Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Most toxic insect venom - part II

One of the most venomous insects are the caterpillars of the Moth genus Lonomia. To date, no one has calculated the LD50 values of Lonomia venom; the rate of human fatality has been documented as 1.7%, compared to a rate for rattlesnakes at about 1.8%, despite the fact that the amount of venom is only a minute fraction (less than 0.001) of the amount in a snake bite. Accordingly, it seems likely that when measured, the LD50 for Lonomia venom will be among the lowest for any natural toxin known. While there are many species in the genus, the most troublesome species is Lonomia obliqua (on the photos) from Brazil, and it is this species which most of the medical research has centered upon. Other famous species is Lonomia achelous from Venezuela.

See more: Most toxic insect venom
Source: Wikipedia, AFPMB, Mundobutterfly

Most toxic insect venom

Harvester ants in the genus Pogonomyrmex have the most toxic venom documented in any insects based on mice LD50 values, with P. maricopa venom being the most toxic. The LD50 value for this species is 0.12 mg/kg injected intravenously in mice, equivalent to 12 stings killing a 2 kg (4.4 lb) rat. A Pogonomyrmex sp. sting produces intense pain in humans that lasts up to 4 hours.

See more: Most toxic insect venom - part II
Source: University of Florida, Wikipedia

Longest range sniper kill

The current world record for the longest range sniper kill is 2,430 meters (7,972 feet), accomplished by a Canadian sniper, Corporal Rob Furlong, of the third battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (3 PPCLI), during the invasion of Afghanistan, using a .50 BMG (12.7mm) McMillan TAC-50 bolt-action rifle. This meant that the bullet had a flight time of ≈ 4.5 seconds, and a drop of ≈ 70 meters (230 feet).

The previous record was held by US Marine sniper Carlos Hathcock (on the photo), achieved during the Vietnam War, at a distance of 2,250 meters.

Source: Wikipedia

Monday, July 30, 2007

Red Rectangle Nebula

The Red Rectangle Nebula is a very unusual celestial object. There are two cases of rectangular objects on the sky. Other is the Red Square Nebula.

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Legendary Kung Fu Masters



See and judge yourself!

On this video we can see the legendary founders of Kung Fu styles. In Wikipedia we can found about this fight the following:
In the 1950s there was much debate about which Kung Fu style was the best, and somehow Master Wu Kung-i's Wu Style Tai-Chi Chuan and Master Chan Hak Fu's White Crane Kung Fu were among the most debated styles. Therefore, a famous fight took place in Macau on 17th January, 1954 between Master Wu Kung-i (吳公儀) and Master Chan Hak Fu (陳克夫), and the fight was conducted as a charity event to raise money for the Chinhu Hospital. This charity fight captured the attention of the press and public, and thousands of spectators witnessed the fight in Macau.

Source: Wikipedia

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Woman vs Man- part II


Lucia Rijker vs Somchai Jaidee. Lucia is one of the best world's female muay thai champions and Somachai is not first class but enough good competitor. However, rather predictably Lucia loss via KO in the second round.

Woman vs Man fight


The world kickboxing champion Deborah "Sunshine" Fettkether versus construction worker Randy Pittman on 21 October 1999. For 1 min she won via KO with kick on the head.

Top 100 Science Sites

Very useful list. Top 100 Science Sites.

Monday, July 23, 2007

Women MMA fight


Something interesting, women professional fighters. On the video is the second part of the fight on 10 February 2007 between Julie Kedzie and Gina Carano Both girls on the video are very cute and the fight is not bad at all either.

Tennis matrix


Very funny.

The Largest Beetle - part II

In my opinion the Titan Beetle (Titanus giganteus) is the largest and longest one. The biggest recorded specimen is about 17 cm long. Is powerful, fast and aggressive insect that can cut flesh to bone on human finger.

Source: University of Florida, Wikipedia
See also: The Largest Beetle - part I

Friday, July 20, 2007

Largest flying bird ever

Photo from Thunderbird site listApparently Argentavis magnificens is the largest flying bird ever discovered. Dr. Kenneth E. Campbell, (one of the discoverers) in front of the 25 ft. wingspan Argentavis Magnificens. Display seen at the Natural History Museum, Los Angeles.
Currently accepted estimates:
* Wingspan: 5.7 to 8.3 m (19 - 28 ft)
* Length: 3.5 m (11.5 ft)
* Height: 1.8 to 2 m (5.9 ft - 6.5 ft)
* Weight: 65-100 kg (143 lb - 220 lb)

Source: Angelfire, Wikipedia

Thursday, July 19, 2007

Cobra vs Mongoose


The Mongooses have very fast reactions and interesting tactics when they decide to attack a snake. It looks like a fencer or martial artist. They make feints, provocations, counter attacks, true fighting art. The Small Asian Mongoose is particularly famous snake-eater, they eat even King Cobras.

Iapetus

Saturn's satellite Iapetus (or Japetus) is one of the strangest objects in our Solar system. There is equatorial ridge about 20 km wide and 13 km high extending 1300 km through the center of Cassini Regio. Parts of the ridge rise more than 20 km over the surrounding plains. The ridge forms a complex system including isolated peaks, segments extending for more than 200 km and sections with three near parallel ridges. A an conclusion I'd say that all this seems to be way too unnatural in my opinion.

Source: Wikipedia

The Largest Beetle

Photo from University of Florida
Which one is the world's largest beetle is a very difficult question. All depends what exactly means "largest". Is it the heaviest? May be the longest? But in this case with the antennae or with the horns or without them? Or something else? So, according to what feature is measured the answer is variable. On the picture above we can see top, side, and bottom views of five of the bulkiest insects in the World, compared to a 15-cm (6-inch) scale at left. Images are graphically-sized representations of the five species at their maximum known sizes. Scale was achieved by comparing widths first, then body length. From left to right the species are:
Titanus giganteus – 16.7 cm French Guiana, Brazil
Megasoma actaeon – 13.5 cm Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil
Megasoma elephas – 13.7 cm Mexico through Venezuela
Goliathus regius – 11 cm Ghana, Ivory Coast
Goliathus goliatus – 11 cm Equatorial Africa, central and east
Ghosted to the right of the documented sizes, also to scale, is the mythical "9-inch Titanus" from the popular lore.

See more: The Largest Beetle - part II
Source: Coming soon

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

The Godfather: Opening Scene

Another one of my favourite movie scenes. Without expensive computer effects, only actor's play and producer's art.

Largest Turtle

Photo from Marine Conservation Society
The largest turtle ever recorded anywhere in the world washed up dead at Harlech North Wales in 1988. It was a male leatherback that drowned after becoming entangled in buoy ropes and it weighed 916kg and measured 2.91 metres in length (pictured above). It is now on display at the National Museum and Galleries of Wales in Cardiff.

Source: Marine Conservation Society

Largest Crocodile

The largest species of crocodile is the Saltwater Crocodile and one of the biggest specimens was Gomek (on the photo), measured 5.5 m (17.9 feet) and weighed well over 2,000 pounds (roughly 900 kg) when he died in February 1997. Gomek was captured by George Craig in Papua New Guinea and sold to St. Augustine Alligator Farm in Florida. George also captured even larger crocodile, Oscar, who currently lives on Green Island in Queensland.

Gomek feeding on the famous video record.

In other web-sites we can find that the two largest crocodiles in captivity are Cassius at Marineland Melanesia on Green Island, Australia and Chai Yai (probably on the picture with Steve Irwin), a saltwater/siamese hybrid.
Cassius is 18 feet (5.5m) long. Yai is listed by the Guinness Book of Records at being 19 feet 8 inches (6 m).

Sources: Crocodilian Biology Database, crocodilian.com

Huge Goliath African Tigerfishes

Photo from Dan Douglas
Once we determined that the largest species of African Tetra is the Goliath African Tigerfish (Hydrocynus goliath), we have to try to find also the biggest specimen on record, which is slightly more difficult task. So far what I found we can see on this picture of particularly large exemplar with weight of 36 kg (this is the photo of the biggest one that I found and there was information for slightly bigger specimen but without photo). Supposedly the Tigerfish can reach up to 50 or even 70 kg.

Photo from Greatfish
Another big Tigerfish.