Advertisement by Dutch coffee brand Douwe Egberts. Imagine a world where all you had to do to receive a free cup of delicious, steaming hot Douwe Egberts coffee was to yawn. That's right. Just yawn, and your exceptional caffeine fix appears right in front of your eyes.
YouTube link
(thanks Cora)
Wednesday 31 July 2013
What Really Happened To Yuri Gagarin
After over 40 years of secrecy, the real cause of death of Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin has been made public. Soviet pilot Yuri Gagarin (1934-1968) became the first human to journey into outer space on April 12, 1961. Gagarin died in 1968 when the MiG-15 training jet he was piloting crashed.
Aleksey Leonov, the first man to conduct a spacewalk in 1965, has been struggling to gain permission to disclose details of what happened to Gagarin in March 1968. Back then a State Commission concluded that Gagarin and instructor Vladimir Seryogin tried to avoid a foreign object by carrying out a maneuver that had led to a tailspin and, finally, collision with the ground. Both pilots died in that test flight. But now it seems that everything went down differently.
(via Look At This...)
Warning! These 1950s Movie Gimmicks Will Shock You
Welcome to summer movie hell - another blockbuster season filled with costly digital effects that disappoint more often than they surprise. George Lucas and Steven Spielberg recently predicted the collapse of this mega-budget industry, and in its place, they suggested a future of immersive technology, where theaters offer thrills you can't get via Netflix.
In fact, Hollywood tried this more than 50 years ago, when filmmakers pushed the boundaries of the movie-going experience to make it more interactive. The gimmick craze of the 1950s put special effects in your face and under your seat, literally: Some audiences got a whiff of the action in scented screenings, while others were jolted out of their seats by electric buzzers.
(thanks Hunter)
William Trubridge - Freediver
William Trubridge dives deep on a breathtaking journey into the big blue sea while by land breathing the zen of freediving. William Trubridge is a world champion and double world record holding freediver from New Zealand. He was born in the UK but moved to New Zealand when he was 18 months old.
As of 2013 Trubridge held the world record in the free immersion and the constant weight without fins disciplines, and was the first to break the 100m barrier unassisted.
Vimeo link
(thanks Miss Rare)
As of 2013 Trubridge held the world record in the free immersion and the constant weight without fins disciplines, and was the first to break the 100m barrier unassisted.
Vimeo link
(thanks Miss Rare)
The Chincoteague Pony Swim
The last week in July marks the annual pony round up on the island of Chincoteague, Virginia, where thousands of tourists descend upon the small town to witness the volunteer fire department swim the local population of wild ponies across the Assateague Channel.
They round up the island's feral equines for a low-tide swim from Assateague to Chincoteague, where the ponies are herded down Main Street and corralled for a later auction. The first foal to make it to shore is crowned King or Queen Neptune and made the prize of the festival's raffle drawing.
(via Miss Cellania)
10 Surprisingly Well-Educated Rock Stars
If you're a world-famous rock and roll star, touring and writing and recording new music is bound to impede any academic aspirations, and at some point a decision needs to be made between a life on the road and a life filled with books and research.
Some rock stars took a more customary approach and earned their bachelor's degrees before rocking their way into the limelight; others were less conventional and took their high school equivalencies after dropping out, or returned to university after lengthy breaks.
What The End Of A Rainbow Looks Like
A rainbow is not located at a specific distance, but comes from any water droplets viewed from a certain angle relative to the sun's rays. Thus, a rainbow is not an object, and cannot be physically approached. Even if an observer sees another observer who seems 'under' or 'at the end of' a rainbow, the second observer will see a different rainbow at the same angle as seen by the first observer.
In these series of photographs, we see the mystified end (or beginning) of a rainbow. Aside from the folklore surrounding leprechauns and pots of gold at the end of rainbows, they are also an interesting phenomena to capture, visually speaking.
Tuesday 30 July 2013
The Beach Captain
Sand sculptures are a popular attraction on many of the world's most popular beaches. Castles, mermaids, furniture, all built by those who pour their heart and soul into these fragile creations. But what about London, on the banks of the murky River Thames?
This film follows Ron, or as he is more commonly known, the Beach Captain. An icon of the South Bank and London sand sculptor who, along with others, creates works of art on the banks of the Capital's primary watercourse.
Vimeo link
This film follows Ron, or as he is more commonly known, the Beach Captain. An icon of the South Bank and London sand sculptor who, along with others, creates works of art on the banks of the Capital's primary watercourse.
Vimeo link
The Sky Art Of Galleta Meadows
Did you know that dinosaurs, mammoths and sabre-toothed cats still roam the deserts of San Diego County in California? Outside of the town of Borrego Springs lies Galleta Meadows.
Scattered around the staggering dessert landscapes, enormous steel sculptures are juxtaposed against the pristine heavens. The man behind it, Dennis Avery, called it Sky Art. It is easy to see why.
Empires That No Longer Exist
Every imperial project, no matter how great, eventually meets its downfall. In fact, you may be reading this in a country that was once part of a now-vanished international superpower. Here are maps that reveal the rise and fall of the world's most ambitious empires.
(via Look At This...)
What Will We Miss?
Michael Stevens, from Vsauce, explains how the future will look like for humanity and Earth and what things we will miss out on in the next millenia or million/billion years.
YouTube link
(via TehGeekTive)
YouTube link
(via TehGeekTive)
10 First African American Players In Major League Baseball
Some people may write off sports as mere entertainment, but perhaps they should look a little closer. Sports can not only ignite the passions, allegiances and fanaticism of millions, but also help people to overcome racial prejudice and discrimination.
Here's an inside look at ten of the first African-American baseball players to break the color line and play in Major League Baseball in the modern era. These pioneers in one of America's favorite sports withstood abuse and resentment from crowds and teammates alike. Yet they persevered, changing the face of the game and making valuable contributions to the American civil rights movement.
Google Sky
Traveling to the stars has never been easier. To help you explore the far reaches of our universe, Google have teamed up with astronomers at some of the largest observatories in the world to bring you a new view of the sky.
Google Sky provides an exciting way to browse and explore the universe. You can find the positions of the planets and constellations on the sky and even watching the birth of distant galaxies as seen by the Hubble Space Telescope.
(thanks Cora)
Monday 29 July 2013
What Canadian Bears Do When You're Not Looking
Ever wonder what bears do when we're not looking? These bears were caught on camera in Kananaskis Country. These images were taken during May and June 2013. Wildlife cameras are part of a research project throughout Kananaskis Country.
YouTube link
YouTube link
Patience Is A Virtue
In evolutionary psychology and in cognitive neuroscience, patience is studied as a decision-making problem, involving the choice of either a small reward in the short term, or a more valuable reward in the long term. Do you have patience? Visit 'Patience is a Virtue' and find out.
(thanks Cora)
The Dangerous Job Of Being A British Prince
The House of Windsor's new arrival this week provoked something which is now customarily defined as a media frenzy. Certainly in the United Kingdom this descriptive hyperbole was merited. It was nigh on impossible to get away from the little prince.
The job of British Prince is not, historically, one of particular safety - in many cases far from it. Perhaps the funds drawn from the public purse should be seen more as danger money than a living allowance. As the roll of royals shows, being a British Prince can be bad for your health, often to the point of extinction.
What Space Smells Like
According to many astronauts, space smells like metal and fuel. Others say they've picked up notes of grilled meats. When wondering about the smell of space, who better to consult than an astronaut?
YouTube link
(thanks Cora)
YouTube link
(thanks Cora)
Monday Puzzle
The Presurfer, in cooperation with pzzlr.com, brings you a puzzle every Monday. Just to tickle your brain.
image credit: Bernd cc
Little Lochie Fitzgerald is walking home from school one day when he finds $30 lying in the gutter. Overjoyed at his good fortune he runs, Charlie Bucket style, straight to the nearest confectioners.
He buys one very large box of chocolates and a liquorice stick spending the entire $30. We know that the box of chocolates was worth $29 more than the liquorice stick. How much did Lochie pay for the liquorice stick?
You can find the answer here.
Little Lochie Fitzgerald is walking home from school one day when he finds $30 lying in the gutter. Overjoyed at his good fortune he runs, Charlie Bucket style, straight to the nearest confectioners.
He buys one very large box of chocolates and a liquorice stick spending the entire $30. We know that the box of chocolates was worth $29 more than the liquorice stick. How much did Lochie pay for the liquorice stick?
You can find the answer here.
The Incredible Climbing Mountain Goats
Living in mountainous regions around North America, mountain goats can be found at altitudes of up to 13,000 feet, climbing cliffs all day long, in search of food. Thanks to their cloven hooves, each featuring two widely-spaced toes that provide great balance, mountain goats can challenge any seasoned climber and probably best him.
Their double-layered, thick white coats provide camouflage in snowy settings, but the altitude they can reach provides enough protection from most predators. And if they happen to run into trouble, mountain goats can jump 12 feet in one leap, and reach a safe point.
How Much Could These Superheroes Claim For Their Injuries?
With all the buzz behind Comic-Con and a slew of superhero movies hitting theaters soon it's been hard to dodge the superpower mindset.
The people at first4lawyers, acknowledging that superheroes have their human counterparts, put together an interactive infographic that details a more mercenary take on crime-fighting: Many superheroes had to go through some pretty intense battering and bruising to get their powers and esteem. What if they could sue for some of their power-inducing accidents?
Sunday 28 July 2013
15 Incredible Spits On Earth
In geography, a spit is a landform made by the deposition of sand by the movement of tides. Spits are narrow and elongated - one end is attached to the mainland and the other is out in open water.
A spit develops when waves meet the beach at an oblique angle, moving sediment down the beach and into the open waters where it is deposited in a narrow strip. As a spit grows, it might become stable and fertile and even support habitation.
(thanks Bosko)
Wine Monkey
Next time you're heading to a gala soiree or a neighborhood potluck slip a Wine Monkey Bottle Caddy onto your bottle of red or white (or even chimpagne) and you're covered.
Wine Monkey is made from all-American red-heeled socks. Buy two and you can wear them anywhere! Packaged in a colorful, peggable gift box. Bring a monkey to dinner.
The Chemistry Of The Corpse Flower's Stink
A titan arum plant, aka the corpse flower, just bloomed in the United States Botanic Gardens in Washington, DC. The plant has an unpredictable blooming cycle that lasts years, and the corpse-like odor it emits attracts pollinating bugs like flies and dung beetles. The Botanic Garden's public science educator Todd Brethauer explains the chemistry behind this legendary plant's potent stink.
YouTube link
(thanks Cora)
YouTube link
(thanks Cora)
What Happens Online In 60 Seconds?
On the Internet, we all know things can move in a lightning-fast pace. In just a minute, you can read through and compose a few tweets along with a look at dozens of Facebook photos. This infographic gives you an updated view of everything that happens online in 60 seconds during 2012.
(thanks Casey)
How Beer Gets Its Color
Pop open a belated birthday beer. Pour that beer into a clear glass, hold it up to the light, and take a good look at the color. Two basic chemical reactions are responsible for beer being 'beer-colored' rather than clear like water.
One reaction couples amino acids to sugars; the other spurs sugars to decompose. In addition to adding color to beer, the products of these reactions also add significant flavor to the resultant brew.
Saturday 27 July 2013
Gracht
Gracht (meaning canal) is a Dutch short film by Joost de Jong and Nick Groeneveld. Gracht is situated in Amsterdam. Harry and his huge, oblivious son run a moving company together. When they help a girl move apartments, their dull, tiny lives are disrupted.
Vimeo link
(thanks Cora)
Vimeo link
(thanks Cora)
What You Could Buy With 1 Million Dollars
You could buy 3 bottles of 1907 Heidsieck champagne. Or instead, buy 288,184 bottles of André Brut. Or 15 nights at the Hotel President Wilson in Geneva instead of 70 years at Motel 6 in Detroit, Michigan.
What You Could Buy With 1 Million Dollars.
Can't Sleep? Blame The Moon
The moon could be to blame for a bad night's sleep, researchers now say. These findings are the first reliable evidence that lunar rhythms can influence sleep in humans. The moon often gets blamed for madness on Earth. In fact, the Latin name for the moon, Luna, is the root of the word 'lunatic.'
Scientists Christian Cajochen from the Psychiatric Hospital of the University of Basel in Switzerland found the lunar cycle seems to influence human sleep, even when one does not see the moon and is not aware of the actual moon phase.
How Geeky Are You?
Do you know your Hubble from your Hubba Bubba? Do you think a transistor is a female Transformer? Find out if you're a top techie or leading Luddite. You'll be shown something, then have to choose the description you first thought of. Answer honestly and pick what really came into your head or you'll never know your true score. How geeky are you?
10 Actors You'd Never Guess Had Doctorates
Although while on screen some actors may play the fool and might even give the illusion of a lack of intelligence - don't be deceived, as many are perfectly capable of academic brilliance.
For instance, did you know that basketball-star-turned-actor Shaquille O'Neal has a doctorate degree in human resource development? It just goes to show that there are no limits when it comes to the pursuit of higher education. Here's a look at 10 actors with doctorates in subjects including medicine, communications and even neuroscience.
For instance, did you know that basketball-star-turned-actor Shaquille O'Neal has a doctorate degree in human resource development? It just goes to show that there are no limits when it comes to the pursuit of higher education. Here's a look at 10 actors with doctorates in subjects including medicine, communications and even neuroscience.
How The Brain Draws A Little You
Inside each of us is a miniature version of ourselves. The Canadian neurologist Wilder Penfield discovered this little person in the 1930s, when he opened up the skulls of his patients to perform brain surgery. He would sometimes apply a little electric jolt to different spots on the surface of the brain and ask his patients -still conscious - to tell him if they felt anything.
Sometimes their tongues tingled. Other times their hand twitched. Penfield drew a map of these responses. He ended up with a surreal portrait of the human body stretched out across the surface of the brain. In a 1950 book, he offered a map of this so-called homunculus.
(via Neatorama)
Friday 26 July 2013
1920's - What The Future Will Look Like
The future as they saw it in the 1920's. Followed with predictions from the 1930's.
YouTube link
(via Everlasting Blort)
YouTube link
(via Everlasting Blort)
Under The Electron Microscope
It may be hard to believe but the first electron microscope was developed by German physicist Hans Busch in 1926 with a prototype built by Ernst Ruska and the electrical engineer Max Knoll in 1931. In 1933 Ruska built an electron microscope that surpassed the resolution which could be achieved with a light microscope.
Yet perhaps even Ruska could not have envisioned future developments, which mean that today we can see things such as the zinc oxide particle (above) in more detail than ever before.
Flipboard Magazines On The Web
If you have a tablet computer, you may be familiar with the Flipboard app. Since the launch of Flipboard 2.0, more than 2 million magazines have been made about every topic imaginable. Now, all of those magazines can be experienced on the Web.
Seven weeks ago I told you I had a Flipboard magazine about Formula 1 Racing. At that time I had 900 subscribers and my articles had been flipped more than 50,000 times. Today, I have more than
You can find my Formula 1 Racing Magazine here.
99 Cool Facts About Babe Ruth
George Herman 'Babe' Ruth (1895-1948) was an American professional baseball player. Babe Ruth played his first major league game 99 years ago this month, on July 11, 1914. To mark the occasion, here are 99 things you may not know about the greatest player in baseball history, presented in chronological order, as well as a few myths that have been debunked.
10 Historic European Monarchs Plagued By Mental Illness
A lot of people fantasize about wearing a crown, living in a castle and having an entire court at their beck and call when they're growing up. The intrigue, power and prestige surrounding royal life can be an intoxicating form of escapism.
On a less fantastical note, despite their power and titles, the following 10 monarchs were not spared from the suffering, confusion and consequences of mental illness. Porphyria, manic depression, mood disorders and even schizophrenia have all severely altered the lives of royals over the ages.
Friday Cartoon By Mark Anderson
Mark Anderson is a professional cartoonist from the Chicago area. His cartoons have been published in Reader's Digest, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Woman's World and the Saturday Evening Post, to mention just a few. Among his clients are GM, General Electric, FedEx, Microsoft, and IBM.
The Amazing Gecko: 20 Interesting Facts About The World's Most Species-Rich Lizard
The gecko is an extraordinary lizard, a triumph of both adaptation and diversity. Out of the 5,600 species of lizard on the planet, over 1,500 belong to the gecko infraorder called Gekkota.
So, what is so interesting about a line of lizards which is, apparently, so ubiquitous? Here are 20 interesting facts about the gecko, as well as some amazing pictures of species that you may not have come across before.
Thursday 25 July 2013
Early Photographs Of The Blind Experiencing A Museum Through Touch
Most museums are about seeing. But in 1913, the curator of the Sunderland Museum in England imagined how to turn their collections into a museum of touch for those who could not see.
Charlton Deas, curator at the Sunderland Museum, worked with the Sunderland Council Blind School to invite children to touch some of the collections, and the sessions proved so successful that he opened then to adults.
(via Everlasting Blort)
Butterfly In Epic Slow Motion
Why do butterflies flutter? Nic and Si from Earth Unplugged reveal exactly what's happening during the flight of these beautiful creatures with the help of a super slow motion camera.
YouTube link
(thanks Cora)
YouTube link
(thanks Cora)
Cross Section Photos Of Golf Balls
Photographer James Friedman doesn't play golf, but he had a collection of golf balls lying around. One day, he began to wonder what the guts of the golf balls look like, so he cut a ball open to take a peek at a core.
Then he sliced open another, and another; after cutting open over twenty different types of golf balls, Friedman found a strange sort of beauty that he began to document through photographs. The resulting project is titled 'Interior Design.'
The 10 Shortest Players In NBA History
Traditionally, basketball is a game for tall people. Still, the world is full of rule-breakers who challenge conventions. The following 10 basketball players are extraordinarily short by NBA standards, yet they refused to give up on their dreams.
Even in the face of a significant disadvantage, they all went on to play professionally - and a few of them also became coaches after their playing days were over. These 10 stories are sure to motivate, energize and encourage us all to push the limits of what's possible.
Even in the face of a significant disadvantage, they all went on to play professionally - and a few of them also became coaches after their playing days were over. These 10 stories are sure to motivate, energize and encourage us all to push the limits of what's possible.
Google Doodle Honors Birthday Of Rosalind Franklin
British scientist Rosalind Franklin has been honoured with a Google doodle.
Rosalind Franklin (1920-1958) was a British biophysicist and X-ray crystallographer who made critical contributions to the understanding of the fine molecular structures of DNA, RNA, viruses, coal, and graphite.
Her DNA work achieved the most fame because DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) plays an essential role in cell metabolism and genetics, and the discovery of its structure helped her co-workers understand how genetic information is passed from parents to children.
Thor's Hero Shrew
A new species of shrew has been found in Africa, and it has the mightiest, most extraordinary backbone of all the mammals. A little more than a century ago, the first species of African hero shrew was found in Uganda by British zoologist, Oldfield Thomas.
While Thomas noted the creature's long, thick fur, and relatively large 70 g body, he missed the most fascinating part of his discovery - a massive spinal column unlike anything seen in any other mammal.
While Thomas noted the creature's long, thick fur, and relatively large 70 g body, he missed the most fascinating part of his discovery - a massive spinal column unlike anything seen in any other mammal.
Wednesday 24 July 2013
The Making Of 'Hero'
Artist Miguel Endara from Florida, USA, made a portrait of his father composed entirely out of 3.2 million ink dots.
Vimeo link
Vimeo link
The Lucky Tree Of Chapel Rock
Nature can take hold in precarious places. Chapel Rock on Lake Michigan has a single tree perched atop its column. By rights the tree should not be there: the small surface area of land on the top of the rock is insufficient to sustain a tree of this size.
There is hardly any topsoil, certainly not enough for an obviously thriving tree. How then does it flourish?
The Five Second Rule Will Make You Sick (And Maybe Dead)
With an unsettling 'splat' your toast has once again landed butter-side down on the carpet. But it's not like you're going to waste another five minutes waiting for a replacement piece to brown. Heck no, just yell out 'five second rule,' pick that sucker up, brush off all that hair and lint and you're ready to eat, right? Well, not exactly. Science says no.
The origins of the five second rule are still being debated; some credit Genghis Khan for first implementing the rule for eating food from the ground and others credit the fast food industry as a means of reducing food waste, though both seem improbable.
Tumbleweed Tango
A balloon dog is lost in a world of danger. One wrong step and his dancing days are done. Only love, and tango, can possibly save him.
Vimeo link
(thanks Cora)
Vimeo link
(thanks Cora)
10 Tallest University Buildings In The World
In these times of tight budgets and economic concerns, it's more important than ever to make good financial choices - not least when it comes to education. Some universities themselves have to be savvy with their funds, often balancing the need to cut back on costs with means of attracting new students.
As it turns out, high-rise buildings are a useful way around expensive land costs. Take the case of Roosevelt University in Chicago, for example, where a cool-looking skyscraper has helped make the school more unique and appealing. Here's a look at 10 of the tallest university buildings in the world.
Stock Market Behavior Predicted By Rat Neurons
Hedge funds burgeoned in the early 1990's as a popular alternative to the conventional, and more regulated, mutual funds. Hedge funds have often used alternative methods, such as various human social factors, to predict future performance of the stock market. However, there's another method. Rat motor cortex neurons predicting the behavior of the American stock market.
Google's Street View Takes You Up Mount Fuji
If you can't get over to Mt. Fuji this summer for the big hike, you can use Street View to take a virtual trek up its peak and enjoy the views of the world below. Google hauled the Street View Trekker up all 3,776 meters of Mt. Fuji.
The Street View collection covers the highly popular Yoshida trail that takes hikers up the mountain, the full walk around the crater at the top, and the quick zigzag descent.
Tuesday 23 July 2013
Three Piglets Kittens
Three kittens are starting to explore the world outside of their nest with their waddling gait. They curiously survey their surroundings nose and tongue first as those are their most developed senses. At the end of their short exploration, they enjoy a comfortable respite on a cushion of piglets.
YouTube link
(via Laughing Squid)
YouTube link
(via Laughing Squid)
Drain The Oceans
How quickly would the ocean's drain if a circular portal 10 meters in radius leading into space was created at the bottom of Challenger Deep, the deepest spot in the ocean? How would the Earth change as the water is being drained?
First, it would actually take hundreds of thousands of years for the ocean to drain. And when that finally has happened, the Netherlands would rule the world.
Slowest Animals In The World
The three-toed sloth is the slowest mammal on Earth, due to its lack of muscle tissue. But there are other animals who are extremely slow. Like the banana slug or the Galapagos tortoise. Here are the 10 slowest animals in the world.
(thanks Pavle)
10 Youngest People Ever To Achieve A Doctorate Degree
To go, or not to go: that is the question facing many graduates who are considering whether to embark on a postgraduate degree. Reasons for buckling down to some rigorous research can vary - from hoping to stand out in the competitive job market, to a pure love of academia and perhaps a career therein.
Whatever the motivation, though, choosing the right area of study can be a tricky, but ultimately rewarding, process. If you're feeling particularly confused or just can't make up your mind, then this list of the 10 youngest students to ever achieve a doctorate is guaranteed to inspire you.
HD Footage Of Plants And Insects Magnified Thousands Of Times
Incredible new high definition footage shows everyday plants and insects magnified thousands of times. German photographer Stefan Diller uses high-powered microscopes and computer software to create this fascinating film. Warning: contains creepy crawlies.
YouTube link
(thanks Cora)
YouTube link
(thanks Cora)
Cerro De Los Siete Colores - The Hill Of Seven Colors
The colors could have come from the palette of a painter. Yet the Cerro de los Siete Colores (The Hill of Seven Colors) is quite real. Millions of years of geological activity followed by erosion have created something magnificent on this Argentinian hillside.
Marine sediments combined with lake and river flows, elevated with the movement of the tectonic plates, combine to produce a dazzling array of color for the eyes to take in.
How To Hang Swings In Your Office
Dave Margulius is CEO of Quizlet and founder of Collectors Weekly. He says: 'You need a break from the firehose of decisions, meetings and stress that comes with being an Internet company CEO. My suggestion: attempt a fun, ambitious, slightly harebrained construction project!'
Last weekend he tackled just such a project: hanging old-school tree swings in his office. It was both physically and mentally refreshing – and as a bonus, he got some cool points from his team, which should last about a week. Here's how he made it happen, and how you can too.
A Street Photographer Of 19th Century London
A street photographer of 19th century London was John Thompson. It is known that he traveled the Far East taking photographs during much of the period between 1860-1879. On his return to London he joined with Adolphe Smith, a socialist journalist, in a project to photograph the street life of the London poor.
The volumes were published in monthly parts as Street Life in London, and were an early example of social and documentary photography.
More photos by John Thompson at the LSE Digital Library.
Monday 22 July 2013
Longest Railroad Bridge Destroyed By Tornado
When it was constructed in 1882 the builders of the Kinzua Aqueduct Bridge boasted that it was the Eighth Wonder of the World. Their hyperbole had some merit: at just over 300 feet it was the tallest railroad bridge on the planet and remained so for a number of years. Then, in 2003, to Pennsylvania came a tornado.
Grandma Drummer
It was just another day at the Coalition Drum Shop in La Crosse, Wisconsin, when in came a mysterious grandma who proceeded to blow everyone away with her unexpected skin-slapping prowess. 'We have no idea where this lady came from or where she went,' a shop rep says. 'We only know her as Mary.'
YouTube link
(via Gawker)
YouTube link
(via Gawker)
Visualized: The World Of Verified Twitter Users
Ever wondered which of the world's most famous people follow each other on Twitter? Last week, Twitter released a visualization of the relationships between 50,000 verified Twitter users. The result, zoomed out, was a colorful blob. The result, zoomed in, was a fascinating map of the relationships of people deemed notable by Twitter.
10 Incredible Climber Survival Stories
Climbing relies in no small part on self-management and mental strength; and keeping anxiety in check and having the confidence to reach one's goals may also be key. Sometimes, however, events go terribly wrong, and unfortunate adventurers find themselves caught in serious life-or-death situations, forced to dig deeper than ever before and dredge the will to survive.
Take a look at the traumatic circumstances these ten climbers endured to survive - physically, mentally and emotionally - against the odds. All ten stories are inspirational and a testament to the resilience and determination of the human spirit.
Rock It For Me
Video clip of 'Rock it for Me' from the new album 'Panic' by Caravan Palace, a French Electro swing and Gypsy Jazz band.
Vimeo link
(via Everlasting Blort)
Vimeo link
(via Everlasting Blort)
Monday Puzzle
The Presurfer, in cooperation with pzzlr.com, brings you a puzzle every Monday. Just to tickle your brain.
image credit: Trish Steel cc
There are 17 perfectly rational lions and 1 lamb on a magical island. Lions only eat lambs; they will not eat each other. The magical thing about this island is that if a lion eats the lamb, it becomes the lamb by magical transformation. The lions are very intelligent and live by two rules: 1. Don’t get eaten. 2. Eat a lamb only if it doesn't result in a violation of rule number 1.
A biologist observes these 17 lions and 1 lamb for a little while and then leaves for several years. When the biologist returns, how many lions and how many lambs will remain?
You can find the answer here.
There are 17 perfectly rational lions and 1 lamb on a magical island. Lions only eat lambs; they will not eat each other. The magical thing about this island is that if a lion eats the lamb, it becomes the lamb by magical transformation. The lions are very intelligent and live by two rules: 1. Don’t get eaten. 2. Eat a lamb only if it doesn't result in a violation of rule number 1.
A biologist observes these 17 lions and 1 lamb for a little while and then leaves for several years. When the biologist returns, how many lions and how many lambs will remain?
You can find the answer here.
'Departure Roulette' Sends Travelers To Surprise Destinations
Last week, Heineken unveiled a marketing stunt in which travelers at New York's John F. Kennedy airport were asked to ditch their current plans for a game of 'Departure Roulette.' Travelers who happened to pass by Terminal 8 were given the opportunity for an adventure of a totally different kind, and asked to exchange their current plans for new ones.
Those who decided to take the challenge were then asked to press a red button on a billboard showing them their destination. Those who were spontaneous enough to brave the unknown were rewarded with spectacularly exotic destinations such as Morocco, Thailand and Cyprus. They were also given $2,000 for expenses, along with two free hotel nights for their trip.
(thanks Cora)
Sunday 21 July 2013
If We Could See Inside Other People's Hearts
A profound look at life, in 4 minutes. The camera wanders and shows the inner lives of people around us as they do their daily tasks. Most of it is set in a hospital, where there is so much worry, sadness, some joy, bad news, good news, no news, anxiety, fear - as in real life, but perhaps magnified.
YouTube link
(via Humanyms)
YouTube link
(via Humanyms)
The Unseen Lives Of Miniature Cement People
Isaac Cordal is a Spanish artist that has been working on his own projects since 1999. His ongoing series entitled Cement Eclipses began in art school in 2002 but he didn't start placing them on the streets until 2006, with his first piece laid in the city of Vigo, Spain.
Cordal makes the tiny sculptures in his apartment studio. He has placed them in major cities all around Europe including: London, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Milan, Berlin and Brussels.
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