The XO DirectoryThe XO DirectoryA directory of eXtraOrdinary things, from odd news to world records... Articles
Happy Face Picture from Planet Mars, A Crater About 3 Kilometers
2008-02-05 14:56:00 Here's a nice and happy face from Planet Mars that is said to be a crater about 3 kilometers in diameter.This picture of a crater resembling a "happy face" was acquired by the Context Camera (CTX) on Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter on January 28, 2008. The unnamed crater is about 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) across. It is located among the Nereidum Montes, north of the Argyre basin, near 45.1°S, 55.0°W. North is toward the right and sunlight illuminates the scene from the upper right. Link. See also the more famous one. More About: Picture , Happy , Face
Inland Taipan or Fierce Snake, World's Most Venomous Snake
2008-02-05 14:36:00 Inland Taipan a.k.a. Fierce Snake , is the world's most venomous snake. It lives in central Australia and is a species of Taipan belonging to the Elapidae family.A single bite from the Inland Taipan contains enough venom to kill as many as 100 human adults, or 250,000 mice. The average venom yield of this snake is 44 mg, with a 110-mg being the largest recorded yield. Its venom is 50 times more toxic than that of the Indian Cobra and 650 - 850 times more toxic than that of a Western- or Eastern Diamondback. The Inland Taipan has an extremely neurotoxic venom which can cause death to an adult human in as little as 45 minutes. Although highly venomous it is a relatively timid snake provided that it is left alone. Even so, if it is suspected that a bite from this snake has occurred, medical attention should be sought immediately. Although known as the most venomous land snake in the world, there have been no documented human fatalities. All known bites have been treated using antivenom... More About: Venomous
Billy Malang, A Filipino Inventor, Displays his Vitamin Beer in Thailand
2008-02-05 12:56:00 A Filipino inventor, Billy Malang, displays his Vitamin Beer in a show in Thailand . His invention is just one of 150 products from 27 countries showcased by the International Federation of Inventors' Association for their 40th anniversary.A beer that takes some of the guilt out of drinking, a system to stop would-be car bombers and, yes, even a better mousetrap, are on display as inventors from around the globe gather to revel in thinking outside the box.Although yet to be marketed, this "prophylactic for drinkers" as the Philippine inventor calls it, has won a gold medal at the European Union-sponsored Genius-Europe competition. Link More About: Displays
Top Ten Fastest-selling Albums in the United Kingdom
2008-02-04 16:33:00 Here's the top ten fastest-selling albums in the United Kingdom , Oasis' album, Be Here Now, tops the list. These list is the highest-selling albums in the week of their release.1. Be Here Now (Oasis) = 663,3892. X&Y (Coldplay) - 464,4713. Life for Rent (Dido)400,3514. Spirit (Leona Lewis) - 375,8725. Intensive Care (Robbie Williams) - 373,8326. Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not (Arctic Monkeys) - 363,7357. Rattle and Hum (U2) - 360,0008. Bad (Michael Jackson) - 350,0009. (What's the Story) Morning Glory? (Oasis) - 347,00010. The Immaculate Collection (Madonna) - 340,000 Link More About: Selling , United Kingdom , Albums
SSC Aero, World's Fastest Production Car at 257 mph
2008-02-04 16:15:00 At 257 mph, SSC Aero is currently the world's fastest production car. It was verified by Guinness World Records on October 9, 2007.The SSC Aero is an American-built mid-engine sports car by Shelby Super Cars. Its higher-performance limited production version, the SSC Ultimate Aero TT, is currently the fastest production car in the world, with a highest recorded speed of 413 km/h (257 mph).This speed was reportedly achieved during tests on September 13, 2007 in West Richland, Washington, United States and verified by Guinness World Records on October 9, 2007. The Ultimate Aero's acceleration rate is 0-60 mph in 2.78 seconds, slightly longer than that of former top-speed record holder the Bugatti Veyron. Link More About: Production
Joey Chestnut Wins Wing Bowl by Eating 214 Chicken Wings in 30 Minutes
2008-02-03 14:28:00 An American competitive eater, Joseph Christian "Jaws" Chestnut eats 214 chicken wings in 30 minutes to win this years Wing Bowl.When Chestnut devoured his record 241st and final chicken wing over a 30-minute span, the last thing the competitive eater cared about was the crowd. He wanted the crown — the one adorned with rubber chickens and blinking lights that showed he truly was the King of the Wing."I could wear this all day," said Chestnut, of San Jose, Calif. "A lot of hard work went into this."Chestnut, who inhaled 66 hot dogs to win the world's hot dog eating championship last July, ate no solid food since Monday. He sustained himself on protein supplements and liquids, proving this is one event you really do have to be hungry to win. Link More About: Chicken , Wings , Joey Chestnut , Minutes
Whiplash, The Cowbow Monkey, Rides Bud
2008-02-03 08:35:00 Whiplash, the Cowboy monkey, takes again the attention of everybody when he performed in a rodeo arena on a dog named Bud. This guy even got his own websiteWhiplash the Cowboy monkey is truly a fan favorite, he is an international star and a true cowboy. He is an 18 yr old Capuchin Monkey and he is one of the biggest little monkeys in the world. Whiplash has been riding since he was two yrs old and has been a part of our family since he was born. Whiplash travels the country herding up wild Barbados sheep at rodeos and special events. His riding ability is unmatched and his herding skills unchallenged but whiplash never misses a chance to show his monkey heritage as he rides the dog he will pull the saddle from side to side and even hang off to one side mimicking an Indian hideaway Link. See video here.
Swee’ Pea, The glass-balancing Dog Wonder
2008-02-01 13:56:00 Swee’ Pea, the glass-balancing dog wonder, impressed the Oprah Winfrey show viewer when it showed it's world-beating stunts on a special edition of the show.You may have thought your dog was pretty clever when it learned to fetch your slippers or brought a ball back in the park.Well, meet ten-year- old Swee' Pea, who has set a new world record by faultlessly balancing a glass of water on the bridge of her nose while padding up some stairs.The border collie cross then showed her world-class pedigree by repeating a 2007 record-breaking feat – most skips by a dog in one minute. Onlookers cheered as Swee' Pea notched up 75 skips in 60 seconds. Link More About: Glass
Extraordinary Animation During Childbirth
2008-02-01 13:49:00 See this nice animation that depicts a child's positions during childbirth. Link More About: Animation , Extraordinary
Top Ten Most Expensive Celebrity Divorces
2008-02-01 13:30:00 Here's the top ten most expensive celebrity divorces, as oppose the top ten most expensive celebrity weddings I posted before. The legendary basketball star Michael Jordan and wife Juanita Vanoy topped the list.1. Michael & Juanita Jordan - Settlement pending: Possibly more than $150 million2. Neil Diamond & Marcia Murphey - Estimated settlement: $150 million3. Steven Spielberg & Amy Irving - Estimated settlement: $100 million4. Harrison Ford & Melissa Mathison - Estimated settlement: $85 million5. Kevin Costner & Cindy Silva - Estimated settlement: $80 million6. Paul McCartney & Heather Mills - Settlement pending: Possibly more than $60 million7. James Cameron & Linda Hamilton - Estimated settlement: $50 million8. Michael & Diandra Douglas - Estimated settlement: $45 million9. Lionel & Diane Richie - Estimated settlement: $20 million10. Mick Jagger & Jerry Hall - Estimated settlement: $15 to $25 million Link More About: Celebrity , Most Expensive , Divorces
Montealtosuchus Arrudacamposi, Prehistoric Crocodile Dog Discovered by Pale
2008-02-01 12:40:00 A prehistoric crocodile dog named Montealtosuchus Arrudacamposi was discovered by Pale ontologists. Said to be the "missing link" between prehistoric and present-day crocodiles, this predator measured 1.5-1.7 metres and weighed about 40 kilograms and lived in the late Cretaceous Period in the region of Palo Alto, in Sao Paulo state, Brazil.Although it has no genetic link to mammals, the creature's stocky build and long snout are uncannily similar to the features of a large dog.Federal University of Rio de Janeiro paleontologist Felipe de Vasconcellos, who helped research the fossil found in 2004, said the reptile's physical characteristics placed it between prehistoric crocodiles and their current descendants.It lived on dry land and was quick on its feet, instead of living in marshlands and spending most of its time under water, he said."Its nostrils were at the front (of its snout). If it went in the water it had to keep its head erect making it an easy target for other predators... More About: Prehistoric
Way to Reverse Loss of Memory, Discovered by Scientists
2008-01-31 16:01:00 If scientists really discovered the way to reverse loss of memory, this is a great help to those suffering in Alzheimer's disease.Scientists performing experimental brain surgery on a man aged 50 have stumbled across a mechanism that could unlock how memory works.The accidental breakthrough came during an experiment originally intended to suppress the obese man's appetite, using the increasingly successful technique of deep-brain stimulation. Electrodes were pushed into the man's brain and stimulated with an electric current. Instead of losing appetite, the patient instead had an intense experience of déjà vu. He recalled, in intricate detail, a scene from 30 years earlier. More tests showed his ability to learn was dramatically improved when the current was switched on and his brain stimulated. Link More About: Memory , Loss
Extraordinary Electron Micrograph Images
2008-01-30 15:59:00 This images are extraordinary electron micrograph images taken using electrons to illuminate a specimen and create an enlarged picture of itA section through human skin. The skin layers, from top to bottom, are the stratum corneum, composed of flattened, dead skin cells that form the surface of the skin. The dead cells from this layer are continuously being shed and replaced by cells from the living epidermal layer below (red). The lowest layer seen here is the dermis. In the middle, a sweat gland can be seen.A Microfilariae (larval worms) of a parasitic nematode roundworm being attacked by cells of the immune system. Numerous nematodes cause disease in humans, living as parasites of the intestines, blood, lymph, subcutaneous & connective tissues.Link More About: Images , Extraordinary , Ages
Cheeseburger In A Can
2008-01-30 15:09:00 Cheeseburge in a can - for people with no time to cook or go to the fastfood chain. Only €3.95.Link More About: Cheeseburger
Violet Booth, Reunited with Engagement Ring After 67 Years
2008-01-29 14:04:00 After 67 years, Violet Booth was reunited with her engagement ring which she tossed into a field in 1941 after a disagreement with her fiancé, Samuel.Violet Booth, then Violet Bailey, threw the diamond ring away after arguing with her husband-to-be, Samuel.The childhood sweethearts, who were out walking, quickly made up. But after a fruitless search for the ring, they believed it was lost for ever.Yet, almost seven decades later, Mrs Booth, now 88, is able to wear it again after her grandson found it buried in the field.It took two hours for Leighton Boyes, 33, to unearth the ring with his metal detector. His grandmother, who wept as she put it back on her finger, said it was the perfect way to remember her husband, who died 15 years ago. Link More About: Ring , Years , Reunited , Engagement ring
Wim Hof, Tantric Master Breaks His Own Ice Record
2008-01-28 15:47:00 Wim Hof, the Tantric Master , hreaks his own record of being engulfed in ice for 72 minutes.Wim Hof, 48, stood on a Manhattan street in a clear container filled with ice for an hour and 12 minutes Saturday.Hof said he survives by controlling his body temperature through tantric meditation. Tantra is an Eastern tradition of ritual and meditation said to bring followers closer to their chosen deities.Hof set the world record for full body ice contact endurance in 2004, when he immersed himself in ice for an hour and eight minutes. Link More About: Record , Breaks , Cord
Robert Fidler Hid Mock Tudor Castle Behind 40ft Hay Bales
2008-01-28 14:12:00 For for year, Robert Fidler and his family hide mock Tudor castle behind 40ft hay bales to avoid having to apply for planning permission, according to reports.Over the course of two years, he managed to secretly – and unlawfully – build the imposing mock Tudor structure in one of his fields, shielded behind a 40ft stack of hay bales covered by a huge tarpaulins.Once it was finished, he and his family moved in and lived there for four years before finally revealing the development – complete with battlements and cannons – in August 2006.Mr Fidler claims that because the building has been there for four years with no objections, it is no longer illegal.But he is under siege from council planners, who say the castle at Honeycrock Farm, Salfords, Redhill, Surrey, will have to be knocked down. Link More About: Castle , Mock , Bales
Leonid Stadnyk, World's Tallest Man Living Man
2008-01-27 15:22:00 Leonid Stadnyk is currently the world's tallest living man. He is recognized by Guinness World Records 2008 edition.Leonid Ivanovyc Stadnyk (born 1971 in Zhytomyr Oblast, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union) is the world's tallest living man according to Guinness World Records 2008. He is a certified veterinarian and veterinary surgeon and lives with his mother in the village of Podolyantsi, Ukraine. Leonid Stadnyk's excessive growth began after brain surgery when he was 12 years old. He developed a pituitary gland tumor which caused the gland to secrete large amounts of growth hormone, resulting in what doctors describe as acromegalic gigantism. Link More About: Living , Leonid Stadnyk
Human-shaped Roots of Fleeceflower Plant, Like Naked Man and Woman
2008-01-27 09:58:00 This Human -shaped roots of Chinese fleeceflower plant is entirely the product of Mother Nature, according to its owner Fan. It shows a naked man and woman with fine details.It appears just as it was when the plant was pulled from the ground, according to the man who spotted it on a vegetable stall in a town in China's eastern Shandong province.The man, named Fan, was so taken with his find he is said to have paid 600 yuan, more than £40, to buy it.Curious visitors now travel from miles around to see the foot-long veggie couple on display at his home.The fleeceflower is a favourite dietary supplement in Asia where its boiled extract is believed to reduce cholesterol and fight heart disease.The root is also sold as a diet food to help reduce obesity. Link More About: Woman , Roots , Plant
Demi-Lee Brennan, 'Miracle girl' Switched Blood Group After Transplant Ope
2008-01-26 16:20:00 Australian teenager named Demi-Lee Brennan, became the first known transplant patient switched blood group, from O negative to O positive, after a liver transplant operation.Demi, now 15, of Kiama, near Sydney, no longer has to take drugs to stop her body rejecting a donated liver because her blood group changed from O negative to O positive following the operation.Doctors in New South Wales hope that her case could help thousands of other patients.Dr Stuart Dorney, a former head of Westmead Hospital's liver transplant unit, said: "We think it happened because we used a young person's liver and Demi had low white blood cells."Many transplants fail because of complications linked to the body rejecting the new organ.Demi's case was outlined in this week's edition of the New England Journal of Medicine. Link More About: Miracle , Girl , Blood , Group , Switched
Top Ten Deadliest Snakes in the World
2008-01-25 00:55:00 Here's the list of the top ten deadliest snakes in the world.1) Fierce Snake or Inland Taipan - scientific name: Oxyuranus microlepidotus2) Australian Brown Snake - scientific name: Pseudonaja textilis3) Malayan or Blue Krait - scientific name: Bungarus candidus4) Taipan - scientific name: Oxyuranus scutellatus5) Tiger Snake - scientific name: Notechis scutatus6) Beaked Sea Snake - scientific name: Enhydrina schistosa7) Saw Scaled Viper - scientific name: Echis carinatus8 ) Coral Snake - scientific name: Micrurus fulvius9) Boomslang - scientific name: Dispholidus typus10) Death Adder - scientific name: Acanthopis antarcticus Link More About: Snakes , World , The World
King Cobra, World's Largest/Longest Venomous Snake
2008-01-24 16:59:00 The King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) is the world's longest and largest venomous snake in the world, growing to a length of 18.5 ft (5.7 m) and a weight of up to 20 lbs (9 kg.). The venom of the King Cobra is primarily neurotoxic, and the snake is fully capable of killing a human with a single bite. The mortality rate can be as high as 75%, but most bites involve nonfatal amounts of venom. It is pale olive or yellow olive in color with a pale yellow veneer. Link More About: Snake , Longest , Largest
Ken Hildebrand, Trapped Under His Car for Four Days, Survived by Eating Rot
2008-01-23 16:42:00 Ken Hildebrand, a polio victim was trapped under his car when it rolled over. He survived by eating rotten meat for four days before being found by a hiker.Ken Hildebrand of Fort McMurray was collecting animal traps about 50 miles southwest of Calgary on Jan 8 when his vehicle hit a rock and rolled over, trapping him underneath.Mr Hildebrand, who has a weak leg due to polio, was face down on the snowy ground with the vehicle pinning his strong leg."It's amazing that he's alive. I can't believe it," Troy Linderman, director of Crowsnest Pass emergency medical service, said. "Ken is as tough as nails."Mr Hildebrand kept himself alive, if sick, by eating the rotting meat of the animals he had collected and using a beaver carcass to keep himself warm.Eventually he resorted to nibbling on the beaver's bones. "I tried to eat pieces of that, but it made me sick and I threw up," he said.To stave off dehydration he pulled surveyor's tape through his teeth to suck up the dew. "I ate a lo... More About: Days , Eating
Chilean Resort of San Alfonso del Mar, World's Largest Swimming Pool with 2
2008-01-23 16:32:00 With 20-acre swimming pool, the Chilean resort of San Alfonso del Mar was named by The Guinness Book of Records as the largest swimming pool in the world.A hundred and fifteen feet deep at its deepest and a thousand yards long, the 20-acre leviathan holds 66 million gallons of water and is navigable in small boats.The pool, near Algarrobo on the south coast of the South American country, opened last month after a building project lasting five years and costing almost £1 billion. It has become an instant tourist magnet, with thousands of people flocking to see it.The vast lido requires high-technology filtration systems to keep the water fresh, with a computer-controlled system drawing in water from the sea from one end and pumping it out of the other. Link More About: Swimming , Pool , Resort , Largest
Heaven Sent Brandy, World's Tiniest/Smallest Dog at Six Inches
2008-01-23 16:24:00 At six inches (15cm), Heaven Sent Brandy , a female chihuahua, has been named by the Guinness Book of Records as the smallest adult dog in the world. She is just slightly taller than a soft-drinks can."Heaven Sent Brandy", a female chihuahua, was given the title of "smallest dog in terms of length" in 2005.She is a mere six inches (15cm) from her nose to the tip of her tail and has legs as thin as lolly sticks.Tipping the scales at a bantam-weight 2lb (0.9kg), Brandy lives in Largo, Florida, with her owner Paulette Keller and her family.Link
Lisa Gherardini, The Woman Behind Mona Lisa, Researchers Say
2008-01-15 17:24:00 According to German researchers, Lisa Gherardini - the wife of Giocondo, a Florentine merchant - is the woman who posed as Mona Lisa , the famous Leonardo da Vinci artwork. The evidence, according to academics at Heidelberg University, are scribbled notes in the margin of a 500-years-old book.Many aficionados have long supposed La Gioconda, as she was also known, was the sitter, from comments made by Giorgio Vasari in 1550.But Vasari's identification was made 50 years after Leonardo painted the Mona Lisa, and, the university said he was noted for elaborating the truth.Now notes written by Agostino Vespucci, who knew Leonardo, found in the university library, confirm the sitter as Lisa del Giocondo. "All doubts about the identity of the Mona Lisa have been eliminated by this discovery," Heidelberg library said. Link More About: Woman
World's Highest Earning Fictional Characters
2008-01-15 05:18:00 Here's a list of the world's highest earning fictional characters. Now you might wonder how on earth did they get such big money. :)The earnings are based on worldwide revenue related to toy merchandising, videogame sales, publishing and box-office earnings, and DVD/VHS sales and rentals.1. Mickey Mouse (Walt Disney) $5.8 billion2. Winnie the Pooh (A. A. Milne) $5.6 billion3. Frodo Baggins (J.R.R. Tolkein) $2.9 billion4. Harry Potter (J. K. Rowling) $2.8 billion5. Nemo (Andrew Stanton) $2 billion6. Yu-Gi-Oh! (Kazuki Takahashi) $1.6 billion7. SpongeBob SquarePants (Steve Hillenberg) $1.5 billion8. Spider-Man (Stan Lee and Steve Ditko) $1.3 billion9. Wolverine (Stan Lee and Jack Kirby) $900 million10. Pikachu (Satoshi Tajiri) $825 million Link More About: Characters , Earning
Extraodinary 3D Tatto, Looks Real
2008-01-14 15:34:00 This extraodinary 3D tatto looks real and very artistically done. Link via Sharing News More About: Real , Looks
James Castrission and Justin Jones, Two men paddle 2,000 miles from Austral
2008-01-13 14:55:00 Using only kayak, Australians James Castrission and Justin Jones paddled 2,000 miles for 62 days from Australia to New Zealand. They arrived at a New Zealand beach on Sunday. It was the first successful journey from Australia and New Zealand by kayak.The pair, who left Australia on Nov. 13, had intended to make it to Auckland, the country's largest city, before Christmas but changed plans after being buffeted during the journey.During the trip, strong ocean flows forced them to make huge circles to avoid being carried far off course, meaning their eventual journey was much farther than the 1,400 miles they had originally planned.They were taken for medical checks, amid fears their leg muscles may have deteriorated because of the long period of inactivity. They climbed out of their kayak, however, and appeared in good health. Link More About: Miles , Paddle
Fluorescent Green Pig Gives Birth to Glowing Piglets
More articles from this author:2008-01-13 14:38:00 A fluorescent green pig gives birth to equally glowing piglets. It passed on it's engineered trait to it young, so to speak. The mother pig was cloned pig whose genes were altered to make it glow fluorescent green."Continued development of this technology can be applied to ... the production of special pigs for the production of human organs for transplant," Liu said in a news release posted Tuesday on the university’s Web site.The piglets’ mother was one of three pigs born with the trait in December 2006 after pig embryos were injected with fluorescent green protein. Two of the 11 piglets glow fluorescent green from their snout, trotters, and tongue under ultraviolet light, the university said. Link More About: Green , Birth , Fluorescent 1, 2, 3 |



