Encore! 10 Extinct Lifeforms Worth Resurrecting
October 25, 2011 by admin · View Comments
[ By Steve in Animals & Habitats & Nature & Ecosystems & Science & Research. ]
Gone before their time? These 10 extinct species are certainly gone but they’re not forgotten, and they may not even be gone for good if biological technology continues to advance. Could we bring them back? Should we even try? If the answer to the former is “yes”, then the question of the latter is moot.
Woolly Mammoth
(images via: BBC, Loyal K.N.G and Real Simple)
Great herds of Woolly Mammoths roamed over huge swathes of the northern hemisphere for tens of thousands of years, and you’d better believe they left their mark – among other things – on the frozen tundra. It’s impossible to calculate the beneficial effect of dropped dung by the megaton year after year, millennium after millennium, on the arctic environment but we can assume those vast, empty plains would be much more fertile after our shaggy pals resume dumping much more fertilizer.
(image via: DesignerAnimals2011)
Mammoths haven’t been extinct for too long, geologically speaking, with the last dwarf population on Siberia’s isolated Wrangel Island finally biting the permafrost around 1650 BC. Speaking of permafrost, hundreds of mammoths remain preserved to an astonishing, er, degree in what’s been called “nature’s freezer”, and their DNA is perhaps the least degraded of any ancient extinct creature.
Thylacine (Tasmanian Tiger)
(images via: Rainforest Info, Haunted America Tours and Retrieverman’s Weblog)
Plagues of introduced invasive rabbits, starving kangaroo herds needing to be culled – if only Australia had a native apex predator that could naturally curb animal population booms… oh wait, they did, but it’s extinct.
(images via: Convict Creations and University of Melbourne)
Though the Thylacine (or Tasmanian Tiger) hasn’t roamed Australia itself for thousands of years, the species managed a last stand on the island of Tasmania along with its relative, the Tasmanian Devil. Pressure from humans (Europeans, not the native aborigines) led to the last Tasmanian Tiger dying in captivity at the Hobart Zoo in September of 1936.
(image via: Australian Government)
Sightings of what are said to be wild thylacines are reported every so often these days but more solid evidence such as hair, scat or even footprints haven’t been forthcoming. The world’s museums contain a number of thylacine remnants, however, including stuffed specimens and pups preserved in formaldehyde. Experiments to ascertain the existence of viable thylacine DNA are ongoing and it’s likely the complete Tasmanian Tiger genome will be sequenced in the very near future.
American Chestnut Tree
(images via: Shady Rest and Mother Nature Network)
A century ago, huge stands of American Chestnut trees made up as much as 25 percent of forested lands in the eastern United States. From Maine to Mississippi, as many as 3 billion Chestnut trees standing up to 45 meters (150ft) tall and as much as 3 meters (10ft) wide provided food, shelter and pollen to an ecosystem much more diverse than today’s. In 1904, however, an accidentally introduced, airborne chestnut blight was noticed in trees at New York’s Bronx Zoo. The fungus spread rapidly and within a few short decades the American Chestnut tree was functionally extinct.
(image via: Treehugger)
American Chestnuts are not “extinct” in the pure sense of the word. Less than 100 mature trees survive in its former range, and trees planted in western North America by 19th century pioneers and settlers have thrived without being infected by chestnut blight. Efforts are underway to impart immunity to American Chestnut trees, ironically from the related Chinese Chestnut trees that have naturally evolved resistance to the fungus.
Dunkleosteus
(images via: Club des Monstres, Satori Smiles and Esoriano)
380 million years ago our primitive vertebrate ancestors were taking their first tentative steps onto dry land. What would compel these early proto-amphibians to leave the warm confines of earth’s primeval oceans? Dunkleosteus, perhaps. Measuring up to 10 meters (33ft) in length, weighing roughly three and a half tons and possessed of the strongest bite of any creature EVAR, this so-called “hypercarnivore” conducted a 20 million year reign of terror without stopping for a lunch break. Actually, the 20 million years WAS its lunch break.
(image via: Taburin)
Times have changed since then, and Dunkleosteus is no longer the terror of the sea… it’s no longer, period. Maybe it’s due for a revival, however. The warming oceans are rapidly being depleted of fish by the descendents of Dunkleosteus’ former prey and fisherman are finding their nets clogged with humongous jellyfish instead. If a reconstituted population of “Dunkies” could be induced to chow down on the jumbo jellyfish, what would the result be? Less jumbo jellyfish and more gigantic fish to feed those hungry hungry humans. Sounds like a plan!
Aurochs
(images via: The Sixth Extinction, Andrew Isles and Telegraph UK)
Domestic cattle provide beef for our dinner tables but at what cost? Overused antibiotics and veterinary growth hormones like BSE are contaminating groundwater supplies, while standardization of beef cattle may lead to a depleted gene pool vulnerability to new diseases. One possible solution is to get back to basics by bringing back Bos Primigenius, also known as the Aurochs.
(images via: Canadian Content, Andrew Isles and Ertai’s Lament)
This ill-tempered ancestor to today’s cattle breeds, holdover from the Eurasian Ice Age megafauna, and star of many magnificent paleolithic cave paintings thrived in isolated areas of central Europe up until the late Middle Ages. The last recognized purebred Aurochs died in Poland, in 1627.
(image via: Dididumm)
As the Aurochs is an ancestral species with living descendants, it should be possible to “backbreed” and eventually produce an animal very close to the ancient Aurochs. In fact, the brother Heinz and Lutz Heck began back-breeding experiments in the 1920s that resulted in today’s Heck Cattle. Approximately 2,000 Heck Cattle now exist and biologists are continuing efforts to increase the size of the cattle to match that of the formidable Aurochs.
Meganeura (Giant Dragonfly)
(images via: Multi.fi, Amici-in-Allegria and OSU Geology)
Ancient Earth wasn’t quite a Garden of Eden, though 300 million years ago in the Carboniferous period the land was very green indeed. The air was different as well, being generally warmer with a higher ration of oxygen. It’s the latter characteristic that allowed several species of gigantic insects to survive and thrive, including Meganeura, the Giant Dragonfly. Fossil specimens display wingspans of over 75cm (2.5ft) and its estimated the creature’s diet included small amphibians.
(image via: Animal Pictures Archive)
Reintroducing Meganeura would be problematic to say the least: today’s atmosphere likely isn’t sufficiently oxygen-rich and the creature would quickly suffocate. As to WHY Meganeura should be revived, let’s recall that today’s dragonflies are potent predators of mosquitoes. Considering the damage done by mosquito-borne diseases and the fact that these illnesses are spreading, I’m willing to give Meganeura a shot at squishing the skeeters.
Smilodon (Saber-Toothed Cat)
(images via: Amazing Data, Science Blogs and Pathfinders)
Smilodon existed from about 2.5 million to 10,000 years ago, and in its heyday was the most deadly predator North and South America had seen since T Rex. The species’ most terrifying member had to have been Smilodon Populator, which translates from Latin to “Smilodon the Devastator”. Standing 4 feet (1.22m) high at the shoulder and weighing up to half a ton or 470kg, this resident of eastern Brazil sported signature “saber” canine teeth a foot (30cm) long and ate… well, pretty much anything it wanted.
(image via: AVPH)
We may see the extinction of wild tigers in our lifetimes and lions are in decline as well. Shouldn’t we concentrate our efforts on conserving these existing species, you ask? We should and we are – and their populations are still shrinking. Bringing back saber-toothed cats, on a very limited basis, might serve as a swan song to the planet’s most majestic felines. If it doesn’t work out, well, we’ve still got the La Brea tar pits.
Steller’s Sea Cow
(images via: Seapics, Hancock House and Exposea)
Steller’s Sea Cows once peacefully browsed kelp beds in the western Pacific ocean. Said to be completely tame and showing no fear of humans whatsoever, these relatives of Dugongs and Manatees were toothless having flat plates of bone instead of a regular dentition. The placid creatures were also huge: adults grew up to 9 meters (30 ft) in length and weighed up to 10 tons.
(image via: It’s Nature)
Discovered and named in 1741, Steller’s Sea Cow became extinct in 1768 – it took us a mere 27 years to wipe out a species that took countless millennia to evolve. Somehow that just doesn’t seem fair. These big boys (and girls) deserve another chance and if biology can find some way to reconstitute them as a species, it should be done.
Lepidodendron (Giant Club Moss)
(images via: BBC, Carl’s Corner and WN.com)
Soaring 30 meters (100ft) high with massive trunks over a meter (3.3ft) in diameter, the Giant Club Moss was the undisputed giant of the Carboniferous forest. Packed several thousand to the acre, great stands of Lepidodendron rose and fell quickly: it’s estimated these early trees only lived 10 to 15 years. We owe our huge reserves of coal to the fallen forests of the Carboniferous, which coincidentally owes its name to the very beds of coal it produced.
(image via: Science Buzz)
Restoring Lepidodendron could be a tremendous boost to our energy resources. Not to produce coal – that would take millions of years – but instead as biofuel. Giant Club Moss forests could be re-established on marginal wetlands and swampy areas not used for farming; their fast growth and rapid turnover allowing for bountious harvests every decade. What’s more, Earth’s ancient Coal Forests helped sequester enormous amounts of carbon, reducing atmospheric CO2 and boosting oxygen levels… the revived Giant Dragonflies are gonna love it!
Neanderthal Man
(images via: Big Ideas Blog, The Independent and Esquire)
“Flintstones, meet the Flintstones…” and some day, maybe we will! The complete Neanderthal genome was successfully sequenced in 2009 and subsequent analysis indicates between 1 and 4 percent of the genes of non-African modern humans is of Neanderthal origin. Neanderthal Man may be extinct as a distinct species, however he (and she) lives on within us. Looking for a “cave man”? Try looking in the mirror.
(image via: Feminine Beauty)
Since “breeding back” isn’t a realistic option where people are concerned, possibilities of resurrecting Neanderthals revolve around preserved DNA. The last true Neanderthals walked the Earth approximately 25,000 to 30,000 years ago and such DNA which has been found is greatly degraded. It will depend on advanced gene sequencing technology available sometime in the near future whether Neanderthal DNA can be repaired sufficiently to be viable… and the next step would be finding a willing surrogate mother for little Pebbles or Bam-Bam.
(image via: Disclose TV)
In the late, great George Carlin’s epic riff on Saving The Planet, GC not only reminds us that 99.9% of all the species that ever lived are now extinct (“We didn’t kill them all”), he also points out that interfering with this natural process is just another example of arrogant human meddling. Maybe so, but we’re meddlers by nature who like to put things right if we possibly can. “Haven’t we done enough?”, Carlin asks. Indeed we have, but to quote another wise old sage (Curly from City Slickers), “the day ain’t done yet.” My guess is, neither are we.
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Flame On! 10 Amazing Orange Animals
October 18, 2011 by admin · View Comments
[ By Steve in 7 Wonders Series & Animals & Habitats & Nature & Ecosystems. ]
Just in time for October’s burnished autumn leaves and glowing jack-o-lantern pumpkins, these 10 amazing orange animals seek neither tricks nor treats. Instead, their often brilliant fiery hues serve as warning signs; a wish merely to be left alone.
Julia Butterfly
(images via: Alyce Taylor, Fran-Made-Cards, Science Photo Library and Supersum)
Bet you thought you’d see the Monarch Butterfly here, amiright? Well, the majestic Monarch is indeed orange but its wings are shot through with black. The Julia Butterfly (Dryas iulia), on the other hand (wing?), is mainly orange with a some small regions of contrasting black.
(images via: Profimedia and Max Waugh)
Julia Butterflies are a fast-flying, day active species found in the Western Hemisphere from Brazil north to the southern USA. A wide wingspan averaging 3.5″ or 87mm and their pleasing, sunny orange coloration makes them a popular choice for enclosed butterfly conservatories. Odd trivia fact about Julia Butterflies: they’ve been known to tickle the eyes of tropical caimans, prompting these crocodilians to shed tears which the butterflies then drink!
Orange Baboon Tarantula
(images via: Tarantulas and Other, Shutterstock and Tarantula Keeper)
Pet owners prize the Orange Baboon Tarantula (Pterinochilus murinus) for its bright coloration (understandable) and confrontational personality… wait, what?? So much for ideal pets being docile and friendly. Measuring up to 6″ (15cm) across, this particular tarantula is not to be taken lightly as its bite is said to be extremely painful and often delivered BEFORE the usual threat display. Perhaps “Orange Pitbull Spider” might be a more appropriate name.
(image via: Furryscaly)
Fangs for the memories? Now this is one angry redhead, er, orange-head. The Orange Baboon Tarantula, also known as OBT or “Orange Bitey Thing”, can be found in sub-Saharan Africa – just one more reason to cancel your safari and take a stay-cation instead.
Japanese Spider Crab
(images via: Daily Mail UK, Hardcore Weather and Oregon Coast Aquarium)
The Orange Baboon Tarantula is a mere 6″ across; a full-grown Japanese Spider Crab can straddle a small car… under no circumstances must they be allowed to meet and mate! Thankfully that won’t ever happen: though spiders and crabs are related, the latter dwells in the depths of the ocean and with any luck it’ll stay there throughout its lifespan, which can be as long as a century.
(image via: Ricardipus)
Found in waters around Japan, the Japanese Spider Crab is the world’s largest arthropod only occasionally outweighed by lobsters. The all-time size champion was caught in 1921; a 41-pound (18.6 kg) monster with an extended arm span of 19 feet (5.8 m). Beat that, Time Bandit.
Orange Starfish
(images via: Elasmodiver, 123RF and SSOA)
Starfish are regulars at most any Colorful Animals post due to their oft-intense pigmentation in a wide variety of shades.
(image via: Best Florida Beaches)
Marine starfish can exhibit a stunning range of orange hues from pale, washed out Creamsicle to bold and intense vermilion that could seemingly outshine a sunset… and why? Starfish are typically shallow-water dwellers but even a few feet below the sea’s surface, colors begin to lose their intensity. Perhaps starfish are simply trying to make up for that.
Clownfish
(images via: Nemo’s Great Uncle, Computer Weekly, ThinkQuest)
The oceans are awash with orange fish but only one has achieved the kind of fame even a top Hollywood star would envy: the Clownfish. Thanks to 2003′s Finding Nemo, the pretty but otherwise unremarkable clownfish has found a place in the hearts of an entire generation of kids, some of whom now have pet clownfish to go along with their Harry Potter owls… not the best combination, actually.
(image via: Just Animals)
Clownfish did have one pre-Nemo claim to fame: they exploit their immunity to sea anemone toxins by hiding out in the oceanic invertebrates’ poisonous tentacles. Depending on the color of the anemone, this attribute provides nature photographers with a goldmine of imaging opportunities.
Red Eft
(images via: Michaelrighi, URI, Marietta College and Ohio Birds and Biodiversity)
Red Efts are amphibians, Newts to be exact. The bright orange, red-spotted, land-dwelling creature found in moist eastern American forests is, surprisingly, not the creature’s adult stage but rather its juvenile iteration. Born in water as gill-breathing larva, Red Efts will eventually return to an aquatic lifestyle for the balance of their unusually long lifespan – up to 15 years!
(image via: WallPapersArt)
Red Efts are often mistaken for small lizards, which is understandable as they share the same basic body plan. There ARE orange lizards, however, such as the unidentified example above. Why would a rainforest-dwelling creature evolve to be a color contrasting with the green vegetation that surrounds and shelters it? A worthy question to be sure, but the sleepy-eyed beastie above ain’t answering.
Gila Monster
(images via: ABC News, Wikipedia and Greg Newbold (Picture-Book))
The boldly patterned, orange & black Gila Monster is one of America’s only two venomous lizards, and much like bees and wasps its color combo serves as a warning to “back off or else!” Native to the Mojave Desert and surrounding areas, Gila Monsters can grow to around 2ft (60cm) in length, quite a bit smaller than the lizards who “devoured people as if they were flies” in the 1959 b-movie, The Giant Gila Monster.
(image via: Cryptomundo)
If you survive being bitten by a Gila Monster, chances are good you’ll remember not to get yourself bitten again. Not because of the pain and the whole “almost dying” thing, but because Gila Monster venom has been found to (image via: Cryptomundo)” target=”_blank”>increase memory function as well as ease symptoms of diabetes. The venom is made synthetically nowadays so don’t go pokin’ Gila Monsters before that killer math exam, mmkay?
Cock of the Rock
(images via: Fascinating Peru Travel, CuscoPeru and The Animal Files)
There are actually two Cock-of-the-Rocks (Cocks-of-the-Rock?): the Andean Cock-of-the-Rock (Rupicola Peruvianus) which is the national bird of Peru, and the Guianan Cock-of-the-Rock (Rupicola Rupicola). It’s only the males of either species that boast such brilliantly orange feathers, and the Guianan Cock-of-the-Rock is more orange top to bottom.
(image via: Pete Morris/Surfbirds)
The Cock-of-the-Rock inhabits rocky areas (no surprise there) in parts of western South America where the Amazonian rainforest begins to give way to a the foothills of the Andes mountains. The birds utilize their dazzling coloration and manipulate fan-like crests on their heads to try and impress potential mates, who are blandly brown-feathered for the most part and should be impressed irregardless.
Orangutan
(images via: Guardian UK, Bioweb and Forbidden Zone)
Though it’s the world’s most orange ape, the name “orangutan” has no connection to the color orange – it’s purely a fortuitous coincidence for English-speakers. Instead, this pumpkin-hued “man of the forest” has a moniker originating in the Malay words for “man” (orang) and “forest” (utan). We have no idea where the name “Dr. Zaius” came from.
(images via: Primates.com and ScienceBlogs)
IUCN has designated orangutans as an Endangered Species, with the total population standing at a mere 14 percent of the estimated figure 10,000 years ago. Habitat loss and human activity are the main threats to orangutans, with additional pressure coming from an illegal trade in procuring young orangutans as pets. Several large and many small rehabilitation centers have been active in helping rescued orangutans re-adapt to the wild. These centers also add to our knowledge of these very intelligent primates and have observed some remarkable behaviors such as tool using and spear-fishing.
Tiger
(images via: Beautiful Sceneries, The Grocer UK and Daily Cuteness)
Though orange is just one of the tiger’s three main colors (along with black and white), it’s the one that makes the largest of the four recognized “big cats” extra special in our minds. Like hornets and Gila Monsters, tigers display a typical “warning sign” color code though in the case of tigers, the intent is purely one of camouflage in sun-dappled forests and grasslands.
(image via: Animal Spot)
Tigers share an unfortunate plight common to many orange creatures: they are a critically endangered species. Of the six recognized tiger subspecies, three are extinct and the tiger’s historical range has shrunk to only 7 percent of what it used to be. It’s estimated that only 3,000 to 5,000 tigers remain in the wild though thousands of others live in zoos or private captivity.
(image via: Amazon.com)
Melissa Stewart has recently released Rainbow of Animals, a series of illustrated childrens’ books featuring creatures of various colors including red, yellow, green, blue, purple and the title above, “Why Are Animals Orange?” Stewart highlights the benefits bestowed on these beasts by being brightly colored but although they’ve evolved to best suit their particular ecological niches, all of these colorful critters have got it made in the shade!
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Crunch Time: The World’s 10 Most Unusual Nuts
October 4, 2011 by admin · View Comments
[ By Steve in 7 Wonders Series & Food & Health & History & Trivia. ]
It’s not unusual to be nuts about nuts, even though many of the crunchy, oily, nutritious botanical bits & bites are not “true nuts” in the scientific sense – and that includes Beer Nuts. This selection of 10 unusual nuts highlights the often sweet yet occasionally distasteful relationship humans have had with these swell shelled feed seeds.
Coco de Mer
(images via: Funmaza, Timeseye and Seychelles Travel)
If you’ve heard of an erotic boutique called Coco de Mer and wondered why they’d name themselves after a coconut, wonder no longer. The Sea Coconut is native to only a few of the Seychelles island archipelago in the western Indian Ocean, and boasts the world’s largest seed. They also boast an astonishing resemblance to a human female lower torso – plant porn doesn’t get much more graphic than this, folks.
(image via: CITES)
Coco de Mer coconuts don’t drop from the trees fully female formed. Once the nuts fall into the ocean, they sink to the bottom where eventually the outer husk sloughs off and decomposition gases cause the inner nut to bob to the surface. Imagine being a shipwrecked sailor, alone and lonely, starved for companionship… and one of these babies washes up on the beach. Talk about rubbing salt into the wound!
Candlenuts
(images via: Hot Smoke BBQ, JUARA Beauty Biz, 123RF and Tatters:))
Candlenuts (or Kemiri nuts) are native to Indonesia but humans have helped expand their range over thousands of years of use. Not only are these nuts used in a wide variety of Southeast Asian and Polynesian recipes, their high oil content has allowed them to be used as candles. Ancient Hawaiians used to string individual candlenuts along a palm frond and burn them one at a time; in this way they functioned as an effective way of keeping time.
(image via: Serious Eats)
Sometimes called “the poor man’s Macadamia nut”, Candlenuts are beginning to make inroads into Western cuisine now that refrigerated transport prevents their copious oils from turning rancid. Candlenut oil is also produced on large plantations, a profitable endeavor as the nuts contain 15-20% oil by weight.
Kola Nuts
(images via: Chiamaka, USAID and Iamplify)
We may be nuts for cola here in the western world but back in West Africa they go right to the source: the bitter, naturally-caffeinated Kola Nut. Invited to a home in the Ibo tribe’s heartland? Expect to be greeted with warm wishes and a serving of Kola nut. It’s the real Real Thing.
(image via: Susan Kaman’s Kenyan Kitchen)
Those whose memories go back to the mid-1970s may recall a popular series of TV commercials for 7-Up, “The Un-Cola”, featuring 6’6″ Trinidad-born dancer, choreographer and actor Geoffrey Holder. The ads featured Holder extolling the great lemon & lime taste of 7-Up and summing things up with the punchline “Try making that out of a cola nut.”
Red Walnuts
(images via: Almond Corner and Summer Tomato)
Next time some irritable snacker demands you “pass the bloody walnuts”, give ‘em these: a new variety of walnuts with a cherry-red outer skin. No genetic engineering was used in the production of Red Walnuts, just good old fashioned agricultural ingenuity: branches from the smaller, bitterer, Persian red-skinned walnut onto standard English walnut tree trunks. See, we CAN all get along!
(image via: The Kitchn)
You’ll typically pay twice as much for Red Walnuts but those who’ve tried them feel the investment is worthwhile, reporting that Red Walnuts are slightly oilier and impart less of a bitter tannin taste compared to their un-blushed cousins. Now if only they didn’t look like tiny BRAAAIIIINS!!
Mongongo Nuts
(images via: Elephants Without Borders, New Agriculturist and Fruitipedia)
Mongongo Nuts are a staple food of the ancient San people of southwestern Africa’s Kalahari Desert and provide a valuable source of nutritional fats and proteins in times of scarcity. It’s been rumored that the best way to harvest Mongongo Nuts is to follow a Kalahari elephant… sooner or later, Jumbo will deliver a load of nuts with pre-softened shells. Expect Bear Grylls to test that theory sometime soon.
(image via: Sunday’s Child)
You can also expect to hear more about Mongongo Nuts through TV ads for women’s cosmetics and personal care products. The San have traditionally used the oils extracted from Mongongo Nuts as a natural sunscreen and skin moisturizer. So long Ylang Ylang, hello Mongongo Nuts!
Betel Nuts
(images via: Globe Spots, Greeny Crops and Chalky Lives)
Betel Nuts are actually the seeds of the Areca Palm and can be found from Polynesia through southern Asia to East Africa. The nuts are typically wrapped in leaves and chewed – the bright red residue (and saliva) are then spit out into a cup (or wherever is convenient). Users report a variety of effects with the main sensation being that of a mild stimulant. On the other hand, Betel Nut chewers are more likely to suffer a range of deleterious health effects ranging from receding gums and stained teeth to oral and gastric cancers.
(image via: Taiwan 101)
Betel Nuts were the driving force of a unique entrepreneurial phenomenon which had its heyday in mid-1990′s Taiwan. Plexiglass booths began springing up along the country’s highways, “manned” by scantily-clad “Betel Nut Beauties” who sold bags of seasoned Betel Nuts to passing truck drivers. As semi-independent operators, the women exploited a very lucrative market niche that, as a side-effect, saw Betel Nut production soar to second place (after rice) in Taiwan’s annual agricultural production.
Corn Nuts
(images via: Restaurant-Dining Critiques, Bedicomsa and Product Reviews)
Corn Nuts aren’t nuts; in fact they’re barely corn… at least, not corn as we know it. The popular snack food was invented in 1936 but sales really took off in 1964, when the manufacturers switched from sweet corn to Cusco Corn. Originating in Peru, Cusco Corn boasts kernels an inch wide, the “Largest Corn in the World”, and once adapted for commercial growing in California it powered Corn Nuts into the crunchy, dare-I-say “nutty” snack we know and love today.
(image via: Snak Snak)
You can order traditionally prepared, Peruvian-style Corn Nuts at a gourmet restaurant if you like, though sufferers of late night snack attacks are better served by keeping a bag or two of the trademarked variety on hand… assuming that keeping the tempting munchables unopened in the bag for any period time is even possible.
Bat Nuts
(images via: FotoosVanRobin, Okonomiyaki and Joe’s Diary)
Nanananana… Bat Nuts! No, it’s not the latest release from Vivid Video, but a bizarrely shaped nut known by a range of monickers including Water Caltrops, Buffalo Nuts and Devil Pods. Once one gets past the barbed & bull-headed outer shell, the starchy seed within can be eaten raw, boiled or fried, or dried and ground into a powder used in Indian cooking.
(image via: Kathryn Hill)
Travelers who have the opportunity to try Bat Nuts should ensure they don’t enjoy them raw or undercooked, as they have been known to transmit a parasitic illness known as Fasciolopsiasis. The parasites in question are intestinal flukes or flatworms that can grow up to 7.5cm (3 inches) in length. We’ve got a gut feeling you’ll take our advice as staying parasite-free is no fluke.
Tigernuts
(images via: Richard Peters, Will & Dre and Betumi Blog)
Tigernuts are neither nuts nor are they sourced from tigers… which is great news, especially if you happen to be a tiger. Instead, they’re the tubers of a rush-like plant used as a food source by several historic cultures including Ancient Egypt in the dynastic era. Tigernuts are very nutritious and contain a wide range of essential minerals, not to mention their slightly sweet, nutty flavor. They’re popular in Spain where they’re called Chufa Nuts.
(image via: Lodge Fishing)
Tigernuts have found an unexpected modern use as fishing bait for carp, which are attracted to them and seem to enjoy their taste. Anglers should be aware, however, that Tigernuts must be prepared by soaking and boiling or they will poison the fish.
Barking Deer’s Mango Nuts
(images via: Phnomenon: Food In Cambodia and Duda Online)
Besides making a great band name, Barking Deer’s Mango Nuts also make a delicious snack! Visitors to Southeast Asia may find themselves offered bags of prepared “bok” on the beach or may buy them from roadside kiosks. “The white flesh underneath the thin brown skin is so delicate yet delightfully rich,” according to one report, “mildly butter-like, and with a touch of smokiness.” Sounds delectable!
(image via: The Travelling Hungry Boy)
Delectable and execrable, it seems… yes indeed, the noble Barking Deer’s Mango Nut has been tarred with the same queasy origin as that of Mongongo Nuts and Civet Coffee: removing its hard seedcoat has been facilitated via a fantastic voyage through a cow’s digestive tract. Next time you’re offered Barking Deer’s Mango Nut Pie, take a closer look at exactly what type of “pie” it is.
(image via: Fuzzy Blue One)
As dangerous as some kinds of nuts can be, they’ve endured for hundreds of thousands of years as one of humanity’s favorite foods, thus proving the old adage that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger… or at least, makes you thirstier.
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Positive Quote Wednesday - on The Sea
July 20, 2011 by thegreenchildrenfoundation · View Comments
We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch - we are going back from whence we came.
John F. KennedyA woman knows the face of the man she loves as a sailor knows the open sea.
Honore de BalzacThe fishermen know that the sea is dangerous and the storm terrible, but they have never found these dangers sufficient reason for remaining ashore.
Vincent Van GoghMen go abroad to wonder at the heights of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motions of the stars, and they pass by themselves without wondering.
Saint AugustineIf you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.
Antoine de Saint-ExuperyYou can’t cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water.
Rabindranath TagoreThere is one spectacle grander than the sea, that is the sky; there is one spectacle grander than the sky, that is the interior of the soul.
Victor HugoThe sea has neither meaning nor pity.
Anton ChekhovThe sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.
Jacques Yves CousteauA lot of people attack the sea, I make love to it.
Jacques Yves Cousteau
Beth
Washed-Up Artwork: Bright Rainbows of Beached Trash
July 17, 2011 by admin · View Comments
[ By Delana in Art & Design & Geography & Travel & Nature & Ecosystems. ]
The general consensus regarding garbage is that it is, by definition, ugly – and nature is unquestionably more beautiful. But photographer Alejandro Duran finds a beautiful intersection of the two in his photo series “Washed Up,” in which the garbage of the world makes a poignant and strangely beautiful statement about our consumerism.
Sian Ka’an is Mexico’s largest federally-protected biosphere preserve. Located south of Cancun on the Caribbean coast of Mexico, the shores of Sian Ka’an are covered in detritus from around the world. Due to the ocean currents that meet in the location, debris from every point on the planet make their way to the beach of this ecological research and education center.
It may seem like a cruel joke of nature that this ecological center should be plagued by such garbage, but Alejandro Duran uses the refuse to create truly memorable scenes in his photography series called Washed Up. He arranges the garbage by color in distinctly natural-looking arrangements. His site-specific sculptures suggest wave-carried garbage that has settled into place thanks to the natural movement of the water.
While breathtakingly beautiful, the sculptures are incredibly sad as well. Duran has identified garbage on this shore from 42 countries on six continents. The “out of sight, out of mind” effect that makes so many of us ambivalent about waste management is abruptly lost here. There is no ignoring the blatant consumerism and throw-away culture that has caused this massive build-up of human debris.
In addition to his sadly lovely sculptures, Duran takes portraits of individual items that have washed up from nearly every part of the world. Lovingly documented as though they were rare seashells, the bottles and jars captured by Duran’s camera are not necessarily painted in a negative light. Duran photographs them in an almost tender way, presenting these items from all around the globe as objects of interest.
The obvious sadness of this photo series is somewhat tempered by Duran’s choice to document the shameful build-up of garbage in an artistic manner. He arranges the washed-up objects in precisely the way that lapping waves would arrange them, almost suggesting that the ocean itself has carefully selected the collections by color and placed them on the beach for our perusal.
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Mud Men: Scientists Find an Ocean of Rare Earths
July 5, 2011 by thegreenchildrenfoundation · View Comments
[ By Steve in News & Politics & Science & Research & Technology & Gadgets. ]
I just want to celebrate, yeah, yeah! A Japanese expedition has discovered a wealth – literally – of rare earth minerals in mud samples taken from the floor of the Pacific Ocean. Should the discovery pan out, the rewards could be richer than gold. Even better, refining the bounty involves much more environmentally friendly processes compared to those used in highly toxic traditional mining.
Trash to Treasure
(images via: Mining.com, Nature News and The Australian)
A stunning discovery by a Japanese research team could ripple the waters of science, technology and geopolitics for years to come… “ripple” being the key word as the report concerns samples of seafloor mud dredged from thousands of feet beneath the surface of the Pacific Ocean.
(images via: Investors Insight and iOffer)
Mud, you say? Indeed, the gooey gloop that’s been accumulating for millions of years harbors an unseen but much desired treasure: rare earth minerals, said by some to be “21st-century gold” based on their rarity and value. These attributes are a function of demand, which has been on the rise due to the explosion of new, high-tech products and applications requiring these formerly uncommon elements.
(images via: DachaMetals, New Scientist and NewsWhip)
Now just to clarify, “uncommon” refers to concentrated deposits of rare earth minerals suitable for commercial mining. The elements themselves (the metals Scandium and Yttrium, plus 17 minerals in the Lanthanide series of the Periodic Table) are relatively common components of the earth’s crust – Cerium, for example, is about as common as Copper.
(images via: Qwiki and UCL Graduate School)
The three rare earth elements mentioned above are joined by Lanthanum, Praseodymium, Neodymium, Promethium, Samarium, Europium, Gadolinium, Terbium, Dysprosium, Holmium, Erbium, Thulium, Ytterbium and Lutetium. Their atomic numbers range from 57 through 71 inclusive, plus 21 for Scandium and 39 for Yttrium. Besides sharing similar properties, many of the rare earths have similar names derived from the Swedish village of Ytterby, where rare earths were first identified in the early 19th century.
Rare Earths, Abundant Uses
(image via: Allvoices)
Before we delve into the particulars of the Japanese ocean discovery, let’s take a look at the many uses of rare earths and why they’re so important today, as opposed to 100, 50 or even 10 years ago. Can you imagine living without your cellphone, MP3 player or other portable electronic devices? What would the modern world be like without hybrid vehicles, flat-screen TVs, night vision goggles, superconducting magnets or anything made by Apple?
(images via: Bloomberg, China Rare Earths and Hurriyet)
Pretty grim, huh? What’s even grimmer is knowing that 97 percent of the current supply of rare earth minerals is controlled by a single nation, China, and boy oh boy do they know it! Annoy China and you just might see your rare earth imports cut to the bone… and by “you”, we mean Japan.
(images via: Asiabizz, Euronews and East Asia Forum)
In November of 2010, an incident occurred in the East China Sea near the disputed Senkaku Islands (Japanese) or Diaoyu Islands (Chinese). While attempting to stop and arrest the captain of a Chinese fishing boat deemed to be trespassing, a Japanese Coast Guard vessel was rammed by the Chinese ship. Check out this video captured by a Japanese crewman and leaked without authorization:
Leaked China-Japan boat crash video sparks row, via RT
(images via: ChattahBox and Blogs/WSJ)
Amid the diplomatic fallout caused by Japan’s taking the Chinese trawler captain into custody, rare earth exports from China to Japan dropped precipitously and remained at lower than normal levels for months. As Japan is a major manufacturer of leading edge electronics and hybrid vehicles, shortages of rare earth elements would be expected to seriously affect these industries while those in China enjoyed unrestricted access to these crucial raw materials. Japanese companies have accelerated rare earth recycling programs but these worthwhile efforts are stopgaps at best. How did we arrive at such a situation?
China Crisis
(images via: Telegraph UK and Reuters)
When one considers mining for rare earths, the NIMBY factor comes into play in a big way. Put plainly, a rare earth mineral mine is about the last thing you’d want in your backyard. Separating the minerals from the waste products involves the use of toxic chemicals and produces particulate pollution on a massive scale. The waste itself is toxic – rare earths are often found in conjunction with radioactive elements such as Uranium and Thorium.
(images via: Latest China and Business Insider)
Voters in the United States and Australia – two nations with large reserves of rare earth minerals – simply won’t tolerate rare earth mining. China, on the other hand, has a totalitarian form of government that puts the needs of China as a whole before those of the “voters”. Even so, there have been rumblings from farmers and agricultural cooperatives in China’s rare earth mining and smelting regions whose crop yields have plummeted as a result of extensive pollution.
(images via: Straits Times and China Daily)
One of the stated reasons China has reduced its exports of rare earth minerals is due to these environmental concerns, though many China-watchers dismiss this as green-washing to hide the real issues: Chinese strategic control over rare earth minerals and the prices charged for them.
(images via: Treehugger and New York Times)
Some might say that rare earth importers have only themselves to blame for the current supply imbalance, and that may indeed be true. There’s the moral issue to consider as well: while we enjoy our iPhones and Prius’s (Prii?), millions of poor Chinese farmers suffer from ill health and reduced quality of life. Wouldn’t it be nice if somebody could find an abundant source of these essential minerals and a cheap, easy and non-polluting method of refining them?
Bounty From the Sea
(image via: CBC)
A recent announcement published in Nature Geoscience would seem too good to be true, which is perhaps why the researchers behind the story ensured that their testing was both vigorous and voluminous in scope before revealing their discovery. According to the researchers, led by Yasuhiro Kato of the University of Tokyo’s department of systems innovation, “Just one square kilometer (0.4 square mile) of (oceanic rare earth) deposits will be able to provide one-fifth of the current global annual consumption.”
(images via: Geeky Gadgets, SBS and Asahi News)
Professor Kato and his team tested over 2,000 sediment samples retrieved from the seafloor at 78 different sites in the central Pacific Ocean – in international waters, one might add. It gets even better: the oceanic rare earth deposits are nearly twice as concentrated as underground deposits in China and they boast a higher ratio of heavier to lighter rare earth elements. Serendipitously, heavier rare earths are more important than lighter minerals in manufacturing technology products.
(images via: Dawn, TCE Today and Geology.com)
Since the oceanic rare earths are suspended in viscous mud and not locked into solid rock, refining them would be a simpler process. No need for blast furnaces or the strong acids that have wreaked so much environmental havoc around land-based mines. Radioactivity from associated trace elements is not a concern as the Japanese researchers measured their occurrence at just 1/5 that of typical underground ores. What’s more, these rare earths are anything BUT rare. According to professor Kato, rare earths contained in the seafloor deposits could amount to 80 to 100 billion metric tons. Estimated global reserves confirmed by the USGS for all land-based sources including China only total 110 million tonnes. Investors may not be happy to hear this news but just about everyone else should be!
(images via: Nature Geoscience, 2Space and Canadian Mining Review)
The only fly in the ointment is bringing the rare earth-infused sea mud to the surface in quantity. The researchers’ samples were extracted from cores ranging from 11,500-20,000 ft (3,500 to 6,000 meters) below the ocean surface. Where there’s a will there’s a way, however, and necessity is the mother of invention after all. “Sea mud can be brought up to ships and we can extract rare earths right there using simple acid leaching,” stated professor Kato. “Within a few hours we can extract 80–90 percent of rare earths from the mud.” Sounds like a plan!
The possibility of cheap, abundant, pollution-free rare earth minerals is as exciting as the prospects of low-cost, sustainable and renewable solar power… though the latter still lurks somewhere in the future. At least there’s hope, both for consumers and for China’s long-suffering farmers and rural villagers. The day may come when, like the 1970s funk-rock band Rare Earth, we all can celebrate another day of living, another day of…LIFE!
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Blue Holes to Infinity Falls: 13 Natural Swimming Pools
June 6, 2011 by thegreenchildrenfoundation · View Comments
[ By Steph in Geography & Travel & Nature & Ecosystems. ]
As the mercury rises it’s hard not to daydream about taking a dip in the cool, crystal-clear blue-green waters of some imagined paradise. These photos of 13 absolutely incredible natural swimming spots around the world, from a deadly pool atop 360-foot falls to a mirage-like oasis in the desert of Arizona, will have you booking a flight or at least searching for a cool swimming hole close to home.
Devil’s Pool, Victoria Falls, Zambia
(images via: oddity central)
Is the Devil’s Pool the most dangerous pool in the world? Some say yes, considering that it lies on the edge of Victoria Falls – and if you accidentally went over the side, there would be a long 360-foot drop before you reached the rocky base of the falls. That doesn’t stop people from swimming there – or parents from bringing their young children to catch a glimpse of the view from the cool waters. The images are so fantastic, people tend to think they’re faked. Swimming is only possible from September to December, when the river is low enough not to sweep people right over the falls, but at least one person does die every year.
Tat Kuang Si Waterfall, Luang Prabang, Laos
(images via: manymoonhoneymoon, yeowatzup)
Clear and beautifully blue-green, the waters of the Tat Kuang Si Waterfall in Luang Prabang, Laos are enticing, especially in the Laotian heat. You can either swim at the base or climb to the top and lounge in a swimming hole between tiers of the falls. The Tat Kuant Si Waterfall is located in a national park along the Mekong River,
Dean’s Blue Hole, Bahamas
(images via: national geographic, discover-eleuthera-bahamas.com)
Is this 1,000-foot-wide, almost perfectly round ‘blue hole’ in the Caribbean astounding or what? Especially when you learn that it’s 400 feet deep. Dean’s Blue Hole, located about 60 miles from Belize City, is the opening to what was once a dry cave during the Ice Age, which flooded when the ice melted and the sea level rose. It’s a favored spot for free divers, who plunge to great depths with no more equipment than their own two lungs.
Blue Lagoon, Iceland
(images via: wikimedia commons)
Pleasantly warm at temperatures between 98 and 102 degrees Fahrenheit, Iceland’s Blue Lagoon, a geothermal spring, attracts thousands of bathers every year. The water is rich in minerals like silica and sulfur, reputed to help some skin ailments. The lagoon is actually fed by a nearby geothermal power plant; the water comes up from the ground near a lava flow and is used to power turbines before it ends up in the pool.
Ginnie Springs, Florida
(images via: city-data.com, oceansportsinternational.com)
Stunningly clear, refreshingly cold and full of vast underwater cave systems, Ginnie Springs is one of the most visually spectacular natural swimming spots in Florida. Found in a privately-owned park along the Santa Fe River in the town of High Springs, this collection of seven springs offers activities like tubing, snorkeling, scuba diving and cave diving. Jacques Cousteau reportedly called the water deep in the springs the clearest in the world. This spot is definitely bustling with visitors practically year-round, and it’s easy to see why.
Yangbajain Hot Springs, Tibet
(images via: j2trip.com, supertightstuff.com)
Even in the middle of winter, the water at Yangbajain Hot Springs in Tibet is 70 degrees. Just like Iceland’s Blue Lagoon, this pool is fed by natural hot springs which are harnessed to produce geothermal power, which provides much of the energy used by the capital city Lhasa.
Little River Canyon, Alabama
(images via: swimmingholes.org)
Within the deepest canyon east of the Mississippi River is the Little River, which plunges into the canyon and then meanders through it for 12 miles, offering up a number of beautiful swimming holes that are popular with locals in the heat of summer. Swimmers jump off sandstone rocks into the water both at the base of the falls and an area on the canyon floor known as ‘Hippie Hole’.
Havasu Falls, Supai, Arizona
(images via: wikimedia commons)
This is definitely an oasis in the desert, and if you were lost enough to stumble upon it and think it were a mirage, you’d have well earned a dip in the aqua waters of Arizona’s Havasu Falls. Located on the Havasupai Indian Reservation just south of the Grand Canyon National Park, Havasu Falls is only accessible by helicopter or a ten-mile hike attended by pack mules. Havasu Creek is fed by a spring, so the water remains at a steady level and is 70 degrees year-round.
Mabinay Spring, Negros Oriental, Philippines
(images via: waysabel, luis llanera)
On the island of Negros Oriental in the Philippines is Mabinay Spring, a shady spring-fed lake surrounded by ancient trees. With free admission and easy accessibility, the cool spring is understandably popular with local residents and visitors alike.
Sliding Rock, Brevard, North Carolina
(images via: parke ladd, mountain moose)
Zoom down 60 feet of smooth rock into an icy-cold mountain-fed swimming hole at Sliding Rock, located off the Blue Ridge Parkway in Brevard, North Carolina. A long-popular ‘natural water park’ for locals, stairs and a handrail leading to the top have been added in recent years and lifeguards keep watch during the summer for safety. The pool at the bottom is 6-7 feet deep.
Natural Saltwater Swimming Pools, Azores
(images via: wicked good travel tips, panaramio, azores whales, holiday-rentals.co.uk)
Hemmed in by rocks, natural saltwater swimming pools have formed all along the coasts of the Azores archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean. Some of the pools are nothing more than that, while others have been given concrete walls, steps and handrails to make them official. The pools allow all the joys of swimming in the ocean, but none of the violent waves that can make laying back and relaxing a little difficult.
Jellyfish Lake, Palau
(images via: echeng, Sky Chick Adventures, National Geographic, meremail, National Geographic, National Geographic)
Over 12,000 years ago in the island nation of Palau, jellyfish were trapped inside a cove when a rock island joined with the mainland, and over time, the body of water became a marine lake. This lake basically turned into jellyfish heaven, a safe place with few predators where the marine creatures could multiply freely – and that they most certainly did. More than 10 million of them occupy Jellyfish Lake, and the best part (for us, at least) is that their ability to sting went away as it was unneeded, so humans can safely swim among them.
Zacaton Cenote, Mexico
(images via: geology.com, flatrock.org.nz)
The world’s deepest water-filled sinkhole reaches an amazing 1,112 feet into the earth. Fed by a freshwater thermal spring, Zacatón Cenote measures over 328 feet across and is a notable diving site and was explored robotically by NASA to determine the depth. It’s unclear whether it’s actually possible to get to this epic swimming hole and take a dip, but we can dream, can’t we?
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Sole Survivor: How 1 Japanese Town Resisted the Tsunami
May 27, 2011 by admin · View Comments
[ By Steph in Geography & Travel & History & Trivia & News & Politics. ]
It’s ugly. It’s huge. It cost $30 million. But the 51-foot-tall floodgate that was long considered a “mayor’s folly” saved the village of Fudai, Japan from destruction on March 11th 2011, the day an earthquake and tsunami destroyed much of the nation and left 25,000 people missing or dead. All but one resident of the town survived thanks to this unattractive hunk of 1970′s architecture.
Fudai is a mountainous community located in the hard-hit Iwate Prefecture. While other towns in the prefecture, like Rikuzentakata, below, were practically wiped off the map by the nearly 80-foot-high waves that came barreling in from the ocean, Fudai was mostly untouched. Today, it looks much the same as it did on March 10th, a sharp contrast to the hellish scenes that surround it. If it weren’t for a stubborn mayor haunted by the scenes of death he had witnessed decades before, the outcome for Fudai would have been very different.
(image via: ehnmark)
Kotaku Wamura, who served 10 terms starting just after World War II, had pushed for the floodgate project in fear of a repeat of the 1933 tsunami that killed 439 of the town’s residents and destroyed hundreds of homes. After building a 51-foot seawall to protect homes behind the fishing port, he wanted a floodgate just as tall for the cove where the Fudai River empties into the sea, where most of the community was located. Construction began in 1972 despite the misgivings of city council members, who were concerned about its behemoth size.
(top and above image via: seattle pi)
Wamura died in 1997, but since the tsunami, villagers have been visiting his grave in tribute. His words to village employees at the time of his retirement in 1987 have now taken on a new meaning: “”Even if you encounter opposition, have conviction and finish what you start. In the end, people will understand.”
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Princess Máxima explaining the World Bank micro loan third world enslavement con
May 23, 2011 by · View Comments
believersunderground on the World bank con: www.youtube.com Princess of The Netherlands Máxima Zorreguieta (UN special advisor on micro finance), dressed in UN blue for the occasion, explaining the new con of the World Bank: micro loans for the ‘Third world’ (January 2010). She’s married to the son of Queen Beatrix. Current Queen Beatrix (together with Queen Elizabeth) is the major stockholder in Shell Corp. and daughter of Bilderberg group founder Prince Bernhard, a German Nazi, and betrayer of the Dutch people in WW2 (there was a plan of becoming the head of the ‘Dutch province’ within the Third Reich) Máxima Zorreguieta’s father was a junior minister of Agriculture in the Argentinian fascist Videla regime. Mr. Zorreguieta shared the same extreme ideology that was put into practice with dictatorships in several Latin American countries (Chile, Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru etc), with the support of the United States and the West, coordinated by several intelligence services. “Operation Condor” was carried on by which all those opposed to these ideas were ELIMINATED (by being tortured to death or by being drugged and dropped into the ocean by planes/heli’s) She is notorious for stating that “the Dutch culture does not exist.” I only watched once, that’s more than I can take. Copyright by Radio Netherlands Worldwide Fair Use bla bla bla
15 of the World’s Most Scenic Swimming Pools
May 16, 2011 by thegreenchildrenfoundation · View Comments
[ By Steph in Geography & Travel. ]
Summer’s sweltering heat is just weeks away, and if you’re already daydreaming about stunningly scenic swimming pools in exotic locales, there’s no inspiration like these 15 cool pools around the world. From the world’s largest man-made pool in Chile to cliffside infinity pools overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, these swimming spots are among the world’s most beautiful.
Marina Bay Sands Hotel, Singapore
(images via: swag like me, kiwi collection)
When most people envision a pool with an incredibly scenic view, they most likely think of tropical beaches, not skyscrapers – yet there’s no denying that the scenery at the Marina Bay Sands Hotel pool is absolutely breathtaking. Not only is this nearly 500-foot-long pool set into a rooftop skypark, 679 feet above the ground, but it’s an infinity pool, giving swimmers the feeling that they could swim right off the edge of the building. The pool looks out onto one of the world’s most modern cities, which is brilliantly illuminated once the sun goes down.
Bondi Icebergs, Sydney, Australia
(images via: derek swanson, kate ausburn)
Can’t decide between a peaceful swim in an enclosed pool or a romp in the ocean surf? You can have both at the incredible saltwater pool at Bondi Icebergs. The ocean waves break right into the pool. Unlike most of the other swimming pools on this list, Icebergs is open to the general public for a nominal fee.
Ubud Hanging Gardens, Bali, Indonesia
(image via: redvisitor)
Not only does each villa at the Ubud Hanging Gardens Hotel in Bali have its own private infinity pool, but some guests get lucky enough to snag a room with a pool positioned directly over the main infinity pool for an experience unlike any other. From any of these pools, you can gaze into the jungle at monkeys and wild birds – not to mention a Balinese temple.
Conrad Rangali Islands, Maldives
(image via: kta public relations)
What’s not to love about this gorgeous infinity pool at the Conrad Rangali Islands hotel in Maldives? Lounging on a chaise placed on a special platform in the pool, all you can see is sparkling, clear blue waters.
Kempinski Hotel Ishtar, Dead Sea, Jordan
(images via: theboyg, xihalife)
Literally the lowest point on earth at 1,300 feet below sea level, the north end of the Dead Sea is a beautiful place, and the Kempinksi Hotel Ishtar Dead Sea is the ideal home base from which to explore it – particularly due to its collection of serene pools and lagoons overlooking the sea.
Evason Phuket, Thailand
(image via: edachsund)
It’s difficult to imagine anything that could make this image of the adults-only infinity pool at the Evason Phuket Resort look more like paradise (except maybe a frozen organic daiquiri). Surrounded by 64 acres of tropical parklands and gardens, the Evason pool overlooks clear blue waters with a grassy island in the distance.
Hayman Great Barrier Reef Resort, Queensland, Australia
(images via: hayman.com.au, sarah_ackerman)
Seven times larger than an Olympic swimming pool, the pool bar at the Hayman Great Barrier Reef Resort in Australia is practically a small sea unto itself. Actually, it’s a pool-within-a-pool; the smaller central pool is freshwater and heated while the outer lagoon-like pool is as salty as the sea that lies just steps from the hotel. Four boardwalk bridges connect this little slice of paradise to the hotel.
Intercontinental Hotel, Hong Kong
(images via: intercontinental hotel, designsxtra)
Another rooftop pool with a prime city view is the infinity pool at Hong Kong’s Intercontinental Hotel.
Hotel Caruso, Ravello, Italy
(images via: citalia)
Renowned for its spectacular rocky cliffs overlooking the sparkling Mediterranean Sea, Italy’s Amalfi Coast is one of the most beautiful places in the world. At Hotel Caruso in Ravello, guests can enjoy these views from a heated infinity pool on a clifftop 1,000 feet above sea level. The modern pool is a stunning contrast beside the historic 11th century hotel, a former palazzo.
Golden Triangle Resort, Chiang Rai, Thailand
(images via: igor prahin)
High above the Mekong River where Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meet is this elegant free-form infinity pool that seems to spill out onto the tropical vegetation that surrounds it.
San Alfonso Del Mar, Chile
(images via: hipster travel guide)
The San Alfonso Del Mar isn’t just one of the most beautiful pools in Chile – it’s the largest pool in the world, measuring more than half a mile in length and reaching 115 feet deep (an amazing 11 stories!). The 66 million gallons of water needed to fill this mind-boggling pool come straight from the adjacent Pacific Ocean. It costs $4 million a year just to keep it clean.
Hotel Joule, Dallas, Texas
(images via: urban fabric, lost at e minor)
Dallas, Texas is home to a stunning cantilevered rooftop pool, which not only juts out eight feet from the 10-story Hotel Joule, but features a glass end wall.
Rio Calma, Fuerteventura, Spain
(images via: bogoboo, krzysztof)
The Canary Islands look even more magical when you’re enjoying the salt lagoon at the Rio Calma Hotel in Fuerteventura. The lagoon looks out over the white sand beaches that border the Atlantic Ocean.
Cavo Tagoo, Mykonos, Greece
(images via: bogoboo, homesresult)
Gaze out at the iconic all-white architecture of Mykonos from the still, soothing waters of your own private infinity pool at the Cavo Tagoo Hotel. A number of rooms at the Cavo Tagoo have their own pools including the ultra-luxurious 2-bedroom Golden Villa, where the private walled infinity pool – secluded from view of other guests – offers a full sea view and blends right into the horizon.
Gellert Baths, Budapest, Hungary
(images via: chop1n, move with us international)
Most interiors as beautiful as this are cathedrals, where it’s not exactly polite to lay on your back and stare up at the ceiling. In this case, however, leisurely gazing is not just appropriate but encouraged. Even in a country known for its luxurious spas, the Gellert thermal baths, built around natural mineral hot springs in an early-20th-century Art Noveau complex, are an amazing sight. The water in this pool, located in the main hall, is actually effervescent for an even more unique experience.
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