Watch A Sand Storm From The Top Of The Tallest Building In The World

Dubai-based photographer Gerald Donovan went to the top of the tallest skyscraper in the world — the 830m tall Burj Khalifa — just in time to watch a sand storm engulfing the city. It wasn’t a pleasant experience, but he captured it on this video.
Watch A Sand Storm From The Top Of The Tallest Building In The World

Solar Eclipse Will Turn Sun Into 'Ring of Fire' This Week

The moon will block the sun in a potentially spectacular solar eclipse this week — a celestial event that will transform the sun into a cosmic "ring of fire" in the daytime sky. The ring-shaped solar eclipse, known as an annular eclipse, will occur Thursday and Friday (May 9 and 10) Eastern time. Weather permitting, the eclipse will be visible in certain parts of Australia and the Southern Pacific Ocean, where the local time will be Friday.
Solar Eclipse Will Turn Sun Into 'Ring of Fire' This Week

Registry Alert monitors the Windows Registry for unwanted modifications

Some programs that you install on your version of Windows add entries to sensitive locations in the Windows Registry. One of those places are the startup locations in the Registry that programs can make use of to autostart with Windows. While that is sometimes wanted, for instance for security software, it is often unwanted as the gain from doing so is minima, and that only if the program is trustworthy. Malware and spyware is often added to an autostart location so that it is autorun with the system.
Registry Alert monitors the Windows Registry for unwanted modifications

What’s a Bitcoin and why would you want one?

You might have heard in recent weeks about Bitcoin millionaires — people who raked in vast sums of real money riding this relatively new form of currency. Bitcoins offer both a fascinating, new approach to money and many potential pitfalls. Here’s what you should know about this online phenomenon.
What’s a Bitcoin and why would you want one?

11 Useful Free Messaging Apps

These days, we grow more and more dependent on our mobile devices, especially our smartphones, which help us conclude business, are a means of entertainment and extend their functionality to finances and other areas of our lives. But the downside of this dependence is the cost of our monthly bill, which keeps on getting bigger. Text messaging is one of the most used methods of communicating, and it’s no surprise that many have tried to find cheaper alternatives.
11 Useful Free Messaging Apps

The Webby Awards Gallery

Check out the 2013 Winners...
The Webby Awards

Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 6/2013

The latest issue of new Family Friendly sites listed on The Black Stump.
Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 6/2013

Mathematical Proof That Growing Old Means Getting Boring

What happens when you crunch a heap of Facebook data with one of the most sophisticated computational tools in the world? Mathematical proof for the myriad ways your life gets boring as you get older. That’s right, as you get older, you’re going to spend even more time whining about the weather and the government and less time thinking about important things like video games.
Mathematical Proof That Growing Old Means Getting Boring

Watch A Woman From The 1990s Explain What A Computer Is

One of the things that will never fail to make me happy: seeing people stuck in time explain what modern day technology is. Kim Komando hosted an educational series about computer and explains the basics of its hardware, DOS, Microsoft Windows, Writeand more.
Watch A Woman From The 1990s Explain What A Computer Is

25 Incredible Moments in Photos

After a week filled with all forms of memorable events, Mashable brings you those best captured in photos. Last Monday the annual Boston Marathon was victim to a terrible act. Yet, looking beyond that the people of Boston managed to stick together and help those who were in need during the chaos and confusion. In London, protesters gathered in George Square to recognize the industries that suffered under the government of former British Prime Minister Baroness Margaret Thatcher, on the day of her funeral.
25 Incredible Moments in Photos

25 Completely Bizarre Fortune Cookie Messages

Fortune cookies tend to have a 50:50 satisfying-to-disappointing ratio. Sometimes, you'll get a cookie that's stale, soggy and obviously past its expiration date. What's most disappointing, though, is when your fortune — a term that, for the sake of this post, we'll be using quite loosely — is less inspirational and more ... you know .. WTF-y.
25 Completely Bizarre Fortune Cookie Messages

5 Fascinating Facts We Learned From Reddit This Week

Did you know that Pepsi traded soda syrup for a small fleet of Soviet warships? Did you know that the Iranian government banned mullets in 2010?
5 Fascinating Facts We Learned From Reddit This Week

News is bad for you – and giving up reading it will make you happier

Rolf Dobelli, author of the forthcoming book, The Art of Thinking Clearly, has an essay in the Guardian that explains the many reasons why you shouldn't read, listen to, or watch news.
News is bad for you – and giving up reading it will make you happier

Reddit users may have discovered a murder on Google Maps

The image ... is really a Rorschach test more than anything else. Do you see two people standing over a body wrapped in black plastic with an enormous trail of blood behind it? Or do you see two people about to pet a dog that’s just shaken itself off?
Reddit users may have discovered a murder on Google Maps

Reddit stories on the Boston marathon explosions.

One of the largest online communities, Reddit, is often a great source of breaking news, and right now it's proving it with a story on the Boston marathon explosions.
There was just an explosion at the Boston Marathon - Will use this to live update : news

3 Ways To Accept Your Life

Read the following sentences and see if you relate -
“I don’t like anything in my life”
“Life sucks”
“I hate my job”
“I am a loner, nobody likes me”
“Life is a struggle”
In all these not-so-happy words there is only one important thing missing and that is acceptance.
3 Ways To Accept Your Life

2013 Boston Marathon Explosion: Official Information Sources

Following today’s explosions at the Boston Marathon, social media channels were immediately swamped with reports, graphic images and videos from the scene. Race officials immediately held runners on course, and canceled the rest of the event.
2013 Boston Marathon Explosion: Official Information Sources

Time and Navigation: How We Found Our Way in the World

Type an address into your phone, and up will pop a step-by-step route from where you are to where you want to be. This is, in its way, magic. But it's magic that has, at this point, been rubbed and polished into a simple fact of life. The ease with which we machine-carrying humans make our way through the world, however, is quite new — and the product of a long, painstaking history: of people plotting a course, getting lost, and finally finding their way.
Time and Navigation: How We Found Our Way in the World

Australian Social Trends, April 2013

Australian Social Trends (AST) is an Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) flagship publication presenting a picture of Australian society through a selection of articles. The articles aim to address current and on-going social concerns, and focus on population groups of interest and changes over time. Each tells a story and provides a sense of the social and historical context of its topic.
Australian Social Trends, April 2013

Internet Activity, Australia, December 2012

This release contains details of internet activity supplied by Internet Service Providers in Australia with more than 1,000 active subscribers. It includes information on internet subscribers and their type of access connection, the type of user (i.e. business/household), the volume of data downloaded, the speed of internet connection and the location of the subscriber (by state or territory).
Internet Activity, Australia, December 2012

Decide what happens to your Google account when you die

What happens to your online accounts when you die? Some may not care at all, after all, they are dead by then and there is not really anything that can be done about that. Others may want to control what is happening to their accounts. Maybe they want them closed right away, kept open only with a different and permanent status message, or maintained by a family member or loved one.
Decide what happens to your Google account when you die

Shark Scares the Crap Out of Kayaker [VIDEO]

Who says you need a big fancy boat to fish? While deep sea fisherman may have space on deck to catch fish by the tons, Isaac Brumaghim caught a fish, which attracted a much larger shark that he named "Chompy."
Shark Scares the Crap Out of Kayaker [VIDEO]

How to Identify and Run a File with an Unknown Extension

Ever got stuck with a file that has some mysterious extension? Where no matter how much you try, the Jigsaw puzzle doesn’t seem to fit together? So, for instance, if the file has the extension (characters after the last period in the file’s name) doc or docx, you know you need Microsoft Office or its alternative productive suites such as LibreOffice or Google Doc to view and edit that file. But what if the file extension is something you have never heard of before, or something your computer can’t decide the appropriate software for?
How to Identify and Run a File with an Unknown Extension

Life on the Moon as imagined in 1836

In the old days, Mars was peopled by one vast thinking vegetable, and the Moon was peopled by stick-wielding bat-men and moth-winged moon maidens.
Life on the Moon as imagined in 1836

Snake Oil's secret ingredients

There was no actual snake oil in old timey snake oil. Rather, most of the lotions and potions sold by early 20th century miracle medicine salesmen actually contained mercury and lead. Now, don't you feel better?
Snake Oil's secret ingredients

How to Send Emails from Different Addresses in Gmail

Most of us have more than one email address these days – it makes it easier to keep different areas of life separate. But having to switch between email accounts can be a pain. With Gmail, you can set things up so you can send from multiple accounts without the need to keep switching.
How to Send Emails from Different Addresses in Gmail

7 Emergency Apps Every iPhone and Android User Should Have

There are certain applications that do not have a proper use in day-to-day activities, but they may prove a necessity in critical situations. Whenever a hurricane strikes, a massive flood is coming or a snow that treats to lock you down for a couple of days is announced, you must be warned.
7 Emergency Apps Every iPhone and Android User Should Have

Animal Planet Sets Up Cockroach Cam

The Internet loves a good kitten and puppy cam, but isn't that so, like, five years ago? Okay, not really. We'll gladly watch 24/7 live footage of adorable creatures crawling on top of each other.
Animal Planet Sets Up Cockroach Cam

This Is How Far North Korea's Missiles Can Reach

North Korea on Friday reportedly moved two mobile missiles believed to be of intermediate range to the country's east coast, potentially putting them within striking distance of Japan and American bases in Guam. If the reports are accurate, it's the latest escalation in an increasingly tense situation which may result in a military conflict.
This Is How Far North Korea's Missiles Can Reach

5 Fascinating Facts We Learned From Reddit This Week

Gather 'round the computer screen kids, and bask in the frothy glow of knowledge. It's time for another edition of Reddit Facts, our weekly dive into the fascinating tidbits we learn from the front page of the Internet.
5 Fascinating Facts We Learned From Reddit This Week

Recuva 1.46 update brings improvements across the board

Data recovery software can come in handy in several situations, most notably when you deleted files permanently on your system or when a third party software or even a virus did so. All recovery programs for Windows scan the free space of a selected partition or hard drive for files that have been deleted on the system but not yet removed from the hard drive. The main difference between them is functionality, performance, and how the scanning is done.
Recuva 1.46 update brings improvements across the board

Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 5/2013

The latest issue of new Family Friendly sites listed on The Black Stump.
Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 5/2013

Dramatic Video Shows Why You Should Never Jump Onto Train Tracks

Train tracks are a dangerous place, people. If you drop something on the tracks — like your cellphone — remind yourself it just isn't worth it.
Dramatic Video Shows Why You Should Never Jump Onto Train Tracks

The Fresh Ten Commandments

Recent events have made it clear that we are suffering from a broken moral compass. People today could use some general guidance.
The Fresh Ten Commandments

Know The Different Types Of LCD Monitors And Pick The Best One

It may seem like size is all that matters when it comes to buying a monitor, but there’s a lot going on under the hood. This video from Techquickie tells you everything you need to know about LCD monitors as fast as possible.
Know The Different Types Of LCD Monitors And Pick The Best One

North Korea Propaganda Video Shows U.S. Invasion

A new propaganda video posted to YouTube depicts North Korea invading the United States.
North Korea Propaganda Video Shows U.S. Invasion

Photos from on top of the Great Pyramid

The Pyramids of Giza close to tourists at 4:00 pm. Recently, a group of Russians managed to hide out at the site after closing time and scramble up the Great Pyramid of Cheops in the fading light. Naturally, they took photos.
Photos from on top of the Great Pyramid

The 140 Best Twitter Feeds of 2013

Every year, TIME recognizes those who exemplify the very best wit and wisdom Twitter has to offer. Here are the 140 feeds that inspire us to laugh, learn or shake our heads in wonderment.
The 140 Best Twitter Feeds of 2013

8 Death-Defying Photographs That Will Make Your Palms Sweat

Take a deep breath. Maybe sip a soothing cup of chamomile tea, because the terrifying shenanigans of "Mustang Wanted" will make your heart race. The Ukrainian Spider-Man and amateur stuntman scales high-rise structures to pose for stunningly scary photographs. Mustang Wanted shares the death-tempting images and videos on his website and YouTube page, where he has amassed more than a half-million views.
8 Death-Defying Photographs That Will Make Your Palms Sweat

The 7 Best Online Alarm Clocks with Timer and Sound Notifications

You are at home, browsing the web or watching a movie on Netflix and the only element disrupting your peace and comfort is a very important appointment, due in 4 hours. Knowing how easily you can forget about specific times or critical tasks, once you’ve immersed yourself in the beautiful world of entertainment, you try to find something to keep you afloat; a reminder, a sticky note to put on your desk… an alarm.
The 7 Best Online Alarm Clocks with Timer and Sound Notifications

Explore Everest, Kilimanjaro and more with Google Maps

Most of us have a bucket list of the places we want to visit in our lifetime. If you’re like me, the list is pretty long—to be honest I’d be lucky to get to all of mine. Google Maps has a bucket list too, and today we’re checking off a couple of our favorites so we can make our map more comprehensive and share it with you. And if tall mountains are your thing, you’re in luck.
OExplore Everest, Kilimanjaro and more with Google Maps

How to Quit Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Other Social Networks

There can be few computer users who do not have at least one social networking account – the likes of Facebook and Twitter are just so prevalent these days. But while it’s easy to sign up for an account, closing one down is not always so simple. Until now.
How to Quit Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Other Social Networks

This Week's Biggest Moments in 25 Photos

Feels like just yesterday it was Monday. So many things happened this week that we should remember.
This Week's Biggest Moments in 25 Photos

Debunking 50 Common Misconceptions

All the things that you thought you knew? Like that Vikings wore helmets with horns. Or that rice causes birds to explore. Or that Marie Antoinette said ‘Let them eat cake’. Yeah, never happened.
Debunking 50 Common Misconceptions

Fail! Soccer Player Hits Post 4 Times on 1 Miss

So close ... and yet so far. A Greek soccer player hits one post twice, the crossbar once and the other post once in an all-time agonizing miss.
Fail! Soccer Player Hits Post 4 Times on 1 Miss

Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 4/2013

The latest issue of new Family Friendly sites listed on The Black Stump.
Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 4/2013

How Many Calories Do You Burn When You Click a Mouse?

Desk jockeys everywhere will probably agree: Exercise isn't a big part of their day-to-day antics.
According to a 2011 study published in the journal PLoS One, 80% of jobs in America require little to no physical activity. With the addition of a few midday vending machine trips, the study says, it's likely that most American cubicle-dwellers are consuming more calories than they're burning — now more than ever.
Another report, called Convert Anything to Calories, calculated the number of calories burned through the mundane activities typical of desk job workers. Among them? Clicking a mouse.
How Many Calories Do You Burn When You Click a Mouse?

New Pope Francis I Has 40,000 Facebook Subscribers

Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina was revealed Wednesday to be the new leader of the Catholic Church. He has taken the papal name of Francis I. Bergoglio, 76, is a Jesuit and the first pope from South America. He also has an active Facebook presence with 40,000 subscribers — a number that's sure to rise in the coming hours.
New Pope Francis I Has 40,000 Facebook Subscribers

Google Launches Indoor Maps In Australia

Google has expanded its Indoor Maps range to include over 200 locations across NSW and Victoria. Users can access detailed floor plans of large public buildings by zooming into the location on their tablet or smartphone.
Google Launches Indoor Maps In Australia

Lifehacker 101: Ultra HD TVs

4K TV, or ‘Ultra HD’ is the new buzzword being spouted by television manufacturers as they smartly side-step the Hindenburg-sized catastrophe that was 3D TV. If you listen to the hype, the next-generation of televisions are an industry-changing revolution that will make your 1080p displays look like an oil-stained nickelodeon canvas from 1915. (They said the same thing about 3D but this time they really mean it. Honest.)
Lifehacker 101: Ultra HD TVs

The Ultimate Puddle Jump Fail [VIDEO]

There is no better feeling than jumping into a puddle after a spring rain and feeling the ripple of water across your shoes. There's no worse feeling than drowning (probably). The subject of this viral video most likely felt both of those emotions in the span of a split second.
The Ultimate Puddle Jump Fail [VIDEO]

Japan Turns Sole Surviving Tsunami Tree Into Gigantic Sculpture

Two years ago today, Japan was ravaged by a horrible tsunami. Now, there’s a new memorial dedicated to the tragedy: the “miracle tree” that survived the surge has now been converted into a sculpture.
Japan Turns Sole Surviving Tsunami Tree Into Gigantic Sculpture

SXSW Begins And Other News You Need to Know

Welcome to this morning's edition of "First To Know," a series in which we keep you in the know on what's happening in the digital world.
SXSW Begins And Other News You Need to Know

How to Change Hidden Advanced Settings in Any Browser

Browsers are packed with settings and options, many of which are hidden. Each browser has a place where you can change advanced settings that aren’t available in its standard options window.
Note that changing some of these settings could negatively affect your browser’s performance, stability, or security. Many of these settings are hidden for a reason.
How to Change Hidden Advanced Settings in Any Browser

Quiz Reveals Likelihood You'll Die by 2023

t would be great if we could live forever. But unless you’re swept up in a rapture, you’ll likely die. Some of us sooner than others. A new mortality index released by the University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine allows people older than 50 years old to take a quiz and find out their odds of meeting their maker by 2023.
Quiz Reveals Likelihood You'll Die by 2023

Here Is What Lake Eyre Looks Like From Space Over Five Years

Like any lake, Australia’s largest lake, Lake Eyre, fills and empties in a cycle. Usually it happens so slowly that you don’t notice it, but what if you could watch five years of tidal activity in one minute, all taken from space? One Aussie Redditor has combined all the images from the Terra EOS AM-1 satellite taken since 2008 to cram it into one awesome minute.
Here Is What Lake Eyre Looks Like From Space Over Five Years

Eat A Banana To Remedy Over-Caffeination

Getting too juiced up on caffeine happens more often than people often think. Maybe you made a pot and nobody wanted it but you. Perhaps you got lost in a great conversation. In any case, baristas and amateur nutritionists suggest one possible remedy: eat a banana. Yes, a banana.
Eat A Banana To Remedy Over-Caffeination

The Complete Guide To Switching From iPhone To Android

Sick of Apple’s restrictive operating system but haven’t yet made the jump from iPhone to Android? Here’s what to expect, how to adjust, and how to cope with certain app withdrawal.
The Complete Guide To Switching From iPhone To Android

This Jaw Dropping Canyon Cliff Rope Swing Will Give You Vertigo [VIDEO]

YouTuber "Devin Super Tramp" and his friends must have some relation to Toy Story's Buzz Lightyear because they've truly mastered the art of "falling with style."
This group of extremely brave individuals turned the canyons of Utah into their personal swing set and let loose in some amazing jumps and stunts that will have you dizzy.
This Jaw Dropping Canyon Cliff Rope Swing Will Give You Vertigo [VIDEO]

Attention Pet Owners: You Need These 3 Apps

Mashable and Purina recently co-hosted #TailsandRails, a pet-friendly hackathon at New York's Soho Grand Hotel. We brought together coders and animal lovers who want to build a better life for their furry friends.
Attention Pet Owners: You Need These 3 Apps

The Giant Security Hole That Facebook Doesn’t Care About

You probably assume hackers are using all sorts of devious viruses, obscure scripts, “exploits” (whatever that means, right?) and other complex means to break into accounts. But often the means of entry are stupid simple. Facebook has a huge one — and doesn’t care about fixing it.
The Giant Security Hole That Facebook Doesn’t Care About

5 Fascinating Facts We Learned From Reddit This Week

The odds of it happening are extremely small, but the shortest possible Monopoly permutation goes like this, according to a Notre Dame professor.
5 Fascinating Facts We Learned From Reddit This Week

How to Capture Stunning Snaps of Your Kids

It maybe a cliche, but kids really do grow up too fast. This makes it vital to capture as many childhood moments as you can.
How to Capture Stunning Snaps of Your Kids

Erasing Your Data from the Internet

The Internet is among the best thing that has happened to humanity, but cool as it is, it too has severe problems – problems with security, problems with privacy, problems with identity and sometime the stuff associating to you.
Erasing Your Data from the Internet

In Case You Forgot, the Sun Is a Giant Ball of Fire

The bubbling tumult of the sun's surface regularly produces some pretty jaw-dropping sights, but it's rare that we get to see something like this — and in motion to boot.
In Case You Forgot, the Sun Is a Giant Ball of Fire

Inside a nuclear fusion research lab

In downtown Cambridge, Mass., there's a research laboratory where scientists create plasma — the superheated, energy-dense gases that make up the Sun — and then try to manipulate that matter in ways that could, someday, be useful to the human race. Last week, the folks at The Physics Central Buzz Blog went inside this facility.
Inside a nuclear fusion research lab

An Animated Guide to Becoming the Next Pope [VIDEO]

Now that Pope Benedict XVI has resigned from his position, he's left a wide open hole at the top of the Catholic Church ladder. Time for you to make your move and rule the world — or at least Vatican City.
An Animated Guide to Becoming the Next Pope [VIDEO]

Abbott & Costello's classic "who's on first?" routine wonderfully retold in a children's book

TIME Magazine called Abbott and Costello's "Who's on first?" routine "the best comedy sketch of the twentieth century".
Abbott & Costello's classic "who's on first?" routine wonderfully retold in a children's book

5 Fascinating Facts We Learned From Reddit This Week

Plants, presidents and cute animals turned evil await you in this week's edition of Reddit Facts.
5 Fascinating Facts We Learned From Reddit This Week

Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 3/2013

The latest issue of new Family Friendly sites listed on The Black Stump.
Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 3/2013

3 Companies You Hate But Investors Love, and Vice-Versa [INFOGRAPHIC]

There's a disconnect between companies that are popular with consumers and companies that are popular with investors. This infographic sets out to show you a microcosm of that phenomenon, picking out three companies that are loathed by many but the favorite of many investors, and three companies that are loved by consumers but might cause investors to be more wary.
3 Companies You Hate But Investors Love, and Vice-Versa [INFOGRAPHIC]

HadOneJob: photos of monumental cockups

HadOneJob.com is a collection of images showing massive, inexplicable cockups that appear to be the result of terrible negligence and/or deliberate sabotage.
HadOneJob: photos of monumental cockups

Huge Meteor Explodes Over Russia.

Apparently, at about 09:30 local time, a very big meteor burned up over Chelyabinsk, a city in Russia just east of the Ural mountains, and about 1500 kilometers east of Moscow. The fireball was incredibly bright, rivaling the Sun!
Huge Meteor Explodes Over Russia

Passenger Records His Own Plane Crash

When Jonathan Fielding heard that the carburetor of the plane he was in had iced over, his first inclination was to grab his smartphone.
Passenger Records His Own Plane Crash

Amazon Tops Apple and Google as Most Reputable Company in U.S.

Amazon edged out Apple to become the most reputable company in the U.S., a new study suggests.
Amazon Tops Apple and Google as Most Reputable Company in U.S.

The science of magic

The old cups-and-balls "shell game" trick so effectively exploits the human brain's ability to be deceived that, even when the cups are see-through, you can still get played.
The science of magic

North Korea Doing Terrifying Things: A Brief Timeline

Last night, North Korea unexpectedly decided to test a nuclear bomb without the common courtesy of telling anybody first. But it’s just the latest in a long line of terrifying things the country has done.
North Korea Doing Terrifying Things: A Brief Timeline

Belgium to Introduce Postage Stamps That Taste Like Chocolate

Belgium, known for its confectionery treats, is planning to release postage stamps that smell and taste like chocolate on March 25. The Belgian Post Office has issued chocolate-scented stamps before in 1999 and 2006. But, as Creativity Online points out, this is the first time flavor has been added to the mix. How do they taste? Even if you don't live in Belgium, you can sample them by emailing philately@bpost.be.
Belgium to Introduce Postage Stamps That Taste Like Chocolate

New titles coming | National Library of Australia

The following titles are intended to be made available to the public during the current financial year. Multiple titles may be processed and made available at any given time. Dates of when specific issues will be available unfortunately cannot be provided.
New titles coming | National Library of Australia

Litterplugs: where the trash gets wedged

Cabel's got a great name for those odd gaps in buildings and street-furniture where people shove their garbage. He calls them "Litterplugs," and boy does he have a lot of great photos of them.
Litterplugs: where the trash gets wedged

Pope Benedict XVI to Resign on February 28

Pope Benedict XVI will resign on February 28, the Vatican has announced.
Pope Benedict XVI to Resign on February 28

Here’s Just How Close Fire Came To Claiming Australia’s Greatest Observatory

The clean-up has well and truly begun at Siding Springs Observatory which last month survived one of the fiercest bushfire seasons by the skin of its teeth. Three ancillary buildings were lost in the blaze but the brave tale of how fire service men and women and how they saved the greatest astronomy telescopes in the country is one you need to read. Clean-up crews have taken some photos of the site, and it’s incredible to see how close the facility came to its almost certain doom at the hand of vicious fire.
Here’s Just How Close Fire Came To Claiming Australia’s Greatest Observatory

Helicopter Crash Caught on Camera During Filming of Top Gear Korea

A race between a supercar and a helicopter on Top Gear Korea got just a little bit too dramatic when the helicopter crashed into the ground.
Helicopter Crash Caught on Camera During Filming of Top Gear Korea

Bing May Have Revealed Secret U.S. Drone Base

Whoever says Google search is better than Bing has never tried tracking down a secret American drone base in the desert sands of Saudi Arabia.
Bing May Have Revealed Secret U.S. Drone Base

Images From Space Lead to Discovery of 9,000 Penguins

Emperor penguin colonies are not easy to find: Their breeding grounds are remote, icy expanses, that are unobservable at distances greater than just a few kilometers due to the curvature of the Earth.
Images From Space Lead to Discovery of 9,000 Penguins

What on Earth is that thing on Mars?

A 'shiny protuberance', spotted on Mars by Curiosity Rover, has had the internet aflutter for days.
What on Earth is that thing on Mars?

20 Optical Illusions That Might Break Your Mind

Viewer discretion advised! Do not scroll down unless your brain is made of steel and your nerves are Teflon. Some people simply cannot stand optical illusions.
20 Optical Illusions That Might Break Your Mind

5 Fascinating Facts We Learned From Reddit This Week

The Beatles officially broke up in Disney World.
5 Fascinating Facts We Learned From Reddit This Week

Giant Sinkhole Swallows Entire Building In China

Imagine standing on the road one day and having a sinkhole suddenly swallow you whole. Or imagine sitting in your house and having a giant sinkhole vaporise your entire building. That’s what happened in China.
Giant Sinkhole Swallows Entire Building In China

Grand Central at 100: Cool Stuff You Didn't Know

Today one of America's busiest railroad stations, Grand Central Terminal in New York, turns 100 years old. The iconic structure, located in the heart of Manhattan, serves thousands of passengers every day and is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world. Originally built by the New York Central Railroad, today it is used exclusively by Metro-North Railroad, New York's regional commuter rail line.
Grand Central at 100: Cool Stuff You Didn't Know

This New Zealand Moonrise Might Be Better Than Any Sunrise

This video is stunning. Made by visual effects artist Mark Gee, the real-time video shows the moon rising over Wellington, New Zealand. It’s incredible to see the dark sky filled with the gigantic glowing orb. Just seeing that off-white colour float up makes me more excited than any sunrise ever.
This New Zealand Moonrise Might Be Better Than Any Sunrise

ScanNow for Universal Plug and Play (UPnP)

The free scanner checks whether your network-enabled devices might be vulnerable to attack through the UPnP protocol.
ScanNow for Universal Plug and Play (UPnP)

A Comprehensive Guide To Firewalls

In the construction industry, a “firewall” is a specially-built wall designed to stop a fire from spreading between sections of a building. The term spread to other industries like car manufacturing, and in the late 1980s it made its way into computing. On one side of the wall is the seething electronic chaos of the Internet. On the other side is your powerful but vulnerable Web server.
A Comprehensive Guide To Firewalls

Understanding Humans And Life With Numbers Is Overwhelming

Men lie, women lie, number’s don’t. PBS takes a look at the sheer ridiculousness of some numbers and then compares them against each other.
Understanding Humans And Life With Numbers Is Overwhelming

Lost pet tortoise found in family storeroom 30 years later

Leandro Almeida of Rio de Janeiro was cleaning out a storeroom at his family's home when a neighbor noticed a tortoise in a box meant for the trash. Turns out, the tortoise was Manuela, a family pet who they thought escaped back in 1982.
Lost pet tortoise found in family storeroom 30 years later

For 40 years, this Russian family was cut off From all human contact

In 1978 a team of Russian geologists took a helicopter to a remote part of Siberia and encountered a family that had not had contact with anyone for 40 years. The family were Old Believers -- members of a "fundamentalist Russian Orthodox sect, worshiping in a style unchanged since the 17th century." They fled to Siberia in 1936 to escape persecution.
For 40 years, this Russian family was cut off From all human contact, unaware of World War II

See What Astronauts Really Eat in Space

Freeze-dried Neapolitan ice cream often comes to mind when we think about what our astronauts are eating high above Earth in the International Space Station. But the extraterrestrial culinary world is a bit more refined these days.
See What Astronauts Really Eat in Space

Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 2/2013

The latest issue of new Family Friendly sites listed on The Black Stump.
Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 2/2013

Science Proves Whether The Chicken Or The Egg Came First

ASAP Science definitively answer the question of which came first — the chicken or the egg.
Science Proves Whether The Chicken Or The Egg Came First

This Is The New South Pole

There’s a new Geographic South Pole Marker, a pretty shiny metal pole that marks the actual geographic pole. Since the ice sheet that covers Antarctica moves, the previous marker moves along — about 10m from its real position. So the scientists from the Amundsen-Scott base celebrate each New Year by unveiling a new pole in the actual geographic pole position.
This Is The New South Pole