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4449 |
duddy |
11 years ago |
Mount Fuji with a hat
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This is an example of a lenticular cloud, also known as altocumulus standing lenticularis. These are stationary, lens-shaped clouds that are formed at high altitudes. They are included in the middle layer cloud family because the bases of the clouds are stationed between about 2,000 and 7,000 meters. These clouds form when moist air is forced to flow up around mountains and large hills. The water is super cooled and condensed from air below the dew point temperature.
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4794 |
duddy |
11 years ago |
A baby macaw
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Here are some adorable images of macaw parrot chicks getting weighed and measured. The one on the left is just one week old, and the one on the right is seven weeks old. Researchers at the Tambopata Research Center have been studying the wild macaw populations for years and tracking the growth of the nestlings. By climbing up into the trees and gathering data on these macaws, the researchers are able to do a lot of interesting science and gather information critical to protecting these species. ...
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4793 |
duddy |
11 years ago |
Ever heard of a frilled shark?
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This is a frilled shark. Frilled sharks are found throughout deep waters in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. It is often described as a living fossil because of its resemblance to extinct, Paleozoic sharks. They are rarely seen alive because of their preference for deep water.
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4383 |
duddy |
11 years ago |
Why is my eyelid twitching?
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Fasciculations (muscle twitches) are the result of some kind of irritability of the nerve fibers. Because fasciculations are benign, they have not been studied particularly deeply (but, not all involuntary muscle twitches are fasciculations--more on that later). So we do not really know even where in the nerve the irritation is picked up--it could be in the cell body, could be further out in the fibers, nobody really knows. It is also thought that the exact localization of the fasciculation is random, meaning that you will feel a twitch in your arm or leg or eyelid without having necessarily irritated a nerve anywhere near the place you experience the twitch. Causes are also only loosely understood; there are certain behaviors that can trigg ...
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4037 |
duddy |
11 years ago |
Aerogel
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Also known as frozen smoke, Aerogel is the world's lowest density solid, clocking in at 96% air. It is basically just a gel made from silicon, except all the liquid has been taken out and replaced with gas instead. If you hold a small piece in your hand, it is practically impossible to either see or feel, but if you poke it, it is like styrofoam. Aerogel is also quite useful. It supports up to 4,000 times its own weight and can apparently withstand a direct blast from two pounds of dynamite. It is also the best insulator in existence, which is why we do not have Aerogel jackets: it works so well that people were complaining about overheating on Mount Everest. ...
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3905 |
duddy |
11 years ago |
The giant land snail
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Giant African land snails can get quite large. They are native to Africa and are routinely confiscated at airports as they are very popular as pets in the Western world, and can be considered an invasive species. There is a population of these snails spreading in Coral Gables, Florida.
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5460 |
duddy |
11 years ago |
Metal melts in your hand almost instantly
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Gallium is a silvery metal with atomic number 31. It is used in semiconductors and LEDs, but the cool thing about it is its melting point, which is only about 85 degrees Fahrenheit. If you hold a solid gallium crystal in your hand, your body heat will cause it to slowly melt into a silvery metallic puddle. Pour it into a dish, and it freezes back into a solid. While you probably should not lick your fingers after playing with it, gallium is not toxic and it will not make you crazy like mercury does. And if you get tired of it, you can melt it onto glass and make yourself a mirror. ...
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6908 |
duddy |
11 years ago |
Turn the taste of sour to sweet with these natural tablets
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By themselves, miracle berries do not taste like much. The reason to eat them is that they contain a chemical called miraculin that binds to the sweet taste receptors on your tongue, changing their shape and making them respond to sour and acidic foods. The upshot of this effect is that some things you eat taste spectacularly different. Straight Tabasco sauce tastes like donut glaze. Guinness tastes like a chocolate malt. Goat cheese tastes like cheesecake. After about an hour of craziness, your taste buds go back to normal, no harm done. ...
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5312 |
duddy |
11 years ago |
How we define ourselves
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I'm not sure whether it's his voice or whether it is the meaning behind the script, nevertheless this is awesome.
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5077 |
bio_man |
11 years ago |
Smallest known monkey in the world
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This is the pygmy marmoset ( Cebuella pygmaea), the smallest known monkey in the world. They are found in western Brazil, southeastern Colombia, eastern Ecuador, eastern Peru, and northern Bolivia and they typically live in the understory of the rain forest near rivers. Males weigh around 140 grams (4.9 oz), and females only 120 grams (4.2 oz).
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4076 |
duddy |
11 years ago |
The infant stages of of forming a black hole
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This is supernova remnant W49B. It is located about 26,000 light-years from Earth, and as we see it it is approximately 1,000 years old. Compared to other supernova remnants of similar type and age, it is distorted in an usual way. Astronomers believe that it is distorted because it is in the infant stages of of forming a black hole -- the very first time this has been observed.
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4071 |
duddy |
11 years ago |
Tips to keeping your teeth white
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Whitening treatments do not permanently whiten teeth. If you expose your teeth to foods and beverages that cause staining you may see the whiteness start to fade in as little as one month after treatment. Those who avoid foods and beverages that stain may be able to wait one year or longer before another whitening treatment or touch-up is needed. You worked hard to get your teeth white. Here are some tips to help maintain your pearly whites. - Avoid the consumption of or exposure to products that stain your teeth, such as coffee, tea, and red wine. If you do choose to consume beverages that stain, consider using a straw so that the liquid bypasses your front teeth.
- Brush or rinse immediately after consuming stain-causing beverages or foods.
- Fo
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3462 |
duddy |
11 years ago |
A miniture fox, the fennec fox
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This fantastic minifox is a desert dweller who weighs in around 3 lb. (1.4 kg) and stretches just beyond a foot (30 cm), not counting its uniquely gigantic ears, which can measure almost half its body length. The smallest of all the world\'s foxes, the fennec burrows away during the day and scavenges for insects and fruit at night. Its huge ears emit body heat and help it keep cool among the dunes of the Sahara and elsewhere in North Africa. Some locals hunt the fennec for its fur, while others capitalize on its cuteness in the pet trade. ...
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3204 |
duddy |
11 years ago |
Barbados thread snakes
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At first, it just looks like a worm. But when you peek closer, it slithers like a snake. It sticks its tongue out like a snake. It creeps you out like a snake. Discovered under a rock in 2006 in Barbados, this thread snake is as thin as spaghetti and smaller than any of the 3,100 other known snake species. Researchers believe it is the smallest a snake can evolve to be.
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5966 |
duddy |
11 years ago |