MyScrotum ( Balls Sack )

Beauty vs Ugliness – Is It Love?

2011-03-02T20:05:00.000-08:00

Is it true that love is blind and that it makes you act foolish and do irrational things? Love forces you to look deeper inside one person and evokes all the good things in you. Or maybe here love is not the case? It makes one wonder…

After 5,300 years, Oetzi the frozen iceman finally shows his face

2011-03-02T19:57:00.000-08:00

He doesn't look half bad for a 5,300-year-old.

Since his discovery in 1991, Oetzi the iceman's true identity has been shrouded in myth and mystery. Just a faceless corpse that has embodied a bygone era of humankind.

But experts have finally worked out what the world's most famous natural mummy actually looked like

Old timer: Until now Oetzi the iceman's true identity has been shrouded in myth and mystery - just a faceless corpse that has embodied a bygone era of humankind

Exhibit: The model is on show at the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology in Bolzano, Italy, alongside his mummified remains

Using 3D images of the corpse and forensic technology, two Dutch artists - Alfons and Adrie Kennis - painstakingly created a new Oetzi model.

But the one thing they couldn't determine was his natural eye colour. So they went with brown.

The model is on show at the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology in Bolzano, Italy, alongside his mummified remains.

He was unearthed in September 1991 in the Eastern Alps near the Austro-Italian border by a couple of German tourists trekking through the Oetz Valley, after which he was named.

He was about 46 years old when he met his violent death.

Examinations revealed that he had been wounded by an arrow and possibly finished off with a mace blow to the face.

It is thought the arrow tore a hole in an artery beneath his left collarbone, leading to massive loss of blood - and the shock caused Oetzi to suffer a heart attack.

The fact that the arrow's shaft was pulled out before his death may have worsened the injury.

The iceman has been crucial to our understanding of how prehistoric people lived, what they wore and even what they ate.

Researchers had previously suggested he was killed by a rival hunter after putting up a fight, and by examining the contents of his stomach, worked out that his final meal consisted of venison and ibex meat.

Archaeologists believe Oetzi, who was carrying a bow, a quiver of arrows and a copper axe, may have been a hunter or warrior killed in a skirmish with a rival tribe.

Researchers say he was about 159cm tall (5ft 2.5in), 46 years old, arthritic and infested with whipworm, an intestinal parasite.

But he may not object to being immortalised in art, as he was apparently a fan himself with several carbon tattoos including groups of short, parallel, vertical lines behind his knees and around both ankles.

And he himself has become a tattoo - on the left forearm of Brad Pitt.

It is unclear why the actor decided to have the mummified iceman etched on his skin - and is clearly keeping mum on the subject...

Arty: The model was sculpted by Dutch artists Adrie Kennis, left, and Alfons Kennis, right

Power of science: Using 3D images of the corpse and forensic technology, two Dutch artists painstakingly created a new Oetzi model

Iceman fan: Brad Pitt sports a tattoo of Oetzi on his left forearm

Must Know Breast Facts

2011-03-02T19:50:00.000-08:00

This is the things that every person should know about breasts. It doesn’t matter if you are a men or a women, you just must know this icon biggrin Enjoy

Indecent behavior of couples in the street

2011-03-02T19:44:00.000-08:00

The electric Roller: Limo costs just 2p a mile to run but cost 1 million pounds to buy

2011-03-02T19:36:00.000-08:00

For the environmentally friendly billionaire who has everything, Rolls-Royce today unveils the world’s most luxurious electric limousine – with batteries included.

The super-green Rolls-Royce Phantom offers zero-emissions motoring for a frugal 2p a mile – compared with 40p a mile for the standard Phantom.

That’s just as long as you can first afford the hefty price-tag – likely to be close to £1million.

Green machine: The Rolls-Royce Phantom will offer zero emissions at a cost of just 2p a mile to run - but comes with a hefty price tag of £1m

And to save wealthy owners the chore of having to plug it into the domestic mains themselves, the electric Rolls can even be recharged wirelessly through the ether – simply by driving over a special electric pad in the garage.

Some electric toothbrushes and mobile phones use similar technology.

The model, codenamed Phantom EX102, is unveiled today at the prestigious Geneva Motor Show.

The ultimate electric limousine also has the world’s biggest passenger car battery and can accelerate from rest to 60mph in just eight seconds, though its top speed is artificially limited to 100mph. It also has a range on maximum charge of 125 miles.

The battery pack is under the bonnet in the form of 96 lithium-ion cells. They have a three-year life-span if used and recharged daily. Charge time is 20 hours on a domestic mains, or eight hours on an industrial-strength booster.

The standard petrol-powered Phantom costing £300,000 achieves only around 15 miles to the gallon but has a top speed restricted to 155mph and accelerates from rest to 60mph in under six seconds.

Chief executive officer Torsten Müller-Ötvös said: 'We have engineered the world’s first battery electric vehicle for the ultra-luxury segment.'

The Daily Mail revealed in January that Rolls-Royce was planning an electric-powered limousine in time for the 2012 Olympics of which German parent company BMW is a major sponsor.

As with existing and earlier Rolls-Royce cars, the firm has first produced a fully functioning prototype to take on a ‘world tour’ to showcase to super-rich clients and take orders for the final production version.

Potential customers, or envious paupers, can follow its progress at www.electricluxury.com.

Batteries are charged directly from the mains via a wire, plug, and five-pin socket in the side of the car which replaces the conventional fuel filler cap – or by using the wireless system.

Mark Lee Video on Difference Between Ah Bengs and Hooligans

2011-03-02T19:30:00.001-08:00

I was saddened to read about the news of what happened to the 19 years old Darren Ng Wei Jie on 31 Oct 2010 Halloween at Downtown East Pasir Ris. The young Republic Polytechnic student was attacked by another group of 5 hooligan teenagers in bright day light.

The incident was allegedly triggered when Darren Ng and his friends got into a “staring” incident with a group of hooligans in the Downtown East MacDonald’s. Eye witnesses said that the group of hooligans had followed Darren Ng and his two friends out of the fast food restaurant and set upon them at the grass patch outside. Unfortunately, the verbal fight soon turned to become physical. The hooligans were heard to have shouted some possibly secret society-related slogans after the knives fight and ran off. Darren Ng passed on 5 hours later in Changi Hospital.

Some online netizens have called those attackers Ah Beng. But I disagree. As explained by Mark Lee in the below Omy video, there is a distinct difference between Hooligans and Ah Bengs. According to his definition, Hooligans are the ones who will hang out at coffee shops when they are free and get into trouble, while the Ah Bengs only hang out at coffee shops and watch the trouble brewing.

Dim Sum Dollies “Love Your Ride” Music Video MTV Jingle

2011-03-02T19:26:00.001-08:00

A little bit about the Dollies:

The trio began in 2002 with a gig at the Esplanade called A Single Woman. 2003 saw them perform to a sold-out crowd in the immensely well-received Steaming!, which was followed by Revenge of the Dim Sum Dollies in 2004, Dim Sum Dollies: Singapore’s Most Wanted in 2005, and Dim Sum Dollies: The History of Singapore! in 2007. In 2006, they lent their names to Glen Goei’s adaptation of the off-Broadway musical comedy Little Shop of Horrors performed at Victoria Theatre.

According to local director Ivan Heng,the name ‘Dim Sum Dollies’ was chosen because dim sum “came in threes, each morsel painstakingly prepared to please eye and palate”. This description describes the trio’s presentation style on stage, which combines visually-spectacular sets and costumes with an original take on all things Singaporean.

Google goes off-road: Now it straps Street View cameras to TRICYCLES to look around parks and footpaths

2011-03-02T19:22:00.000-08:00

Google is extending its Street View website with photographs of off-road destinations that have previously not appeared online - by using specially-adapted tricycles.

Since its launch in 2007, the controversial site has allowed viewers to see images of individual homes, shops, offices and pubs taken by a fleet of cars.

But now the service will let users go beyond public streets and along footpaths and into parks, historical landmarks and gardens.

Google is extending its Street View website with photographs of off-road destinations using specially-adapted tricycles. Here, Google's Daniel Ratner rides his three-wheeled creation

The Internet giant has this week launched a large collection of images taken by the 9ft-long tricycles.

The novel off-road vehicles will allow Street View to increasingly include images of public and private sites such as Kew Gardens in London, hiking trails in California and Sea World in Orlando, Florida.

The tricycles weigh 250lbs and are each equipped with a 7ft-tall stalk of cameras on the back.

Heavy and tough to pedal, Google has hired football players and other athletes to drive them.

The idea of photographing public off-road places came to Google engineer Daniel Ratner when he was on Street View and noticed cobblestone alleys impassable to cars in Barcelona.

e then realised that there were thousands of universities, parks, trails and other places where cars can't drive.

'I feel like we're just scratching the surface of what sorts of images our users want to see,' he said.

'We don't compare the trikes to the cars. We see them as being complementary.'

Google now has Street View imagery for most inner-city areas in the U.S. and in 27 other countries.

The site does not make money directly, but is part of Google Maps, which has a 'large and growing advertising element,' according to a spokesman.

Launched four years ago, Street View has proved controversial from the word go.

In November 2010, an international outcry forced Google to delete all personal data its Street View cars had collected from unsecured wi-fi networks.

The firm sparked fury after it admitted collecting information from unsecured wireless networks as its vehicles roamed residential streets.

The company was accused of unlawfully harvesting data including emails, passwords and website addresses during the creation of its Street View maps.

Nintendo 3DS is hacked less than 24 hours after Japanese launch

2011-03-02T19:19:00.000-08:00

Thousands of Japanese gamers queued for hours to be among the first to own Nintendo's breakthrough 3D hand-held console.

But just hours after the console went on saleon Saturday hackers had already found a way to stretch the capabilities of the machine.

A YouTube video posted by the R4i group showed hackers who have managed to get the 3DS to run older, pirated DS games using a third-party flash memory cartridge.

Satisfied: Toyohisa Ishihara was the first person to purchase Nintendo's revolutionary new hand-held console

Revolution: Japanese gamers queued for hours to be the first to get their hands on the new Nintendo 3DS, which was hacked within a day of its release

Hackers claimed that they have been able to modify the 3DS's built-in 'white list' to allow the machine to use the R4 memory cart.

Users will only be able to do this by directly hacking the device itself, they said.

The release of the 3DS has been a big success for Japanese video games giant Nintendo. Of 400,000 consoles made available to retailers for the launch, 371,326 units were sold on the first two days of release, according to to the Wall Street Journal.

The 3DS not due to be launched in Europe until March 25, but comments posted on the video suggest that the hack could push back that back as Nintendo try to fix the security breach.

Hackers R4i say that they expect Nintendo to release an update blocking third-party memory carts.

The Nintendo 3DS represents a major breakthrough as unlike the latest 3D televisions and cinema screens, it offers 3D images of both games and films without the need for special glasses.

But the launch of the long-awaited 3D version of Nintendo's best-selling DS games console was slightly overshadowed by a health warning.

The Japanese computer giant has said children under the age of six should not use the device in 3D mode as it may harm their eyesight.

The 3DS is vital for the future of Nintendo, which disappointed many children around the world after it was unable to launch the product in time for Christmas.

The failure to go on sale in the crucial trading period wiped tens of millions of pounds off the company's stock market value.

Shops could run out of PlayStation 3s after thousands are seized by customs over patent row

2011-03-02T19:14:00.000-08:00

Customs officials have been ordered to seize all British PlayStation 3 shipments following a row over the use of Blu-Ray technology within the consoles.

Electronic giants Sony and LG are locked in battle over patents forcing officials to confiscate thousands of machines in Holland.

The ban on imports is currently set to last ten days, but could be extended if Sony does not overturn a court injunction won by LG at a civil court in The Hague.

The Japanese company is currently appealing the decision to the European Patent Office - but LG can also apply to extend the ban.

Seized: Custom officials are stopping PlayStation 3 consoles from entering the country after LG won an injunction regarding patents

Row: LG has accused Sony of using its Blu-ray playback technology in its PlayStation 3 console

Sony currently has around three weeks' worth of PlayStations in stock across Europe, but shops will run low if LG's bid for an extension is successful.

The row stems from an accusation by the South Korean company that Sony used its Blu-ray technology within its console to allow it to playback Blu-ray discs.

Were Sony to lose the case, it could potentially have to pay LG a fee for every console it has sold across the globe - costing the company millions.

In Britain alone, 3m have been sold since its launch in 2007, while the company imports around 100,000 into Europe every week.

However patent solicitor Michael Coyle told the BBC that the stakes were also very high for LG.

It will have to pay an astonishing amount of money if a judge rules that its patent is invalid. When a firm seeks to have goods seized they make an undertaking to pay for storage and compensation' he said.

'Patents are very subjective so a patent claim is very risky,' said Mr Coyle.

Arguments between firms over patents are nothing new, but are often only played out by firms who can afford to do so.

The row over the PlayStations is one of seven ongoing patent disputes between the two companies.

Among them, LG is claiming that four patents were infringed in the technology used in Sony's Bravia TVs.

Thousands of home computers infiltrated after hackers infect high-profile websites with booby-trapped ads

2011-03-02T19:11:00.000-08:00

* The London Stock Exchange, Autotrader and Vue were among those affected

Tens of thousands of people are feared to have had their computers infected by booby-trapped adverts on websites including the London Stock Exchange as the full extent of a cyber-attack which began on Sunday becomes apparent.

The scam, which also involved ads on Autotrader, Vue and six other websites, began on Sunday after cyber-criminals hacked into an ad firm's IT system.

Malicious adverts were then released which caused fake virus warnings to pop-up on computers belonging to those surfing the affected sites.

The full extent of the cyber-attack, which began on Sunday, has only come to light today

Bogus warnings: The malicious adverts caused fake security warnings to appear on the screens of people surfing the affected websites. They were then asked for payment to remove them

After telling them that their computer was infected, the bogus diagnostic screen asked for payment to remove the 'infection'.

It is thought the scam only affected PC users running Safari, Chrome or Firefox browser.

Some of the websites hosting the malicious ads, including the London Stock Exchange, temporarily closed their sites.

IT managers at the affected advertising company, Unanimis, then spent three hours removing the malware.

'The adverts they chose to modify were not being widely distributed,' David Nelson, operations and IT director at Unanimis told the BBC.

'This, coupled with the attack taking place on a Sunday evening, limited how many people fell victim.

'We have to count ourselves lucky in some respects.'

An investigation is taking place into how the cyber-criminals got access to the Unanimis server in the first place, and why the breach was not detected earlier.

The company today declined to identify all the sites that had fallen victim to the hack but said the advertising network - owned by the Orange France Telecom Group - had informed all those affected.

Patrik Runald, senior research manager at Websense, suggested a lot of people had been targeted by the rogue warnings.

'We believe that quite a large number of sites were showing these adverts,' he told the BBC, suggesting the figure could have reached 'tens of thousands'.

Future New Noah Ark Floating city that could make weather devastation a thing of the past

2011-03-02T19:06:00.000-08:00

It looks like something from a sci-fi film, but this bizarre floating metropolis may be the solution for cities devastated by extreme weather.

The incredible structure measures a staggering 1,200ft high, covers 30 million square feet and is designed to house up to 40,000 residents.

It comes with everything you would expect to find in a normal city - from hotels to shops, casinos and schools.

The Space Age design is even equipped with gardens, special express elevators for 'vertical commuting' and moving walkways for pedestrians.

The bizarre plans were inspired by the devastation caused when the American city of New Orleans was ravaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Origins: The space age city was inspired by the devastation caused when New Orleans was ravaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005

A group of designers has put together a proposal for a new floating city to sit on the bank of the Mississippi to help prevent a similar tragedy

Called the New Orleans Arcology Habitat - or NOAH -tThe sturdy triangular creation reduces the effects of extreme weather by allowing it to blow through the middle

The damage was so extensive, the community is still in the process of rebuilding.

Now a group of designers, based in Boston, has put together a proposal for a new floating city that will sit on the bank of the Mississippi and could help prevent a similar tragedy.

Called the New Orleans Arcology Habitat, or NOAH, the sturdy triangular creation dissipates strong weather by allowing it to blow through.

Fitted with hurricane panels, the structure can take the blast of a storm with little impact on the community inside.

Kevin Schopfer, who designed the concept, explained the team had three major points in mind when it came to planning NOAH.

He said: 'The first challenge is to overcome both the physical and psychological damages of recurring severe weather patterns.

'The need to provide a stabilised and safe environment is paramount to a long term recovery and economic well being of New Orleans.

'The second challenge is that New Orleans has too much water.

'The city has been built at and below sea levels which creates consistently high water table and makes it prone to flooding and storm surges.

'The third challenge is that the city is built on soil condition which consists of thousands of feet of soft soil, silt and clay.

And these conditions make building large scale concentrated structures difficult.

'Our solution to overcome these challenges is to take advantage of these seemingly conflicting issues with the introduction of a floating urban platform.

He added: 'This new master plan seeks to create a new community of 40,000 residents housed in an iconic and visionary structure.

'In addition to the residential units, this parish would also house a school system, commercial, retail, hotels, casinos, parking, and public works facilities.'

The super city is designed to float in a fixed position, within a water-filled basin measuring 1,200ft across and 250ft deep.

This would be partially carved out of existing land on the banks of the Mississippi and extend out on to the river.

Although based on New Orleans, the design team believes their structure could be used in any coastal urban area.

Mr Schopfer added: 'This is a project of tremendous potential which pushes beyond current expectations for New Orleans.

'It is at the forefront of the new age of urban growth possibilities.'

Aftermath: The devastated downtown area of New Orleans eights days after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf of Mexico in August 2005

Bionic man: Soldier who lost arm in grenade attack becomes first Brit to use pioneering prosthetic technology

2011-02-21T08:28:00.000-08:00

* Corporal uses pectoral and back muscles to work new arm

A soldier who lost his right arm in a grenade attack has been fitted with a bionic limb - and he is getting to grips with it fast.

Corporal Andrew Garthwaite, believed to be the first of the British military amputees to be fitted with the pioneering prosthetic, lost the limb in September in a rocket-propelled grenade attack while serving in Afghanistan.

The attack killed another soldier but Garthwaite, 23, of the Queen's Royal Lancers, was lucky by comparison.

Slow and steady: The soldier is getting to grips with the pioneering limb. 'It's great,' says Garthwaite

Careful: Garthwaite is so adept with his new arm, which he controls by flexing his back and pectoral muscles, that he can pour water into a cup without spilling any.Pioneering: Corporal Andrew Garthwaite lost his right arm after a grenade attack in September while he was serving in Afghanistan

And now he has two working arms against after being fitted at the Queen Elizabeth and Selly Oak Hospitals in Birmingham with the new arm which he controls by using muscles in his chest and back.

He told the British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS): 'When I first got hit and was in the new Queen Elizabeth Hospital I was thinking, 'Oh God this is it, I can't ride my bike again."

'I was thinking of everything I couldn't do. But then the prosthetist came from Headley Court to measure me for a new arm.

'He said: "We've got this new arm which will work for you and in the future there's an operation called Target Nerve Reinnervation you will be able to receive - it won't be as good as a normal arm but it will be the next best thing."

That put a bit of light in my face. Now, since I've got the first stage of it I'm a lot happier.

'It's great - I mean I'm gutted I lost my arm but I'm just thankful there's something out there.'

Corporal Garthwaite uses his pectoral muscles to pick something up and his back muscles to put it down again.

He said he has had to learn to be careful when he exerts pressure with his bionic hand, which can easily smash an egg or be painful for anyone he shakes hands with.

A Ministry of Defence spokeswoman said: 'We are committed to achieving the best in medical services and innovation for our personnel.

'All military patients receive the best care and prosthetics that are currently available and suitable for their rehabilitation.'

If Corporal Garthwaite's new arm proves successful other troops who suffer amputations could be fitted with similar prosthetics.

Video Preparation for Bikini Scene

2011-02-21T08:17:00.000-08:00

15 Funny Homer Simpon Motivational Posters

2011-02-21T08:16:00.000-08:00

I simply love the Simpsons! And you will love these 15 motivational posters by non other than Homer Simpson himself! Funny :D

The amazing 2,000ft natural 'firefall' that brightens up Yosemite National ParkThe amazing 2,000ft natural 'firefall' that brightens up Yosemite National Park

2011-02-21T08:09:00.000-08:00

You would be forgiven for thinking these incredible images show lava cascading down the side of a volcano.

Instead, they show a 'firefall', one of nature's rarest phenomena.

Due to a trick of the light, the orange liquid in the photos is actually water pouring over the side of the 2,000ft-high Horsetail Falls in Yosemite National Park, California.

For only a few days each year - normally around February - the elements are perfect for the last of the day's sun rays to strike the waterfall, creating a magical luminance.

The national park, which spans over 3,000km, attracts over 3.5million visitors a year - and this is one of the highlights.

At about 5.30pm local time, when the sun begins to set, the shadows lengthen, and the rays hit the top of the rock face, a miraculous transformation takes place.

For only a few days each year - normally around February - the elements are perfect for the last of the day's sun rays to strike the waterfall

Unique natural phenomenon: For a few days each year a 'firefall' takes place over the 2,000ft-high Horsetail Falls in California's Yosemite National Park

It is then that the beautiful natural illumination is created.

Josh Anon, from San Francisco, managed to be in the right place at the perfect time during a particularly clear sunset.

He took these inspirational photographs upwards from the valley floor.

The 28-year-old said: 'If there's enough water and if the sky's clear enough to get a sunset, the setting sun will be at an angle to the falls and this causes it to glow.

'It's rare to get such great conditions - a lot of water and decent sky.

'It's pretty wild to see because, at first, you can barely make out the waterfall. As the sun starts to set, it glows yellow a bit and then, all of a sudden, it lights up and looks like lava.

'A lot of people ask me if it really is lava pouring from the top of the rock face. Some even ask if it's fake but I assure you it's water and it is completely real.'

The Horsetail Falls, a waterfall in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, is found to the west of Lake Tahoe in the Desolation Wilderness of El Dorado County.

Ovre 2,000ft high in all, its water falls in stages for nearly 500ft and can be reached by hiking north out of the Twin Bridges trailhead on U.S. Route 50.

Ironically Horsetail Falls was a real firefall in the 1870s when a hotel proprietor began a night time show for visitors by pushing bark embers over the nearby Glacier Point Cliff, creating a waterfall of fire and sparks.

Footage of the famous firefall was used in the 1950s film The Caine Mutiny, before the park banned the man-made attraction in 1968.

Biggest ever solar storm could cause power cuts which last for MONTHS

2011-02-21T08:03:00.000-08:00

* Earth is overdue a solar storm as the sun enters its most active period

The world is overdue a ferocious 'space storm' that could knock out communications satellites, ground aircraft and trigger blackouts - causing hundreds of billions of pounds of damage, scientists say.

Astronomers today warned that mankind is now more vulnerable to a major solar storm than at any time in history - and that the planet should prepare for a global Katrina-style disaster.

A massive eruption of the sun would save waves of radiation and charged particles to Earth, damaging the satellite systems used for synchronising computers, airline navigation and phone networks.

Communications satellites would be knocked out by a solar storm, causing widespread chaos on Earth and hundreds of billions of pounds of damage

Imminent: The world got a taster of the sun's explosive power last week with the strongest solar eruption in five years (white flash, centre) sent a torrent of charged plasma hurtling towards the world. Scientists believe we are overdue a ferocious solar storm

If the storm is powerful enough it could even crash stock markets and cause power cuts that last weeks or months, experts told the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

The chances of a disruption from space are getting stronger because the sun is entering the most active period of its 11 to 12-year natural cycle.

The world got a taster of the sun's explosive power last week when the strongest solar eruption in five years sent a torrent of charged plasma hurtling towards the world at 580 miles per second.

The storm created spectacular aurorae and disrupted radio communications.

Professor Sir John Beddington, the government's chief scientific adviser, said: 'The issue of space weather has got to be taken seriously. We've had a relatively quiet period of space weather - but we can't expect that quiet period to continue.

'At the same time over that period the potential vulnerability of our systems has increased dramatically, whether it is the smart grid in our electricity systems or the ubiquitous use of GPS in just about everything we use these days.

'The situation has changed. We need to be thinking about the ability both to categorise and explain and give early warning when particular types of space weather are likely to occur.'

Solar storms are caused by massive explosions on the sun.

The explosions release waves of X-rays and ultraviolet radiation which smash into the Earth within minutes, disrupting radio signals and damaging the electronics of satellites.

They are followed ten to 20 minutes later by a burst of energetic particles which cause even more havoc with satellites - and then 15 to 30 hours later by supercharged plasma which collides with Earth's magnetic field.

The plasma create the aurora - or Northern Lights - and can induce electrical currents in power lines and cables.

Jane Lubchenco, head of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said: 'This is not a matter of if, it is simply a matter of when and how big.

'The last time we had a maximum in the solar cycle, about 10 years ago, the world was a very different place. Cell phones are now ubiquitous; they were certainly around but we didn't rely on them for so many different things.

'Many things that we take for granted today are so much more prone to the process of space weather than was the case in the last solar maximum.'

The sun goes through a regular activity cycle about 11 years long on average. The last solar maximum occurred in 2001. Its latest minimum was particularly weak and long lasting.

Space storms are not new. The first major solar flare was recorded by British astronomer Richard Carrington in 1859.

Other solar geomagnetic storms have been observed in recent decades. One huge solar flare in 1972 cut off long-distance telephone communication in the mid-western state of Illinois, Nasa said.

Another similar flare in 1989 'provoked geomagnetic storms that disrupted electric power transmission' and caused blackouts across the Canadian province of Quebec, the U.S. space agency said.

Threat: Rio de Janeiro during a blackout in 2009. A solar storm could cause global power cuts for months, scientists have warned

HP unveils the TouchPad as battle to become a worthy iPad rival heats up

2011-02-14T08:45:00.000-08:00

15 Hilarious Church Signs

2011-02-14T08:42:00.000-08:00

The 10 Funniest Super Bowl Commercials

2011-02-14T08:27:00.000-08:00

The clever cubes tiny enough to hold in your hand that could create a cell phone network that actually WORKS

2011-02-14T08:19:00.000-08:00

Ugly mobile phone masts which blight the landscape could soon disappear forever, replaced by tiny cubes which you can hold in your hand.

The pioneering technology could also create a seamless wireless network and eliminate internet 'black spots'.

Designers at Bell Labs, New Jersey have developed a tiny antenna which transmits signals without the need for huge unsightly towers.

A thing of the past? Unsightly mobile phone masts could be replaced by tiny cubes to create smaller networks

Hand-held revolution: Wim Sweldens, president of Alcatel-Lucent's wireless division, demonstrates the lightRadio cube, a tiny mobile phone antenna which could replace unsightly masts

The 'lightRadio cube' is the size of a Rubik's cube - vastly smaller than the ironing-board-sized antennas found on mobile phone masts.

These tiny devices could be attached to lampposts, buildings or telephone poles as single cubes or in clusters, connected to the mobile phone network with optical fibres.

The lightRadio cube, developed by French-U.S. communications giant Alcatel-Lucent at Bell Labs in New Jersey, is to go on show at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona from Monday.

Wim Sweldens, president of the firm's wireless division, said: 'We see more and more towers that become bigger and bigger, with more and bigger antennas that come to obstruct our view and clutter our landscape and are simply ugly.

'What we have realised is that we, as one of the major mobile equipment vendors, are partially if not mostly to blame for this.'

He said the new 'small-cell' technology could make mobile phone masts 'go away'.

The firm will begin trials of the cube with mobile phone firms in September. It hopes to make it commercially available next year.

Bell Labs developed some of the industry's most important innovations, including the touch-tone telephone, the laser - and even the very concept of a cellular network.

Their latest invention could revolutionise the wireless industry, increasing data speeds and reducing the number of 'black spots' with poor wireless signal.

Rather than connecting all phones within a mile or two to the same mast, mobile phone companies could instead divide traffic between several smaller cells.

This would allow for a far greater capacity for calls and data - crucial at a time when smartphone users are saturating the network with data requests.

AT&T has already started creating a network of outdoor Wi-Fi hotspots in New York to cope with the number of iPhone users who are using the mobile network to access the internet.

Rasmus Hellberg, of San Diego-based wireless firm Qualcomm, said the small-cell technology could increase a network's capacity tenfold.

The firm will also be at the Barcelona event - the biggest mobile phone trade show in the world - to demonstrate how 'heterogeneous networks', which combine large and small cells, can work.

But manufacturers need to work out how to reduce radio interference between the two cells before these new networks can become a reality.

The prosthetic arm that amputees control with their MIND

2011-02-14T08:16:00.000-08:00

Most modern prosthetic limbs can be considered high tech.

But Jesse Sullivan has a particularly clever prosthetic arm - it doesn't work using a motor, but is controlled by his mind.

Scientists have found a way to make the thought controlled limb by connecting the nerves from Mr Sullivan's stump to muscles in his chest.

It also gives him a wider range of movements than previously possible.

Breakthough: Wires are connected from the bionic arm to muscles in the chest

Advanced: The new technology has enabled patients to have wider movement then previously possible

Research: Scientists based their work on the principle that nerves remain healthy for some time after amputation

When he thinks about moving his chest muscles, the signals are picked up by the nerves that were previously connected to the arm and interpreted by a computer which relays the information to the prosthesis.

Mr Sullivan was the first to undergo the surgery eight years ago and continues to carry out tests for research.

The new limb was based on research that found nerves in a stump, following an amputation, remain healthy for a short time.

Scientists at Northwestern University, in the U.S., are now looking at how different patterns of brain activity can be used to control prosthetic limbs.

Nate Bunderson who presented the research to the Society of Neuroscience conference in San Diego in November, said: 'If you transfer the nerves [from the stump] to healthy muscles, then you can amplify the brain signals used to control the arm.

'We can use those signals to control the device.'

The team has fine-tuned the system that interprets the brain signals, giving the patients control over a wider range of movements.

Whereas most amputees lose control of the nerves over time, because they are no longer being used to control muscles, Mr Sullivan's signals appear to become stronger.

Mr Bunderson said this effect could be due to the brain getting used to the re-wired pathways.

'Instead of having muscles interpret the neural command, we now have a computer trying to interpret the neural command and the brain has to adjust to that.'

The pioneering technology is hoped to be given to a larger number of patients.

12 Crazy Old Ads

2011-02-14T08:09:00.000-08:00

Soft car bonnet that folds inwards on impact could save thousands of lives

2011-02-14T08:05:00.000-08:00

* Pioneering design reduces head trauma 'by 60 per cent'

A 'soft' car bonnet which folds inwards on impact could save thousands of lives every year on Britain's roads, it was claimed today.

Scientists are developing an 'aluminium mechanical energy absorber' within a sheet of metal which collapses inwards.

The new technology is expected to substantially reduce the number of cyclists and pedestrians killed or seriously injured in road collisions.

A major car manufacturer is already said to be keen on adopting the technology in their vehicles.

The 'pedestrian friendly bonnet' is being developed by scientists at impact absorption specialists Cellbond in collaboration with colleagues at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge.

Professor Hassan Shirvani, of Anglia Ruskin University, said the pioneering design could reduce head trauma by 60 per cent for those hit by cars.

'During an impact the pedestrian exerts a dynamic force on the car bonnet,' he said.

'If the kinetic energy of the impact is not absorbed the bonnet will exert equal amount of the force that impacts it, causing injury.

'This Cellbond design reduced the "head impact criteria" by 50 to 60 per cent, hence the energy is absorbed in the collapsing structure.'

'The idea is to have every new car fitted with these bonnets,' he added.

'We have got a major and very prestigious car manufacturer that is very interested but I cannot name them.'

A spokesman for the Cambridge Cycling Campaign said: 'Anything that reduces the injury caused to vulnerable road users is a good thing.

'But it seems likely this would be an expensive method, and there are many tried and tested ways of reducing injury that could be introduced first.

'Reducing speeds on residential and shopping streets from 30mph to 20mph is a far easier way - and less costly - to more than halve the kinetic energy of such impacts.'

Pedestrians and cyclists account for 20 per cent of all traffic fatalities in Europe.

World's Oddest Mothers

2011-02-14T08:02:00.000-08:00

Mother of Most Surviving Children From a Single Birth (8 babies)

Known as the "Octomom" by the media, Nadya Denise Doud-Suleman Gutierrez came to international attention after she gave birth to octuplets in January 2009. Her set of octuplets are only the second to be born alive in the US and they quickly surpassed the previous worldwide survival rate for a complete set of octuplets set by the Chukwu octuplets in 1998. Suleman, an unemployed single mother, already had other six young children at home at the time, and along with the octuplets, they were all conceived via in-vitro fertilization, which has led to a lot of controversy

World's Youngest Mother (5 years old)

Meet Lina Medina: she's the youngest confirmed mother in medical history, giving birth at the age of five years, seven months and 21 days. Born in Ticrapo, Peru, Medina was brought to a hospital by her parents at the age of five years due to increasing abdominal size. She was originally thought to have had a tumor, but her doctors determined she was in her seventh month of pregnancy. Dr. Gerardo Lozada took her to Lima, Peru, prior to the surgery to have other specialists confirm that Medina was pregnant.

World's Oldest First Time Mother (70 years old)

After waiting more than 40 years for her first child, indian Rajo Devi Lohan gave birth in November 2008, at the age of 70. She plans to breastfeed her for at least three years... and, who knows, maybe she will.

The Mother With the Most Births (69 kids)

According to the Guinness Book of Records, history's most prolific mother was a peasant from Shuya, Russia, known only as "the wife of Feodor Vassilyev", who gave birth to no less than 69 children in the 18th century, from 27 pregnancies

World's First Male Mother

The first "man" to become a mother, Thomas Beatie was born a woman. She had a surgery and hormone treatment ten years ago and it's now living as a man in Oregon. The 34-year-old's wife, Nancy, was unable to conceive because of a prior hysterectomy, so Beatie decided to had a baby himself, through artificial insemination using donor sperm and Beatie's own egg.

World's Oldest Mother of Twins (70 years old)

Absolutely determined to have a son, 70-year-old Omkari Panwar became the oldest mother of twins. Along with her her husband Charan Singh Panwar, 77, they paid for IVF treatment --vital to producing a male heir to the family's smallholdings-- after selling their buffalos, mortgaging their land, spending their life savings and taking out a credit card loan. The Panwars already had two adult daughters, and five grandchildren, but they just wanted a son... and got two

World's Most Prolific Surrogate Mother (12 babies)

Surrogate mother Carole Horlock, 42, has delivered 12 babies in 13 years - including triplets, setting the world record for the most prolific surrogate mother. She told the ABC News program "20/20." : "When I first started being a surrogate I expected to do it once," she said. "I hadn't looked past that. But I enjoyed it so much. Before I actually had given birth to the baby I wanted to do it again." Surrogates receive an average $25,000 to $30,000 for their services, "20/20" said. The downsides include in-vitro fertilization, morning sickness, bed rest, Caesarean sections and stretch marks.

Horlock will make no demands on the parents of the triplets beyond requesting an annual letter and photograph to let her know how they are doing. But her surrogacy experiences have not all been positive. Her father rarely speaks to her, distressed that she is effectively giving away his grandchildren

World's Smallest Mother (2ft 4in)

The world's smallest mother is about to give birth for the third time - despite warnings she is risking her life.

Stacey Herald, who is just 2ft 4in tall, was told that becoming pregnant could kill her, but bravely defied doctors to have two babies half her height. The 35-year-old from Dry Ridge, Kentucky in the U.S. suffers from Osteogenesis Imperfecta, which causes brittle bones and underdeveloped lungs, and means she failed to grow. Mrs Herald, who uses a wheelchair, and her husband Will, who is 5ft 9in, are eagerly awaiting the birth of their third baby, due in the next four weeks.

Currently as wide as she is tall, she cannot hold her daughter because her belly gets in the way, and has to rely on her husband to do most things around the house. She admits being pregnant is ‘uncomfortable' and leaves her bedridden for weeks on end. By the time the new addition, a boy, is one, he will already tower over his mother. But despite all the obstacles, the mother and father, a trainee priest, say they want even more children. The couple met in 2000 while working for a supermarket in their home town.

Note: the photo pictured above features Cristianne Ray, world's second smallest mother. Ray stands at 2 feet 9 inches tall and gave birth to a healthy baby named Kyrsten Bowden. (Thanks, Megan)

Mother of the World's Tiniest Baby

Mahajabeen Sheikh gave birth to Rumaisa Rahman on September 19 2004 at Loyola University Medical Center. The baby weighed just 8.6 oz and was only 10 inches long and replaced Madeline Mann, born in 1989, as the world's smallest baby. At 1.3 ounces smaller than Madeline Mann, Rumaisa Rahman weighed less than a can of beer. She was born just 25 weeks and six days into her mother's pregnancy.

She had a twin, Hiba, who weighed 1 pound 4 ounces at birth. Rumaisa, who lives with her parents and twin sister, Hiba, in Hanover Park, weighed only 8.6 ounces at her birth but now weighs a healthy 15 pounds, said officials at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood. (Link 1 | Link 2 | Link 3)

Mother With the Longest Interval Between Kids (41 years)

Elizabeth Ann Buttle had two kids, Belinda and Joseph, which is nothing special in itself. Belinda Buttle was born on May 19, 1956 when Elizabeth Ann Buttle was 19. The amazing part is the interval between the birth of Belinda and Joseph, it is the longest interval between births ever.

Joseph Buttle was born on November 20, 1997 when Elizabeth Ann Buttle was 60, an interval of 41 years 185 days. If you're familiar with the song 'I am my own grandpa!', well, Joseph's sister was old enough to be his own grandma!