The Fukang Meteorite
Back in the year 2000, an incredible meteorite weighing 2,211 pounds was discovered near Fukang, a city located in the northwestern region of Xinjiang, China. Named the Funkang meteorite, it was identified as a pallasite, a type of stony–iron meteorite. With4.5 billion years in the making, its golden olivine mixed with silvery nickel-iron to create a stunningly beautiful mosaic effect.
Pallasites are extremely rare even among meteorites (only about 1% of all meteorites are this type) and Fukang has been hailed as one of the greatest meteorite discoveries of the 21st century.It has since been divided into slices which give the effect of stained glass when the sun shines through them. It is so valuable that even tiny chunks sell in the region for $40 to $60 a gram. An anonymous collector holds the largest portion, which weighs 925 pounds.
Source: Daily Mail
Moss mimic stick insect (Trychopeplus laciniatus), San Cipriano Forest Reserve, Colombia
photo via Project NOAH: Dan Doucette
http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/20633726
How Does a Lynx Cross a Fence?
Rare images of lynx family in Banff National ParkFebruary 2013.
Alex Taylor, a human-wildlife conflict specialist who works for Parks Canada, was sent to intervene to help keep a lynx and her kitten off the highway near Canada’s Lake Louise in Banff National Park.
While on the scene, Alex snapped an incredibly rare sequence of images of the animals as they crossed highway fencing.
“As the pictures clearly portray, lynx are incredibly agile and flexible animals - this sequence is nothing short of stunning,” said Omar McDadi, a Parks Canada Communications Officer.
“We believe this is the first time lynx have been captured on film crossing highway fencing in this fashion.
“Lynx sightings in Banff National Park are rare, though last March a lynx was snapped using one of the park’s wildlife overpasses…
(read more: Wildlife Extra) (photos: Parks Canada/Alex Taylor)
Source: fairy-wren
Sunbeam Snake (Xenopeltis unicolor)
is a species of non-venomous snake native to parts of Southeast Asia and Indonesia. They get the name sunbeam due to its highly iridescent scales that make it look like the snake is lighting up. The sunbeam snake is highly noted for its reproductive abilities and it its known to give birth of up to 10 eggs at a time. Due to the fact that they have no venom the snake relies on constriction to kill their prey. They spend most of their time below ground and prey on small mammals and other reptiles.
Phylogeny
Animalia-Chordata-Reptilia-Squamata-Serpentes-Xenopeltidae-Xenopeltis-unicolor
(via hungry-skin-vacant-meat)
Source: astronomy-to-zoology
Porpita porpita.
They measure one inch in diameter and are related to jellyfish.
Image courtesy of Islands in the Sea 2002, NOAA/OER.
(via whoakeanu)
Source: oceanexplorer.noaa.gov
Source: malformalady
Source: dakotamatrix.com
... but a galaxyrise
