On the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, you might be lucky to find a black flamingo. Normal flamingoes are born white and grey, and turn their iconic shade of pinky orange around the age of two, as a result of the high carotenoid content of the algae and crustaceans that they eat.

Experts believe that this individual (and potentially the other bird spotted in Israel) has a genetic condition that causes it to overproduce melanin, changing its feathers to black.

If you've ever been to the Netherlands, you probably noticed one of two things a) nearly everyone rides a bike or b) you're a lot shorter than everyone there. According to statistics, this countries population has gained an impressive 20 centimeters in the past 150 years and is now officially the tallest on the planet. While a rich diet and good health care is always a recipe for physical growth, a new study suggests something else is going on as well: The Dutch growth spurt may be an example of human evolution in action.

The study, published online today in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B, shows that tall Dutch men on average have more children than their shorter counterparts, and that more of their children survive. That suggests ge ...

The lake Leitisvatn/Sørvágsvatn sits about 30 metres above sea level.

The Faroe Islands are an archipelago between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately halfway between Norway and Iceland, 320 kilometres (200 mi) north-northwest of mainland Scotland. The area is approximately 1,400 km2 with a 2010 population of 50,000.

Here's another look.

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Meet Italy’s double tree, the Bialbero de Casorzo. That cherry tree on top isn't being parasitic - its roots have grown right through the hollow truck of the mulberry tree into the earth below, so there's no stealing of nutrients going on here.

Trampe is the world's first bicycle lift intended for urban areas. The prototype was built in 1993. During its 15 years of operation, Trampe pushed more than 200.000 cyclists up the 130 m long hill Brubakken in Trondheim, Norway.

Known by tourists as the Eyes of God, the Prohodna cave is a typical karst cave in the north of Bulgaria and lies within one of the largest karst regions of the country. It is 262 meters long and easily accessible due to its two entrances on both sides of the cave. Prohodna cave is naturally lit because of these huge entrances and various holes in the ceiling.
Two of these holes are situated next to each other and their almond-like symmetrical shape gave them the striking resemblance to giant eyes. Seen from a certain angle they resemble a face looking down and during the rain it even seems as if the eyes were crying.

Not only is the cave a popular site for tourists and movie makers, it is also a good location for speleology (the scientific ...

Tianducheng is a housing estate in China that's designed to evoke classical European charm. The suburb, located in the Zhejiang Province is also called the "Paris of the East", partially because it is home to the second largest replica of the Eiffel Tower in the world. 

Can you tell the difference between the two? 


Construction at Tianducheng began around 2007. As mentioned, its central feature is 108-metre-tall (354-foot) replica of the Eiffel Tower of Parisian style architecture, fountains and landscaping (right). It opened in 2007, and can accommodate more than 10,000 residents, although only 2000 residents inhabit the small town. ...