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World's tallest LEGO tower built in South Korea

2012-05-15T23:41:04Z

A team of 4,000 children have built the world's tallest LEGO tower in South Korea using an impressive 500,000 colored bricks.Built to celebrate the 80th anniversary of LEGO, the mega-construction - which used a cross formation at the base for stability - even required a hydraulic platform to complete.The final brick was stuck in place by the Crown Prince Frederick of Denmark… yes after all those children had done all the hard work!

Designer beds created for pampered cats and dogs

2012-05-15T23:35:23Z

It's no secret that some pet owners spoil their animals, whether it's giving them the best food, constant belly rubs or £1,200 beds to sleep in … wait what?A range of designer pet beds has gone on sale for pampered pooches and pussy cats which are made by master cabinetmakers and cost more than most furniture for humans.The pet furniture from Cedel Pets and Style -- which is miniaturized versions of typical bedroom furniture -- can cost up to £1,200Many models even include little pillows, duvets and tiny bedside tables, though we can't imagine what a cat keeps in a bedside table. A spokesperson for Cedel Pets and Style said: "Our pet furniture is designed in the image and quality of bedroom furniture. Made by master cabinetmakers, miniaturized comfort for them sleep well with us as we sleep."LINKSCedel Pets and Style

Surfer Garrett McNamara breaks wave-riding record (VIDEO)

2012-05-13T23:26:11Z

A surfer who caught a massive wave off the coast of Portugal back in November of last year has been told by Guinness World Records it was the largest wave ever ridden.44-year-old Garrett McNamara somehow managed to ride the 78ft (24m) wall of water at Nazare and has video footage to prove it. This video then was analyzed by big wave and photography experts.After the video was verified and measured it was declared that the wave was 12 inches taller than the previous record from 2008. McNamara was also awarded $15,000 (£9,309) for the ride at the Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Awards.However McNamara says he didn't know the wave was a record breaker at the time. "I knew it was big, but I didn't know how big," he said. LINKSGarrett McNamara

Fifth of young holiday-makers return with tattoo

2012-05-13T23:21:59Z

One in five young adult British holiday-makers who go abroad will return home with a tattoo, it has been discovered.A survey of 1,790 people found that a surprising number of Brits return from their holiday with inked skin to go along with their key rings, postcards and dodgy souvenirs.19% of 18-25-year-olds said they had previously had a tattoo done while away. 54% said they knew someone else who had had a tattoo done whilst on holiday.The majority of respondents who admitted to having a tattoo done whilst on holiday were female; comprising 65% of the total number of tattooed respondents.Of those, two thirds, 67%, claimed to regret their choice. Not surprising when you think that 27% get tattoos of stars, 22% get a phrase and 16% a heart shape. Chris Clarkson, of sunshine.co.uk, which commissioned the study, said: "Getting a tattoo on holiday might seem like a good idea at the time, but the number of people that were found to have regretted doing so in this poll just goes to show that it might not be the best choice." LINKSSunshine.co.uk

Prince Charles weather forecast for BBC goes viral

2012-05-13T23:19:29Z

Last week Prince Charles and his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, visited the BBC headquarters in Glasgow. While there they had a go at presenting the weather.During Reporting Scotland BBC newsreader Sally Magnusson handed over to Prince Charles for his lunchtime weather forecast. Reading a specially-written script -- which included references to royal residences in Scotland - Prince Charles delivered the bulletin to shocked viewers as he stood in front of the BBC's weather map.Since then online clips of the bizarre forecast (Camilla also had a go) have been watched millions of times around the world and hundreds of articles written about it… like this one. During the forecast Charles said: "The best of the bright and dry weather will of course be in the northern isles and the far north of the mainland. So, a little hazy sunshine for the Castle of Mey in Caithness."But a cold day everywhere with temperatures of just 8C and a brisk northerly wind. Thank God it isn't a bank holiday."LINKS BBC Scotland

Hornster bicycle has a horn louder than Concorde

2012-05-13T23:15:54Z

Many city cyclists struggle to get themselves noticed as they do battle with cars, buses and lorries. But not any more, meet the Hornster ... a bicycle equipped with a horn that is louder than Concorde.At close quarters the Hornster bicycle emits 178 decibels; a level of sound so powerful that if used in anger it could deafen any motorist who veered too close. The Hornster bicycle was developed by the Environmental Transport Association (ETA) to highlight the dangers that cyclists face on city roads. Trucks are involved in over half of cyclist fatalities that occur in London.The triple air horn fitted to the bicycle is an Airchime KH3A from an American locomotive, which has been adapted to run off a scuba diving cylinder. It is so powerful that at a distance of 100ft it is far louder than a standard truck horn and more than noisy enough for a cyclist to make themselves heard above the din of the urban jungle. The Hornster is the brainchild of Yannick Read, who said: "The same quietness that makes bicycles such a civilised way of getting around makes them vulnerable to inattentive motorists - the Hornster is a wake-up call for drivers who don’t pay attention to bikes.” The Hornster is sale for £4,995. How loud is the Hornster?:Hornster: 178db (@3ft) 140db (@50ft)F-14 take off with re-heat: 130db (@50ft)Concorde (landing): 119dbTypical lorry air horn: 110db (@100ft)City traffic: 78db (central London)Conversation in restaurant: 60dbDecibel (dB) - Humans perceive an increase of 10 dB for a single noise event as a doubling of noise. LINKSEnvironmental Transport Association

Ostrich runs down busy road in Saudi Arabia

2012-05-08T23:15:39Z

Have you ever seen an ostrich running down a busy road? No, well you should probably rectify that pretty sharpish by clicking play on this video.This quick-footed bird is understood to have escaped from a farm in Saudi Arabia before heading onto a busy road where it (mostly) dodged cars. It is not known whether the feathered critter managed to escape or was apprehended by authorities and returned to the farm… or went on to star in a cartoon. .

Man changes name to Tyrannosaurus Rex

2012-05-08T23:11:28Z

A presumably dinosaur-loving man from Nebraska has legally changed his name to 'Tyrannosaurus Rex'23-year-old Tyrannosaurus Rex Tyler Gold -- previously just Tyler Gold -- reportedly made the name change official at a public filing in a York County courtroom.There he claimed that the Tyrannosaurus Rex moniker was "cooler" and that as a entrepreneur it's important to have an easily recognisable name.Because he wasn't making the change to hide from creditors or law enforcement and had gone through the proper legal channels, Judge Alan Gless granted the request.So now Tyrannosaurus Rex can enjoy using his new name on official documents including bills and his passport. .

Truck stuck on railway cut in half by train

2012-05-08T23:08:49Z

This dramatic video shows the horrifying moment a lorry was sliced in two by a speeding train, seconds after the truck driver had escaped.The incident happened at Kings Mountain, North Carolina, when a truck got stuck on the level crossing at exactly the wrong time - as a train hurtled towards it.Luckily the driver of the lorry and a passenger managed to escape before his vehicle took the impact and despite the cotton cargo being spread everywhere, no-one was injured.At least five police cars attended the scene and the intersection has been temporarily shut while a barrier is installed. The 'Absolutely No Truck Crossing' signs obviously weren't doing the job. .

Dinosaur burps and farts may have caused global warming

2012-05-08T13:35:07Z

Flatulent dinosaurs may have cause an early bout of global warming 150 million years ago thanks to their belches and farting, scientists have claimed.Researchers from Liverpool John Moores University say some giant dinos would undoubtedly have suffered from gas after eating a diet of leafy plants -- and that could have warmed the Earth.Just like cows emit methane in their digestive process, boffins say sauropods would have done the same, but at 20,000 kilogram each there would have been a lot more produced.In total experts predict sauropods may have emitted a total of 520 million tons (520 Tg) per year of global methane emissions. That's the same as all animals and industrial activity today. Dave Wilkinson of Liverpool John Moores University said: "A simple mathematical model suggests that the microbes living in sauropod dinosaurs may have produced enough methane to have an important effect on the Mesozoic climate."Indeed, our calculations suggest that these dinosaurs could have produced more methane than all modern sources -- both natural and man-made -- put together."LINKSLiverpool John Moores University

US women fantasise about sexual encounter on Eiffel Tower

2012-05-08T11:56:07Z

Women in the US fantasise about having a sexual encounter the Eiffel Tower, while men would rather have it away in the White House, a survey has found.A recent survey of 1,000 people discovered that 33% women have fantasized about meeting for a sexual rendezvous on the Eiffel Tower in Paris.Men however prefer the allure of power in the White House and 31% of blokes say their fantasy sexual encounter would occur there.It was also found that not too many Americans are happy in the bedroom. 37% admitted the time they spend being intimate ends too quickly, while 14% revealed that sex lasts longer than they would like. 46% of respondents also believe they are more likely to see Big Foot than "finish" at the same time as their partner. LINKSDurex

Man struck by lightning ... in the scrotum

2012-05-08T09:45:19Z

If you think you've had a bad day recently, spare a thought for a 53-year-old man in Madrid who was struck by lightning… in his scrotum.The unfortunate gent is said to have been walking down a street in the Spanish capital with his son when he was hit by a bolt of lightning and left unconscious.The lightning is reported to have travelled down his leg before striking the ground. His son called for paramedics who took him to Hospital de la Paz.Doctors say his heart and brain functions were not affected in the incident and that the man is now in a stable condition.While we're glad about his heart and brain, we'd also like to know whether other body parts survived the lightning strike unscathed. .

Yves Rossy flies over Rio de Janeiro using jetpack

2012-05-03T23:19:07Z

Swiss daredevil Yves Rossy has continued to push the boundaries of aviation by successfully completing a flight over the iconic skyline of Rio de Janeiro. The former fighter pilot made the 11 minutes 35 seconds after dropping from a helicopter over Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas and flicking the switch on his carbon-kevlar Jetwing.This activated the four engines, which each offer a thrust of 22kg, and propelled the Swiss aviator through the South American skies at between 200-300kph, controlled by a simple throttle in his hand.The rest of the controls are left to the human-fuselage, Yves Rossy himself who simply usages his shoulders, body and legs to steer, pitch and descend. Yves Rossy described his expereince saying: "It will be difficult to find a more beautiful city than Rio. Flying in front of Christ the Redeemer, it seemed like it was just him and me. It was very spritual to be face-to-face with such a symbol of peace. "I would like to thank the city of Rio and everyone who made this happen. The message for this flight go and realise your dreams"

Meet the UK's largest Tortilla Chip

2012-05-03T23:15:27Z

This is na-cho average tortilla chip. The collosal snack is said to be the UK’s largest Tortilla Chip and weighs more than 50kg.The record breaking chip was made by Brewers Fayre and uses normal ingredients of flour, salt and water baked in a special 3 metre deep oven. It includes more than 40 kilos of flour, 20 litres of water. The giant 200cm x 150cm creation, which took bakers more than 50 hours to make and six team member to carry, has a total area of 3 square metres, which is the equivalent of 10,000 normal size tortilla chips.Emma Price, of Brewers Fayre, which created the dish to celebrate the launch of their new Tex Mex menu, said: “We are really excited to have created the biggest Tortilla Chip in the UK. LINKSBrewers Fayre

Vibrating suit developed to help Olympic athletes

2012-05-03T23:12:56Z

Boffins are creating a buzz for Britain’s Olympic athletes after inventing an electric training suit - which VIBRATES when they perfect a routine.Tiny sensors are attached to the wearer’s skin which sends a pulse to Olympic hopefuls when they move in the correct way.A computer tracks the user’s movements in real time which can be monitored by the coach as the athlete practices.The ‘MotivePro’ suit, pioneered at Birmingham City University, is being used on British athletes to improve their performances in the run-up to this summer’s Olympics. Prof Gregory, a former ballet dancer, initially invented the suit to perfect his own posture while performing. He said: “The beauty of the suit is that it can be calibrated to the individual athlete’s routines."When an athlete hits a particular stretch or movement the computer sends a tiny impulse, like a vibration on a mobile phone, to the sensors which is then felt on the skin."In theory the sensors can be placed anywhere on the body but they are put on the athlete’s joints. Because the sensors relay the information in real time the athlete will receive immediate feedback throughout their routine. "The suit is designed to give wearers feedback about where their body is in space."British Olympic rhythmic gymnast Mimi Cesar, 17, is using the technology to perfect her routines.The teenager from Sutton Coldfield, West Mids., said: “The suit will be especially useful in group gymnastics because you get points for synchronisation and how you all look together so it will help gymnasts do the routines exactly the same.“If all five of them wore the suits they would know exactly where to place their back or body then it would look better and they would get more marks."LINKSBirmingham City University