Top 10 Legendary Small People
10. Edward Carl Gaedel
9. Bridget the Midget
8. Danny Woodburn
7. Gary Coleman
6. Dolly Parton
5. General Tom Thumb
4. Wee Man
3. Prince
2. Danny Devito
1. Verne Troyer
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Top 10 Must-See Japanese Films
10. Nobody Knows
When most of us think about Japanese cinema, it’s hard-boiled yakuza, freaky monsters, and homicidal schoolgirls that spring to mind. While those things exist (and appear elsewhere in this list), Japanese filmmakers are also capable of making some incredibly dramas that don’t involve vengeful ghosts or women with swords instead of hands. One of the most moving- seriously, don’t watch this film without a full box of Kleenex, is Hirokazu Koreeda’s 2004 film Nobody Knows. Based on actual events, it tells the story of four children who are left to fend for themselves by their mother in a Tokyo apartment. As the oldest son sets out to keep his brother and sisters alive while making sure no one finds out that they are all alone, events slowly spiral towards a terrible conclusion. The film is anchored by four truly stunning performances by the child actors who play the family and captures not only the bleak horror of their lives, but also the deep bond they feel for each other. It is a very special film and it truly earns every tear it gets.
9. Tokyo Olympiad
In 1964, Tokyo hosted the Summer Olympics. As much an excuse to showcase Japan’s rapid postwar reconstruction as sporting event, the Japanese government wanted a documentary made to capture the historical moment when Japan retook its place on the world stage as a prosperous, peaceful nation. Initially, they hired Akira Kurosawa to direct it, but when he demanded control over the actual opening and closing ceremonies as well, director Kon Ichikawa was brought in to salvage the project, and give the government the glowing historical document they wanted. Instead, he used the vast resources and unfettered access to create arguably the greatest sports documentary ever filmed. Entirely uninterested in the pomp or ceremony of the games, Ichikawa chose to focus on atmosphere of the games and especially the experiences of the athletes. His camera follows them as they prepare, wait, compete, and enjoy the games. The film is rarely concerned with the results of the events and spends equal amounts of time with the losers as it does the winners. Tokyo Olympiad cares more about the journeys of the people involved than the final medal tally. Tokyo Olympiad was supposed to be a celebration of the Tokyo Olympics. Instead, it is a celebration of human endeavour and sport itself. It’s not the easiest film to get your hands on, but it’s definitely worth the effort.
8. Godzilla
No serious examination of Japanese cinema could ignore the giant, laser-breathing mutant dinosaur Godzilla. There have been many, many films made since the towering lizard made his first appearance in 1954’s Godzilla (Gojira in Japanese), but the first film is still the best. Forget the American release- which heavily edited the film and added Raymond Burr for some reason, and go straight to the original version. Despite being a cheesy good time, Gojira started an important trend that has continued to this day in Japanese films: that of using shlocky genre movies to comment on the latent fears and worries of the culture. In Gojira, it’s the fear of nuclear weapons. The only country to have ever suffered a nuclear attack, it’s not by accident that the great, city-destroying beast is awakened by the Japanese government’s testing of an h-bomb. The subtext is plain, but is mostly underplayed. The whole movie is actually quite mournful and unflinching in its depictions of the destruction Godzilla wreaks. Well, it’s as moving as a film that features a man wearing a rubber costume and stepping on models can be. Still, it captures an important part of Japanese culture and gave the world one of its iconic monsters, so it definitely deserves to be seen.
7. Hana-bi (Fireworks)
There’s no one else in the world quite like Takeshi Kitano. His main gig for the last forty years or so is hosting goofy comedy TV programs in Japan. Insanely prolific, at one time he was on TV every night of the week. But when he takes off the funny wigs and bizarre costumes, Kitano is also one of the most respected Japanese film directors of his generation. Unlike his TV work, which is all sight gags and silly weirdness, Kitano’s films are stunning works of seriousness and violence. He has made many excellent films over his career, but none perhaps as amazing as Hana-bi. Meaning “fireworks” in Japanese (which was also its international title), the film tells the story of a two former cops, one who adapts to new his life in a wheelchair by painting surreal paintings (which were all painted by Kitano), and another who robs a bank to take his dying wife on one last trip. The plot is slim, but the colors, images, and transitions between violence and silence are stunningly poetic. Hana-bi is a very rare and special thing: a gangster movie infused with the soul of a painter.
6. Audition
Directed by controversial and breathtakingly original filmmaker Takashi Miike, Audition is one of the most disturbing and captivating films ever made. But you’d never know it from the first forty minutes. Audition starts with a premise straight out of a Jennifer Anniston romcom. Aoyama, a widowed TV producer, decides to hold “auditions” for a new wife, under the guise of casting a role in a TV program. When he sees the young and beautiful Asami, he is instantly smitten by her submissive nature and reserved beauty. Despite some weird discrepancies on her resume, he starts to date her and they fall in love. Then things take a very, very surreal turn. Audition is one of those movies that works best if you don’t know what’s coming, but rest assured that it you can make it through the deliberately slow beginning, you will see things that you have never seen in any other film. Audition is profoundly disturbing (even Rob Zombie admitted to being uncomfortable watching the final scenes) but it is a work of true originality by an uncompromising master of cinema. Just don’t plan on eating any time soon after you watch it.
5. Battle Royale
Even if you don’t know anything about Japan, the 2000 film Battle Royale still delivers as a kickass, bloody cult movie. It’s got plenty of gunplay, lots of gore, and a supremely dark comedic undertone. The movie has earned infamy for its hyper-realistic violence, unrelenting cynicism, and casting of actual teenagers and is a favourite among cult movie fans the world over. But the story of a class of ninth grade students who are forced to murder each other in an alternate reality fascist Japan is actually a cutting satire of Japan’s growing fear that its youth culture was just a step or two away from complete anarchy. The casting of Japanese legend Takeshi Kitano as the students’ psychotic former teacher and overseer of the game is especially fitting given Kitano’s public ambivalence towards Japanese youth and seems to firmly root the film in the anti-youth camp. But Battle Royale’s director Kinji Fukasaku has described it as a “warning” to the country’s youth not to be misled by adults and authority figures. In the end, Battle Royale becomes a hopeful film about the potential of youth masquerading as a cynical anti-youth picture masquerading as an action-packed sci-fi gore fest. It’s deep, shocking, funny, smart, and once you’ve seen it, you’ll never forget it.
4. Ring
In the years since Ring (Ringu) first appeared on American shores, Hollywood has pilfered just about every effect and technique that made it so shockingly original. Kicking off the J-horror explosion, Ring introduced western audiences to the chilly, supremely creepy tradition of the Japanese ghost story. Still, the fact that the long haired, white-clad Japanese girl ghost is now as much a part of the horror pantheon as zombies says something about how original the movie was. Based on a popular novel, Ring tells the story of a vengeful spirit who wreaks havoc on the lives of a Japanese woman and her son. What’s amazing about the film is that it earns most of its scares completely by mood. The ghost doesn’t do anything except walk slowly and demand the characters and the audience acknowledge her, but it is just as scary as the goriest monster. There are a lot of great Japanese horror movies that play from the same script, but Ring did it first, and better than most. Just don’t watch it on a VHS tape.
3. Akira
Any list of Japanese films has to include at least one animated feature. For many non-Japanese, anime (as cartoons are called there) is their first window into the larger world of Japanese culture. An exploration of Japanese anime can start in few better places than the 1988 classic Akira. Based on the sprawling comic of the same name, Akira boils down the essential elements of the book and presents them in a frenetic mix of psychic children, political corruption, teenage motorcycle gangs, and not one, but two full-fledged destructions of Tokyo. The plot of the film suffers from great holes and you’d be forgiven for thinking the second act is missing, but if you can accept that you’re not going to get any easy answers, the film is an amazing visual achievement. And an important cultural document. Akira (like Battle Royale and to a lesser extent Ring), expresses a profound disillusionment with the rapid technological growth of the country and its youth culture while at the same time worshipping them. It’s a strange, exhilarating movie and definitely one any cinephile needs to see.
2. Seven Samurai
If you only ever see one Japanese film, this has got to be it. Akira Kurosawa’s 1954 masterpiece Seven Samurai is the film that not only put Japanese cinema on the map, it also inspired a generation of filmmakers across the globe with its rousing story, incredible action sequences, and outstanding performances. The story of a desperately poor village that hires a rag-tag bunch of samurai to protect itself from bandit raids, Seven Samurai basically created the template that almost every action movie since has followed. Every movie where a reluctant hero gathers a team to accomplish a task owes a structural debt to the film. The story is a natural crowd-pleaser but the innovative use of slow motion, editing, and gorgeous black and white photography make Seven Samurai an arthouse favourite as well. The original cut is almost 4 hours, but every minute is an absolute treasure of cinema.
1. Tokyo Story
Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai may be the most beloved Japanese film of all time, but Yasujiro Ozu’s 1953 classic Tokyo Story is regarded by many film scholars as the greatest work of Japanese cinema. Although the entire movie involves little more than an elderly couple’s visit to their grown children in Tokyo, it is one of the most engaging films you will ever see. Ozu, filming from the traditional seiza (or kneeling) position, captures in intricate detail the minor sadness and tiny tragedies of modern life. There are no dramatic conflicts, no major speeches, and the only death occurs quietly and passes quickly. Tokyo Story simply allows its audience a brief look into the lives of one Japanese family at one particular time. The camera barely moves and the actors remain still, but each frame is a work of gentle, melancholy beauty that will stay with you long after the film ends. Tokyo Story is a powerfully human film and a great introduction to the work of one of the greatest filmmakers of all time
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Top 10 Mysterious Texts
10. The Codex Seraphinianus
Written between 1976 and 1978 by Italian artist Luigi Serafini, the Codex Seraphinianus is nothing if not an intentional attempt at creating something mysterious. As much as it can be understood, the book is said to be an encyclopedia of an imaginary planet, complete with maps and drawings of plant and animal life. Most interesting of all, Serafini wrote the book in the language of his hypothetical world. The whole Codex is composed in a bizarre alphabet that has still yet to be translated even after intense study by linguists. Since the text itself is unreadable, the Codex has become most famous for Serafini’s artwork, which ranges from the surreal and beautiful to the downright disturbing. One page depicts fruit that seems to bleed, while another shows fish that are shaped like flying saucers. In one of the book’s most famous images (it’s been the cover in most editions), a series of panels depict a naked man and woman slowly transforming into an alligator.
Possible Explanations
Theories abound as to what the secret of the Codex Seraphinianus really is, but Serafini has remained tight-lipped about the book’s meaning ever since its release in the early 80s. Critics and admirers have proposed numerous theories, among them that the book’s text is actually a false language that means nothing, but no real answers have ever been uncovered.
9. The Liber Linteus
The Liber Linteus is an ancient text that dates back to the days of the Etruscans, a culture that flourished in Italy in the years prior to the rise of the Roman Empire. In addition to being one of the oldest and longest Etruscan documents, the Liber Linteus is also notable for being the only known example of a book made from linen. Even more interesting than the document itself is the context of its discovery. After the fall of the Etruscans, artifacts of their culture like the Liber Linteus ceased to hold any significance to the Romans. What they did care about, though, was the linen cloth that the book was written on. This was because after the Romans conquered Egypt, many of them began to embrace the custom of mummification, which required that the body be wrapped in cloth. It was through this practice that the Liber Linteus, which was probably seen as a useless artifact, was eventually used as a funeral wrapping for the mummified body of the wife an Egyptian tailor. This same mummified corpse was purchased hundreds of years later by a wealthy Croatian, who intended to use it as a wall decoration. After his death in the 1800s, the mummy was donated to a museum, and only then was the great cultural significance of the Liber Linteus realized.
In its entirety, the Liber Linteus consists of 230 lines of text totaling 1,200 words. Very little is known today about the Etruscan language, and as such the document has never been fully translated. But based on their limited knowledge, scholars have determined that the Liber Linteus is most likely a calendar describing Etruscan religious ritual.
8. The Book of Soyga
The Middle Ages produced their share of strange texts, but perhaps none was as mysterious as the Book of Soyga, a treatise on magic and the paranormal that contains passages that have yet to be translated by scholars. The book is most famously associated with John Dee, a noted thinker of the Elizabethan era who was known to dabble in the occult. In the 1500s, Dee was said to be in possession of one of the only copies of the book, and he supposedly became obsessed with unlocking its secrets, particularly a series of encrypted tables that Dee believed held the key to some kind of esoteric spiritual knowledge. This was no easy task, as the book’s unknown author had utilized a number of typographical tricks, including writing certain words backwards and encoding others in mathematical script. Dee became so fixated on cracking the codes that he even traveled to continental Europe in order to meet with a famous spiritual medium called Edward Kelley. Through Kelley, Dee claimed to have contacted the archangel Uriel, who he claimed told him that the book’s origins dated back to the Garden of Eden.
Possible Explanations
Unfortunately, Dee was unable to finish decoding the mysteries of the Book of Soyga before his death. The book itself, though known to have existed, was believed lost until 1994, when two copies of it were rediscovered in England. Scholars have since studied the book, and one of them was able to partially translate the tables that had so fascinated Dee. Still, beyond finding that the book is most likely related to Kabbalah, a mystical sect of Judaism, these researchers have not been able to decipher the book’s real significance.
7. The Rohonc Codex
One document that has proven resistant to any kind of consistent translation or explanation is the Rohonc Codex, a centuries-old book that is said to have surfaced in Hungary sometime in the 1700s. The Codex consists of 448 pages of text, all of it written in a still-unknown language. Scholars have argued that it could be anything from early Hungarian to Hindi, but it lacks many of the prominent features of any of these languages. Moreover, the alphabet features many more characters than any major language outside of Chinese. Perhaps even more fascinating than the text of the Rohonc Codex are the 87 illustrations that accompany it. These depict everything from landscapes to military battles, but they also employ religious iconography that is unique to a number of different religions, including Christianity, Hindu, and Islam. This would suggest that whatever culture the document depicts had many different faiths in existence simultaneously.
Possible Explanations
There have been several partial translations of the Rohonc Codex, each with its own unique results. One scholar proclaimed the document to be a religious text, while another said it was a history of the Vlachs, a Latin culture that once thrived in modern-day Romania. But perhaps the most popular take on the document’s origin is that it was a hoax perpetrated by Samuel Literati Nemes, a notorious forger from the mid-1800s. This idea has often been disputed, but though they have managed to prove that the text of the Codex is not just gibberish, modern scholars have been unable to prove the forgery theory wrong.
6. Rongorongo
Rongorongo isn’t so much a text as it is series of artifacts. The name refers to an indecipherable system of pictographic writing that originated on the small island nation of Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island. Few examples of Rongorongo exist, outside of some stone carvings and wood tablets, but it remains one of the biggest unsolved linguistic mysteries in the world. This is because Easter Island’s sheer isolation means that Rongorongo would have been created without the influence of other languages, a feature that provides scientists a unique opportunity to examine how writing first came into existence. Like Egyptian hieroglyphics, Rongorongo is pictographic in nature, consisting of a series of glyphs and symbols. The glyphs themselves are thought to be a key to when the script was first invented, as they include certain plants and animals that would have only been prevalent on Easter Island in the era before its discovery by Europeans in the 1700s.
Possible Explanations
Despite a great deal of study, scientists have been unable to translate any of the Rongorongo writing system. In fact, so little is known about it that some have argued that it isn’t writing at all, but rather an ornamental kind of artwork. The discovery of a tablet that depicts a lunar calendar seems to prove this theory wrong, but until the Rongorongo glyphs are fully translated, very little will be known about them for sure.
5. The Beale Ciphers
The story behind the Beale Ciphers, which have foiled would-be code breakers for over 100 years, is the kind of old-fashioned buried treasure yarn that Hollywood screenwriters would be proud to come up with. The story begins in Virginia in 1820, when a man named Thomas Beale supposedly entrusted a box containing three pages of coded text to an innkeeper, with instructions that the box should only be opened if Beale did not return to claim it within ten years. Beale subsequently disappeared without a trace, and the innkeeper, named Robert Morriss, later spent several years trying to decode the pages. One of them was finally cracked by one of Morriss’ friends, who used the Declaration of Independence as a key. It was then that it was discovered that the pages were a map to the location of a cache of buried treasure. According to the document, Beale and some accomplices had discovered thousands of pounds of gold and silver in New Mexico and later buried it in Bedford County, VA. Unfortunately, Morriss and his friend were unable to decode the other two pages, which give the treasure’s exact location and the names of its owners, and Beale’s bizarre method of encryption has managed to confound anyone who’s tried to decipher it since.
Possible Explanations
The Beale Ciphers have since become their own mini-phenomenon (hundreds of would-be treasure hunters have been arrested for trespassing in Bedford County), but Beale’s gold and jewels have never been found. Many have since claimed that ciphers are nothing but an elaborate hoax, and many of the story’s details—like certain words in the documents that were not in popular usage until years later—seem to back this up. Still, this hasn’t stopped people from trying to unlock Beale’s secrets, especially since the treasure would now be valued at roughly $40 million.
4. Kryptos
Artist Jim Sanborn’s sculpture Kryptos might not be a document, but it’s included here because the text inscribed on it has created a mystery that even the best code-breakers in the CIA have not been able to unravel. The sculpture was commissioned by the CIA as a monument to the intelligence gathering work that made the agency famous, and it was installed at their headquarters in Langley, VA in 1990. Rather than just make a beautiful work of art, Sanborn took things a step further. He collaborated with Ed Scheidt, a top CIA cryptographer, and inscribed a coded series of letters and question marks on the sculpture, which resembles a scroll. The codes are made up of 869 characters, and can be broken into four separate parts, each one of which is supposedly a partial key to the answer of the others. Together they serve as the building blocks of what Sanborn calls “a riddle within a riddle” that can only be solved by using sophisticated decoding techniques. Photo: thekryptosproject.com.
Possible Explanations
Sanborn and Scheidt’s cipher has since become an obsession for amateur and professional cryptographers alike. Members of the CIA and the NSA have all tried their hand at cracking it, and there is even an online group devoted to it that has thousands of members. Twenty years later, these enthusiasts have succeeded in cracking three of the four parts of the cipher, but the fourth and most important continues to have them stumped. Sanborn has hinted that the contents of the other three parts—which give the longitude and latitude of a point 200 feet southeast of the sculpture and include quotations relating to Howard Carter’s discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamen—offer the best clues. As of yet, though, no one has succeeded in getting to the bottom of the mystery.
3. The Urantia Book
The Urantia Book is a pseudo-religious text that claims to “expand cosmic consciousness and enhance spiritual perception” through its discussions of philosophy, cosmology, and the life of Jesus. The book supposedly originated in Chicago, Illinois sometime in the early-to-mid twentieth century, and today it has become its own kind of phenomenon, having inspired a great deal of study and even a foundation that seeks to promote the book and its teachings. The over 2,000-page text has no known author, and the story of its origin is particularly bizarre: in 1925, a doctor named William Sadler (pictured above) supposedly came in contact with a sickly man who would often drift in trances and speak aloud at length. Sadler and a stenographer recorded these monologues, which the doctor claimed were later added to by some kind of celestial, supernatural process. The Urantia Book supposedly shares many common characteristics with major religions, particularly Christianity, but it also spends a great deal of time discussing scientific theories. Most notable are the book’s descriptions of the geography of the universe, which it splits up into “superuniverses” and the “local universe,” which it says is composed of around 1,000 inhabited planets.
Possible Explanations
This all may sound like science fiction, and indeed the idea that the Urantia Book is a clever piece of literature is a popular explanation of the mystery behind it. Skeptics, among them science writer Martin Gardner, argue that Sadler and a group of confidants most likely composed the book themselves sometime during the 1920s. Recent research, including an essay that claims the Urantia Book plagiarized a number of academic texts on religion, seems to back up this assertion, but there has yet to be any definitive proof of who was really behind it all.
2. The Gnostic Gospels
Also known as the Nag Hammadi library, the Gnostic Gospels are a collection of leather-bound books that date back to the 4th century. They make up the major texts of Gnosticism, an offshoot of Christianity that existed around the time of the 2nd century, whose adherents are said to have believed that true salvation came through deep self-knowledge and an understanding of a “higher reality.” The Gnostic Gospels, which feature such volumes as “The Gospel of Thomas,” “The Gospel of Mary,” and even “The Gospel of Judas,” were discovered in 1945 by a pair of farmers in Nag Hammadi, Egypt. They had been buried in a protective jar centuries earlier, most likely by a priest hoping to hide them from the orthodox Christian church, which regarded the Gnostics as heretics. The books went through many different owners, at one point even being sold on the black market, and it was not until the 1970s that they were finally translated into English. They’ve since become a popular philosophical text, and have even figured prominently in a number of different movies and novels. They’re also quite controversial, not just for their overlap with the Bible, but for the ways in which they attribute sayings to Jesus that don’t appear in the New Testament.
Possible Explanations
Unlike some of the other entries on this list, scholars generally understand the Gnostic Gospels, and the texts have been successfully translated into a number of languages. Still, the books are notable because of the place they hold in helping to develop the study and history of Gnosticism as a belief system. More importantly, the discovery of ancient texts that claim to offer previously undiscovered background stories about Jesus has sparked a fierce debate in religious and academic circles. Some have claimed that the books are nothing more than heretical fabrications, while others have argued that the Gnostic Gospels should be considered on the same terms as the Bible.
1. The Voynich Manuscript
Of all the bizarre and mysterious texts that have been uncovered over the years, perhaps none is as famous as the Voynich Manuscript, a book written by an anonymous author in an unknown language that has baffled nearly every cryptographer that’s ever tried to translate it. From what researchers have been able to uncover, the 15th century manuscript was part of a Jesuit library in the 1800s, and from there it passed through several hands before falling into the possession of a Polish book dealer named Wilfrid Voynich in 1909. After Voynich’s death, the manuscript became a subject of fascination for linguists and cryptographers, many of whom spent years studying the book’s mysterious language and alphabet. There are numerous theories about the text of the Voynich Manuscript, including that it is some kind of encoded puzzle; that it’s written in a heretofore undiscovered language; that it is meant to be read under a microscope; and even that it’s some kind of divinely inspired religious document that was written in a trance. But these are all just theories, and even after some fifty years of examination by the world’s top code-breakers, nothing is known for sure. Crude drawings of plants and jars in the book’s margins have led many to claim that it must be a manual on medicine or alchemy, but this too is just conjecture.
Possible Explanations
Because it has proven so resistant to translation, the Voynich Manuscript has inevitably been written off by many as a hoax. Critics of this theory argue that the book’s syntax is too sophisticated to have been faked, but others have shown that the technology of the time—particularly an encoding device called a “Cardan Grille”—would have made it possible for someone to fabricate the Voynich as a hoax. Still, none of these arguments have fully convinced Voynich scholars, who are either unwilling or unable to admit that the document might be a fake. Carbon dating has recently proven that the manuscript does indeed date back to the 1400s, but beyond that its origin and purpose still remain an enigma.
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Top 10 Children's Classic Stories
This story about a garden that transforms the lives of a group of children was serialized and then published as a whole in 1911. Orphaned Mary Lennox, a sickly child, is sent to live in England following her upbringing in India. At the house of her guardian Uncle, Mary discovers a neglected walled garden that no one is allowed to enter. Mary resolves to restore the garden with the help of her new companion, Dickon. Mary’s guardian’s son, Colin, another sickly and spoiled child, is also in on the secret. As the garden blossoms once more, the characters hope to physically and emotionally heal themselves. Burnett’s most acclaimed book was only popular after her death. The Secret Garden
Many adults have discovered this book and been inspired by its observations on the values of the adult world. The author, a French aviator, also drew the illustrations. The story is of a pilot stranded in the desert, an event that actually happened to Saint-Exupery, and his meeting a small boy from a tiny asteroid. The Little Prince, as he is known, has been visiting other worlds including Earth and tells the pilot of his adventures and how his encounters with adults have formed his philosophy. Readers of different ages appreciate the story on different levels. Following its publication in 1943, Saint-Exupery disappeared over the Mediterranean on a wartime mission in 1944. The Little Prince
Some of the most famous fairy tales in the world are in this collection. The tales, originating from Germany and elsewhere, were published in 1812. This book is the perfect introduction to children’s literature and an entertaining source for bedtime stories. The tales include Rapunzel, Hansel and Gretel, Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, the Elves and the Shoemaker, and Sleeping Beauty. Many families come across the stories for the first time as movie adaptations. Grimms Fairy Tales
Best selling children’s author, Dahl, brought his love of chocolate to this fantasy tale, published in 1964. It tells the story of Willy Wonka, eccentric owner of a chocolate factory and Charlie Bucket, the boy from a poor family. Charlie and four other children win a competition to tour the factory. As the only child to behave well on the tour, Charlie receives another reward that is beyond his wildest dreams. The morality tale was illustrated by long time collaborator Quentin Blake (from 1998 edition). A film adaptation came out in 1971 starring Gene Wilder and a second one was released in 2005 with Johnny Depp. Dahl also wrote James and the Giant Peach, The BFG, Matilda, and The Twits. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Tolkien’s imagination, inspired by his knowledge of ancient languages and folk tales, has enthralled children and adults since The Hobbit’s publication in 1937. We are introduced to some of the characters that were to feature in the epic trilogy, Lord of the Rings. Home-loving hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, is persuaded to go on a treasure hunt with Gandalf the wizard and a group of dwarves. Their adventures lead to encounters with Smaug the dragon, giant spiders, trolls, and goblins. Bilbo also gets acquainted with a creature called Gollum and a certain ring. The Hobbit
Winnie the Pooh and his friends have delighted each generation since the author was inspired to write characters based on his son, Christopher Robin, and his son’s toys. The first stories appeared in Winnie the Pooh (1926) and then in The House at Pooh Corner (1928). Earlier, Pooh Bear was the subject of a poem in Milne’s collection of verses, When We Were Very Young (1924) and in more poems in Now We Are Six (1927). Pooh, Christopher Robin, and their companions, Tigger, Piglet, Eeyore, and Owl etc. had various adventures in the Hundred Acre Wood, illustrated by the celebrated artist, E.H.Shepard. Walt Disney brought the characters to the screen in a successful franchise. The Winnie the Pooh Stories
Peter Pan evolved as a novel, published in 1911, from Barrie’s stage play. The boy who wouldn’t grow up has become a symbol of childhood. His adventures as the leader of The Lost Boys gang in Neverland lead him to escapades with Indians and pirates, his most dangerous enemy being Captain Hook. The Darling children, Wendy, John, and Michael are plunged into this amazing world. There have been several adaptations of the story, most notably the Walt Disney animation in 1953. Peter Pan
Grahame paints a reassuring world of comradeship, rural life, and “messing about on boats”. First published in 1908, the story of Mole, Ratty, Mr. Toad, and Mr. Badger has been adapted many times, on stage, and in film and TV. The rural idyll and everyday routine is interrupted by Toad’s escapades. One of the great characters of children’s literature, Toad is a lovable rogue but his conceit and restless nature leads him into trouble, requiring his friends to rescue him. The Wind in the Willows
This tale is one of the most surreal and bizarre to enter the children’s literature canon. It began as a story to entertain three young sisters. Reverend Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (who published under the name, Lewis Carroll) invented the characters for the daughters of one of his friends. The book was published in 1865 and a sequel, Through the Looking-Glass came out in 1871. John Tenniel was the original illustrator and Arthur Rackham illustrated later editions. The characters of the White Rabbit, the Mad Hatter, the March Hare, and the Queen of Hearts have entered popular culture. Alice in Wonderland
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in the USA), Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
No one could have predicted the global sensation that these books would cause. The sales figures for the series in June, 2008 was over 400 million copies sold and the novels have been translated into 67 languages, including Latin and Ancient Greek. The first book appeared in 1997, introducing us to the inner world of wizards and the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The movie adaptations successfully interpreted the stories for the screen. Children and adults delight in the complex plot and well-drawn characters and can relate to Harry, who faces the usual problems of growing up in addition to facing an evil foe
The Secret Garden
By Frances Hodgson Burnett
This story about a garden that transforms the lives of a group of children was serialized and then published as a whole in 1911. Orphaned Mary Lennox, a sickly child, is sent to live in England following her upbringing in India. At the house of her guardian Uncle, Mary discovers a neglected walled garden that no one is allowed to enter. Mary resolves to restore the garden with the help of her new companion, Dickon. Mary’s guardian’s son, Colin, another sickly and spoiled child, is also in on the secret. As the garden blossoms once more, the characters hope to physically and emotionally heal themselves. Burnett’s most acclaimed book was only popular after her death. The Secret Garden
The Little Prince
By Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Many adults have discovered this book and been inspired by its observations on the values of the adult world. The author, a French aviator, also drew the illustrations. The story is of a pilot stranded in the desert, an event that actually happened to Saint-Exupery, and his meeting a small boy from a tiny asteroid. The Little Prince, as he is known, has been visiting other worlds including Earth and tells the pilot of his adventures and how his encounters with adults have formed his philosophy. Readers of different ages appreciate the story on different levels. Following its publication in 1943, Saint-Exupery disappeared over the Mediterranean on a wartime mission in 1944. The Little Prince
Grimms Fairy Tales
Collected by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
Some of the most famous fairy tales in the world are in this collection. The tales, originating from Germany and elsewhere, were published in 1812. This book is the perfect introduction to children’s literature and an entertaining source for bedtime stories. The tales include Rapunzel, Hansel and Gretel, Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, the Elves and the Shoemaker, and Sleeping Beauty. Many families come across the stories for the first time as movie adaptations. Grimms Fairy Tales
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
By Roald Dahl
Best selling children’s author, Dahl, brought his love of chocolate to this fantasy tale, published in 1964. It tells the story of Willy Wonka, eccentric owner of a chocolate factory and Charlie Bucket, the boy from a poor family. Charlie and four other children win a competition to tour the factory. As the only child to behave well on the tour, Charlie receives another reward that is beyond his wildest dreams. The morality tale was illustrated by long time collaborator Quentin Blake (from 1998 edition). A film adaptation came out in 1971 starring Gene Wilder and a second one was released in 2005 with Johnny Depp. Dahl also wrote James and the Giant Peach, The BFG, Matilda, and The Twits. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
The Hobbit
By J.R.R. Tolkien
Tolkien’s imagination, inspired by his knowledge of ancient languages and folk tales, has enthralled children and adults since The Hobbit’s publication in 1937. We are introduced to some of the characters that were to feature in the epic trilogy, Lord of the Rings. Home-loving hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, is persuaded to go on a treasure hunt with Gandalf the wizard and a group of dwarves. Their adventures lead to encounters with Smaug the dragon, giant spiders, trolls, and goblins. Bilbo also gets acquainted with a creature called Gollum and a certain ring. The Hobbit
The Winnie the Pooh Stories
By A.A.Milne
Winnie the Pooh and his friends have delighted each generation since the author was inspired to write characters based on his son, Christopher Robin, and his son’s toys. The first stories appeared in Winnie the Pooh (1926) and then in The House at Pooh Corner (1928). Earlier, Pooh Bear was the subject of a poem in Milne’s collection of verses, When We Were Very Young (1924) and in more poems in Now We Are Six (1927). Pooh, Christopher Robin, and their companions, Tigger, Piglet, Eeyore, and Owl etc. had various adventures in the Hundred Acre Wood, illustrated by the celebrated artist, E.H.Shepard. Walt Disney brought the characters to the screen in a successful franchise. The Winnie the Pooh Stories
Peter Pan
By J.M. Barrie
Peter Pan evolved as a novel, published in 1911, from Barrie’s stage play. The boy who wouldn’t grow up has become a symbol of childhood. His adventures as the leader of The Lost Boys gang in Neverland lead him to escapades with Indians and pirates, his most dangerous enemy being Captain Hook. The Darling children, Wendy, John, and Michael are plunged into this amazing world. There have been several adaptations of the story, most notably the Walt Disney animation in 1953. Peter Pan
The Wind in the Willows
By Kenneth Grahame
Grahame paints a reassuring world of comradeship, rural life, and “messing about on boats”. First published in 1908, the story of Mole, Ratty, Mr. Toad, and Mr. Badger has been adapted many times, on stage, and in film and TV. The rural idyll and everyday routine is interrupted by Toad’s escapades. One of the great characters of children’s literature, Toad is a lovable rogue but his conceit and restless nature leads him into trouble, requiring his friends to rescue him. The Wind in the Willows
Alice in Wonderland
By Lewis Carroll
This tale is one of the most surreal and bizarre to enter the children’s literature canon. It began as a story to entertain three young sisters. Reverend Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (who published under the name, Lewis Carroll) invented the characters for the daughters of one of his friends. The book was published in 1865 and a sequel, Through the Looking-Glass came out in 1871. John Tenniel was the original illustrator and Arthur Rackham illustrated later editions. The characters of the White Rabbit, the Mad Hatter, the March Hare, and the Queen of Hearts have entered popular culture. Alice in Wonderland
The Harry Potter Series
By J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
No one could have predicted the global sensation that these books would cause. The sales figures for the series in June, 2008 was over 400 million copies sold and the novels have been translated into 67 languages, including Latin and Ancient Greek. The first book appeared in 1997, introducing us to the inner world of wizards and the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The movie adaptations successfully interpreted the stories for the screen. Children and adults delight in the complex plot and well-drawn characters and can relate to Harry, who faces the usual problems of growing up in addition to facing an evil foe
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The Mekong River is located in China. It runs through Burma, Thailand, Yunnan, Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia. The Mekong is the 11th longest river in the world and the 7th longest in Asia. The river is said to be about 2,703 miles long. Because of the seasonal changes that cause variations in flow as well as the appearance of rapids and waterfalls in the river, the Mekong is extremely difficult to navigate. This river so strong that the level of the river located in Cambodia is lower than the high tide at sea! In 2000, the river’s rapids and tides became so overwhelming that it flooded, killing about 90 people.
The Parana River is the 14th longest river in the world. Though most of the river is located in Brazil, it also runs through other parts of South America such as Argentina and Paraguay. The river is about 2,485 miles long and flows into three other rivers. On the southern part of the river, flooding is extremely common. The strong currents that the Parana brings have been said to erode river shores, destroy buildings, and cause many people to have to move out of their homes. The high winds and the El-Nino effect also play big roles in how powerful the river is.
The Mississippi River is the only river in the U.S. to make the list! The Mississippi River is the second largest in the U.S. It expands across 2,340 miles of land. It starts at Lake Itasca in Minnesota and travels all the way down to the Gulf of Mexico. Those who live along the banks of the river often have to fear its high tides and extremely powerful waters. Many of the levees that have been built to hold back the water have proven extremely unhelpful. In 2008, many were afraid that the river would over-flood even more than it already had. The water was topping levees and many had to be evacuated from their homes.
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The world has never been more technologically advanced than it is now, but that doesn’t mean that some things haven’t been lost along the way. Many of the technologies, inventions, and manufacturing processes of antiquity have simply disappeared with the passage of time, while others are still not fully understood by modern day scientists. Some have since been rediscovered (indoor plumbing, building), but many of the more mysterious lost technologies have gone on to become the stuff of legend. Here are ten famous examples:
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If there was a website that could save your life, it’d be Zeer. Zeer displays the nutritional custom labels for every kind of packaged food you can buy, and then lets you comment / rate your favorite, or perhaps least favorite, items. Trying to get into better shape or become healthier? Maybe you’re a vegetarian and you want to know if that tasty snack you saw had any beef in it. You thought you saw some beef-like texture for sure. Or maybe you want to know if that new Doritos flavor is any good. All your questions and more can be answered here.
http://www.zeer.com/
Wikipedia’s overrated and about to become outdated. Bartleby provides you with unlimited access to various books and other information free of charge. The categories are reference, verse, fiction, and nonfiction. It’s very easy to find exactly what you’re looking for, whether it be Aesop’s fables or Shakespeare or even The Bible. The site also has a built-in encyclopedia, dictionary, thesaurus, and quotation dictionary as well.
http://www.bartleby.com/
Forget Ehow, Wikihow, or any other how-to website out there. 5min is your “one-stop shop for instructional videos and DIY projects.” It’s always easier to learn watching someone do it rather than reading about it. It’ll only take 5 minutes of your time and its videos range from “Tto Zurich, Switzerland” to “Yoga to Cure Constipation?” Or you can become a teacher, create an account, and upload your own videos.
http://www.5min.com/
You can test drive a car, why shouldn’t you be able to test drive a phone? Don’t rely on CNET reviews and friend’s suggestions to buy your next phone, try it for yourself. Use their fully interactive online virtual headsets and try out the buttons, applications, services, content, and more. Every phone’s in crystal clear quality and literally, what you see is what you get. There are also user reviews, phone specifications, and other information on the site as well. Never feel uncertainty again when buying your next phone.
http://tryphone.com
Google News is an amazing source of news. Constantly updated, reliable, and lots and lots of it. But maybe that last one’s not such a good thing. You’re busy but you still want to be informed, but it’s just so hard to discern what’s important and what’s not with Google News. That’s where Newsmap comes in. Newsmap is a graphical representation of Google News that makes it easy for you to find the news you actually care about. It relies on something called a “treemap algorithm” for this. Basically, more popular and important stories appear larger, while the lesser stories are smaller. Stories are also arranged by theme and represented by different colors. See for yourself.
http://newsmap.jp/
Despite popular belief, many people do actually enjoy reading books, but they just can’t find any time to set aside for this underrated hobby. The DailyLit fixes that easily. First, you choose the book you want to read. The older books are free, while the more modern classics might need a purchase. Then you choose the time and day you want to read it. Maybe you want to read it every day at 8 P.M. And that’s it. DailyLit will send you short installments of the book via RSS or e-mail and you can read it on a mobile device like an iPhone or on your computer. Before you know it, you’ll have finished the book, and it’ll have taken you less than 5 minutes a day.
http://dailylit.com/
Traveling is a hassle. You have to keep track of all your transportation, reservations, and if you like to play it safe, your receipts. Well Tripit collects all those pesky little details and makes it into an easy-to-use master itinerary. Not only that, Tripit throws in maps, some local attraction suggestions, a few weather reports, and much more. You can access this itinerary online or from a mobile device like a cell phone, so keeping track of it couldn’t be easier. Don’t plan a trip again without Tripit.
http://www.tripit.com/
There’s no doubt that social networking has become something much, much more than just catching up with old friends who want nothing more to do with you. But there are just so many websites, Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, and everyone uses different ones. How can you possibly keep up with everyone? Power solves this problem and more. Power allows you to log in once, just once, and with that one click, you’re synced with a long list of social networking sites. All the status updates, messages, and posts in a single place. You can even use MSN messenger in the site itself.
Think of the copious amounts of videos that exist all across the vast World Wide Web today. This is where Boxee comes in and helps us maintain whatever sanity we will have while embarking on this impossible quest of entertainment. Boxee gathers the videos from a plethora of websites like Hulu, Youtube, and even Cnn.com, and feeds it to you in a very aesthetically pleasing and easy-to-use interface. You can even organize the videos, images, and music on your own computer with Boxee. The best part of Boxee? The community. Boxee suggests media to you mainly via your friends—you form friend groups with other Boxee users and you can see what they’re watching or even suggest your own videos to them.
http://www.boxee.tv/
You’ve heard of Wikipedia, but do you know Wikibooks? It’s in the same easy-to-use interface, but a totally different concept. Wikibooks is a community that was made to create a free online library of educational textbooks that anyone can edit. Just one click can get you a plethora of information you never thought even existed or let you become an expert in a subject you’ve always wanted to know. As of right now, there are over 36,843 pages of information in a multitude of textbooks. You can teach by adding your own knowledge to the content, or be taught by just visiting. Maybe the English language isn’t your forte (how are you reading this?).
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The poolside to pet the stingrays at the aquarium is always crowded. There is just something about the gentle nature of these seemingly docile creatures that makes them much more adorable than your typical sea creature. When Steve “Crocodile Hunter” Irwin died a few years back as a result of a stingray wound to the chest, the crowds grew a little sparse around the stingray pool. Today, their popularity remains intact, but that does not take away from the fact that a stingray can be very dangerous. One misplaced step within the sand can send its barbed stinger in a fury of reflexive, venomous slashing, which if hooked into a leg, arm, abdomen, or chest, will release toxins promoting swelling and excruciating pain. The toxin localizes at the sting point, but can travel through the rest of the body causing various other problems. While these stings are not often fatal, they can be.
Swans are such beautiful and graceful creatures. They are not only relatively gentle creatures in nature, but they are also terrific parents and would protect their young to the bitter end. And here lies the problem. Many birds have an instinct to protect their young when approached by a predator, but they will eventually give up if the predator is too strong or dangerous to deter. The swan however, does not give up. They will keep going until either they are dead, or the pursuant is, whichever comes first. These creatures, which can grow up to 30 pounds in weight, are very aggressive when provoked, and will bite and hit you without hesitation. The real danger however stands for those who are unable to swim, as swans have been known to fly over a perceived enemy, pushing them under the water until they drown. Image from WildAnimalsOnline.com.
Now here is a cute and cuddly creature. The chipmunk stands about six inches from nose to tail, and has been known to burst suddenly into a harmonious melody if they hear the tickled ivories of a well tuned piano (Alvin and the Chipmunks reference). While the most aggression you will probably see from these creatures, is trying to take your sandwich during a picnic, they can be considered dangerous in other ways. I’m talking about the possibility of harboring disease. Siberian Chipmunks have been reported as spreading throughout many areas of the world, bringing with them, ticks (Lyme disease) and rabies. While both are treatable, if the disease is undetected and left untreated, heart and neurological problems can ensue, followed by coma and death in really extreme cases.
The elephant is truly a wondrous creature. They are peaceful, kind, loving, and have even been documented to tear whenever a mate or child dies. With this said, no animal or creature is perfect, and there are times when an elephant can be extremely dangerous. The biggest problem lies in their pure size and strength. Every animal can get a little grumpy, such as when a chihuahua bites an ankle for stepping too close to its bone, or a cat claws a hand for scratching its belly. If an elephant gets grumpy however, one sweep of its foot, or joust of its tusk, and it’s all over for whoever happens to be in its way. A number of zoo trainers have died at the hands of a seemingly “friendly” elephant. They do not often take too well in captivity, and it has been said that the increased levels of testosterone in males during mating season, can lead to overly aggressive and uncontrolled attacks for seemingly no reason.
The lovable hippo is a well known animal character for countless of children’s movies, stories, and cartoons. The secret lies in their cute little ears, cute round buttocks, beady little eyes, and what appears to be a rather gentle distemper. If you thought that a Chihuahua was territorial over its bones, however, you haven’t seen how testy a hippo can get over its mud pond. Hippos kill people every year who approach their territory, either knowing or unknowing. Despite weighing in at 8,000 pounds, they can chase a person down at speeds of up to 20 mph. With a jaw structure that enables them to clamp down at 6,000 pounds of pressure, and canine teeth as large as 10 inches, they are not exactly an animal you want to irritate. Hippos are herbivores, so they don’t exactly eat people, but they will not hesitate to chomp one in two, if provoked.
Dolphins have been compared to humans on a number of fronts. They are intelligent, communicate with each other, have the ability to learn, do tricks, play jokes, and can almost use their fins as hands. What’s not to love? Dolphins however, are also known for their insatiable sexual yearning, and deep respect from others within the ocean. Deep respect? Yes, it has been shown on countless occasions (including the show, Myth Busters) that even the great white shark is more than just a little intimidated by a dolphin. Why? they must know something that we don’t. Dolphins can be violent. Not only have they been known to kill and maim their own young, they also kill porpoises and play with their dead carcass for no apparent reason other than its fun. Male dolphins particularly show aggression towards human males when there’s a female involved. Why? Sexual competition.
The chimpanzee has long been thought of as somewhat of an ancestor to man. They are the only mammals on the earth, with such obvious similarities as hands (with opposable thumbs), brain function, and facial expressions. With all these similarities, however, it shouldn’t be too surprising that they also have the similar traits towards violence. Chimpanzees have been documented as having bloody feuds with each other, resulting over territorial or other differences. Countless “trained” chimpanzee pets have also been known to turn on their owner or friends, causing severe damage, such as mangled hands (torn off in some cases), shredded faces, broken bones, etc. One important difference between a chimpanzee and human, is their skeletal muscle structure. The chimp has as much as 5-times the strength of a human, leaving little hope of defending ourselves should one decide to attack. Image from EarthShots.org.
The platypus is truly one of the strangest mammals on the face of the earth, with its thick fuzzy body, flat beaver-like tail, otter-like feet, duck-like bill, and cute beady little eyes that say, I could never hurt anyone. There are two very unique attributes of the platypus, the first, being its duckbill. Besides having the most obvious use of scooping food, it has built-in electro-receptivity, similar to that of the Hammerhead shark, allowing it to find food buried within the silt. The other unique attribute, is a pair 15 mm long hollow spurs placed along the inside of their rear legs. Inside these spurs resides a moderate toxin, which can be quickly delivered to an enemy (or their own kind) with a fleeing kick. The venom is deadly for small animals, and while not typically fatal for humans, causes excruciating pain that can last for weeks, if not months.
The beautiful polar bear has appeared in everything from cartoons, movies and television ads, playing soft, fuzzy, gentle creatures, who are as noble in their allegiance with the human race, as they are adamant in their preference to the taste of Coca-Cola beverages. While a Polar bear sleeping on an ice berg with its paws clutched around it like a toddler holding their teddy bear is truly cute, that same creature slapping the head clean off an unwary arctic explorer, is a whole other rush of fear inducing adrenaline. The polar bear is the largest carnivore in North America, weighing up to 1500 pounds, and standing up to 10 feet on its hind legs. Somewhere between 20 to 90 people are attacked each year by the polar bear. With no natural enemy, a male polar bear has been said to have the strength to rip a 12-inch thick seal clean out of a 4-inch hole, as if it were peeling a banana for breakfast.
The Slow Loris is one of the absolute most cute, sweet, and shy mammals on earth. With its narrow set, bulbous eyes, they are the kind of animal that people dream of taking home and cuddling it like a teddy bear. However, besides being one of the cutest mammals, it is also the most poisonous and venomous. By poisonous, the Slow Loris produces a toxin on the inside of its elbows through a gland, which if eaten, would give you quite an extreme case of stomach pain. They smear this excretion on their young, to help keep them from being eaten in the wild. They are also considered venomous because if provoked, they can suck this same poison from their elbows into their mouths, injecting it into an enemy via a bite. If the presumed predator shows an allergic reaction to the toxin, they could be dead within hours if not properly treated
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10. Mekong River
9. Lena River
Flowing through Eastern Siberia, the Lena River is the 10th longest river in the world, bringing water 2,734 miles until it flows into the Sea. The river flows northeast and joins with two other rivers and finally flows into the Laptev Sea. The river is known to have strong links to stream flow, especially during the summer and spring when the water is much warmer than usual. Once it is spring, the ice on the Lena River melts before the ice downstream does, which usually causes flooding because iceblocks hinder the flow of water. In 2007, the river over-flooded and more than 1,000 houses and 12 towns were under water.8. Parana River
7. Yenisey River
The Yenisey River is the biggest river that flows into the Arctic Ocean. At 3,445 miles long, the river is the 5th largest in the world. The river flows through Mongolia, the Yenisei Gulf, and then drains in the center of Siberia. The upper part of the river is subject to floods a swell as rapids. Because part of the river exits through the Darkhad Valley, studies have shown that it is often blocked by ice. Once the glaciers retreat, it is said that as much as 500km ³ of water could escape from the river and cause a complete debacle.6. Mississippi River
5. Brahmaputra River
The Brahmaputra River is located in Bahaduradbad, Bangladesh. It starts in southwestern Tibet, goes through the Himalayas, the Assam Valley, and then through Bangladesh. The Brahmaputra River is about 1,800 miles long and is mostly used for transportation as well as irrigation. While most of this river is navigable, some parts are prone to catastrophic flooding in the spring once the snow of the Himalayans melt. This river is also one of the few that is known to have something called a tidal bare. This means that incoming tides form waves that travel up the river against the direction of the current. This is what researchers call a true tidal wave. This makes the Brahmaputra River that much stronger.4. Yangtze River
The Yangtze River is the longest river in Asia as well as in China. It is the 3rd largest river in the world. The river stretches to about 3,964 miles and flows through East China Sea in Shanghai. The Yangtze River is known for its flooding, and dams that have been built to prevent water from flowing outside of the river’s banks have proven to be useless. Researchers have realized that the river actually has three different types of floods and that its tides are much too strong during some seasons to prevent water from overflowing. Many use the river for electricity and water transport, but they often, if not always have to live in the fear of their towns being flooded.3. Orinoco River
The Orinoco River is one of the longest in South America. In fact, it is the 3rd longest in South America. The river is 1,330 miles long and flows through Colombia and Venezuela. It begins at the Delgago Chalbaud Mountain. Once the river passes the forested terrain and waterfalls, it slows. However, the waterfalls become rapids which have proven to be extremely difficult to navigate, even though during this time the river is downstream. Eventually the river dumps into the Atlantic Ocean. The river also experiences coastal upwelling year-round, which often poses a threat for those who live close to the river.2. Congo River
You might know the Congo River as the Zaire River. Whichever name you are familiar with, this river is the largest river in Western Central Africa. At 2,922 miles, the Congo River is the second longest river in Africa. This river is also Africa’s most powerful river. Even though the Congo starts off as a peaceful river, especially near Lake Tanganyika, it eventually begins to widen and also picks up speed during this time. Eventually the water passes through the “Gates of Hell,” which is a 75-mile long canyon that presents rapids that are impassable. At the Upper Congo, the river ends, but has a 60 mile stretch of rapids that make it dangerous and powerful.1. Amazon River
The Amazon River is the largest river in the world when looking at its volume. It is located in South America, and because it is so large, it can count for at least 1/5 of the world’s complete river flow. This river is so powerful and so big that there aren’t any points along the river that can be crossed by a bridge. The river has an extremely powerful discharge at the mouth which can release as much as eight trillion gallons of water each day. The river is said to be about 150 ft. deep, so if you’re thinking about going for a swim in the Amazon, think again!------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Top 10 Lost Technologies
10. Stradivari Violins
One lost technology of the 1700s is the process through which the famed Stradivari violins and other stringed instruments were built. The violins, along with assorted violas, cellos, and guitars, were constructed by the Stradivari family in Italy from roughly 1650-1750. The violins were prized in their day, but they’ve since become world famous for having an unparalleled—and impossible to reproduce—sound quality. Today there are only around 600 of the instruments left, and most are worth several hundred thousand dollars. In fact, the name Stradivari has become so synonymous with quality that it has come to serve as a descriptive term for anything considered to be the best in its field.How was it Lost?
The technique for building Stradivari instruments was a family secret known only by patriarch Antonio Stradivari and his sons, Omobono and Francesco. Once they died, the process died with them, but this hasn’t stopped some from trying to reproduce it. Researchers have studied everything from fungi in the wood that was used to the unique shaping of the bodies in order to describe the famous resonance achieved by the Stradivarius collection. The leading hypothesis seems to be that the density of the particular wood used accounts for the sound. Still, some dispute the claim that the instruments are special at all. In fact, at least one study concluded that most people don’t even notice a difference in sound quality between a Stradivari violin and a modern counterpart.9. Nepenthe
The sheer sophistication of the technology wielded by the ancient Greeks and Romans is often quite astonishing, especially when it came to medicine. Among other things, the Greeks were known to treat the bereaved with Nepenthe, a primitive anti-depressant that was known for its ability to “chase away sorrow.” The drug is frequently mentioned in Greek literature like Homer’s Odyssey. Some claim that it might be fictional, but others have argued that the drug was real and used widely in ancient Greece. Nepenthe was said to have originated in Egypt, and its effects as “a drug of forgetfulness” have led many to compare it to opium or laudanum.How was it Lost?
Oftentimes these “lost” technologies are possibly still around today, and it’s only our inability to identify their modern equivalent that makes them mysterious. Supposing that it really did exist, this is probably the case with Nepenthe. The drug is most likely still used today, but historians are unable to pinpoint just what modern substance the Greeks were referring to. Opium is definitely the most popular choice, but other frontrunners include wormwood extract and scopolamine.8. The Antikythera Mechanism
One of the most mysterious of all archeological artifacts is what is known as the Antikythera Mechanism, a bronze machine that was discovered by divers off the coast of the Greek island of Antikythera in the early 1900s. The mechanism consists of a series of over 30 gears, cranks, and dials that could be manipulated in order to chart the astronomical positions of the sun, moon, and other planets. The device was found among the remains of a shipwreck that scientists have dated to the 1st or 2nd century BC. Its true purpose is still not fully known, and the mystery behind its construction and use has puzzled researchers for years. The consensus now seems to be that the Antikythera Mechanism was a kind of primitive clock that could calculate lunar phases and solar years, which has led some to refer to it as the earliest example of an “analog computer.”How was it Lost?
The sophistication and precision evident in the design of the mechanism suggests that it was not the only device of its kind, and many scientists have speculated that its use might have been widespread. Still, the existence of other devices like the Antikythera Mechanism doesn’t appear on the historical record until the 14th century, which would mean that the technology was lost for nearly 1400 years. Why or how will probably remain a mystery, especially since the mechanism still stands as the only ancient discovery of its kind.7. The Telharmonium
Often recognized as the world’s first electronic musical instrument, the Telharmonium was a large organ-like device that used tonewheels to creative synthetic musical notes that were then transmitted by wires to a series of loudspeakers. The Telharmonium was developed by the inventor Thaddeus Cahill in 1897, and at the time it was one of the biggest instruments ever built. Cahill would eventually construct three versions of it, one of which was said to weigh some 200 tons and take up enough space to fill an entire room. Its set up consisted of a collection of keyboards and foot pedals, which the user could manipulate to reproduce the sounds of other instruments, particularly woodwinds like flutes, bassoons, and clarinets. The first public exhibitions of the Telharmonium were met with great success. People came in droves to hear public performances of the primitive synthesizer, which was said to produce a clear, round sound that resembled a sine wave.How was it Lost?
Following its initial successes, Cahill developed big plans for his Telharmonium. Because of its ability to transmit a signal over telephone wires, he envisioned Telharmonium music being broadcast remotely as background sound in places like restaurants, hotels, and private homes. Unfortunately, the device proved to be too far ahead of its time. Its massive energy consumption strained early power grids, and at a price tag of a whopping $200,000, the instrument was just too pricey to build on a large scale. What’s more, early experiments in broadcasting its music over the telephone proved disastrous, as its sound would often bleed over into private phone conversations. After a while, the public’s fascination with the device waned, and the different versions of it were eventually scrapped. Today, nothing remains of the original three Telharmoniums—not even sound recordings.6. The Library of Alexandria
Although it wasn’t a technology, the legendary Library of Alexandria warrants a place on this list, if only because its destruction meant that so much of the collected knowledge of antiquity was forever lost. The library was founded in Alexandria, Egypt in roughly 300 B.C., most likely during the reign of Ptolemy Soter. It marked the first serious attempt to gather all the known information about the outside world in one place. The size of its collection is not known (though the number has been estimated to be in the neighborhood of one million scrolls), but the library undoubtedly attracted some of the great minds of its day, among them Zenodotus and Aristophones of Byzantium, both of whom spent considerable time doing scholarly work in Alexandria. The library became so important that there is even a legend that all visitors to the city would have to surrender their books upon entering so that a copy could be made for storage in the great library.How was it Lost?
The Library of Alexandria and all its contents burned sometime around the first or second century AD. Scholars are still uncertain just how the fire was started, but there are a few competing theories. The first, which is backed up by historical documents, suggests that Julius Caesar accidentally burned the library when he set fire to some of his own ships in order to block the path of an advancing enemy fleet. The fire spread to the docks and then enveloped the library. Other theories contend that the library was sacked and burned by invaders, with the Emperor Aurelian, Theodosius I, and the Arab conqueror Amr ibn al ‘Aas serving as the main contenders. However the Library of Alexandria was destroyed, there’s little doubt that many of the secrets of antiquity were lost along with it. We’ll never know for sure just what was lost, but had it remained standing, there’s an argument to be made that many of the technologies on the list would have never been lost.5. Damascus Steel
Damascus steel was an impossibly strong type of metal that was widely used in the Middle East from 1100-1700 AD. It is most famously associated with swords and knives. Blades forged with Damascus steel were known for their amazing strength and cutting ability, and were said to be able to slice rocks and other metals—including the blades of weaker swords—cleanly in half. The blades are believed to have been created using wootz steel, which was most likely imported from India and Sri Lanka and molded and blended to create a patterned blade. The special quality of the swords is thought to have derived from this process, which weaved together tough cementite and soft iron to form a metal that was as strong as it was flexible.How was it Lost?
The particular process for forging Damascus steel appears to have disappeared sometime around 1750 AD. The exact cause for the loss of the technique is unknown, but there are several theories. The most popular is that the supply of ores needed for the special recipe for Damascus steel started running low, and sword makers were forced to develop other techniques. Another is that the whole recipe for Damascus steel—specifically the presence of carbon nanotubes—was only discovered by accident, and that sword smiths didn’t actually know the technique by heart. Instead, they would simply forge the swords en masse, and test them to determine which met the standards of Damascus steel. Whatever the technique, Damascus steel is one technology that modern experimenters have been unable to fully reproduce. There are pattern welded knives that are marketed as being made from “Damascened steel”, but while usually well made, they are only approximations of the lost technique for real Damascus steel.4. Apollo/Gemini Space Program Technology
Not all lost technology dates back to antiquity—sometimes it’s just become so obsolete that it’s no longer compatible. The Apollo and Gemini space programs of the 50s, 60s, and 70s were responsible for NASA’s biggest successes, including some of the first manned space flights and the first trip to the moon. Gemini, which ran from 1965-66, was responsible for the much of the early research and development into the mechanics of human space flight. Apollo, which followed shortly thereafter, was launched with the goal of landing a crew on the surface of the moon, which it succeeded in doing in July of 1969.How was it Lost?
The Apollo and Gemini programs aren’t truly lost. There are still one or two Saturn V rockets lying around, and there are plenty of parts from the spacecraft capsules still available. But just because modern scientists have the parts doesn’t mean they have the knowledge to understand how or why they worked the way they did. In fact, very few schematics or records from the original programs are still around. This lack of record keeping is a byproduct of the frenetic pace at which the American space program progressed. Because NASA was in a space race with the USSR, the planning, design, and building process of the Apollo and Gemini programs was always rushed. Not only that, but in most cases private contractors were brought in to work on every individual part of the spacecraft. Once the programs ended, these engineers—along with all their records—moved on. None of this would be a problem, but now that NASA is planning a return trip to the moon, a lot of the information about how the engineers of the 1960s made the voyages work is invaluable. Amazingly, the records remain so disorganized and incomplete that NASA has resorted to reverse engineering existing spacecraft parts that they have lying around in junkyards as a way of understanding just how the Gemini and Apollo programs managed to work so well.3. Silphium
Lost technologies aren’t always the result of too much secrecy or poor record keeping—sometimes nature just doesn’t cooperate. This was the case with Silphium, an herbal wonder drug that the Romans used as one of the earliest forms of birth control. It was based on the fruit of a particular genus of the fennel plant, a flowering herb that only grew along a certain shoreline in modern day Libya. The heart-shaped fruit of the Silphium plant was known to be something of a cure-all, and was used to treat warts, fever, indigestion and a whole host of other ailments. But it was Silphium’s powers as a contraceptive that made it one of the most valuable substances in the Roman world, to the point that the plant appears on several different pieces of ancient Roman currency. Women would drink Silphium juice every few weeks, and this would be enough to prevent pregnancy. Using the herb would even terminate an existing pregnancy if used correctly, which would make Silphium one of the earliest methods of abortion.How was it Lost?
Silphium was one of the most sought after drugs of the ancient world, and its use spread rapidly across Europe and into Asia. But despite its remarkable effects, the particular genus of plant needed would only grow in one area along the Mediterranean in North Africa. Its scarcity, combined with an overwhelming demand, more than likely led to over harvesting, which drove the plant into extinction. Because the particular species no longer exists, modern scientists are unable to examine Silphium to see if its powers of contraception were really as effective as Roman historians and poets would lead one to believe, or if there were any adverse side effects. Still, it is worth noting that other herbs that are chemically similar to Silphium have been proven to have a fairly high rate of preventing pregnancy.2. Roman Cement
Modern concrete was developed in the 1700s, and today the simple mixture of cement, water, sand, and rocks is the most widely used building material in the world. But the recipe developed in the 18th century wasn’t the first time concrete was invented. In fact, concrete was widely used throughout antiquity by the Persians, Egyptians, Assyrians, and Romans. The Romans in particular made extensive use of concrete, and they were responsible for first perfecting the recipe by mixing burnt lime with crushed rocks and water. Their mastery of its use allowed them to build many of their most famous structures, among them the Pantheon, the Colosseum, the aqueducts, and the Roman Baths.How was it Lost?
Like so many technologies of the Greeks and Romans, the recipe for concrete was lost during the descent into the Dark Ages, but just why remains a mystery. The most popular theory is that the recipe was something of a trade secret among stonemasons, and that the method for making cement and concrete died along with those who knew it. Perhaps even more interesting than the disappearance of Roman cement are the particular qualities that separate it from more modern Portland cement, which is the most common type of cement used today. Structures built with Roman cement, like the Colosseum, have managed to weather thousands of years of punishment from the elements and remain standing, but buildings constructed with Portland cement have been known to wear down much faster. This has been theorized to be the result of different chemicals that the Romans added to their cement, among them milk and even blood. These were said to create air bubbles within the concrete that helped the material to expand and contract in the heat and cold without damaging itself.1. Greek Fire
Perhaps the most famous of all lost technologies is what is known as Greek Fire, an incendiary weapon that was used by the military of the Byzantine Empire. A primitive form of napalm, Greek Fire was a kind of “sticky fire” that would continue burning even in water. The Byzantines most famously used it during the 11th century, when it was credited with helping to repel two sieges of Constantinople by Arab invaders. Greek Fire could be deployed in many different ways. In its earliest form it was poured into jars and thrown at enemies like a grenade or a Molotov cocktail. Later, giant bronze tubes were mounted on warships, and siphons were used spray the weapon at enemy vessels. There was even a kind of portable siphon that could be operated by hand in the style of a modern flamethrower.How was it Lost?
The technology behind Greek Fire certainly isn’t completely alien. After all, modern militaries have now been using similar weapons for years. Still, the closest counterpart to Greek Fire, napalm, wasn’t perfected until the early 1940s, which would mean the technology was lost for several hundred years. The weapon’s use seems to disappear after the decline of the Byzantine Empire, but just why still isn’t known. Meanwhile, the possible chemical composition of Greek Fire has been widely studied by historians and scientists. An early theory was that the mixture included a heavy dose of saltpeter, which would make it chemically similar to gunpowder. This idea has since been rejected, because saltpeter wouldn’t burn in water. Instead, modern theories propose that the weapon was more likely a cocktail of petroleum and other chemicals, possibly including quicklime, niter, or sulfur.Top 10 Best Websites
10. Zeer
If there was a website that could save your life, it’d be Zeer. Zeer displays the nutritional custom labels for every kind of packaged food you can buy, and then lets you comment / rate your favorite, or perhaps least favorite, items. Trying to get into better shape or become healthier? Maybe you’re a vegetarian and you want to know if that tasty snack you saw had any beef in it. You thought you saw some beef-like texture for sure. Or maybe you want to know if that new Doritos flavor is any good. All your questions and more can be answered here.
http://www.zeer.com/
9. Bartleby
Wikipedia’s overrated and about to become outdated. Bartleby provides you with unlimited access to various books and other information free of charge. The categories are reference, verse, fiction, and nonfiction. It’s very easy to find exactly what you’re looking for, whether it be Aesop’s fables or Shakespeare or even The Bible. The site also has a built-in encyclopedia, dictionary, thesaurus, and quotation dictionary as well.
http://www.bartleby.com/
8. 5min
Forget Ehow, Wikihow, or any other how-to website out there. 5min is your “one-stop shop for instructional videos and DIY projects.” It’s always easier to learn watching someone do it rather than reading about it. It’ll only take 5 minutes of your time and its videos range from “Tto Zurich, Switzerland” to “Yoga to Cure Constipation?” Or you can become a teacher, create an account, and upload your own videos.
http://www.5min.com/
7. Tryphone
You can test drive a car, why shouldn’t you be able to test drive a phone? Don’t rely on CNET reviews and friend’s suggestions to buy your next phone, try it for yourself. Use their fully interactive online virtual headsets and try out the buttons, applications, services, content, and more. Every phone’s in crystal clear quality and literally, what you see is what you get. There are also user reviews, phone specifications, and other information on the site as well. Never feel uncertainty again when buying your next phone.
http://tryphone.com
6. Newsmap
Google News is an amazing source of news. Constantly updated, reliable, and lots and lots of it. But maybe that last one’s not such a good thing. You’re busy but you still want to be informed, but it’s just so hard to discern what’s important and what’s not with Google News. That’s where Newsmap comes in. Newsmap is a graphical representation of Google News that makes it easy for you to find the news you actually care about. It relies on something called a “treemap algorithm” for this. Basically, more popular and important stories appear larger, while the lesser stories are smaller. Stories are also arranged by theme and represented by different colors. See for yourself.
http://newsmap.jp/
5. DailyLit
Despite popular belief, many people do actually enjoy reading books, but they just can’t find any time to set aside for this underrated hobby. The DailyLit fixes that easily. First, you choose the book you want to read. The older books are free, while the more modern classics might need a purchase. Then you choose the time and day you want to read it. Maybe you want to read it every day at 8 P.M. And that’s it. DailyLit will send you short installments of the book via RSS or e-mail and you can read it on a mobile device like an iPhone or on your computer. Before you know it, you’ll have finished the book, and it’ll have taken you less than 5 minutes a day.
http://dailylit.com/
4. Tripit
http://www.tripit.com/
3. Power Power is long longer live
There’s no doubt that social networking has become something much, much more than just catching up with old friends who want nothing more to do with you. But there are just so many websites, Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, and everyone uses different ones. How can you possibly keep up with everyone? Power solves this problem and more. Power allows you to log in once, just once, and with that one click, you’re synced with a long list of social networking sites. All the status updates, messages, and posts in a single place. You can even use MSN messenger in the site itself.
2. Boxee
Think of the copious amounts of videos that exist all across the vast World Wide Web today. This is where Boxee comes in and helps us maintain whatever sanity we will have while embarking on this impossible quest of entertainment. Boxee gathers the videos from a plethora of websites like Hulu, Youtube, and even Cnn.com, and feeds it to you in a very aesthetically pleasing and easy-to-use interface. You can even organize the videos, images, and music on your own computer with Boxee. The best part of Boxee? The community. Boxee suggests media to you mainly via your friends—you form friend groups with other Boxee users and you can see what they’re watching or even suggest your own videos to them.
http://www.boxee.tv/
1. Wikibooks
You’ve heard of Wikipedia, but do you know Wikibooks? It’s in the same easy-to-use interface, but a totally different concept. Wikibooks is a community that was made to create a free online library of educational textbooks that anyone can edit. Just one click can get you a plethora of information you never thought even existed or let you become an expert in a subject you’ve always wanted to know. As of right now, there are over 36,843 pages of information in a multitude of textbooks. You can teach by adding your own knowledge to the content, or be taught by just visiting. Maybe the English language isn’t your forte (how are you reading this?).
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Top 10 Cute and Deadliest Animals
10. Stingray
The poolside to pet the stingrays at the aquarium is always crowded. There is just something about the gentle nature of these seemingly docile creatures that makes them much more adorable than your typical sea creature. When Steve “Crocodile Hunter” Irwin died a few years back as a result of a stingray wound to the chest, the crowds grew a little sparse around the stingray pool. Today, their popularity remains intact, but that does not take away from the fact that a stingray can be very dangerous. One misplaced step within the sand can send its barbed stinger in a fury of reflexive, venomous slashing, which if hooked into a leg, arm, abdomen, or chest, will release toxins promoting swelling and excruciating pain. The toxin localizes at the sting point, but can travel through the rest of the body causing various other problems. While these stings are not often fatal, they can be.
9. Swan
Swans are such beautiful and graceful creatures. They are not only relatively gentle creatures in nature, but they are also terrific parents and would protect their young to the bitter end. And here lies the problem. Many birds have an instinct to protect their young when approached by a predator, but they will eventually give up if the predator is too strong or dangerous to deter. The swan however, does not give up. They will keep going until either they are dead, or the pursuant is, whichever comes first. These creatures, which can grow up to 30 pounds in weight, are very aggressive when provoked, and will bite and hit you without hesitation. The real danger however stands for those who are unable to swim, as swans have been known to fly over a perceived enemy, pushing them under the water until they drown. Image from WildAnimalsOnline.com.
8. Siberian Chipmunks
Now here is a cute and cuddly creature. The chipmunk stands about six inches from nose to tail, and has been known to burst suddenly into a harmonious melody if they hear the tickled ivories of a well tuned piano (Alvin and the Chipmunks reference). While the most aggression you will probably see from these creatures, is trying to take your sandwich during a picnic, they can be considered dangerous in other ways. I’m talking about the possibility of harboring disease. Siberian Chipmunks have been reported as spreading throughout many areas of the world, bringing with them, ticks (Lyme disease) and rabies. While both are treatable, if the disease is undetected and left untreated, heart and neurological problems can ensue, followed by coma and death in really extreme cases.
7. Elephant
The elephant is truly a wondrous creature. They are peaceful, kind, loving, and have even been documented to tear whenever a mate or child dies. With this said, no animal or creature is perfect, and there are times when an elephant can be extremely dangerous. The biggest problem lies in their pure size and strength. Every animal can get a little grumpy, such as when a chihuahua bites an ankle for stepping too close to its bone, or a cat claws a hand for scratching its belly. If an elephant gets grumpy however, one sweep of its foot, or joust of its tusk, and it’s all over for whoever happens to be in its way. A number of zoo trainers have died at the hands of a seemingly “friendly” elephant. They do not often take too well in captivity, and it has been said that the increased levels of testosterone in males during mating season, can lead to overly aggressive and uncontrolled attacks for seemingly no reason.
6. Hippopotamus
The lovable hippo is a well known animal character for countless of children’s movies, stories, and cartoons. The secret lies in their cute little ears, cute round buttocks, beady little eyes, and what appears to be a rather gentle distemper. If you thought that a Chihuahua was territorial over its bones, however, you haven’t seen how testy a hippo can get over its mud pond. Hippos kill people every year who approach their territory, either knowing or unknowing. Despite weighing in at 8,000 pounds, they can chase a person down at speeds of up to 20 mph. With a jaw structure that enables them to clamp down at 6,000 pounds of pressure, and canine teeth as large as 10 inches, they are not exactly an animal you want to irritate. Hippos are herbivores, so they don’t exactly eat people, but they will not hesitate to chomp one in two, if provoked.
5. Bottlenose Dolphin
Dolphins have been compared to humans on a number of fronts. They are intelligent, communicate with each other, have the ability to learn, do tricks, play jokes, and can almost use their fins as hands. What’s not to love? Dolphins however, are also known for their insatiable sexual yearning, and deep respect from others within the ocean. Deep respect? Yes, it has been shown on countless occasions (including the show, Myth Busters) that even the great white shark is more than just a little intimidated by a dolphin. Why? they must know something that we don’t. Dolphins can be violent. Not only have they been known to kill and maim their own young, they also kill porpoises and play with their dead carcass for no apparent reason other than its fun. Male dolphins particularly show aggression towards human males when there’s a female involved. Why? Sexual competition.
4. Chimpanzee
The chimpanzee has long been thought of as somewhat of an ancestor to man. They are the only mammals on the earth, with such obvious similarities as hands (with opposable thumbs), brain function, and facial expressions. With all these similarities, however, it shouldn’t be too surprising that they also have the similar traits towards violence. Chimpanzees have been documented as having bloody feuds with each other, resulting over territorial or other differences. Countless “trained” chimpanzee pets have also been known to turn on their owner or friends, causing severe damage, such as mangled hands (torn off in some cases), shredded faces, broken bones, etc. One important difference between a chimpanzee and human, is their skeletal muscle structure. The chimp has as much as 5-times the strength of a human, leaving little hope of defending ourselves should one decide to attack. Image from EarthShots.org.
3. Duck-Billed Platypus
The platypus is truly one of the strangest mammals on the face of the earth, with its thick fuzzy body, flat beaver-like tail, otter-like feet, duck-like bill, and cute beady little eyes that say, I could never hurt anyone. There are two very unique attributes of the platypus, the first, being its duckbill. Besides having the most obvious use of scooping food, it has built-in electro-receptivity, similar to that of the Hammerhead shark, allowing it to find food buried within the silt. The other unique attribute, is a pair 15 mm long hollow spurs placed along the inside of their rear legs. Inside these spurs resides a moderate toxin, which can be quickly delivered to an enemy (or their own kind) with a fleeing kick. The venom is deadly for small animals, and while not typically fatal for humans, causes excruciating pain that can last for weeks, if not months.
2. Polar Bear
The beautiful polar bear has appeared in everything from cartoons, movies and television ads, playing soft, fuzzy, gentle creatures, who are as noble in their allegiance with the human race, as they are adamant in their preference to the taste of Coca-Cola beverages. While a Polar bear sleeping on an ice berg with its paws clutched around it like a toddler holding their teddy bear is truly cute, that same creature slapping the head clean off an unwary arctic explorer, is a whole other rush of fear inducing adrenaline. The polar bear is the largest carnivore in North America, weighing up to 1500 pounds, and standing up to 10 feet on its hind legs. Somewhere between 20 to 90 people are attacked each year by the polar bear. With no natural enemy, a male polar bear has been said to have the strength to rip a 12-inch thick seal clean out of a 4-inch hole, as if it were peeling a banana for breakfast.
1. Slow Loris
The Slow Loris is one of the absolute most cute, sweet, and shy mammals on earth. With its narrow set, bulbous eyes, they are the kind of animal that people dream of taking home and cuddling it like a teddy bear. However, besides being one of the cutest mammals, it is also the most poisonous and venomous. By poisonous, the Slow Loris produces a toxin on the inside of its elbows through a gland, which if eaten, would give you quite an extreme case of stomach pain. They smear this excretion on their young, to help keep them from being eaten in the wild. They are also considered venomous because if provoked, they can suck this same poison from their elbows into their mouths, injecting it into an enemy via a bite. If the presumed predator shows an allergic reaction to the toxin, they could be dead within hours if not properly treated
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