If You Can't Stand The Heat... Keep Away

If you can't stand the heat... keep away from the volcano: Astonishing picture of scientist just metres from boiling hot lava cauldron He looks like he's on a journey to the centre of the Earth. But unlike the professor in Jules Verne's novel of the same name, this scientist could meet a fiery end if he goes any further. In these stunning pictures, fearless Geoff Mackley looks like a speck of tin foil next to the 1,150C molten pit raging inside the crater of a volcano. Scroll down to watch the abseil... Like the surface of the sun: Getting to within just 30m of the molten lava, Geoff Mackley has become the first person ever to get so close to the centre of this volcano No sweat: Thanks to his protective heat-proof suit, Mr Mackley was able to stand next to raging lava for a staggering 45 minutes Staring into hell: Mr Mackley peers into the raging Marum Volcano, on the island of Vanuatu, in the South Pacific as he abseils into the heart of the crater

A Portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Abbey and glorious: Portrait of Queen Elizabeth at spot where she was crowned unveiled in all its 11ft glory

By Louise Eccles

In centuries past, royal artists portrayed monarchs as grand, imposing and often rather stern.

But the latest portrait of the Queen pictures her in a moment of quiet reflection as she stands on the spot in Westminster Abbey where she was crowned 60 years ago.

Artist Ralph Heimans said he sought to capture 'her humanity' in the 9ft by 11ft portrait, commissioned by the Palace to mark the Diamond Jubilee.

Her majesty posed for an hour-long sitting in The Yellow Drawing Room, at Buckingham Palace, in March.

Mr Heimans then imagined the dramatic backdrop – the Sacrarium at Westminster Abbey, also known as The Coronation Theatre.

She stands on the Cosmati pavement – a spot where every English monarch has been crowned since it was commissioned by Henry III in the 13th century.

Deep in thought: A new official portrait of Her Majesty The Queen, painted by Australian-born, London-based artist Ralph Heimans shows the monarch looking deep in reflection

Mr Heimans, said: 'I hope there is a degree of humanity uncommon in traditional Royal portraits. 

'I wanted her expression to be open to interpretation so that people could imagine what she was thinking at that moment, but I think there is a sense of tenderness and soulfulness, as well as nostalgia and contemplation.

Artist Ralph Heimans poses for photographs in front of the painting 'The Coronation Theatre, Westminster Abbey: Portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabethh II, 2012' at the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra, Australia

But there is also a suggestion of her inner strength. 

'She has an extraordinary aura and a real energy and presence.'

The painting is entitled:

The Coronation Theatre, Westminster Abbey: A Portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Portraits made of circles

  

  

  

The Supercomputer That Houses an Entire Universe

The Supercomputer That Houses an Entire Universe

Over a span of two weeks in October, the Mira supercomputer will crank away nonstop, processing quadrillions of operations every second—something that few other machines are currently capable of. It will simultaneously track trillions of particles as they move, expand, and react to each other according to the laws of physics. This simulation will have to use everything mankind has learned about the movement of objects. If successful, it will not only confirm what we've suspected, but will also give us a deeper understanding of how the cosmos came to be. Mira, in short, is simulating the history of our universe.

According to the Atlantic, the advent of Mira (along with the more powerful Sequoia and K supercompters) is the first time that machines have been powerful enough to run a simulation of this scale. A normal computer available today simply could not complete the calculations. And when you consider the specs of the Mira, you realize just how massive this undertaking is.

Built around IBM's BlueGene technology, Mira is powered by 768,000 cores spread across 48 blade racks. (This thing is big! Just like other supercomputers!) It has 8 petaflops of processing power, and at its peak theoretical performance, is able to perform 10 quadrillion floating point operations per second. Oh, and it has nearly a petabyte of RAM.

So what, exactly, will Mira simulate in this experiment? Essentially, as the Atlantic explains, researchers at the Argonne National Laboratory are interested in seeing exactly how stars—and entire galaxies—expand, clump together, and form the filament structures. The behavior has led scientists over the years to compare the universe to a web-like structure. The simulation will begin with the universe shortly after the big bang, then it will simulate a time lapse lasting 12 billion years to see if our theories of astrophysics hold up.

Supposing that the experiment does validate centuries of research, we can then begin to move forward. As our understanding increases and supercomputers become more powerful, we can begin to explore crazier ideas, like the possibility that there's more than one universe out there (*mind explodes*).

And the Mira supercomputer? Over its lifespan, it will be operational for 5 billion computing hours a year. The vast majority of its time will be spent cranking out simulations of DOE-sponsored initiatives and challenges. It will reserve a chunk of its time for projects of "immediate need," (such as the Deepwater Horizon oil crisis). It's safe to say this machine will stay busy, even when it's not deciphering the origins of our existence.

Stunning pictures from the National Geographic Photography Contest 2012

Zachary Bako: 'Fighting the wind before a storm on Tonle Sap Great Lake in Cambodia. July 11, 2012.'

Bill Tang: 'Joshua Tree National Park may not have the fame like some other more famous national parks, but it is a great place to escape from the city lights to catch some spectacular views of the Milky Way.'

Scott Belt: 'This mother cheetah, with five cubs nearby, made it clear that her limits had been met (or exceeded).'

Rashtrapati Bhawan, New Delhi. A palace with 340 rooms- used by the President of India

India's Most Expensive Official Residence. The president lives in a palatial 340-room palace. It is the largest residence of any chief of the state in the world. Even as population of people in India's slums is projected to rise to 93 million in 2011 or 7.75 percent of the total population, our head of the state lives in a grand palace maintained at a cost that runs into crores. In 2007, the maintenance cost of the presidential palace was estimated to be more than Rs 100 crore (Rs 1 billion) per year! The electricity bill of the Rashtrapati Bhavan in 2007-2008 stood at Rs 6.30 crore (Rs 63 million) followed by Rs 6.88 crore (Rs 68.8 million) in 2008-2009 and Rs 6.67 crore (Rs 66.7 million) in 2009-2010. Besides the Rashtrapati Bhavan at New Delhi, the President has official residences in two other states - Rashtrapati Nilayam near Secunderabad and The Retreat at Mashobra, near Shimla. Rashtrapati Bhawan, New Delhi. A palace with 340 rooms- used by the President of India Last updated on: May 26, 2011 10:30 IST It is the largest residence of any chief of the state in the world. Even as population of people in India's slums is projected to rise to 93 million in 2011 or 7.75 percent of the total population, our head of the state lives in a grand palace maintained at a cost that runs into crores. In 2007, the maintenance cost of the presidential palace was estimated to be more than Rs 100 crore (Rs 1 billion) per year! The electricity bill of the Rashtrapati Bhavan in 2007-2008 stood at Rs 6.30 crore (Rs 63 million) followed by Rs 6.88 crore (Rs 68.8 million) in 2008-2009 and Rs 6.67 crore (Rs 66.7 million) in 2009-2010. Besides the Rashtrapati Bhavan at New Delhi, the President has official residences in two other states - Rashtrapati Nilayam near Secunderabad and The Retreat at Mashobra, near Shimla. Last updated on: May 26, 2011 10:30 IST The Rashtrapati Bhavan is one of India's best architectural marvels. A magnificent four-storeyed mansion, it has a floor area of 200,000 square feet. It was built by using 700 million bricks and three million cubic feet of stone. Last updated on: May 26, 2011 10:30 IST The cost of building this architectural wonder escalated to Rs 12.8 million, much higher than the projected cost.

Aggressive cigarette pack warnings

Aggressive cigarette pack warnings Smoking is tough to give up. Take a look at these images. It might help you or your loved one kick the butt. Graphic cigarette packaging, released by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration June 21, 2011, shows a man exhaling smoke through a hole in his throat for revamped U.S. tobacco labels, unveiled by health officials who hoped the warnings would help smokers quit. A U.S. appeals court on August 24, 2012 struck down a law that requires tobacco companies to use such graphic health warnings. REUTERS/U.S. Food and Drug Administration/Handout (UNITED STATES - Tags: HEALTH) FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. IT IS DISTRIBUTED, EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS An advisory printed on cigarette packs sold in Brazil. An advisory printed on cigarette packs sold in Brazil.

Preikestolen - a rock for the brave

Preikestolen (Norwegian Preikestolen) - a giant 604m high cliff with an almost flat top-site measuring approximately 25 by 25 meters, is located opposite the plateau Kjerag in Norway. Preikestolen is literally translated as "pulpit" and in English is called Pulpit Rock (Rock-chair). It offers a great view, so that the rock is known as one of the main natural attractions in Norway. In spite of that on top of Preikestolen absolutely no fences. Therefore, the most daring can talk down the abyss. But decided to come to the edge, not all guests Preikestolen When you stand on the top, the feeling is that the rock is about to collapse. A crack in the middle of the plateau (about 25 cm wide) like a terrible suspicion confirmed. However, if you believe the legend - there is nothing to fear. According to her Preikestolen collapse only when the 7 sisters become wives 7 brothers from one region of Norway. Another legend has it that in ancient times was used for executions Preikestolen and sacrifice.

Realistic Drawings On Canvas

Caught on canvas! The hyperrealistic drawings that look so good you could mistake them for photographs

By Anna Edwards

The first time you see Dirk Dzimirsky's hyperrealistic drawings, you're convinced they're black and white photographs.

But on closer inspection, you realise they are just the work of a very talented artist and his pens and pencils.

Using photos just for inspiration, he sets up basic proportions and then draws layer upon layer until he creates his incredibly realistic portraits. 

Canvas or camera? The portraits show just how talented the artist is, as his fine detailing shows the lengths he goes to to capture his subject

All with a pen and pencil: The artist uses a photograph to loosely get a feel for his portrait and then painstakingly fills it in to achieve the desired effect

Made you look twice! The artist captures event the glint of water on this man's teeth and the whiskers on his chin

Space Shuttle Endeavour last flight .

Endeavour last flight

Take off from Edward Air Force Base, in California Mojave Desert
 
Passes over the California State Capitol in Sacramento

Marvellous Spatuletail

Marvellous Spatuletail From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search The Marvellous Spatuletail (Loddigesia mirabilis) is a medium-sized (up to 15 cm long) white, green and bronze hummingbird adorned with blue crest feathers, a brilliant turquoise gorget, and a black line on its white underparts. It is the only member of the monotypic genus Loddigesia. A Peruvian endemic, this species is found in the forest edge of the Río Utcubamba region. It was first reported in 1835 by the bird collector Andrew Matthews for George Loddiges. The Marvellous Spatuletail is unique among birds, for it has just four feathers in its tail. Its most remarkable feature is the male's two long racquet-shaped outer tail feathers that cross each other and end in large violet-blue discs or "spatules". He can move them independently. Due to ongoing habitat loss, small population size, and limited range, the Marvellous Spatuletail is evaluated as Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It is listed on Appendix II of CITES. In 2006, American Bird Conservancy provided Peruvian conservation partner ECOAN with support to sign a conservation easement with the Pomacochas Community to protect and manage about 100 acres (0.40 km2) of significant habitat for the Marvelous Spatuletail hummingbird. Over 30,000 sapplings of native trees and bushes have since been planted there for the spatuletail. This conservation easement is the first of its kind in Peru. The Marvellous Spatuletail has been featured on the PBS TV series Nature.[1

Statue of Genghis Khan

The Genghis Khan Statue is a 40-metre tall statue of Ghengis Khan on horseback, on the bank of the Tuul River at Tsonjin Boldog (54 km east of the capital Ulan Bator), where according to legend, he found a golden whip. The statue is coverered in 250 tons of stainless steel[citation needed] is symbolically pointed south toward China. It is on top of the Genghis Khan Statue Complex, a visitor centre, itself 10 metres tall, with 36 columns representing the 36 khans from Genghis to Ligdan Khan. It was designed by sculptor D. Erdembileg and architect J. Enkhjargal and erected in 2008. Visitors walk to the head of the horse through its chest and neck of the horse, where they can have a panoramic view. The main statue area will be surrounded by 200 yurt camps, designed and arranged like the pattern of the horse brand marks that were used by the 13th century Mongol tribes. The cost of the complex is reported to be $4.1 million.

Steve Jobs puts humour into his death !!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

Male Fight - Survival of the Fittest

Art On Pumpkins!!!!

 

 

PHOTOGRAPHS OF CALCUTTA (KOLKATA) 1912

PHOTOGRAPHS OF CALCUTTA
(KOLKATA) 1912

Amazing collection of photographs depicting life in India
a century ago are found in an old shoebox. A tennis
party pose among tea trolleys:
full-length dresses and sun hats for the ladies; shirt-sleeve order,
neat moustaches and optional pipe for the men.

One image shows buildings in the city of Calcutta lit up over the
Lal Dighi body of water, commemorating a British royal visit,
while another depicts ships arriving at the Chandpal Ghat,
the main landing site for visitors to the city along
the Hooghly River. 

All 178 of the plate-glass negatives were found inside a size-nine
Peter Lord shoebox by the Royal Commission on the Ancient and
Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS) in Edinburgh.
All 178 images were found in a Peter Lord shoe-box
in Edinburgh and are about 100 years old.

[1]
A tennis party poses (one, far right, with a pipe) among tea trolleys in this photo taken in India around a century ago.

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[2]
Two men stick dance in front of a crowd in Maidan,
Calcutta. The dance represents a mock fight between
legendary warrior Durga and the mighty demon
king Mahishasura.

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[3]
Buildings on the south-east side of Lal Dighi, Calcutta,
lit at night for the 1912 British royal visit by
King George V and Queen Mary.

Countries you probably never heard about..

You really have to be a geography freak to know about thesecountries from the list. It's irrelevant to us how recognized they areas countries but they surely look at themselves like that. Of course aspecial thanks to Wikipedia for the article's research. 10. Vanuatu, 90% of Vanuatu people household and consume fish, and 80% are living in rural, isolated villages with their own gardens and food supplies. Scuba diving is a very popular tourist attraction here. Tsunamis are not a rare thing in Vanuatu, and earthquakes have a negative affect on the country's economy. 9. Nauru, a former German Empire colony is alsoknown as Pleasant Island of the South Pacific. The people of Nauru are collecting rain water during monsoon rains between November and February because they are very limited on natural fresh water. The most popular sport in this country is Australian rules football, and they have football league with seven teams. 8. Tuvalu, is a constitutional monarchy with Queen Elizabeth II as head of state. They don't have regular military forces, and spend no money on defense. Tuvalu is the 4th smallest country in the world. The first inhabitants of the country were Polynesian people.