Cellular Jail: Former British Penal Colony for Indian Political Prisoners

The jail stands a symbol of colonial oppression, cruelty and untold suffering. The first prisoners were tied three-at-a-time to a wheel which operated a pestle for crushing oilseeds. The prisoners were required to crush thirty pounds of coconut and mustard oil each day. Being unable to meet the quota would result in severe punishment shackling and flogging. There are no records of how many died or were executed. Shortly after the rebellion was suppressed, the British executed many rebels....

November 23, 2013 · 1 min · 191 words · Dawn Mata

Pingualuit Impact Crater in Canada

When Ontario diamond prospector Frederick W. Chubb saw the photographs, he became interested in it. He hoped that this might be an extinct volcano and there was a possibility to find diamonds nearby. Meen organized an expedition to this remote area together with Chubb. It was on this trip that Meen proposed the name “Chubb Crater”. In 1999, the name was again changed, to “Pingualuit”. The crater and the surrounding area are now part of Pingualuit National Park....

November 23, 2013 · 1 min · 114 words · Timothy Johnson

Ward Charcoal Ovens of Nevada

Between 1876 and 1879, the Charcoal Ovens were built to produce charcoal from pinyon pine and juniper. Today they’re the main attraction in Ward Charcoal Ovens State Historic Park. Photo credit The ovens take their name from Thomas Ward who founded a local mining district in 1872. Each of the six ovens stood thirty feet tall and was twenty-seven feet in diameter at the base. The walls are 20-inches thick, made from rocks with three rows of vents....

November 19, 2013 · 1 min · 198 words · Glenn Rowland

Acqua Alta: The Periodic Flooding of Venice and Chioggia

The phenomenon is locally known as acqua alta. This coincidence happens from about the middle of October to the beginning of December. Since, acqua alta is a tidal phenomenon, it lasts three to four hours, during high tide. Once water goes down again, things go back to normality. The flooding triggered by the acqua alta is not uniform throughout the city of Venice. A city-commissioned study showed, a tide up to 90 cm....

November 18, 2013 · 1 min · 128 words · Sandra Cruz

The Towers of Kaiping

Throughout Kaiping County in China, are scattered hundreds of fortified multi-storey towers called Diaolou. During the 1920s and 1930s, there were more than three thousand of these structures. Today, approximately 1,833 Diaolou remain standing in Kaiping, and approximately 500 in Taishan. 20 of the most symbolic ones are inscribed on UNESCOs World Heritage List. They cultivated rice and fished. The influx of wealthy people attracted the attention of the bandits who raided, robbed and kidnapped....

November 14, 2013 · 1 min · 125 words · Rachel Walker

Leonardo Da Vinci’s Golden Horn Bridge

This was the first time that such a long single span bridge was proposed. Consequently, the bridge could not be built because it was too advanced for the builders of that time. Converting the basic design in reality was done by Architect Selberg. On top of the glulam beams one can walk or cycle on. Leonardos sketch of the Golden Horn bridge.Photo credit

November 3, 2013 · 1 min · 63 words · Stephanie Jimenez

Map Collages by Matthew Cusick

New York-based artistMatthew Cusickcreates elaborate collages depicting humans, animals, water and landforms crafted entirely from recycled maps.

November 2, 2013 · 1 min · 17 words · Carlos White

Dingo Fence: Australia’s 5,600Km Dog Fence

Until 1980, the fence was 8,614 kilometers long, but was then shortened to 5,614 kilometers. Some parts of the fence is illuminated at night via solar panels feeding high output lights. On top of that, there is also debate on the actual native classification of the Dingo. Therefore it is an introduced pest like the rabbit, camel, buffalo and feral pig. Sources:Wikipedia,Thargotourism,Digidrift,BBC,Cosmomagazine

November 1, 2013 · 1 min · 62 words · Dawn Davidson

8 of the Most Scenic Train Routes

With that being said, here are eight of the most scenic train journeys you could possibly take. This service carried only 10,000 passengers in 1990 and now carries over 100,000 per year. Of note, you’ll also see canyons, mountains, and glacial lakes. This all around view will include reclining chairs, a restaurant and complementary drinks. Well worth the extra fair. Photo credit The Ghan The Ghan has been traveling through Australia for over 80 years....

October 31, 2013 · 2 min · 295 words · Amber Olson

The Impossible Railroad

The San Diego and Arizona Railroad was proposed. The builders soon realized that the rail link to El Centro presented massive engineering challenges. The damage to the section through Carrizo Gorge was so massive that it remains closed to this day.

October 30, 2013 · 1 min · 41 words · Richard Cook

The Rock Islands of Palau

Palau is an archipelago of about 250 islands, located in the western Pacific Ocean. It finally gained its total independence in 1994. Palau is a beautiful tropical paradise, and one of the true unspoiled destinations on the planet. Most of the 100-plus islands are small low-lying coral islands, ringed by barrier reefs and uninhabited. It is the most popular dive destination in Palau. In fact, Palau offers some of the best and most diverse dive sites on the planet....

October 30, 2013 · 1 min · 80 words · John Clark

Soviet War Memorial at Mamayev Kurgan

Particularly merciless was the fighting on and around Mamayev Kurgan, a prominent hill above the city. The Germans pushed forward against the hill, taking heavy casualties. They finally captured the hill and subsequently the railway station on 14 September 1942. By the end of the following day, 10,000 men of the Soviet army had perished. The hill changed hands several times. The defenders held out until 26 January 1943, when the counterattacking Soviet forces relieved them....

October 28, 2013 · 1 min · 156 words · Evan Alvarado

The World's Steepest Cogwheel Railway at Mount Pilatus

However it was concluded that the project would not be economically viable. Instead, Locher placed a horizontal double rack between the two rails with the rack teeth facing each side. This was engaged by two cogwheels carried on vertical shafts under the car. The system was also capable of guiding the car without the need for flanges on the wheels. Today’s 40-passenger electric cars run at 9 km/h and make the trip in about half an hour....

October 27, 2013 · 1 min · 104 words · Amanda Fernandez