,1,Biggest animal rivalries! From dogs and cats to lions and hyenas these animals often clash revealing their natural dislike for one another
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For the most part, Elephants and Rhinoceros can coexist peacefully amid African wildlife as two of the largest pachyderms in the world. But sometimes, these behemoths will come to blows for one reason or another and it's not a very pretty sight. African elephants have the size advantage as they can weigh as much as 14 thousand pounds and measure 8 to 13 feet tall. To compare, the rhinoceros can reach around six feet in height and weigh up to three thousand pounds. And though the rhino is fitted with a massive horn capable of piercing into an animal's underbelly, the sheer difference in mass and power is usually enough to work out in the elephant's favor.
Throughout the savannas of Africa, lions and hyenas are often at each other's throats as their hunting grounds overlap. When the paths of these two species cross, hostilities are almost guaranteed to ensue as they both will try to steal food from one another. Though a male lion will most often triple the weight of an individual hyena, the large cat can easily be overcome by a pack should it stray into hyena territory. Lions sometimes will go after hyena pups.
,1,Amazing uncommon animals! These unusual and strange animals are not your typical horse, monkey, or cat
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Though it may have bear in its name, this thick furred critter is actually a tree-dwelling marsupial native to the island of Sulawesi and other forests in Indonesia. The 15-to-20 pound Sulawesi Bear Cuscus can grow to a length of 2 feet on average, and has a tail that will measure close to the same length. These herbivorous mammals live in groups of two to four individuals, keeping adolescents safe in a natural pouch as the vulnerable species slowly scours for leaves and flowers to consume.
The Eurasian steppe is vast biome containing shrub and grasslands and stretches from Bulgaria and Eastern Europe across Asia and into Mongolia. Checkered throughout this massive ecosystem is the critically endangered Saiga Antelope. This species of antelope isn't the largest, with a shoulder height of just 24 to 32 inches, a length of 39 to 55 inches, and a weight ranging between 57 and 152 pounds for adults. Still, this hasn't kept local populations from hunting them since prehistoric eras. While initially sought after for consumption due to the lamb-like texture and taste of Saiga meat, their horns have actually driven them to the point of being endangered. A traditional Chinese medicine relies on Saiga Antelope horns as a main ingredient, and poaching of the protected species remains a consistent problem with the horns selling for thousands of dollars each on the black market.
The Bat-Eared Fox is split into two subspecies, residing within two separate regions of Africa. The virgatus subspecies makes its home on the Eastern coast of the continent in nations like Ethiopia, Sudan and Tanzania , while the megalotis version can be seen along the Southern tip of Africa in Zambia , Angola , South Africa and elsewhere. These foxes prefer to hunt among short grasslands, filling their diet with ants, beetles, scorpions, crickets and termites, the last of which tends to make up 80 to 90 percent of their diet. However, in desperate situations they have been known to turn to birds, reptiles, smaller mammals, and even truffles for nutrience. Because of their inclinations towards eating termites, they are not majorly threatened by most local human populations due to their role as a form of natural pest control.
,1,Top countries with the most dangerous shark encounters! These countries have the most shark human incidents in the world
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More than 300 islands make up the archipelago of Fiji, a small nation in the South Pacific with a population estimated to be just under 1 million. The majority of these incidents took place near the largest of Fiji's main island, Viti Levu, with encounters happening in the past 2 centuries. The ocean surrounding these islands just eleven hundred nautical miles away from New Zealand are so rife with sharks, in fact, that locals have turned them into an industry! The opportunity to dive with sharks in Fiji is one of the most popular tourist attractions of the nation.
The country of Mexico is a popular tourist destination, with dozens of scenic beaches located along Baja California, bordering the Gulf of Mexico, and lining the Pacific Ocean. Around 35 million people visit this nation yearly, often flooding their shores for a relaxing getaway. But such heavy, habitual traffic to beaches can eventually attract the attention of some of the most vicious predators in the ocean. Throughout the 2000s, many surfers and swimmers had risky run-ins with bull sharks, tiger sharks, and even hammerheads.
The Caribbean country of the Bahama Islands has had its fair share of sharks. Up until the 1980s, sharks seemed to occur here rarely according to data, however it is possible many more went unreported. At least 36 incidents have been reported from the island nation since 2001
The largest nation in South America is the 3.2 million-square-mile country of Brazil. The city of Recife, located in the northeastern region of Brazil, has been a particularly common sight for these treacherous incidents, with around 56 occurring near its beaches in the past 2 decades. The reason for the high activity in this part of Brazil owes to a deep trench that runs parallel to Recife's beaches as sharks will use it as a migratory route, often rising up to the shallows to hunt.
,1,Most amazing military aircraft in the U.S. Air Force! These interesting planes assist airmen and soldiers in doing their jobs!
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Since its introduction to the US military in 1978, the F-16 Fighting Falcon has become the most prolific military plane on the planet, with over 2200 produced for the US Air Force alone, and over 2500 delivered to other countries around the world. It is a multirole supersonic fighter that is not only highly maneuverable and effective in combat, but also provided a relatively cheap weapons system at $18.8 million per unit in 1998, although the price has since risen significantly. The F-16s incredible agility can perhaps best be appreciated with the fact that, alongside the F-15 Eagle, they are the world’s first aircraft that were able to withstand higher g-forces than the pilots themselves, demonstrating just why they have been so effective, and continue to be today.
With its distinctive and globally recognizable appearance, the F-15 Strike Eagle is a highly successful variant of the purely air-to-air F-15 series that has been adapted to also enable air-ground combat. In this capacity, it has been used for long-range, high-speed bombing and strafing missions against targets without the need for the escort that pure bombers require since its introduction in 1989. It has seen service in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, and Libya, with 227 currently operational in the US Air Force.
,1,Most amazing naval ships & vehicles in the Unites States Navy! These interesting ships, watercraft, and aircraft assist sailors in doing their jobs!
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The $2.8 billion dollar Virginia-Class Submarine is the very definition of versatile. Due to the large change to the class over the years, and the variety of missions they engage in, there is no set size, speed, or armaments for the submarine, but all of them are kitted out with a healthy supply of BGM-109 Tomahawk Missiles and RGM-84 Harpoons that can be fired from vertical launch systems or torpedo tubes.
The $13 billion dollar Gerald R. Ford Class are the next generation of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers for the US Navy, to replace the current carriers, the Nimitz-class. The first was commissioned in 2017, with more gradually being built over the coming couple of decades until the replacement of 10 Nimitz-class carriers is complete. In size, they are similar to the ships they are replacing, but where they differ greatly is in the level of technology they bring to bear. The most notable of these is the electromagnetic aircraft launch system which has replaced the conventional steam piston launch system, but it also has a whole host of other improved design features to reduce operating costs, and increase automation. This has led to a reduced complement of just 2,600 sailors, compared to the Nimitz’ 3,300, as well as numerous operational improvements.
#USNavy
,1,Most bizarre insects in the world! These weird looking insects with unique appearances are creepy and beautiful
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What makes this insect truly unique is its incredible size and similarity to a hummingbird. With a wingspan of 1.8 inches and featherlike hairs that protrude from its back end, it's difficult to tell this moth apart from a hummingbird at a distance. But, its appearance isn't the only thing that earned the hummingbird hawk-moth its name. This peculiar creature feeds on tubular flowers using its proboscis , which can reach almost 3 centimeters long! Also similar to hummingbirds, the moth flaps its wings at an amazing rate to hover while feeding, making a humming noise.
You've probably seen this furry fellow in various memes throughout the years. But, you may have never known that it's called the white ermine moth. They're easily recognizable with whimsical black antennae and pure white mane-like hairs, giving it its fuzzy appearance. These moths live in temperate regions of Europe to Kazakhstan, as well as in Siberia, Korea, Japan, and China. Although the white ermine's white fur gives it a pleasant "pet me" appearance, it's best not to touch these insects. Their bodies contain toxins, and even birds refuse to feast on these strange looking flyers.
,1,Biggest volcanoes in the world! These are the tallest volcanoes on our planet, some of which have erupted recently
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Nestled within the Cascade mountain range between Portland, Oregon and Seattle, Washington, is a volcano notorious for its pyroclastic flows and ash-launching eruptions. While it isn't the highest mountain of the region, it's still an impressive summit as Mount Saint Helens stands 8,363 feet tall currently. This volcano was once even taller, measure to a height of 9,677 feet above sea level, but a 5.1 earthquake triggered a lateral eruption in the volcano on May 18, 1980 leading to devastating consequences. A massive portion of the volcano was blown to smithereens, reducing it in size and leaving a mile-wide horseshoe-esque crater at the peak. But the sudden explosion proved even worse for locals as the eruption would go on to be the most destructive volcanic event in American history.
The highest volcano peak in Japan is the legendary Mount Fuji, one of the nation's "Three Holy Mountains" looming over the rest of the island of Honshū at a height of 12,389 feet above sea level. Though it sits roughly sixty miles to the south-west of Tokyo, residents of the Japanese capital city can still view the great snow-covered volcano on a clear day. Mount Fuji hasn't erupted in over 3 centuries, with the last explosive events occurring in 1707 and 1708. Recent developments have some locals worried, however, as the 2011 earthquake off the coast of Tōhoku was thought by some scientists to have potentially induced volcanic unrest. Research, speculations, and mathematical models have indicated the possibility that the magma chamber of Mount Fuji could be at a higher pressure point than it was prior to its last eruption.
Mauna Loa is widely considered the largest volcano on Earth. Shield volcanoes differ from stratovolcanoes in that their lava flows are more fluid so the lava travels further resulting in a less steep shape. The slopes of Mauna Loa flow outward over a wide expanse and the volume of this volcano are thought to measure out to 18 thousand cubic miles! Still active, this summit tends to pour out a fluid, silicone-light lava with mild, non-explosive eruptions. Scientists believe this volcano has been erupting continuously for over 700 thousand years, but only breached above sea level in the past 400 thousand years. There have been few fatalities due to these eruptions, historically speaking, but in both 1926 and 1950, entire villages were wiped out from lava flows.
,1,Things you didn't know about the Titanic! Interesting facts about the titanic ship and what happened to it
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Although the majority of those working on the ship were people, its completion wouldn’t have been possible without the help of 20 Shire horses. A ship as large as the Titanic needs enormous anchors to hold her down. Noah Hingley & Sons Ltd, an anchor and chain manufacturing company, was commissioned to construct one center anchor and two side anchors for RMS Titanic. The center anchor totalled an incredible 15.5 tons upon completion, and the chains they forged for the ship weighed 100 more. At the time, the center anchor was the largest to ever be forged by hand. Noah Hingley & Sons was located in Netherton, United Kingdom, and the anchor needed to be transported two miles out to the Dudley Railway Station, which is when the horses came into play. It took twenty of the powerful workhorses to pull the anchor to its destination.
Like the size of the anchor suggests, the Titanic was an enormous ship. It was the world’s largest cruise liner at the time of its construction, spanning 882 feet long and 175 feet high. In total, she weighed 46,000 tons. In addition to its sheer size, the Titanic was more luxurious than any other cruise liner, with four elevators, a wireless communications system for transmitting Morse Code, and an advanced electrical control panel. RMS Titanic was capable of carrying 7,703 tons of coal in her bunkers and cargo hold. To power the ship, 176 firemen worked nonstop shovelling 600 tons of coal into the furnaces each day - creating 100 tons of ash daily, which was disposed of in the ocean.
About 26 months after the ship’s keel was laid down - March 31, 1909 - the cruise liner was ready to touch water for the first time. The RMS Titanic was a wonder of its generation and thousands of people wanted to see her launched into the sea. At 12:15 p.m. on May 31, 1911, 100,000 people crowded the Belfast dock in Ireland to watch as the Titanic was moved into the River Lagan [lag-uhn] using 22 tons of tallow and soap to lubricate its slipway. After the launch, she was towed to a deep-water fitting-out berth, where her interior construction was completed over the next year. Once she was finished, the RMS Titanic was brought back to the Belfast dock in preparation for sea trials.
,1,How to realize you're dreaming and "wake up" in your dreams! Discover the exciting world of lucid dreaming
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Something that can help tremendously with lucid dreaming is keeping a dream journal, which makes sense since dream recall is one of the primary aspects of LaBerge’s MILD method. It’s best to record your dreams on paper as soon as you wake up so your entry is filled with as much detail as possible. It even helps you remember more of the dream because you’re actively thinking about it. But, even if keeping a dream journal doesn’t jumpstart lucid dreaming right away, it has many other benefits. According to Kelly Bulkeley, Ph.D., keeping a dream journal can help you develop insight into various concerns, relationships, or activities in your wakeful state. He notes that you shouldn’t worry if your descriptions seem vague or fragmented; it’s just important that you write down whatever you can remember, even seemingly insignificant details. He also recommends writing down your sleep patterns and quality of sleep. To begin your journal, Bulkeley doesn’t want you to waste any time. He says to begin by writing down the first dream you can remember “even if it was just a tiny fragment or wispy image,” and there you have it, “the beginning of a dream journal.”
One of the most basic techniques to train your brain to recognize your state of awareness is reality testing. You’ll want to perform these simple tests throughout the day while you’re awake, and when the routine becomes second nature, you should be able to do the same thing in your dream state. Some common types of reality checks include trying to put your finger through your palm, pinching your nose, reading, looking at your reflection, and examining your tattoos (if you have any). If you push your finger against your opposing palm and it goes through, then you’re dreaming. If you pinch your nose, and you can still breathe, then you’re dreaming. Your tattoos and your reflection will look different in a dream, and if you try to read something, look away, and then look back, the text will change in a dream. These reality checks allow you to recognize when you’re in a dream state, and once you’ve achieved that, you’re officially lucid dreaming.
,1,Strangest birds on earth! These are some of the more unusual birds in the world that you may not have ever heard of
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Number 8 - Golden Pheasant
Also called the rainbow pheasant, this bird is recognized for its golden crest, rump, and crimson body. The golden pheasant is also adorned with deep blue tertiary feathers that contrast its otherwise warm color scheme. The female pheasants aren't as bright, with dull brown feathers darker than those of a female common pheasant. Adult male golden pheasants reach up to 41 inches long, with the tail making up about two-thirds of its length, and the females only grow to 31 inches with a much shorter tail. Although these birds can fly, they don't do so very well; so, golden pheasants spend most of their time running around on the ground, only roosting in the trees at night.
Number 7 - Greater Rhea
This large flightless bird is found in South America, and its name, "Rhea ," comes from the Greek goddess of the same title - the daughter of Gaia and Uranus . Adult greater rheas weigh up to 60 pounds and can measure 55 inches from their beaks to their tails. They stand up to an impressive 5 feet 7 inches, easily the size of a person. They have long legs, and their heads and bills are somewhat small. Although they're flightless, greater rheas use their wings to maintain balance while running and to attract females. Their colors are generally dull brown and gray, their plumage is shabby, and the females are lighter in hue than the males. However, some individuals exhibit white plumage and blue eyes from a condition called leucism , and some albino greater rheas aren't unheard of either. Rheas primarily eat the seeds and fruits of broad-leaved foliage but will consume rodents, reptiles, insects, small birds, and scorpions as well. Like other bird species, the greater rhea eats pebbles to assist with digestion and because of this, it is attracted to shiny objects. During the breeding season, male rheas put on displays and mate with females. They lead the female to their nests, where they lay their eggs. Once she lays her eggs with one male, she moves on and continues mating. The males of the species assume all of the incubation duties. Since the females continue mating with various males, each nest can end up containing up to 80 eggs.
Number 6 - Vulturine Guineafowl
Another strange-looking bird is the vulturine guineafowl . This large round-bodied bird has a small head, longer legs and wings, and longer necks and tails compared to most guineafowl. But, other than its odd proportions, this bird is unique because of its colors. Although featherless, the vulturine guineafowl's neck and head are blue and black. From the lower neck downward, shiny blue and white feathers protrude like a spiky scarf, and its breast area is ocean blue. The remainder of the bird's body is black with white spots. The vulturine guineafowl roosts in trees but is mostly terrestrial, spending much of its time walking or running.
Number 5 - Roseate Spoonbill
It is a wading bird found primarily in South America east of the Andes Mountains but also in Central America, the Caribbean, Mexico, and some coastal parts of the US. The roseate spoonbill reaches 34 inches long, has a 52-inch wingspan, and weighs up to about 4 pounds. Its bill grows up to just over 7 inches long. Unlike some of the other birds on this list, the females and males look generally the same. The reason the roseate spoonbill is pink is due to its diet, made up of newts, aquatic insects, frogs, small fish, and crustaceans - which contain the pigments that present themselves throughout the feathers. The spoon-like shape of its bill is what allows it to sift through the mud to find these insignificant prey.
,1,Largest royal palaces in the world! These massive palaces are the biggest palaces that aren't castles.
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Number 12. Palace of Versailles
A historical monument and UNESCO World Heritage site, the Palace of Versailles is renown for its beauty, size, and cultural importance. It began as the royal quarters of French royalty with Louis XIV in 1682 and was used as such until the reign of Louis XVI and the French Revolution in 1789. The Palace of Versailles measures 679,000 square feet in area, but the whole of the palace grounds holds the title of largest royal domain in the world at 2,014 acres! Within its walls lie a number of famous attractions such as the Royal Opera and the ceremonial Hall of Mirrors. Over 7 million visitors are drawn to the Palace of Versailles each year, making it the second most popular attraction in France after the Louvre.
Number 10. Buckingham Palace
With 775 rooms, the largest private garden in London covering 40 acres of surrounding space, and and a square footage of 828,000, Buckingham Palace is both one of the most impressive and one of the most famous palaces in the world. This royal residence was first built in 1703 as a townhouse for the Duke of Buckingham, but in 1761 King George III purchased the home for his wife, Queen Charlotte, and it henceforth was known as The Queen's House. But as the building expanded in the early 19th century, it grew to be less of a townhouse and more of a palace with the addition of three wings and a central courtyard. When Queen Victoria rose to power in 1837, Buckingham Palace became the official home to the British monarchy and continues to serve as a royal headquarters for the United Kingdom in modern times.
Number 5. Forbidden City
Though the entirety of the Forbidden City's palace complex equates to over 7.75 million square feet, making it the largest palace complex in the world, the actual main structure fills an area of just 1.61 million square feet. Serving as China's imperial palace from 1420 to 1912, this great building was the home of many emperors, their families, and their royal courts from the reign of the Ming dynasty until the end of the Qing dynasty. For just under 500 years the Forbidden City was the political center of the Chinese government, but has been under the control of the Palace Museum since 1925 with much of the artifacts from prior residing dynasties making up a majority of their exhibits. Over sixteen million people now visit this historically sacred World Heritage Site annually, and it remains one of the most culturally significant structures in all of China.
,1,Most amazing military vehicles in the U.S. Army! These interesting trucks and tanks assist soldiers in doing their jobs!
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Number 13. MQ-1C Gray Eagle
The MQ-1C Gray Eagle from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems is an unmanned aircraft designed for medium-altitude, long-endurance combat missions. It was originally created to compete in the U.S. Army's Unmanned Aerial Vehicle competition in 2002, with General Atomics hoping to win a government contract as a result of their demonstration. They beat out their only competitor in the Northrop Grumman [grum-min (not grew)] Hunter II, and as of 2013 General Atomics have developed more than 75 individual models for the U.S. Army, with 152 more in the works. More than 4.7 billion dollars have been spent on the MQ-1C Gray Eagle project so far, and the U.S. Army has put this investment into great use, deploying Gray Eagles on missions since Afghanistan in 2010.
Number 12. Humvees
Made popular by the civilian versions that entered mainstream rotation following the first purchase by famous actor-turned-politician Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1992, the HUMVEE has actually served the U.S. Army since 1983. These broad vehicles were initially made to replace the use of jeeps and other lightweight tactical vehicles ranging from a quarter to 1.25 tons. The term Humvee derives from the vehicles full name as the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle, a terminology referencing its role as a "jack-of-all-trades" vehicle capable of handling the tasks of many of its predecessors. Over 281 thousand of these vehicles have been made to date and they continue to be employed on a regular basis. Since 2011, just one of these Humvees with current armor specifications fetches a price tag of 220 thousand dollars.
Number 11. MH-6 Little Bird
Specializing in observation, patrol insertion and extraction, deep air support and forward air control, the MH-6 Little Bird is a crucial part of the U.S. Army's aerial squadron. The MH-6 was created to replace the OH-6, another light observation helicopter that entered service in 1960. By 1963, the Army was ready to test out modified prototypes, upgrading the engine of the OH-6 for greater speed and maneuverability. This upgraded model, which featured an Allison T63-A-5A engine, caught on and beat out other prototypes, and by 1965 the U.S. Army was ready to order 1,300 individual helicopters. These unarmed choppers, along with their gunship counterpart the AH-6, have been used in most every major militaristic endeavor since their inception. They have since spawned over a dozen different versions, outfitted with all different means of weaponry and tactical equipment.
Number 10. CH-47 Chinook [shih-NOOK]
The CH-47 Chinook [shih-NOOK], developed first by rotorcraft company Vertol before being acquired by Boeing in 1960, is one of the heaviest lifting helicopters to come out of the Western world. This helicopter named after the Native American tribe of modern day Washington weighs over 24 thousand pounds with no payload and has a maximum takeoff weight of 50 thousand pounds! It can speed through the sky at a top speed of 170 knots, the equivalent of 196 miles per hour, and is among the fastest helicopters in the U.S. Army. Over 1,200 of these aircraft have been built to serve in America as well as the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force at a cost of more than 38 million dollars per unit.
Number 9. M-ATV
The Oshkosh M-ATV was built to combine the protective capabilities of Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles like the Cougar or Buffalo with the mobility of Humvees. The 27,500-pound vehicle entered production in 2009, and nearly 10 thousand have been built to date at a price tag of 470 thousand dollars each. The M-ATV is meant to carry one driver, three passengers and one gunner, and can haul a maximum payload of 4 thousand pounds. The roof-mounted armament is designed to where it can be operated remotely or manually, depending on the situation. Manual use gives gunners access to arms like the MILAN anti-tank guided missile launcher and M240 machine gun, while the remote option uses a device called CROWS, which stands for Common Remotely Operated Weapons System.
,1,The toughest creature on Earth! From the ability to enter a dormant state for up to 30 years to the fortitude to withstand minus 328 degrees fahrenheit.
#8 Suspended Animation
Tardigrades are incredibly durable. They can withstand a wide variety of hazardous conditions and thrive without issue. But in some extreme cases, the tiny water bears must rely on a hidden talent to continue their survival. Entering a state called cryptobiosis, the roots of which mean “hidden life”, these organisms are able to enter a type of suspended animation, which leaves them appearing deceased to the outside world. In reality, though, these creatures have lost much of their hydration and shut down in their bodily functions, dropping their metabolic rate to a mere .01 percent of its normal state. This is the same process Sea Monkeys endure, which is why adding water will make the otherwise dry organisms spring to life. Tardigrades can survive in this dehydrated state for up to 5 years or even longer in some cases. They even last even longer without food or water, surviving as long as 30 years...however, they still need a form of hydration at some point. As tardigrades enter this dehydrated state, they utilize a specific disordered protein to replace water in their cells, leading to the glassy appearance they maintain while in suspended animation.
#7 Dry Migrations
As tardigrades lose up to 99 percent of their bodyweight, the microscopic organisms revert to a stage known as a “tun”. Tuns are in the previously mentioned state of suspended animation, and with such little energy output, they become extremely lightweight and lose the ability to grasp onto a surface. This makes them susceptible to the hazards of nature as they become prone to being swept up in wind currents, only to be displaced in a fashion similar to seeds and spores. Once they enter a new habitat which can rehydrate and sustain them, a single tardigrade can produce an entire colony by themselves using a form of self-fertilization in a process called parthenogenesis. This form of reproduction isn’t their main method however as male and female water bears are capable of spawning offspring through combined egg-laying efforts as well. Each adolescent tardigrade is born already equipped with adult cells. Throughout their lifespan, rather than having their cells divide and multiply with maturity, their cells simply get bigger. As their bodies expand, these creatures will molt off excess layers up to 12 times during their lifetime. In females, who tend to grow larger than their male counterparts, the cuticles they shed can be filled with eggs, ready to be fertilized and continue the cycle of colony expansion.
,1,The weirdest, most interesting monkeys in the world! From the mustachioed mammal named after a German Emperor to the wide-eyed primates with a 360 degree view of their environment
Number 10. Emperor Tamarin
While many species are named after the scientists that discovered them or specific features unique to them, this monkey allegedly got its name from a famous historical doppelganger. Named after the last German Emperor and King of Prussia, Wilhelm the Second, the Emperor Tamarin , like their royal twin, is known for its prominent mustache. Socially playful and gracefully active, the Emperor Tamarin has been known to interact with humans easily, almost resembling pet dogs in their need for affection and tenderness from their caretakers. Despite this detail, these tamarins can be very protective in the wild and utilize long, high vocalized calls to warn each other of impending hazards.
Number 9. Red-Shanked Douc
Vibrant and tree-dwelling, the Red-Shanked Douc of Asian nations like Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam is an Old World monkey that will spend most of its life among the canopy. They are diurnal , meaning they tend to be active in the daylight, when they will forage for high fiber leaves and fruit. Though not especially large, Red-Shanked Doucs have a big stomach proportionally, where they will break down cellulose through fermentation, resulting in a pot-bellied appearance as well as excessive gas. They attain most of their nutrients, including protein and hydration, from their dietary choices, though they will seldom venture to the jungle floor to retrieve water or dirt for minerals if necessary.
Number 8. Hamadryas Baboon
Worshipped by the ancient Egyptians as a sacred creature, the Hamadryas Baboon finds its home in this region of the world populating the Horn of Africa and the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula. These baboons will eat everything from blossoms and wild roots to reptiles and small mammals. These creatures form multilevel societies to increase their chance of survival, with harems of up to 10 females gathering around one dominant male. From there, harems will join up to form clans based on the closeness of the leading males. Clans will then merge to create a band, which at this point can contain up to 400 individuals. In some cases, clans will then unify to form a troop, and the resulting group will blanket entire cliff sides with their members, allowing them to rest without worry of predators.
Number 7. White-faced Saki
This new world monkey is a master of swinging from branch to branch, but when it comes time to forage, they're no stranger to scouring the forest floor. The White-Faced Saki makes its home in South America, living in countries like Brazil, Guyana and Venezuela. Here it will split its time from the tree tops and the earth below, preferring to sleep 15 to 20 meters off the ground while turning to the ground for sanctuary from flying predators and weather hazards. But they're not entirely safe here either as anacondas, jaguars, ocelots and boas all hunt the White-faced Saki indiscriminately. The large, white-furred faces of males earned this species their name, while females typically feature white or light brown stripes of fur around their face instead. Though they have many predators, this primate has a current conservation status of "Least Concern".
Number 6. Golden Snub-Nosed Monkey
Hiding among the forested mountains of southwestern China are the endangered Golden Snub-Nosed Monkeys. This species is notable for its white-to-orange or golden fur and their almost skeletal looking snub-nosed faces. Though small in stature at just over two feet long maximum, and weighing up to 36 pounds, they are especially equipped to handle the harsh weather of its snowy home. In fact, the Golden Snub-Nosed Monkey can withstand colder temperatures than any other non-human primate! Unlike many of its relatives on this list, this creature doesn't eat other animals and instead dines on vegetarian options that will alter with the seasons. During summer months, this monkey will eat most leaves until the fall when they switch to fruits and seeds, and finally subsisting primarily on lichens to get through the long winter. Wolves, large cats, and birds of prey are the main threats to the Golden Snub-Nosed Monkey, along with habitat loss as this endangered species is thought to have dwindled down to a population of somewhere between 8,000 and 15,000 individuals to date.
,1,The world’s strangest fabled creatures! From an epic bird with a supposedly 80-foot wingspan to the monster blamed for draining the vitality of over 150 farm animals.
#8 Yeti
The mysterious legend of the Yeti has been a staple of the Himalayan region for centuries, however it wasn’t until the 19th century that it gained prominence as a folkloric beast in the Western world. Anthropologists have said that tales surrounding the Yeti can be traced back to pre-Buddhist beliefs in the area as the native Lepcha people would worship a “Glacier Being” as a hunting deity, while followers of the Tibetan Bon religion thought blood from the creature could be used in mystical rituals. These tribal and religious depictions framed the Yeti as being an ape-esque behemoth that carried a large stone as its weapon of choice. Word of this frigid, hairy monstrosity spread broadly in the 1800s as accounts were published of a trekker and his guides spotting what appeared to be a shaggy, bipedal creature fleeing their presence in northern Nepal. This was backed somewhat by massive, ape-like footprints being recorded in the 1899 work “Among the Himalayas” by Laurence Waddell. But sightings of the Abominable Snowman, as the creature was soon called, really started to flood in with the turn of the 20th century, as more western climbers, explorers and anthropologists braved the snowy mountain range. As researchers have attempted to track down this mythical monster, the popular consensus has been that travelers most likely witnessed a known animal such as the Tibetan blue bear or the langur monkey.
#7 Jersey Devil
In the Pine Barrens of New England, there is said to a flying, bipedal abomination that fleets through the woods with phenomenal swiftness and a blood-curdling screech. Called the Jersey Devil for its proximity to Southern New Jersey, this creature has been a popular recurring legend since it was first reported in 1735. The age-old tale of its origin explains that the monstrosity was born a human child, the 13th of its siblings, to a woman known as Mother Leeds. Upon discovering she was pregnant for the 13th time, Leeds was said to have cursed the unborn child, stating that it would be the devil. Once the newborn entered the world, it transformed into a creature with hooves, bat wings, a forked tail and the head of a goat before battering all in attendance and flying out of the home through the chimney. Since word of this legend spread, there have been many supposed encounters from unassuming bystanders, including a sighting by Joseph Bonaparte, the elder brother to Napoleon, in 1820. Strange events in the Pine Barrens, such as the mysterious slaying of livestock, unexplained footprints and wild animal attacks have all been blamed on the Jersey Devil in the last 2 to 3 centuries. But the origin of this legend is thought by historians to have spawned from the amalgamated gossip surrounding the Leeds family in the 18th century, who had a wyvern on its crest...an ancient myth that fits the Jersey Devil’s description.
,1,The most frightening technology used by law enforcement! From software capable of recognizing your voice and facial features to first-responder drones that can analyze a crime scene.
#6 Shot Detection
One of the biggest red flags indicating the need for an immediate, emergency response is the sound of gunfire. Nothing sends officers into action like the announcements of “shots fired!” echoing across radio dispatch. But in major cities, where city streets can be clustered with traffic, bystanders and any number of other random factors, reaching a potential crime scene quick enough to catch predators can prove challenging. Hoping to cut out the middle man, some police departments have begun implementing technology capable of detecting gunfire and pinpointing the location of its origin. Commonly referred to as ShotSpotter for the California-based leader in this technology, this shot-detecting invention can easily be installed on everyday streetlights around populated areas. Appearing in the form of small metal boxes, ShotSpotters host sensitive speakers that absorb and analyze the ambient sound of city streets, scanning for any semblance of gunshot before recording the source’s approximate distance and location. Once recorded, the data is transferred to nearby police stations within a minute of the shot’s occurrence. In Fresno, California, this tech has already been put to great use as it assisted officers in 2017 with apprehending an armed shooter just 4 minutes and 13 seconds after firing his initial shot.
#5 Stingrays
For the past 2 decades, the vast majority of Americans have grown more and more accustomed to making smartphones integral parts of their everyday lives. As such, phone usage has become a crucial means to track suspects and gather evidence of illegal activity. But tapping phones can be a lengthy, bureaucratic process. Authorities must first obtain a wiretap order, similar to a warrant, in order to gain legal approval to record and monitor the conversations of citizens. On top of that, these wiretap orders come with restrictions such as time limits to ensure officers can’t simply keep listening to your private calls forever. However, there’s still plenty of information to gather from cell phone usage without ever needing to tap a line, and accessing this information can be done without ever needing a wiretap order. This is where Stingray comes in. These devices are mobile stations that mimic cell phone towers and trick your phone into connecting to them as if they were part of your cellular network. Once connected, the Stingrays will record metadata such as the phone’s location and time of usage, entering the information into a database to use similar to fingerprints. Police departments and federal agencies have been using this technology for some time to much success, despite the protests of civil liberty groups that claim these devices violate the Freedom of Information Act.
,1,Apocalypses that never came to pass! From the end of a 5,125-year calendar to a terrifying prediction.
8. UFO Prophets
Since the 1950s, individuals have blended their biblically apocalyptic fears with their anxiety of extraterrestrials. One of the more popular accounts came at the hands of Dorothy Martin, a woman who had dabbled in automatic writing, a purported psychic ability in which one writes without consciously considering the words they put to paper. Much of her beliefs came from L. Ron Hubbard’s Dianetics system, a precursor to modern-day Scientology. Through her writings, she came to lead a group of followers called the Seekers, convincing them that she had received a psychic message from the planet Clarion. Martin and her group prepared for the arrival of a flying saucer to provide them safe exit as the world was to end in a global flood scheduled for December 21, 1954. When this didn’t come to happen, Martin was driven into hiding as threats of arrest and commitment to a psychiatric ward loomed.
7. The Jupiter Effect
One of the best selling books of 1974 was “The Jupiter Effect”, written by John Gribbin and Stephen Plagemann in which they outlined a number of upcoming catastrophes set to happen in conjunction with a major planetary alignment. This alignment, involving all the planets of our Solar System uniting on the same side of the Sun, all within a 95-degree arc. This event had long-been tracked by astronomers, who knew that the tidal forces of the other planets would have little-to-no effect on the climate of the Earth’s surface. But Gribbin and Plagemann ignored this fact, instead focusing on the potential effects of solar wind during this time. They claimed the resulting effects on Earth’s atmospheric conditions would mess with the speed of its rotation and trigger a number of natural disasters, including a massive earthquake along the San Andreas Fault. When these catastrophes failed to happen on March 10, 1982, the authors published “The Jupiter Effect Reconsidered” just a month later. In it, they hypothesized that the “Jupiter Effect” had actually taken place in 1980, retroactively blaming it for the eruption of Mount St. Helens. Gribbin would later go on to confess he didn’t like his “Jupiter Theory”, stating “I’m sorry I ever had anything to do with it.”
,1,The worst volcanic eruptions on the planet! From the Mexican summit that melts glaciers to Washington’s 500 thousand-year-old peak.
#7 Kelud Volcano
Since 1000 AD, over 30 eruptions have come from the Indonesian Kelud Volcano of East Java. Known for explosively emitting lava and hot mudflows, this volcano last erupted in February of 2014, an occurrence that shattered the lava dome covering its crater and launching boulders and stones up to 310 miles away. This explosive eruption caused around 76 thousand inhabitants to flee their homes, with just 3 casualties reported from either inhaling ash or having their homes collapse under the weight of the vast amounts of ash. It took just over a week for the volcano’s alert status to drop to a safe level, after which officials calculated damages to the 12,304 buildings affected by the volcanic debris, estimating a cost of around 5.5 million dollars in repairs.
#6 Mount Hood
Just 50 miles outside of Portland, Oregon sits one of the most popular tourist stops for snowboard and ski-enthusiasts in the Pacific Northwest. But behind the veneer of cozy log cabins and challenging slopes lies the potentially active stratovolcano of Mount Hood. With an elevation of 11,249 feet above sea level, this frigid mountain is home to a dozen named glaciers and snowfields and holds the honor of being the highest point in the state. Mount Hood hasn’t had even a minor eruption since August of 1907, so many are quick to consider the summit as being dormant. However, in the last 3 decades, factors like earthquake swarms and the emittance of fumaroles have kept scientists from ruling out a future eruption. The mountain maintains a population of less than 300, however its role in the snow-sport industry draws tourists annually, which could pose an issue should this volcano ever actually explode!
,1,The weirdest weather the US has ever had! From sudden bouts of darkness to tornadoes filled with flames and creatures falling from the sky.
#6 Tornado Tantrums (1974 & 2011)
Tornadoes plague the midwest almost annually, and at times, more than one can touch down in a given place. But on April 3 and April 4 in 1974, a flood of tornadoes spread across 13 states in the Ohio valley, causing over a billion dollars (adjusted for inflation) in damage and claiming the lives of 335 people in the process. An astounding 148 twisters tore into the U.S., with some reaching a circumference of 5 miles wide! Then again in 2011, from April 25 to April 28, another flurry of tornadoes ravaged America, hitting as far north as Pennsylvania and New York and reaching down to the Deep South. As warm air at the ground level collided with the colder airs above, and atmospheric wind shears moved in, these catastrophic disasters left their mark on populated areas repeatedly throughout the 3-day span. This time, 349 twisters took the lives of over 300 people, and caused 10.8 billion dollars in damage!
#5 Dark Day (1780)
In the 18th Century, meteorology wasn’t anywhere near as exact or capable of explaining weather-related phenomena the way is today. So it’s no wonder that accounts of the day when the sky went dark on May 19, 1780 are so superstitious and foreboding. Following right on the tail end of the American Revolution, the newly founded nation was already tense. So when the Sun turned red, black rain fell from the sky carrying the scent of coal fire, and the population had to rely on candlelight in the middle of the day to see, you can understand how frightened Americans might’ve felt. Rather than any sort of Armageddon or Judgment Day, though, this scary ordeal can be attributed to a forest fire in the Ontario forests. The origin of the legendary Dark Day in New England wasn’t discovered until 2007, when forestry experts out of the University of Missouri discovered fire scars in the woods of Ontario corresponding to that date!
,1,The truth about the mysterious Skull and Bones! These secrets covering the rituals, elitism, initiation, rumors, and theories regarding this Yale University secret society include tales of coffins, politicians, and more.
From a legacy of legislators and leaders to initiation by coffin, today we look at Skull and Bones: The Secret Society You Didn’t Know About.
#10 Origin
The beginnings of this secret society can be traced back to Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. In 1832, Skull & Bones founders Alfonso Taft and William Huntington Russell created the secret society in response to Russell’s lack of invitation to the academic society Phi Beta Kappa. From then on, more secret societies would begin to sprout up in thanks, or as a counter, to the popularity of Skull & Bones. The founders of the society Scroll and Key created the organization for reasons similar to Russell and Taft, but this time due to being excluded from Skull & Bones!
These secret societies grew in power over the next century with Skull & Bones and Scroll and Key running the roost at Yale for the next 41 years before other secret societies would attempt to enter the fold. However, by then Skull & Bones and Scroll and Key were too far established. Any challenging organizations would either end up settling with a lesser status or fall apart as their potential members would be tapped by the two senior societies instead. This issue is no longer a problem at Yale as many organizations coexist today, with hundreds of secret society members-to-be being tapped annually.
#9 Rituals
Near the time of commencement each year, a day was designated on campus as Tap Day, the day in which seniors would choose juniors to join their secret society. This process incorporated hundreds of male students escorted by women. Together they viewed a ceremony in which seniors would ask individual juniors to visit their room where an invitation would be found. These invitations were almost never rejected. This style of ceremony, with juniors gathering in a courtyard in hopes of being chosen continued until the 1950s.
However simply being picked, or tapped, to join the secret society isn’t enough to get you in. Partially responsible for the mysterious aesthetic surrounding the group, rituals and ceremonies play a huge role in evoking, and proving, loyalty to Skull & Bones. Some of the society’s initiation ceremonies that have been recounted include lying in a coffin to symbolize a rebirth of sorts, the sharing of new members’ entire sexual histories, and nude mud wrestling!
Recent reporting has shown modern initiation rites have strayed quite a bit, with many of the society’s outings prior to Tap Day being little more than pranks and stunts. This has caused the public image of the society on campus to be more akin to just another fraternity, in some regards. However its legacy can’t be shed that easily, and the famed reputation and rumors of the Skull & Bones rituals continue to circulate today.
