wildlife

Myths and legends around the world attempt to explain solar eclipses, such as the one above in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Here’s the much-talked-about barge in San Francisco Bay.

What's so funny?

ALMA reveals ghostly shape of coldest place in the universe

Look Into The Eyes with Great Sight

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Solar Eclipse Myths From Around the World
People around the world, and through time, have come up with many a tale to explain the sun's disappearance.
This Sunday, November 3 - people in equatorial Africa will be treated to a rare view of a total solar eclipse. Those living on the eastern North American coast, northern South America, southern Europe, or the Middle East, will get to see a partial solar eclipse.

Google's massive mystery barge
There are two mysterious structures built on barges, one in San Francisco Bay, the other in Maine’s Portland Harbor.  read more »

"Literature Nobel to Alice Munro, 82"

"elephants get the point of pointing"

"surprisingly simple robots"

"let's share"

"longest talkathlon"

“how do I look?”

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Alice Munro, Canadian short story writer, 82, wins Nobel Prize in literature
"When I began writing there was a very small community of Canadian writers and little attention was paid by the world. Now Canadian writers are read, admired and respected around the globe. I'm so thrilled to be chosen as this year's Nobel Prize for Literature recipient. I hope it fosters further interest in all Canadian writers. I also hope that this brings further recognition to the short story form."  read more »

Aug 20th - Telescope Captures Stunning Image of Newborn Star and Vivid Stream

a few big open spaces remain—like the Rift floor in Queen Elizabeth Park  read more »

Once a year, penguins experience a catastrophic molt. (Yes, that’s the official term.) Most birds molt (lose feathers and regrow them) a few at a time throughout the year, but penguins lose them all at once.

Gentoo penguins “porpoise” by jumping out of the water. They can move faster through air than water, so will often porpoise to escape from a predator.

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Most penguins swim underwater at around four to seven miles per hour (mph), but the fastest penguin—the gentoo (Pygoscelis papua)—can reach top speeds of 22 mph!  read more »

"Without courage, wisdom bears no fruit." - Baltasar Gracian
*update* March 7, 2013 -

*update* February 21, 2013 - Japan halts whale hunt after Japanese factory ship rammed Sea Shepherd ships one after another, and 4 times rammed/damaged their own supply tanker, S Korean Sun Laurel" Video - Nisshin Maru rams Bob Barker, Steve Irwin, and Sun Laurel (now oil spill in S Ocean - Antarctic Whale Santuary)

Feb. 20, 2013 “I don’t think we have ever had a more eventful few hours in the 9 years we have been opposing the whaling in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary and certainly there has never been a day when all of our ships were rammed one after another,” writes Paul Watson on Facebook. “It is also the first time we have ever been rammed by the Nissin Maru, and to top it all off, the Japanese factory ship four times rammed and damaged their own supply tanker, the Sun Laurel.”  read more »

peregrine falcon - the fastest animal in the world

Two most famous French stars, cultural icons, are indeed very much French - they act on passion. Brigitte Bardot is determined to defend elephants (population shockingly dropped from 13,000,000 to 400,000 within 20 years) while Gerard Depardieu is extremely upset that 85% of his hard-earned money is not his: "I will neither complain nor brag, but I refuse to be called 'pathetic'". Per Daily Mail UK - 'Over 45 years, Depardieu has paid €145million euros' since he started working at age 14 as a printer. [Guardian UK] In protest not at tax hikes but at treatment of elephants, Brigitte Bardot threatens to follow Gérard Depardieu's move to quit France.

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