Scientists have recently confirmed that Vanuatu was host to a never-before-viewed supersize animal, in the genus Meiolania, (giant horned turtles). It was pushed to extinction by humans, on the 80 tropical island archipelago of Vanautu, in the north west corner of the South Pacific.
Read how Vanuatu is home to many more giants…
Lonely Planet released its latest travel guide list of the world’s happiest places. Topping the list is the 80 tropical island archipelago of Vanuatu, in the South Pacific island, while Montreal in Quebec takes second position. Read more…
An artificial resort in Germany is the world’s largest indoor waterpark has been created in the world’s largest single hall to not have supports. It was built inside a 352-foot disused airship hangar, one of the largest buildings by volume.
That is just the beginning. Read about abandoned rail way lines, to off ramps on highways and warehouse roofs…
Fritz Grobe and Stephen Voltz, two American scientists, have developed a rocket car that is fuelled purely by the reaction between Coke Zero and Mentos lollies.
Read how effective this violent ‘nucleation’ was and how it affects alternate fuels…
A false news release was broadcast from ABC Radio Australia and posted on the Internet May31st, stating that an 18 km volcanic cloud of ash was being erupted from Mt Yassur. This release was put out by a meteorologist sitting hundreds of miles away, looking at satellite images.
The release went on to say that aircraft flights were being disrupted and tourists forbidden to visit the live volcano.
Yet, visitors stood on the lip of the fabulous volcano that same evening, saying the volcano was giving off the most wonderful display of fireworks. There was no sign anywhere of a huge cloud of volcano ash.
Read the rest of the report and how it follows up a false earthquake report only days before…
Costa Ricas Arenal volcano, is spewing geysers of lava, ash and toxic gases from its crater and forced the evacuation of the national park, in which it is located.
At 4am on May 24th 2010, the 1633-metre-tall cone-shaped mountain in northern Costa Rica shuddered into activity at. Eight successive rivers of lava flowed down its steep slopes, National Volcanology and Seismology Observatory expert Elicer Duarte said.
Read more about the world’s active volcanoes…
In his book The Most Important Person On Earth, Dr Myles Munroe’s final chapter is a special word of encouragement to Third World nations. A theme that is seen to be carried forward at an upcoming International Apostolic Network seminar, being held in the tropical island nation of Vanuatu, in the South Pacific in September, 2010.
Dr Munroe is a well known international motivational speaker, best-selling author, lecturer, educator and consultant for government and business.
Read why many see this as a ray of light for Third Word (developing nations)…
Naming kids weird names seems to be the norm for people who live in the limelight. The latest polls show that Barrack and Beckham were popular in 2008.
Just check out a few of these odd names such as Sixx Pennell and Shiloh Nouvel Pitt…
Subconsciously bosses discourage workers to take holidays, according to travel researcher, Carolyn Childs, when discussing the findings of a recent TNS Domestic study. The study showed that senior management does not practice what they preach and thus send a mixed message, by their own bad example. “The very people telling you to use up your leave are often the people who have the most significant amount of leave accrued,” said Childs.
Read more about the pressure of not taking annual leave…
The streets of Fiji were eerily empty on the 14th March, 2010, as Tropical Cyclone Tomas approached the northern islands of Fiji. Schools closed, public services suspenced and international flights were cancelled, as a night-time curfew was put into operation.
“Wind gusts were peaking at around 230 mph,” said Matt Boterhoven, senior forecastor for the Fiji Meteorological Service.
The nation’s Disaster Council, chaired by Fiji’s self-appointed prime minister, Frank Bainimarama, declared a state of emergency for the northern and eastern parts of the country on Tuesday morning. Up to eight metre ocean surges and rising rivers were reported.
Tropical Cyclone Tomas, was recorded as being a category 4, (out of a possible 5), with wind speeds between 131 and 155 mph. Up to 17,000 people fled to 240 evacuation centres across the country. Moving at only 4 mph, the slow speed of the Cyclone increased the potential danger.
A 31 year old woman, Tamarisi, Tabua is the only reported death to date, with dozens of others injured. Tabua saved her sisters and two children, before being swept away by a strong sea surge on Vanua Levu.
The eye of CT Tomas was 48 kilometres in diameter, with storm-force winds extending out 240 kilometres, making it 480 miles in diameter.
TC Tomas was expected to drop to a category 3 (winds of 111-130 mph) late on, Tuesday, back to a category 2 by Wednesday. The cyclone is one of the strongest to hit Fiji for several years.
Meanwhile, further across the South Pacific, Tropical Cyclone Ului, another Category 4 Tropical Cyclone, also moving at 4mph, lashed the southern-most parts of the Solomon islands.
Originating in the northern part of archipelago of the Vanuatu islands, as a tropical storm, Ului did a tiny sharp dog leg north and travelled west, north-west. Gathering in strength, it briefly became a category 5, (winds over 156 ,mph) before turning south, south west.
On Sunday, 14th March, warnings were issued in Australia, of an extremely dangerous tropical storm heading its way. However, as TC Ului neared the Australian coast it was expected to decrease to a category 1 (wind gusts between 74-95 mph) by Thursday and remain at sea, according to the Queensland weather bureau.
TC Ului comes on the fourth anniversary of the TC Larry, category 5, which hit Innisfail, March 20, 2006. The high winds affected an area 150 km in each direction from the eye of the storm. This was the first category 5 Cyclone to hit the Queensland coast in 30 years.
However, officials admit, the path of Tropical Cylcone Ului remain unpredictable and expected to cross the Australian coast eventually as a Tropical Depression. The tropical islands of Vanuatu and New Caldeonia remain quietly tucked safely in between the two Tropical Giants.
