Is this an amazing work of art, or of something from science-fiction?The neat, intricate pattern does pose the question - how on earth was it made?The huge crop circle sculpted in a sea of barley seems to be based on the Yin and Yang theme, and appeared near an ancient British burial mound beneath Windmill Hill near Devizes, Wiltshire on 25 May.The ancient area of Wiltshire close to Silbury Hill, Windmill Hill and the Sanctuary is a hot spot for crop circles.
At around 350ft in length, it is hard to explain its creation - indeed, the mystery of how crop circles are made has never been solved.Cynics have claimed the patterns are the work of computer scientists using teams of volunteers - but crop circle enthusiasts argue there are not enough hours of darkness in summer to allow them to be completed by humans.Wiltshire is a hot spot for these field-based phenomenons - its green and golden fields have spawned an array of patterns in the past that have fascinated those who seek them out.Enthusiasts and experienced crop pattern hunters have often spotted formations appearing close to these sacred sites.
The crop circle season - from April to harvesting in September - is believed to be worth millions of pounds to the local economy.This example is an elaborate aul formation consisting of a centre circle with two large and two small arcs extended and connected by circles of decreasing size. Windmill Hill is thought be date back to the Early Neolithic period some 5,000 years ago, constructed as a causeway enclosure, and it is thought the camp housed a large farming community during a relatively peaceful and prosperous time before the Romans invaded Britain - evidence of their presence is provided by a villa on the western slopes of the mound.
The International Institute for Species Exploration at Arizona State University and an international committee of taxonomists - scientists responsible for species exploration and classification - today announce the top 10 new species described in 2008.On the list are a pea-sized seahorse, caffeine-free coffee and bacteria that live in hairspray. The top 10 new species also include the very tiny (a snake just a slither longer than 4 inches or 104 millimeters), the very long (an insect from Malaysia with an overall length of 22.3 inches or 56.7 centimeters) the very old (a fossilized specimen of the oldest known live-bearing vertebrate) and the very twisted (a snail whose shell twists around four axes). Rounding out this year’s list are a palm that flowers itself to death, a ghost slug from Wales and a deep blue damselfish.The taxonomists also are issuing an SOS - State of Observed Species - report card on human knowledge of Earth’s species. In it, they report that 18,516 species new to science were discovered and described in 2007. The SOS report was compiled by ASU’s International Institute for Species Exploration in partnership with the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature, International Plant Names Index, Zoological Record published by Thomson Reuters, and the International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology.Among this year’s top 10 picks is a tiny seahorse - Hippocampus satomiae - with a standard length of 0.54 inches (13.8 millimeters) and an approximate height of 0.45 inches (11.5 millimeters). This pygmy species was found near Derawan Island off Kalimantan, Indonesia. The name - satomiae - is “in honour of Miss Satomi Onishi, the dive guide who collected the type specimens.” (Pictured above) 
Suicide PalmFrom the plant kingdom is a gigantic new species and genus of palm - Tahina spectablilis - with fewer than 100 individuals found only in a small area of northwestern Madagascar. This plant flowers itself to death, producing a huge, spectacular terminal inflorescence with countless flowers. After fruiting, the palm dies and collapses. Soon after the original publication of the species description, seeds were disseminated throughout the palm grower community, to raise money for its conservation by the local villagers. It has since become a highly prized ornamental.
Coffea CharrierianaAlso on the top 10 list is caffeine-free coffee from Cameroon. Coffea charrieriana is the first record of a caffeine-free species from Central Africa. The plant is named for Professor André Charrier, “who managed coffee breeding research and collecting missions at IRD (Institut de Recherche pour le Développement) during the last 30 years of the 20th century.”
Surprisinigly, this new species of extremophile bacteria was discovered in hairsprayAnd, in the category of “spray on new species” is an extremophile bacteria that was discovered in hairspray by Japanese scientists. The species - Microbacterium hatanonis - was named in honor of Kazunori Hatano, “for his contribution to the understanding of the genus Microbacterium.”
This is the world’s longest insect with a body length of 35.6cm (14 inches) and a overall length of 56.7 cm (22.3 inches).Phobaeticus chani made the list as the world’s longest insect with a body length of 14 inches (36.6 centimeters) and overall length of 22.3 inches (56.7 centimeters). The insect, which resembles a stick, was found in Borneo, Malaysia.
Thread SnakeThe Barbados Threadsnake - Leptotyphlops carlae - measuring 4.1 inches (104 millimeters) is believed to be the world’s smallest snake. It was discovered in St. Joseph Parish, Barbados.
Ghost SlugThe ghost slug - Selenochlamys ysbryda - was a surprising find in the well-collected and densely populated area of Cardiff, Glamorgan, Wales.
Opisthostoma vermiculumA snail - Opisthostoma vermiculum - found in Malaysia, represents a unique morphological evolution, with a shell that twists around four axes. It is endemic to a unique limestone hill habitat in Malaysia.The other two species on the top 10 list are fish - one found in deep-reef habitat off the coast of Ngemelis Island, Palau, and the other a fossilized specimen of the oldest known live-bearing vertebrate.
Deep Blue ChromisChromis abyssus - a beautiful species of damselfish made it to the top 10 representing the first taxonomic act of 2008 and the first act registered in the newly launched taxonomic database Zoobank. As a result, in the first month following its original description, it was the most downloaded article in Zootaxa’s history and was among the top 10 downloaded articles for 11 months in 2008. The discovery also highlights how little is known about deep-reef biodiversity.
Mother FishAlso on the top 10 list is a fossilized specimen - Materpiscis attenboroughi - the oldent known vertebrate to be viviparous (live bearing). The specimen, an extremely rare find from Western Australia, shows a mother fish giving birth approximately 380 million years ago. The holotype specimen has been nicknamed “Josie” by the discoverer, John Long, in honor of his mother.“The international committee of taxon experts who made the selection of the top 10 from the thousands of species described in calendar year 2008 is helping draw attention to biodiversity, the field of taxonomy, and the importance of natural history museums and botanical gardens in a fun-filled way,” says Quentin Wheeler, an entomologist and director of the International Institute for Species Exploration at Arizona State University.“Charting the species of the world and their unique attributes are essential parts of understanding the history of life,” says Wheeler. “It is in our own self-interest as we face the challenges of living on a rapidly changing planet.”According to Wheeler, a new generation of tools are coming online that will vastly accelerate the rate at which we are able to discover and describe species.“Most people do not realize just how incomplete our knowledge of Earth’s species is or the steady rate at which taxonomists are exploring that diversity. We are surrounded by such an exuberance of species diversity that we too often take it for granted,” says Wheeler, who also is ASU vice president, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and a professor in the School of Life Sciences.The annual top 10 new species announcement and issuance of the SOS report commemorate the anniversary of the birth of Carolus Linnaeus, who initiated the modern system of plant and animal names and classifications. The 300th anniversary of his birth on May 23 was celebrated worldwide in 2007. Last year marked the 250th anniversary of the beginning of animal naming.There are an estimated 1.8 million species that have been described since Linnaeus initiated the modern systems for naming plants and animals in the 18th century. Scientists estimate there are between 2 million and 100 million species on Earth, though most set the number closer to 10 million.The SOS report card summarizes the number of major pspecies.asu.edulant and animal species newly described for the most recent year of complete data. The majority of the 18,516 species described (named) in 2007 were invertebrate animals (75.6 percent), vascular plants (11.1 percent) and vertebrates (6.7 percent). This year’s SOS report also includes data for prokaryotes (bacteria and Archaea) in addition to protists.The State of Observed Species report and list of top 10 new species issued annually by ASU’s International Institute for Species Exploration is part of its public awareness campaign to shine attention on biodiversity and the field of taxonomy. Last year’s list and report are online at species.asu.edu.An international committee of experts, chaired by Janine N. Caira of the University of Connecticut, selected the top 10 new species for this year’s list. Nominations were invited through the species.asu.edu Web site and also generated by institute staff and committee members.The Caira committee had complete freedom in making its choices and developing its own criteria, from unique attributes or surprising facts about the species to peculiar names, Wheeler notes.
Vodafone unveiled annual operating profits of £11.8billion today but warned it did not expect to better the figure in the current financial year.The mobile phone giant said the 16.7 per cent improvement in adjusted operating profits for the year to March 31 reflected 'robust' trading in Africa and India, offsetting a weaker performance in its more mature European markets.The Newbury-based company said economic uncertainty and the threat of rising unemployment in Europe meant it expected operating profits for the 2009/10 year to be in the range of £11billion and £11.8billion.
Vodafone said: 'In Europe and central Europe, recent significant declines in GDP and continued competitive intensity will make operating conditions challenging in the 2010 financial year.'Revenues in Europe increased by 13.6 per cent, but stripping out favourable exchange rates the figure was down by 2.1 per cent on a year earlier. This reflected deteriorating trends in Spain and Greece, while in the UK service revenues fell by 1.1 per cent due to increased competition and challenging economic conditions.A 15.3 per cent fall in underlying earnings in the UK was distorted by a £30million VAT refund in the previous year, but the company noted that the cost of retaining customers had increased as a higher proportion of its customer base received upgrades following the expiration of 18-month contracts.Vodafone said write-downs on the value of its businesses in Spain and Turkey - £3.4billion and £2.25billion respectively - meant bottom-line profits for the group fell 53.5 per cent to £4.19billion in the financial year.It added that its drive to cut costs by £1billion by 2011 was ahead of plan, with 65 per cent of the programme now due to be achieved in this financial year.Vodafone said the benefits of the project were also seen in the 2009 year, with operating expenses in Europe remaining 'broadly flat'.Shares in the group opened 1 per cent higher today, helped by the company's decision to increase its dividend payment to shareholders by 3.5 per cent to 7.77p a share.
Scientifically, this tiny arachnid goes by the name of Theridion grallator – but it takes little imagination to see how it got its more popular name: the happy-face spider.Found only in rainforests in the Hawaiian islands, the spiders have a vast range of patterns and colours on their abdomens – yet all come from the same species.The amazing diversity is due to genetic variations, although the patterns may also change depending on diet.
The patterns may have developed as a way of confusing predators. The moment it takes an aggressor to work out whether the spider is prey or not provides a vital chance of escape.However, the species, which was discovered in 1973, is now under threat from the introduction of non-native animals to the islands.The most common form – or ‘morph’ – is plain yellow and has no smile. But other variations are plentiful – the ‘red front’ morph pictured here with a cluster of her eggs is the second-most common. 
The spiders are 5mm (less than a quarter of an inch) long and live alone on the underside of leaves – except during their mating season and for the first 40 to 100 days of spiderlings’ lives, when they are still too young to fend for themselves.The happy-face spiders feature in the new BBC2 documentary series South Pacific, which starts at 8.30pm tonight.
Five years ago, a shotgun blast left a ghastly hole where the middle of Connie Culp’s face had been. Five months ago, she received a new face from a dead woman.Ms. Culp stepped forward on Tuesday to show the results of the nation’s first face transplant. Her new look was far from the puckered, noseless sight that had made children run away in horror.Ms. Culp’s expressions are still a bit wooden, but she can talk, smile, smell and taste food again. Her speech is at times difficult to understand. Her face is bloated and squarish, and her skin droops in folds that doctors plan to pare away as her circulation improves and her nerves grow, animating new muscles. But she had nothing but praise for those who made her new face possible.“I guess I’m the one you came to see today,” Ms. Culp, 46, said at a news conference at the Cleveland Clinic, where the groundbreaking operation was performed. But, she said, “I think it’s more important that you focus on the donor family that made it so I could have this person’s face.”
Until Tuesday, Ms. Culp’s identity and how she came to be disfigured were a secret.Ms. Culp’s husband, Thomas, shot her in 2004, then turned the gun on himself. He went to prison for seven years. She was left clinging to life.The blast shattered her nose and cheeks, the roof of her mouth and an eye. Hundreds of fragments of shotgun pellet and bone splinters were embedded in her face. She needed a tube in her windpipe to breathe. Only her upper eyelids, forehead, lower lip and chin were left. She endured 30 operations to try to fix her face.Ms. Culp said she wanted to help foster acceptance of those who have suffered burns and other disfiguring injuries.“When somebody has a disfigurement and don’t look as pretty as you do, don’t judge them because you never know what happened to them,” she said. “Don’t judge people who don’t look the same as you do. Because you never know. One day it might be all taken away.”
Big waves carry big reputations and it’s easy to see why. Red hot surfing spots like Hawaii’s Waimea Bay and the even more horrendously huge “Jaws” have become household as well as beach hut names, famed for waves towering up to 70 feet high. Yet height isn’t the only measure of a wave, and another legendary break on the surfing circuit, Tahiti’s Teahupo’o, has one of the heaviest and for many the thickest wave on the planet. Just check out these shot. It looks like the surfers are on the brink of a giant blue slab of water, and in a very real sense they are. The word isn’t used lightly. Gnarly.
With a super-heavy, glassy wave reaching upwards of 10 feet high, Teahupo’o is like a cool, mean fighter with a small man’s complex and a killer punch when it weighs in against its taller rivals in the big wave class. Sure, there are lots of spots with loftier waves, but are there places where the entire ocean appears to rear up and put its mass behind the onrushing face of the wave? The colossal lip arches forward, bearing down on those below and scooping them up as might a bulldozer travelling at high speed. At times, a massive, bareling tube is formed big enough to hold a steam engine.
The diagram below gives some idea of the might of this wave. Located off the southwest tip of the French Polynesian island of Tahiti, the power of Teahupo’o is generated by open ocean swells building up immense momentum before smashing into coral reef. Emerging from deep water onto a barely submerged reef, the power of the Pacific is suddenly concentrated, and the combination of heavy waves and a shallow shoreline is extremely dangerous. A wipeout can result in serious injuries or even death, and only expert surfers in peak physical condition stand a chance.
Teahupo’o is a fairly recent sensation. Some say a local surfer named Chopes was the first to brave its wave in 1985, followed by bodyboarding pioneers like Mike Stewart in 1986. Although Teahupo’o became an underground spot for daredevil bodyboarders, it wasn’t until the 90’s that a handful of surfers took to the wave, and closing in on the millenium before it became a stop on the pro surfing circuit. It was then that Teahupo’o captured the world’s attention for having probably the world’s thickest wave. Big wave surfing legend Laird Hamilton had the ride of his life when he famously dropped in here on August 17, 2000. Others have not been so lucky.
