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Friday 29 May 2015

Scientists Discover The World's First Warm-Blooded Fish

By  May 14, 2015
Deep-water fish called opah appear to be the first fully warm-blooded fish species ever discovered, according to a new paper published in Science. Researchers say the unique biology behind opah, also known as moonfish, allow the species to operate at peak performance even within frigid ocean depths.
Being warm-blooded has its perks. Birds and mammals (or endotherms) conserve their internal heat to maintain high body temperatures, which helps them flee predators, chase prey and thrive in sub-zero climates. But fish—and other cold-blooded animals, like reptiles and amphibians—aren’t so lucky. Most deep-sea fish move slowly, preferring to ambush prey rather than give chase, as their low body temperatures (and reaction speeds) mirror the cool ocean water. But now, scientists say they have discovered one exception to this rule: opah.
“It’s a real advantage if you’re in this deep, cold habitat and you’re swimming around with a warm body,” says Nick Wegner, an NOAA fisheries biologist and lead author on the paper. “It increases the rates of all the reactions that occur within the body—you can swim faster, see better, react faster and capture cold-bodied prey that are not able to respond nearly as quickly.”
Opah, which resemble large, colorful tires, thrive in the deep sea and are an increasingly popular seafood. Although Wegner had been studying opah for years, he recently noticed that warm blood vessels leaving the fish’s heart wrap around cooler blood vessels returning from its gills. Later, he determined that opah generate heat by flapping their pectoral fins, and retain that heat through this dense layer of blood vessels. Opah’s internal heating system is capable of keeping the fish’s heart and brain at peak performance, even at depths of up to 1,300 feet.
Certain tuna and shark species also retain body heat, and warm select muscles for high-performance hunting, but these species are far from warm-blooded: Most of a shark or tuna’s body (including its heart and other vital organs) remains cold. “Opah is the first fish that can circulate warm blood throughout the entire body, and that gives it some advantages over tuna and shark species,” Wegner says. “Since they can keep their entire bodies warm, they can stay down deep, continuously close to their forage base.”

Sick university student raped woman coming home from night out after she fell asleep on night bus

Sick university student raped woman coming home from night out after she fell asleep on night bus

The vile 32-year-old, who studied at Kings College London, has been jailed for seven years

Sick: Calderon has been jailed for seven years
A sick thug who raped a woman after noticing she had fallen asleep on a night bus has been jailed.
Vile 32-year-old Juan Calderon, an Ecuadorian national who was studying at Kings College London, made the horrifying sex attack on the N13 bus in October last year.
He pounced at 2am, when the victim fell asleep after sitting next to him on the bus.
Calderon put his hand down her jeans, and then led the victim off the bus in the Aldwych area.
The creep took the victim back to his Hampstead home where he raped her, but she has no recollection of the events other than her saying 'no' and unsuccessfully trying to push him off her.
After the attack, she left the flat and called the police.
DC Jacqui Burns from the Met's Sexual Offences, Exploitation and Child Abuse Command, said: "Calderon took advantage of a vulnerable woman who had been on a night out.
"As she travelled home, he sexually assaulted her, took her back to his home and raped her.
"I would like to take this opportunity to praise the victim for her courage and bravery in coming forward and I am pleased that he is now behind bars.
"I would encourage other victims of this type of crime to come forward, whatever their circumstances."
Calderon was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment for the rape and four years' imprisonment for assault by penetration, both of which will be served concurrently.
Detective Inspector Neil Rawlinson from the Met's Sexual Offences, Exploitation and Child Abuse Command, said:
"The streets of London are that little bit safer now that Calderon has been imprisoned. He targeted a vulnerable woman and I want to assure the public that we will pursue all such offenders and bring them to justice.
"I would encourage anyone who has suffered in this way to report the matter to the police in the knowledge that they will be fully supported."

Thursday 28 May 2015

20 years, 200,000 miles and one trusty Land Rover: Globetrotting pensioners have travelled the world on four wheels... and now they want to drive from Panama to Canada

20 years, 200,000 miles and one trusty Land Rover: Globetrotting pensioners have travelled the world on four wheels... and now they want to drive from Panama to Canada

Peter and Eileen Crichton have travelled the world in their Land Rover
Peter and Eileen Crichton, 72 and 65, from Loughborough, have clocked up over 200,000 miles in their 3.5 V8i 1991 Land Rover Discovery, named Rabia, after starting their epic challenge in 1997. Cooking on their car engine in Niger, looking out from the Cape of Good Hope and driving across the gruelling Amazon basin are just some of the highlights from their never-ending journey. The adventurous couple are pictured in Turkey (left), Saudi Arabia (bottom right) and Canada (top right).

Read and see the New Eco-capsule of luxury

A cracking way to live off the grid! Egg-shaped eco-capsules let travellers set up camp anywhere... and generate power with a mini wind turbine and solar panels

EcoCapsules smart houses let travellers set up camp anywhere
Innovative EcoCapsules let travellers visit the most extreme corners of the world and still enjoy relative luxury and hot showers thanks to wind and solar power. The tiny home has its own shower and toilet, sleeping area for two, and kitchenette as well as solar panels on the roof and a retractable wind turbine.

Is this the most surreal hotel in the world?

Is this the most surreal hotel in the world? France's Bubble Palace has hosted photo shoots and a Dior fashion show (but a room with set you back £730 PER PERSON)

  • Palais Bulles or Palace of Bubbles is located outside of Cannes, France, and is available to rent 
  • The futuristic haven has a series of linked pods, and there is hardly a right angle to be seen 
  • Stay here if you can afford to pay £730 per person a night, or £8,759 per day for the entire pad
At first it may look like the set of a children's TV show, but this octopus-like house is a magical, real home, available to rent this summer for a Mediterranean retreat. 
Palais Bulles or Palace of Bubbles is located in the charming town of Théoule-sur-Mer in France and boasts an unbeatable ocean view from its circular, porthole windows.
The futuristic haven has become one of the most well-known structures of Hungarian architect, Antti Lovag, and has been a popular backdrop for Cannes film festival parties, photoshoots and even fashion shows.
Scroll down for video 
Palais Bulles or Palace of Bubbles is available to rent in the charming town of Théoule-sur-Mer in France, near Cannes
Palais Bulles or Palace of Bubbles is available to rent in the charming town of Théoule-sur-Mer in France, near Cannes
The unique property has a series of interlinked sections, and not a right angle to be seen. Hungarian architect, Antti Lovag, was behind the structure, and strongly hated edges and called them 'an aggression against nature'
The unique property has a series of interlinked sections, and not a right angle to be seen. Hungarian architect, Antti Lovag, was behind the structure, and strongly hated edges and called them 'an aggression against nature'
A pool with a view! Relax in the incredible swimming pool that boasts panoramic views of the Mediterranean Sea
A pool with a view! Relax in the incredible swimming pool that boasts panoramic views of the Mediterranean Sea
An aerial show of the Palace of Bubbles reveals the quirky layout of pods, along with the amphitheatre which can hold 500 spectators
An aerial show of the Palace of Bubbles reveals the quirky layout of pods, along with the amphitheatre which can hold 500 spectators
The unique property comes complete with a swimming pool that looks out over the Mediterranean, or if you would prefer to stay inside your bubble, one of the bedrooms comes complete with its own ocean-facing tub.
If this property didn't break the mould already, there is even an giant amphitheatre on the land, so you can perform pieces as theatrical as the house, to as many as 500 guests. 
If a low-key break is more your style, there is ample room for relaxation, including a spacious reception room that can seat 350 people, panoramic lounge, and gardens and pools that extend over 91,493 square feet of land.
Perfect for a party or family holiday, the property is listed on French Riviera real estate and rental site Service Azur, as having ten bedrooms.
The spacious property is decorated in an unusual, artistic manner, just like its unorthodox exterior, with sculptures and quirky sofas
The spacious property is decorated in an unusual, artistic manner, just like its unorthodox exterior, with sculptures and quirky sofas
The incredible house has a lavish price tag, £730 ($1,125) per person per night, or the entire pad can be rented out for £8,759 ($13,499) per day. 
Guests will join the likes of Dior, who showed their Cruise 2016 collection at the peachy playground this month.
It was a poignant decision to hold the fashion display there, as the owner of the house, designer Pierre Cardin, worked for Christian Dior as head tailor back in the late 1940s, and found international fame with his bubble dress in 1954. 
Palais Bulles was created between 1975 and 1989, and the designer, clearly a fan of bubbles, snapped up the property right away.  
There is also a hot tub overlooking the ocean which is perfect for entertaining guests or simply for a relaxing evening in
There is also a hot tub overlooking the ocean which is perfect for entertaining guests or simply for a relaxing evening in
The rooms focus on a circular theme, similarly to the architectural structure, with round seats and irregular window shapes
The rooms focus on a circular theme, similarly to the architectural structure, with round seats and irregular window shapes
Models present creations by Belgian designer Raf Simons for Dior's women Cruise 2016 collection during a fashion show at the Palais Bulles
Models present creations by Belgian designer Raf Simons for Dior's women Cruise 2016 collection during a fashion show at the Palais Bulles
The house is spread over a few different layers, adapting to the rocky hill leading down to the sea. The site has parking available 
The house is spread over a few different layers, adapting to the rocky hill leading down to the sea. The site has parking available 
The property, which has ten bedrooms, even has round beds, keeping in with the circular theme
The property, which has ten bedrooms, even has round beds, keeping in with the circular theme
Perfect way to spend the afternoon? Relax in the cosy ocean-facing pod, which allows for sunbathing with a view!
Perfect way to spend the afternoon? Relax in the cosy ocean-facing pod, which allows for sunbathing with a view!
Take us here now please! The pool has unobstructed views of the ocean and nearby quiant town
Take us here now please! The pool has unobstructed views of the ocean and nearby quiant town
Business and pleasure! The property even comes with a snug work area, with desk and quirky lamp, perfect for a bit of work during the Mediterranean break
Business and pleasure! The property even comes with a snug work area, with desk and quirky lamp, perfect for a bit of work during the Mediterranean break