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3, 2, 1 Fly! Extreme Thrills, Chills & Badass BASE Jumps

Angie — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 17:00:25 +0000

Some people are simply extreme. There is a special brand of thrillseekers who take in views of nature at deadly high speeds, becoming truly free. They share that sweet rush with us, filming as they fly, bringing us intense videos of enjoying nature and their controlled fall. We look at BASE jumping from breathtaking natural formations, wingsuit flying, speed flying, and ski-BASE jumping. These extreme sportsmen awaken their senses and live life to the fullest!

We’ve covered rugged hikes, caving, and rock climbing, so please keep an open mind for these extreme adventures. We’re not endorsing these sports, but if you “catch” it, too, and take it up, please have fun! Be safe. Thank you kindly.

3, 2, 1, Fly!

(image credits: ggpht,ggpht,ggpht,ggpht,ggpht)

B.A.S.E. stand for the categories of fixed objects from which one can jump: buildings, antennas, spans (bridges), and earth. We focus on earth, majestic cliffs and, later, gorgeous snowy mountaintops. The scenery is stunning. For the adrenaline junkies, it forever imprints memories of both the adventure and the amazing natural views. That first jump, sometimes more, is a real head game. Your rational mind will not want you to step off the safety of the ledge and into thin air. But it’s super addicting as well. Yes, BASE jumping is one of the world’s more dangerous recreational activities. It is also a sport where the participants leave nothing to chance, requiring skill, planning every detail with good margins, and executing the jump in the right conditions.

Kjerag Kickoff Weekend 2009 – Wingsuit BASE jumping

When a philosophical blogger stated, “To risk your life for the sake of pleasure is something I cannot understand,” BASE jumper extraordinaire Halvor Angvik wrote a reply. “Every person has to take calculated risks at some points in life to get or do something they really want, something that makes life worth living. It does not have to be physical consequences; it might be an economical compromise, related to someone you love or other things you really value in life. Some risks might be bigger than others, but once you’ve found out what you really want to do in life I bet you would think it’s worth taking some risks for. What’s left of life if you won’t risk doing what you really want to do? Are you truly living then? I would not be.”

The video is some of Halvor Angvik’s jumps from the season kickoff in Kjerag, Norway, including exits 4, 5, 8 and Smellveggen. (For a rush, it’s best viewed full screen, baby!)

Wingsuit BASE Jumping

Some BASE jumpers must have truly dreamed of flying since they were young, since they wear a wingsuit which enables the human body to fly through the air. There’s a fine line between the extreme sports of BASE jumping and wingsuit flying; BASE jumpers often later wear a wingsuit. Proximity flying in a wingsuit can carry the flier so he or she can trace the contour of the wall. Wingsuit-only landings are not possible, not yet.

In the video, Loic Jean Albert, a well known BASE jumper said: “At the beginning of wingsuit BASE jumping, we try to fly as far away from the wall as possible. Now it’s getting boring, so we play around.”

(image credits: anadaopegao,anadaopegao)

Again quoting Halvor Angvik, “The most dangerous thing you can do with a wingsuit is to fly close proximity OVER the terrain. That requires a lot more planning and skills. You need to know that the angle of the terrain is well within your glide ratio limits and you need to know which parts of the flight you are in the clear to break off or pull, and where you have dedicated yourself to a line you will have to finish.”

BASE Jumping is BIG & Legal in Many Places

Although many countries allow BASE jumping, some would just as gladly arrest you. Other places require permission from both the area where you intend to land as well as from where you intend to jump. It’s legal though at Kjerag Mountain in Lysefjord, Norway. BASE jumpers are actually welcome! If the extravagant beauty of the cliffs, canyons, waterfalls, and spectacular fjords don’t take your breath away, perhaps that first step into thin air will?

(image credits: wetasschronicles,Angel Falls B.A.S.E. 09,seekextreme,nrksport,thegoat.backcountry,lysegard,ggpht)

New Zealand and Switzerland are also highly recommended areas, but there are many great places to BASE jump. These jumpers are not insane, they love life! They take calculated risks, but their love for nature is as extreme as their adventures. Do you see the treasure to be had in these stunning natural surroundings?

(image credits: wayfaring,getwonder)

Although he is far from the only wonderfully talented BASE-jumping flier, Halvor Angvik stated all of this quite eloquently, “When it comes to jumping mountains, you get to travel and experience untouched nature and places you would never go to if it had not been for the jumping, and you meet a lot of people with the same interests on the way. The feeling of freedom I get from hiking and climbing around in the mountain, out of reach of cell coverage and civilization, knowing that I am going to fly off a mountain when I get to the top, gives me an inner peace unmatched by anything else.”

BASE jumping in Lauterbrunnen 2009

1, 2, 3 and then we go. Yes. 3, 2, 1 go!

This is an excellent video, from Angvik’s youtube channel, showcasing 10 days of jumping in the area of Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland. From Angvik’s reply to Healing Philosophy, “These facts probably won’t change your mind about base jumping being a very high-risk activity, and it shouldn’t. It is a high-risk activity because any single mistake – whether it’s misjudgment of wind and weather, your skills for a specific object, or simply a mistake during flight or deployment, or equipment maintenance and packing – will most likely kill you. It might however help you to understand that I don’t do this for the risk itself, and the kick I get from handing my life over to faith and see how I manage. Every jump is planned to every last detail, and with good margins. I never doubt that my packing or rigging is good, because I will check it again until I am 110% sure it’s good, and I never fly off a mountain unless I am sure I can make the flight. It still doesn’t make it safe, but maybe it makes you see that it’s not that irresponsible either.”

Speed Flying & Speed Riding

(image credits: freerepublic,neatorama,,Daily Mail,skinet)

Speedflying evolved from speedriding, flying fast downhill on skis. It infuses off-piste skiing with paragliding, creating more niche extreme sports. If being out in nature helps you to find balance, and you can ski competently, then perhaps you would like to ski a little and basically glide or fly down the mountain? And if you run off the edge of the mountain? No problem, just fly down and land in the snow.

Speedriding, Speedflying and Wingsuit-Flying

If you have never really heard much about speedflying, then this video may help you. This combines speedriding, speedflying and wingsuit-flying in the area of Wengen, Switzerland. The person with the camera is Halvor Angvik with his co-pilot is Jokke Sommer. If you follow BASE jumping much at all, then you might recognize Jokke from when he was wearing and testing out his Vampire 3 wingsuit.

Shane McConkey – Ski & BASE Jump

Shane McConkey was a professional skier who, among many things, was famous for skiing into a double back-flip BASE jump off Eiger, a 13,025 foot mountain in the Bernese Alps of Switzerland. On March 26th, 2009, while ski-BASE jumping in Italy, one ski did not come off. This sent him into a spin at terminal velocity. The ski community suffered a great loss that day. (See tribute video)

Extreme BASE Jumping with Smoke

(image credits: NRKekstremsport)

Halvor Angvik stated, “Why do I jump? It is not because I’m fearless or braver than anyone else. I think I am as scared as any person and I certainly think a lot about the consequences of my actions. Neither is it for the adrenaline rush exclusively, though it is a good side effect. : )”

World BASE Race 2009

One last thing for your consideration, the World BASE Race 2010. Are you hooked yet? Want to try it or at least watch in person? There are many lovely locations where it is legal to BASE jump or speedfly. The only stupid extreme sport adventures are those undertaken without proper skills first being acquired and mastered. If you qualify, maybe we’ll see you in the World BASE Race 2010?

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Bob Basset Creations: A Mix of Steampunk, Masks, and BDSM

Marc — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 18:00:55 +0000

Bob Basset is an artist whose creations are as fantastical as he is; Bob Basset doesn’t really exist, he’s a virtual stand-in for the four talented Ukrainian leatherworkers who produce the unique creations under his name. The group is made up of Oleg and Sergey Petrov, Andrei Patlin and Andrey Makaruk, and has become an underground success selling to a niche group of steampunk fans, BDSM participants, and those who simply appreciate fine leatherwork and one of a kind items. Here’s a tour through some of Bob Basset’s most intriguing and famous works:

(Images via bobbasset)

One of Bob Basset’s newest creations, this steampunk toy takes the form of a dirigible meant for battle. Much like the giant airships that grace almost any story or film in the steampunk genre, this production has the clockwork elements and old fashioned aesthetic that marks it as a steampunk creation. Ships like this were the Victorian dream: beautiful in form and function, and powered by steam, the production of such ships would be incredibly green relative to the soot spewing machinery of the day.

(Image via bobbasset)

A closer look reveals the level of detail placed into each of Bob Basset’s works, as a small steampunk soldier is visible in front of a wall of machinery. This dirigible is even more interesting because it strays far from Bob Basset’s more common creations: masks.

(Images via steampunkpics, xtreamer, boingboing)

The upsurgence of interest in steampunk in recent years has been reflected by Bob Basset’s output, as they begin to concentrate increasingly on oddball masks that showcase the leather and metal aesthetic of the genre. One can’t help imagine these masks being used for survival after an ecological (and apocalyptic) disaster. Their fine craftsmanship almost makes one wish for an excuse to use them… almost.

(Images via hemmy, odditycentral)

Nature’s most famous fictional creature is undoubtedly the dragon; a creature revered by many cultures as the ideal mix of grace, wisdom, and danger. Bob Basset gives one the opportunity to explore the possibilities of a fictional past in which dragons could be carried around as pets. Each of these visually compelling dragons is a fully functioning bag.

(Image via coolthings)

Taking a closer look reveals dragon wings that look leathery and realistic. Each piece is a testament to the skill of Bob Basset’s leatherworking. They use traditional methods to come up with the most untraditional creations. They also often use resin, metal, and wood to add variety to their designs.

(Images via legox, affigold)

While the steampunk mask designs are interesting in that they hearken back to the Victorian era, many of Bob Basset’s masks are darker and appear to be from a future of ecological collapse. These post apocalyptic designs are a mix of BDSM and road warrior.

(Images via bobbasset)

One of H.P. Lovecraft’s most legendary fictional creations, Cthulhu is an amalgamation of all that is evil. Bob Basset has many models of this creature’s face, but this is by far the most detailed. One can’t help wondering if we’ll look something like this in a hundred generations, considering the amount of harmful toxins that are polluting our air and oceans.

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Cycle Crazy: 16 Strange & Amazing Bicycle Concepts

Steph — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 18:00:45 +0000

Invented in the 19th century, the bicycle hasn’t changed much since then, and it’s sorely in need of a 21st century makeover. Luckily, there are plenty of designers eager to jump in and do just that, with amazing concepts that fold into compact portable packages, harness solar energy, store kinetic pedal power and even allow amphibious travel. Some are ready for the assembly line while others will never be more than an idea, but all 16 of these designs are quite a departure from the ordinary.

Laptop-Charging Bike Concept

(image via: gizmodo)

It’s probably the boxiest and least aerodynamic bicycle concept yet, but the most interesting part of Yuji Fujimura’s strange design has nothing to do with looks. This electric bicycle has a docking station for your laptop, charged by the bike’s battery as you ride. Sure, it’s probably uncomfortable and you’d be knocked down in no time flat by the slightest gust of wind, but you’d never run out of juice.

Incredible Folding Backback Bicycle

(image via: bergmoench)

The backcountry provides some of the most breathtaking, adventurous settings for mountain biking – but the journey to get there sometimes takes enthusiasts over terrain that has to be negotiated on foot, and most bicycles aren’t easy to carry. The Bergmönch folding backpack bicycle eliminates that problem. Not only is it small and lightweight, it folds perfectly onto itself in less than two minutes in a convenient configuration.

Solar Powered Electric Bike

(image via: the design blog)

While cyclists on traditional rides huff and puff up hills, Cycle Sol owners can glide up effortlessly using solar power instead of muscle power. Designed by Miroslav Miljevic, this electric bicycle has a roof that both protects the rider from the sun and rain and collects solar energy. It’s made for people who don’t feel up to the physical demands of cycling, but still want to get the rest of the benefits.

Collapsible Bike Concept

(image via: tuvie)

Portability is key when it comes to the bikes of the future, and concept designers are finding incredibly creative ways to make bikes light and collapsible. This design by Blair Hasty not only breaks down into a small package, but also provides storage space in the form of a bag positioned between the wheels. Hasty also set out to improve rider posturing, saying “I resolved these issues by moving the position of the pedals behind the rider and moving some of the pressure of their body weight onto the front of the hip bones, using a broad front section of the seat and onto their forearms with supports protruding from the handles.”

BMW Concept Bikes

(image via: millionface.com)

It comes as no surprise that some of the coolest-looking bicycle concepts were designed by automaker BMW. It’s not clear exactly what these concepts were created for, but with their colorful motorbike-esque shapes and proportions, they do provide some inspiration for bringing bicycle design firmly into the 21st century.

Bizarre Di-Cycle

(image via: dvice)

Designed to carry the rider over both land and water, this strange bicycle concept was designed especially for the city of Helmond in the Netherlands, which has as many canals as it does roads. Created by GBO Design, the Di-Cycle is far bulkier than traditional bicycles – which would seem to limit its application – but does offer an intriguing solution to amphibious travel.

ThisWay: All-Weather Bicycle Design

(image via: dezeen)

One of the most common reasons people give for not riding a bicycle more often is that they don’t want to get wet. All-weather bicycle concepts aren’t entirely new, but they’ve always been rather clunky and unrealistic – until now. ‘ThisWay’, a covered bicycle concept by Swedish designer Torkel Dohmers, features a transparent roof that can protect against precipitation. It’s a cool idea, but critics point out that the lack of fenders means water from the road will splash up onto the rider.

Locust Flexible Folding Bicycle

(image via: coroflot)

With its large circular frame, the Locust folds in a way that most other portable, collapsible bikes don’t. Designer Josef Cardek told Ride This Bike, “The idea behind the Locust was developed in a very analytical way: I asked myself what parts of a normal bike can never fold? Wheels, of course. So everything else must be subordinated to wheels…and from this idea it was clear to me what shape the bike will have. Also, one of my core objectives was to keep ‘classic conservative geometry’, using the biggest wheels possible to achieve the easy handling and feel of a normal bike.”

Grasshopper: Folding Electric Bike

(image via: inhabitat)

Naturally, some intrepid designers have taken folding bicycles to the next level by making them electric. But none have gone quite so far as David Gonçalves, whose Grasshopper design not only gets you to and fro, but can also become a stationary exercise bike and even generates and stores the energy you produce when pedaling.

Wind-Powered Racing Bicycle

(image via: wee.ato-nh.nl)

Unwieldy? No doubt. But creating this monster of a wind-powered, multi-seater bicycle (tricycle, actually) was a dream of Gustav Winkler’s since he was a boy, and he’s thrilled with the results, even if the creation doesn’t offer much in the way of protection for the rider.

Minimalist Theft-Proof Computer-Aided Bicycle

(image via: The Daily Mail)

With spokeless wheels designed to eliminate wind drag, tires that can’t be punctured, no visible chain and a minimalist frame, this bicycle is a definite departure from old school designs. The brainchild of Olympic cyclist Chris Boardman, the bike has a solar-powered battery that assists the rider up hills and even has a fingerprint-reading device that only allows the owner to ride it. A tiny computer on the handlebars calculates the number of calories burned based on the number of times the pedals rotate. This is definitely a bike of the future: Boardman estimates that it won’t be available for at least two decades.

Adjustable, Eco-Friendly Versabikes

(image via: the design blog)

The Versabike seems to be employing some biomimicry, with a shape that calls to mind a human body. Designed to adapt to a range of different user heights, this bicycle concept adjusts using the same mechanics that we do, bending at the ‘knees’ to bring the seat and pedals closer to the ground. As a result, it can be shared by a couple or grow with a child.

Webcycle: Internet Exercise Bike

(image via: tom scott)

This bicycle isn’t going to get you from point A to point B, but it will help you get fit. Internet addicts who find themselves out of shape because they like to sit in front of the computer all day could use the WebCycle to pedal their way to fitness and browse the web at the same time – with a small catch. If you pedal slowly, the bike and accompanying computer program restrict your bandwidth, so you’re effectively punished or rewarded depending on how hard you work.

Nulla: Ultramodern Spokeless Bike

(image via: tuvie)

Nulla means “nothing” in Italian, and though this bicycle is closer to “nothing” than most, it’s still a whole lot of something. Like the minimalist theft-proof bicycle by Chris Boardman, the Nulla has no hubs or chain drive for perhaps the sleekest, most futuristic look yet.

Honda U3-X: If Unicycles and Segways Mated

(images via: Daily Mail and Engadget)

Okay, so this isn’t a bicycle, it’s a unicycle – and the concept is totally contrary to the essence of a bicycle, which requires some kind of effort on behalf of the rider in order to move. The Honda U3-X is like a Segway for even lazier people, allowing users to control it simply by leaning their bodies slightly. About the size of a retro boombox, the U3-X is battery powered and goes only 4mph. But considering that it’s the world’s smallest mobility device, it could possibly inspire other concepts that are a bit more useful in the real world.

Suspended Bicycle Lane Concept

(image via: kolelinia)

It’s not a bicycle itself, but rather a new way to ride them: a bike lane in the sky, where cyclists can literally rise above the headaches of car traffic. Architect Martin Angelov envisions the ‘Kolelinia’ as a sort of self-powered monorail for bikes: rails run between buildings and towers in the city, grabbing onto the bikes’ handlebars to keep riders safe on their sky-high trail. Cyclists are kept out of street traffic and can safely go anywhere they need to.

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Attention: Calling All Explorers for a Martian Treasure Hunt!

Angie — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 18:00:21 +0000

Space . . . the final frontier. In the past, we’ve been awed with images from the Hubble. But now mankind can now tweet from outer space. The time has come for us to delve deeper into the unknown. Attention: Calling all explorers for a Martian treasure hunt! No spacesuit is required. The human race can help discover new alien landscapes from the comfort of their computer chairs. Ready, set, click! Mars or bust…

Mars and Phobos

(image credit:TopTechWriter.US)

Once upon a time, this was all the closer we had ever come to Mars. The smaller object is little more than an asteroid, but Phobos is the biggest of Mars’ two moons. Phobos has no atmosphere and very little gravity. President Obama did not give a good review to NASA’s human space exploration policy. With limited funding, neither man nor rockets may be going to the moon, nevertheless Mars, anytime soon. Is Phobos really all the closer mankind will come to Mars in the future?

Rover Spirit About To Bite the Big One

(image credit:NASA/JPL-Caltech)

Red Rover, Red Rover, your mission is nearly over. The above image is from the front hazard-avoidance camera on NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover Spirit, taken on Jan. 23, 2010. It was the 2,154th Martian day of the rover’s mission on Mars. After six years exploring the Red Planet, NASA’s Rover Spirit is no longer a free roaming robot. Rover is reduced to a stationary science platform. Although it is not yet dead, its final resting place will be the sand trap where Rover Spirit is stuck.

So what does that mean for mankind? It means it’s time for us to step up to the plate and investigate Mars ourselves.

Did you snort with disbelief? We can do it with the help of High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment, or HiRISE, and an online tool called HiWish. HiRISE is one of six instruments on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO). And now the public has been invited to propose imaging targets to see your favorite spot on Mars at people-scale resolution. We can pick pixels to view images the size of a desk.

Candidate Landing Site in NE Syrtis Major

(image credits:NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)

Fasten your seatbelts and prepare for landing. This image lies in the middle of a candidate landing site near a huge shield volcano and a giant impact basin. The bedrock could be more than 4 billions years old! This is but one recently released HiRISE image that is suggested as an excellent place to explore early Mars . . . when the environment might have been favorable for life. Men may be from Mars and women may be from Venus, but with the help of HiWish, we can unite to discover new treasures on the Red Planet.

Mars: Then and Now

(image credits:NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona,ESA,NASA,NASA/JPL/University of Arizona,NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)

The top furry looking picture was taken by HiRise and is of the Starburst Spider. Before HiRISE kicked into high gear on Mars in 2006, the Mars Express Orbiter provided the HRSC image on the upper right. It was one of the first good shots of ice in a Martian crater. The image on the middle left was captured by Spirit’s panoramic camera during its 1,892nd Martian day. It is three images combined to show the soft soil exposed when wheels of NASA’s Rover Spirit dug into a patch of ground dubbed “Troy.” At the bottom left is a digital terrain model of Victoria Crater, a possible Opportunity Rover Landing Site. On the right are contortions on the floor of Hellas Basin, a basin often hidden by atmospheric haze and dust. This clear shot shows that materials like ice appear to have flowed in a viscous manner.

Digital Terrain Models

(image credits:NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)

HiRISE DTMs are stereo pairs, made from two images of the same area on the ground, but they are taken from different angles. The three basic stages of creating a DTM are complicated tasks, involving sophisticated software, long computing times and lots of man-hours. Above, from left to right are the following DTMs:1)Layered rock outcrops in southwest Candor Chasma. 2)North Polar Trough with curved exposure. 3)Ring and cone structures, plus dunes and other landforms in Athabasca Valles. 4)Putative salt deposits in Terra Sirenum. 5)Potential new gully with bright deposits. 6)Dissected wall of Mojave Crater. 7)Mars Exploration Rover landing site at Gusev Crater. 8)Eroded scallops with layers.

Colorful Streaks

(image credit:NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)

HiRISE captured these colorful streaks in the central pit of an impact crater, located in the ancient Martian highlands. The HiRISE camera onboard the MRO is the most powerful one of its kind ever sent to another planet. Its extremely high resolution allows us to see Mars like never before, helping other missions choose a safe landing site for future exploration. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the MRO, but the HiRISE camera is operated by the University of Arizona.

Megabreccia in Toro Crater

(image credit:NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)

This false color image covers the western half of Toro Crater’s central peak. This 42 kilometer diameter crater is in Syrtis Major. Colorful patches of megabreccia make Toro Crater a great target for HiRISE. Scientists think that megabreccia may have formed during a period of frequent impact craters in Mars’ early history. HiRISE frequently targets the central peaks of craters because these features tend to bring up rocks like megabreccia that are usually buried under the surface. So far, HiRISE has found megabreccia in more than a hundred places on Mars.

18 Science Themes

(image credits:HiRise)

To join in the hunt, go to the HiWish Public Suggestion Page. Use the online tool HiWish and place your rectangle on the map of Mars where you’d like to look. Anyone, regardless of education, can nominate a target. First identify the location on a map, give an observation title, and then explain the potential scientific benefit of HiRISE photographing the site. Lastly, put the suggestion into one of the camera team’s 18 science themes that can be found above and voilà! Submit your potential Martian treasure. Our suggestions are looked at, science themes are prioritized, observations are validated, and if imaged, then released to the public.

Cool Mars HiRISE Images

(image credits:NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)

Not all of the HiRISE images have spectacular names, but the pictures are astounding. You could help with that and submit your choice, your wish, with HiWish. Without further ado, here are some more cool pictures of Mars. The top left is titled USGS Dune Database Entry (ESP_014426_2070). On the top right is The Dark Spot on Mars. Those blotchy spots at the middle left are of the South Polar Carbon Dioxide Ice Cap. The middle right image is the Sand Dunes and Ripples in Proctor Crater. On the bottom left is Jezero Crater. At the bottom right, Falling Material Kicks Up a Cloud of Dust on Dunes.

More Awesome Martian Landscapes Captured by HiRISE

(image credits:NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)

The top image is of the Mars Endurance Crater. The image in the middle shows dune symmetry inside a Martian crater. The photo on bottom shows dunes again, but these are frost-covered dunes inside a crater.

More From Mars

(image credits:NASA/JPL/University of Arizona,NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)

It is at this time unknown if mankind will ever take an outer space adventure on the scale of moving to and inhabiting Mars. How mind-blowing would it be, however, to live there and to look out over such alien landscapes? That scaly looking image on the top left is of bright layered deposits with clues of acidic water. On the top right is an oblique view of the Victoria Crater. The middle right image gives us a closer look at water-related geologic activity on Mars. The bottom left is a meter-scale morphology of the north polar region of Mars. At the bottom right, that bizarre image has an uninspiring title, USGS Dune Database Entry.

Conspiracy Theory: Man on Mars?

(image credits:NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)

We’ve all heard of crop circles and pyramids designed by aliens, possibly Martians. There are also “ancient landing strips” theoretically created by ancient aliens who once lived on Earth. We’ve also heard of the “man in the moon,” but this USGS Dune Database Entry Number seems to resemble a man’s outline on Mars. Or it is a Martian’s outline? Conspiracy theories will never die, so if you are a conspiracy theorist then you too had better get busy using HiWish to get the view you most wish to see on Mars. Despite the thousands of pictures already taken, less than 1% of the Red Planet’s surface has been imaged. The HiRISE science team will evaluate suggestions and put high-priority ones into a queue. Thousands of pending targets from scientists as well as the public will be imaged.

Earth & Moon As Seen From Mars…Our Future?

(image credit:NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)

This is the view from Mars, looking out at Earth and the moon. Will it someday be the view of some brave souls who moved to the Red Planet? Here’s your Martian treasure map, HiRISE online image viewer, to get started. Take part in HiRISE and HiWish. If your children or grandchildren someday ask, wouldn’t you like to say you answered the call and helped explore Mars?

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Nature of Design: Amazing Art Seen From Above

Steph — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 18:00:28 +0000

Whether you’re looking down from an airplane or virtually soaring in the air using programs like Google Earth, the landscape looks different altogether from a vertical viewpoint. Sometimes eerie faces or figures can be seen in natural formations, and sometimes artists create works from trees, rocks, sand or water specifically hoping to be seen from above. Other artists even take images snapped from the sky and turn it into clever collages.

Area 51 Face

(image via: moillusions.com)

Maybe it’s John Travolta in Battlefield Earth. Maybe it’s just sand. But one thing’s for sure: the fact that this eerily detailed, alien-looking face was found in Area 51 is a mighty strange coincidence. Slanted brows, eyes, nose, a goateed chin and a startlingly large forehead are clear as day in this curious Google Earth find.

Google Earth Alphabet

(image via: BoingBoing)

Graphic designer Rhett Dashwood spent six months exploring landscapes using Google Earth in search of shapes that form letters and punctuation. The result is a full alphabet entirely composed of Google Earth images. A software engineer named Jesse Vig followed suit and created an interactive website called geoGreeting.com that allows users to create custom Google Earth messages.

Man-Shaped Lake, Brazil

(image via: Google Maps)

Located just outside Bauru, Brazil, this artificial man-shaped lake (-21.805149,-49.089977) is definitely an eye-catcher when viewed from above using Google Earth.

Vitruvian Man, Germany

(image via: silvery)

Not all crop art seeks to convince people of an alien presence. This living landscape art found in Munchen, Germany imitates one of Leonardo da Vinci’s most famous works, ‘The Vitruvian Man’. Such large-scale crop art is typically created using pre-planned planting patterns.

Dinosaur Lake, Croatia

(image via: metacafe)

In Zagreb, Croatia (45.78231, 16.024332) there’s a seemingly man-made lake that resembles nothing so much as a gigantic, long-necked dinosaur – tall and all.

Yin-Yang, China

(image via: Google Maps)

Near the Great Wall of China, just outside the city of Changping, there’s a large crop circle shaped like a yin-yang symbol. Well, perhaps not a “crop circle” exactly – it’s more like crop art. In fact, China is one of only two countries where crop circles of the sort that are attributed to extraterrestrials have never been reported.

Nazca Lines Monkey

(image via: famous wonders)

Why did the Nazca people of Peru go through so much trouble 2,000 years ago to create gigantic landscape art that could only be seen from the sky – long before planes were invented? Perhaps we’ll never know, but they’re certainly fascinating. The monkey shown above is just one of hundreds of designs, which also include a hummingbird, trees, hands, spiders and fish.

Dragon Head, Canada

(image via: moillusions.com)

Amid the sunny valley landscape of Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada is this dragon head that looks like it came straight out of a sci-fi movie – complete with nostrils, an eye and a mouth.

Badlands Guardian, Canada

(image via: Google Maps)

The dragon head isn’t the only striking image found in the terrain of Alberta. This bust of a man, wearing what looks like a feather headdress, is known to locals as ‘The Badlands Guardian’. Although it looks like it’s made up of mountains, it’s actually a valley caused by erosion of soft, clay-rich soil by wind and water.

Obama Sand Art, Spain

(image via: moillusions.com)

Spanish artist Jorge Rodrigues Gerada created this 2.5 acre sand portrait of President Obama in 2008. Called ‘Expectations’, the work alluded to the global optimism that followed Obama’s historic election.

‘The Sun as a Face’, Denmark

(image via: Google Sightseeing)

Over a century ago, Danish author Hans Christian Anderson doodled a strange image onto a piece of paper and called it ‘The Sun as a Face’. Little did he know that many years later, his drawing would be turned into an odd man-made forest. The city of Odense, Denmark then went on to plaster the design all over the place in honor of the bicentenary of the author’s birth.

Imaginary Google Earth Landscape

(image via: DrGlass)

Where other artists have created landscape art for Google Earth, Deviant Art user DrGlass actually created an imaginary landscape using visually captivating Google Earth elements. The result looks like an alien city packed with farms, parking lots and interlaced highways to nowhere.

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Hemcrete: Smoking Hot Walls 7 Times Tougher Than Concrete

Delana — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 18:00:40 +0000

The construction trade accounts for a large portion of the world’s CO2 emissions. Even after they’re constructed, buildings continue to emit environment-impacting CO2. The call for greener buildings has been getting louder, and in the face of these demands, UK company LHoist has developed a wall material that’s not only carbon neutral – it’s carbon negative. Long-time greenies won’t be surprised to learn that the miracle material is actually hemp.

Tradical Hemcrete isn’t a high-tech solution to climate change. It’s simple, and it’s effective: it’s a light concrete made of hemp, water, and a lime binder. When the hemp grows, it sequesters carbon inside each plant, which is then effectively trapped there for good. At the same time, the plants release clean oxygen into the air. Even when you take the carbon footprint of the lime binder into consideration, Hemcrete overall removes more carbon from the environment than it contributes.

Unlike some other eco-friendly building materials, Hemcrete isn’t at all inferior to standard materials. It’s strong and durable, and it’s just as easy to use as standard materials. What’s even better is its versatility: it can be used for wall insulation, flooring and roofing, and it’s fire-proof, water-proof, and rot-proof as long as it’s above ground.

Hemcrete is so environmentally friendly that the manufacturers claim it can be broken down and spread on fields as a fertilizer after it’s lived out its useful life. It’s ultimately very renewable, since hemp plants are mature after 14 weeks of growth.

Hemp has been used for a wide variety of applications for thousands of years. Its modern resurgence among eco-minded consumers has been somewhat hindered by laws governing its growth. Certain types of hemp can’t be grown in certain parts of the world, and it just so happens that the type of hemp used to make Hemcrete is illegal in the US. That’s made it difficult (and expensive) for people in the US who want to build with it, but it is now available in the US – if you’re willing to pay a handsome price for it.

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Around the World: 27 Fabulous New Year’s Eve Fireworks!

Angie — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 18:00:19 +0000

Auld Lang Syne and good riddance recession of 2009! Making noise and fireworks on New Year’s Eve is believed to have originated in ancient times, when noise and fire were thought to dispel evil spirits and bring good luck. Whether you make a New Year’s resolution or not, be sure to celebrate 2010. Yes, the fireworks can be harmful and dangerous, but they are spectacular without a doubt. In the United States, most of us have seen the ball drop in New York City and have also seen the fireworks, if not in person then on TV. But worldwide, we unite as one to welcome the new year with fireworks, so here are 27 fabulous New Year’s Eve firework celebrations from around the world.

Sweden

(image credits:fyrverkerifabriken,realaworld,City of Stockholm)

In Sweden, New Year’s Eve is a highly social time when friends get together, often setting off fireworks. Major firework displays can be enjoyed along the waterways of Stockholm and over the magnificent harbor in Gothenburg. At the strike of midnight and the start of the New Year, you would hear, “Gott Nytt År!”

From Russia With Love

(image credits:Dan Heller,lamoen,all best wallpapers)

In Russia, New Year traditions include a New Year’s Tree known as Novogodnaya Yolka which has a bright star on top and the tree is decorated with sweets. Another tradition is the arrival of Father Frost or Ded Moroz along with his granddaughter Snegurochka, the snow girl. Children wait for them as they bring New Year presents and keep them under the New Year’s Tree. To make Father Frost happy, children sing songs. Of course, no New Year is complete without a family get together, delicious meals, and fireworks. Look how lovely they are! С Новым годом!

Sydney, Australia

(image credits:treehugger,TopNews,wikipedia)

Technologically advanced Sydney, Australia, kicked the door closed to recession heavy 2008 with a 3.4 million dollar fireworks extravaganza. Over 1.5 million joined in the New Year’s Eve celebration and watched never-before-seen pyrotechnics that displayed simulated lightning, thunder and even rain. Sydney launched digitally from seven barges, seven city buildings, and the bridge itself, creating 100,000 individual pyrotechnic effects.

Fireworks Around The World

(image credits:matthia,funshun,len_skapp,expressmonorail,expressmonorail)

Does it not seem that we should be a more united world? At least at New Year’s Eve, we celebrate very much the same in most places on this planet. At top left, we see New Year’s Eve fireworks at Kopavogur, Iceland. At top right is a common image for a grand finale of fireworks. At Disney’s Magic Kingdom in Orlando, Florida, Cinderella’s Castle is surrounded by fireworks. At middle right, the crowd oooh’s and aaaah’s at the fireworks over Victoria Harbor. Lastly on the bottom left, Disney celebrates the with over-the-top fireworks at Illuminations, Reflections of Earth.

More Fireworks From Around The Globe

(image credits:randysmusic1965,locomotivebreadth,funshun,,tom_bennett, ntisocl)

At top left, Hong Kong welcomes the New Year with a spectacular display of lights and sound. To the right, the boom sizzle and pops to accompany these fireworks were over Lake Union in Washington State. At bottom left, London does it up big on New Year’s Eve with their firework’s display, like this pink wheel. In Seattle, the Space Needle is for once not the highlight in the night sky, still lovely but paling next to the vibrant colors of exploding fireworks.

Recall the past fondly, but grab happiness in the New Year!

(image credits:japantravelinfo,charness,ci123, u m a m i,shaolintiger,Stuck in Customs)

In Japan at top left and in Pittsburgh at right, major fireworks light up the midnight sky with excitement and hope for the future. No matter where on the globe, most people reflect on the past year and times gone by. The song Auld Lang Syne asks whether old friends and times will be forgotten, promising to remember people of the past with fondness. People toast the New Year with high hopes like in Singapore at middle right. On the bottom left, The Eye of Malaysia is not what holds the eye this time but the brilliant pyrotechnic show. In Texas, at bottom right, Lake Austin is filled with boats that hold people of all ages in wonder and appreciation of the fireworks.

Island Romance and Fireworks

(image credits:Fireworks,Fireworks)

Although many famous firework displays are in major cities around the world, could there be anything more romantic than having your own private show on the beach? Fireworks on an island might be one of the best ways to celebrate. Happy New Year! May 2010 bring you happiness, good health, success and wealth, and all good things!

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Futuristic Vehicles: 15 Concept Cars & Transit Designs

Steph — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 18:00:37 +0000

The future of transportation is undeniably green, but that doesn’t mean we’ll all be driving boring hybrid sedans. From electric cars with bizarre scales that pop up to gather solar energy to rental bicycles that harvest energy and use it to power buses, the transit of tomorrow is all about nixing fossil fuels, ceding control to computers and coming up with creatively compact designs.

A Robot that Pedals Your Bike

Want to get around on an eco-friendly bicycle, enjoying the breeze and seeing the community close-up – but you’re too lazy to actually pedal yourself around? Then you might want to invest in your very own bicycle-pedaling robot. Joules could be your constant mechanized companion, riding on the back of a special tandem bicycle and doing all the work while you enjoy the scenery. The bike and the robot together weigh around 200 pounds, so this is no lightweight ride, but it’s an intriguing – and sort of frightening – concept, all the same.

Wireless Road Train Concept

All those distracted drivers who try to apply makeup, attend conference calls and check their email at the wheel will be able to do so safely when the EU-funded SARTRE (Safe Road Trains for the Environment) project rolls out onto European motorways. The SARTRE is a wireless road train that allows drivers to join a convoy of commuters controlled by a “lead vehicle”, piloted by a professional driver.

All you’d have to do is signal the driver via GPS to let him know you want to join the road train, pull up behind the train and relax as your car automatically follows the group. When you get close to your destination, you signal the driver to release your car and resume control. Details are sparse, but this concept is actually coming to EU roads soon.

People-Powered Monorail

Many an urban pedestrian has wished for a way to get up beyond the chaos of traffic so they can safely navigate cities without worrying about getting run over. That wish could someday come true if concepts like Schweeb, a people-powered monorail, catch on around the world. Currently a ride at a New Zealand amusement park, this pedal-powered monorail consists of a long track with individual ‘pods’ hanging down, which can go up to 30 miles per hour without the rider expending too much effort.

Driverless, Self-Parking Vehicle Concept

For people who enjoy having a personal vehicle but don’t like to drive, the Atnmbl – short for “Autonomobile” – could be the ultimate in mindless transportation. With room for seven passengers and transparent side walls, but no driver controls, this self-parking vehicle emphasizes conversation between its occupants and focusing on the scenery rather than navigation. The designers estimate that it could be a reality by 2040.

Solar Electric Luxury Car – With Scales

With a sleek physique that’s remarkably similar to that of other futuristic electric vehicle concepts, the BMW Lovos nevertheless stands out in one major way: it has scales. Solar scales, to be precise, which function as both energy producers and wind-resistance air brakes. Created by Anne Forschner, a graduate of Pforzheim University in Germany, this concept may not be the most practical or realistic electric vehicle ever designed, but it certainly has a unique look.

Modified Subaru Glides Effortlessly on Snow and Ice

Only cat tracks, a seriously beefed-up suspension and a supercharged engine could allow the Trax STI to go where no other Subaru possibly could: off-road, onto snow and ice. This majorly modified Subaru Impreza WRX STI, created by American rally car driver Ken Block, easily zips through wintry landscapes. A tow-behind sleigh hauls snowboarders and their gear up to the top of the mountain.

Four Zero-Emission Cars from Renault

While American automakers are still debating the pros and cons of selling all-electric vehicles, European brand Renault is way ahead of the curve, debuting four fully electric cars at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show. The line includes a tiny two-person urban car, a “light commercial” vehicle designed for professionals, an SUV-like family car and a five-passenger “city car”. All four will be available for purchase in 2011.

Ultra-Compact Folding Bicycle

What could be more eco-friendly – except, perhaps, for walking on your own two feet – than riding a bicycle around town? For folks who live just a bit too far from work, or live in small apartments, bicycles would be ideal transportation if only they were compact enough to tote on trains or store in a closet. Enter the incredible Contortionist, a folding bike that twists around itself to fit inside the 26-inch circumference of its wheels in just 20 seconds. Once folded, the bike can easily be pulled down the street by one end of its handlebars.

Stackable Electric Robot Cars

Just like strollers at the mall, stackable electric vehicles could be rented in major cities and then returned to kiosks to recharge. CityCars take up very little space, with room for two passengers and a minimal amount of luggage, and can squeeze into the tiniest of parking spots. Created by researchers at MIT, the CityCar concept may come to U.S. cities sooner rather than later – General Motors is currently working on a prototype.

Cool Rider: Slightly Less Nerdy Segway Alternative

The Segway isn’t exactly known for being a hip vehicle – but it’s actually a cool concept, and certainly one that would have been considered futuristic just a decade ago. The CoolRider is a tad more – well – cool, though it still only goes about 12mph and gets about an hour of riding per charge.

Rental Bikes Generate Electricity – to Power Hybrid Buses

Cyclists produce a lot of kinetic energy when pedaling, and that energy might as well be captured and used. One concept, involving rental bikes, would do just that. Designer Chiyu Chen created the ‘Hybrid’ bike system, which allows riders to earn credits when riding bicycles which can be used for other methods of transportation as needed.

Smooth, Computer-Aided Ride on Theft-Proof Bike

It can’t be stolen, thanks a fingerprint reader that only allows the owner to ride it. The tires won’t ever get flat. A solar powered battery provides power assistance to get up hills. All in all, the futuristic-looking bicycle designed by Olympic cyclist Chris Boardman removes a lot of the excuses people use not to own a bike, but it does cost a pretty penny at about $4,000. It’s currently just a concept, and Boardman expects it to take another two decades before it’s available commercially.

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Natural (Fashion) Selection: 9 Top Sustainable Style Stories

Delana — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 18:00:32 +0000

Environmentally friendly fashion? It used to be an oxymoron, but designers are finally catching up to those of us who want to look great while keeping the Earth a happy, healthy place to live. From our friends at Treehugger, here are 10 of the most interesting “green fashion” stories from the past few weeks.

Sustainable Fashion

(image via: COP15)

The United Nations Climate Change Conference starts December 7th in Copenhagen, and the world is watching anxiously. In preparation for the big event, the Center for Responsible Design and Copenhagen Fashion Fair teamed up to present the “Innovating Sustainable Fashion” show on December 3rd. Prizes were awarded to designers who excelled in one of three categories: Design for Inclusion, Design Considering Use, and Design for Environment. Among the designs presented: rainwear made of recycled plastic bottles.

Sustainable Jeans

(image via: Treehugger)

Sustainability is a big movement in fashion at the moment, but it’s hard to know where to start for more sustainable everyday clothing. Raleigh Denim is a company that’s starting right at home. Every pair of their jeans is hand-stitched by one of the two company founders, and all of the material used comes from within 200 miles of Raleigh, North Carolina. Their designs are sold in very limited quantities, so if you fancy looking awesome and distinctive, here’s your chance.

Fashioning the Future

(image via: Guardian)

The London College of Fashion Design recently held an international design competition for students called “Fashioning the Future.” They called for designs which were sustainable, and they got amazing entries from around the world. Some of the leading designs were made with recycled fibers, reworked from existing discarded clothing, and designed to require less laundering. The goal of the competition was to prove that “being sustainable does not mean compromising style or quality.” More information, including notes from the designers, can be found at the Guardian.

Solar Winter Wear

(image via: Treehugger)

If you can just never seem to stay warm enough in the frigid winter months, this solar-powered hat and gloves concept could be just the thing to up your comfort levels in the coming months. The integrated thin solar panels provide small amounts of power to heat the hat and gloves, keeping you toastier than ever. Of course, there’s that pesky problem of lower amounts of sunlight in the winter, but hopefully the devices wouldn’t need too much solar power to work. It’s only a concept at the moment, but someone is bound to manufacture it (or something very similar) eventually.

Solar Jacket

This is one piece of solar-powered apparel that you can buy right now – if you have $750 to spare, that is. The Zegna Ecotech Solar Jacket is pretty stylish, especially when compared with previous generations of solar coats that looked downright nerdy. The solar panels are removable and the wiring is washable, meaning that you just have to pop those panels off and you’ve got an easy-care coat that can power all of your must-have gadgets.

Sustainable Amazon Jewelry

(image via: Treehugger)

Some of the most beautiful sustainable jewelry we’ve ever seen is coming from natural, sustainable materials in Brazil. The seeds, nuts, leaves, stones and wood used by Haia Trading are all sustainable and indigenous to the Amazon rain forest. But besides being stunning and eco-friendly, they’re assembled by local artisans. The jewelry trade helps to improve their communities and the artisans’ quality of life.

Sustainable Style Primer

Sure, you’re seeing sustainable fashion on the runway, but how does it translate into what you might find in the stores? Treehugger TV went on a tour with green style blogger Jill Danyelle as she revealed how the fashion world is incorporating more sustainable materials and practices into their lines.

Learning to Reuse

(image via: craftgossip)

Of course, sustainable style isn’t just about buying new or recycled items. It’s also about making what you have last as long as possible. Planet Green gives us a short rundown of how to patch jeans and sweater elbows, two very important skills for any eco-minded clothing lover to learn.

Making, Not Buying, Holiday Gifts

(image via: Planet Green)

Here are another five projects for the eco-friendly do-it-yourselfer. With just one old coat, you can make these five lovely and fashionable stocking stuffer gifts. For coats that have outlived their usefulness or been ruined by rips or stains, this is the perfect way to ensure that their materials won’t be going to waste in a landfill.

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Trashy Times: Where Do Recycled Gadgets Really Go?

Delana — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 18:00:08 +0000

Do you know what really happens to your electronics after you’re done with them? If you send them to a recycling facility, there’s a good chance that they’ll actually end up in countries like China, India or Ghana, where local workers risk their health to scavenge valuable materials from the discarded objects. The harmful waste resulting from these recycling centers often ends up in the local air and water stream, endangering the health of everyone in the vicinity.

It was only in 2001 that a light was first shone on these dangerous practices. Jim Puckett of the Basel Action Network traced the path of “recycled” electronic waste – laptops, PCs, monitors, cell phones and TVs, for example – from North America to China, where workers make $6-$8 a day handling toxic materials with no protective clothing or masks. His video footage caught the attention of environmentalists around the world, but despite the outrage the practice still isn’t exactly illegal.

U.S. regulations concerning e-waste are murky at best, with no clear federal guidelines on how the e-waste should be handled. The lack of clear regulations leaves it up to individual companies to decide how to deal with their old electronics. Sadly, that means that many of them are shipped overseas where people, even young children, expose themselves to toxic substances to get at the small scraps of precious metals inside.

Recently, a research group from the University of British Columbia visited e-waste sites in Ghana and Guiyu, China. Their findings were put together into the short documentary “Ghana: Digital Dumping Ground” which aired on PBS (you can watch it online here). The conditions at the e-waste dumps were deplorable. Young boys burned plastic pieces to uncover the metal inside, while usable electronic parts were sold at open-air markets. Among the parts available for purchase were hard drives with retrievable personal information still intact.

While it is certainly up to the consumer to erase their personal data from hard drives before disposing of it, it’s easy to see why they believe that their information will not be compromised. Many recyclers, such as those in the PBS video, promise that the electronics will be completely melted down and only the precious metal components salvaged. However, as the researchers found, an alarming number of those recyclers pack the electronics into shipping containers and send them off to developing countries because it’s simply cheaper and easier for them.

(images via: Artsyspot)

There are some reputable e-waste recyclers out there that have invested the time and money into developing a much more sustainable recycling program. Unfortunately, because there are so few government regulations in the industry, it’s up to the individual consumer to research the company they entrust their old electronics to.