They have two spines which join at the pelvis. They have two stomachs, four lungs (two partially conjoined pairs), and two arms. (A third, underdeveloped and unusable arm between their heads was amputated in infancy.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
The girl with two heads or these girl have one body two head
Abigail "Abby" Loraine Hensel and Brittany "Britty" Lee Hensel (born 7 March 1990, Carver County, Minnesota, United States), are dicephalic conjoined twins.
They have two spines which join at the pelvis. They have two stomachs, four lungs (two partially conjoined pairs), and two arms. (A third, underdeveloped and unusable arm between their heads was amputated in infancy.
They have two spines which join at the pelvis. They have two stomachs, four lungs (two partially conjoined pairs), and two arms. (A third, underdeveloped and unusable arm between their heads was amputated in infancy.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Primordial Art of Fire walking Secrets discovered
Fire walking barefoot over a bed of red-hot coals has been a human rite of passage in many cultures as a test or proof of faith for more than 3,000 years, and still practiced today throughout the world, from tribal rituals for rites of healing, initiation, and faith, to New Age motivational seminars and so-called alternative health remedies.
Walking across 1200�F embers barefoot defies all sense and logic � yet firewalking has become a popular motivational exercise around the globe.
Walking on fire has existed for centuries with records dating back to 1200 BC, and became popular in America during the 1970�s when author Tolly Burkan began a campaign to demystify the practice. The demand for fire walking classes became so great that Burkan began training instructors and offering classes in 1984.
�As soon as you believe that you can do this without burning your feet, you have the confidence to take that first step.� says Tolly Burkan, founder of the Fire walking Institute of Research and Education (FIRE), which conducts self-improvement seminars using firewalking as an inspirational tool.
�Fire walking is really a metaphor.� says Burkan. �If you can do that, you can go and ask for a raise.�
But how is fire walking possible? Does it really require a positive mental state? Or is it simply a lot less dangerous than it looks?
Debunking Firewalking
There are 2 competing sets of explanation for fire walking. Scientifically, there is very little conductivity between the hot coals and feet. As long as the length of the walk is short and the walkers move fairly quickly, there is little room for harm since very little heat transfers to the feet.
The paranormal explanation believes that walkers place themselves into some sort of altered state of consciousness, or they�re placing an energetic force field around the body that prevents harm.
�They claim that your mind somehow protects your feet, but it�s normal physics that�s operating in the firewalk.� physicist Bernard J. Leikind says.
�This is about ancient tradition � Buddhists practiced firewalking, the Hindu religion had firewalking in it, the Native Americans firewalked.� says Tolly Burkan
To prepare a firewalk, Burkan burns large oak logs down to sizzling red embers, creating a bed of coals. The resulting heat reaches temperatures of over 1,000 �F.
Burkan believes that positive thinking actually changes the body�s physiology, allowing a firewalker to cross the coals safely.
�When you are in the right state of mind the blood flows through the soles of your feet and takes the temperature away from the tissue, and that�s why you�re not burned.� Burkan claims.
�None of it has to do with their psychological state.� Leikind says. �All of it has to do with ordinary physics.�
�You don�t burn your feet in the firewalk because you�re walking on things that have poor thermal conductivity and low heat capacity.�
�Even though they�re at a high temperature, they don�t have as much energy as you might think, and they aren�t very good at putting it into your foot.�
�To understand the physics, imagine baking a cake. The cake�s been in the oven for a half an hour, and everything in the oven is at 325 �F. But you don�t worry about the 325 �F air burning you, or the 325 degree cake, only the 325 degree cake pan.� Leikind added.
�Whether you are a physicist and believe in the laws of physics, or you believe in me because you trust me,� Burkan says, �as soon as you walk into the fire with a belief that you�re not going to burn your feet, you are in a different physiological state than the person who thinks they�re going to get burned.�
Believers in the paranormal have said that in this state of altered consciousness, it doesn�t matter how long the bed of coals is, one should be able to walk the length unharmed.
Researchers put this theory to the test with a 50 foot (15 meter) long fire bed, and asked a group of professional firewalkers that were firm believers in the paranormal explanation whether or not they would be able to walk the 50 feet, and they agreed that they could.
But after about 20 feet, they jumped off and burned themselves, in some cases fairly badly, proving that the paranormal theory simply is not true, but science at work.
�I�m not trying to use the firewalk as an example of contradicting any physical laws, I�m trying to give a sense of what�s possible, to experience the exhilaration of breaking through your limiting beliefs, which gives you the courage to attempt things you might not have attempted before.� says Burkan.
How Firewalking Works
What that temperature is, and how quickly it is reached, depends on the thermodynamic properties of the two bodies of different temperatures that meet. The important properties are temperature, density, specific heat capacity, and thermal conductivity.
The bodies in question here are human feet � which mainly consist of water � and burning coals.
Due to these properties, David Willey, professor of physics, says he believes firewalking is explainable in terms of basic physics and not supernatural or paranormal. He notes that most fire-walks occur on coals that measure about 1,000�F (537.75�C), but he once recorded someone walking on 1,800�F (1,000�C) coals.
�The 120 foot walk done by Sara Raintree and Jim Jarvis, and reports of longer walks and people remaining stationary for extended periods on the coals are currently under investigation by the author.� says David Willey.
Factors that Act Together to Prevent the Foot from Burning
� Water has a very high specific heat capacity, whereas coals and lava have a very low one, therefore the foot�s temperature tends to change less than the coal�s.
� Water also has a high thermal conductivity, and additionally, the blood in the foot will carry away the heat and spread it. On the other hand, coal has a poor thermal conductivity, so the hotter body consists only of the parts of the coal which is close to the foot.
� Moisture on the feet from sweat or from walking on damp grass instantaneously evaporates, causing a layer of steam between the foot and the coal. The layer of steam is a poor conductor of heat, which keeps the foot from burning � the Leidenfrost effect.
� When the coals cool down, the temperature sinks below the flash point, so it stops burning and no new heat is generated.
� The coals are often covered with ash which is a very good insulator, frequently used to insulate ice boxes.
� The coals are a very uneven surface, and the actual surface area of the foot touching the coals is very small.
� Firewalkers do not spend very much time on the coals, and they keep moving.
� Calluses on the feet may offer an additional level of protection, even if only from pain, however most people do not have calluses that would make any significant difference.
Risks When doing Firewalking Improperly
Even though firewalking can be explained with simple physics, there are still hazards. A group of managers from the KFC fast food chain in Australia received treatment for burns caused by firewalking in 2002 which was done over timber, a more efficient heat conductor than charcoal.
People have burned their feet when they remained in the fire for too long, enabling the thermal conductivity of the coals to catch up.
Coals which have not burned long enough can burn feet more quickly. Coals contain water, which increases their heat capacity and thermal conductivity. The water must be evaporated already when the firewalk starts.
Foreign objects in the coals may result in burns, such as metal which is dangerous due to its high thermal conductivity.
Wet feet can also cause coals to cling to them, increasing the exposure time.
Walking across 1200�F embers barefoot defies all sense and logic � yet firewalking has become a popular motivational exercise around the globe.
Walking on fire has existed for centuries with records dating back to 1200 BC, and became popular in America during the 1970�s when author Tolly Burkan began a campaign to demystify the practice. The demand for fire walking classes became so great that Burkan began training instructors and offering classes in 1984.
�As soon as you believe that you can do this without burning your feet, you have the confidence to take that first step.� says Tolly Burkan, founder of the Fire walking Institute of Research and Education (FIRE), which conducts self-improvement seminars using firewalking as an inspirational tool.
�Fire walking is really a metaphor.� says Burkan. �If you can do that, you can go and ask for a raise.�
But how is fire walking possible? Does it really require a positive mental state? Or is it simply a lot less dangerous than it looks?
Debunking Firewalking
There are 2 competing sets of explanation for fire walking. Scientifically, there is very little conductivity between the hot coals and feet. As long as the length of the walk is short and the walkers move fairly quickly, there is little room for harm since very little heat transfers to the feet.
The paranormal explanation believes that walkers place themselves into some sort of altered state of consciousness, or they�re placing an energetic force field around the body that prevents harm.
�They claim that your mind somehow protects your feet, but it�s normal physics that�s operating in the firewalk.� physicist Bernard J. Leikind says.
�This is about ancient tradition � Buddhists practiced firewalking, the Hindu religion had firewalking in it, the Native Americans firewalked.� says Tolly Burkan
To prepare a firewalk, Burkan burns large oak logs down to sizzling red embers, creating a bed of coals. The resulting heat reaches temperatures of over 1,000 �F.
Burkan believes that positive thinking actually changes the body�s physiology, allowing a firewalker to cross the coals safely.
�When you are in the right state of mind the blood flows through the soles of your feet and takes the temperature away from the tissue, and that�s why you�re not burned.� Burkan claims.
�None of it has to do with their psychological state.� Leikind says. �All of it has to do with ordinary physics.�
�You don�t burn your feet in the firewalk because you�re walking on things that have poor thermal conductivity and low heat capacity.�
�Even though they�re at a high temperature, they don�t have as much energy as you might think, and they aren�t very good at putting it into your foot.�
�To understand the physics, imagine baking a cake. The cake�s been in the oven for a half an hour, and everything in the oven is at 325 �F. But you don�t worry about the 325 �F air burning you, or the 325 degree cake, only the 325 degree cake pan.� Leikind added.
�Whether you are a physicist and believe in the laws of physics, or you believe in me because you trust me,� Burkan says, �as soon as you walk into the fire with a belief that you�re not going to burn your feet, you are in a different physiological state than the person who thinks they�re going to get burned.�
Believers in the paranormal have said that in this state of altered consciousness, it doesn�t matter how long the bed of coals is, one should be able to walk the length unharmed.
Researchers put this theory to the test with a 50 foot (15 meter) long fire bed, and asked a group of professional firewalkers that were firm believers in the paranormal explanation whether or not they would be able to walk the 50 feet, and they agreed that they could.
But after about 20 feet, they jumped off and burned themselves, in some cases fairly badly, proving that the paranormal theory simply is not true, but science at work.
�I�m not trying to use the firewalk as an example of contradicting any physical laws, I�m trying to give a sense of what�s possible, to experience the exhilaration of breaking through your limiting beliefs, which gives you the courage to attempt things you might not have attempted before.� says Burkan.
How Firewalking Works
What that temperature is, and how quickly it is reached, depends on the thermodynamic properties of the two bodies of different temperatures that meet. The important properties are temperature, density, specific heat capacity, and thermal conductivity.
The bodies in question here are human feet � which mainly consist of water � and burning coals.
Due to these properties, David Willey, professor of physics, says he believes firewalking is explainable in terms of basic physics and not supernatural or paranormal. He notes that most fire-walks occur on coals that measure about 1,000�F (537.75�C), but he once recorded someone walking on 1,800�F (1,000�C) coals.
�The 120 foot walk done by Sara Raintree and Jim Jarvis, and reports of longer walks and people remaining stationary for extended periods on the coals are currently under investigation by the author.� says David Willey.
Factors that Act Together to Prevent the Foot from Burning
� Water has a very high specific heat capacity, whereas coals and lava have a very low one, therefore the foot�s temperature tends to change less than the coal�s.
� Water also has a high thermal conductivity, and additionally, the blood in the foot will carry away the heat and spread it. On the other hand, coal has a poor thermal conductivity, so the hotter body consists only of the parts of the coal which is close to the foot.
� Moisture on the feet from sweat or from walking on damp grass instantaneously evaporates, causing a layer of steam between the foot and the coal. The layer of steam is a poor conductor of heat, which keeps the foot from burning � the Leidenfrost effect.
� When the coals cool down, the temperature sinks below the flash point, so it stops burning and no new heat is generated.
� The coals are often covered with ash which is a very good insulator, frequently used to insulate ice boxes.
� The coals are a very uneven surface, and the actual surface area of the foot touching the coals is very small.
� Firewalkers do not spend very much time on the coals, and they keep moving.
� Calluses on the feet may offer an additional level of protection, even if only from pain, however most people do not have calluses that would make any significant difference.
Risks When doing Firewalking Improperly
Even though firewalking can be explained with simple physics, there are still hazards. A group of managers from the KFC fast food chain in Australia received treatment for burns caused by firewalking in 2002 which was done over timber, a more efficient heat conductor than charcoal.
People have burned their feet when they remained in the fire for too long, enabling the thermal conductivity of the coals to catch up.
Coals which have not burned long enough can burn feet more quickly. Coals contain water, which increases their heat capacity and thermal conductivity. The water must be evaporated already when the firewalk starts.
Foreign objects in the coals may result in burns, such as metal which is dangerous due to its high thermal conductivity.
Wet feet can also cause coals to cling to them, increasing the exposure time.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Top 10 most extraordinary places to take a bath
Soak your troubles away in a mammoth glass of champagne, or bubble away in a beer spa.lists some of the most unique places in the world to take a bath.
Beppu, Japan
This town on the coast of Kyushu is associated in Japanese minds with one thing: hot springs. Millions of liters of steaming hot water spill daily out of around 3000 springs, providing a dazzling array of bath-time treats.
On offer for your bathing pleasure are mammoth modern indoor spa complexes, small outdoor springs, simmering mud baths and even "sand baths" where you can be buried up to your neck in hot sand by a lady with a shovel.
When you're done getting wet, it's time to discover why Beppu is nicknamed the "Las Vegas of Japan".
Budapest is a city famed for its thermal baths, and was dedicated a spa city as far back as the 1930s.
Sample the city's bathing habits at the Sz�chenyi Baths - a meandering neo-baroque complex of pools, ranging from icy cold to steaming hot - smack bang in the middle of the city park. Originally a medical treatment centre, this is the place to come for a massage, a sauna and a dip in the huge open-air thermal pool filled with local families, tourists and gentlemen playing chess on floating boards.
Blue Lagoon, Iceland
Iceland's answer to Disneyland and the country's number one tourist attraction, the Blue Lagoon is sometimes dismissed as overcrowded and overpriced. But what's not to like about floating in a steaming pool of milky blue (at a spot-on 38�C), surrounded by a landscape of dark and twisted lava fields, with a futuristic geothermal plant puffing away in the background?
When you're fed up of the main pools, you can have a steam bath in a lava cave, a waterfall massage or a sauna. You'll no doubt leave with your spirits renewed - and baby-soft skin.
Hot Water Beach, New Zealand
Thermal waters brew just below the sand at Hot Water Beach in the North Island. During the peak tourist season it looks like it's just been set upon by giant rabbits - for two hours, at either side of low tide, you can dig your own hole in the sand with a spade rented from the local caf�, then sit back, relax and warm your behind in your own natural spa.
Luckily your rapidly roasting limbs will be regularly refreshed by cool waves from the incoming sea water!
5.Vinotherapy, France
Being rubbed with grape seeds, slathered in honey, oil and wine yeast and submerged up to the neck in a wine-casket bath might sound like a hedonistic Roman orgy but it is, in fact, vinotherapy - a spa treatment to be had at Les Sources de Caudalie in Bordeaux using grape extracts. It seems that bathing in the stuff rather than drinking it is one of the best beauty treatments around, with the power (apparently) to reduce wrinkles, stress and even cellulite.
Les Sources is set in a vineyard, so you can also ingest your grapes the traditional way with a glass or two of the local tipple.
6.Champagne Glass Whirlpool Bath, USA
If you've ever dreamed of soaking your troubles away in a mammoth glass of champagne this could be your lucky day. That's right, at Pocono Palace only a couple of hours' drive away from New York City, you too could be relaxing in a 2.13m tall champagne glass whirlpool bath for two.
If that's not cheesy enough for you, look around your suite and savour the faux Roman columns, the circular beds, the mirrored walls and the private heart-shaped swimming pool.
7.Les Bains de Marrakesh, Morocco
For a bathing experience that indulges all your Thousand and One Nights fantasies - think glorious sunlit court-yards, tinkling fountains, carved alcoves and scattered rose petals - Les Bains de Marrakech is just the ticket.
As well as the traditional hammam (bathhouse) experience, involving an unceremonious scrub down with black soap and a wire mitten, you can chose from gentler options such as chocolate body massages or candlelit oriental baths for two. In between treatments you're encouraged to sprawl out on an indecently comfortable pile of cushions and drink your own body weight in mint tea.
8.Dogo Onsen, Japan
Japan's oldest hot springs facility at a rumoured 3000 years old, Dogo Onsen is at the center of many an old folk tale. Its centerpiece, the Honkan bathhouse, is the oldest public bath house in Japan.
An intricate three-storey timber structure, it looks like a fairy-tale castle and is said to be the inspiration behind the enchanted bathhouse in Miyazaki's animated film Spirited Away. Splash out on a first-class ticket and you'll get a hot soak, your own relaxation room, a yukata (kimono) and a post-bath snack of green tea and crackers.
9.Chodovar Brewery Beer Baths, Czech Republic
For the ultimate beer on skin experience, you can relax in the Czech Republic's first underground beer spa. Large stainless steel Victorian-style tubs (including double tubs for two!) are filled with a specially brewed bathing beer and crushed herbs and topped off with a creamy foam "head".
As you bubble away in all that malty goodness you can partake in a glass of two of the local brew from the bathside bar. Apparently it's all excellent for the pores.
10.The Dead Sea, Israel & Jordan
King Solomon, Cleopatra and the Queen of Sheba were among the early believers in the benefIts of a Dead Sea spa, one of the world's first health resorts owing to the medicinal properties of the area's waters and minerals. Since then, the climate has inspired a huge array of therapies such as thalassotherapy (bathing in Dead Sea water) and balneotherapy (a treatment using the black mineral mud of the Dead Sea).
There are resorts on both the Israeli and Jordanian sides, offering health packages to cure everything from psoriasis to arthritis.
Beppu, Japan
This town on the coast of Kyushu is associated in Japanese minds with one thing: hot springs. Millions of liters of steaming hot water spill daily out of around 3000 springs, providing a dazzling array of bath-time treats.
On offer for your bathing pleasure are mammoth modern indoor spa complexes, small outdoor springs, simmering mud baths and even "sand baths" where you can be buried up to your neck in hot sand by a lady with a shovel.
When you're done getting wet, it's time to discover why Beppu is nicknamed the "Las Vegas of Japan".
Budapest is a city famed for its thermal baths, and was dedicated a spa city as far back as the 1930s.
Sample the city's bathing habits at the Sz�chenyi Baths - a meandering neo-baroque complex of pools, ranging from icy cold to steaming hot - smack bang in the middle of the city park. Originally a medical treatment centre, this is the place to come for a massage, a sauna and a dip in the huge open-air thermal pool filled with local families, tourists and gentlemen playing chess on floating boards.
Blue Lagoon, Iceland
Iceland's answer to Disneyland and the country's number one tourist attraction, the Blue Lagoon is sometimes dismissed as overcrowded and overpriced. But what's not to like about floating in a steaming pool of milky blue (at a spot-on 38�C), surrounded by a landscape of dark and twisted lava fields, with a futuristic geothermal plant puffing away in the background?
When you're fed up of the main pools, you can have a steam bath in a lava cave, a waterfall massage or a sauna. You'll no doubt leave with your spirits renewed - and baby-soft skin.
Hot Water Beach, New Zealand
Thermal waters brew just below the sand at Hot Water Beach in the North Island. During the peak tourist season it looks like it's just been set upon by giant rabbits - for two hours, at either side of low tide, you can dig your own hole in the sand with a spade rented from the local caf�, then sit back, relax and warm your behind in your own natural spa.
Luckily your rapidly roasting limbs will be regularly refreshed by cool waves from the incoming sea water!
5.Vinotherapy, France
Being rubbed with grape seeds, slathered in honey, oil and wine yeast and submerged up to the neck in a wine-casket bath might sound like a hedonistic Roman orgy but it is, in fact, vinotherapy - a spa treatment to be had at Les Sources de Caudalie in Bordeaux using grape extracts. It seems that bathing in the stuff rather than drinking it is one of the best beauty treatments around, with the power (apparently) to reduce wrinkles, stress and even cellulite.
Les Sources is set in a vineyard, so you can also ingest your grapes the traditional way with a glass or two of the local tipple.
6.Champagne Glass Whirlpool Bath, USA
If you've ever dreamed of soaking your troubles away in a mammoth glass of champagne this could be your lucky day. That's right, at Pocono Palace only a couple of hours' drive away from New York City, you too could be relaxing in a 2.13m tall champagne glass whirlpool bath for two.
If that's not cheesy enough for you, look around your suite and savour the faux Roman columns, the circular beds, the mirrored walls and the private heart-shaped swimming pool.
7.Les Bains de Marrakesh, Morocco
For a bathing experience that indulges all your Thousand and One Nights fantasies - think glorious sunlit court-yards, tinkling fountains, carved alcoves and scattered rose petals - Les Bains de Marrakech is just the ticket.
As well as the traditional hammam (bathhouse) experience, involving an unceremonious scrub down with black soap and a wire mitten, you can chose from gentler options such as chocolate body massages or candlelit oriental baths for two. In between treatments you're encouraged to sprawl out on an indecently comfortable pile of cushions and drink your own body weight in mint tea.
8.Dogo Onsen, Japan
Japan's oldest hot springs facility at a rumoured 3000 years old, Dogo Onsen is at the center of many an old folk tale. Its centerpiece, the Honkan bathhouse, is the oldest public bath house in Japan.
An intricate three-storey timber structure, it looks like a fairy-tale castle and is said to be the inspiration behind the enchanted bathhouse in Miyazaki's animated film Spirited Away. Splash out on a first-class ticket and you'll get a hot soak, your own relaxation room, a yukata (kimono) and a post-bath snack of green tea and crackers.
9.Chodovar Brewery Beer Baths, Czech Republic
For the ultimate beer on skin experience, you can relax in the Czech Republic's first underground beer spa. Large stainless steel Victorian-style tubs (including double tubs for two!) are filled with a specially brewed bathing beer and crushed herbs and topped off with a creamy foam "head".
As you bubble away in all that malty goodness you can partake in a glass of two of the local brew from the bathside bar. Apparently it's all excellent for the pores.
10.The Dead Sea, Israel & Jordan
King Solomon, Cleopatra and the Queen of Sheba were among the early believers in the benefIts of a Dead Sea spa, one of the world's first health resorts owing to the medicinal properties of the area's waters and minerals. Since then, the climate has inspired a huge array of therapies such as thalassotherapy (bathing in Dead Sea water) and balneotherapy (a treatment using the black mineral mud of the Dead Sea).
There are resorts on both the Israeli and Jordanian sides, offering health packages to cure everything from psoriasis to arthritis.
The Most Extreme Conditions Ever Seen on Earth
There have been volcanic eruptions thousands of times more powerful than Mt. St. Helens. Recent storms have redefined the ranking systems for wind speeds. The hottest place on Earth has hit temperatures 288 degrees hotter than the coldest place on earth.
Yep, it�s an amazing world. Here is a compilation of the most extreme conditions that add a little spice (and devastation) to the planet Earth and its inhabitants.
The Fastest Recorded Wind Speed Near Earth�s Surface
Oklahoma, United States - 318 MPH
A recorded wind speed of 318 mph, the fastest ever recorded near earth�s surface, happened on May 3rd, 1999 when an F5-tornado plowed it�s way through parts of Oklahoma leaving behind devastation and disaster.
There are sources that have stated the wind speed only reached 301-302 mph, which would continue to hold the record for the highest wind speed ever recorded near earth�s surface. However,the NWS stationed in Norman, OK reported it to be 318 mph via DOW Radar. There is no other source of wind measurement that can withstand such speeds that we know of.
Prior to this recording, Oklahoma still held the highest wind speed ever recorded in a tornado near Red Rock, OK on April 26th, 1991 with wind speeds of approximately 286 mph.
(Sources: USA Today, noaa.gov)
The Driest Place on Earth
The Dry Valleys of Antartica - Rain-free for 2 million years and counting
One interior region of the Antarctic is known as The Dry Valleys. These valleys have not seen rainfall in over two million years. With the exception of one valley, whose lakes are briefly filled with water by inland flowing rivers during the summer, the Dry Valleys contain no moisture (water, ice, or snow).
The reason why the Dry Valleys exist are the 200 mph Katabatic down winds which evaporate all moisture. The dry valleys are strange: except for a few steep rocks they are the only continental part of Antarctica devoid of ice.
Located in the Trans-Antarctic Range, they correspond to a mountain area where evaporation (or rather, sublimation) is more important than snowfall, thus all the ice disappears, leaving dry barren land.
(Sources: Wikipedia, flex.net, gdargaud.net, 248am.com)
The Hottest Recorded Temperature
Lut Desert of Iran - 159 �F
A NASA satellite recorded surface temperatures in the Lut desert of Iran as high as 71 �C (159 �F), the hottest temperature ever recorded on the surface of the Earth. This region which covers an area of about 480 kilometers is called Gandom Beriyan (the toasted wheat).
Its surface is wholly matted with black volcano lava. This dark cover absorbs excessive sunshine, which due to difference of temperature with neighboring elevations forms a wind tunnel. There are reports that no living creature lives in this region. That is why this is arguably the driest place on earth next to the Dry Valleys of Antarctica.
(Sources: Wikipedia, ggpht.com)
The Coldest Recorded Temperature
Antarctica - 129 �F below zero
The lowest temperature ever recorded on earth was -129 �F recorded in 1983 at the Russian Base Vostok in Antarctica. Antarctica, a continent owned by no one, covers the southern end of our globe.
In addition to being the coldest place on earth, Anarctica is also the wettest and the driest place on earth.
Most of Antarctica is covered with vast areas of snow and ice which reflect about 75% of the incoming solar radiation. Winter temperatures are also influenced by latitude, elevation and by the shortage of sunlight during the Antarctic winter. In fact, the coldest temperatures are usually during late August before the return of the sun.
(Sources: Flex.net, deltatourism.cl)
The Most Rainfall in 24 Hours
La Reunion Island, Indian Ocean - 6ft 2in
As you can see by the image below, this volcanic island in the middle of the Indian Ocean could use the rainfall. They just weren�t expecting to get over 6 ft in a day.
Between March 15-16th, 1952, Cilaos at the center of R�union, received approximately 74 in (6ft.2?) of rainfall. This is the greatest 24-hour precipitation total ever recorded on earth. The island also holds the record for most rainfall in 72 hours, approximately 155 in (12ft.11?) at Commerson�s Crater in March, 2007.
(Sources: Wikipedia, DailyMail)
The Longest Bolt of Lightning Ever Recorded
From Waco to Dallas, Texas, United States - 118 Miles Long
Positive lightning develops in the same way as typical lightning bolts, but the positive bolt draws electrons upward from the ground.
These lightning bolts tend to be much, much stronger than regular lightning, and may carry as much as a hundred times the energy of a normal flash of lightning.
These �superbolts� of lightning, thankfully, are very rare. Only about five superbolts occur for every ten million normal lightning strokes.
Superbolts can reach way beyond the normal eight to ten miles of a typical lightning stroke. The longest superbolt on record reached from Waco, Texas to Dallas, after having traveled about a 118 miles.
(Sources: Stormblogging, Wikipedia, astrosurf, flickr)
The Largest Volcanic Eruption
La Garita Caldera in SW Colorado, United States - 1,200 cu miles
This was chosen because of the firm evidence rather than theory. The eruption that created the La Garita Caldera was the largest known eruption since the Ordovician period, with a VEI magnitude of 8.
The scale of La Garita volcanism was far beyond anything known in human history. The resulting deposit, known as the Fish Canyon Tuff, has a volume of approximately 5,000 cubic kilometers (1,200 cu mi), enough material to fill Lake Michigan (in comparison, the May 18, 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens was only 1.2 cubic kilometers (0.3 cu mi) in volume).
The area devastated by the La Garita eruption is thought to have covered a significant portion of what is now Colorado, and ash could have fallen as far as the east coast of North America and the Caribbean.
(Sources: Answers, USGS, Wikipedia, wikimedia)
The Deepest Place on Earth
Mariana Trench, Pacific Ocean - 6.77 miles
The Mariana Trench (or Marianas Trench) is the deepest part of the world�s oceans, and the deepest location on the surface of the Earth�s crust. It has a maximum depth of about 10.9 km (6.77 mi), and is located in the western North Pacific Ocean, to the east and south of the Mariana Islands, near Guam.
The bottom of the trench is farther below sea level than Mount Everest is above it (8,850m/29,035ft).
(Sources: Wikivisual.com, Wikipedia)
The Largest Recorded Earthquake
Valdivia earthquake, Chile - 9.5
The Valdivia earthquake or Great Chilean Earthquake of May 22, 1960 is the most powerful earthquake ever recorded, rating 9.5 on the moment magnitude scale. It caused localised tsunamis that severely battered the Chilean coast, with waves up to 25 meters (82 feet).
Coastal villages, such as Tolt�n, disappeared. Later studies argued that the earthquake actually had 37 epicenters through a 1,350 km (839 mi) north-south line that lasted from May 22 to June 6th 1960.
Elsewhere along the western coast of the United States, Crescent City, California, experienced notable tsunami waves and run-up. The tsunami travel time of the first wave to arrive at Crescent City was 15.5 hours after the occurrence of the earthquake in Chile.
At Crescent City, tsunami waves of up to 1.7 meters (appr. 5.6 feet) were observed and minor damage was reported.
Yep, it�s an amazing world. Here is a compilation of the most extreme conditions that add a little spice (and devastation) to the planet Earth and its inhabitants.
The Fastest Recorded Wind Speed Near Earth�s Surface
Oklahoma, United States - 318 MPH
A recorded wind speed of 318 mph, the fastest ever recorded near earth�s surface, happened on May 3rd, 1999 when an F5-tornado plowed it�s way through parts of Oklahoma leaving behind devastation and disaster.
There are sources that have stated the wind speed only reached 301-302 mph, which would continue to hold the record for the highest wind speed ever recorded near earth�s surface. However,the NWS stationed in Norman, OK reported it to be 318 mph via DOW Radar. There is no other source of wind measurement that can withstand such speeds that we know of.
Prior to this recording, Oklahoma still held the highest wind speed ever recorded in a tornado near Red Rock, OK on April 26th, 1991 with wind speeds of approximately 286 mph.
(Sources: USA Today, noaa.gov)
The Driest Place on Earth
The Dry Valleys of Antartica - Rain-free for 2 million years and counting
One interior region of the Antarctic is known as The Dry Valleys. These valleys have not seen rainfall in over two million years. With the exception of one valley, whose lakes are briefly filled with water by inland flowing rivers during the summer, the Dry Valleys contain no moisture (water, ice, or snow).
The reason why the Dry Valleys exist are the 200 mph Katabatic down winds which evaporate all moisture. The dry valleys are strange: except for a few steep rocks they are the only continental part of Antarctica devoid of ice.
Located in the Trans-Antarctic Range, they correspond to a mountain area where evaporation (or rather, sublimation) is more important than snowfall, thus all the ice disappears, leaving dry barren land.
(Sources: Wikipedia, flex.net, gdargaud.net, 248am.com)
The Hottest Recorded Temperature
Lut Desert of Iran - 159 �F
A NASA satellite recorded surface temperatures in the Lut desert of Iran as high as 71 �C (159 �F), the hottest temperature ever recorded on the surface of the Earth. This region which covers an area of about 480 kilometers is called Gandom Beriyan (the toasted wheat).
Its surface is wholly matted with black volcano lava. This dark cover absorbs excessive sunshine, which due to difference of temperature with neighboring elevations forms a wind tunnel. There are reports that no living creature lives in this region. That is why this is arguably the driest place on earth next to the Dry Valleys of Antarctica.
(Sources: Wikipedia, ggpht.com)
The Coldest Recorded Temperature
Antarctica - 129 �F below zero
The lowest temperature ever recorded on earth was -129 �F recorded in 1983 at the Russian Base Vostok in Antarctica. Antarctica, a continent owned by no one, covers the southern end of our globe.
In addition to being the coldest place on earth, Anarctica is also the wettest and the driest place on earth.
Most of Antarctica is covered with vast areas of snow and ice which reflect about 75% of the incoming solar radiation. Winter temperatures are also influenced by latitude, elevation and by the shortage of sunlight during the Antarctic winter. In fact, the coldest temperatures are usually during late August before the return of the sun.
(Sources: Flex.net, deltatourism.cl)
The Most Rainfall in 24 Hours
La Reunion Island, Indian Ocean - 6ft 2in
As you can see by the image below, this volcanic island in the middle of the Indian Ocean could use the rainfall. They just weren�t expecting to get over 6 ft in a day.
Between March 15-16th, 1952, Cilaos at the center of R�union, received approximately 74 in (6ft.2?) of rainfall. This is the greatest 24-hour precipitation total ever recorded on earth. The island also holds the record for most rainfall in 72 hours, approximately 155 in (12ft.11?) at Commerson�s Crater in March, 2007.
(Sources: Wikipedia, DailyMail)
The Longest Bolt of Lightning Ever Recorded
From Waco to Dallas, Texas, United States - 118 Miles Long
Positive lightning develops in the same way as typical lightning bolts, but the positive bolt draws electrons upward from the ground.
These lightning bolts tend to be much, much stronger than regular lightning, and may carry as much as a hundred times the energy of a normal flash of lightning.
These �superbolts� of lightning, thankfully, are very rare. Only about five superbolts occur for every ten million normal lightning strokes.
Superbolts can reach way beyond the normal eight to ten miles of a typical lightning stroke. The longest superbolt on record reached from Waco, Texas to Dallas, after having traveled about a 118 miles.
(Sources: Stormblogging, Wikipedia, astrosurf, flickr)
The Largest Volcanic Eruption
La Garita Caldera in SW Colorado, United States - 1,200 cu miles
This was chosen because of the firm evidence rather than theory. The eruption that created the La Garita Caldera was the largest known eruption since the Ordovician period, with a VEI magnitude of 8.
The scale of La Garita volcanism was far beyond anything known in human history. The resulting deposit, known as the Fish Canyon Tuff, has a volume of approximately 5,000 cubic kilometers (1,200 cu mi), enough material to fill Lake Michigan (in comparison, the May 18, 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens was only 1.2 cubic kilometers (0.3 cu mi) in volume).
The area devastated by the La Garita eruption is thought to have covered a significant portion of what is now Colorado, and ash could have fallen as far as the east coast of North America and the Caribbean.
(Sources: Answers, USGS, Wikipedia, wikimedia)
The Deepest Place on Earth
Mariana Trench, Pacific Ocean - 6.77 miles
The Mariana Trench (or Marianas Trench) is the deepest part of the world�s oceans, and the deepest location on the surface of the Earth�s crust. It has a maximum depth of about 10.9 km (6.77 mi), and is located in the western North Pacific Ocean, to the east and south of the Mariana Islands, near Guam.
The bottom of the trench is farther below sea level than Mount Everest is above it (8,850m/29,035ft).
(Sources: Wikivisual.com, Wikipedia)
The Largest Recorded Earthquake
Valdivia earthquake, Chile - 9.5
The Valdivia earthquake or Great Chilean Earthquake of May 22, 1960 is the most powerful earthquake ever recorded, rating 9.5 on the moment magnitude scale. It caused localised tsunamis that severely battered the Chilean coast, with waves up to 25 meters (82 feet).
Coastal villages, such as Tolt�n, disappeared. Later studies argued that the earthquake actually had 37 epicenters through a 1,350 km (839 mi) north-south line that lasted from May 22 to June 6th 1960.
Elsewhere along the western coast of the United States, Crescent City, California, experienced notable tsunami waves and run-up. The tsunami travel time of the first wave to arrive at Crescent City was 15.5 hours after the occurrence of the earthquake in Chile.
At Crescent City, tsunami waves of up to 1.7 meters (appr. 5.6 feet) were observed and minor damage was reported.