There is no arguing that the world we live in is a dangerous one, but when it comes to the animals on our planet which is considered most dangerous. Is it a seemingly harmless insect that spreads disease to thousands of people, or is the powerful beasts who are not responsible for nearly as many deaths, but are capable of tearing apart a human without breaking a sweat. Yours to decide; this lists presents 10 animals to consider.
Archive for January, 2010
The word savant comes from the French word for “knowing”, as in knowledge, but in the context of this list, the term is used to mean a special ability, one that is amazing. Medically this is actually called “Savant Syndrome”. It is not a recognized medical diagnosis per se, but is most certainly known as a rare condition in which persons with developmental disorders (including autism spectrum disorders) have one or more areas of expertise, ability, or brilliance that are in contrast with the individual’s overall limitations. The condition was brought to popular culture with the 1988 movie Rainman, which developed a widespread empathy and fascination for the condition. This list presents 10 savants whose special talents are amazing.
The universal appeal of the USB Gizmo has brought some interesting things to market – some are wacky or just plain pointless but we do get the odd USB gadget that is useful as well as fun. Given the incredibly high ownership rate of computers in most countries chances are good that someone receiving a USB gadget will actually be able to run it. And with all the different things out there that you can plug in to anything with a USB port, your laptop could soon look like the nerve centre for appliance central. Here is a list of 10 interesting USB gizmos that can make your workspace just a little more fun.
You know that urge when you see a pile of bubble wrap? People are drawn to it, can’t keep their hands off it….pop, pop, pop, pop, pop…..we love it!
People have made clothes from it, been married in it, recorded music and soundtracks with it and more – there can be no arguing that Bubble Wrap is firmly ensconced as a part of modern culture. According to Bubble Wrap legend, it was invented when a failed wallpaper concept had some creative intervention from clouds in an airplane window; the wallpaper salesman saw puffy clouds in the sky that seemed to cushion and protect the plane as it came in for a landing. The rest, as they say, is history. and as for the actual wrap itself, sure it’s great for protecting packages, but the real fun is popping each and every little air-pocketed bubble.
As an ode to this low-tech innovation, this lists presents ten great alternative uses for Bubble Wrap, in addition to actually using it as packing protection.
Most things that appear tremendously simple really aren’t. And this is true not only as a general statement, but in particular with anything relating to images, workflow, design, manageability, etc – the things that typically require effort look very simple if they are done well. With that said, there is no better master than Mother Nature, and while the engineering of the natural world is not always perfect, many times it is pretty darn close for that point in time. The fractal designs in nature show cool patterns, apparently relatively simple from a high level view, but the closer you get the more there is going on there. These are just a few everyday examples of the marvels of nature’s fractal art.
“For those who believe, no explanation is necessary; for those who do not believe, no explanation will suffice” – Joseph Dunninger, Magician SPOILER ALERT-NOT: No secrets will be revealed in this post! According to leading magicians, people really don’t want to know the secrets. When people ask how a trick is done, what they really want is confirmation that you embody the entertainment and mystery that they have just experienced. “How did you DO that?!” is a compliment, not a question. Enter the post to see video clips of 10 of the most famous illusions in magic…
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This guy’s crazy mad skills on the yo-yo, and his incredible ambidexterity, will blow you away.
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In late 2009, Scientists in Germany published details of flutes dating back to the time that modern humans began colonizing Europe, 35,000 years ago. The flutes are the oldest musical instruments found to date. The most well-preserved of the flutes is made from a vulture’s wing bone, measuring 20cm long with five finger holes and two “V”-shaped notches on one end of the instrument.
The best-preserved flute has been played and tonally analyzed in tests and sounds like this:
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Just what is a sinkhole you may ask? It is just what it sounds like, when the topsoil and bedrock collapses due to water erosion below and the pile literally sinks into the earth, leaving a big hole where there was once level solid ground. And while this sounds as if it is one of those unlikely events, almost bordering on urban myth, it happens with alarming frequency, anywhere from unpopulated wilderness to densely populated urban centres. More commonly in cities, sinkholes occur due to water main breaks or sewer collapses when old pipes give way. Sinkholes on land have been used for centuries as disposal sites for various forms of waste, while underwater sinkholes, such as those that form in coral reefs and islands that collapse to enormous depths, are known as Blue Holes and often become popular diving spots.
The size and depth of some sinkholes is astounding – from several hundred metres deep to over 100 km across – the most impressive of which are presented in this list of the world’s biggest sinkholes.
Some people see numbers and letters as visions. Synesthesia is a real phenomenon.
Indeed, some people see colors when they hear or read letters and numbers (the most common form). Others taste and feel sounds, colors, and so forth as neurons responsible for forwarding visual or auditory information sends information to other processing systems for some individuals – in other words, the brain signals get crossed, or mixed up, from what most people are used to. Read the rest of this entry »
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