments dissolve in fats and are deposited in the growing feathers, becoming orange or pink. The same effect is seen when shrimp change color during cooking. The amount of pigment laid down in the feathers depends on the quantity of pigment in the flamingo’s diet. An absence of carotenoids in its food will result in new feather growth that is very pale; the existing pigment is lost through molting.

10 Richest Bloggers

2012-01-14T14:46:00.002+05:00

Some say internet is a curse others say it’s a blessing. I did some of my own research and found a list with names of super rich guys who make their money by blogging, and when I say money I mean ALOT of money. They started just like any other blogger, creating a blog about what they like. They posted and posted until one fine day their blog started earning them real money (By real I mean like $40,000 a month or more.) Now they are millionaires thanks to their blogs. So here is a list of 10 guys who think internet is a blessing.

Michael Arrington – $200,000 a Month

Blog: TechCrunch.com

Pete Cashmore - $180,000 a Month

Blog: Mashable.com

Timothy Sykes - $150,000 a Month

Blog: TimothySykes.com

Mario Lavandeira - $140,000 a Month

Blog: Perezhilton.com

Jake Dobkin - $80,000 a Month

Blog: Gothamist.com

Matt Marshall – $62,000 a Month

Blog: Venturebeat.com

Ewdison Then - $60,000 a Month

Blog: Slashgear.com

Nick Denton - $60,000 a Month

Blog: Lifehacker.com

Vitaly Friedman – $58,500 a Month

Blog: Smashingmagazine.com

#10

Collis Taeed - $55,000 a Month

Blog: Tutsplus.com

World's Shortest Man

2012-01-14T12:03:00.003+05:00

Khagendra Thapa Magar , son of Rup Bahadur and Dhana Maya Thapa Magar, is the shortest man in the world, measuring 0.67 m (2 ft 2 1⁄2 in). Formerly the shortest teenager in the world, Magar took the title of shortest man from Edward Nino Hernandez when he turned 18 on October 14, 2010.