Watch a Volvo FH truck towing a paraglider in a world's first precision stunt. This live test was set up to demonstrate the performance of Volvo Trucks' unique powertrain with the I-Shift Dual Clutch gearbox. To keep the paraglider in flying, the truck had to keep up its speed even when driving on demanding roads up a mountain pass.
YouTube link
Wednesday, 30 November 2016
A Brief History Of The Chicken Dance
It's silly, it's catchy, and it's everywhere. A fun little jig with simple moves that can be learned in under a minute, 'The Chicken Dance' is a staple at school parties, bar mitzvahs, and Oktoberfest celebrations.
The story of this avian shimmy began with its melody, which was penned over 60 years ago by a Swiss musician named Werner Thomas.
Google's Most Detailed View Of Earth Across Space And Time
In 2013, Google released Google Earth Timelapse, a comprehensive picture of Earth's changing surface. Yesterday, they made their largest update to Timelapse yet, with four additional years of imagery and a sharper view of the Earth from 1984 to 2016.
There's much more to see, including glacial movement in Antarctica, urban growth, forest gain and loss, and infrastructure development. You can search, pan, or zoom around in the updated Timelapse.
(trhanks Cora)
Welcome To The Big House
A somewhat random collection of interesting facts and statistics about prisons and jails. Just in case you ever need to know.
Preview Of The Top 30 Best Movies Of 2017
Explore what might be the best movies 2017 has to offer. Christopher Nolan, Ridley Scott and Martin Scorsese have releases but most of the other old masters are laying low, leaving it clear for lower profile but brilliant up and comers.
There's a ton of highly anticipated sequels and reboots. It's going to be a great year for sci-fi, and a good one for Stephen King. Plus it sees the start of some enormous Marvel-style shared universes.
(thanks Sheridan)
Tuesday, 29 November 2016
The Sponge Divers Of Greece
Most sponge that we use today are synthetic, but in the old days sponge was collected from the sea bed. Some of the finest-quality sea sponge, a jelly-like marine creature with a body full of pores, can be found in the warm waters of southeastern Mediterranean.
The ancient Greeks knew about these animals and their usefulness in scrubbing and cleaning purposes, and for maintaining personal hygiene. Sponge was also used for padding helmets and for filtering water.
How To Recognize A Dystopia
The genre of dystopia has captured the imaginations of artists and audiences alike for centuries. But why do we bother with all this pessimism? Alex Gendler explains how dystopias act as cautionary tales - not about some particular government or technology, but the very idea that humanity can be molded into an ideal shape.
YouTube link
YouTube link
The 20 Deadliest Snakes On Earth
They're among the most feared animals on the planet, and for good reason. Indeed, as many as 5.5 million people get bitten by snakes every year and around 90,000 don't live to tell the tale. Most succumbed to one of the following 20 deadliest serpents on the planet.
Historical Figures Who Used the Lottery to Their Advantage
The dream of winning the lottery is not a modern concept by any means. Throughout the ages, people and nations have used lotteries for financial and political gains. It may be odd to think about, but without lottery, our world would be a very different place indeed.
Monday, 28 November 2016
Nine To Five Ned
Ned is a dreamer. Most people would consider his life to be rather boring or ordinary, but Ned flexes his imagination and finds the fantastical in his nine-to-five job. One day, while typing in his office cubicle, something rather extraordinary happens to Ned that could change the course of his life forever... or until lunchtime.
Vimeo link
Vimeo link
10 Ancient Languages With Unknown Origins
Languages can provide us with a great deal of knowledge about a society's culture, way of life, evolution, and even their migration patterns. They have given us a profound insight into the minds of ancient people, and have enabled us to form the story of humanity's distance past.
However, some discoveries have given us just the exact opposite, and have presented us with the unnerving truth that our past might be shrouded in a mystery we might never solve.
The Scout Scarab
The Stout Scarab is a 1930–1940s American minivan designed by William Bushnell Stout and manufactured by Stout Engineering Laboratories and later by Stout Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan.
The Stout Scarab is credited by some as the world's first production minivan, and a 1946 experimental prototype of the Scarab became the world's first car with a fiberglass bodyshell and air suspension.
(via Everlasting Blort)
The World By Drone
The video spans 14 countries across the world, in all four seasons, over the course of 1.5 years.
Vimeo link
(thanks Cora)
Vimeo link
(thanks Cora)
10 Eerie Abandoned Orphanages
Many former orphanages have been left eerily abandoned. While orphanages were built from scratch back in the day, others occupied vacant country homes sold by latter-day aristocrats laid low by falling incomes and rising tax rates.
The Strange Custom Of Setting Pianos On Fire
When an old piano is out of tune and completely out of commission, some say there's only one thing left to do: Burn it. Burning an old piano has become something of a tradition for musicians and Air Force members alike - although no one's exactly sure how it got started.
Most stories attribute the birth of the custom to the British Royal Air Force, with the ritual eventually spreading to the U.S. Air Force.
Sunday, 27 November 2016
Fungtopus? The Fungus That Looks Like An Octopus
Clathrus archeri is looking every inch the result of a GM experiment gone wrong, it resembles a strange cross between a toadstool and an octopus. Yet this is not the result of some subterranean gene-splicing enterprise to bring the world a spore-bearing cellaphod.
This is exactly how nature intended the Octopus Stinkhorn. The shape and form you see is an integral but short-lived part of its life-cycle. The Octopus Stinkhorn is native to Australia. The fungus emerges from an egg which is called superumpent - this means that rather than hatching or germinating it, effectively, erupts in an explosion of enlargement.
Meet The Breathtaking Beauty Of Shah-e-Cheragh
Iran is well known for its unique architectural style, as well as its historical buildings.
The Shah-e-Cheragh Mausoleum, which was built during the 12th century, holds the holy tombs of Mir Muhammad and Amir Ahmad, the brothers of Imam Reza.
Historical documents revealed that Imam Reza is related to the Prophet Muhammad, as well as his successor, Shia Imam. Although the history related to the building is overwhelming, it’s its interior design that draws so many visitors here every year.
Japanese Fully Automated Restaurant
Enjoy a whole new dining experience in this Japanese fully automated restaurant. It's like clockwork.
YouTube link
(thanks Cora)
YouTube link
(thanks Cora)
10 Intriguing Newspaper Reports Of Little Green Men
The 1950s and 1960s were a great time to meet little green men. At the very least, it was a darn good time to read about them in the newspapers. Almost every day, there were accounts of flying saucer >sightings and incidents with little green men (who were not always green).
The Origins Of 10 Nicknames
The distinction between a regular name and a nickname is often blurred. It is a form of endearment and amusement. As a concept, it is distinct from both pseudonym and stage name, and also from a title, although there may be overlap in these concepts.
Why is Dick from Richard? Why is Bill from William? Why is Chuck from Charles? Why is Peggy from Margaret? The origins of 10 nicknames.
Why is Dick from Richard? Why is Bill from William? Why is Chuck from Charles? Why is Peggy from Margaret? The origins of 10 nicknames.
Saturday, 26 November 2016
The World's Tallest Cow
Meet Danniel, the giant bovine whose proud owners believe is the world's tallest cow. The huge Holstein steer measures a staggering 6 foot 4 inches tall and weighs a whopping 2300 pounds. Danniel's owners have now had him measured for Guinness World Records in an attempt to have him officially recognized as the world’s tallest steer.
YouTube link
(thanks Cora)
YouTube link
(thanks Cora)
10 Weirdest Musical Instruments
All musical instruments are a little strange to outsiders. Each culture has developed its own instruments whose sounds strike foreign ears as weird.
Other instruments look so bizarre that they barely seem to be machines of music at all. Here are 10 weird musical instruments which have been seriously employed in making music.
Formula 1's Strangest Racing Cars
From 'the flying tea-tray' to a Smurf tribute, here are half a dozen of the more unlikely looking vehicles to grace a Formula One Grand Prix.
China's Smog-Devouring Vacuum Tower Looks Crazy, But Actually Works
What sounded like a long shot attempt to literally suck some of the suffocating smog out of China's sky is actually working, according to updates on the Smog Free Project, which installed an air-vacuuming tower in a Beijing square.
The tower has been up for over 40 days with China's Ministry of Environmental Protection keeping track of the results. This week, they announced that the air around the tower is 55% cleaner than before, scrubbing 30 million cubic meters of air.
Friday, 25 November 2016
Windmills Of The 'Zaanse Schans' In The Netherlands
The Zaanse Schans is a neighbourhood of Zaandam, located just outside Amsterdam, in the province of North Holland, the Netherlands. It is a popular tourist attraction.
Zaanse Schans is an outdoor attraction with well-preserved historic windmills and houses, built in the typical Dutch wooden architectural style. They date back to the 18th and 19th centuries. The windmills were built after 1574.
YouTube link
(thanks Cora)
Zaanse Schans is an outdoor attraction with well-preserved historic windmills and houses, built in the typical Dutch wooden architectural style. They date back to the 18th and 19th centuries. The windmills were built after 1574.
YouTube link
(thanks Cora)
Parrot Facts
There are 372 species of parrots. Parrots are the only birds that can bring food to its mouth with its foot. Their tongues are made up of small bones that make them flexible enough to manipulate the food. In the wild, parrots eat flowers, fruit, nuts, plants, and insects.
The Sweet And Not-So-Sweet History Of Saccharin
When it was first introduced to the public, saccharin seemed to be a miracle. The substance is about 300 times as sweet as sugar, and it doesn't have any calories. What’s not to love about that? But not everything in saccharin's history is sweet.
WTF Are Purple Carrots And Where Did They Come From?
Purple carrots have been around farmers' markets for a while now, but more recently they've gone mainstream. Pretty soon we might have a full-fledged food fad on our hands.
So where did the purple-colored carrot come from, and why is it showing up in my grocery store all of a sudden?
Thursday, 24 November 2016
10 Of The Fascinating Historical Firsts That Changed The World
Things were not always as easy as they are today.
These are 10 of the world's fascinating historical firsts.
History Of The Land Speed Record
As the Bloodhound SSC goes into production to try and conquer the 1000 mph mark as well as the land speed record at the same time, take a walk down memory lane and check out some of the most significant cars to break the land speed record since 1898.
Infograph by Select Car Leasing.
(thanks Herley)
Morocco
From the souks and craftsmen of Marrakesh and Fes to the dunes of Merzouga and continuing on high into the Atlas mountains, see Morocco like you've never seen it before.
Vimeo link
(thanks Cora)
Vimeo link
(thanks Cora)
10 Terrifying Facts About Supervolcanoes
A supervolcano is defined as having the capacity to produce an eruption so big that it can eject around 240 cubic miles of volcanic material in the form of molten rock, hot gases, and ash.
That's roughly one thousand times more than the largest volcanic eruption ever recorded in modern human history. Supervolcanoes are formed when a momentous volume of super-heated magma rises from deep underground, but is unable to penetrate the Earth’s crust and creates a huge, high-pressure pool several miles beneath the surface.
21 Hilarious Christmas Card Designs for 2016
A collection of the best Christmas cards from around the internet that are actually funny. Some of the cards are rude, some are really nerdy and some are just very clever.
Source: Hessian Santa Sacks.
Wednesday, 23 November 2016
These Conveyor Belts Are A Trip
A conveyor belt that uses small, fully rotational wheels giving factories more freedom in how they handle the movements of their goods.
YouTube link
(thanks Cora)
YouTube link
(thanks Cora)
How Time Actually Tricks Us
Time is truly a complicated matter. Remember how as a child you were waiting for your birthday and how it seemed to take forever to arrive? And now as an adult, the time from Monday to Sunday passes all too briefly. How does time do that? How does time trick us?
Looking from a scientific, psychological and biological perspective, the greatest influence on how we perceive time is made by our internal rhythms, gained experiences, and memories.
The NIO EP9 Is The World's Fastest All-Electric Supercar
Chinese company NextEV, despite its name, hasn't built your next automobile. At least not yet. Instead, it's created a (somewhat) eco-friendly monster capable of beating the Nürburgring in a staggering 7 minutes and 5 seconds.
Fancy buying one? You're out of luck. NextEV is only building six cars and they've all been snapped up by the company's founders. Each NIO EP9 reportedly costs $1.2 million to build, so only the most deep-pocketed individuals could have afforded one anyway.
What Would Happen If The Sun Disappeared?
An infographic by The Solar Centre. Even if you don't know much about science, and outer space in particular, most of us know that that great big yellow thing in the sky is quite important for our existence.
The majority of us will realise that without the Sun, things down here on Earth would be pretty cold and dark. However, what else might happen if our giant source of heat and light were to suddenly vanish from the sky.
(thanks Hannah)
17 Science Fiction Books That Forever Changed The Genre
Speculative fiction is the literature of change and discovery. But every now and then, a book comes along that changes the rules of science fiction for everybody. Certain great books inspire scores of authors to create something new. Here are 17 of the most influential science fiction and fantasy books.
Tuesday, 22 November 2016
Do Airplanes Have Windscreen Wipers?
Let's imagine you're sitting in your car, and as you get onto the motorway it starts pouring with rain. One little move with your finger and you're windscreen wipers comes on, and you have a clear sight onto the road again. But how about airplanes, how do they get rid of the rain?
YouTube link
YouTube link
Full Body Wolf Jumpsuit
Get in touch with your wild side in this full body wolf jumpsuit. Perfect outfit for lounging, sleeping or a costume party. Makes a stand-out gift for any guy or girl.
(via Nag on the Lake)
The Transfermium Wars
When someone discovers a new chemical element, it's the tradition in the scientific community that the founder gets to name it. If the Transfermium Wars raged from the late 1960s to the late 1990s, how is it that so few people have ever heard of them? Because they were fought by rival groups of scientists over who would get to name newly discovered chemical elements.
La Cour
A young bored man relives his past thanks to his new neighbour clumsiness.
YouTube link
(thanks Cora)
YouTube link
(thanks Cora)
Wavelight
Star Trails and Rock Trails Collide at Arizona's legendary Wave sanstone rock formation.
Vimeo link
(thanks Cora)
Vimeo link
(thanks Cora)
The Alluring Arsenic Colors that Poisoned The Victorian Age
'A great deal of slow poisoning is going on in Great Britain,' wrote Birmingham doctor William Hinds in 1857. He was among a growing movement of people concerned about a toxic killer in their daily lives: namely, their wallpaper.
Monday, 21 November 2016
Inflatable Toupee
Just when you think we've lost it, we figure out how to top ourselves. This inflatable toupée is held in place with elastic loops that go around your chin. It's the perfect present for someone who thinks his toupée is invisible. You'll blow his cover!
10 Origins Of Famous Internet Memes
A meme is the spread of ideas and all sorts of cultural phenomena, like melodies, catchphrases, fashion, and even the technology of building arches. An Internet meme can stay the same or evolve over time, and can take on many forms, like an image, a video, a website, a word or phrase, a combination of these, or even a random behavior.
Take a look at 10 of the best memes out there, and see how they got to where they are in the public consciousness.
The Secret World Of Space Junk
Space debris is the collection of discarded man-made material that has been littering outer space since the ascent of Sputnik 1. Since then it is estimated that there are 170 million individual pieces of space junk smaller than 1cm orbiting the earth.
YouTube link
(thanks Cora)
YouTube link
(thanks Cora)
The Martha Stewart Of New Orleans
Lena Richard was a 'Martha Stewart' long before there was a Martha Stewart. She was a chef, caterer, restaurateur, frozen-food entrepeneur, cooking teacher, cookbook author, as well as the host of her own cooking show on New Orleans television.
Sunday, 20 November 2016
Bizarre Air Breathing Fish
In an episode of Beyond the Tide, Coyote Peterson and the Brave Wilderness crew explore the tidal pools of Mud Bay in Haines, Alaska. This tidal mud flat is home to all sorts of amazing sea creatures including isopods, nereid worms, and even air breathing fish.
YouTube link
(via Laughing Squid)
YouTube link
(via Laughing Squid)
14 Parlor Games To Bring Back This Holiday Season
Even without television, video games, and the internet, our Victorian predecessors found plenty of ways to entertain themselves around the holidays. They just had to get creative, using everything from flaming raisins to pure imagination to pass the time.
Here are 15 classic parlor games to break out if you and your loved ones feel like unplugging during the holiday season.
10 Historical Words That Don't Mean What You Think
There are a surprising number of historic words that many of us definitely are using erroneously. Like nirvana. Many of us use it as a substitute for heaven or paradise, but the Buddhist word actually means breaking free from the endless cycle of reincarnations. What other words are you using incorrectly? Let's take a look.
(via Miss Cellania)
How They Removed 1,400 Cars And A Sunk Ship
On 5 December 2012, the car carrier Baltic Ace sank with more than 1,400 cars on board after a collision with a container ship near the entrance of the main shipping lane leading to Rotterdam port. Rijkswaterstaat contracted Boskalis and its partner Mammoet Salvage for the wreck removal operation.
Since it sank with 540,000 liters of oil onboard, despite being insured only for about $55 million, $73 million had to be spent on the salvage operation.
YouTube link
(thanks Cora)
Since it sank with 540,000 liters of oil onboard, despite being insured only for about $55 million, $73 million had to be spent on the salvage operation.
YouTube link
(thanks Cora)
10 Fascinating Facts About The Knights Templar
The Knights Templar are a popular facet of pop culture. Which has meant that over the years, what exactly they did and who they were has been muddied by Hollywood. Here are 10 facts you may not know about this not-so-secret ancient order of knights.
The Strange Psychology Of Stress And Burnout
You shouldn't underestimate the positive power of having a degree of stress in your life. Identifying the tipping point, where stress turns to burnout, is the key.
Saturday, 19 November 2016
Exploring The Arctic's Global Seed Vault
Located in the arctic circle, The Global Seed Vault isn't simply just a large storage facility for seeds from around the world. The vault is protecting the world's agricultural genetic diversity and protecting our future food supply in case of catastrophe.
YouTube link
YouTube link
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The Sunken City on Kekova Island
The ancient Lycian city of Simena once straddled the long and narrow island of Kekova in the Mediterranean Sea near the Turkish coastline. In the olden times, Simena was a small fishing village and was later an outpost of the Knights of Rhodes.
Part of the city lies on the mainland, where today stands the charming fishing village of Kaleköy. Across the bay, on Kekova Island, lies Simena's other half. This part of the city today lies half-submerged in the waters. The land slipped into the ocean when a terrible earthquake struck Turkey in the 2nd century.
10 Species That Would Dominate If Humans Died Out
Who would dominate the world if humans died out? Here's a list of who might take over our mantle of top dog, and rule this post-apocalyptic wasteland you now find yourself standing in. Here they are, each more horrific than the last.
Striking Photos Of Philadelphia's Abandoned Power Stations
The power stations of Philadelphia are massive in scale and grand in stature. The Turbine Hall of the Chester Power Station contains doric columns; at Richmond, vast arched ceilings soar above a cavernous space.
Today, these behemoths lie empty, waiting for a second life. The Delaware Station Power Plant, in operation since 2004, has since been purchased by a developer who plans to turn it into a hotel and events complex.
Friday, 18 November 2016
How Streets, Roads, And Avenues Are Different
A street is a road but a road isn't always a street. A road can also be an avenue or a boulevard - it's the general term for anything that connects two points. A drive is a long winding road that can be shaped by mountains or a lake. And just as there is no rule book to building a city, these roads and other don't always correspond with their described classifications.
YouTube link
YouTube link
15 Unreleased Beatles Songs That You Can Listen To Now
Amazingly, there are still great Beatles songs that haven't been officially released. Here are 15 of them, ranging from the Fab Four's earliest days to their final months as a group.
7 Delightful Dutch Words That Have No English Equivalent
Ever find yourself searching for the right word to express an emotion, but coming up short? That's not surprising. English, while undoubtedly useful and beautiful in its own way, isn't the be-all-end-all when it comes to self-expression.
These Dutch words have no English equivalent - we can draw on them when we have something to say but don't have the right words to say it.
The Mystery Of The Amulet
The mystery of the amulet, or how the study of a 6000-year-old corroded object has led to the discovery of the secret of the invention of lost-wax casting.
YouTube link
YouTube link
30 Amazing Facts About France
France is known worlwide for its art, culture, food and wine, and is one of the world's most popular tourist destinations, welcoming tens of millions of visitors each year.
Here's an entertaining infographic by Gites packed with interesting facts about the amazing country of France. Learn about the Eiffel Tower, the Mona Lisa, how much wine the French drink, and the Arc de Triomphe.
Incredible Photographs Taken By NASA's Apollo Mission Astronauts
Photography has become a crucial medium for documenting the history of mankind, and the early exploration of space is one such historical event unrivalled among humanity achievements.
Fortunately, the skill and daring of a very particular group of 'photographers' - the Apollo program astronauts - were able to bring back beautifully moving and instantly recognisable images from space.
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