February, 2013 Archives

American Buffalo Traffic Jams: Bison of Yellowstone National Park [55 PICS]

February 28th, 2013 Permalink

Bison (American Buffalo) can weigh up to 2,000 lbs and can sprint or stampede at speeds around 30 – 40 mph. Bison can also jump 6 feet straight up in the air, over fences. They are wild animals in a domesticated setting at Yellowstone National Park, the only free-roaming herds of bison in the United States. There are about 4,000 American Buffalo at Yellowstone and despite the National Park Service warning visitors not to get too close, people get too tempted to capture that awesome photo and instead end up being gored. Yellowstone bison are also famous for ruling the roads, sometimes hip-checking, kicking or charging cars. With males being 2,000 pounds, there’s not much you can do other than wait them out if the bison are blocking the road. This is referred as the bison (or buffalo) traffic jam. Yellowstone National Park is the only place in the U.S. where bison have lived continuously since prehistoric times. Here’s a look at the bison of Yellowstone, buffalo traffic jams, and bison attacking cars and people. [55 Photos, 7 Videos]

Yellowstone bison and calf, 2000 pounds of anger when calf hesitated to cross road in traffic

2,000 pounds of anger. The photographer explained, “A bison with its calf. It is staring right at the camera and not too happy about it. She was a lot more upset when the calf hesitated to cross the road because of the traffic.” Yet that doesn’t stop most bison from crossing the road or taking their half out of the middle. They make the rules and buffalo traffic jams as you will see. Photo #1 by Krishna Santhanam

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Beautiful Blue Lake Cave in Brazil

February 24th, 2013 Permalink

Bonito is the heart of eco-tourism in Brazil because it is famous for its natural beauty, prehistoric caves, waterfalls, and clear blue waters. One of the most beautiful is Blue Lake Cave (Gruta do Lago Azul). Amazingly, it is believed that no human set foot inside the cavern with the cobalt blue waters until 1924 when an Indian from the Terena tribe discovered it. That’s not to say nothing ventured down into the 328 feet (100 meters) deep cave, since massive mammals fossils from about 10,000 years ago were discovered by cave divers, bones such as those belonging to the Saber-tooth tiger and giant ground sloth. Because the water is so clear, it is hard to fathom that Blue Lake Cave is about 295 feet (90 meters) deep. Adventurers start with a hike through the forest, then go caving through a wide entrance that allows sunlight to illuminate the gorgeous blue waters as well as stalactites and stalagmites of all different sizes. Here’s a look at Bonito, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil and some of the extraordinary and unusual ecotourism adventures and true natural treasures including beautiful Blue Lake Cave. [25 Photos]

Sunlight lighting up the blue waters in the ancient cavern

Sunlight lighting up the blue waters in the ancient cavern. The cave itself is deep, 328 feet (100 meters) deep, and the lake inside has a depth of about 295 feet (90 meters). Photo #1 by LNarimatsu

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Carved by Dynamite, Massive Founding Fathers at Mt. Rushmore [34 PICS]

February 16th, 2013 Permalink

President’s Day is always celebrated on the third Monday of February and the Mount Rushmore National Memorial, a sculpture carved into the granite near Keystone, South Dakota, seemed most appropriate to celebrate it. Each of the 60 foot sculpted heads were carved into the granite, mostly by blasting with dynamite, to depict U.S. Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. Together, these Founding Fathers represent the first 130 years of American history. [34 Photos]

Mount Rushmore during sunset

Mount Rushmore during sunset, a shot of the great monument with fading sunlight behind the Black Hills. The 60-foot (18 m) sculpted heads are of U.S. Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. Photo #1 by Chaitanya Polumetla

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Gorgeous Roses: The Meaning of Rose Colors [35 PICS]

February 12th, 2013 Permalink

Roses have been around for about 32 million years and it’s too true that “The rose speaks of love silently, in a language known only to the heart.” Roses are especially romantic, but if you ever give roses to someone, do you select the color based on that person’s favorite color, or yours? Or do you select roses based on the meaning and symbolism of the rose color? After hopping around on the web, it’s a bit confusing when you consider the diversity of meanings that rose colors can symbolize. Maybe if you can’t afford real roses, then you can send someone special this wide variety, a rainbow of colored virtual roses? [35 Photos]

Rainbow rose, red rose

The Rainbow rose originally had the 7 colors of the rainbow, but now there are rainbow roses that are “tropical” with combinations of red/pink and yellow, and the ocean variant with combinations of green and blue. They are sometimes called happy roses or tie dye roses and while they don’t have a specific meaning like other color roses, in a quirky way it sort of combines all the symbolism of each color that you’ll see below. Photo #1 by Kurtis Garbutt

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6 Marvelously Modern Libraries

February 9th, 2013 Permalink

In America, February 9 is National Libraries Day. Worldwide, public libraries can be found in almost every tiny town and massive metropolis. To celebrate National Libraries Day, we wanted to salute a few modern city libraries, not just in America, that definitely breakout of the stereotypes of being musty places with shushing librarians. [12 Photos]

Stuttgart city library in Stuttgart, Germany

Architecturally, the Stuttgart City Library in Stuttgart, Germany, is one of the most modern libraries in the world. Books are the main focus here and stand out in the otherwise almost sterile-white surroundings. There are eight floors, each devoted to a specific subjects. 1st floor is devoted to music. 2nd floor is the children’s section. 3rd floor is the life section. 4th floor is the knowledge section. 5th floor is the world section. Of the 6th floor, the library said “Literature Section 6th Floor and Gallery 4th Floor, 6th Floor and 7th Floor.” The 8th floor is the art section. The ground floor is “a meeting place for authors, artists and academics from all over the world.” It also has computer showroom: “Computers and all digital technologies are alphabet-based, just like the library.” The showroom, “with its top-spec computers is a room for discourse, a laboratory, creative world and digital architecture.” Photo #1 by Axel Brunst

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Heart Shapes From Above: 48 Giant Hearts on Earth

February 3rd, 2013 Permalink

In part one, 38 Great Hearts in Nature, we saw that there are heart shapes all around us if only we take the time to notice. There are also hundreds of giant hearts all over the Earth’s surface, but you must be looking down from above to see the heart shapes. This is a collection of giant heart-shaped nature-made and man-made lakes, woods, ponds as well as aerial and Bird’s eye map views hovering over the Earth’s hearts. [48 Photos]

Saxifrage Peak, Valentine Lake

Created by nature: Saxifrage Peak, BC. The photographer added, “The heart shaped ‘Valentine Lake’ in the foreground.” Photo #1 by Tim Gage

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38 Great Hearts in Nature: To YOU <3 Love, Nature

February 1st, 2013 Permalink

Happy February! Valentine’s Day is in this short month and there are heart shapes all around you if only you take the time to notice. Some photographers hunt out heart-shaped nature to capture and share. Do you suppose it’s a reminder that nature loves you? Or do people in love seem to see hearts everywhere? Most of these heart shapes are easy to see without cocking your head to the side and squinting. Take the time to start finding nature sharing her heart with you. To: YOU — Love, Nature [38 Photos]

The hole in the clouds allowing the sunlight is shaped liked a heart, Seen at Vibo Valentia, Calabria, Italy

Sun’s rays that the photographer called “Earth Light” as seen in Vibo Valentia, Calabria, Italy. The hole in the clouds allowing the sunlight is shaped liked a heart. Photo #1 by Giacomo Bartalesi

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