Lint@ng Nurc@hyo

People in flight – Photography by Denisa Tarzaka

2011-08-28T00:44:00.002+07:00

The following pictures aren’t made up by some Photoshop artist. These are the works of French photographer Denisa Tarzaka, who relies on professional dancers and his precise timing to produce the effect of zero gravity.

The Monastery of Ten Thousand Buddhas

2011-08-22T15:14:00.000+07:00

High above a lush hillside in the New Territories town of Sha Tin, Hong Kong is the Monastery of Ten Thousand Buddhas. It is not an actual monastery as there are no resident monks - instead, it is crowed with more than 13,000 statues of Buddhas of all shapes and sizes. To reach the monastery one must first climb over 400 steps up the hillside, the path lined with life-size statues of Buddhas.
“The entire path upwards was lined with Buddha statues, statues different from any Buddha I'd seen at a previous temple,” writes blogger Andy Carvin. “In fact, each statue was probably unique. There were thin Buddhas, chubby Buddhas, bald Buddhas, hairy Buddhas, Buddhas with walking sticks, Buddhas with dogs and dragons and frogs, macho Buddhas, androgynous Buddhas.”
Once inside the monastery, you are accosted by more statues – Buddhas in the garden, Buddhas in the pavilion, Buddhas in the tower. The walls inside the temple is lined with thousands upon thousands of miniature Buddhas.

The Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery was founded in 1951 by Yuet Kai, a monk who preached Buddhism in a local monastery. Construction of the monastery began in 1949. Despite his old age, Yuet Kai carried the buildings materials personally from the foot of the mountain together with his disciples to build the monastery. It took eight years to complete all the buildings and another ten years to finish the 12,800 Buddha statues. Today, his preserved body is presented in the main hall of the monastery in a glass case, often the main attraction of the temple.

Photos by Polina Delia

‘Astronaut Suicides’ by Neil DaCosta

2011-08-22T15:09:00.000+07:00

Astronaut Suicides is a humorous photo series by Neil Dacosta where he staged actors, donning spacesuits, attempting suicides following the end of the U.S. space program.

Long Exposure Photos of Night-time Air Attacks

2011-08-22T15:01:00.000+07:00

The ever increasing power and precision of modern artillery in recent years have attracted a great deal of attention to night attacks. It’s obvious that the advances in science and weapons technology makes it desirable to deliver attacks under the cover of darkness.
Modern war is mostly air raids, missile attacks and bombings that can be carried out even at night. Using sophisticated and cutting-edge, missile guidance systems and other state-of-the-art technology one can strike the enemy at precise targets causing maximum damage while incurring minimum loss to self. Night attacks also have an adverse psychological effect on the enemy.
Although there can be no justification for war, the following image gallery captures the fascinating beauty (if I may be allowed to use the word in this context) of war.
Also see a somewhat similar Long Exposure Shots of Airline Takeoffs and Landings

[via Pesochinsky]

Kettlewell Scarecrow Festival 2011

2011-08-22T14:56:00.000+07:00

Scarecrows of all shapes and sizes, including some rather familiar faces, come to life at the annual two-week Kettlewell Scarecrow Festival in this north Yorkshire village. During this event villagers comes with the most outlandish scarecrow designs ever. Visitors to the festival can spend the day wandering around the village enjoying the scarecrows and they can also take part in a treasure hunt. Scarecrows first came to Kettlewell in 1994 when a fund raising event was organized for the local school which serves much of Upper Whrfedale with its villages, isolated hamlets and remote farms. The enthusiastic response of parents and residents led to over 100 scarecrows appearing in gardens, open spaces, hidden corners and even on rooftops. The event was successfully repeated and, growing year by year,now attracts thousands of visitors over a nine day period in August.
See pictures from last year’s Kettlewell Scarecrow Festival.

Photograph: Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images via The Guardian

Imprint Left Behind by Birds Crashing Into Glass Windows

2011-08-22T14:50:00.001+07:00

When an owl crashed into the window of a Kendal home owner in the district of Cumbria, England, and left behind an almost perfect impression of himself on the glass, BBC asked its readers to send in their own photos. Below is an amusing collection of bird imprints.
But first, the original imprint of the poor owl. Experts said the silhouette was left by the bird's "powder down" - a substance protecting growing feathers.

Ann Colgan: "I was upstairs when I heard an almighty crash. I found this imprint on the bedroom window. I subsequently found the pigeon on the patio, under the window, it appeared to have broken its neck." Taken in Holyport, Berkshire.

Paul Thomas: "We had heard a 'thump' during the night but had not found anything out of place or unusual the next morning. It was not until a few days later when my daughter came round that we saw the imprint." Taken in Sanderstead, Surrey.

Charlie Wilson: " I was in the room at the time with my curtains closed and the sound of the bird hitting the glass frightened the life out of me!" Taken in Guildford, Surrey.

Barbara Mellor: "A seagull hit the bedroom window of my bungalow with a tremendous thud which set my dog off barking. I was amazed not to find a dead seagull outside on the path. It must have flown off - I would think with a dreadful headache!" Taken in Budleigh Salterton, Devon.

David Morton: "We recognised the imprint straight away as a tawny owl and as in the Kendal incident, the bird appears to have been uninjured." Photo taken by Sally Morton, near Ross-on-Wye in Herefordshire.

Mladen Radman: "This was the second time I encountered a bird's imprint on the window but the first time I had a camera to hand. There is an eerie beauty in the ghost like image." Taken in Edwalton, Nottingham.

Robert Baxter: "I noticed the imprint when it was illuminated by patio lights that evening, and was surprised by the detail, including an imprint of the bird's eye." Taken in Chafford Hundred, Essex.

Chris Dew: "When I stayed in Keswick for a wedding in July 2010 we returned to our room to see the perfect imprint of a duck on our window." Taken in the Lake District.

Kate Schreiber said her father-in-law saw an owl print on his bedroom window in Effingham, Surrey. "The owl crashed into the window during the middle of the night, he heard an almighty thud and got up to investigate but of course there was nothing to be seen until the next morning.," she said.

Barry Howard: "Imprint of pigeon after collision with patio door. We have at least one bird strike against a window each year and it's always a pigeon. There's such a loud bang it's surprising they manage to fly away but they do." Taken in Mudeford, Dorset.

Mike Neal: "We came home and saw this imprint on the patio window, I believe it is a Sparrow hawk. Obviously I was very concerned about the safety of the bird, but fortunately it was no where to be seen so I guess that it flew off safely." Taken in Bedfordshire.

Ian Watson: "This picture was taken at my sister's house in Attleborough in Norfolk, UK. You can see a collared dove outline on the window."

John Hull: "Not so spectacular as the owl." Taken in Havelock Walk, Forest Hill, London.

Models of Broken Houses by Ofra Lapid

2011-08-21T20:34:00.000+07:00

Inspired by photos of decaying houses which Israeli artist Ofra Lapid found on the Internet, Lapid created a series of incredible detailed small scale models of these abandoned homes.
I’m not entirely sure, but it seems like Lapid printed the pictures on paper/cardboard before shaping them into houses.

The series Broken houses is based on photographs of abandoned structures neglected by man and destroyed by the weather. The photos are found in the web while pursuing an amateur photographer from North Dakota who obsessively documents the decaying process of these houses. His photographs are used to create small scale models. Afterward, in the studio, the models are photographed again, omitted from their background and placed in gray.

Russia to Open Space Hotel by 2016

2011-08-21T20:27:00.000+07:00

A Russian company by the name of Orbital Technologies plans to build the world's first space hotel as a commercial alternative to the International Space Station. The hotel which is officially called Commercial Space Station will orbit at a height of some 350 kilometers above the earth and will have room for seven guest in four cabins with the most incredible views you're likely to get out of a window.
Passengers will be taken aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket. While floating above the earth, guests will be able to watch TV and surf the internet. In the gravity free space cabins guests will have the option to sleep either vertically or horizontally. Washing will be done with wet-wipes, and toilets will use flowing air to move waste through the system and waste water will be recycled and filtered along with the air. Food prepared on earth will be freeze dried before being carried to the hotel. Also alcohol will be strictly prohibited.

A five-day package, not including the two day trip in both directions aboard a Soyuz rocket, will cost close to a million dollars. Orbital Technologies says that the design and development of the space station is underway, and it is expected to launch in 2016.
The images in this gallery are all computer generated, of course.

New York City Day to Night in One Picture

2011-08-21T20:15:00.001+07:00

In his series “Day to Night” photographer Stephen Wilkes spent a minimum of ten hours taking hundreds of shots from the same perspective. Wilkes then wove and blended thirty to fifty parts from various shots to capture a fluid visual narrative of day turning into night within a single frame. His series will be on display at Chelsea’s Clamp Art Gallery in New York from September 8 through October 29.

[via Flavorwire]

26th Amphibious Car Meet in Switzerland

2011-08-21T20:12:00.000+07:00

This week, owners of more than 50 amphibious vehicles brought their World War 2-era military transporters, jeeps and vintage-style cars to Switzerland‚ St Blaise for their annual European gathering. Fitted with colourful sun umbrellas and decorated with flags, what looked like a motley crew of vehicles carrying families including babies and dogs drove off the port and glided smoothly into the water, before moving across Lake Neuchatel.
For those who are not aware, an amphibious vehicle is one that can be driven on both as well as in water, just like an amphibian.

Briton Paul Foley was driving an Amphicar, a 1960s German-built cabriolet which was also the only civilian amphibious vehicle to be mass produced, although only 3878 were made. Patrick Amerijckx drove his favorite vehicle the military Dukw truck – 21,147 of which were produced for the US army during the Second World War - and of which an astonishing number are still in use.
Since 1987, the group has met in various locations in Sweden, Italy, Germany and Switzerland and, in 2012, they will head to Norway. This year it is Switzerland's Lifeguards Club of the Low-Lake which is hosting the group as part of St Blaise village's 1000th anniversary celebrations.

Photos: Fabrice Coffrini / AFP

Portraits of Squashed Commuters in Japan by Michael Wolf

2011-07-28T11:41:00.000+07:00

Photographer Michael Wolf spent 30 days in a Tokyo metro station, capturing the traumatized faces of commuters on their way to work. Their woeful expressions have been immortalized in Wolf's photographic series, "Tokyo Compression". Each photograph is composed of individuals pressed up against windows and doors of the subway train with expressions of discomfort and stress after a hard day’s work.
The photographs were all taken at one station on Tokyo's Odakyu Line – the only stop where Wolf could get really close to the train windows. "Every 80 seconds a new train runs in," explains Wolf. "When the commuters get in and are pushed against a window, I'm two inches away from that window."

Having a camera shoved in their faces didn't make the commuters any more cheerful. "No one was pleased with it," admits Wolf. "My being there made them suddenly aware of how horrible the situation is and they were ashamed of it, but there was nothing they could do. They couldn't move away, leave the train, so some people tried to hide behind their hands. Others had this idea that if they closed their eyes, and they couldn't see me, then somehow I couldn't see them.”

[via The Independent, Photojojo]

Hand Paintings by Guido Daniele

2011-07-28T11:33:00.000+07:00

Guido Daniele was born in Soverato (Italy) and now lives and works in Milan. He graduated from Brera School of Arts and he has been painting and participating in personal and group art exhibitions since 1968. In 1972 he started working as hyper-realistic illustrator, in co-operation with major editing and advertising companies, using and testing different painting techniques. In 1990 he added a new artistic experience to his previous ones: using the body painting technique he creates and paints models bodies for advertising pictures and commercials, fashion events and exhibitions.

The "Handimals" collection originally started when Daniele was hired by an advertising agency to do some body paintings of animals. Instantly he took passion in the idea. "I researched each animal in depth to see how I could transfer it to a hand, and then set about bringing it to life." The first "Handimal" was the cheetah, and to this day is still his favorite. "It turned out perfectly the first time and gave me the courage to complete the rest of the set."
Most commonly, Daniele uses his son (Michael James, 15) and daughter (Ginevra, 22) as his primary canvases. "If you're spending hours on end holding someone's hand, I'd rather it be the hand of someone I love. There's nothing worse than working with a nervous, unfamiliar model whose hands are shaking." On average the typical "Handimal" takes around three to four hours to paint in its entirety. However the first time Daniele painted the eagle with outstretched wings clocked in at ten hours upon completion.
Daniele admits that the hardest part is not the painting itself, but rather having to watch his paintings be washed down the drain and disappear on a daily basis. "I'm getting used to it. At least I get to start each day with a fresh canvas."

[via letscounthedays]

Paintings by Nigel Cox

2011-07-28T11:25:00.000+07:00

Nigel was born in Newry Co. Down Ireland and grew up on the edge of Dundalk, a small market town in County Louth, just below the border and was educated at Dundalk Grammar School. After graduating from Riversdale College in Liverpool he joined the Transglobe Expedition, led by Sir Ranulph Fiennes. This three-year expedition successfully achieved the first circumnavigation of the globe on land, sea and ice via North and South poles along the Greenwich Meridian and changed his life forever.
During the expedition Nigel would be at sea, on an ice cap or in some remote location for months on end. Spending large amounts of time alone, surrounded by the staggering beauty of vast and often barren spaces had a profound affect and the essence of this experience strongly influenced his painting.

For many years after the expedition Nigel lived abroad, painting watercolours and oils, exhibiting and undertaking private commissions. Now living in London, he paints on canvas or linen, building up thin layers of oil paint and glazes to develop depth and detail.
His love of large open spaces and lack of clutter is obvious but he is also fascinated by detail. These opposing elements are merged confidently in his paintings providing the viewer with a glimpse beyond the clutter of everyday life, conjuring up notions of escape and peace, offering sanctuary from the frenetic world outside.

Visit the artist’s website.

Industrial Scars: Landscapes Destructed by Industrialization

2011-07-28T10:52:00.000+07:00

Industrial Scars is an environmental photography project by American photographer J Henry Fair, which explores the detritus of our consumer society, through large-scale aerial photo shoots and accompanying documentary research. Industrial Scars subjects range from oil drilling and coal ash waste to large-scale agricultural production and abandoned mining operations. In small airplanes, Fair circles above industrial areas and photographs with a bird's eye perspective the effects these operations have on our environment. Through his project, J Henry Fair has called attention to environmental and political problems in different regions of the world including the global warming process, environmental pollution, and habitat destruction - all of which are illustrated in Fair's photographs.

Plumes of bauxite waste at an aluminum manufacturing plant. Darrow, Louisiana, USA, December 2005

Inside a holding tank at an oil sands upgrader facility. Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada, July 2009

A power plant flushes toxic waste generated in the course of its operation. Paynvil, South Carolina, USA, 2009.

Herbicide manufacturing plant, Luling, Louisiana, USA, 2010

An oil spill caused by the explosion of semi-submersible oil rig Deepwater Horizon. The explosion caused one of the largest environmental disasters in the world. Gulf of Mexico, USA, 2010.

Outlet pipe from phosphate waste impoundment. Lakeland, Florida, USA, 2007

Waste pond near brown coal-fired power station. Lausitz, Germany, 2010

Wastes from a coal power plant. Moncks Corner, South Carolina, 2009.

Wastes from another coal power plant Canadice, South Carolina, 2009.

Sulphur wastes from the tar sands extraction. Fort McMurray, Canada, 2009 Canadian oil sands

Incredible Life Sized Paper Sculptures by Vally Nomidou

2011-07-27T11:56:00.000+07:00

Greek artist Vally Nomidou creates life sized sculptures of human figures using nothing but paper and card board. The internal frame is built with cardboard with vertical and horizontal grid in order to give support to the structure. The outer skin is finished off with newspaper, paper towels, handmade paper and other materials salvaged from around the house, cut, sewn, glued and rubbed to achieve the realistic rendering of her subjects. Apparently, she also uses partial plaster casts.

[via Colossal]

Pictures From San Diego Comic Con 2011

2011-07-27T11:23:00.000+07:00

The San Diego Comic-Con International began on July 20 at the San Diego Convention Center. Passes for the Preview Night of this year’s edition of the 4-Day event were sold out during the 2010 convention. 4-Day Passes without Preview and daily passes were sold out in record time on Feb 6, less than 8 hours after going on sale. The event attracts some 100,000 visitors each year.
San Diego Comic-Con International, commonly known as Comic-Con or the San Diego Comic-Con, was founded as the Golden State Comic Book Convention and later the San Diego Comic Book Convention in 1970 by Shel Dorf and a group of San Diegans. It is traditionally a four-day event, held during the summer in San Diego, California, United States, at the San Diego Convention. A three-hour preview night is open to professionals, exhibitors, and some guests.
Below are some pictures of the attendees and their fancy costumes on the preview night as well as on the day event. Also see Pictures from San Diego Comic-Con 2010

Photos by: John Shearer/Getty Images, Jerod Harris/Getty Images, Michael Buckner/Getty Images, Frazer Harrison/Getty Images, AP Photo/Denis Poroy, AP Photo/Gregory Bull

Mysterious And Cinematic Photography by Stewart Isbell

2011-07-27T11:18:00.000+07:00

Stewart Isbell found his interest in photography at the young age of 15 while growing up in Little Rock, Arkansas. He was always seen spending his time living in the darkroom, working on the yearbook or school newspaper. Those formative years solidified his goals of having a career in photography.
A few years later, he loaded up and followed his dreams to New York City to study at The School of Visual Arts in Manhattan. There he received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in photography back in 2001. He began to shoot commercial assignments early on during his second year in school and things have taken off from there.

One of his recent photo series entitled “Then Quietly They Came” is best described by Creativedusk:

It began with a strange, bright light coming from the fields. No one knew what it was, but it was happening more and more in cornfields. Strange noises coming from wooded areas. Curiosity got the better of most people. Even your own car started emitting the light that would just transfix you. It drew you towards it like a lighthouse beacon. Crop circles appeared in the morning. Unexplained corpses were found semi-submerged. Fear started to spread in communities. People were determined to defend themselves. But the lights kept coming, even in broad daylight, in public places. Nothing could be done to stop the light. Then the men in contamination suits came. Evacuation, they said.

Stunning Miniature Dioramas by Lori Nix

2011-07-27T10:59:00.000+07:00

Brooklyn photographer Lori Nix spends weeks, even months, hand-fashioning tiny painstakingly detailed dioramas and then captures them with her 8x10 large format camera. She builds the 3-D scenes in her living room on nights and weekends with the help of an assistant, with each one taking anywhere from two to fifteen months to complete. Her models are about 20 x 24 x 72 inches in size but appear nearly indistinguishable from full-size scenes.

[via Laughing Squid]

The Unnatural History Museum by Hine Mizushima

2011-07-27T10:48:00.000+07:00

“The Unnatural History Museum” is a collection of cute needle felted woolen sculptures by Japanese artist/illustrator Hine [pronounced hee-neh] Mizushima.
Hine Mizushima was born and raised in Japan. She majored in Japanese traditional paintings, and worked as a designer/Illustrator in Tokyo. Then she moved to Rome, then Paris, then NY. She now lives in Vancouver, Canada with her family where she works as a slow Crafter, and Stop-motion puppet animation video artist. She has been commissioned for a number of commercial music videos, including several for They Might Be Giants. Her felt sculptures have been exhibited in galleries in NY, LA, SF and other cities.
Anatomical Female

Red Ants

Giant Daphnia

Octosnake

Ectoplasm

Giant Amoeba

Giant Paramecium

See more at her Flickr Stream
Also see Kay Petal’s Needle Felted Celebrity Wool Sculptures

Censorship Tells The Wrong Story

2011-07-27T10:45:00.000+07:00

“Censorship tells the wrong story” is an amusing anti-censorship ad campaign by Reporters Without Borders, where images featuring political leaders are strategically pixelated to alter perception and add new meaning. Vladimir Putin engaging in self gratification, President Obama groping Hillary Clinton and David Cameron flipping the bird.
The campaign was created by the firm Ogilvy & Mather.

U.S. President Barack Obama and Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton

British prime minister, David Cameron

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi

French President Nicolas Sarkozy

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin

2011-05-05T15:12:00.001+07:00

Para pembaca tentunya pernah mendengar yang namanya kisah Ramayana dan Mahabarata, dua epos terkenal dari India kuno yang juga sangat terkenal seluruh dunia.

Epos Mahabarata mengisahkan konflik hebat keturunan Pandu dan Dritarasta dalam memperebutkan takhta kerajaan. Menurut sumber yang saya dapat, eposini ditulis pada tahun 1500 SM, dan menurut perkiraan, perang tsb meletus sekitar 5000 tahun yang lalu. Banyak spekulasi bermunculan dari peristiwa ini, diantaranya ada sebuah spekulasi baru dengan berani menyebutkan bahwa perang Mahabarata adalah semacam perang NUKLIR!!

Tapi, benarkah demikian yang terjadi sebenarnya? Mungkinkah jauh sebelum era mod ern seperti masa kita ini ada sebuah peradaban maju yang telah menguasai teknologi nuklir?

Masa sebelum 4000 SM dianggap sebagai masa pra sejarah dan peradaban Sumeria dianggap peradaban tertua didunia. Akan selama ini terdapat berbagai diskusi, teori dan penyelidikan mengenai kemungkinan bahwa dunia pernah mencapai sebuah peradaban yang maju sebelum tahun 4000 SM.

Teori Atlantis, Lemuria, kini makin diperkuat dengan bukti tertulis seperti percakapan Plato mengenai dialog Solon dan pendeta Mesir kuno mengenai Atlantis, naskah kuno Hinduisme mengenai Ramayana & Bharatayudha mengenai dinasti Rama kuno, dan bukti arkeologi mengenai peradaban Monhenjo-Daroo, Easter Island dan Pyramid Mesir maupun Amerika Selatan. Akhir-akhir ini perhatian saya tertuju terhadap sebuah teori mengenai kemungkinan manusia pernah memasuki zaman nuklir lebih dari 6000 tahun yang lalu.

Peradaban Atlantis di barat, dan dinasti Rama di Timur diperkirakan berkembang dan mengalami masa keemasan antara tahun 30000 SM hingga 15000 SM. Atlantis memiliki wilayah mulai dari Mediteranian hingga Pegunungan Andes di seberang Samudra Atlantis sedangkan Dinasti Rama berkuasa di bagian Utara India-Pakistan-Tibet hingga Asia Tengah. Peninggalan Prasasti di Indus, Mohenjo Daroo dan Easter Island (Pasifik Selatan) hingga kini belum bisa diterjemahkan dan para ahli memperkirakan peradaban itu berasal jauh lebih tua dari peradaban tertua yang selama ini diyakini manusia (4000 BC).

Beberapa naskah Wedha dan Jain yang antara lain mengenai Ramayana dan Mahabharata ternyata memuat bukti historis maupun gambaran teknologi dari Dinasti Rama yang diyakini pernah mengalami zaman keemasan dengan tujuh kota utamanya 'Seven Rishi City' yg salah satunya adalah Mohenjo Daroo (Pakistan Utara). Dalam suatu cuplikan cerita dalam Epos Mahabarata dikisahkan bahwa Arjuna dengan gagah berani duduk dalam Weimana (sebuah benda mirip pesawat terbang) dan mendarat di tengah air, lalu meluncurkan Gendewa, semacam senjata yang mirip rudal/roket yang dapat menimbulkan sekaligus melepaskan nyala api yang gencar di atas wilayah musuh, lalu dalam sekejap bumi bergetar hebat, asap tebal membumbung tinggi diatas cakrawala, dalam detik itu juga akibat kekuatan ledakan yang ditimbulkan dengan segera menghancurkan dan menghanguskan semua apa saja yang ada disitu.

Yang membuat orang tidak habis pikir, sebenarnya senjata semacam apakah yang dilepaskan Arjuna dengan Weimana-nya itu?

Dari hasil riset dan penelitian yang dilakukan ditepian sungai Gangga di India, para arkeolog menemukan banyak sekali sisa-sisa puing-puing yang telah menjadi batu hangus di atas hulu sungai. Batu yang besar-besar pada reruntuhan ini dilekatkan jadi satu, permukaannya menonjol dan cekung tidak merata. Jika ingin melebur bebatuan tersebut, dibutuhkan suhu paling rendah 1.800 C. Bara api yang biasa tidak mampu mencapai suhu seperti ini, hanya pada ledakan nuklir baru bisa mencapai suhu yang demikian.

Di dalam hutan primitif di pedalaman India, orang-orang juga menemukan lebih banyak reruntuhan batu hangus. Tembok kota yang runtuh dikristalisasi, licin seperti kaca, lapisan luar perabot rumah tangga yang terbuat dari batuan di dalam bangunan juga telah dikacalisasi. Selain di India, Babilon kuno, gurun sahara, dan guru Gobi di Mongolia juga telah ditemukan reruntuhan perang nuklir prasejarah. Batu kaca pada reruntuhan semuanya sama persis dengan batu kaca pada kawasan percobaan nuklir saat ini.

Dari berbagai sumber yang saya pelajari, secara umum dapat digambarkan berbagai macam teori dan penelitian mengenai subyek ini memberikan beberapa bahan kajian yang menarik. Antara lain adalah :

Atlantis dan Dinasti Rama pernah mengalami masa keemasan (Golden Age) pada saat yang bersamaan (30000-15000 BC). Keduanya sudah menguasai teknologi nuklir. Keduanya memiliki teknologi dirgantara dan aeronautika yang canggih hingga memiliki pesawat berkemampuan dan berbentuk seperti UFO (berdasarkan beberapa catatan) yang disebut Vimana (Rama) dan Valakri (Atlantis). Penduduk Atlantis memiliki sifat agresif dan dipimpin oleh para pendeta (enlighten priests), sesuai naskah Plato. Dinasti Rama memiliki tujuh kota besar (Seven Rishi's City) dengan ibukota Ayodhya dimana salah satu kota yang berhasil ditemukan adalah Mohenjo-Daroo. Persaingan dari kedua peradaban tersebut mencapai puncaknya dengan menggunakan senjata nuklir.

Para ahli menemukan bahwa pada puing-puing maupun sisa-sisa tengkorak manusia yang ditemukan di Mohenjo-Daroo mengandung residu radio-aktif yang hanya bisa dihasilkan lewat ledakan Thermonuklir skala besar. Dalam sebuah seloka mengenai Mahabharata, diceritakan dengan kiasan sebuah senjata penghancur massal yang akibatnya mirip sekali dengan senjata nuklir masa kini.

Beberapa Seloka dalam kitab Wedha dan Jain secara eksplisit dan lengkap menggambarkan bentuk dari 'wahana terbang' yang disebut 'Vimana' yang ciri-cirinya mirip piring terbang masa kini. Sebagian besar bukti tertulis justru berada di India dalam bentuk naskah sastra, sedangkan bukti fisik justru berada di belahan dunia barat yaitu Piramid di Mesir dan Amerika Selatan. Singkatnya segala penyelidikan diatas berusaha menyatakan bahwa umat manusia pernah maju dalam peradaban Atlantis dan Rama. Bahkan jauh sebelum 4000SM manusia pernah memasuki abad antariksa dan teknologi nuklir. Akan tetapi zaman keemasan tersebut berakhir akibat perang nuklir yang dahsyat hingga pada masa sesudahnya, manusia sempat kembali ke zaman primitif hingga munculnya peradaban Sumeria sekitar 4000 SM atau 6000 tahun yang lalu.

Tahun 1972 silam, ada sebuah penemuan luar biasa yang barangkali bisa semakin memperkuat dugaan bahwa memang benar peradaban masa silam telah mengalami era Nuklir yaitu penemuan tambang Reaktor Nuklir berusia dua miliyar tahun di Oklo,

Republik Gabon.

Infonya:

Reaktor Nuklir Berusia 2 Miliyar Tahun di Oklo, Republik Gabon

Pada tahun 1972, ada sebuah (Perancis)perusahaan yang mengimpor biji mineral uranium dari Oklo di Republik Gabon, Afrika untuk diolah. Mereka terkejut dengan penemuannya, karena biji uranium impor tersebut ternyata sudah pernah diolah dan dimanfaatkan sebelumnya serta kandungan uraniumnya dengan limbah reaktor nuklir hampir sama. Penemuan ini berhasil memikat para ilmuwan yang datang ke Oklo untuk suatu penelitian, dari hasil riset menunjukkan adanya sebuah reaktor nuklir berskala besar pada masa prasejarah, dengan kapasitas kurang lebih 500 ton biji

Uranium di enam wilayah, diduga dapat menghasilkan tenaga sebesar 100 ribu watt. Tambang reaktor nuklir tersebut terpelihara dengan baik, dengan lay-out yang masuk akal, dan telah beroperasi selama 500 ribu tahun lamanya. Yang membuat orang lebih tercengang lagi ialah bahwa limbah penambangan reaktor nuklir yang dibatasi itu, tidak Tersebar luas di dalam areal 40 meter di sekitar pertambangan. Kalau ditinjau dari teknik penataan reaksi nuklir yang ada, maka teknik penataan tambang reaktor itu jauh lebih hebat dari sekarang, yang sangat membuat malu ilmuwan sekarang ialah saat kita sedang pusing dalam menangani masalah limbah nuklir, manusia zaman untuk menyimpan limbah nuklir! prasejarah sudah tahu cara memanfaatkan topografi alami

Tambang uranium di Oklo itu kira-kira dibangun dua miliar tahun, setelah adanya bukti data geologi, dan tidak lama setelah menjadi pertambangan maka dibangunlah sebuah reaktor nuklir ini. Mensikapi hasil riset ini maka para ilmuwan mengakui bahwa inilah sebuah reaktor nuklir kuno, yang telah mengubah buku pelajaran selama ini, serta memberikan pelajaran kepada kita tentang cara menangani limbah nuklir. Sekaligus membuat ilmuwan mau tak mau harus mempelajari dengan serius kemungkinan eksistensi peradaban prasejarah itu, dengan kata lain bahwa reaktor nuklir ini merupakan produk masa peradaban umat manusia. Seperti diketahui, penguasaan teknologi atom oleh umat manusia baru dilakukan dalam kurun waktu beberapa puluh tahun saja, dengan adanya penemuan ini sekaligus menerangkan bahwa pada dua miliar tahun yang lampau sudah ada sebuah teknologi yang peradabannya melebihi kita sekarang ini, serta mengerti betul akan cara penggunaannya.

Hal yang patut membuat orang termenung dalam-dalam ialah bahwa mengapa manusia zaman prasejarah yang memiliki sebuah teknologi maju tidak bisa mewariskan teknologinya, malah hilang tanpa sebab, yang tersisa hanya setumpuk jejak saja. Lalu bagaimana kita menyikapi atas penemuan ini? Permulaan sebelum dua miliar tahun hingga satu juta tahun dari peradaban manusia sekarang ini terdapat peradaban manusia. Dalam masa-masa yang sangat lama ini terdapat berapa banyak peradaban yang demikian ini menuju ke binasaan? Jika kita abaikan terhadap semua peninggalan-peninggalan peradaban prasejarah ini, sudah barang tentu tidak akan mempelajarinya secara mendalam, apalagi menelusuri bahwa mengapa sampai tidak ada kesinambungannya, lebih-lebih untuk mengetahui penyebab dari musnahnya sebuah peradaban itu. Dan apakah perkembangan dari ilmu pengetahuan dan teknologi kita sekarang akan mengulang seperti peradaban beberapa kali sebelumnya? Betulkah penemuan ini, serta mengapa penemuan-penemuan peradaban prasejarah ini dengan teknologi manusia masa kini begitu mirip? Semua masalah ini patut kita renungkan dalam-dalam.

Trees Cocooned in Spider Webs After Pakistan Flood [Must See]

2011-04-12T13:39:00.000+07:00

An unexpected side-effect of the flooding in parts of Pakistan last year has been that millions of spiders were driven up into the trees to escape the rising flood waters. Because of the scale of the flooding and the fact that the water has taken so long to recede, spiders have built massive webs on trees turning them into ghostly cocoons. Such a phenomenon has never been seen before.

On the flip side, people in Sindh have reported fewer mosquitos than they would have expected given the amount of stagnant water in the area. It is thought the mosquitoes are getting caught in the spiders' webs, reducing their numbers and the associated risk of malaria.

Photos: Russell Watkins, U.K. Department for International Development

Eye Deceiving Wall Murals by John Pugh

2011-04-12T13:35:00.002+07:00

California based artist John Pugh specializes in the art of in ‘trompe l’oeil’, which means 'to deceive the eye’ in French. Pugh uses his skills to create huge 3D scenes on the side of buildings that fools the eye. Take for instance the wall mural painted on a wall in Los Gatos, California. It looks as if an earthquake had shaken away the walls of these buildings to reveal Egyptian architecture hidden inside. And that woman peering into the ruins? She is not real either.

The 'earthquake' work shown here is located on Main Street in the town of Los Gatos and was created following a genuine earthquake in 1989.

John inserts a passer-by into the mural painted in Santa Cruz, California, entitled Bay in a Bottle, who is watching the ocean scene

A mural entitled Art Imitating Life Imitating Art Imitating Life, at the Cafe Trompe L'oeil, in San Jose, California

Valentine's Day, a mural unveiled during the Global Mural Conference in Twentynine Palms, California

John Pugh's Mana Nalu mural in Honolulu. Fire crews rushed to save the children from the mighty wave - before realising it was an optical illusion

A wall mural on a sidewalk in Sarasota County Health Center, Florida

Joe Simpson’s Cinematic Oil Paintings

2011-04-12T13:34:00.000+07:00

London based artist Joe Simpson, by utilizing his incredible talent to paint realistically, stages fictitious scenes with a strong hint at cinematography - the consistent use of the ‘widescreen’ format and theatrical lighting. Needless to say, his works are breathtaking.
In this gallery we present some of his best works. (Also see Movie Like Hyper-Realistic Paintings by Damian Loeb)

Ultra Realistic Still Life Paintings by Luciano Ventrone

2011-04-12T13:27:00.000+07:00

Luciano Ventrone was born in Rome in 1942 and moved to Denmark at the age of four, where he hosted by Lady Metha Petersen – a wealthy and most of all a lovely woman who lavished him with gifts. Among them was a box of colored pencils…and from that time colors have shaped his life.

Returning to Italy after his compulsory education and due to his family situation, Ventrone had several jobs but nevertheless, in 1960 he managed to attend Arts school in Rome. After graduating in 1964, he studied Architecture until 1968 and then joined the student protests and decides to abandon his studies and dedicate his life to painting – which he never abandoned and was his only source of income at that time. His life drawings were published in the Academic book (“Human anatomy – the central nervous system”) written by Prof. Gastone Lambertini of Cattolica University in Rome.

[via Design Your Trust]

Inflatable Plastic Crowd in Movies

2011-04-12T13:25:00.000+07:00

Computer Generated Imagery (CGI) is expensive and extras are difficult to handle, besides costing money. The Inflatable Crowd Company offers the alternative – plastic, inflatable mannequins, thirty thousands of them for use in movies where large crowd is required. The company was formed in 2002 for creating crowd scenes for the Hollywood movie Sea Biscuit. Their inflatable crowd have since appeared in over 80 feature films including many memorable ones like The King’s Speech, Frost/Nixon, American Gangster, Spiderman 3 and many more. These plastic men and women were featured in many TV shows and commercials as well.

Here are some pictures of the crowd up close, and as they appear in the movies.

Blow up dolls are taken from their boxes and inflated for shooting in a commercial.

The dolls are then dressed. They still don’t have faces. These along with wig, hat etc. are fitted later.

Up close they look shabby and horribly fake, but under the correct lighting and camera angle, they pass on pretty good.

A scene on the sets of the movie American Gangster with 1,500 Inflatables.

A scene on the sets of the movie Cinderella Man with 11,000 Inflatables

A scene on the sets of the movie We Are Marshall with 2,400 Inflatables

A scene on the sets of the movie The Changeling with 400 Inflatables

A scene on the sets of the movie Glory Road with 4,000 Inflatables

550 inflatable dolls getting prepared for a scene in the movie Angels & Demons.
Photos: 7-how-7, The Inflatable Crowd Company

Photographs of Elderly Animals by Isa Leshko

2011-04-12T13:23:00.000+07:00

Photographer Isa Leshko is travelling across the United States visiting sanctuaries to photograph animals that are elderly or at the end stage of their lives. Leshko has been especially drawn toward photographing farm animals because they typically do not live out their natural life spans. She was intrigued to observe animals that actually reached a geriatric age and started photographing them. Leshko plans to photograph a wide range of species, both wild and domesticated as the series progresses.

Writes the photographer:

I began the series as a means of exploring my feelings about my mother’s decline due to Alzheimer’s Disease. As I’ve worked on this project, though, I’ve come to realize that these images are a testament to survival and endurance. And they raise questions about what it means to be elderly.

Blue, Australian Kelpie, Age 19,

Embden Goose, Age 28.

Kelly, Irish Wolfhound, Age 11

Red, Chow Mix, Age 14+

Rooster, Age Unknown

Handsome One, Thoroughbred Horse, Age 33

Teresa, Yorkshire Pig, Age 13

Pumpkin, Morgan Arabian Horse, Age 28

Finn Sheep, Both Age 12

Marino, Bronze Turkey, Age 5

Rania Matar: A Girl And Her Room

2011-04-12T13:21:00.000+07:00

Lebanese photographer Rania Matar photographs young women from around the world in their most private space - their bedroom, giving us viewers “an edgy and titillating peek into the lives of teenage girls”, as Artshound.com puts it.

Rania Matar derived inspiration for this project from her own teenage daughter and watching her grow from girlhood into adulthood. “As I observed her and her girlfriends, I became fascinated with the transformation taking place, with the adult personality shaping up, with an insecurity and a self-consciousness that are now replacing the carefree world the girls had lived in so far”, she writes.
Notice how most girls have posters of rock stars, political leaders or top models above a bed still covered with stuffed animals. Mirrors were always an important part of the room, a reflection of the girls' image to the outside world. (Also see: Where Children Sleep)

Rania Matar has photographed over 125 girls so far and she is not yet done.

Siena 17, Brookline MA

Emma 18, Brookline MA

Zoe 17, Newton MA

Ariel 17, Winchester MA

Mara 15, Boston MA

Devin 18, Winchester MA

Madison Chloe 16, Cornwall NY

Chapin 13, Dedham MA

Elham 18, Shatila Refugee Camp Beirut

Mariam 15, Bourj El Shamali Refugee Camp, Tyre Lebanon

Raissa 15, Medford MA

Ai 22, Boston MA

Shannon 21, Boston

Alia 19, Beirut Lebanon

Hailey 13, Exeter NH

Becca 19, Brookline MA

Danielle 19, Boston

Emma 17, Brookline MA

Lizzie 17, Cornwall NY

Brittany 19, Boston

Rocia 17, Dorcester MA

Lilly 15, Brookline MA

Sarah 17, Shatila Refugee Camp Beirut

Bisan 16, Bethlehem West Bank

Marathon des Sables 2011–Race Across The Sahara Desert

2011-04-12T13:13:00.000+07:00

The Marathon des Sables has been described as the toughest race on earth. The race consist of one long walk – 254 km - across one of the hottest regions on earth – the Sahara desert. The first Marathon des Sables was held in 1986. This year marks the 26th anniversary of the race.
A total of 849 competitors set off on this grueling six-day, 150 mile endurance race across the Sahara in Morocco on April 3, 2011. (See last year’s pictures)

Fly Geyser: A Man Made Geyser in Nevada

2011-04-12T13:11:00.000+07:00

Fly Geyser is a very little known tourist attraction, even to Nevada residents. It is located right near the edge of Fly Reservoir and is only about 5 feet high, 12 feet if you count the mound on which it sits. The Geyser is not an entirely natural phenomenon, and was accidentally created in 1916 during the drilling of a well. The well functioned normally for several decades, but then in the 1960s geothermally heated water found a weak spot in the wall and began escaping to the surface. Dissolved minerals started rising and piling up, creating the mount on which the geyser sits, offering an eerie, out-of-the-world sight. The mound is still growing to date.

Fly Geyser is located on the private Fly Ranch currently owned by Todd Jaksick and is accessible only by a small private dirt road. The geyser is protected from trespassers by a high fence and a locked gate with several metal spokes on the top, but despite the booby traps, many people still prefer to jump the fence to get a better look. Several organizations have tried to purchase the land for conservation, and make it open to the public, but have been denied.

EL.. naik naik kepuncak gunung...

2011-03-27T20:11:00.000+07:00

Adrienne Antonson Makes Insects Out of Human Hair

2011-01-28T02:02:00.000+07:00

On the question of why she chose hair as her sculpting medium, the she explains: ”As an artist with a deep interest in sustainable and self-supporting systems, human hair seems the most immediate and true material. I find the historical implications and various uses of human hair fascinating. I am also intrigued with the attraction/repulsion response the material evokes. It is sentimental, challenging and honest.”

Wonderful Book Origami by Isaac Salazar

2011-01-28T01:59:00.000+07:00

Chocolate Sculptures at Exhibition in Hong Kong

2011-01-28T01:38:00.000+07:00

A shopping mall in Hong Kong is playing host to a 'Chocolate World Heritage' exhibition from Jan. 20 to Feb. 20. As a part of the exhibition, several chocolate sculptures by renowned Italian chocolatier Mirco Mirco Della Vecchia are on display. Mirco Della Vecchia currently holds the Guinness World Records title for making the largest chocolate sculpture in the world.

A chocolate sculpture of Stonehenge, created by Italian chocolatier Mirco Della Vecchia, is displayed as part of his "Chocolate World Heritage" exhibition in Hong Kong Jan. 20, 2011.

Mirco Della works on his chocolate Arc de Triomphe.

A chocolate sculpture of the Colosseum

Mirco Della Vecchia puts the finishing touches on a chocolate sculpture of the Torre pendente di Pisa

A chocolate sculpture of the Abu Simbel

Tottori Sand Dunes: A Mini Desert in Japan

2011-01-28T01:36:00.000+07:00

Who would have thought there is a desert in Japan? Well, not quite a desert but a huge sand dune that looks nearly a desert to me. It’s the Tottori Sand Dunes located near Tottori City in Honshū, Japan. The dunes stretch along the coast east of Tottori City for 16 kilometers and extend up to 2 kilometers away from the coast. The dunes are spread over an area of 30 square kilometers – not like the Sahara, but not small either.

The Tottori Sand Dunes were created by sediment deposits carried from the Chūgoku Mountains by the Sendai River into the Sea of Japan. Sea currents and wind help bring the sand from the bottom up onto the shore, where the wind constantly rearranges their shape. The highest dunes reach around 90 meters above sea level and can reach 40 degree slopes. Technically, its not a desert but the temperature of the sand can easily soar above 50C on sunny summer days. A number of hardy species of plants and animals also thrive in sections of the dunes.

The dunes have existed for over 100,000 years, but the area of the dunes has been steadily decreasing due to a government reforestation program following World War II. Additionally, concrete barriers erected to protect the coast from tsunamis have disrupted the currents responsible for bringing the sand to shore.
The Tottori Sand Dunes attract some two million visitors each year, mostly from within Japan and East Asia.

Sources: 1, 2, 3

The Dark Side of Barbie

2011-01-28T01:32:00.000+07:00

Photographer Mariel Clayton explorers the evil and hitherto unknown side of the famous doll character. When asked why she did it, Clayton explains: ‘Because I hate Barbie. I intensely dislike the stereotype that the “ideal” female fits no current authentic female form. You can’t get to be Barbie without an ocean’s worth of peroxide, 27 plastic surgeries and a complete lack of intelligence, so it irritates me immensely that this is the toy of choice women give to their daughters to emulate. Behind the vacuous perpetual lipsticked-smile lurks the black heart of the true sociopath, just like in real life’.

Abandoned World War II Bunkers by Jonathan Andrew

2011-01-28T00:30:00.000+07:00

Dutch photographer Jonathan Andrew, who lives in Amsterdam, produced a remarkable series of night shots of abandoned Word War 2 bunkers around Netherlands, Belgium and France.

Type 583a Heerenduin - The Netherlands

Casemate Type 623 - Netherlands

SK Observation Tower - Belgium

Type L483, Central radio Transmitter Bunker - The Netherlands

Type 703 Emminkhuizen - Netherlands

R636 Fire Control Post - France

Dragon Teeth, Riegelstellung Dune. Used to slow down and impede tanks.

Type 669 Heensche Molen - The Netherlands

Type 669 Heenschemolen - The Netherlands

Penemuan ini ditemukan oleh tim Peneliti dari Jepang dua gambar menggemparkan di dataran Nazca, Peru. Satu seperti muka manusia dan satu lagi seperti seekor binatang.

2011-01-28T00:08:00.000+07:00

Penemuan ini ditemukan oleh tim Peneliti dari Jepang dua gambar menggemparkan di dataran Nazca, Peru. Satu seperti muka manusia dan satu lagi seperti seekor binatang.

Dilansir dari Japan Times, gambar muka manusia itu berukuran panjang 4,2 meter dan lebar 3,1 meter. Geoglif, atau gambar di permukaan bumi, yang lain tampak seperti seekor binatang yang memiliki panjang 2,7 meter dan lebar 6,9 meter. Namun tanggal pembuatan kedua geoglif ini belum diketahui.

Berikut Gambar-gambar yang telah ditemukan oleh para peneliti:

Penemuan ini telah menambah koleksi ‘misterius’ yang diperkirakan dibuat antara 200 tahun dan 600 tahun sebelum Masehi. Kawasan penemuan ini ditetapkan UNESCO sebagai Situs Warisan Dunia

Atmosphere Plays Light Tricks As Rocket Launches Over Russia

2011-01-28T00:02:00.001+07:00

Sometimes when the weather, the time and the light is just about right, rocket launches can leave spectacular trails over the sky. It’s called twilight phenomenon. This happens when unburned particles of rocket propellant and water left in the vapor trail of a launch vehicle condenses, freezes and then expands in the less dense upper atmosphere. The exhaust plume, which is suspended against a dark sky is then illuminated by reflective high altitude sunlight, which produces a spectacular, colorful effect when seen at ground level. Depending on weather conditions, the pattern could remain in the sky for up to half an hour before dispersing.

A series of pictures supposedly taken at an unknown location in Russian, posted over at russiatrek.org, shows some very curious formation. The pattern, that looks more like a shock wave, than a vapor trail and the fact that it could be seen against a relatively darkened sky with no sunlight suggests that there could be something else happening here. Can anybody explains this?

For comparison, here is how a typical twilight phenomenon looks like.

More pictures from the Russian space launch.

Insects Made From Matchsticks

2011-01-28T00:00:00.000+07:00

Brighton UK based sculptor and model maker Kyle Bean created these impressive insects by carefully gluing together pieces of matchsticks. Bean specializes in hand crafted models, prop styling and art direction. Having graduated from the University of Brighton in 2009, he is currently working freelance.

Thursday, September 16, 2010 Gravity Defying Photographs of Li Wei

2010-10-13T00:36:00.000+07:00

Chinese artist Li Wei’s work often depicts him in apparently gravity-defying situations. Li, who is from Beijing, started off his performance series ‘Mirroring’ and later on took off attention with his ‘Falls’ series which shows the artist with his head and chest embedded into the ground. His work is a mixture of performance art and photography that creates illusions of a sometimes dangerous reality. Li Wei states that these images are not computer montages and works with the help of props such as mirror, metal wires, scaffolding and acrobatics.

Designers Create World’s First Spray On Cloth

2010-10-13T00:33:00.002+07:00

Extra tight, figure hugging clothes had just become easier to obtain. A Spanish fashion designer has developed the world's first spray-on clothing that can be worn, washed and worn again. Manel Torres joined forces with scientists at Imperial College London to invent the spray, which forms a seamless fabric on contact with the body.

Torres took 15 minutes to spray a T-shirt onto a male model in a demonstration today, ahead of his spring/summer collection at the Science in Style fashion show in London next week. The spray consists of short fibres that are mixed into a solvent, allowing it to be sprayed from a can or high-pressure spray gun. The fibres are mixed with polymers that bind them together to form a fabric. The texture of the fabric can be varied by using wool, linen or acrylic fibres. The fabric, which dries when it meets the skin, is very cold when it is sprayed on, a limitation that may frustrate hopes for spray-on trousers and other garments.

Torres teamed up with chemical engineer Paul Luckham to set up a spin-out company called Fabrican Ltd, which will explore other applications ranging from spray-on bandages, hygiene wipes and upholstery for cars and furniture.
"The fashion application of spray-on fabric is a great way of advertising the concept, but we are also keen to work on new applications for the medical, transport and chemical industries," said Luckham. "For example, the spray-on fabric may be produced and kept in a sterilized can, which could be perfect for providing spray-on bandages without applying any pressure for soothing burnt skin, or delivering medicines directly to a wound.”
Video demonstration of the process is available at BBC (on a female model) and at the Guardian (on a male model).

The Impossible Stone Balancing Art of Adrian Gray

2010-10-13T00:32:00.000+07:00

Adrian Gray has been developing his art of stone balancing for many years. His ability to create almost impossible to believe compositions has created wonder and left witnesses in awe and mesmerized.
By very carefully feeling the balancing point of each rock he handles - a process that requires awesome skill and patience - Gray is able to arrange them in ways that seem incredible. 'The trick is putting together stones which look like they couldn't possibly sit on top of one another. Only then can you you make something extraordinary' , Gray explains.

All the stones in these pictures are balanced, strictly without the aid of adhesive, pins or computer manipulation. They remain in place through the natural force of gravity and friction. ‘Nature’s glue’ sustains them in these seemingly impossible positions and it is the capricious natural forces of wind or waves that returns them to obscurity amongst their fellow boulders.

China’s Overloaded Cycle Carriers

2010-10-13T00:30:00.000+07:00

French photographer Alain Delorme became fascinated by the piles of stacked products migrant Chinese workers loaded into their bicycles. The precariously overloaded packages often assume unusual forms. His documentation of the packed bicycles forms a series of photographs entitled Totems, which are both aesthetically glorious and astoundingly indicative of daily life in China.
The images were captured during two art residencies in Shanghai throughout 2009 and 2010.

The Living Root Bridges of Cherrapunjee, India

2010-10-13T00:26:00.000+07:00

The lower reaches of the southern slopes of Khasi and Jaintia hills, in Northeastern India, are humid, warm and streaked by many swift flowing rivers and mountain streams. On the slopes of this hill, among the dense undergrowth, a species of Indian Rubber tree – (Ficus Elastica) - thrives and flourishes. These trees shoot out many secondary roots from their trunks. The trees, supported by these secondary roots, can comfortably perch itself on huge boulders along side the riverbanks or in the middle of rivers and send its roots down to the riverbed.

The ancient War-Khasi people, a tribe in Meghalaya, had noticed these qualities of this tree and had adapted it to serve their need for building bridges across rivers and streams. In order to direct the roots in the desired direction, the Khasis sliced betel nut tree trunks half in the middle for their entire length, hollowed them out and passed the thin and long tender roots through them. The roots start growing towards other end of the stream and when they are reached they are allowed to take root in the soil. Given enough time, a sturdy, living bridge is produced.
Some of these root bridges can carry fifty or more people at a time and can be over 100 feet long. These bridges take 10 to 15 years to become fully functional, and they keep growing in strength by the day. Some of these bridges are well over 500 years old.
These bridges are unique to Meghalaya only and are being used daily even today by people living in many villages around Cherrapunjee. One special bridge has two bridges stacked one over the other. The villagers of Nongriat where this bridge is located at the bottom of the valley call it 'Umshiang Double Decker Root Bridge’.

Anatomical Cartoon Characters by Jason Freeny

2010-10-13T00:24:00.002+07:00

American artist Jason Freeny creates quirky 3D posters and sculptures depicting the insides of well known cartoon characters such as Mario, Lego man, Nemo the fish and others. His prints are available for sale at his company Moist Productions.

Chicken Wire Portraits by Ivan Lovatt

2010-10-13T00:23:00.000+07:00

Ivan Lovatt is a professional sculptor who has been creating amazing sculpture for the past 6 years. Ivan initially worked with driftwood and reclaimed timber, which he fashioned into exquisite representations of birds and wildlife. Later he turned to chicken wire. By layering, twisting and shaping this very ordinary medium Ivan recreates portraits of famous people such as Michael Jackson, Abraham Lincoln and The Beatles. Ivan received a great deal of publicity and public acclaim for this work and won the Swell Festival People’s Choice in 2004.

Golden Pearl Farming in Philippines

2010-10-13T00:21:00.000+07:00

The clean waters around the island of Palawan in the Philippines Sea have attracted investors to pearl farming for decades. There are several pearl firms actively operating at Palawan, but only one cultivates the exquisite and rare golden pearl – Jewelmer,

Jewelmer is the only pearl producer in the world that has successfully produced pearls with a rich, natural golden color. Through decades of research and biotechnology, Jewelmer was able to perfect the breeding process that produces gold-lipped Pinctada maxima pearl oysters capable of growing large, lustrous, golden pearls. This deep, rich color can only be found in South Sea pearls produced in the Philippines.

Pearls are cultured by transplanting a tiny piece of mantle tissue of an oyster shell into a the shell of a young oyster. This graft forms a pearl sac and precipitate calcium carbonate into this pocket. Over time, this grows into a pearl. It takes 2 to 5 years for a pearl to mature. "Cultivation of pearls is very time-consuming process," explains Jacques Branellec, managing director of Jewelmer. "Any change in temperature and water conditions can affect the oysters. For 38 years I have been in cultivation of pearls, but I’m always learning something new.”

Jacques Branellec showing pearls from a new harvest.

The archipelago of Palawan

A Pearl farm.

A board showing the placing and the state of the oyster lines on one of the Palawan farms.

A biologist examining a gold pearl under a microscope.

Three species of Oysters: (left to right) white, gold, black.

Young oysters are carefully cleaned of dirt and parasites before placing them into new cells.

Young oysters are transported by helicopter to a neighboring farm for further growth.

A worker holding a cage where oysters will spend the next 2 to 3 years.

Guards overseeing a farm ship.

Oyster cages are suspended by ropes at a depth of 15 meters.

Workers pull up cages of ripe pearls.

Oysters are thoroughly washed before they are opened.

Jacques Branellec oversees the process of harvesting pearls on one of his farms.
.

Pearls are carefully removed from the oysters. Only a few experts have the ability to open these oysters without damaging the pearls.

The oysters shells, in turn, are cleaned and sold to restaurants in Manila.

During one week of harvest thousands of pearls are collected. Each sells for 500 Euros. But the pearls of the highest class can cost several times more.

In the workshops pearls sort out and evaluated.

Designer develop new jewelry of pearls.

Gold jewelry pearl.

Jacques Branellec on his farm, along with an assistant on the neck of which flaunts a necklace of golden pearls.

Tilt-Shifted Van Gogh's Paintings

2010-10-13T00:19:00.002+07:00

The visually stunning field of tilt-shift photography became a fairly big thing in the Web a couple of years ago. It uses a special lens that gives a real-world scene the illusion of being a miniature model. You've probably seen examples by now.
The guys over at Artcyclopedia decided to simulate this effect on the works of Vincent van Gogh. Using Photoshop they adjusted the photograph's contrast, colour saturation and depth of focus to produce some really stunning and amusing results.

The Secret Life of the Harvest Mice

2010-10-13T00:18:00.000+07:00

Photographers Jean-Louis Klein and Marie-Luce Hubert, both from the Alsace, France, spent the year snapping the elusive harvest mice in a project that ended with their release into the wild. Laying patiently in meadows and reed beds, the pair were able to capture the fascinating images. A stunning and rare insight into the secret tiny lives of adorable harvest mice is revealed in incredible pictures captured painstakingly over 12 months.

An inquisitive mouse balances on two ears of wheat to take a close look at one of the cameras

A harvest mouse uses all four legs and its tail to steady itself on two stalks of grass

Another one snares a cicada in the reed beds of Alsace, France

A harvest mouse wraps its tail around a plant stem to help it balance while it investigates

A female harvest mouse rolls her baby carefully up a plant stem towards her nest

To demonstrate how the mice often take to the water in the wet meadows they inhabit, 55-year-old Jean-Louis and 46-year-old Marie-Luce gave one of their subjects a dip in a mouse-sized aquarium before releasing it into the wild.

A cobweb creates a stunning backdrop for a male perched on canary grass

A harvest mouse keeps watch from the safety of its nest made from Phragmites reeds

Inside her nest, a female regurgitates to feed her ten-day-old babies

An adventurous young mouse getting into an unusual position - hanging from the tails of three of its siblings.

Harvest mice are extremely agile creatures. Here is one effortlessly climbing down a wheat stalk

A mouse licking drops of water off a leaf

A harvest mouse uses the head of another to support himself as it examines some interesting object in the distance.

Two harvest mice play with each other.
Photos: BARCROFT MEDIA
Thanks Daily Mail.

Robert Capa's Lost Negatives

2010-10-13T00:16:00.000+07:00

Robert Capa (October 22, 1913 – May 25, 1954), was a Hungarian war photographer and photojournalist who was famous for his spectacular and powerful scenes from war. His action photographs, such as those taken during the 1944 Normandy invasion, portray the violence of war with unique impact.

One of three boxes containing negatives by Robert Capa.
In1939, Robert Capa was in Paris at a time when the whole of France was under siege by the Nazi. Robert Capa decides to flee to America but in his haste leaves behind three small suitcases filled with negatives made between 1936 and 1939 during his coverage of the Spanish Civil War. This cache of historic film, known as the "Mexican Suitcase," was smuggled out of Europe early in World War II, then lay hidden and forgotten for decades. After nearly 70 years, the International Center of Photography acquired the three suitcases and with it 3,500 lost photos in about 100 rolls of films.

The new prints from the Suitcase negatives went on display for the first time in an astonishing exhibition at the International Center of Photography, New York, from September 24, 2010 and will be available for viewing through January 9, 2011.
Here are some highlights of the collection.
Exiled Republicans being marched on the beach from one internment camp, Le Barcarès, France. March 1939.

Republican officer and Gerda Taro (Capa’s collaborator and lover, who died during the war) , University City, Madrid. February 1937

Man carrying a wounded boy, Teruel, Spain. December 1937.

Ernest Hemingway (third from the left), New York Times journalist Herbert Matthews (second from the left) and two Republican soldiers, Teruel, Spain. December 1937

Mother nursing a baby while listening to political speech, near Badajoz, Extremadura, Spain. Late April–early May 1936

Outdoor mass for Republican soldiers, near Lekeitio, Basque region, Spain. January–February 1937.

Dolores Ibárruri (La Pasionaria), Madrid. Late April–early July 1936

Two Republican soldiers carrying a crucifix, Madrid. October– November 1936

Training of the New People’s Army, Valencia. March 1937

Crowd at the gate of the morgue after the air raid, Valencia. May 1937

Young Republican soldier, Brunete, Spain. July 1937

Republican soldier on a motorcycle, Navacerrada Pass, Segovia front, Spain. Late May–early June 1937

Gerda Taro and Robert Capa on the terrace of Café du Dôme in Montparnasse, Paris. Early 1936

Photo Credits: International Center of Photography

Bodies in Urban Spaces by Willi Dorner

2010-10-12T23:30:00.000+07:00

Vienna-based choreographer Willi Dorner presented a public art series called ‘Bodies in Urban Spaces’ in the Lower Manhattan area last Sunday and Monday. This human architecture is made of 22 dancers and performers in orange hoodies, purple tights and bright green who turned themselves into human sculptures that complement the surrounding architecture.

As the sun rose over the Financial District, dozens of wide-eyed spectators watched the performers install themselves atop fire hydrants, across park benches - and at one point, between the pillars of the New York Stock Exchange.
“Bodies in Urban Spaces” is a part of French Institute Alliance Française’s Crossing the Line festival. Willi Dorner has been performing similar exhibition for the last couple of years on various parts of the world including Austria, England, France, Norway, Sweden, Finland and the US.

Classy Shoe Designs by Kobi Levy

2010-10-12T23:28:00.000+07:00

35-year-old Kobi Levy, who lives in Tel Aviv, Israel, has a radically different taste in footwear. Levy’s creations are often bizarre and awesome at the same time. Take his chewing gum shoes for instance. It may look like this person has unwittingly stepped on a blob of chewing gum on the pavement - but the sticky mess is actually a part of the shoe.

Checkout some of his others designs.

Japanese Kite Festival in Haifa

2010-10-12T23:24:00.000+07:00

The Tikotin Museum of Japanese Art and the Student Beach in Haifa, Israel, ran a Japanese Kite Festival towards the end of September. Activities include kite building, origami, martial arts, Japanese crafts and a Sumo wrestling ring.

Emergency Bra Doubles as a Gas Mask

2010-10-12T23:22:00.002+07:00

Dr. Elena Bodnar, whose inspiration comes in part from having witnessed as a young physician the devastating effects of the Chernobyl nuclear plant disaster in 1986, has created an Emergency Bra which is also a gas mask. Once removed, it separates into two masks which, when placed over the nose and mouth, filter out particles.

Dr. Elena Bodnar won an Ignoble Award for the invention last year, an annual tribute to scientific research that on the surface seems goofy but is often surprisingly practical. Bodnar emergency bra is now available for purchase online for just $29.95.

Bodnar explained when accepting the award:

Ladies and gentlemen, isn't that wonderful that women have two breasts, not just one? We can save not only our own life, but also the life of a man of our choice next to us.

Bodnar is also working on a "counterpart device for men" though the precise shape it will take has yet to be revealed.

Bagger 288: The Biggest, Meanest Machine in the World

2010-10-12T23:21:00.000+07:00

The Bagger 288, also known as the Excavator 288, is the largest digging machine in the world. It was built by the German company Krupp for the energy and mining firm Rheinbraun. When its construction was completed in 1978, Bagger 288 superseded NASA's Crawler-Transporter, used to carry the Space Shuttle and Apollo Saturn V launch vehicle, as the largest tracked vehicle in the world at 13,500 tons.

Some facts:

The machine is up to 220 m (721 ft) long and approximately 96 m (315 ft) high
It weighs 13,500 tons
It can excavate 240,000 tons of coal or 240,000 cubic meters of overburden daily – the equivalent of a football field dug to 30 m (98 ft) deep.
The large surface area of the tracks means the ground pressure of the Bagger 288 is very small (17.1 N/cm2 or 24.8 psi). This allows the excavator to travel over gravel, earth and even grass without leaving a significant track.

Nailympics 2010: The Bizarre Fake Nail Olympics

2010-10-12T23:20:00.000+07:00

Nailympics 2010, the self-styled ‘Olympic Games of fake nails’ was started in the USA ten years ago by three nail brands who wanted to create an impartial, non-profit making nail competition. This year it took place at the London Olympia on 19th- 20th September where the world’s top manicurists battled it out for medals in grueling events such as ‘fibreglass tip and overlay’, ‘gel sculpture’ and ‘fantasy nail art’.The Nailympics have been held in Britain for the last six years and competition was fierce this time unlike the last competitions.

Some 354 competitors from 24 different countries, record numbers, were there to attend the festival and they’ve been in training for years to claw their way up the rankings.
‘This is one of the most important competitions in the world. You come to demonstrate your skill and show what your country can offer,’ says Carmelina Gandolfo, 32, from the Italian team, summing up the sense of occasion.
Nail art involves glueing artificial acrylic pieces onto natural nails and then painting them. More exotic methods of decoration include airbrushing the acrylic nails and embedding them with tiny gems or trinkets.This is what the ‘fantasy nail art’ category is all about at the Nailympics Fairies, forests and angels are favourite designs, but some cute Beatrix Potter characters also put in an appearance this year.
It’s gaining in popularity all the time, and this year was part of the Olympia Beauty Show at London’s Earls Court, which attracted 30,000 visitors.

Hyper-realistic Still Life Paintings by Pedro Campos

2010-10-12T23:18:00.002+07:00

http://www.pedrocampos.net

The Vdara Hotel Death Ray

2010-10-12T23:17:00.000+07:00

The tall, sleek, curving Vdara Hotel at CityCenter in Las Vegas is a thing of beauty. But the south-facing tower is turning out to be nuisance for visitors at the hotel’s swimming pool. The curved mirrored surface of the hotel acts as a gigantic parabolic reflector that concentrates solar heat into a specific target area. The heat is so intense that it can singe your hair and melt your plastic drink cups and shopping bags. Hotel pool employees call the phenomenon the "Vdara death ray."

Apparently, designers foresaw the issue, and thought they had solved it by installing a high-tech film on the south-facing glass panes, according to Gordon Absher, a spokesman for MGM Resorts International, which owns Vdara. The film scatters more than 70 percent of reflected rays. But that's not enough, Absher acknowledged, as some pool guests are still uncomfortable.
Recently, a Chicago lawyer who was staying as Vdara was caught in the glare and burnt his hair. A flimsy plastic bag holding his newspaper had also melted partially. Astonished and angry, he alerted hotel staff, then called the local newspaper to draw attention to the problem. MGM Resorts is now looking into further mitigation procedures, including more umbrellas, additional foliage or shade structures.

Yum Yum's Hilarious Toys

2010-10-12T23:15:00.002+07:00

Beth Algieri and Jonny Plummer, both designers and art directors who make up the Yum Yum studio in London, created a set of adorable toys called Heroes and Villains. The set features a line of toy characters including a brain-oozing zombie, judo grandma, hooded robber, and fast food-eating octopus. Check these out.

The World Upside Down by Anish Kapoor

2010-10-12T23:14:00.000+07:00

Sculptor and designer Anish Kapoor installed giant stainless steel curved mirrors at a new show at Kensington Gardens that appears to turn the world upside down. The four sculptures, creating distortions of their surroundings, have taken up residence among the trees and waters of Kensington Gardens for six months.

Sky Mirror, which measures 10 metres in diameter, has been placed on the side of a lake, where a Henry Moore sculpture once sat. A 24-hour team of security guards has been deployed to protect the valuable works of art, which will reflect the changing colours, foliage and weather of the park.

World Championship of Sand Sculpting, Washington

2010-10-12T23:12:00.000+07:00

The World Championships of Sand Sculpting was held in Washington from September 8 to October 3. Artists from all over the world competed for the title in three categories: solo, duet and team. The winner in solo was Thomas Koeta from Florida for “Whirlwind” and the Sculpture “The distance gives perspective,” won first place in the category of “duet”. Check out these amazing work of art.

Dan Belcher of St. Louis runs around his sculpture a few minutes before the start of the competition. (Jim Seida / msnbc.com)

Members of the team ‘Sandboxers’ fill sand molds in a competition in Federal Way, Washington. The teams had six hours to fill sand into solid molds for future figures. (Jim Seida / msnbc.com)

Left to right: Katie Corning, Geoff Strong and Kirk Reydmeyker of the U.S. team work on a sand sculpture called "open mind". (Jim Seida / msnbc.com)

Fergus Mulvaney working on his sculpture

Helena Bangert from Amsterdam, blows away the excess sand from her sculpture entitled "Walking through". (Jim Seida / msnbc.com)

A team member from Washington’s ‘Orbital Sanders’ working on the sculpture "The Missing Link". (Jim Seida / msnbc.com)

Spectators watch as Remy Girts from the Netherlands working on his sculpture "Bountiful Harvest". (Jim Seida / msnbc.com)

The Dutch "solo-artist Remy Girts carves details on his sculpture" Bountiful Harvest ". (Jim Seida / msnbc.com)

Sculptor Sue McGraw from Tacoma, Washington works on her creation. (Jim Seida / msnbc.com)

Walter McDonald, from Texas works on one of the towers of his castle. (Jim Seida / msnbc.com)

To create the final figure, the sculptors use a variety of devices - from the archaeological tools to credit cards. (Jim Seida / msnbc.com)

Sculptor Mark Lepir from Quebec is working on her figure.

Nicole Wood (left) with trowel smoothes the base sculpture of his team while her teammate Arianna Van Rosmalen carves little figures, and Mariella Hesels sprays on them a mixture of water and glue. (Jim Seida / msnbc.com)

Despite drizzling rain, the team from the United States completes the details on the sculpture "open mind". (Jim Seida / msnbc.com)

Sudarsan Pattnaik works on the sculpture of Barack Obama.

Five minutes before the end of the fourth day of the team members ‘Team Sand Boxers’ hurry to finish the figure before time (Jim Seida / msnbc.com)

The back side of the sculpture “Bound”

A small toilet - part of the sculpture, entitled "Where to go" - from Walter McDonald of Texas. (Jim Seida / msnbc.com)

Joris Krivits from the Netherlands presented the sculpture "Puzzle". (Jim Seida / msnbc.com)

Briton Paul Hoggard’s sculpture- an elephant

The day before the competition, this sculpture of a clown had hair on both sides. The other side was damaged by a bird who tried to land on it. (Jim Seida / msnbc.com)

"Magnetic attraction" created by Fergus Mulvaney of Ireland.

Uldis Zarins from Latvia made this sculpture titled "It was a bad dream." (Jim Seida / msnbc.com)

Damon Farmer of Kentucky, made a sculpture "The fact that we have to show." (Jim Seida / msnbc.com)

Rich Varano from Florida, created this magnificent castle titled "Fanta Sea for Sue Sea". (Jim Seida / msnbc.com)

Benjamin Probanza of Mexico decided to name his sculpture "Untitled". (Jim Seida / msnbc.com)

Sculpture "Jimmy" by Billy Dow of Montana was devoted to the 40th anniversary of the death of Jimi Hendrix. (Jim Seida / msnbc.com)

Karlis Lle of Latvia made a sculpture titled "Through the wall of love". (Jim Seida / msnbc.com)

The inverted face sculpture "Looking at the negative" by Wilfred Stigera from the Netherlands is actually concave

"Whirlwind" by Thomas Koeta from Florida won the first prize in the category of "solo". (Jim Seida / msnbc.com)

Damon Langlois of Victoria, District of Columbia, completes the sculpture of the team ‘Team Sand Boxers’ (Jim Seida / msnbc.com)

Joe Heng Tan from Singapore showering his sculpture with a mixture of water with the glue (Jim Seida / msnbc.com)

The sculpture "The distance gives perspective," won first place in the category of "duet".

Knit Your Own Dog

2010-10-12T23:07:00.000+07:00

A new book titled ‘Best in Show’ by Sally Muir and Jo Osborne teaches you knitting patterns for 25 adorable dog breeds from a pretty Poodle to a burly Bulldog, a perky Pekinese to a dotty Dalmatian. With Sally Muir and Joanna Osborne's handy guide you can now knit your precious breed of dog. You don’t have to walk them or feed them and they don’t litter your laundry box or spoil your carpet.
The book priced at £11.69 is available for sale at the Guardian Bookshop. Here are some snippets from the book.

The basset hound.

The border collie

The English bulldog

The English sheepdog

The Jack Russell

The poodle

The Portuguese water dog

Gigantic Sculpture Built by … Robots!

2010-10-12T23:05:00.000+07:00

MASS MoCA, one of the world’s largest centers for contemporary visual arts, will be showing Frederic Diaz’s ‘Geometric Death Frequency—141’, a sculpture made from 420,000 black spheres made and assembled by robotics. The final sculpture will measure 20 feet by 50 feet and sit in the courtyard of the museum. The installation is precisely crafted from robotics, milling and assembling the entire sculpture sphere by sphere, completely void of any human interaction. Diaz developed this process for building on his own using CAD software and manufacturing techniques along with pure data and algorithms based on particle physics.

Federico Diaz: Geometric Death Frequency-141 from federico diaz on Vimeo.
[via Design Boom]