Beauty care procedures looked terrible 100 years ago. Women now must be happy they don't have to spend many hours sitting under strange devices or put weird things on their faces.
Wednesday 30 April 2014
Beauty Care 100 Years Ago
Beauty care procedures looked terrible 100 years ago. Women now must be happy they don't have to spend many hours sitting under strange devices or put weird things on their faces.
The People Who Are Still Addicted To The Rubik's Cube
In the 1980s Rubik's Cubes seemed to be everywhere, but there are still legions of people obsessed with the coloured puzzles. The record for a human is 5.55 seconds. A robot can do it in 3.253. Most people - despite toiling over it for hours - have probably never managed it.
But 40 years after its birth, the Rubik's Cube continues to beguile, frustrate and - like a Filofax or Walkman - evoke its 1980s heyday when schools were full of children puzzling over its brightly coloured squares.
Daily Cartoon
Dan Rosandich is an American cartoonist. Dan's cartoons have appeared in the Saturday Evening Post, National Review, The National Enquirer, Science Digest, Reader's Digest and Woman's World. The Presurfer, in cooperation with Dan Rosandich, will bring you a cartoon every day.
Inside Look At Insect Flight
Scientists at the University of Oxford in the U.K. have developed a CT scanning technique that lets them view the inner workings of insects' muscles while in flight.
The intricate movements of a blowfly's muscles - as it flaps its wings 150 times per second - is shown in super slow motion, thanks to a very fast and powerful x-ray machine. The internal motions in something as small and fast as a fly were captured by using a large particle accelerator called a synchrotron, in this case one located at the Paul Scherrer Institute in Switzerland.
(thanks Cora)
Tuesday 29 April 2014
Moving Carriage Illusion
A look behind the scenes at how a Chinese movie production creates the effect of movement without movement, special effects, or computers.
YouTube link
(via Miss Cellania)
YouTube link
(via Miss Cellania)
Modern Names For Old-Timey Ailments
What happened to all the old diseases and symptoms we hear about in Civil War journals and Abe Simpson's rants? Like Bad Blood, Mortification, Brain Fever and Lockjaw? Did we cure them all?
In most cases, no, but we at least started calling them by different, less emotive names. Take this quiz about old-timey ailments. Choose the proper term for each oldfangled malady.
Chinese Tradition Sees Women Wear A Headdress Made Of Hair From Their Dead Ancestors
A Chinese tradition which sees women wear headdresses made from the hair of their dead ancestors appears to be going strong in this part of the country. Instead of throwing away their hair when they comb it, women who are part of China's Long-horn Miao minority instead save the strands and add them to their collection of hair that allows them to create spectacular headdresses.
The hairpieces are brought out for special occasions and carefully woven around horn-shaped headdresses fitted to the heads of the young women and girls.
(via Everlasting Blort)
Meet The Irreverent Librarian Who's Taking On The Music Nerds
When Sarah O'Holla started her blog 'My Husband’s Stupid Record Collection,' its title was a playful nod to the 1,500-album elephant in the room, poking fun at the snobbish seriousness of collectors like her partner, Alex Goldman. In a moment of inspiration, O'Holla set out to conquer Goldman's entire collection, writing a review for every album from A to Z.
Collectors Weekly had a deeper conversation with O'Holla and Goldman about the project's notoriety and the ways art can be appreciated by insiders and outsiders.
(thanks Hunter)
Collectors Weekly had a deeper conversation with O'Holla and Goldman about the project's notoriety and the ways art can be appreciated by insiders and outsiders.
(thanks Hunter)
Las Lajas Sanctuary - An Amazing Sight
Las Lajas Sanctuary is a basilica church located in the southern Colombian Department of Nariño and built inside the canyon of the Guáitara River. Las Lajas Sanctuary is practically hanging over the abyss and this is one reason it is considered the most beautiful church in Colombia.
It took 33 years (between 1916 and 1949) to finish the present church and it was financed by local churchgoers. But, if you're actually in front of her you can see that all those years were not in vain, as the result really seems to take you to another world.
Daily Cartoon
Dan Rosandich is an American cartoonist. Dan's cartoons have appeared in the Saturday Evening Post, National Review, The National Enquirer, Science Digest, Reader's Digest and Woman's World. The Presurfer, in cooperation with Dan Rosandich, will bring you a cartoon every day.
Dirty Money: A Microbial Jungle Thrives In Your Wallet
You may have heard that dollar bills harbor trace amounts of drugs. But those greenbacks in your wallet are hiding far more than cocaine and the flu. They're teeming with life.
Each dollar bill carries about 3,000 types of bacteria on its surface, scientists have found. Most are harmless. But cash also has DNA from drug-resistant microbes. And your money may even have a smudge of anthrax and diphtheria. In other words, your wallet is a portable petri dish.
Monday 28 April 2014
How To Get An Egg In A Bottle
You may have seen the classic egg in a bottle experiment before, but this is a much better way to do it.
YouTube link
YouTube link
20 Signs That Cut Through It
We live life at an ever increasing pace. So when we see a sign, we want it to get to the point, cut to the chase. We want to read it, digest the message and move on.
Here's a selection of signs that do just that. Ironic or simply sarcastic - we get the message and we get it quickly.
Traffic At Meskel Square, Addis Abeba, Ethiopia
Meskel Square is the nerve center of Addis Ababa in Ethiopia. It is often the site chosen by Ethiopians for festivals and celebrations but it is also is a chaotic crossroad.
YouTube link
(via Dark Roasted Blend)
YouTube link
(via Dark Roasted Blend)
Daily Cartoon
Dan Rosandich is an American cartoonist. Dan's cartoons have appeared in the Saturday Evening Post, National Review, The National Enquirer, Science Digest, Reader's Digest and Woman's World. The Presurfer, in cooperation with Dan Rosandich, will bring you a cartoon every day.
Google Search: A Visual History
One of the primary goals Larry Page and Sergey Brin set when they launched Google in 1998 was to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful.
Since then, Google has branched out, creating a mobile operating system, mapping service, cloud-based productivity apps, branded devices and, now, smart thermostats. All of those offshoots, however, always point back to the company's original aim: search.
Sunday 27 April 2014
Crushed Baseball
General Electric has a different definition of fun in the heat. They push super materials to the limit so they can learn how to make them even stronger. See how everyday objects - like a baseball - hold up to the same rigorous testing.
YouTube link
YouTube link
The Hobbit Sequel Name Generator
Can you do a better job than Peter Jackson?
Make your own title with The Hobbit Sequel Name Generator.
Make your own title with The Hobbit Sequel Name Generator.
The Palais Des Congrès Montréal - A Glass Wonderland
The Palais des Congrès de Montréal is a convention center located in the Quartier International de Montréal. The west side of the building consists of 332 colored and 58 transparent glass panels measuring 5 by 12 feet. Whether you're inside or outside, the effect of the light on them is stunning.
Milton-Madison Bridge Slide
The Milton–Madison Bridge is a continuous truss bridge that connects Milton, Kentucky and Madison, Indiana, USA. The old structure was replaced with a completely new continuous truss which was constructed on temporary piers adjacent to the operational span between 2011 and 2012 and pushed into place after demolition of the old span using a construction method called 'truss sliding.'
On April 10, 2014, the slide of the Milton-Madison Bridge was completed. The slide occurred over a two day period with the actual slide time being approximately 12 1/2 hours.
YouTube link
(thanks Cora)
On April 10, 2014, the slide of the Milton-Madison Bridge was completed. The slide occurred over a two day period with the actual slide time being approximately 12 1/2 hours.
YouTube link
(thanks Cora)
Daily Cartoon
Dan Rosandich is an American cartoonist. Dan's cartoons have appeared in the Saturday Evening Post, National Review, The National Enquirer, Science Digest, Reader's Digest and Woman's World. The Presurfer, in cooperation with Dan Rosandich, will bring you a cartoon every day.
9 Videos Of Big Cats Acting Like House Cats
We've got lions, tigers, bobcats, and a jaguar or two, all playing around and acting like a bunch of house cats. All of the videos come from Big Cat Rescue, a well-respected Tampa, Florida-based organization that currently cares for around 100 large cats rescued from bad owners, shady circuses, and nefarious furriers.
(thanks Cora)
Saturday 26 April 2014
Which Food Day Is Your Birthday?
Every day of the year has been declared a National Day of Some Food.
Mine is National Peanut Day. What's yours?
image credit
(via b3ta)
Mine is National Peanut Day. What's yours?
(via b3ta)
How Oil Has Propelled Society
Oil is everywhere. Whether you're filling up your car, sketching with some crayons, or wearing pantyhose (their nylon is a petroleum-derived thermoplastic), you're using it. Our society relies on it fundamentally.
Without it, we'd probably still be trying to keep warm with mammoth fur. Well, maybe things wouldn't be that bad, but just to make sure, let's oil up our thinking muscles and share some fuel for thought.
Go Back In Time With Google Street View
If you've ever dreamt of being a time traveler like Doc Brown, now's your chance. Now you can travel to the past to see how a place has changed over the years by exploring Street View imagery in Google Maps for desktop. Google gathered historical imagery from past Street View collections dating back to 2007 to create this digital time capsule of the world.
Daily Cartoon
Dan Rosandich is an American cartoonist. Dan's cartoons have appeared in the Saturday Evening Post, National Review, The National Enquirer, Science Digest, Reader's Digest and Woman's World. The Presurfer, in cooperation with Dan Rosandich, will bring you a cartoon every day.
Interactive Map Shows How the U.S. Has Warmed Since The First Earth Day
Since the very first Earth Day was celebrated in the United States in 1970, average temperatures across the U.S. have increased markedly. A new interactive graphic from Climate Central, a nonprofit research and journalism organization, shows a state-by-state breakdown of those temperature trends.
(thanks Cora)
Friday 25 April 2014
U.S. Route 50 - America's Loneliest Road
U.S. Route 50 is a major east–west highway, connecting Ocean City, Maryland and West Sacramento, California. Stretching 3,000 miles (4,800 km), the route runs through mostly rural areas in the Western part of the US.
It includes the section through Nevada known as 'The Loneliest Road in America.'
How Quickly Tech Companies Build Wealth
This page shows how quickly tech companies like Google, Facebook, Twitter, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, and Yahoo! build wealth. You can see revenue and profit.
(thanks Chava)
Skeletons In Our Closets: Will The Private Market For Dinosaur Bones Destroy Us All?
We've all heard about the fossil hunters who have recently pleaded guilty to smuggling rare dinosaur bones out of Mongolia and into the United States. But scientists like Kenshu Shimada are concerned about the private market for fossils more generally.
They believe important information that could shed light on subjects such as climate change and our current extinction cycle may be hidden away in some of the fossils being scooped up and locked away by private collectors.
(thanks Ben)
Inside The Life Of A Shaolin Monk
Since the beginning of the sixth century, Chinese Buddhists living in the Shaolin monastery, have been inextricably linked with physical perfection and martial arts. That is why a Shaolin monk is considered one of the most skilled and talented warriors this world has ever had the privilege of beholding.
They train to use 36 weapons, and each monk picks two animal movements and styles to specialize in. Monks devote their whole day to intensive spiritual and physical training, which in the end, either brakes them or produces masters of Kung Fu with a steel spirit.
Daily Cartoon
Dan Rosandich is an American cartoonist. Dan's cartoons have appeared in the Saturday Evening Post, National Review, The National Enquirer, Science Digest, Reader's Digest and Woman's World. The Presurfer, in cooperation with Dan Rosandich, will bring you a cartoon every day.
Laze Around The Isolated Beaches Of Dhermi, Albania
In a not-so popular and rather mysterious Albania, a line of coastline villages, also called the Albanian Riviera, possesses isolated sand and pebble beaches with pristine and crystal clear waters. Dhermi is a local fave and a must-see for travelers who're looking for a valuable spot with an expensive-looking scenery.
Thursday 24 April 2014
Bern Hyperlapsed
Bern Hyperlapsed is a short portrait of the Old City of Bern. It merges a view on traditional sights with the novel visual impression allowed by hyperlapse photography. The film consists of around 3500 single pictures, mainly taken between December 2013 and March 2014.
Vimeo link
(thanks Cora)
Vimeo link
(thanks Cora)
The World's Longest Conveyor Belt Is 61 Miles Long
Western Sahara, a territory currently ruled by Morocco, looks like a desolate place. There's little vegetation, but there are substantial phosphate resources. Bou Craa, a mining town in the interior, extracts phosphate ore and ships it to the coast.
Rather than trucking the ore to the coast, the mining company found an inventive way to convey the ore a great distance. It built a conveyor belt to do the job. It caries the ore 61 miles (98 kilometers) across the desert to the port of El-Aaiun. This conveyor belt is the longest in the world.
What's In A Name?
Ever wondered where your name comes from? Ever wondered where it's going?
WhitePages Names indulges your curiosity. From the common to the rare, Whitepages Names can help you find the information you want, and maybe even have some fun.
For example, do you live in the US and is your name John? Then you're not the only one. There are 5,189,434 people in the U.S who have this name. Massachusetts has the most people named John per capita and the year 1914 marked the height of its popularity. For girls, Mary is the most popular name. There are 3,401,599 Mary's in the US. Most of them live in Mississippi.
The Beheaded Statues Of Nemrut Dagi in Turkey
Nemrut Dagi is a mountain in southeastern Turkey, notable for the summit where a number of large statues are erected around what is assumed to be a royal tomb.
Decapitated statues are sitting with their heads on the ground watching around south-eastern Turkey on top of one of the highest peaks of the Eastern Taurus mountain range. The archaeological site Nemrut Dagi is a time machine on top of a mountain that'll take you back to 62 BC.
How Technology Affects Sleep
This infographic explores the relationship between modern technology and sleep disturbances. So if you're addicted to watching television before bed, or frequently get rudely awoken by your mobile in the middle of the night, find out how these factors can influence your sleep, and what you can do to achieve a better night's sleep.
Daily Cartoon
Dan Rosandich is an American cartoonist. Dan's cartoons have appeared in the Saturday Evening Post, National Review, The National Enquirer, Science Digest, Reader's Digest and Woman's World. The Presurfer, in cooperation with Dan Rosandich, will bring you a cartoon every day.
The Price Tag On Queen Elsa's Ice Palace
Since Frozen was just named as the highest-grossing animated film of all time, Movoto felt it was appropriate to see exactly what Elsa's ice palace would be worth in the real world.
Sure, it might be chilly up in the mountains, but who wouldn't want to play ice queen over their very own Frozen castle?
(thanks Chad)
Wednesday 23 April 2014
Bat.Tutty.Ry
A robot needs to recharge his battery before it drains. Unfortunately, his choice of power source is not very happy with him.
Vimeo link
(thanks Cora)
Vimeo link
(thanks Cora)
The Kannesteinen Rock
Shaped over thousands of years by the crashing waves, the Kannesteinen Rock is a magnificent mushroom shaped rock formation located in the rural village of Oppedal, Norway.
While difficult to measure the exact size by looking at the photographs, the rock is about three feet high and wide enough for three or four people to stand on.
The Victorian Inventor Of The Wheelie
A hundred years before the rise of extreme sports, stunt bikers took big risks and drew bigger crowds. Although he's largely forgotten today, Daniel J. Canary was one of the best.
In 1897, one of the top stunt bicyclists in the United States called Canary 'the father of us all.' Canary performed amazing feats on the high-wheel, but when he got his hands on the newly-invented 'safety bicycle,' the father of the bikes we know today, he did even more: he invented the wheelie.
(via Nag on the Lake)
Students Solve Old Problem With New Ketchup Cap
High school seniors Tyler Richards and Jonathan Thompson have spent a lot of time thinking about ketchup. As students in the Project Lead the Way program at North Liberty High School, Richards and Thompson have researched and developed a bottle cap that prevents that first squirt of ketchup from being a watery mess.
YouTube link
YouTube link
Daily Cartoon
Dan Rosandich is an American cartoonist. Dan's cartoons have appeared in the Saturday Evening Post, National Review, The National Enquirer, Science Digest, Reader's Digest and Woman's World. The Presurfer, in cooperation with Dan Rosandich, will bring you a cartoon every day.
Got Drunk, Fell Down: Lampposts Behaving Badly
It is behavior seen throughout the world on a Saturday night - in fact on every night of the week which happens to have an a in it. There are always a few who have just that little bit too much and end up making a scene, a spectacle and often a mess in to the bargain.
Yet in Halifax, Canada, scenes of a drunken nature are not confined to its human denizens: the lampposts are at it too.
Tuesday 22 April 2014
Britain's Got Talent, Paddy And Nico - Spectacular Salsa
Simon Cowell is not strictly in the mood for ballroom, but 80-year-old Paddy and Nico have much more in store than first appearances suggest. Watch what happens.
YouTube link
YouTube link
Today Is Earth Day
Earth Day is an annual event, celebrated on April 22. Events are held worldwide to demonstrate support for environmental protection. It was first celebrated in 1970, and is now coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network, and celebrated in more than 192 countries each year.
Google is celebrating Earth Day with an animated doodle of a Rufous humming bird, a puffer fish, a dung beetle, a jellyfish and a Veiled chameleon.
The 100 Terraced Garden Squares In Awaji Yumebutai, Japan
The Awaji Yumebutai is a lively yet peaceful work of art made by man and nature. The area where it stands was a mountain before that was half-removed to use as seafill for the artificial islands where the Kansai International Airport is now located.
Designed by Tadao Ando, the whole structure shows how something destroyed can be brought back to life by blending in modern facilities with the green landscape. But what's special in this place is its 100-terraced garden squares or the 'Hyakudanen' that decorate the slope of the mountain.
Inside The Mundaneum
Paul Otlet (1868-1944) was a Belgian author, visionary, lawyer and peace activist. He is one of several people who have been considered the father of information science, a field he 'called documentation.' In 1907, Otlet and Henri La Fontaine created a great international center called at first Palais Mondial (World Palace), later, the Mundaneum.
The Mundaneum aimed to gather together all the world's knowledge and classify it according to a system they developed called the Universal Decimal Classification. Here's a look inside the Mundaneum.
Havana Bikes
Cuba underwent a bicycle revolution in the 1990s during its five year 'Special Period.' Oil was scarce as a result of tough economic constraints, and bicycles where introduced as an alternative mode of transport.
Years later, the transportation crisis subsided and motorised vehicles returned, and the country's bicycle culture took a hit. Now, new bikes are difficult to come by and parts are not readily available, yet many Cubans still use bicycles daily and, despite the limited resources, a handful of mechanics provide a service to those who rely on their bikes in their everyday lives.
Vimeo link
(thanks Cora)
Years later, the transportation crisis subsided and motorised vehicles returned, and the country's bicycle culture took a hit. Now, new bikes are difficult to come by and parts are not readily available, yet many Cubans still use bicycles daily and, despite the limited resources, a handful of mechanics provide a service to those who rely on their bikes in their everyday lives.
Vimeo link
(thanks Cora)
Daily Cartoon
Dan Rosandich is an American cartoonist. Dan's cartoons have appeared in the Saturday Evening Post, National Review, The National Enquirer, Science Digest, Reader's Digest and Woman's World. The Presurfer, in cooperation with Dan Rosandich, will bring you a cartoon every day.
Interpreting 'Physick': The Familiar And Foreign Eighteenth-Century Body
Our eighteenth-century forbears weren't stupid when it came to the art of healing. In the absence of key pieces of information - for examples, germ theory - they developed a model of the body, health, and healing that was fundamentally logical. Some treatments worked, and many didn’t, but there was a method to the apparent madness.
Monday 21 April 2014
Epic Pen Spinning
Pen spinning is a form of object manipulation that involves the deft manipulation of a writing instrument with one's hands. Although it is often considered a form of self-entertainment (usually in a school/office setting), multinational competitions and meetings are sometimes held. See this epic spinning from pen spinners: Ian Jenson and PPM.
YouTube link
YouTube link
British Pathé Releases 85,000 Films On YouTube
Newsreel archive British Pathé has uploaded its entire collection of 85,000 historic films, in high resolution, to its YouTube channel. This unprecedented release of vintage news reports and cinemagazines is part of a drive to make the archive more accessible to viewers all over the world.
You can view and share films from this invaluable resource at British Pathé's YouTube channel.
Brushed Off: 12 Dried Out And Abandoned Car Washes
Hold the hot wax and spare the soap, these abandoned car washes have blow-dried their last vehicle and will no longer thank you for coming again.
Cherry Blossom Time-lapse At Brooklyn Botanic Garden
This time-lapse was created by Dave Allen from over 3,000 digital photos, one taken every 3 minutes from April 18 to April 26, 2008, of Brooklyn Botanic Garden's famed Cherry Walk. The music is by Jon Solo, a Brooklyn-based musician and producer.
YouTube link
(thanks Cora)
YouTube link
(thanks Cora)
Daily Cartoon
Dan Rosandich is an American cartoonist. Dan's cartoons have appeared in the Saturday Evening Post, National Review, The National Enquirer, Science Digest, Reader's Digest and Woman's World. The Presurfer, in cooperation with Dan Rosandich, will bring you a cartoon every day.
16 Delicious Facts About Peeps
You know whether you prefer chicks to bunnies, fresh to stale, or plain to chocolate-covered. But there's a lot you may not know about Peeps, everyone's favorite (non-chocolate) Easter candy.
(via Everlasting Blort)
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