Stunning Interesting Facts : January 2013

A 15-year-old made a series of trades that turned his old cellphone into a Porsche in less than 2 years

When he was 15, Steven Ortiz traded his old cellphone for a newer one. Then, he traded that for an iPod Touch.

A WOMAN FOUND HER RING 16 YEARS LATER, GROWING ON A CARROT

A Swedish woman got the surprise of a lifetime when she pulled a small carrot out of her garden at home.

WORLD'S TALLEST MOHAWK: 3 FEET, 8.6 INCHES HIGH

It took three cans of hairspray, one large bottle of gel -- and, of course, 15 years to grow it out -- but Kazuhiro Watanabe has made history.

OLDEST SHOE documented was preserved in Sheep Dung

The world's oldest known leather shoe (pictured) was found in an Armenian cave. Stuffed with grass, perhaps as an insulator or an early shoe tree, the 5,500-year-old moccasin-like shoe was found exceptionally well preserved—thanks to a surfeit of sheep dung—during a dig in an Armenian cave.

DOLPHINS GANG-RAPES THEIR FEMALES

We humans love to get close to these clever, cute and cuddly sea-creatures, but do you know how they treat their women in the world of dolphin debauchery? Do you really want to? Dolphins have a dark side, too…

Researchers have been studying the sexual behaviour of dolphins intensely for the last decade, after it was discovered they not only partake in homosexual activity, but also gang-rape and kidnap females who don’t reciprocate their sexual advances.

In order to coerce the reluctant females, males form groups of two or three – often remaining together in their search for sexual gratification for well over a decade. When they find a suitable female they literally force her to mate with one or more of the group, and have even been known to herd their unwilling consorts for months at a time, basically using them as their personal sex-slaves.

Although dolphins are not alone in the animal world of gang-rapists, research suggests they’ve perfected the art to a degree unseen in any other species, and it seems they don’t limit their advances to their female partners, either: there are several reports claiming divers and swimmers have also been accosted.

Studies would suggest the behaviour is likely to be undertaken for reasons of pleasure as much as reproduction, as dolphins are known to enjoy sexual activity in cases when reproduction would be physically impossible. Dolphins have also been known to masturbate. Also, some dolphins will go on killing sprees when they are sexually frustrated.

The Forget Me Knot Gold Ring

The Forget Me Knot gold ring created by Icelandic fashion designer Sruli Recht is not your usual piece of luxury jewelry.

Metal Storm - Deadly Weapon

Futuristic artillery gun is cited as the world's fastest firearm.

With the ability to fire 16,000 rounds of ammunition each second, the Metal Storm Stacked Projectile is one of the most fearsome military weapons in development.

The Virtuous of Mr. Bai Fang Li

Peddling a trishaw to finance poor students: Mr. Bai Fang Li touched the people of China

Earth: The Pale Blue Dot - The Pingualuit Crater

Approximately 1.4 million years ago, a meteorite crashed into the surface of Earth, leaving behind a huge crater that has a diameter of 2.14 miles (3.44 km).

Meet Hachikō of JAPAN

In 1924, Professor Hidesaburō Ueno took in the Akita puppy, Hachiko as a pet. Over the next year or so pet and master developed a very close bound. They have developed a daily routine where Hachiko would see Professor Ueno out to the door of the Shibuya train station and be there again at the end of the day when he would greet his master and they would walk back home together.

World's Biggest Hotel

Stretching for over three miles along the white sandy beach on Germany's Baltic Sea island of Ruegen, lies the world’s biggest hotel with 10,000 bedrooms all facing the sea.

Employee of the Century

Arthur Winston (100-year-old): Worked for 72 years at the same company and only took one day off

A Los Angeles Metro employee for 72 years, Arthur Winston (1906 - 2006) was known for being honored as the "Employee of the Century" because he was never late to work and only took one day off during his entire career, that being for his wife's funeral in 1988. He retired at age 100.

As a boy Winston was born and grew up in Oklahoma before it became a state. His first job was at the age of 10 as a cotton picker. In 1918 his family moved west to California because of dust storms ruining their crops. He graduated from LA's Jefferson High School in 1922. He then began working for the Los Angeles Railway for four years before quitting because a black man could not drive a bus.

However, he returned to work in January 1934 for the Los Angeles Railway, and worked there continuously until his 100th birthday on March 22, 2006, missing only one day of work when his wife died. His hourly salary was originally 41 cents an hour. "We ate and slept. You couldn't get rich on that, but you lived," Winston told KNX Newsradio.

In 1925, he married Frances Smith. The couple had four children and five grandchildren.

He stayed with the agency through its name changes, starting from the Los Angeles Railway which became Los Angeles Transit Lines in 1945, to the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority created in 1958, the Southern California Rapid Transit District created in 1964, and as it is known today Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority "Metro" created in 1993.

In 1996, President Bill Clinton awarded him with an "Employee of the Century" citation for his work ethic and dedication. He is the most reliable worker that the United States Department of Labor has ever chronicled. He worked for 72 years without ever being late, and only took a single day off work (in 1988 for the funeral of his wife Frances).

Winston died of heart failure in his sleep at his home in Los Angeles on April 13, 2006 at around 8:00 p.m., less than one month after his retirement.

He attributed his work ethic to his upbringing, asserting that his father taught him the value of hard work at an early age. Upon his retirement on his 100th birthday, he stated that he was planning to visit his 98-year-old brother in Tennessee and had the intention of remaining active in various endeavors. "I'm going to keep active. I can't afford to just sit down. I wouldn't do that," he said. "I don't drink and I don't smoke, so I feel alright."

The busyard in Leimert Park (SB-5; Arthur Winston/Midcities) was named in his honor in Los Angeles.

Enchanted River - Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur, PHILIPPINES

Why Enchanted? "Cause no one ever reach its bottom."

Enchanted River is found in Barangay Talisay, Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur. It is called "enchanted" because no one has ever reached its bottom.

Many people, including scuba divers, have tried reaching for the bottom but have failed, hence the legend of its bottomless pit.Moreover, locals share that NOBODY has been successful in catching the fish in this river, whether by hand or by spear.

They say its bluish color is a result of its depth and the water clarity changes throughout the day. At around 12:00 nn, the water becomes clearer and even more majestic. Once the bell is rung at noon, the people swimming get out of the water and the fish start appearing to enjoy a feast. Fish feeding is done daily and serves as entertainment most especially for the locals during weekends.

CRAIG LEWIS: THE FIRST HEARTLESS MAN WHO IS ABLE TO LIVE WITHOUT A PULSE

Heartless: Craig Lewis, 55, was the first man to have a 'continuous flow' pump to replace his entire heart - and now has no pulse

No heart: The device uses blades to circulate blood through the body, replacing the heart

On March of last year, Craig Lewis, 55, was dying from a heart condition that caused build-ups of abnormal proteins, and not even a pacemaker could help save his life.
But two doctors from the Texas Heart Institute proposed a revolutionary new solution – install a ‘continuous flow’ device that would allow blood to circulate his body without a pulse.
Dr Billy Cohn and Dr Bud Frazier installed the device after removing Mr Lewis’ heart. Within a day, the patient was up and speaking with physicians.

THE APPIAN WAY WAS BUILT IN 312 BC WHICH CONNECTED ROME TO BRINDISI, APULIA AND IT'S STILL IN USE TODAY

The Appian Way (Latin and Italian: Via Appia) was one of the earliest and strategically most important Roman roads of the ancient republic.

THE PENTAGRAM

Pentagrams were used as an important religious symbol by the Babylonians and by the Pythagoreans in ancient Greece.

Velella Velella

Velella is a cosmopolitan genus of free-floating hydrozoans that live on the surface of the open ocean.

THE GRETA OTO (ALSO KNOWN AS THE GLASS WINGED BUTTERFLY)

Greta oto is a beautiful brush-footed butterfly and is a member of the: subfamily Danainae, tribe Ithomiini, subtribe Godyridina.

Electronic Tattoo' to Track Patients? Vital Signs

An "electronic tattoo" could revolutionize medical sensing, computer gaming and even render the super slick James Bond movie gadgets antiquated.

AN ISLAND COUNTRY NAMED NIUE, HAD PICTURE OF POKEMON'S PIKACHU ON THEIR CURRENCY IN 2001

As all the world falls before the Pokemon phenomenon, the idyllic South Pacific Island of Niue has acknowledged the unbelievable popularity of a game

LIFESTRAW

LifeStraw is a water filter designed to be used by one person to filter water so that they may safely drink it. It filters a maximum of 1000 litres of water, enough for one person for one year.

A WOMAN GAVE BIRTH TO TWINS AT THE SAME TIME WITH TWO DIFFERENT FATHERS

In 2004, Charlotte Kallehauge divorced her husband and began dating another man. On New Years, she slept with her ex-husband, and two days later with her then boyfriend.

Top 5 Cancer Causing Foods

Cancer is a disease that can be caused by hereditary and environmental factors. While some people develop cancer regardless of steps taken to prevent it, there is evidence that limiting the consumption of some foods could prevent or delay the onset of cancer, especially for those with a known family history of cancers of the digestive system.

Tang Jiangshan: the Reincarnated Chinese Man

There was a boy named Tang Jiangshan. He lived in Gancheng Town of Dongfang City, Hainan Province.

How Much Does Amazon, Google and Facebook Make?

Amazon – $34,204,000,000 $1,084 per second

Founded in 1994 and currently employing 33,700 people, Amazon.com remains the world’s largest online retailers, with the highest revenue of any company on this list.

ALARMING UNHEALTHY SNACKS TO AVOID

1. Popcorn

Popcorn should be a great snack. It is a whole grain, naturally low in calories, and recent research has found that popped kernels are surprisingly high in antioxidants, even higher than many fruits and vegetables.

The Mayan Temple Water Slide

Atlantis Bahamas has 15 million dollar marina, lagoons, waterfalls and the underwater ruins of Atlantis itself.

21 WAYS HOW RICH PEOPLE THINK

Steve Seibold, the author of "How Rich People Think," spent nearly 3 decades in interviewing millionaires and studying their thoughts, habits, and philosophies

10 MAIN CLOUD TYPES

HIGH clouds above 10,000 feet:

(Ci) Cirrus - Thin and wispy, usually transparent white in color but can display magnificent colors when the sun is low on the horizon.

FLOWER OF LIPS

With a scientific name of Psychotria Elata, this species also goes by the fitting names of the Hot Lips Plant, Flower of Lips or even Hooker's Lips.

THERE'S A PLACE IN HONDURAS WHERE IT RAINS FISH

Since 1998, and once a year, locals from Yoro, Honduras hold an annual festival called Festival de Lluvia de Peces.

LIFE AFTER DEATH EXPERIENCED BY A NEUROSCIENTIST

A Harvard neurosurgeon describes what he says was a near-death experience in his latest book -- and there are skeptics.

Eben Alexander's quick trip to heaven started with a headache.

Japanese Company Designs Air-Conditioned Clothing

with Japan facing power shortages and energy restrictions in the aftermath of an earthquake and tsunami the demand for the air-conditioned jackets with built-in fans designed by Kuchofuku Co. Ltd. has soared reports AFP.

The Quietest Place on Earth Will Drive You Insane Within 45 Minutes

There's a small room in Minnesota that blocks out 99% of all external sound. That's an impressive number! Also impressive: nobody can take more than 45 minutes alone in the room before they go nuts.

A MAN OUTSOURCED HIS OWN JOB TO CHINA

If you’re a programmer who can work from home all the time, wouldn’t you want to find ways to make your job easier and more efficient?

ROCK BALANCING PHILIPPINES

Rock Balancing Philippines was founded in September 2010 at Tanay, Rizal by Leandro Tamayo Inocencio and Ildefonso Bandoma Vista who were brought concurrently by common zeal for arts and nature.

INCREDIBLE ROCK SCULPTURES MADE WITHOUT ANY GLUE

Colorado artist Mike Grab creates astonishing towers of balanced stones using nothing but gravity, and his uncanny ability to find the natural balance of the stones.

King Leonidas of Sparta (reigned c. 490 – 480 B.C.)

Leonidas was a 5th century B.C. Spartan military king who bravely led a small force of Greeks -- mostly Spartan (the famous 300),

SWEDEN RUN OUTS OF GARBAGE, FORCED TO IMPORT FROM NORWAY

Sweden, a recycling-happy land where a quarter of a million homes are powered by the incineration of waste, is facing a unique dilemma: The nation has run out of much-needed fuel.

THOMAS EDISON'S LAST BREATH IS SAVED IN A TEST TUBE

Here's why...

You may have heard of Thomas Edison, or at least a few small things he invented. You know, like the first movie camera, the incandescent light bulb, just a few minor things.

MOURNING DOG BECOME A REGULAR AT MASS AFTER OWNER'S DEATH

When the bells ring for the start of a service, German shepherd Tommy runs to the church his owner Maria Margherita Lochi used to attend before she was buried there in November.

Scientists uncover massive river on Mars

In 2012, the European Space Agency discovered a huge 1,500 kilometer river in the upper Reull Vallis region of Mars.

Kim Phuc: ‘The girl in the picture’ forty years later

On the 40th Anniversary of the famous photograph of 9-year-old Kim Phuc Phan Thị, taken by Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Nick Ut,

Astronomers Find Largest, Oldest Mass of Water in Universe

Astronomers have discovered the largest and oldest mass of water ever detected in the universe — a gigantic, 12-billion-year-old cloud harboring 140 trillion times more water than all of Earth's oceans combined.

THE 9 MOST DANGEROUS HEALTH FOODS

➨Protein Bars

“Protein bars are basically vitamin and protein-infused candy bars,” says Moskovitz. “They seem like a healthy snack replacement, but they can contain more than twice the amount of fat and carbs as a chocolate brownie.” To steer clear of needless calories, look for options that have less than 180 calories and 5 grams fat, and provide at least 5 grams of fiber.