Amazing and Wonderful Pictures.....

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Here is a thread to warm the heart and show us things and places we might never see, but here....

Please post pix of anything you like and think we would like; Cars, planes, places, etc..

ABOVE THE CANOPY

Photograph by MICHAEL NICHOLS for National Geographic [Print Available]

Photographer’s Description [Michael Nichols]: An old-growth redwood dwarfs younger redwood growth in California’s Bear Creek Watershed on the northwest side of Bear Creek Ridge. Peavine Ridge sits in the distance in Rockefeller Forest, the world’s largest continuous old-growth redwood forest, measuring more than 10,000 acres. [Source]
Through some incredible detective work, Reddit user mat101010 was able to find the exact location of this incredible tree. The coordinates are as follows: 40.411458,-124.026439

Click here to read the feature story, Redwoods: The Super Trees on National Geographic

THE BLUE LAGOON, ECUADOR

Photograph by Bobby Haas


Photographer’s Description: As startling as a bright-blue eye, a central lagoon peers out from Rocas Baimbridgen in Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands. The stark, rocky island teems with life at times—the brackish lagoon waters are favored by flamingos.


via National Geographic

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COLLIDING RIVERS IN GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

In this incredible photograph we see the junction of the Rhone and Arve rivers in Geneva, Switzerland. The river on the left is the Rhone, which is just exiting Lake Lehman. The river on the right is the Arve, which receives water from the many glaciers of the Chamonix valley (mainly the Mer de Glace) before flowing north-west into the Rhone on the west side of Geneva, where its much higher level of silt brings forth a striking contrast between the two rivers. The comments did not state who the photographer was, and neither did an image search on Google and Tineye.

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AUTUMN IN YOYOGI PARK, TOKYO

In this incredible photograph by guen-k on Flickr, we see the gorgeous Yoyogi Park in Tokyo, awash in golden yellow.Yoyogi Park is one of the largest parks in Tokyo, Japan, located adjacent to Harajuku Station and Meiji Shrine in Shibuya. What is now Yoyogi Park was the site of the first successful powered aircraft flight in Japan, on December 19, 1910, by Captain Yo****oshi Tokugawa, after which it became an army parade ground. During the post World War II occupation, it was the site of the Washington Heights residence for U.S. officers.It was later the site for the main Olympic athletes village of the 1964 Summer Olympics and the swimming, diving, and basketball venues. Today, the park is a popular hangout, especially on Sundays, when it is used as a gathering place for people to play music, practice martial arts, etc. [Source: Wikipedia]

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GREAT PLACE FOR A HAMMOCK

Photograph by Kiattipong Panchee

What a great place to read a book or take a snooze. And if the sun is too intense, well you’re not too far from the water This is just one of the many beautiful views in the marvellous Maldives.

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AURORA AUSTRALIS (SOUTHERN LIGHTS) FROM SPACE

Photograph by André Kuipers / ESA / NASA

In this incredible shot taken from the International Space Station on March 10, 2012 by Dutch astronaut André Kuipers, we see an absolutely breathtaking view of Aurora Australis (the Southern Lights) between Antarctica and Australia.An aurora (plural: aurorae or auroras) is a natural light display in the sky particularly in the high latitude (Arctic and Antarctic) regions, caused by the collision of energetic charged particles with atoms in the high altitude atmosphere (thermosphere). The charged particles originate in the magnetosphere and solar wind and, on Earth, are directed by the Earth’s magnetic field into the atmosphere.In northern latitudes, the effect is known as the aurora borealis (or the northern lights), named after the Roman goddess of dawn, Aurora, and the Greek name for the north wind, Boreas, by Pierre Gassendi in 1621. Its southern counterpart, the aurora australis (or the southern lights), has almost identical features to the aurora borealis and changes simultaneously with changes in the northern auroral zone and is visible from high southern latitudes in Antarctica, South America, New Zealand and Australia. [Source: Wikipedia]

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A BATMOBILE BONANZA!

Photograph by trackerpro on Reddit

Photograph by trackerpro on Reddit

This awesome lineup of Batmobiles was spotted yesterday in Burbank, California by Redditor trackerpro. More specifically, this is on N. Lima Street between Olvie and Alameda outside Warner Music’s lot. Apparently a bunch of the various versions of the Batmobile were on display as they are filming a documentary for the new film and this is a part of the extras/bonus material.Now we all know there are some missing Batmobiles from this candid shot but this is still awesome. What’s your favourite version of the Batmobile?

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I BELIEVE I CAN FLY

© Mark Watson/Red Bull Content Pool

Look ma no hands! This is an awesome capture by Mark Watson of Moto X rider, Robbie Madison, as he flies through the air before he grabs his bike again for a perfect landing. This shot was taken back in September 2010 during the Red Bull X RAY 2010 event in Picton. Awesome point of view in this photograph, these guys are nuts!

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THE BLACK SAND BEACHES OF ICELAND

Photograph by SERGEY RUMYANTSEV @ photosight.ru

In this incredible photograph we see the striking black sand beaches of Iceland (complete with ice..on..land ). What creates black sand? Volcanoes. And Iceland has a lot of them. The island has 30 active volcanic systems, of which 13 have erupted since the settlement of Iceland in 874 AD [Source].When lava contacts water, it cools rapidly and shatters into sand and fragmented debris of various size. Much of the debris is small enough to be considered sand. A large lava flow entering an ocean may produce enough lava fragments to build a new black sand beach almost over night. The famous “black sand” beaches of Hawaii, such as Punaluu Black Sand Beach, and Kehena Beach, were created virtually instantaneously by the violent interaction between hot lava and sea water [Source].

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BEAUTIFUL BERN FROM ABOVE

Photograph via loki010 on Reddit

The city of Bern or Berne is the Bundesstadt (federal city, de facto capital) of Switzerland, and, with (as of December 2010) a population of 133,920, the fourth most populous city in Switzerland. The Bern agglomeration, which includes 43 municipalities, has a population of 349,000. The metropolitan area had a population of 660,000 in 2000. Bern is also the capital of the Canton of Bern, the second most populous of Switzerland’s cantons.The official language of Bern is German, but the main spoken language is the Alemannic dialect called Bernese German.

In 1983 the historic old town in the centre of Bern became a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Bern is ranked among the world’s top ten cities for the best quality of life (2010). [Source]

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ROFLMAO

Photograph via Reddit

Just an adorable-looking seal either laughing at a really funny joke or in mid-yawn. Regardless, it’s a priceless capture that will surely brighten your day
A search on TinEye did not reveal the original source, if you know who the photographer is, please let me know.

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SERENITY NOW

Photograph by ZAK NOYLE for SURFER MAGAZINE

Sun, water, wave, surf. Oh and a rainbow. This gorgeous photograph by Zak Noyle was the winner of Surfer Magazine’s ‘photo of the year’ and it’s easy to see why. The image was taken with a fisheye lens at Teahupoo in Tahiti. The surfer is Christian Redongo.For a full interview with photographer Zak Noyle about this amazing shot, head over to Surfermag.com for the full scoop.

[Meli]

here you go.




Meaning 'suspended in air' the name Meteora includes the entire rock community of 24 monasteries. There were no steps and the main access to the monasteries was by means of a net that was hitched over a hook and hoisted up by rope and a hand cranked windlass to winch towers overhanging the chasm. Monks descended in the nets or on retractable wooden ladders up to 40m long to the fertile valleys below to grow grapes, corn and potatoes.


I've been there

[Spin_Drift]

here you go.




Meaning 'suspended in air' the name Meteora includes the entire rock community of 24 monasteries. There were no steps and the main access to the monasteries was by means of a net that was hitched over a hook and hoisted up by rope and a hand cranked windlass to winch towers overhanging the chasm. Monks descended in the nets or on retractable wooden ladders up to 40m long to the fertile valleys below to grow grapes, corn and potatoes.


I've been there

Fantastic, Meli. I'd love to see other pictures of the place if you can post them here...

[Meli]

On of the most mazing places in an amazing country :

https://www.google.com.au/search?tbm...-7j1l8l0.llsin.

I've a beautiful photo shot downhill just after dawn of a woman carrying a basket down a narrow stone walled village street with those kind of hills in the background. Shame its on slide form.

[Meli]

This is montclus.
hillside village in Landoc on the Ceres.

The double doors with the panes is were we stayed on holiday
http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Eur...hoto394159.htm

https://www.google.com.au/search?tbm...l2-8l8l0.llsin.

[Spin_Drift]

Our world is full of creatures big and small, short and tall. Below the Sifter
http://twistedsifter.com/2012/04/15-...-in-the-world/ looks at 15 of the largest animals in the world,
classified by various categories such as mammals, reptiles, birds, amphibians etc. There’s an incredibly detailed list of some of the
world’s largest organisms (including plants, fungi, bacteria, etc.) on Wikipedia, check it out if you enjoy lists as much as we do

For now, enjoy these fifteen fascinating animals.

The Largest Animal Ever: The Blue Whale

The blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) is a marine mammal belonging to the suborder of baleen whales. At 30 metres (98 ft) in length
and 180 metric tons (200 short tons) or more in weight, it is the largest known animal to have ever existed. The Blue Whale’s tongue
weighs around 2.7 metric tons (5,952 pounds), about the size of an average Asian Elephant and its heart weighs about 600 kg (1,300 lb)
and is the largest known in any animal. Not only is the heart similar size to a mini-cooper car but also comparable in weight.

The Blue Whale is thought to feed almost exclusively on small, shrimp-like creatures called Krill. During the summer feeding season the
Blue Whale gorges itself, consuming an astounding 3.6 metric tons (7,900 pounds) or more each day. This means it may eat up to 40 million
krill a day with a daily calorie requirement of an adult Blue Whale in the region of 1.5 million. [Source]

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The Heaviest Land Animal in the World: The African Bush Elephant

The African Bush Elephant is the largest living terrestrial (land) animal, with males reaching 6 to 7.5 metres (19.7 to 24.6 ft) in length,
3.3 metres (10.8 ft) in height at the shoulder, and weighing 6 t (13,000 lb). Females are much smaller, reaching 5.4 to 6.9 metres
(17.7 to 22.6 ft) in length, 2.7 metres (8.9 ft) in height at the shoulder, and weighing 3 t (6,600 lb). The adult African bush elephant
generally has no natural predators due to its great size, but the calves (especially the newborn) are vulnerable to lion and crocodile
attacks, and (rarely) to leopard and hyena attacks. [Source]

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The Tallest Land Animal in the World: The Giraffe

Photograph by Luca Galuzzi – www.galuzzi.it

The giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) is an African even-toed ungulate mammal and the tallest living terrestrial animal in the world.
It stands 5–6 m (16–20 ft) tall and has an average weight of 1,600 kg (3,500 lb) for males and 830 kg (1,800 lb) for females.

The giraffe has an extremely elongated neck, which can be over 2 m (6 ft 7 in) in length, accounting for nearly half of the
animal’s vertical height. The long neck results from a disproportionate lengthening of the cervical vertebrae, not from the addition
of more vertebrae. [Source]

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The Largest Carnivore in the World: The Southern Elephant Seal

Photograph by DAVID SHACKELFORD

The Southern elephant seal is the largest carnivore living today. This seals’ size shows extreme sexual dimorphism,
possibly the largest of any mammal, with the males typically five to six times heavier than the females. While the
females average 400 to 900 kilograms (880 to 2,000 lb) and 2.6 to 3 meters (8.5 to 9.8 ft) long, the bulls average
2,200 to 4,000 kilograms (4,900 to 8,800 lb) and 4.5 to 5.8 meters (15 to 19 ft) long. The record-sized bull, shot
in Possession Bay, South Georgia on February 28, 1913, measured 6.85 meters (22.5 ft) long and was estimated
to weigh 5,000 kilograms (11,000 lb).

Southern elephant seals dive repeatedly, each time for more than twenty minutes, to hunt their prey—squid and
fish— at depths of 400 to 1,000 meters (1,300 to 3,300 ft). The documented diving records for the seals are nearly
two hours for the duration, and more than 1,400 meters (4,600 ft) in depth. [Source]

[MiddleAgesMan]

COLLIDING RIVERS IN GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

In this incredible photograph we see the junction of the Rhone and Arve rivers in Geneva, Switzerland. The river on the left is the Rhone, which is just exiting Lake Lehman. The river on the right is the Arve, which receives water from the many glaciers of the Chamonix valley (mainly the Mer de Glace) before flowing north-west into the Rhone on the west side of Geneva, where its much higher level of silt brings forth a striking contrast between the two rivers. The comments did not state who the photographer was, and neither did an image search on Google and Tineye.

The picture clearly answers the question, "Which is heavier, clear water or muddy?"

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The Largest Land Carnivores in the World: The Polar Bear and Kodiak Bear

The largest living land carnivores are the Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) and the kodiak bear, a Brown Bear (Ursus arctos)
subspecies. Since they have similar body sizes, it is not clear which is definitively larger. In both species, shoulder
height has been measured at more than 1.6 m (5.2 ft) and total length at as much as to 3.05 m (10.0 ft). The
heaviest polar and brown bear weights recorded were respectively 1,003 kg (2,210 lb) and 1,135 kg (2,500 lb). [Source]

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The Largest Reptile in the World: The Saltwater Crocodile

The saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus), is the largest of all living reptiles. It is found in suitable habitats from
Northern Australia through Southeast Asia to the eastern coast of India. An adult male saltwater crocodile’s weight
is 409 to 1,000 kilograms (900–2,200 lb) and length is normally 4.1 to 5.5 metres (13–18 ft). However, mature males
can exceed 6 metres (20 ft) and weigh more than 1,000 kilograms (2,200 lb) and this species is the only extant
crocodilian to regularly reach or exceed 4.8 metres (16 ft). The saltwater crocodile is an opportunistic apex predator
capable of taking nearly any animal that enters its territory, either in the water or on dry land. [Source]

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The Largest Amphibian in the World: The Chinese Giant Salamander

The Chinese giant salamander (Andrias davidianus) is the largest salamander in the world, reaching a length of
180 cm (6 ft), although it rarely – if ever – reaches that size today. Endemic to rocky mountain streams and lakes
in China, it is considered critically endangered due to habitat loss, pollution, and over-collecting, as it is considered
a delicacy and used in traditional Chinese medicine. [Source]

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The Largest Rabbit/Hare in the World: The Flemish Giant

The Flemish Giant is an old breed of domesticated rabbits, originating from the Flemish region. They have been bred
as early as the 16th century around the city of Ghent, Belgium. The rabbits can weigh up to 12.7 kg (28 pounds). [Source]

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The Largest Bats in the World: The Giant golden-crowned flying fox

Golden Crowned Flying Fox | Photograph by Latorilla

Spectacled Flying Fox | Photograph by Mnolf

The largest bat species is the Giant golden-crowned flying fox (Acerodon jubatus), an
endangered fruit bat from the rainforests of the Philippines that is part of the megabat family.
The maximum size is believed to approach 1.5 kg (3.3 lb), 55 cm (22 in) long, and the wingspan
may be almost 1.8 m (5.9 ft). The Large Flying Fox (Pteropus vampyrus) is smaller in body mass
and length, but it has been known to exceed the Golden-crowned species in wingspan.
Specimens have been verified to 1.83 m (6.0 ft) and possibly up to 2 m (6.6 ft) in wingspan. [Source]

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The Largest Rodent in the World: The Capybara

Photograph by Jsanabriag

The largest living rodent is the capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris), native to most of the tropical and temperate
parts of South America east of the Andes, always near water. Full-grown capybaras can reach 1.5 m (4.9 ft) long
and 0.9 m (3.0 ft) tall at the shoulder and a maximum weight of 105.4 kg (232 lb). It is a highly social species and
can be found in groups as large as 100 individuals, but usually live in groups of 10–20 individuals. [Source]

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The Largest Bony Fish in the World: The Ocean Sunfish

Photograph by Per-Ola-Norman

Photograph by Library of Congress

Osteichthyes, also called bony fish, are a taxonomic group of fish that have bony, as opposed to cartilaginous, skeletons.
The vast majority of fish are osteichthyes, which is an extremely diverse and abundant group consisting of over 29,000
species. It is the largest class of vertebrates in existence today.

The largest living bony fish is the widely distributed ocean sunfish (Mola mola). It resembles a fish head with a tail, and
its main body is flattened laterally. The mature ocean sunfish has an average length of 1.8 m (5.9 ft), a fin-to-fin length
of 2.5 m (8.2 ft) and an average weight of 1,000 kg (2,200 lb), although individuals up to 3.3 m (10.8 ft) in length 4.2 m
(14 ft) across the fins and weighing up to 2,300 kg (5,100 lb) have been observed. [Source]

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The Largest Lizard/Snake in the World: The Green Anaconda

Photograph via The Vertebrate Journal

The most massive living member of this giant reptilian order is the Green Anaconda (Eunectes murinus) of the neotropical
riverways. The maximum verified size is 7.5 m (25 ft) and 250 kg (550 lb), although rumors of larger anacondas persist.
The Reticulated Python (Python reticulatus) of Southeast Asia is longer but more slender, and has been reported to
measure as much as 9.7 m (32 ft) in length. [Source]

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The Largest Bird in the World: The Ostrich

Photograph by Math Knight

The largest living bird is the ostrich (Struthio camelus), from the plains of Africa and Arabia. A large male ostrich can
reach a height of 2.8 m (9.2 ft), weighing over 156 kg (345 lb). Eggs laid by the Ostrich can weigh 1.4 kg (3 lb) and
are the largest eggs in the world today. They can also run at maximum speeds of about 97.5 km/h (60.6 mph),
making it both the fastest bird on land and the fastest two-legged animal in the world. [Source]

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The Heaviest Flying Bird in the World: The Dalmatian Pelican

Photograph by Doug Janson

The Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus crispus) is a member of the pelican family. It breeds from
southeastern Europe to India and China in swamps and shallow lakes. This is the largest of
the pelicans, averaging 160–180 cm (63-70 inches) in length, 11–15 kg (24-33 lbs) in weight
and just over 3 m (10 ft) in wingspan. With a mean weight of 11.5 kg (25 lb), it is the world’s
heaviest flying bird species on average, although large male bustards and swans can exceed
the pelican in maximum weight. [Source]

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The Largest Arthropod in the World: The Japanese spider crab

The Japanese spider crab is a species of marine crab that lives in the waters around Japan.
It has the largest leg span of any arthropod, reaching up to 3.8 metres (12 ft) and weighing
up to 41 pounds (19 kg). In its natural habitat, the Japanese spider crab feeds on shellfish
and animal carcasses and may live for up to 100 years. [Source]

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MOUNT KILIMANJARO FROM ABOVE

Photograph by KYLE MIJLOF @ kylemijlof.blogspot.co.uk

This incredible aerial photograph of Mount Kilimanjaro was posted yesterday to Reddit, by user ninjao. He states the shot was taken by his friend
who has now been identified as the very talented, Kyle Mijlof (thanks Mark!)Kilimanjaro, with its three volcanic cones, Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira,
is a dormant volcano in Kilimanjaro National Park, Tanzania, and the highest mountain in Africa at 5,895 metres or 19,341 feet above sea level
(the Uhuru Peak/Kibo Peak). It is composed of three distinct volcanic cones: Kibo 5,895 m (19,341 ft); Mawenzi 5,149 m (16,893 ft); and
Shira 3,962 m (13,000 ft). Uhuru Peak is the highest summit on Kibo’s crater rim.Kilimanjaro is a giant stratovolcano that began forming a million
years ago, when lava spilled from the Rift Valley zone. Two of its three peaks, Mawenzi and Shira, are extinct while Kibo (the highest peak) is dormant
and could erupt again. The last major eruption has been dated to 360,000 years ago, while the most recent activity was recorded just 200 years ago.
[Source:Wikipedia]

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THE RAINBOW EUCALYPTUS TREE

Photograph by Amanda Pope @ About Unknown (abt-unk.blogpost.ca)

Posted to Reddit earlier today, this gorgeous photograph by Amanda Pope shows a group of Rainbow Eucalyptus trees spotted just off the Hana
Highway in east Maui.Eucalyptus deglupta is a tall tree, commonly known as the Rainbow Eucalyptus, the Mindanao Gum, or the Rainbow Gum.
It is the only Eucalyptus species found naturally in the Northern Hemisphere. Its natural distribution spans New Britain, New Guinea, Ceram,
Sulawesi and Mindanao. The unique multi-hued bark is the most distinctive feature of the tree. Patches of outer bark are shed annually at different
times, showing a bright green inner bark. This then darkens and matures to give blue, purple, orange and then maroon tones.In the present day
this tree is grown widely around the world in tree plantations, mainly for pulpwood used in making paper. It is the dominant species used for
pulpwood plantations in the Philippines. It is also cultivated as an ornamental tree for planting in tropical and subtropical climate gardens and parks.
[Source: Wikipedia]

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CAPSIZED CRUISE SHIP COSTA CONCORDIA FROM SPACE

Photograph by DIGITALGLOBE.COM

In this startling satellite image by DigitalGlobe, the capsized cruise ship Costa Concordia can be seen near the island of Giglio in Italy on
January 17, 2012. As of today, search has been suspended after the ship slipped. Twenty-three people are still missing and 11 and confirmed
dead after the ship crashed into rocks on Friday.Captain Francesco Schettino is under house arrest, accused of causing the crash. Prosecutors
have also accused him of fleeing the Costa Concordia before evacuation was complete. The ship, carrying 4,200 passengers and crew, had its
hull ripped open when it hit rocks late on Friday, just hours into a Mediterranean cruise. [Source]

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MAELSTROM AT KAUAI, HAWAII

Photograph by PATRICK SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY

A maelstrom is a very powerful whirlpool; a large, swirling body of water. A free vortex, it has considerable downdraft. The power of tidal whirlpools
tends to be exaggerated by laymen. There are virtually no stories of large ships ever being sucked into a maelstrom, although smaller craft are in
danger and tsunami generated maelstroms may even threaten larger crafts. Tales like those by Paul the Deacon, Jules Verne and Edgar Allan
Poe are entirely fictional.One of the earliest uses of the Scandinavian word was by Edgar Allan Poe in his story “A Descent into the Maelstrom”
(1841). In turn, the Nordic word is derived from the Dutch maelstrom, modern spelling maalstroom, from malen (to grind) and stroom (stream),
to form the meaning grinding current or literally “mill-stream”, in the sense of milling (grinding) grain. [Source]

Photographer’s Description
[Patrick Smith]: I had this near-death experience on my last trip to Kauai! This lava-ledge is 20 feet above the sea, and I suppose the incoming
wave is twice that height. This is not the Sprouting Horn near Poipu and it is not Queen’s bath! It is called the Mokolea Lava Pools. See the Map
below and to the right. It is east of the Kilauea Lighthouse. No HDR. [Source]

Canon 5D
Canon 17-40L @ 27
0.6-second exposure @F14
LEE soft ND grad (100x150mm) 0.9 + 0.6
Lee foundation kit filter holder with Lee 77mm adapter ring
ISO 50
RAW file processed with Capture One by Phase One
TIFF file processed with Photoshop
Keen water shoes

To get this shot:1. Get up 2 hours before sunrise…. on your vacation.
2. Put on your old shoes and shorts that are destined to become stained with red mud.
3. Drive to the trail head (Right turn before the Kilauea Lighthouse.)
4. Make sure there are decent clouds before committing to the hike down.
5. Get out your flashlight. I have a wind-up one so no worry about batteries.
6. Navigate the extremely slippery trail, in the dark, often on all-fours, for 1/2 mile
7. Ignore the strange noises in the dense steamy jungle… if you can.
8. Watch the surf for at least 20 minutes to determine a safe place to be.
9. Hand-hold the camera to get the settings right before heading into the water.
10. Set up the tripod and composition just before the next wave hits.
11. Make the exposure and run!
12. As you run, make sure to avoid spilling too much blood extracted by the sharp lava rock!

Patrick Smith is an amazing photographer. You can find him online on various networks:-
Patrick Smith Photography: Official Website
- Patrick Smith Photography on Flickr
- Patrick Smith on Google+
- Patrick Smith on Facebook

[Paul Pless]

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THE PRECIOUS BLUE MARBLE

Photograph by NASA/NOAA/GSFC/Suomi NPP/VIIRS/Norman Kuring

NASA has proclaimed this image the most amazing high definition image of Earth ever. To see the colossal-super-mega high-resolution
image, click here (it’s 8000px x 8000px and 16.4mb).This ‘Blue Marble’ image of the Earth was taken from the VIIRS instrument aboard NASA’s
most recently launched Earth-observing satellite – Suomi NPP. This composite image uses a number of swaths of the Earth’s surface taken on
January 4, 2012. The NPP satellite was renamed ‘Suomi NPP’ on January 24, 2012 to honor the late Verner E. Suomi of the University of Wisconsin.
Suomi NPP is NASA’s next Earth-observing research satellite. It is the first of a new generation of satellites that will observe many facets of our
changing Earth. Suomi NPP is carrying five instruments on board. The biggest and most important instrument is The Visible/Infrared Imager
Radiometer Suite or VIIRS. To read more about NASA’s Suomi NPP go to:npp.gsfc.nasa.gov/index.htmlFor all the haters online complaining
about how the views of Planet Earth are typically ‘North American Centric’, check out the view of Earth below, also from NASA

Photograph by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Image by Reto Stockli

via NASA Goddard Space Photo and Video on Flickr

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OUTDOOR JACUZZI ON THE MATTERHORN

Photograph via Iglu-Dorf.com

This outdoor jacuzzi is part of the Igloo Village, ‘Iglu-Dorf‘, in Zermatt. Guests sleep at an altitude of 2,727 meters (8.946 ft) at the Gornergrat,
right next to Switzerland’s most famous mountain, the mighty Matterhorn. The Igloo village typically opens up in December with accommodations
for up to 40 overnight guests (although it can handle more for dining and partying during the evening). The coolest feature is surely the two outdoor
jacuzzis set directly in the snow covered landscape. Imagine the views you could soak in!

via Iglu-Dorf.com

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SALAR DE UYUNI AFTER SOME RAIN

Photograph via Paean on Reddit

Salar de Uyuni (or Salar de Tunupa) is the world’s largest salt flat at 10,582 square kilometers (4,086 sq mi). It is located in the Potosi and
Oruro departments in southwest Bolivia, near the crest of the Andes, and is elevated 3,656 meters (11,995 ft) above the mean sea level.
The Salar was formed as a result of transformations between several prehistoric lakes. It is covered by a few meters of salt crust, which
has an extraordinary flatness with the average altitude variations within one meter over the entire area of the Salar. The crust serves as a
source of salt and covers a pool of brine, which is exceptionally rich in lithium. It contains 50 to 70% of the world’s lithium reserves, which
is in the process of being extracted.The large area, clear skies and exceptional surface flatness make the Salar an ideal object for calibrating
the altimeters of the Earth observation satellites. The Salar serves as the major transport route across the Bolivian Altiplano and is a major
breeding ground for several species of pink flamingos. Salar de Uyuni is also a climatological transitional zone, for towering tropical cumulus
congestus and cumulus incus clouds that form in the eastern part of the massive salt flat during summer, cannot permeate beyond the salt
flat’s considerably more arid western edges, near the Chilean border and the Atacama Desert.

[Source: Wikipedia]Unfortunately the photographer was not listed in the comments on Reddit. A Tineye search was also not very helpful.
Please let me know if you are aware of the original source of this stunning photograph.

via Paean on Reddit

[Paul Pless]

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Awesome pictures Paul.

Thanks for sharing.

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30 Breathtaking Undersea Photos by Alexander Semenov

Posted by Sifter in ANIMALS, NATURE & SPACE, BEST OF, GALLERIES

Photograph by ALEXANDER SEMENOV

Alexander Semenov is the head of the scientific divers team at the White Sea Biological Station (WSBS) in Russia. He’s also a prolific undersea
photographer that has graciously shared his incredible work online on countless sites (Flickr, Behance,LiveJournal, 500px) so others may study
and marvel at the beauty of the underwater world.Graduating from Lomonosov’s Moscow State University in the department of Zoology,
Alexander specialized in the study of invertebrate animals. While his career has led him around the world, many of the shots in his portfolio
(and below) are from his work at the WSBS which is located near the Polar Circle on the coast of Kandalaksha Bay of the White Sea.The location
is remote and the waters are frigid but the biological diversity speaks for itself. Many of the creatures he captures are rare and uncommon so his
work is of tremendous value to reasearchers, biologists and scientists. For the rest of us, we are simply thankful that there is such a talented
photographer out there capturing the underwater beauty of our planet. The Sifter salutes you Mr. Alexander Semenov! Please keep up the fantastic
work and thank you for sharing with the rest of us!

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1. Cyanea (jellyfish)

Photograph by ALEXANDER SEMENOV

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2. Chirolophis japonicus

Photograph by ALEXANDER SEMENOV

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3. Aurelia sun (jellyfish)

Photograph by ALEXANDER SEMENOV

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4. Gorgonocephalus arcticus (northern basket stars)

Photograph by ALEXANDER SEMENOV

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5. Phoca largha (spotted seal)

Photograph by ALEXANDER SEMENOV

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6. Cyanea (jellyfish)

Photograph by ALEXANDER SEMENOV

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7. Scorpaenopsis barbata (bearded scorpionfish)

Photograph by ALEXANDER SEMENOV

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8. Leucothea sp.

Photograph by ALEXANDER SEMENOV