January 2012
15 posts
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A Cheetah Family On The Plains Of Africa
A cheetah mother and her cub overlook their home territory in this beautiful photograph.
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The Six Most Fascinating Drinking Rituals Around...
The 6 o’clock Swill, Australia/New Zealand
During World War I, Australian and New Zealand bars started closing their doors at 6 PM to encourage men to spend time with their families. Naturally, the slang “6 o’clock swill” began to circulate as men would rush to get a drink after work before the bars closed. Needless to say, the closing time didn’t stick.
Snapsvisa, Sweden
...
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The Haunting Ruins Of Detroit
As the global recession has swallowed the United States in its seemingly bottomless stomach, one of the first cities to crumble was Detroit. To document this tragic decline, French photographers Yves Marchand and Romain took to the Motor City and came back with some of the most hauntingly beautiful and compelling images of the recession to date.
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The Wondrous Waterfall Of Seljalandsfoss
Standing at over 200 feet tall (60 meters), Seljalandsfoss is one of Icelands most famous waterfalls due to its natural, picturesque beauty.
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The Seven Most Iconic Surrealist Paintings
Founded by Andre Breton in the early 1920s and emphatically explained in his Manifestoes of Surrealism, Surrealism is often considered both a cultural and revolutionary art movement. The form dedicated itself to depicting the subconscious and as such many critics regard Surrealism as a substantial divergence from traditional art movements.
By stripping ordinary objects of their normal function,...
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The Serenity Of Phuket
Phuket, the largest island in Thailand, is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world in much part due to the natural beauty seen in the photograph above.
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Eight Of The World's Most Incredible Rock...
12 Apostles, Australia
Scattered along the scenic Great Ocean Road in Australia, the 12 Apostles formation is the result of the Southern Ocean’s harsh weather conditions eroding the existing landscape. Beginning 10 to 20 million years ago, the constant erosion of the limestone cliffs caused caves to form within them. These caves eventually became arches and ultimately collapsed into the...
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The Seven Craziest Facts About The Human Body
The body can produce its own aspirin
A report in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry found that eating fruits and vegetables might actually help the human body make its own aspirin. The report claims that benzoic acid, a natural substance in fruits and vegetables, can help make an acid found in aspirin: salicylic acid. That acid is the key component for pain relief and...
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The Natural Splendor Of Grand Teton
At 13,775 feet (4,199 meters), Grand Teton is the highest point in the Teton range in Wyoming and considered one of the most formidable mountain climbs in the United States.
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Croatia's Fascinating Museum Of Broken...
Conceptualized and currently housed in Zagreb, Croatia, the Museum of Broken Relationships grew from a traveling exhibition dedicated to failed relationships and all that they leave behind—physically and emotionally. Instead of watching objects from prior relationships gather dust or have them serve as haunting and vestigial relics of lost loves, people can donate these items to the...
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The Skyline Of New York City At Dusk
A stunning photograph of lower Manhattan at dusk in New York City.
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The World's Seven Most Absurd Theme Parks
Dickens World, England
With his staggering works set on the backdrop of the squalor of 19th century English society, Charles Dickens was a literary genius. Unfortunately, someone took his words a little too literally and transformed his world into a theme park that recreates the filth, poverty, and even the unpleasant smells of Victorian London.
Memory Village, Haiti
Despite not...
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The Beautiful City Of Perugia, Italy
Located 100 kilometers north of Rome, Perugia is the capital city of the Italian region of Umbria and is known as one of the artistic centers of the Renaissance.
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The Five Craziest Dishes Of The World
Fried Brain Sandwich
While not necessarily KFC, but in some parts of the world deep-fried cow brains are considered an equivalent of sorts. A bizarre specialty throughout parts of America, the brain is heavily battered, spattered with hot sauce and served on hamburger buns. Staying true to their gastronomical roots, El Salvador and Mexico’s version utilizes the brains as taco and...
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The Majesty Of Mount Rainer
December 2011
21 posts
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The World's Six Smallest and Deadliest Animals
Poison Dart Frog
The sprightly and brightly colored frog may look enchanting, but it can produce enough poison to kill 10 humans. Thriving in humid, tropical environments of Central and Latin America, the poison dart frog oozes black slime from its back, which is actually a neurotoxin used to ward off predators.
Australian Box Jellyfish
Found across the northern half of Australia...
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The Best Of The PBH Network In 2011
5. Dam Goats!
Talk about daring. Hanging out on Italy’s Cingino dam, these Alpine Ibex goats make Spiderman look like an amateur.
4. Who Knew? Cute Spiders Exist
Maybe “cute” isn’t the most accurate term for these jumping spiders, but as they are the largest family of spiders it would behoove of us to get to know our neighbors.
3. Kenny, the Inbred White Tiger
As...
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Six Of The World's Strangest Plants
Rafflesia Arnoldii
The largest flower in the world, this parasitic plant can bloom over three feet tall. Despite its alluring appearance, the plant exudes a pungent smell and has no leaves, stems or roots. The large center can hold six to seven quarts of water.
Selaginella Lepidophylla
Also known as Rose of Jericho, this impressive plant is native to the Chihuahuan Desert and...
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The Night Trawlers
The Night Trawlers is a painting by Robert Steven Connett depicting aquatic life in a modernist, vivid style.
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Five Unusual Rites of Passage
Wysoccan, Algonquin Indian Tribe
In Quebec, young boys of the Algonquin Indian Tribe were caged and fed the hallucinogen, wysoccan, to usher them into manhood. Considered more powerful than LSD, the drug was used to force adolescents to forget memories of their childhood.
Teeth Filing, Bali
In Bali, it is customary for boys and girls to have their upper teeth filed as part of their...
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Shanghai At Night
For more interesting pictures of Shanghai’s skyline, check out the transformation of Shanghai from 1990 to 2010.
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Ten Bizarre And Unusual Phobias
Nomophobia
Topping the list for unusual phobias is the modern affliction, nomophobia. The phobia is characterized by feelings of anxiety that arise from being out of a phone’s range of service, not having one’s phone charged, having no credit on one’s phone or misplacing it. It is believed that over 50 percent of cell phone users are affected by nomophobia.
Ancraophobia or anemophobia
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Rappelling Into The Lost Cave
Photographer Chris McLennan captures Johnny Tate’s 330 foot abseil into the Lost World Cave in New Zealand’s Northern Island.
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The Seven Most Unusual Religious Rituals and...
Baby Throwing
The Grishneshwar Temple in Indian state of Maharashtra is the site of a very unusual – and potentially dangerous - religious ritual. As the name suggests, babies between the ages of one and two are thrown from a 50-foot tower, with men positioned beneath to catch the babies on sheets. The 700 year old ceremony is believed to make children more intelligent, luckier and healthier...
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The Serene Lakefront of Hallstat, Austria
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The Six Biggest Betrayals In History
Alfred Redl and Austria
If betrayal by numbers is anything to go buy, Austrian army officer Alfred Redl takes the cake. Before and during World War 1, Redl worked as a spy for the Russian military and sold secrets about the Austrian army. Redl leaked the Austrian invasion plan for Serbia, which Russia in turn sold to Serbia. He continued to double cross his countrymen by supplying the wrong...
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The Sand And The Surf
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The Seven Cutest Animals You've Never Seen
Red Panda
More closely related to raccoons and weasel, the adorable red pandas frolic in the forests of the Himalayas, Burma and central China. These adorable creatures hardly grow bigger than a house cat and spend most of their time in trees. Their numbers, however, have been dwindling thanks to deforestation.
Long Tailed Chinchilla
These cute and cuddly critters are...
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The Bizarre Hanging Coffins Of China
The hanging coffin is a unique Chinese funerary custom that began in the 8th century BC. As the name suggests, families would place the deceased into wooden coffins and hang them on the side of cliffs.
Origins of the Hanging Coffin
Although no one knows exactly how or why the hanging coffins came to be, there are various hypotheses about their origins. Most commonly, they are attributed to...
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The First Wire Dispatch After Pearl Harbor
Seventy years ago today, minutes after the Japanese attacked American forces at Pearl Harbor, the Commander in Chief of the Pacific Fleet sent out the above message to other US military forces.
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The Dubai Skyline In The Fog
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The Eight Weirdest Things You Can Buy Online
A Friend - Amazon
For only a $1.28, you can now grow your own boyfriend, girlfriend or even gay best friend. All you have to do is douse the miniature doll in water, after which it expands by 600%. As an added bonus (or if you live in Russia), the dolls can also be doused with alcohol for the same effect.
Price: $1.28 for girlfriend and gay best friends, $1.99 for boyfriend
JL421...
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The Cityscape Of Venice From Above
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Seventeenth & Eighteenth Century Art: The Rococo...
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Rococo was an art movement that emerged in France and spread throughout the world in the late 17th and early 18th century. The word is a derivative of the French term rocaille, which means “rock and shell garden ornamentation”. It began in 1699...
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On Top Of The Dolomites
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Five Mysteries Uncovered By Google Earth
Ancient Human Ancestor, South Africa
Plucky paleoanthropologist Professor Lee Berger used Google Earth (from the comfort of his armchair) to find bones of an ancient human ancestor in South Africa. After isolating patterns in a region he thought most likely to house human remains, Berger led a small contingent (his dog, son and one student) to the caves and fossil sites. The hunch paid off:...
November 2011
19 posts
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The View Of 45th Street In New York City
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Six Incredible Yet Unknown Destinations Across The...
Lord Howe Island, Australia
Lord Howe Island is a small island located two hours away from Sydney, Australia. The island earns its “hidden gem” tag because there are only officially 350 residents on the whole island while only 400 tourists are allowed to visit at any given time. With no overcrowding, there is ample opportunity to appreciate the unspoiled paradise boasting pristine beaches,...
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The Beautiful Expanse Of Zion National Park
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Nature's Six Most Beautiful Light Shows
Star Trails
Star trails refer to the paths left by stars as seen on earth. As the earth naturally rotates, the stars in the sky move across the horizon. The only star that does not move is in the northern hemisphere – the North Star (Polaris). The North Star remains stationary while the other stars leave tracks around it. Though not visible to the naked eye, the concentric light show has...
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An Underwater Wizard: The Mimic Octopus
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Seventeenth Century Art: Most Significant Artists...
The tense and extravagant Baroque movement defined the art of the 17th century. The movement was distinguished by exaggerated dynamism and clear detail that aimed to create drama and grandeur in sculpture, painting and architecture.
The style is said to have started around 1600 in Rome before spreading across Europe. It was heavily influenced and encouraged by the Catholic church, which used it...
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Five Bizarre Events That Triggered Massive Riots
Lager Beer Riots, USA, 1855
The first recorded social disturbance in Chicago was caused by the social lubricant of society – alcohol. The Lager Beer Riot happened after the city mayor, Levi Boone, renewed the enforcement of an old law that mandated taverns be shut on Sundays and the cost of a liquor license was raised from $50 to $300 a year. Naturally, the move didn’t go over too well with...
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A Storm Arrives In South Dakota
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The Four Most Important Battles Of Ancient Greece
Battle of Marathon, 490 BC
The Battle of Marathon took place during the first Persian invasion of Greece, fought between the combined forces of Athens and Plataea against King Darius’ Persian army. Darius’ attempted to invade Greece as he was angered after the Athenians had sent aid to Ionia in a revolt against the Persians. Once the Persian armies had defeated the Ionian revolt, they turned...
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A Panorama Of New York City & Central Park
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The Axis Plan To Invade America In 1942
Taken from the March 2, 1942 issue of Life, these diagrams and maps detailed how the Axis powers could invade North America following Pearl Harbor. The Axis Plan was imagined in 6 Plans (Plan 1 is above):
Plan 2 has the Japanese invading the West Coast of America via Pearl Harbor and then California.
Plan 3 has the Japanese invading North America through the Panama Canal,...
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Kurt Wenner's Amazing Spiderman Street Art
For more astounding street art, check out The Incredible World Of 3D Street Art.
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The Map Of America Visualized By McDonald's...
Via WeatherSealed: The contiguous United States visualized by the distance to the nearest McDonald’s.
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The Eco-Friendly Hobbit House Of Wales
Though neither miniature in stature nor with hairy feet, the Dale family has the pleasure of calling a Hobbit sized and designed house home in Wales. Aside from the exquisite design, the house has the privilege of being regarded as one of the most eco-friendly structures in the world.
Forgoing convention, designer, builder, and family father Simon Dale, decided to uproot his family and...