Best pictures of the month – Jan/12

A selection of this month’s best pictures.

Printing a Home

It can take anywhere from six weeks to six months to build a 2,800-square-foot, two-story house in the U.S., mostly because human beings do all the work. Within the next five years, chances are that 3D printing (also known by the less catchy but more inclusive term additive manufacturing) will have become so advanced that we will be able to upload design specifications to a massive robot, press print, and watch as it spits out a concrete house in less than a day. Plenty of humans will be there, but just to ogle.

Meteora – ‘Suspended in the air’

These Greek monasteries represent a unique artistic achievement and are one of the most powerful examples of the architectural transformation of a site into a place of retreat, meditation and prayer.

MITx Could Revolutionize Higher Education

MIT has invented or improved many world-changing things—radar, information theory, and synthetic self-replicating molecules, to name a few. Last month the university announced, to mild fanfare, an invention that could be similarly transformative, this time for higher education itself. It’s called MITx. In that small lowercase letter, a great deal is contained.

Kids Think Technology is Fundamentally Human

Growing up with the Internet gives today’s children a very unique view on the way the world works — one that is vastly different from that of older generations.

The Future According To Google Search Results

Since humans were able to conceive of the concept of time they have wanted to know the future. And with the advent of Google we have come even more expectant of having any and all information at our fingertips. Have you ever found yourself wanting to Google something that doesn’t exist yet? Well now someone has cataloged future events for each year as determined by the first page of Google search results.

Kindness Boomerang

Watch as the camera tracks an act of kindness as its passed from one individual to the next and manages to boomerang back to the person who set it into motion.

Everything You Know About Fitness is a Lie

Gym machines are boring, CrossFit is sadistic, and dieting sucks. Luckily, none of them is essential to being truly fit. Through years of trial and error — and humiliation at the hands of some of the world’s top trainers — the author discovered the secrets to real health.

Twenty Common Sense Investing Rules

The below is for ordinary investors, not professional traders or those aspiring to become professional traders…

Advertisements with Social Messages

Stunning photos of Aurora

One of the most beautiful events of nature is the Aurora. It’s a very common sight for people who live beyond the Polar Circle and where night lasts for a half a year. Living in a Polar region is difficult at times. There is no sunlight, only low light for a few hours in the middle of the day. But it’s not always dark, when the sky is clear you can see bright arcs of green or red light moving across the sky. The followinf photos of Alexander Semenov are really amazing.

Where Gold Comes From And Where It Goes

The Gold Tree Infographic visualizes above-ground stock of gold, sources of gold broken down to continents and countries and uses of gold. The infographic pictures the different forms of gold investments – ranging from physical gold in the form of bullion gold to securities not backed by gold.

Since when did obedience become the epitome of good parenting?

We all want impeccably behaved children, right? Well maybe not, says Annalisa Barbieri. Here, she questions why there is such a fashion for taming our youngsters. 

How much would Facebook, Google or Twitter lose if they shut down for one day?

With Wikipedia going through with its decision to shut down the site for 24 hours as part of their protest against SOPA, it’s received quite a bit of criticism in the process for the decision. The Next Web’s own Brad McCarty gave a pretty good argument for how Wikipedia could have used its site to raise awareness, in the same way it was able to raise money for its own cause.

Animal eyes

The eyes are the windows to our soul. Do animals have soul? Look at these pictures and make up your mind.

Ten Things Everyone Should Know About Time

“Time” is the most used noun in the English language, yet it remains a mystery.

Who You Are on Facebook Is Probably Pretty Much Who You Are

A study finds that our personalities, from the physical world to the digital, are portable.

The last Kodak moment?

Kodak is at death’s door; Fujifilm, its old rival, is thriving. Why?

Happiness is a journey

We convince ourselves that life will be better after we get married, have a baby, then another. Then we are frustrated that the kids aren’t old enough and we’ll be more content when they are.

At which games computers beat humans?

Difficulty of various games for computers.

Failed doomsday predictions

The World Will NOT End On Dec. 21, 2012, as Mayan calendar predicts. Below you will find seven other dates when the world was supposed to end, but didn’t …

The Beauty of Pollination

Pollination: it’s vital to life on Earth, but largely unseen by the human eye. Filmmaker Louie Schwartzberg shows us the intricate world of pollen and pollinators with gorgeous high-speed images from his film “Wings of Life,” inspired by the vanishing of one of nature’s primary pollinators, the honeybee.

Why You Should Get More Sleep

Not getting enough sleep can lead to weight gain, cancer and other adverse consequences described in the following infographic. And 93% of people don’t get enough sleep.

Chart: The rise and fall of personal computing

It shows PC sales, including Android and iOS devices, from the dawn of time to today.

Why women have s ex

According to a new book, there are 237 reasons why women have s ex. And most of them have little to do with romance or pleasure !

These Economies Will Dominate The World In 2050

“The World in 2050,” a new report by HSBC economist Karen Ward, forecasts the economic prowess of the 100 largest economies. Of interest in her report is where each happens to fall, and how income per capita will grow in a number of emerging markets.

Quit Smoking to Feel Better !

A three-year study of 1,500 Wisconsin residents found that those who quit smoking—and blood tests were used to confirm that they had—felt a gain in happiness and less stress in their lives.

Mapping Stereotypes

Bulgarian graphic designer and illustrator Yanko Tsvetkov has revealed maps, reproducing what he saw as stereotypes that different nations have about other countries.

Mafia Now The Biggest Lender In Italy

A testament to the state of the banking industry in Italy and the resilience of a criminal network declared dead many times over the years.

Best animal photos

We share our world with many other species and live in an ever-changing environment. Fortunately, photographers around the world have captured the moments and beauty that allow us to see amazing views of this awe-inspiring planet. This is a collection of favorite photos from The Natural World gallery in 2011, a showcase of images of animals and environment that runs on Boston site throughout the year.

Addicted! Scientists show how internet dependency alters the human brain

Internet addiction has for the first time been linked with changes in the brain similar to those seen in people addicted to alcohol, cocaine and cannabis. In a groundbreaking study, researchers used MRI scanners to reveal abnormalities in the brains of adolescents who spent many hours on the internet, to the detriment of their social and personal lives. The finding could throw light on other behavioural problems and lead to the development of new approaches to treatment, researchers said.

Top 10 of Universe for 2011

The top 10 posts of  ’Best of Starts With A Bang’ site.

Hard Times

A man was selling oranges in the middle of a road. He was illiterate, so he never read newspapers. He put some signs along the road and spent the whole day praising the flavor of his wares.

Delicious Food Landscapes

At first glance, these images look like painted landscapes,. However, if you look a little more closely you will see that they aren’t paintings but true photos! Also everything you can see in the photograph is made of real food!

Is Free Will an Illusion?

Don’t trust your instincts about free will or consciousness, experimental philosophers say.

A Brief History of Friday the 13th

Face it, you’re screwed. Today is Friday the 13th — the unluckiest day on the calendar — so try not to crash your car, fall down a flight of stairs, set yourself on fire or do anything else that might compromise your well-being. And for God’s sake, stay away from men in hockey masks.

Aerial viewing of Greece

A breathtakingly beautiful virtual tour shot in high definition from a helicopter-mounted camera. Lifting off from Athens, you embark on a modern odyssey as varied and dramatic as Greek history, exploring exotic islands scattered like stones in the brilliant blue Aegean, ancient ruins, verdant hills, rocky coastlines, and timeless traditions.

Child Labor Is increasing Around The World

Child labor risks are rising around the world, including in supply-chain countries, according to a new report from Maplecroft.

The hot tech gig of 2022: Data scientist

By the end of the decade 50 billion devices will be emitting information nonstop. Data scientists will help manage it all.

Human Planet

Human Planet is an awe-inspiring, jaw-dropping, heart-stopping landmark series of ‘BBC One’ that marvels at mankind’s incredible relationship with nature in the world today.