Sharks are a group of fish characterized by a cartilaginous skeleton, five to seven gill slits on the sides of the head, and pectoral fins that are not fused to the head. Modern sharks are classified within the clade Selachimorpha (or Selachii) and are the sister group to the rays. However, the term "shark" has also been used for extinct members of the subclass Elasmobranchii outside the Selachimorpha, such as Cladoselache and Xenacanthus, as well as other Chondrichthyes such as the holocephalid eugenedontidans. Under this broader definition, the earliest known sharks date back to more than 420 million years ago.Acanthodians are often referred to as "spiny sharks"; though they are not part of Chondrichthyes proper, they are a paraphyletic assemblage leading to cartilaginous fish as a whole.
Since then, sharks have diversified into over 500 species. They range in size from the small dwarf lanternshark (Etmopterus perryi), a deep sea species of only 17 centimetres (6.7 in) in length, to the whale shark (Rhincodon typus), the largest fish in the world, which reaches approximately 12 metres (40 ft) in length. Sharks are found in all seas and are common to depths of 2,000 metres (6,600 ft). They generally do not live in freshwater although there are a few known exceptions, such as the bull shark and the river shark, which can survive and be found in both seawater and freshwater.Sharks have a covering of dermal denticles that protects their skin from damage and parasites in addition to improving their fluid dynamics. They have numerous sets of replaceable teeth.
Well-known species such as the great white shark, tiger shark, blue shark, mako shark, and the hammerhead shark are apex predators—organisms at the top of their underwater food chain. Many shark populations are threatened by human activities.
Bodybuilding is the use of progressive resistance exercise to control and develop one's musculature.[1] An individual who engages in this activity is referred to as a bodybuilder. In competitive amateur and professional bodybuilding, bodybuilders appear in lineups doing specified poses, and later perform individual posing routines, for a panel of judges who rank competitors based on criteria such as symmetry, muscularity and conditioning. Bodybuilders prepare for competition through a combination of dehydration, fat loss, oils, carb loading to achieve maximum vascularity, and tanning (or tanning lotions) which make their muscular definition more distinct. Well-known bodybuilders include Charles Atlas, Steve Reeves, Reg Park, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Juliana Malacarne, Ralf Moeller and Lou Ferrigno.
The winner of the annual IFBB Mr. Olympia contest is generally recognized as the world's top male professional bodybuilder. The title is currently held by Phil Heath of the United States. The winner of the Women's Physique portion of the competition is widely regarded as the world's top female professional bodybuilder. The 2015 title is currently held by Juliana Malacarne, a Brazilian-born American IFBB Pro fitness and figure competitor and Ladies All-Star Wrestling Professional. Since 1950, the NABBA Universe Championships has been considered the top amateur bodybuilding contest with many notable winners such as Steve Reeves, Bill Pearl, Reg Park, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lee Priest.
The Giant Jellyfish also known Nomura's Jellyfish was sighted only a couple of times in the past couple of years but has struck people with awe for decades.
The lion's mane jellyfish (Cyanea capillata), also known as the giant jellyfish or the hair jelly, is the largest known species of jellyfish. Its range is confined to cold, boreal waters of the Arctic, northern Atlantic, and northern Pacific Oceans. It is common in the English channel, Irish Sea, North Sea and in western Scandinavian waters south to Kattegat and Øresund. It may also drift in to the south-western part of the Baltic Sea (where it cannot breed due to the low salinity). Similar jellyfish, which may be the same species, are known to inhabit seas near Australia and New Zealand. The largest recorded specimen found, washed up on the shore of Massachusetts Bay in 1870, had a bell with a diameter of 2.3 metres (7 ft 6 in) and tentacles 37.0 m (121.4 ft) long.Lion's mane jellyfish have been observed below 42°N latitude for some time in the larger bays of the east coast of the United States.
The lion's mane jellyfish uses its stinging tentacles to capture, pull in and eat prey such as fish, sea creatures and smaller jellyfish.
Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus var. lanatus, family Cucurbitaceae) is a vine-like (scrambler and trailer) flowering plant originally from southern Africa. It is a large, sprawling annual plant with coarse, hairy pinnately-lobed leaves and white to yellow flowers. It is grown for its edible fruit, also known as a watermelon, which is a special kind of berry botanically called a pepo. The fruit has a smooth hard rind, usually green with dark green stripes or yellow spots, and a juicy, sweet interior flesh, usually deep red to pink, but sometimes orange, yellow, or white, with many seeds.
Considerable breeding effort has been put into disease-resistant varieties and into developing a seedless strain. Many cultivars are available, producing mature fruit within 100 days of planting the crop. The fruit can be eaten raw or cooked.
The heights of the tallest trees in the world have been the subject of considerable dispute and much exaggeration. Modern verified measurements with laser rangefinders, or with tape drop measurements made by tree climbers (such as those carried out by canopy researchers), have shown that some older measuring methods and measurements are often unreliable, sometimes producing exaggerations of 5% to 15% or more above the real height.[1] Historical claims of trees growing to 130 m (430 ft), and even 150 m (490 ft), are now largely disregarded as unreliable, and attributed to human error.
The following are now accepted as the tallest reliably measured specimens from the top 26 species. This list shows only currently standing specimens:
1. Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens): 115.61 m (379.3 ft), "Hyperion", Redwood National Park, California, United States
2. Mountain Ash (Eucalyptus regnans): 99.8 m (327.4 ft), "Centurion", Arve Valley, Tasmania, Australia
3. Coast Douglas-Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii): 99.76 m (327.3 ft), Brummit Creek, Coos County, Oregon, United States
4. Sitka Spruce (Picea sitchensis): 96.7 m (317 ft), Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, California, United States
5. Giant Sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum): 95.8 m (314 ft), Sequoia National Forest, California, United States
6. Manna Gum (Eucalyptus viminalis): 91 m (299 ft), "White Knight", Evercreech Forest Reserve, Tasmania, Australia
7. Southern Blue Gum (Eucalyptus globulus): 90.7 m (298 ft), Tasmania, Australia
8. Yellow Meranti (Shorea faguetiana): 89.5 m (294 ft), Maliau Basin Conservation Area, in Sabah on the island of Borneo
9. Alpine Ash (Eucalyptus delegatensis): 87.9 m (288 ft), Tasmania, Australia
10. Philippine Rosewood (Petersianthus quadrialatus): 87.78 m (288.0 ft), Next to national highway in eastern outskirts of San Francisco town, Alegria, Agusan del Sur, Mindanao, Philippines.
11. Brown Top Stringbark (Eucalyptus obliqua): 86 m (282 ft) "King Stringy", Tasmania, Australia.
12. Mengaris (Koompassia excelsa): 85.76 m (281.4 ft) Tawau Hills National Park, in Sabah on the island of Borneo
13. Karri(Eucalyptus diversicolor): 84.99 m (278.8 ft) "Stewart's Karri", near Manjimup, Western Australia.
14. Shorea argentifolia: 84.85 m (278.4 ft) Gaharu ridge of Tawau Hills National Park, in Sabah on the island of Borneo.
15. Shorea superba: 84.41 m (276.9 ft) Gergassi Ridge of Tawau Hills National Park, in Sabah on the island of Borneo.
17. Sugar Pine (Pinus lambertiana): 83.45 m (273.8 ft) near Yosemite National Park, California.
18. Western Hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla): 83.34 m (273.4 ft) was discovered in November 2014 by Mario Vaden and Chris Atkins in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, California.
19. Hopea nutans: 82.82 m (271.7 ft) Gaharu ridge of Tawau Hills National Park, in Sabah on the island of Borneo.
20. Shorea johorensis: 82.39 m (270.3 ft) Coco-Park boundary of Tawau Hills National Park, in Sabah on the island of Borneo.
21. Shorea smithiana: 82.27 m (269.9 ft) Coco-Park boundary of Tawau Hills National Park, in Sabah on the island of Borneo.
22. Ponderosa Pine (Pinus ponderosa): 81.77 m (268.3 ft) in Myers Creek drainage of Rogue River – Siskiyou National Forest, Oregon.
23. Grand Fir (Abies grandis): 81.4 m (267 ft) in the Glacier Peak Wilderness, Washington.
24. Shorea gibbosa: 81.11 m (266.1 ft) River Flats of Tawau Hills National Park, in Sabah on the island of Borneo.
25. Lawson Cypress (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana): 81.08 m (266.0 ft), In Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, California.
26. Noble Fir (Abies procera): 80.50 m (264.1 ft), Washington State, United States.
There are also some other very tall tree species with claimed heights of 80 metres (260 ft) and even more:
An unknown species of gigantic octopus has been hypothesised as a source of reports of sea monsters such as the lusca, kraken and akkorokamui as well as the source of some of the carcasses of unidentified origin known as globsters like the St. Augustine Monster. The species that the St. Augustine carcass supposedly represented has been assigned the binomial names "Octopus giganteus" (Latin: giant octopus)and "Otoctopus giganteus" (Greek prefix: oton = ear; giant-eared octopus), although these are not valid under the rules of the ICZN.
They are not to be confused with the known giant Pacific octopus, which is a member of the genus Enteroctopus, and can grow to a total length of more than 6 m (20 ft).The gigantic octopus is assumed to be much larger.
An explosion is a rapid increase in volume and release of energy in an extreme manner, usually with the generation of high temperatures and the release of gases. Supersonic explosions created by high explosives are known as detonations and travel via supersonic shock waves. Subsonic explosions are created by low explosives through a slower burning process known as deflagration. When caused by a man-made device such as an exploding rocket or firework, the audible component of an explosion is referred to as its "report" (which can also be used as a verb, e.g., "the rocket reported loudly upon impact".)
Reports of giant anacondas date back as far as the European colonization of South America, when sightings of anacondas upwards of 50 meters (164 feet) began to circulate amongst colonists. The size of the largest anacondas has been the subject of debate ever since among cryptozoologists and zoologists.
Anacondas are well-verified to grow to sizes of more than 5 metres (16.4 ft), and just under 100 kilograms (220 lb).In particular, the green or common anaconda is the heaviest and largest among all extant snakes in terms of robustness, and it is also the second-longest.
While the longest reputably-measured and confirmed anaconda was about 5.21 metres (17.1 ft) long, extreme lengths far in excess of this have been reported for this species, without verification. Some seemingly reliable claims that can be found describe measured anacondas ranging from 26 to 39 feet (8.7 to 11.9 m), although these remain unverified.
Carnivorous plants are plants that derive some or most of their nutrients (but not energy) from trapping and consuming animals or protozoans, typically insects and other arthropods. Carnivorous plants have adapted to grow in places with high light where the soil is thin or poor in nutrients, especially nitrogen, such as acidic bogs and rock outcroppings. Charles Darwin wrote Insectivorous Plants, the first well-known treatise on carnivorous plants, in 1875.
True carnivory is thought to have evolved independently nine times in five different orders of flowering plants, and is represented by more than a dozen genera. This classification includes at least 583 species that attract, trap and kill prey, absorbing the resulting available nutrients. Additionally, over 300 protocarnivorous plant species in several genera show some but not all of these characteristics.
The goliath frog (Conraua goliath) is the largest living frog on Earth. Specimens can grow up to 32 cm (12.6 in) in length from snout to vent, and weigh up to 3.25 kg (7.17 lb). This species has a relatively small habitat range in Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea. Its numbers are dwindling due to habitat destruction and its collection for food and the pet trade.
In a sample of 15 individuals, weights ranged between 600 and 3,250 g (1.32 and 7.17 lb), and snout-vent lengths were between 17 and 32 cm (6.7 and 12.6 in). Their eyes can be nearly 2.5 cm (0.98 in) in diameter. The conspicuous tympanum has a diameter of about 0.5 cm (0.20 in) and is separated from the eye by about 5 cm (2.0 in) in adults. The next largest extant anurans are the cane toad, about a third smaller than the goliath in the largest specimens, and the African bullfrog, which is just over half the size of the goliath. Goliath frog eggs and tadpoles are about the same size as other frogs despite its very large adult form.
A lateral fold extends from the eye to the posterior portion of the tympanum. Toes are fully webbed, with large interdigital membranes extending down to the toe tips. The second toe is the longest. The skin on the dorsum and on top of the limbs is granular. Dorsal coloration is green sienna, while the abdomen and ventral part of the limbs are yellow/orange. They have acute hearing but no vocal sac, and also lack nuptial pads.
Among the most violent known meteorological events are tornadoes. Each year, more than 2,000 tornadoes occur worldwide, with the vast majority occurring in the United States and Europe.In order to assess the intensity of these events, meteorologist Ted Fujita devised a method to estimate maximum winds within the storm based on damage caused; this became known as the Fujita scale. At the top end of the scale, which ranks from 0 to 5, are F5 tornadoes. These storms were estimated to have had winds in excess of 261 mph (420 km/h). Following two particularly devastating tornadoes in 1997 and 1999, engineers questioned the reliability of the scale. Ultimately, a new scale was devised that took into account 28 different damage indicators; this became known as the Enhanced Fujita scale. With building designs taken more into account, winds in an EF5 tornado were estimated to be in excess of 200 mph (320 km/h).
Since 1950, there have been 59 officially rated F5 and EF5 tornadoes in the United States and 1 F5 in Canada. Additionally, the works of tornado expert Thomas P. Grazulis revealed the existence of several dozen more between 1880 and 1995. Grazulis also put into question the ratings of several currently rated F5 tornadoes. Outside the United States and Canada, seven tornadoes have been rated F5: two each in France, Germany, and Italy and one in Russia. Several other tornadoes are also documented as possibly attaining this status.
Since structures are completely destroyed in both cases, the identification and assignment of scale between an EF4 tornado and an EF5 is often very difficult
The Flemish Giant is a breed of domestic rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) known for its large size.
The Flemish Giant originated in Flanders. It was bred as early as the 16th century near the city of Ghent, Belgium. It is believed to have descended from a number of meat and fur breeds, possibly including the Steenkonijn (Stone Rabbit—referring to the old Belgian weight size of one stone or about 3.76 kg (8 lb 5 oz)) and the European "Patagonian" breed (now extinct). This "Patagonian" rabbit, a large breed that was once bred in Belgium and France, was not related to the Patagonian rabbit of Argentina (Sylvilagus brasiliensis), a separate wild species weighing less than two pounds (about 1 kg), nor the Patagonian hare (Dolichotis patagonum), a species in the cavy family of rodents that cannot interbreed with rabbits.Thomas Coatoam, in his Origins of the Flemish Giants, tells us, "The earliest authentic record of the Flemish Giant Rabbit occurred about the year 1860."
A sandy Flemish male napping next to a sable and white sheltie.
The first standards for the breed were written in 1893. The Flemish Giant is an ancestor of many rabbit breeds all over the world, one of which is the Belgian Hare,[1] imported into England in the mid 19th century. The Flemish Giant was exported from England and Belgium to America in the early 1890s to help improve the size of meat rabbits during the great "rabbit boom".
It received little attention until about 1910 where it started appearing at small livestock shows throughout the country. Today, it is one of the more popular breeds at rabbit shows because of its unusually large size and its varying colors. It is promoted by the National Federation of Flemish Giant Rabbit Breeders, which was formed in 1915. The Flemish Giant has many nicknames, first and foremost the "Gentle Giant" for its uniquely docile personality and also the "universal rabbit" for its varied purposes as pet, show, breeding, meat and fur animal.
Giant tortoises are characteristic reptiles that are found on two groups of tropical islands: the Aldabra Atoll in Seychelles and the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador (a population at the Mascarene Islands was exterminated by the 1900s) . These tortoises can weigh as much as 417 kg (919 lb) and can grow to be 1.3 m (4 ft 3 in) long. Giant tortoises originally made their way to islands from the mainland; for example, Aldabra Atoll and Mascarenes giant tortoises are related to Madagascar tortoises while Galapagos giant tortoises are related to Ecuador mainland tortoises. This phenomenon of excessive growth is known as islands gigantism or insular gigantism. It occurs when the size of the animals that are isolated on an islands increases dramatically in comparison to their mainland relatives. This is due to several factors such as relaxed predation pressure, competitive release, or as an adaptation to increased environmental fluctuations on islands.[1][2] These animals belong to an ancient group of reptiles, appearing about 250 million years ago. By the Upper Cretaceous, 70 or 80 million years ago, some had already become gigantic. About 1 million years ago tortoises reached the Galápagos Islands. Most of the gigantic species began to disappear about 100,000 years ago. Only 250 years ago there were at least 20 species and subspecies in islands of the Indian Ocean and 14 or 15 subspecies in the Galápagos Islands.
List of Ferris wheels whose construction has been completed and which have opened to the public.
Fixed Ferris wheels are usually intended for permanent installation, as opposed to transportable wheels which are designed to be operated at multiple locations. Occasionally however, fixed wheels are also sometimes dismantled and relocated. Larger examples include the original Ferris Wheel, which operated at two sites in Chicago, Illinois, and a third in St. Louis, Missouri; Technocosmos/Technostar, which moved to Expoland, Osaka, after Expo '85, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, for which it was built, ended; and Cosmo Clock 21, which added 5 metres (16 ft) onto its original 107.5-metre (353 ft) height when erected for the second time at Minato Mirai 21, Yokohama, in 1999.
