Genetic mutations: Imagining nature's errors

Not the results of a nuclear fall-out, but just some of the eye-catching entries to a popular online image-altering contest on the theme of genetic mutations.

Internet users were given 48 hours to come up with an imaginary creature to illustrate what happens “when nature messes up”.

Among the other striking entries were a circular centipede with no head or tail, a horse with tiny front legs and a cat with four ears.

All the accepted images can be seen on Worth1000.Com, the image-editing contest website which hosted the competition.

The digital alteration of images, know as “photoshopping” after the Adobe Photoshop software on which it is often done, has become a popular online pursuit.

Numerous websites host photoshopped images along certain themes, while others are devoted to identifying photos that have been altered and presented as true.

Pictured: The moment 100 skydivers came together mid-air to form a diamond the size of a 747

Gliding through the air four thousand feet above the ground, this diamond pattern looks like a giant handkerchief knitted into the skyline.

Consisting of 100 jumpers this world record canopy formation was achieved above Lake Wales, Florida last November.

Measuring 200 ft by 200 ft the breathtaking configuration was achieved by skydivers locking their feet into the lines of parachutes below them and grabbing the canopies below them with their hands.

Roughly the size of a 747 jet, the successful formation broke the previous record of an 85-way canopy formation set in 2005.

A canopy formation, one of the most difficult manoeuvres for parachutists, is built by parachutists flying their parachutes in proximity to each other and then taking grips ("docking") on other jumpers' parachutes.

The practice of building such formations is known by several names; canopy formations (CF), canopy formation skydiving (CFS) or canopy relative work( CRW or CReW).

The 100 jumpers were able to join together on a second of two attempts, using their hands and feet to hook up to adjacent parachutes.

The skydivers exited five planes flying at staggered altitudes to execute the formation.

Brian Pangburn, a participant and one of the organisers of the record jump, explained the technical complexities behind the record.

"The canopy formation is probably only done by about five per cent of skydivers in the world," explained the 43-year-old.

"The planning for this was very precise.

"We had five planes, three Otters and two CASAs, which carried the jumpers.

"The way you build it is that the gut on top starts and then he grabs the guy coming from underneath and so on. So we actually built it from the top going down.

"The first plane, which was at 21,000 ft carried the first nine jumpers. They pulled their cords immediately after exiting the plane to get into position.

"Exactly two minutes later we had another plane empty out the next 25 jumpers and two videographers from 18, 000 ft.

"Two minutes after that at 15,000 ft we had another aircraft with another 25 jumpers.

"And then at 12, 000 ft we had the last two planes carrying 20 and 21 jumpers.

"It took us 11 minutes from the moment the first jumpers exited to when everyone hit the ground so we didn't have much time.

"We also knew we had to break apart at no lower than 4,000 ft so that everyone to land safely on the ground.

"It was close but we got the record just at the last moment."

Using specially designed advanced technology and aerodynamic PD Lightning CReW parachutes the jumpers were travelling at 1, 200 ft per minute.

The success of the formation was built around solid communication.

"Only three people out of the hundred could transmit messages - two in the air and one from the ground," explained Brian.

"Each docking had to be exactly right so the communication had to be spot on.

"The most dangerous portion was breaking the formation which is know as a 'starburst'.

"When we broke it down we send off the bottom row and start counting backwards."

For Brian one of the hardest tasks was to find enough participants to break the world record.

"The canopy formation is probably only done by about five per cent of skydivers in the world," explained the 43-year-old.

"It was very difficult for us to find the talent and we had to look around the world to get this record done.

"Fifty-six per cent of the team were from America, the other 44 per cent were from countries all over the globe - Norway, Sweden, Belgium, Germany, Russia, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Egypt, Argentina and Canada."

Brian, who is also a member of the US Skydiving team and trains canopy formations all over the world, has been part of the organising team since 2000.

"I got involved in the 100 way record because after the Germans broke the 53 record back in 1996 they proclaimed it to be a physical impossibility to build anything larger.

"That sounded like a challenge to me so we decided to see how big we could go.

"But we never dreamed of going to 100 until 2003 when we put up a 70 way and then in 2005 we got the world record 85 way.

"It wasn't until then that we thought 100 might actually be doable.

"Over the years we have gained a pretty good group of people from around the world who could get it done.

"As we got more and more credibility we were able to attract better people from around the world."

However such was the skill levels involved, Brian and his team had to assemble the best skydivers in the business - from all over the world.

"We started the training camp in February and we would invite people from around the world to what we called a try out/raining camp and we would evaluate their performance and we had a certain criteria they had to meet.

"They had to dock with in a certain time period and they docked nice and smooth. Then we gave them a formal invitation to participate in the record.

"From the time we started in February I was only home 21 days. We were going around the world evaluating people it took a lot of time to do that."

Brian found that not only the language, but also the different styles of techniques played a large factor in deciding the final team.

"It is kind of difficult with the language barrier and with all the different cultures of skydiving.

"Some people are used to doing things some ways and we ended up having to change a few mindsets to say we are going to go out and do things this way. Everybody had to thinking the same way.

"Between the actual language communication and the techniques they were two of our biggest obstacles that we had to face.

"Three of us went around to pick the talent and it was a difficult chore because there were a lot of talented people around the world and some were better than us but we had to have the same techniques in order to make this thing work.

"The Russian were talented but some didn't make the team because they wouldn't adopt the same techniques."

Videographer Norman Kent documented the world record as he parachuted next to the formation.

"In the case of the 100 record my job was much more complicated," said the 52-year-old.

"The concept of the 100 canopy is a little bit crazy. You jump out of an aeroplane and arrive and open your parachute and then you're going to go and mess with it so that is off the wall.

"I know a lot of skydivers look at them and say to these guys, are you nuts?"

Despite the months of planning, Norman still had to work on instinct to get the best shot.

"There's a lot of guess work involved in this type of photography," he explains.

"This is a nerve wracking drama and you are in the middle of it."

Pictured: The intricate chocolate replicas of British landmarks and celebrity homes

It's the perfect gift for the person who has everything - an edible replica of their home.

But at £2,000 each they'll set you back a bit more than your average box of chocolates.

The intricate creations are being snapped up by the rich and famous with Prince Charles, Sting and Nicolas Cage among those who have commissioned carvings.
The replicas made by Father and daughter chocolatiers Kerr Dunlop and Flo Broughton , measure around 20cm x 10cm and take three weeks to make using intricate moulds.

The pair spent five years perfecting their technique for making the 'edible architecture', which has also been used to recreate British landmarks.Now they have released pictures of their work for the first time, including the sculpture of Prince Charles' Highgrove country estate in Gloucestershire.

They also show Midford Castle near Bath, Somerset - recently bought by Nicholas Cage - and Stings's Lake House mansion at Wilsford-cum-Lake in Wiltshire.

Retired inventor Kerr, 64, said: 'It's very difficult to make them. We have to build them up in different stages as you would a model.

'There are different colours for different parts of the building. If there's a portice on the door we would do that separately then add other features like windows.

'It's neither a quick nor an easy process but we pride ourselves on offering beautiful and original chocolates for our consumers.

'A mould for something like a house can take two or three works and hard to do occasionally stopping for breaks.'

The family launched their company Chocolate on Chocolate five years ago and converted a barn at their home in Rode, Bath, into a chocolate factory.

They started selling a range of just 12 chocolates at trade shows and quickly landed orders from upmarket shops such as Harrods.
Inventor Kerr then designed a method of sculpting buildings using moulds made out of plastic.

He made replicas of the Town Bridge in Bradford-upon-Avon, Wiltshire, and the Devil's Bridge in Kendal, which were spotted by a member of Prince Charles' staff at a show three years ago.

Charles then commissioned a chocolate replica of Highgrove and his three-feathered Royal crest.

He was so impressed he recently started selling them at The Highgrove Shop, which sells produce from the Prince's land near Tetbury and other local producers.

The Highgrove replica - 20cm x 10cm with 250g of chocolate - retails at £12 and the Royal crest - which is 10cm squared and uses 110g - is £6.

Making the chocolates takes up to three weeks starting with photographing the buildings and making several moulds and costs up to £2,000 per commission.

Giant machines spin gallons of different flavoured dark, milk, white and red chocolate which are poured into the moulds.

Extra pieces are then intricately hand-carved for different parts of the building.

The luxury treat business has boomed - now making 200 different products - and they now plan to expand into a factory four times the size including a chocolate cafe.

Graphic Designer Flo, 29, said: 'We started when I finished my degree and had a brief discussion about how cool it would be if I came up with some imaginative designs and then dad carved the moulds out of plaster.

'Dad has experience as an inventor and can carve amazingly intricate moulds and we just thought we'd give it a go.

'It's a dream come true to be surrounded by chocolate all the time.

'It's hard to resist eating the chocolate all the time because it smells so good, but I've got used to it.'

Sheep sex suspect banned from farmland

A man arrested by police investigating a series of violent sex attacks on sheep has been banned from visiting farmland.

The 27-year-old man was questioned over a series of attacks on sheep in Chislehurst, Bromley, south east London.

Officers held the man on suspicion of bestiality and possessing drugs with intent to supply after a dawn raid at his home in Dulwich.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said the man was released on bail pending further inquiries.

He said bail conditions prevent the man entering Bromley borough or any farmyard area within the Metropolitan Police area.

The arrest followed several complaints made to police about a man molesting sheep on grassland off Botany Bay Lane, Chislehurst, in May and June.

Witnesses reported a tall black man sexually assaulting sheep before running off, often leaving clothing at the scene.

Two joggers became suspicious when the man was spotted pulling up his trousers as he stood near a sheep that was lying on the ground.

A young stable girl who came face to face with the man during a similar incident also contacted detectives.

It is understood that the man was traced after forensic scientists identified DNA recovered from a pair of jogging bottoms found at the scene.

Two sheep were found dead in the field during the period of the attacks but it is not known if their deaths were linked.

Police are also investigating reports that the suspect also took photographs of the animals.

He's been named the ugliest dog in the world, but after battling skin cancer Gus shows why he is a REAL winner

He's got a face only an adopted mother could love - and far more problems besides.

With only one eye, a withered ear, three legs and skin ravaged by cancer, nine-year-old Gus has been crowned the world's ugliest dog.

The nine-year-old Chinese Crested dog has spent the last eight years, since being rescued by owner Jeanenne Teed from a crate in a garage, battling all manner of illnesses.

Despite a series of operations costing Jeanenne more than £2,500, Gus is still battling cancer, but his loving family claim he is "so ugly he's cute".



Gus scooped the title of World's Ugliest Dog at the Sonoma-Marin Fair in California.

Jeanenne, 46, said: "We have had Gus for the last eight years.

"He had been kept in a crate inside a garage for a year when we found him. He wasn't socialised and his nails had grown to the point where he couldn't walk.

"When we got him he was four-legged, two-eyed and his ears stood up straight but he was in a bad way.

"He quickly developed hematoma in one ear and when that was stitched down his ear crinkled over.




"He had no hair. Most Chinese Crests can be beautiful dogs, but Gus was so hairless he was hideous.

"That was the beginning of the end for his ugliness factor."

In December 2006 Gus was diagnosed with skin cancer after patches of dry skin developed on his body and his legs became ulcerated.

The condition deteriorated so much he had to have his back left leg removed and he was given just six- to nine months to live.

Jeanenne and her children Janey, 16, and Tommy, 14, decided to act and opted for doggy chemotherapy.


"We had to decide: Do we put him through the treatment?," said Jeanenne.

"Was it fair to him, was it fair to the family? We were talking radical surgery, amputating the one leg and then taking quite a bit of the other leg to remove as much tumour as possible.

"That was the hardest decision to make and it turned out to be the right decision because after the treatment he was up and walking and he didn't miss his leg at all.

"Then we followed that up with some chemotherapy for three months."

Despite being an accountant, Jeanenne admits that her financial common sense went out of the window when she paid for Gus' treatment.

"The financial implications were radical, I am an accountant by trade so I am supposed to be very rational when it comes to finances but I became very irrational and common sense went out of the window.

"In total it cost the family $5,000.

"I went from driving a 1997 Mercedes Benz to driving a 1997 Ford Escort Wagon. Its a jump in the wrong direction if you know what I mean."

Due to his condition Gus receives extra special treatment in the household, which includes seven-year-old Chihuahua Buttons, cats Princess and Tiger, both aged seven, and two-year-old cat Slinky.

Poor Gus lost his eye thanks to a tiff with Slinky, who lashed out and scratched him, possibly in a fit of jealousy.

Now he is facing a second cancer battle, following the return of the cancer. Radiation treatment could cost Jeanenne a further £2,500.

However, for Jeanenne and her children, winning the ugliest dog award was just deserts for brave Gus.

"Gus is pretty ugly and he certainly has an ugly side where he has no leg or eye," she said.

"And even though Gus is still ill, we are hopeful he will be able to defend his title in a year's time.

"We are hoping he will stay healthy enough to do radiation in a few months and in that case we are back next year to defend our crown at the ugliest dog in the world competition."

Meet the tree with a face

Is it a demon? A new Doctor Who monster? A bit of rubbish art? No, it's a section of an oak tree branch that looks like a human face। Sort of.



The face-tree was brought into the Daily Times newspaper in Maryville, Tennessee on Monday, by Ernest Ward, a groundskeeper at the local Magnolia Cemetery.

Ward said it was found on Monday as he and co-workers cleaned up debris from a weekend storm.

According to him, a former worker at the cemetery believes the face is a spirit.

Thomas Beatie Gives Birth

Pregnant man Thomas Beatie gave birth to a baby girl on Friday.

Beatie - who received national attention when he appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show in April - was born a female, but had his breasts surgically removed and legally changed his gender to male.

Due to the appearance of such a masculine-looking individual with a baby bump, Beatie has been the talk of tabloids for months. In reality, it’s not particularly astounding:

He kept his female sex organs, making this pregnancy far from ground-breaking.

“It doesn’t make me want to go and shave my legs or something,” he told Winfrey. “I’m a man, I just happen to be a pregnant man.”

On the contrary, Thomas Beatie, what differentiates a man and a woman is their sex organs. You’re a woman who takes testosterone.

Pictured: Monster crab with claws the size of a man's hand captured off the British coast

A monster crab - three times the size of average - and with claws bigger than a man’s hands - has been hauled from the deep.

The whopping 17lb crustacean measures an unbelievable width of more than two feet when fully extended, as well as having an impressive shell width of 12 inches.

It has an incredible a claw span of nine inches - big enough to break bones.

The enormous crab was captured by Paul Worsley, 39, on a recent diving trip to Lyme Regis, Dorset.

The shelled creature was so large that he was barely able to carry it to the surface.

Mr Worsley, from Aylesbury, said: ‘I couldn’t believe it when I saw it. I’ve seen and caught crabs before but never one as big as this.

‘It must be at least three times the size of an average crab, if not more.’ Mr Worsley has since returned to Aylesbury with his impressive capture.

‘Now it sits next to me in my office but we’re going to eat it in the next few days.

‘It’s going to provide a lot of meat - enough to feed at least 10 people’.

It’s not just Paul who was shocked by the size of the crab. Local fishermen have also expressed their disbelief at its giant proportions.

Douglas Lanfear, who was captain of the boat Mr Worsley was using in his dive, believes it to be one of the biggest crabs ever seen in the region.