Monster Catfish Found:-->>

The recent capture of what could be North America’s largest recorded blue catfish–in Virgina in late June–has us thinking about this oversized species and its relatives.
The Virginia blue caught last month weighed in at 143 pounds and measured 57 inches. (The previous record was a 130-pound catfish caught in Missouri last year.)

“Mark Twain mentions large catfish in his books—those fish were likely blues.”

Blue catfish are the focus of many urban legends, mostly stories of huge catfish below dams. While stories of catfish the size of cars are most likely exaggerations, there are confirmed reports of blue catfish weighing over 200 pounds from the 1800s, and the largest unconfirmed catch, landed in 1866 in Portland, Missouri, weighed in at a whopping 315 pounds.  If these reports are true, it gives some perspective on the recent catches and a glimpse into the true potential of the blue catfish if left to grow undisturbed in a healthy environment.  Many states, including Virginia, consider blue catfish as an important sportfish and people travel long distances for a chance to catch a trophy fish.  Blue catfish populations are considered relatively healthy at the center of its range.  On the periphery of its range, populations have declined, primarily due to habitat modification, dam construction, river flow modification, wetland drainage, and pollution.
Do people eat blue catfish?
People definitely eat blues, and have been eating them for a long time.  Mark Twain mentions large catfish in his books—those fish were likely blues.  Blue catfish were also relatively common in the St. Louis fish market in the 1800s.  They have a reputation for firm, tasty meat and lots of it.  In some areas catfish harvest is now restricted—either to a set limit per day, a certain size of fish, or in rare cases catch-and-release only.  Usually, these rules are in place where fisheries officials hope to develop a trophy fishery (i.e. a recreational fishery for very large fish).
Catfish as a group are an extremely important food fish—in the U.S. alone we consume hundreds of millions of pounds of catfish each year.  In Asia, where catfish is an even more important resource, almost one and a half million tons of fish are produced annually.  Catfish are also an important food fish in Africa and South America, where they make up most of the catch in many areas.

“Incredibly, there are also stories of places where catfish have attacked and even eaten people.”

Incredibly, there are also stories of places where catfish have attacked and even eaten people.  Large catfish in North America and Europe have reportedly bitten humans, and one species of very large catfish in Northern India is rumored to stalk and occasionally kill local villagers.  These stories are often sensationalized and exaggerated however and there is very little hard evidence of catfish behaving aggressively toward people.  To learn more about these stories, and the truth behind them,

When were blues introduced to Virginia?
Blue catfish were introduced into Virginia in 1974.  Since they can live over 20 years and are capable of growing very quickly, the extremely large fish coming out of Virginia now may have been among the first fish to be introduced there over 30 years ago.  It would be interesting to know the age of 143 lb record breaker and since the fish did not survive, I suspect someone is gathering that information now (the easiest way to age a fish is with its ear bone, sacrifice of the fish is required). 
How does the blue compare to other catfish? What makes it special or especially interesting?

The blue catfish is North America’s largest catfish species and it is one of the largest freshwater fish in the U.S.  If we look outside the U.S., however, there are several larger species of catfish.  In fact, globally, catfish are some of the largest and most widespread of any species.  There are several that reportedly grow up to 600 pounds and almost 10 feet long.  The Mekong giant catfish is the current record holder based on the catch of a 646-pound specimen in 2005.
The recent catch of several record-breaking fish is interesting because it implies that blue catfish may be living longer—and growing larger—than at any time in the last few decades.  This may be partially due to management of blue catfish fisheries for trophy-size fish, but it is probably also because blue catfish have been introduced into areas outside their natural range where there is an abundance of food.  Introduced species can often undergo a population boom just after introduction.  The same phenomenon occurred when wels catfish was introduced into the Ebro River in Spain.

Is fishing for these giant catfish legal?

Recreational fishing for blue catfish is legal in most states—and in fact, blue catfish were introduced outside of their native range to increase angling opportunities for sportfishing.  The release of non-native fish is controversial, because big predators like blue catfish almost certainly alter food webs and species diversity in areas where they are introduced.  Commercial fishing for blue catfish—and other large species of North American catfish—has been scaled back in recent years due to the perception that large-bodied catfish cannot support intensive harvest.  In other parts of the world, catfish support huge fisheries—both wild capture fisheries and aquaculture.  Catfish are some of the most popularly cultured fish in the world with millions of tons of fish produced each year.  Catfish fishing is only illegal in a small number of places where it has been determined that fishing is unsustainable.

“While a lot of people think of catfish as ugly, they are actually one of the most diverse and important groups of fish on the planet.”

Why should we care about catfish?
While a lot of people think of catfish as ugly, they are actually one of the most diverse and important groups of fish on the planet.  And not all catfish are created equal: we tend to think of catfish as slimy bottomfeeders, but that is only true for a small percentage of species.  Catfish come in a variety of sizes (some grow to almost 10 feet in length, while others are among the smallest fish on Earth) and they display an impressive array of behaviors and life histories (some make the longest migrations of any freshwater fish, while other live their entire lives in small ponds and creeks).
Throughout their range, catfish are an important component of commercial, subsistence, and recreational fisheries.  They can also have an important role in the ecosystem as top predators or as indicators of overfishing.   Multiple and combined threats from habitat degradation, dams, water withdrawals, pollution, and overexploitation have led to the decline of many catfish populations.


Despite these challenges, self-sustaining populations of large-bodied catfish still exist.  Globally, efforts to protect the ecological integrity of rivers where large-bodied catfish occur will benefit thousands of species of freshwater fish and millions of people who rely on fish for their livelihoods and food security.  Plus, they’re cute!

5,000 years old Iceman's Stomach Sampled—Filled With Goat Meat-->>

Missing until 2009, mummy's stomach found to contain lumps of last meal.

 The 5,000-year-old mummy known as the Iceman was found in the Italian Alps in 1991.

 Hours before he died, "Ötzi" the Iceman gorged on the fatty meat of a wild goat, according to a new analysis of the famous mummy's stomach contents.

The frozen body of the Copper Age hunter was discovered in 1991 in the Alps of northern Italy, where he died some 5,000 years ago.
The circumstances surrounding Ötzi's death are not fully known, but the most popular theory—based in part on the discovery of an arrowhead in his back—is that he was murdered by other hunters while fleeing through the mountains.Scientists previously analyzed the contents of Ötzi's lower intestine and determined that he ate a meal of grains along with possibly cooked red deer and goat meat up to 30 hours before his death.
But attempts using an endoscopic tool to sample Ötzi's stomach were unsuccessful.

Japan Tsunami: 20 Unforgettable Pictures-->>

   these pics reveales the damage created by tsunami in japan"

ABOUT Tsunamis " Killer Waves "-->>

A tsunami is a series of ocean waves that sends surges of water, sometimes reaching heights of over 100 feet (30.5 meters), onto land. These walls of water can cause widespread destruction when they crash ashore.
These awe-inspiring waves are typically caused by large, undersea earthquakes at tectonic plate boundaries. When the ocean floor at a plate boundary rises or falls suddenly it displaces the water above it and launches the rolling waves that will become a tsunami.
Most tsunamis, about 80 percent, happen within the Pacific Ocean’s “Ring of Fire,” a geologically active area where tectonic shifts make volcanoes and earthquakes common.
Tsunamis may also be caused by underwater landslides or volcanic eruptions. They may even be launched, as they frequently were in Earth’s ancient past, by the impact of a large meteorite plunging into an ocean.
Tsunamis race across the sea at up to 500 miles (805 kilometers) an hour—about as fast as a jet airplane. At that pace they can cross the entire expanse of the Pacific Ocean in less than a day. And their long wavelengths mean they lose very little energy along the way.
In deep ocean, tsunami waves may appear only a foot or so high. But as they approach shoreline and enter shallower water they slow down and begin to grow in energy and height. The tops of the waves move faster than their bottoms do, which causes them to rise precipitously.
A tsunami’s trough, the low point beneath the wave’s crest, often reaches shore first. When it does, it produces a vacuum effect that sucks coastal water seaward and exposes harbor and sea floors. This retreating of sea water is an important warning sign of a tsunami, because the wave’s crest and its enormous volume of water typically hit shore five minutes or so later. Recognizing this phenomenon can save lives.
A tsunami is usually composed of a series of waves, called a wave train, so its destructive force may be compounded as successive waves reach shore. People experiencing a tsunami should remember that the danger may not have passed with the first wave and should await official word that it is safe to return to vulnerable locations.
Some tsunamis do not appear on shore as massive breaking waves but instead resemble a quickly surging tide that inundates coastal areas.
The best defense against any tsunami is early warning that allows people to seek higher ground. The Pacific Tsunami Warning System, a coalition of 26 nations headquartered in Hawaii, maintains a web of seismic equipment and water level gauges to identify tsunamis at sea. Similar systems are proposed to protect coastal areas worldwide.

About Tornadoes " Killer Wind Funnels "

Tornadoes are vertical funnels of rapidly spinning air. Their winds may top 250 miles (400 kilometers) an hour and can clear-cut a pathway a mile (1.6 kilometers) wide and 50 miles (80 kilometers) long.
Twisters are born in thunderstorms and are often accompanied by hail. Giant, persistent thunderstorms called supercells spawn the most destructive tornadoes.
These violent storms occur around the world, but the United States is a major hotspot with about a thousand tornadoes every year. "Tornado Alley," a region that includes eastern South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, northern Texas, and eastern Colorado, is home to the most powerful and destructive of these storms. U.S. tornadoes cause 80 deaths and more than 1,500 injuries per year.
A tornado forms when changes in wind speed and direction create a horizontal spinning effect within a storm cell. This effect is then tipped vertical by rising air moving up through the thunderclouds.
The meteorological factors that drive tornadoes make them more likely at some times than at others. They occur more often in late afternoon, when thunderstorms are common, and are more prevalent in spring and summer. However, tornadoes can and do form at any time of the day and year.
Tornadoes' distinctive funnel clouds are actually transparent. They become visible when water droplets pulled from a storm's moist air condense or when dust and debris are taken up. Funnels typically grow about 660 feet (200 meters) wide.
Tornadoes move at speeds of about 10 to 20 miles (16 to 32 kilometers) per hour, although they've been clocked in bursts up to 70 miles (113 kilometers) per hour. Most don't get very far though. They rarely travel more than about six miles (ten kilometers) in their short lifetimes.
Tornadoes are classified as weak, strong, or violent storms. Violent tornadoes comprise only about two percent of all tornadoes, but they cause 70 percent of all tornado deaths and may last an hour or more.
People, cars, and even buildings may be hurled aloft by tornado-force winds—or simply blown away. Most injuries and deaths are caused by flying debris.
Tornado forecasters can't provide the same kind of warning that hurricane watchers can, but they can do enough to save lives. Today the average warning time for a tornado alert is 13 minutes. Tornadoes can also be identified by warning signs that include a dark, greenish sky, large hail, and a powerful train-like roar.

About Volcanoes-" Earth's Fiery Power "

Volcanoes are awesome manifestations of the fiery power contained deep within the Earth. These formations are essentially vents on the Earth's surface where molten rock, debris, and gases from the planet's interior are emitted.
When thick magma and large amounts of gas build up under the surface, eruptions can be explosive, expelling lava, rocks and ash into the air. Less gas and more viscous magma usually mean a less dramatic eruption, often causing streams of lava to ooze from the vent.
The mountain-like mounds that we associate with volcanoes are what remain after the material spewed during eruptions has collected and hardened around the vent. This can happen over a period of weeks or many millions of years.
A large eruption can be extremely dangerous for people living near a volcano. Flows of searing lava, which can reach 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit (1,250 degrees Celsius) or more, can be released, burning everything in its path, including whole towns. Boulders of hardening lava can rain down on villages. Mud flows from rapidly melting snow can strip mountains and valleys bare and bury towns. Ash and toxic gases can cause lung damage and other problems, particularly for infants and the elderly. Scientists estimate that more than 260,000 people have died in the past 300 years from volcanic eruptions and their aftermath.
Volcanoes tend to exist along the edges between tectonic plates, massive rock slabs that make up Earth's surface. About 90 percent of all volcanoes exist within the Ring of Fire along the edges of the Pacific Ocean.
About 1,900 volcanoes on Earth are considered active, meaning they show some level of activity and are likely to explode again. Many other volcanoes are dormant, showing no current signs of exploding but likely to become active at some point in the future. Others are considered extinct.

About Hurricanes "Engines of Destruction"-->>

Hurricanes are giant, spiraling tropical storms that can pack wind speeds of over 160 miles (257 kilometers) an hour and unleash more than 2.4 trillion gallons (9 trillion liters) of rain a day. These same tropical storms are known as cyclones in the northern Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal, and as typhoons in the western Pacific Ocean.
The Atlantic Ocean’s hurricane season peaks from mid-August to late October and averages five to six hurricanes per year.
Hurricanes begin as tropical disturbances in warm ocean waters with surface temperatures of at least 80 degrees Fahrenheit (26.5 degrees Celsius). These low pressure systems are fed by energy from the warm seas. If a storm achieves wind speeds of 38 miles (61 kilometers) an hour, it becomes known as a tropical depression. A tropical depression becomes a tropical storm, and is given a name, when its sustained wind speeds top 39 miles (63 kilometers) an hour. When a storm’s sustained wind speeds reach 74 miles (119 kilometers) an hour it becomes a hurricane and earns a category rating of 1 to 5 on the Saffir-Simpson scale.
Hurricanes are enormous heat engines that generate energy on a staggering scale. They draw heat from warm, moist ocean air and release it through condensation of water vapor in thunderstorms.
Hurricanes spin around a low-pressure center known as the “eye.” Sinking air makes this 20- to 30-mile-wide (32- to 48-kilometer-wide) area notoriously calm. But the eye is surrounded by a circular “eye wall” that hosts the storm’s strongest winds and rain.
These storms bring destruction ashore in many different ways. When a hurricane makes landfall it often produces a devastating storm surge that can reach 20 feet (6 meters) high and extend nearly 100 miles (161 kilometers). Ninety percent of all hurricane deaths result from storm surges.
A hurricane’s high winds are also destructive and may spawn tornadoes. Torrential rains cause further damage by spawning floods and landslides, which may occur many miles inland.
The best defense against a hurricane is an accurate forecast that gives people time to get out of its way. The National Hurricane Center issues hurricane watches for storms that may endanger communities, and hurricane warnings for storms that will make landfall within 24 hours.

About Floods -->>

There are few places on Earth where people need not be concerned about flooding. Any place where rain falls is vulnerable, although rain is not the only impetus for flood.
A flood occurs when water overflows or inundates land that's normally dry. This can happen in a multitude of ways. Most common is when rivers or streams overflow their banks. Excessive rain, a ruptured dam or levee, rapid ice melting in the mountains, or even an unfortunately placed beaver dam can overwhelm a river and send it spreading over the adjacent land, called a floodplain. Coastal flooding occurs when a large storm or tsunami causes the sea to surge inland.
Most floods take hours or even days to develop, giving residents ample time to prepare or evacuate. Others generate quickly and with little warning. These flash floods can be extremely dangerous, instantly turning a babbling brook into a thundering wall of water and sweeping everything in its path downstream.
Disaster experts classify floods according to their likelihood of occurring in a given time period. A hundred-year flood, for example, is an extremely large, destructive event that would theoretically be expected to happen only once every century. But this is a theoretical number. In reality, this classification means there is a one-percent chance that such a flood could happen in any given year. Over recent decades, possibly due to global climate change, hundred-year floods have been occurring worldwide with frightening regularity.
Moving water has awesome destructive power. When a river overflows its banks or the sea drives inland, structures poorly equipped to withstand the water's strength are no match. Bridges, houses, trees, and cars can be picked up and carried off. The erosive force of moving water can drag dirt from under a building's foundation, causing it to crack and tumble.
In the United States, where flood mitigation and prediction is advanced, floods do about $6 billion worth of damage and kill about 140 people every year. A 2007 report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development found that coastal flooding alone does some $3 trillion in damage worldwide. In China's Yellow River valley, where some of the world's worst floods have occurred, millions of people have perished in floods during the last century.
When floodwaters recede, affected areas are often blanketed in silt and mud. The water and landscape can be contaminated with hazardous materials, such as sharp debris, pesticides, fuel, and untreated sewage. Potentially dangerous mold blooms can quickly overwhelm water-soaked structures. Residents of flooded areas can be left without power and clean drinking water, leading to outbreaks of deadly waterborne diseases like typhoid, hepatitis A, and cholera.
But flooding, particularly in river floodplains, is as natural as rain and has been occurring for millions of years. Famously fertile floodplains like the Mississippi Valley in the American Midwest, the Nile River valley in Egypt, and the Tigris-Euphrates in the Middle East have supported agriculture for millennia because annual flooding has left millions of tons of nutrient-rich silt deposits behind.
Most flood destruction is attributable to humans' desire to live near picturesque coastlines and in river valleys. Aggravating the problem is a tendency for developers to backfill and build on wetlands that would otherwise act as natural flood buffers.
Many governments mandate that residents of flood-prone areas purchase flood insurance and build flood-resistant structures. Massive efforts to mitigate and redirect inevitable floods have resulted in some of the most ambitious engineering efforts ever seen, including New Orleans's extensive levee system and massive dikes and dams in the Netherlands. And highly advanced computer modeling now lets disaster authorities predict with amazing accuracy where floods will occur and how severe they're likely to be.

About Avalanches-->>

While avalanches are sudden, the warning signs are almost always numerous before they let loose. Yet in 90 percent of avalanche incidents, the snow slides are triggered by the victim or someone in the victim's party. Avalanches kill more than 150 people worldwide each year. Most are snowmobilers, skiers, and snowboarders.
Many avalanches are small slides of dry powdery snow that move as a formless mass. These "sluffs" account for a tiny fraction of the death and destruction wrought by their bigger, more organized cousins. Disastrous avalanches occur when massive slabs of snow break loose from a mountainside and shatter like broken glass as they race downhill. These moving masses can reach speeds of 80 miles (130 kilometers) per hour within about five seconds. Victims caught in these events seldom escape. Avalanches are most common during and in the 24 hours right after a storm that dumps 12 inches (30 centimeters) or more of fresh snow. The quick pileup overloads the underlying snowpack, which causes a weak layer beneath the slab to fracture. The layers are an archive of winter weather: Big dumps, drought, rain, a hard freeze, and more snow. How the layers bond often determines how easily one will weaken and cause a slide.
Storminess, temperature, wind, slope steepness and orientation (the direction it faces), terrain, vegetation, and general snowpack conditions are all factors that influence whether and how a slope avalanches. Different combinations of these factors create low, moderate, considerable, and high avalanche hazards.
If caught in an avalanche, try to get off the slab. Not easy, in most instances. Skiers and snowboarders can head straight downhill to gather speed then veer left or right out of the slide path. Snowmobilers can punch the throttle to power out of harm's way. No escape? Reach for a tree. No tree? Swim hard. The human body is three times denser than avalanche debris and will sink quickly. As the slide slows, clear air space to breathe. Then punch a hand skyward.
Once the avalanche stops, it settles like concrete. Bodily movement is nearly impossible. Wait—and hope—for a rescue. Statistics show that 93 percent of avalanche victims survive if dug out within 15 minutes. Then the survival rates drop fast. After 45 minutes, only 20 to 30 percent of victims are alive. After two hours, very few people survive.

About Earthquakes -->>

Earthquakes, also called temblors, can be so tremendously destructive, it’s hard to imagine they occur by the thousands every day around the world, usually in the form of small tremors.
Some 80 percent of all the planet's earthquakes occur along the rim of the Pacific Ocean, called the "Ring of Fire" because of the preponderance of volcanic activity there as well. Most earthquakes occur at fault zones, where tectonic plates—giant rock slabs that make up the Earth's upper layer—collide or slide against each other. These impacts are usually gradual and unnoticeable on the surface; however, immense stress can build up between plates. When this stress is released quickly, it sends massive vibrations, called seismic waves, often hundreds of miles through the rock and up to the surface. Other quakes can occur far from faults zones when plates are stretched or squeezed.
Scientists assign a magnitude rating to earthquakes based on the strength and duration of their seismic waves. A quake measuring 3 to 5 is considered minor or light; 5 to 7 is moderate to strong; 7 to 8 is major; and 8 or more is great.
On average, a magnitude 8 quake strikes somewhere every year and some 10,000 people die in earthquakes annually. Collapsing buildings claim by far the majority of lives, but the destruction is often compounded by mud slides, fires, floods, or tsunamis. Smaller temblors that usually occur in the days following a large earthquake can complicate rescue efforts and cause further death and destruction.
Loss of life can be avoided through emergency planning, education, and the construction of buildings that sway rather than break under the stress of an earthquake.

Reverse gear!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

we have reverse gear facility in all cars,heavy vehycles ,mostly in all vehycles around us....but we dont have a reverse gear facility  in our bikes..do any one even tried for this till now? the answer may not be satisfactory....

let us all hope that some one will do this tooo .
 if any one has any idea plz share your views about this.write your coments.

Robots-->>

Robots are being created that can think, act, and relate to humans. Are we ready?

Someone types a command into a laptop, and Actroid-DER jerks upright with a shudder and a wheeze. Compressed air flows beneath silicone skin, triggering actuators that raise her arms and lift the corners of her mouth into a demure smile. She seems to compose herself, her eyes panning the room where she stands fixed to a platform, tubes and wires running down through her ankles. She blinks, then turns her face toward me. I can't help but meet her—its—mechanical gaze. "Are you surprised that I'm a robot?" she asks. "I look just like a human, don't I?"
Her scripted observation has the unfortunate effect of calling my attention to the many ways she does not. Developed in Japan by the Kokoro Company, the Actroid-DER android can be rented to serve as a futuristic spokesmodel at corporate events, a role that admittedly does not require great depth of character. But in spite of the $250,000 spent on her development, she moves with a twitchy gracelessness, and the inelasticity of her features lends a slightly demented undertone to her lovely face. Then there is her habit of appearing to nod off momentarily between utterances, as if she were on something stronger than electricity.
While more advanced models of the Actroid make the rounds of technology exhibitions, this one has been shipped to Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh to acquire the semblance of a personality. Such at least is the hope of five optimistic graduate students in the university's Entertainment Technology Center, who have been given one 15-week semester to render the fembot palpably more fem and less bot. They have begun by renaming her Yume—dream, in Japanese.
"Kokoro developed her to be physically realistic, but that's not enough by itself," says Christine Barnes, student co-producer of the Yume Project. "What we're going to do is shift the focus from realism to believability."
The Actroid androids are part of a new generation of robots, artificial beings designed to function not as programmed industrial machines but as increasingly autonomous agents capable of taking on roles in our homes, schools, and offices previously carried out only by humans. The foot soldiers of this vanguard are the Roomba vacuums that scuttle about cleaning our carpets and the cuddly electronic pets that sit up and roll over on command but never make a mess on the rug. More sophisticated bots may soon be available that cook for us, fold the laundry, even babysit our children or tend to our elderly parents, while we watch and assist from a computer miles away.
"In five or ten years robots will routinely be functioning in human environments," says Reid Simmons, a professor of robotics at Carnegie Mellon.
Such a prospect leads to a cascade of questions. How much everyday human function do we want to outsource to machines? What should they look like? Do we want androids like Yume puttering about in our kitchens, or would a mechanical arm tethered to the backsplash do the job better, without creeping us out? How will the robot revolution change the way we relate to each other? A cuddly robotic baby seal developed in Japan to amuse seniors in eldercare centers has drawn charges that it could cut them off from other people. Similar fears have been voiced about future babysitting robots. And of course there are the halting attempts to create ever willing romantic androids. Last year a New Jersey company introduced a talking, touch-sensitive robot "companion," raising the possibility of another kind of human disconnect.


this content is taken from national geographic magazine:-

 

Tunisia-->>

With 713 miles (1,148 kilometers) of gentle Mediterranean coastline, Roman ruins and fortified casbahs, and glowing ribbons of Saharan dunes, Africa’s northernmost country offers adventure for all ages. Pictured here is a Roman ampitheater in El Jem, Mahdia, Tunisia.

In Tunisia’s sunbaked Matmâta region, explore the troglodyte lunar landscape (featured in the first Star Wars movie) and float—or walk, if the water has evaporated in summer—in the Chott El Djerid salt lake. June through September, hop aboard the historic Red Lizard train (Lézard Rouge) in Metlaoui for a 90-minute round-trip excursion through the Atlas Mountains. The narrow mining track winds through towering rock canyons and across barren flatlands to Seldja Gorge. Saharan expeditions include camel and dune buggy rides and camping in traditional Bedouin tents.

The eight-day Sahara Desert Trek led by adventure outfitter Exodus includes a five-day walking tour from the Sahara gateway Douz to the oasis village of Ksar Ghilane. One of North Africa’s best preserved Roman archaeological sites is Dougga, a window into life over 17 centuries in an indigenous Numidian city.

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia-->>

Nearly half of Mongolia’s three million residents are nomads, and most of the rest live in Ulaanbaatar—the country's capital and largest city. The cultural, economic, and transportation hub on the Tuul River is the starting point for two-humped Bactrian camel treks and other exotic Gobi desert expeditions, but its ten museums, close proximity to national parks, and collection of imperial palaces and Buddhist monasteries qualify Ulaanbaatar as a destination rather than way station.

Wander through the Narantuul, a 2,500-vendor, open-air market; visit Gandan Monastery—Mongolia’s largest functioning Buddhist monastery—and the adjoining Megjid Janraisig and Kalachakra Temples; and view Stone and Bronze Age artifacts, sacred relics, and fossilized dinosaur bones and eggs found in the Gobi at the National and Natural History Museums. During the July 11-13 National Holiday, Ulaanbaatar hosts the nation’s largest Naadam Festival, a legendary cultural celebration featuring wrestling, archery and cross-country horse racing competitions, plus traditional costumes and dance.

Top 5 Historical Places in India''-->>

Popular Historical Attractions in India:-

India is a diverse country steeped in history. Its past has seen a melting pot of different religions, rulers and empires -- all of which have left their mark on the countryside. Many historical places in India are listed as World Heritage sites due to their cultural importance.
Visit these popular historical places in India and take a trip back in time to ancient India. You'll marvel at the architecture of what are some of the most stunning and captivating historical attractions that India has to offer.

1. The Taj Mahal

Sharell Cook

The Taj Mahal looms fairytale-like from the banks of the Yamuna River. It's actually a tomb that contains the body of Mumtaz Mahal – the wife of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. He had it built as an ode to his love for her. Dating back to 1630 AD, the Taj Mahal is made out of marble and took 22 years and 20,000 workers to complete. One of the most captivating things about it is the way its color appears to gradually alter in the changing light of the day.

2. Hampi

www.sxc.hu user hde2003

Now a laid back village, Hampi was once the last capital of Vijayanagar, one of the greatest Hindu empires in India’s history. It has some extremely captivating ruins, intriguingly intermingled with large boulders that rear up all over the landscape. The ruins, which date back to the 14th century, stretch for just over 25 kilometers (10 miles) and comprise more than 500 monuments. An incredible energy can be felt at this ancient place.

3. Khajuraho Temples

www.sxc.hu user hde2003

If you want proof that the Kama Sutra originated in India, Khajuraho is the place to see. Erotica abounds here with over 20 temples devoted to sexuality and sex. The temples are best known for their erotic sculptures. However, more than that, they show a celebration of love, life and worship. They also provide an uninhibited peek into ancient Hindu faith and Tantric practices. No where else will you find such unique temples with meticulously detailed carvings.

4. Ajanta and Ellora Caves

www.cepolina.com

Astonishingly carved into hillside rock in the middle of nowhere are the Ajanta and Ellora caves. There are 34 caves at Ellora dating from between the 6th and 11th centuries AD, and 29 caves at Ajanta dating back to between the 2nd century BC and 6th century AD. While the Ajanta caves are rich in paintings and sculpture, the Ellora caves are renowned for their extraordinary architecture. The most incredible thing about these caves is that they were crafted by hand, with only a hammer and chisel.

5. Fatehpur Sikri

Supreet Vaid

A city that was once the proud capital of the Mughal Empire in the 16th century, Fatehpur Sikri now stands deserted as a well preserved ghost town. It was abandoned by its occupants after only 15 years due to insufficient water supply. Constructed out of red sandstone, Fatehpur Sikri is full of regal palaces and courtyards. You can almost feel yourself being transported back to medieval times here.

Mandarin Ducks, National Zoo-->>

Three Mandarin ducks sit in formation on a handrail at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. It was amazing to experience. The Mandarin duck is a medium-size perching duck, closely related to the North American wood duck. Referred to by the Chinese as Yuan-yang, they are frequently featured in Oriental art and are regarded as a symbol of conjugal affection and fidelity.

Humpback Whale, Chatham Strait-->>

A humpback whale breaches in Chatham Strait just off of Baranof Island, Alaska. Weighing up to 50 tons and reaching lengths of 50 feet these whales display incredible beauty and power. This monster of the deep will soon start its winter migration to the warmer waters of Hawaii. The journey will last six to eight weeks.

Simonos Petras Monastery-->>

Redoubt of the reclusive, Simonos Petras monastery was founded in 1257 more than 800 feet above the Aegean Sea. It is one of 20 monasteries on the steep-sloped Greek peninsula of Mount Athos, a popular pilgrimage site sometimes called the Christian Tibet.

Puffin, Shiant Islands-->>

Dapper black-and-white razorbills (at right) and bright-beaked puffins (at left and in air, at center) find a haven on the Shiant Islands, just a few miles southeast of Lewis, Scotland. Nearly 8,000 razorbills and more than 200,000 puffins are estimated to use these islands as their breeding grounds each year.

Xkeken Cenote, Mexico-->>

The Maya believed natural wells, such as the Xkeken cenote in Mexico’s Yucatán, led to the underworld.

Hadza Dance, Tanzania-->>.

The arrival of meat in camp may spur a line dance, but the Hadza also dance deep in the night as a ritual or at any hour for sheer pleasure.

Basalt Pinnacles, Scotland-->>

On Skye's Trotternish Peninsula, basalt pinnacles loom over the Sound of Raasay. Rising from the debris of an ancient landslide, they bear witness to the geologic upheavals that shaped these lands.

Dead Sea-->>

Floating on dreams and whispers, girls from a West Bank village cool off in the salt-laden waters of the Dead Sea. With its main tributary, the Jordan, at less than a tenth of its former volume, the inland sea has dropped some 70 feet since 1978.

Two Blue Herons-->>

During the later months of the year south Florida starts to get all the migrating birds from all over the country. These two blue herons were performing their mating dance before they mated.

Peacock, Sarasota-->>

This was the pic of a rare & beautiful white peacock.This was shot with a Canon XTi, 1/800sec. f/8 iso400 at 100mm.

Water Tank, Kenya-->>

Rendille villagers in northern Kenya scoop the dregs from a water tank filled only the night before by a government truck but already drained below the level of its spigot. They must wait a week for the next delivery.

Nagqu Horse Festival, Tibet-->>

Teenage jockeys race Nangchen purebreds at the Nagqu Horse Festival, a centuries-old summer gathering on the Tea Horse Road in Tibet. The competition features the Nangchen, long prized for its speed and stamina.