Studio portrait of big, brainy octopus

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16 October 2011
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True to its name, the North Pacific giant octopus is the largest of all octopus species.

The animals, which stand head and multiple shoulders above other invertebrates in terms of intelligence, grow to 45 kilograms and typically measure around 4 metres from arm tip to tip. Yet they only live for a maximum of five years.

This remarkable image comes from Sea, a collection of photographs that is published this month by Abrams. In it the fantastic and unusual marine creatures have been treated as still life objects by American photographer Mark Laita — via Short Sharp Science

Mi-24 ‘Hind’ Attack Helicopter Model / Alex Sklyar

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15 October 2011
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In Craft, Design
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The first sentence of Precise Modeling’s articleabout this amazing creation begins, This particular Hind was flown by the Soviet Forces in Afghanistan…

Those first three words — This particular Hind — say a lot: While most scale modellers are content to build more-or-less generic replicas of a particular make and model vehicle, Alex Sklyar, who spent about 9,000 hours over 15 years to complete this build, set out to achieve a level of detail at which the differences between one particular helicopter and another are significant and have to be considered.

Every reported fact about this model is more amazing than the last: It was begun in 1986, when much information about the Hind was still protected by the Soviet Union as military secrets. It is constructed mostly from corrosion-resistant metals: aluminium, titanium, brass, stainless steel. The pedals in the cockpit work. The tires actually have air in them. The shocks actually compress. Many of the parts were fabricated under a microscope. The list goes on and on.

The scale is 1:32, which brings the model in at just over 21.5″ in length — via MAKE

New Diamonds Rock!

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15 October 2011
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In Science
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Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, but new diamonds may be an engineer’s.

A new form of highly-compressed carbon may be even stronger than diamonds, since it may be able to withstand extreme pressure from all directions, unlike diamonds which are harder in one orientation than another.

Natural diamonds are created when carbon is subjected to extreme heat and pressure deep within the Earth. A team of Stanford University scientists created the new diamonds by compressing glassy carbon to above 400,000 times normal atmospheric pressure.

Glassy carbon 2Carbon, the fourth most abundant element in the universe, can take on many forms, called allotropes. Diamonds and graphite are two familiar allotropes of carbon. Glassy carbon and buckminsterfullerenes are two others. Glassy carbon was first synthesized in the 1950’s. It combines the properties of glass and ceramics with those of graphite.

The newly created allotrope, or new diamond, can withstand 1.3 million times normal atmospheric pressure in one direction while confined under a pressure of 600,000 times atmospheric levels in other directions. Diamonds are the only other substance which can withstand that kind of pressure — via redwolf.newsvine.com

Radio preacher now says 21 October is definitely Doomsday – well, probably

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15 October 2011
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In Weird
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Family Radio Network preacher Harold Camping, whose prediction for the end of the world on 21 May misfired, now says that his new date of 21 October looks like the real thing — well, probably.

A lot of things we didn’t have quite right will probably be finished out on 21 October, the 90-year-old Camping says in a message on his Family Radio Network website. That looks like it will be at this point, looks like it will be the final end of everything.

After the 21 May debacle, Camping initially said he was “flabbergasted, but then announced that it had in fact been a spiritual End of the World, and that would culminate in the finally, final end on 21 October, Time reports — via redwolf.newsvine.com

I bequeath my iTunes credits to…

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14 October 2011
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In Technology
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Imagine the scene. Sober solicitor, probably with half-rim glasses, surrounded by grieving relatives about to read out the last will and testament of Great Uncle Johnny… And to my beloved niece, I leave access to my online poker and bingo account and to my great-nephew Frankie, all my iTunes credits.

It might seem far-fetched but as more and more of us amass digital assets, it is exactly the kind of will we might need to consider drawing up — via redwolf.newsvine.com

Ancient ‘paint factory’ unearthed

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14 October 2011
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In Art, History
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The kits used by humans 100,000 years ago to make paint have been found at the famous archaeological site of Blombos Cave in South Africa.

The hoard includes red and yellow pigments, shell containers, and the grinding cobbles and bone spatulas to work up a paste — everything an ancient artist might need in their workshop — via BBC

Kirkham Windmill House / Blackpool

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14 October 2011
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Originally just a windmill, it was converted into a house in 1973 and still looks very much of that era. It also benefits from its own private gardens and as it towers above all else, some great views of the nearby countryside too.

Outside, you’ll find those gardens, along with a double garage, plus a second detached garage with up and over door. Want to see more? Check out more of those images at the agent’s site and if you want it, £695,000 is the asking price — via WowHaus

Serie MA / a.b.art

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14 October 2011
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The new a.b.art Serie MA, which features the brand’s minimalist design approach comes with a single purpose of thought and construction. An elegant dial with the simplest of hour, minute and second hands sweep across Bauhaus style numerals. At 6 o’clock there’s a small date aperture — and that’s your lot.

The watch (like the Dievas Focal diver) runs on an ETA 2824-2 movement and is available either in blackest black or a crisp clean white dial. The strap is of pure black leather — via Watchuseek Watch Blog

Richard Gere guitar auction fetches $936,438

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14 October 2011
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In Entertainment
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Richard Gere’s collection of classic guitars and amplifiers, built up over 40 years, has fetched $936,438 (£595,000) at a New York auction.

Top lot at the Christie’s charity sale was a 1960 Gibson Les Paul which was bought by a private collector for $98,500 (£63,000) including commission.

A 1931 CF Martin that went for $62,500 (£40,000), was among three lots bought by the guitar manufacturer.

The actor has said it was painful to let go of my true friends — via redwolf.newsvine.com

Sickle cell disease cured by gene knock-out

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14 October 2011
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In Health, Science
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Switching off a single gene can help treat sickle cell disease by keeping the blood forever young. The illness is caused by a mutant form of adult haemoglobin, but not by foetal haemoglobin. Targeting BCL11A, the gene responsible for the body’s switch-over from foetal to adult haemoglobin, effectively eliminates the condition in mice.

The mutant form of adult haemoglobin forms long sticky chains inside red blood cells. The cells containing these chains can clog small blood vessels, depriving organs of oxygen and causing pain. In severe cases, sickle cell disease can be fatal. Tricking the body into make foetal haemoglobin again can alleviate symptoms, though.

That’s because foetal haemoglobin does not form sticky chains. However, it is produced in the body only during development in the womb and in the six months following birth. It has a higher affinity for oxygen than adult haemoglobin, vital in allowing the developing foetus to steal oxygen from its mother’s blood — via redwolf.newsvine.com

Military jamming of GPS in Scotland suspended

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13 October 2011
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Jamming of global positioning signals (GPS) during Europe’s largest military exercise has been suspended, following complaints from fishermen.

The Royal Navy issued warnings in September and October that GPS in parts of Scotland would be disrupted during Exercise Joint Warrior.

But Western Isles fishermen said the first they knew was when their equipment went offline last Friday.

The Royal Navy said the military would seek to address their safety concerns — via redwolf.newsvine.com

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