Clipmarks | righthand's environment collection

Heartbreaking Nature Story

Sat, 15 Dec 2007 22:41:50 GMT

clipped by: AtlLiberal
clipper's remarks: We know that whales are intelligent. Whether they are self aware is another matter. Yet, there is something very poignant about this story.

Clip Source: www.kuro5hin.org

The Loneliest Mystery of the Deep

For the last 12 years, a single solitary whale whose vocalizations match no known living species has been tracked across the Northeast Pacific. Its wanderings match no known migratory patterns of any living whale species. Its vocalizations have also subtly deepened over the years, indicating that the whale is maturing and ageing. And, during the entire 12 year span that it has been tracked, it has been calling out for contact from others of its own kind.

It has received no answer. Nor will it ever.

Whatever the identity of this strange unidentified alien whale, it is, for now, the very definition of poetic, existential loneliness, in both time and space. The whale is somewhere wandering the Northeast Pacific, right now, in a rudderless, aimless track. And right now the lonely beast could be calling out for others of its kind, and finding none, for over 12 years and counting.

Tags: nature, whale, lonely, sad

Famous Lost cities and cultures

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 11:14:39 GMT

clipped by: vickybaranwal

Clip Source: www.shunya.net

Troy, Turkey

Clip Source: www.shunya.net

Ephesus, Turkey

Clip Source: www.shunya.net

Memphis, Egypt

Pyramids of Giza

Great Pyramid of Khufu

Pyramids and Sphinx

The Sphinx

Pyramid of Khafre

Inside the Great Pyramid

Great Gallery

Tunnel to the tomb

Funerary Temple

Memphis

Ramses II at Memphis

Step pyramid of Zoser

Clip Source: www.shunya.net

Thebes and Luxor, Egypt

Luxor Temple

Main entrance

Avenue of the Sphinxes

Carvings

Great Festival Hall

Side view

Tomb of Merenptah

Temple of Hatshepsut

Tomb chamber

Ancient worker's village

Temple of Hatshepsut

Keeping watch

Clip Source: www.shunya.net

Syracusa

Ancient Amman

Tags: famous, world, lost, cities, culture

Moon is younger and more Earth-like than thought

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 00:29:42 GMT

clipped by: invictus

Clip Source: space.newscientist.com

It's a good thing the Moon doesn't have any feelings to hurt. New research suggests it is actually 30 million years younger than anyone had thought, and that it is merely a 'chip off the old block' of Earth rather than being made up of the remnants of a Mars-sized body that slammed into Earth billions of years ago.

That violent impact was thought to have taken place 30 million years after the solar system began to condense from a disc of gas and dust 4.567 billion years ago. The event was thought to have melted the Earth, generating a magma ocean that covered the planet and allowed iron and other metals to sink to its centre, forming a core.

At the same time, the Moon was thought to have coalesced from a disc of molten debris blasted off the Earth and the Mars-sized interloper.

But new research led by Mathieu Touboul of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich suggests that picture is not so simple.

Tags: moon, earth, space, science

Nude Is Not Lewd

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 14:21:48 GMT

clipped by: thisnamecantbetaken
clipper's remarks:

Many women worry that nudity might be mistaken for availability. Many men worry that nudity might become too stimulating.

People worry too much. Nothing is more natural than the naked body. Throw of those old duds and get yourself a proper tan next summer! Feel the wind under your...wings! *LOL* Nudity is cool and it lessens the laundry load too. Be natural, be brave, be stark raving nude once in a while! It's very liberating. Oh... and if your American? Don't fret.

Being unclothed is not illegal on Federal lands, says the National Park Service. It is one of our Constitutional rights according to a federal court decision (Williams vs Hathaway 400F Supp.122 {D.Mass.1975})

The law says it's okay, God says it's okay....chuck it!! There's no excuse!!

Clip Song *giggle*

Clip Source: www.libchrist.com

Many people have been brought up taught that nudity is immoral and we should never allow others to see our true bodies. It is alright to titillate with provocative clothing, or tiny beach wear, but not to show the natural beauty of our bodies, especially genitals or women's breasts.

This sense of shame is not inborn: it is learned. Babies have no shame and neither did many early Christians in Biblical times.

when first exposed to this experience it becomes much less sexual and more naturally enjoyable

Nudity can be sexual if consenting persons wish it to be and in appropriate settings, but it is not necessary to progress from nudity to sexual activity.

Naturism is commonly accepted in much of Europe, where it has been shown that sexual attitudes are much more healthy, with less sexual abuse and violence.

In Europe

a great deal of success raising well adjusted children

We are living in a society in which sexuality is very distorted.

nothing more beautiful and dignified than the human body

Tags: i, live, in, europe, of, course, lol

20 Most Fascinating Prehistoric Paintings

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 22:56:55 GMT

clipped by: Tylast

Clip Source: www.oddee.com

Known as "the prehistoric Sistine Chapel," the Lascaux Caves, a cave complex in southwestern France, contain some of the most remarkable paleolithic cave paintings in the world, from at least 15,000 years ago.

The cave was discovered on 12 September 1940 by four teenagers, Marcel Ravidat, Jacques Marsal, Georges Agnel, and Simon Coencas, as well as Ravidat's dog, Robot. Public access was made easier after World War II. By 1955, the carbon dioxide produced by 1,200 visitors per day had visibly damaged the paintings. The cave was closed to the public in 1963 in order to preserve the art.

Altamira Caves: as Picasso famously exclaimed, "after Altamira, all is decadence"

Chauvet Caves: spectacular artwork

Tags: art, painting, cavemen

'bizarre mix of mammal, bird and reptile, with very complex sexuality'

Thu, 08 May 2008 15:15:04 GMT

clipped by: righthand
clipper's remarks: The fact that the animal has five X and five Y chromosomes is "the weirdest thing about a very weird animal," said Ewan Birney, a co-author on the paper, based at the European Bioinformatics Institute, near Cambridge. "In theory it means there are 25 possible sexes, though in practice that doesn't happen."

Clip Source: www.guardian.co.uk

A DNA study found the creatures to be a mix of mammal, bird and reptile with, even more strangely, 10 sex chromosomes

Platypus proves even odder than scientists thought

At first dismissed as a prank, and later cited as proof that God has a sense of humour, the duck-billed platypus has finally given up its evolutionary secrets

The creature, considered one of the strangest mammals in the world, has become the latest to have its genetic code sequenced, revealing it to be a bizarre mix of mammal, bird and reptile, with very complex sexuality. While humans have two sex chromosomes, the X and Y, the platypus has 10, with five of each kind

An international team of scientists extracted DNA from a female platypus, named Glennie, reading all 2.2bn pairs of her genetic "letters". Thought to have begun to diverge from other mammals 170m years ago, the platypus has been regarded as the nearest thing biologists have to a missing link between the earliest reptiles and mammals

Lab Freaks Gone Wild?

Sun, 20 Jan 2008 09:40:43 GMT

clipped by: wildcat
clipper's remarks: “What was once only science fiction is now becoming a reality, and we need to ensure that experimentation and subsequent ramifications do not outpace ethical discussion and societal decisions.

Clip Source: www.livescience.com

Scientists plan to make “cybrids” by putting human DNA into cow eggs.

The British government gave the go-ahead this week for two separate groups to experiment with the process. Scientists will “inject human DNA into empty eggs from cows, to create embryos known as cytoplasmic hybrids that are 99.9 per cent human in genetic terms,” according to The Times of London.

The government had planned to ban such cybrid research, but scientists protested, leading to the reversal.

The argument is an emotional and speculative one, scientists would say, conjuring images of lab freaks gone wild that no reputable researcher envisions. Nobody has suggested the cybrids be raised and let loose in London (or Manhattan, for that matter, where the movie will likely be set. I mean, whoever heard of London being taken over by cybrids?).

“Creating human-animal hybrids could irrevocably harm the basic human genetic makeup and intentionally or unintentional change what it means to be human,”

Tags: cybrids, dna, biology

Eaten by trees

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 16:35:57 GMT

clipped by: Aribeth
clipper's remarks: The beauty of running are the things you pass by as you run along. You get to see things that you don’t notice as you drive by in a car. You may have run the same route 50 times but you find yourself seeing something different each time. I ran by a tree than had grown over a fence and it got me to thinking, there are probably some cool picture of things “swallowed” by trees.

Clip Source: elitefeet.com

Seen While Running: Eaten By Trees

Most policeman keep track of how long you’ve been parked in a spot by marking the tires with white chalk.

This may be the only instance ever where they can measure the time by counting rings in a tree.

This must be what people are looking for when they are looking for a money tree.

Instead of the normal throwing a penny into a fountain and making a wish, people hammer a penny into this log.

This proves that anything against a tree for a long period of time will be eaten by it.

This wash basin was merely leaning against the tree and with time, the tree has grabbed it and lifted it up.

how frickin long has that motorcycle been there?

definitely the best bike lock I’ve ever seen

Lights grown right into the tree.

This is what they call a “live frame”

only takes about 10 years to make each one

The funny thing about this picture is that despite the fact that the tree has swallowed the sign, we still all know exactly what the sign says.

Evidently the photographer didn’t

Tags: weird, odd

Best Underwater Photos - National Geographic

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 20:51:17 GMT

clipped by: CrazyRedHead

Clip Source: photography.nationalgeographic.com

Translucent Goby, Indonesia

Clip Source: photography.nationalgeographic.com

Spike-Cheek Anemonefish, Indonesia

Clip Source: photography.nationalgeographic.com

Channel Islands Anemone, California

Clip Source: photography.nationalgeographic.com

Bannerfish, French Polynesia

Clip Source: photography.nationalgeographic.com

Scorpionfish, Papua New Guinea

Clip Source: photography.nationalgeographic.com

Kaikoura Krill, New Zealand

Clip Source: photography.nationalgeographic.com

Longfin Bannerfish, Marshall Islands

Clip Source: photography.nationalgeographic.com

Swimming Snapper, Florida

Clip Source: photography.nationalgeographic.com

Reef Scallop, Yap Islands

Clip Source: photography.nationalgeographic.com

Leopard Seal Underwater, Antarctica

Clip Source: photography.nationalgeographic.com

Australian Sea Lion off Adelaide

Clip Source: photography.nationalgeographic.com

Goby and Bubble Coral, Indonesia

Tags: photo, photography, nature, science

Armenia: The Epic Land

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 03:04:04 GMT

clipped by: amgumen

Clip Source: www.darkroastedblend.com

(Khorvirap Monastery with Mount Ararat, photo by Andrew Behesnilian)

Armenia is one of the oldest countries on Earth, its rich history apparent at every turn, from the capital city of Yerevan to the outskirts of the nation. It survived the Roman Empire, Alexander the Great, the Armenian Genocide in 1915 and dozens of other attempts at conquest - remaining largely independent throughout its history.

Armenia was also among the first post-Soviet countries to readily embrace capitalism, which served to improve somewhat the standard of living, but brought with it a score of other problems. However, regardless of (presently improving) economic situation, the point of this article is to remind the reader (and maybe the future visitor) about the incredible natural and cultural wonders of this country.

Feel the deep poetry of stones:

(Armenia's mystical old churches & monasteries)

Garni Temple - This temple was constructed over 2,000 years ago and was likely paid for by Emperor Nero of Rome.

Yerevan

Clip Source: www.guardian.co.uk

The polar bear lies dead after being shot

BST

Polar bear shot dead after 200-mile swim

A polar bear that swam more than 200 miles in near-freezing waters to reach Iceland was shot on arrival in case it posed a threat to humans

The bear, thought to be first to reach the country in at least 15 years, was killed after local police claimed it was a danger to humans, triggering an outcry from animal lovers

The operation to kill the animal was captured on film

The adult male, weighing 250kg, was presumed to have swum some 200 miles from Greenland, or from a distant chunk of Arctic ice

"There was fog up in the hills and we took the decision to kill the bear before it could disappear into the fog"

Iceland's environment minister, Thorunn Sveinbjarnardottir, gave the green light for police to shoot the bear because the correct tranquiliser would have taken 24 hours to be flown in

account was disputed by the chief vet in the town of Blönduó

he had the drugs necessary to immobilise the bear

Tags: iceland, animmal

The week in wildlife - pictures

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 19:06:25 GMT

clipped by: righthand

Clip Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Fijian crested iguana is held by a zoo keeper at Taronga zoo

Sydney

endangered species

survives on a few Fijian islands

Clip Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Iowa, US: Hogs are stranded on the roof

Clip Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Tehran, Iran: Kooshki, an Asiatic cheetah, captured by a poacher as a cub and rescued by the government, walks in his enclosure at the Pardisan zoo

Clip Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Berlin

Clip Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Vienna

at the Schöbrunn Zoo

Clip Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Birmingham, UK: A baby bamboo shark being fed tiny mysis shrimps by hand at the National Sea Life Centre in Birmingham. Staff at the aquarium are handfeeding baby sharks after the choosy fish refused to dine any other way

Clip Source: www.guardian.co.uk

US: Five red river hogs

native rain forest habitat in central and western Africa.

Clip Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Atlanta, US: Snorkellers swim in the Georgia aquarium's ocean voyager tank with a stingray

Clip Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Edinburgh

A highland cow is prepared for the Royal Highland Show.

100,000 visitors expected

Clip Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Kandahar

explosive search dog, Leanna,