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Japanese Jellyfish Are Positively Glowing

Most of these shots were taken in Osaka Aquarium, Japan.

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Immense physical strength, razor sharp claws and scissor like teeth are not the only weapons animals use. Thousands of animals use highly venomous or toxic poisons to attack prey or defend themselves. Some animals actually shoot poisons towards victims, others store toxins in their glands or skin. Following are the top eight most poisonous animals in the world.

8. Box Jellyfish

Prevalent in the ocean waters throughout Asia and Australia, this dangerous animal goes out of its way to avoid other creatures. Swimmers must definitely avoid the Box jellyfish. The stingers and tentacles on this animal are extremely powerful. Along with causing excruciating pain for weeks, the animal’s venom is capable of stopping the heart or paralyzing the lungs. To top it off, the venom will slowly eat away at the skin.

7. Marbled Cone Snail

Though very slow moving, this snail thrives in reefs throughout the world. The animal uses its strong, toxic venom to catch its prey. While within its shell, the snail shoots out a nose type advice called a proboscis. From the probiscis, a tooth like appendage attaches onto the victim. The venom within the animal is transmitted through the tooth into the victim. This leads to paralysis almost immediately. Humans that have experienced a bite are succumbed by weakness, numbness, nausea and death, when the lungs ultimately stop working.

6. Blue Ringed Octopus

The painless bite from a Blue Ringed Octopus may seem innocuous, however the deadly neurotoxins in the animals saliva immediately begin working. Within a few minutes, a human will experience muscular weakness, numbness, followed by a cessation and breathing and ultimately death.

5. Death Stalker Scorpion

Prevalent throughout North Africa and the Middle East, this arachnid lives up to its name. The stinger on this animal is not overly large or strong, however the sting administered is the most toxic from scorpions anywhere in the world. It causes an intense and unbearable pain, then fever, followed by coma, convulsions, paralysis and death.

4. Stonefish

Inhabiting the waters of the Pacific throughout the Australia coast, this complacent fish resembles a sea rock or coral. With its nearly invisible camouflaged assistance, it attacks many fish that swim nearby. A powerful toxin stored within its 13 spines can stop nearly every animal that it connects with. If contact comes with humans, the venom will cause intense pain, swelling of tissue, shock followed by death.

3. Sydney Funnel Web Spider

One of the most venomous creatures in the Australia outback, the Sydney Funnel Web Spider packs a powerful punch. This spider is large and very aggressive, consistently creating the most powerful venom of any spider. Protecting its burrow, the spider places a web across its entrance that passers by should not enter. From its fangs, the spider delivers a powerful neurotoxin that cause extreme pain and are capable of killing a person within 15 minutes. It’s venom does not affect most mammals but has a very powerful effect on humans.

2. Inland Taipan

This Australian snake is frequently considered the most poisonous snake on earth. One bite from this serpent contains enough potent toxin about 110 milligrams to kill about 100 people. It toxin can cause vomiting and will cease a persons breathing. Fortunately, the Taipan is a very gentle and shy reptile.

1. Poison Dart Frog

 While running through the rain forests of Central or South America, do not pick up the Poison dart frog. The frog’s skin contains a toxic chemcal that sickens or kills any animal that touches or eats it. Two micrograms of this deadly toxin (enough to fit on the head of a pin) will easily kill a human being or other large mammanl.

 The all-time hottest Disney babes:

#1: Jessica Rabbit (Who Framed Roger Rabbit) - Is there any universe where she is NOT the hottest Disney babe? She shakes, she shimmies, she sings. Con: May possibly be TOO much woman for one guy to handle…

#2: Jane (Tarzan) - Ok, I’ll admit I haven’t seen a Disney movie since Aladdin. But Jane just screams hotness. Gotta love the tie and white gloves. Prim and proper. Cons: Um, can you say waistline?

#3: Pocahontas - Umm…you know this is an *official* Disney wallpaper? Maybe not historically accurate, but never before has buckskin looked so good. Obviously John Smith had more than colonizing on his mind.

#4: Jasmine - Beautiful locks, rock-hard abs and she’s crazy rich? Cons: Maybe her nose is a little big…

#5: Cinderella - Classic beauty. She cooks, she cleans, she sews. Cons: The in-laws. I hear her mother is a b-tch.

#6: Mulan - Good skin, lustrous black hair AND the voice of Lea Salonga? I’m in heaven. Cons: If she gets mad at you, look out, I hear she’s pretty good with a sword

 #7: Belle (Beauty & The Beast) - Beautiful and humble lass. Devoted to her family. Cons: Likes her men thick and wooly.

#8: Esmeralda (The Hunchback of Notre Dame) - She’s a firecracker with a social consciences. And boy can she dance! Cons: Um…what’s up with her and the goat?

#9: Snow White - The fairest of them all. Cons: Those pesky little dwarves she’s cohabitating with.

#10: Arial (The Little Mermaid) - One word: shells. Cons: Some seriously big 80’s hair. May also be underage.

Nicholas Jones artwork consists of delicate book sculptures cut out from beautiful old books and Lucy from the ‘The Design Files’ managed to interview Nicholas in his studio. Most of the books are donated to him by Melbourne University library and some people might be confronted by the cutting up of books for art. His works had been shown at the Australian Art Resources, Perth Institute of Fine Art, The State Library of Victoria and many others.

 Check out 6 more pics of Nicholas Jones book sculptures and his studio after the jump.

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ABSTRACT

Toca da Boa Vista, the longest known cave in the Southern Hemisphere with 84 km of mapped passages, is one of the most important speleological and palaeontological sites in Brazil. Together with the neighbouring caves of Toca da Barriguda, Toca do Calor de Cima, Toca do Pitú and Toca do Morrinho, they represent a geological site of global interest. Morphological, hydrochemical and isotopic evidence suggest that cave genesis was due to oxidation of sulphide within the Una Group dolomite bedrock. Toca da Boa Vista is the longest cave in the world known to have been generated by such a process. Radiometric dating of secondary carbonates and fossil bones have allowed the reconstruction of Quaternary palaeoclimate events in the area and suggest periods of increased precipitation at the last glacial maximum. Among the many fossil remains found in these caves, there are remarkably complete and well preserved skeletons of many extinct species, allowing a significant advance on the knowledge about these fossil groups. The remote and rural location of the caves reduces risk from anthropogenic activity, but some formal protection should be granted to the site in recognition to its exceptional technical and scientific value.

INTRODUCTION

Toca da Boa Vista is at present (1999) the longest known cave in the Southern Hemisphere and 16th longest in the world, with 84 km of mapped passages. Together with the neighbouring Toca da Barriguda, presently the second longest cave in Brazil at 19.5 km and other related caves, Toca do Calor de Cima, Toca do Pitu and Toca do Morrinho, it comprises a site of major scientific importance. With the exception of Toca do Morrinho, these caves probably represent a unified cave system now bisected by collapses and later sedimentation. The hypogene sulphuric acid speleogenetic processes responsible for the development of these caves are relatively uncommon, and result in a distinctive morphology. Secondary carbonate precipitates (speleothems) within the caves have been dated and provide an important record of late Quaternary climatic change which suggest that more humid conditions were previously present in this now semi-arid area. This is complemented by a rich and remarkably well preserved fossil fauna.

 LOCATION

The Toca da Boa Vista is located in northern Bahia State, within the limits of the municipality of Campo Formoso (Fig. 1). Toca da Boa Vista (main entrance 10º09′45″S, 40º51′35″W) lies 11 km east from the small village of Laje dos Negros, the entrance being adjacent to the road that connects Laje dos Negros and Abreus. Toca da Barriguda (10º08′26″S, 40º51′08″W) and Toca do Calor de Cima (10º08′26″S, 40º50′55″W) are 2 km further to the east along the same road. Toca do Pitu (10º07′44″S, 40º50′18″W) is located in the same area, closer to the village of Barriguda. Toca do Morrinho (10º12′32″S, 40º55′05″W) lies a few kilometres south of Laje dos Negros, near the village of Casa Nova. The cave entrances are not easily located amidst the featureless local landscape, and help from locals is highly recommended. Visits to the site should be conducted with the help of experienced cavers, due to the complexity, dry atmosphere and lack of water in the caves.

Mechanic arts is an obsolete and archaic term. In the 19th century, it referred to fields, some of which are now known as engineering. It was apparently an attempt to distinguish these fields from creative and artistic endeavors like the performing arts and the fine arts which were for the upper class of the time and the intelligentsia. It were also considered practical fields for those that did not come from good families. A related phrase, “useful arts,” probably encompassed the mechanic arts as well as craftsmanship in general.

The most famous usage of “mechanic arts” (and the one in which it is most commonly encountered today) is in the Morrill Land-Grant Colleges Act.

In the medieval period, the Seven Mechanical Arts were intended as a complement to the Seven Liberal Arts, and consisted of weaving, blacksmithing, war, navigation, agriculture, hunting, medicine, and the ars theatrica.