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A good show. Exhibition. Entertainment, ever heard of these people? They’re not playing to win.

Every year, biologists brave the world’s deserts, jungles and industrial ecosystems looking for new species.
And what wonderful things they find. It turns out that the real world is totally like the internet: If you look hard enough, you can find just about anything. This year, scientists found caffeine-less coffee plants, tiny seahorses and a 23-inch long bug that looks like a branch, not to mention a strange white slug no one had ever described that was found in a Welsh garden.

Below, you’ll find the top 10 species found and described in 2008, according to The International Institute for Species Exploration at Arizona State University.

Satomi’s Pygmy Seahorse aka Hippocampus Satomiae.

At the top of the page you see the world’s tiniest seahorse, Satomi’s Pygmy Seahorse, aka Hippocampus satomiae. Found in Indonesian waters, it’s the reigning champ of lilliputian seahorses, floating around at half an inch tall.

Deep Blue Chromis aka Chromis Abyssus.

The deep reefs of the Pacific Ocean are home to a variety of strange creatures that are just beginning to be described. Named in honor of the BBC program that funded the trip on which it was discovered, this small blue fish was found in Palau, which is hundreds of miles from anywhere.

Ghost Slug aka Selenochlamys Ysbryda.

This member of the family Trigonochlamydidae was found in a “domestic garden in Canton,” a town in Wales. It’s nocturnal and creepy looking.

Phobaeticus Chani.

That’s not a stick, it’s the world’s longest insect, measuring in at 22.3 inches total and with a body length of 14 inches. You can find it in Borneo, although we’d rather not.

Charrier Coffee aka Coffea Charrieriana.

If there’s one thing we’ve been waiting for from the plant community, it’s a caffeine-less coffee plant. Oh, wait, no we haven’t! Caffeine is the coffee plant’s raison d’etre in our book. Biologists say, however, that this Cameroonian freak could be useful in coffee breeding programs to develop a naturally decaf bean. Which is good news, if you’re into that weak stuff.

Tahina Spectabilis.

Looking for a new metaphor for your new magical realist novel set in Madagascar? The Tahina palm is the answer to your dreams: The plant literally flowers itself to death, going out in a blaze of flowers and fruit. It lives only in one tiny corner of Madagascar and is unrelated to any of the 170 other palm varieties on the island.

Barbados Threadsnake aka Leptotyphlops Carlae.

The world’s tiniest, quarter-wrapping snake made the rounds of the internet last year and made the ASU’s species list this year. It’s only found in Barbados.

Mother Fish aka Materpiscis Attenboroughi.

The mother fish is only known from the fossil above, which shows the animal giving birth 370 million years ago. It’s the oldest-known vertebrate to have birthed offspring live.

Opisthostoma Vermiculum.

This strange Malaysian gastropod has a shell that defies the standard laws of shell twisting. It coils along four separate axes, not three like most of its relatives. It’s no tiny seahorse, but you can’t hold that against it.

Microbacterium Hatanonis.

Bacteria really can live just about anywhere on else from hot volcanic vents to Antarctic ice. But they are also adapting to the new environments that humans create. Case in point, Japanese scientists found that this bacterial species lives inside hairspray. It still doesn’t have a common name, but seeing as most bacteria live in communities, we suggest AquaNet.

Palm indicated last week that is working to make its Mojo software development kit for the new Palm Pre available to all developers before the end of the summer. Though Palm initially restricted SDK access to a limited number of partners, the company now says it is ready to take a limited number of applications from developers.

But Palm said not everyone will receive the new SDK right away because it wants a small group of developers to kick the tires on its APIs, tools and docs before releasing them to the rest of the world.

“Our goal is to make the SDK available to everyone by the end of this summer, and to get there in stages,” said Palm Developer Community Manager Chuq Von Rospach. “Beginning immediately, we’ll accelerate the growth of the early-access program,” which “will grow from hundreds to thousands of developers.”

A Major Holdup

According to Medialets, the Palm Pre application catalog has already grown from 18 applications at the smartphone’s launch June 6 to 30 applications as of last week. During this period, the Palm Pre catalog generated more than 650,000 software downloads, the mobile analytics firm said.

Medialets notes that one of the major holdups behind Palm’s release of a public SDK is the Palm Pre app catalog itself. Developers have been continually jockeying to position themselves at the top of the catalog’s “most recent” category by simply posting an upgrade, which changes the date of the app and moves it up the list, the mobile analytics firm observed.

“After all the gaming we’ve seen take place in the app store, this issue, coupled with a lack of a payment system in the store itself, are two of the major reasons why the app catalog isn’t ready to handle the volume of submissions that a public SDK…

A couple proved they were head over heels in love by getting married in zero gravity. Noah Fulmore and Erin Finnegan span around as they became the first couple to tie the knot while weightless.

They were married on a special flight that simulates the zero gravity experienced by astronauts on space walks.

The couple paid more than £10,000 to have their wedding in a converted Boeing 727 jet that undertakes roller coaster style dives.

I do: the bride and groom are both science fiction fans and did not want a conventional wedding

As the jet plummets, passengers inside the padded cabin experience weightlessness.

Actor Tom Hanks prepared for his role in the film ‘Apollo 13′ by taking a zero gravity flight. British born space tourist Richard Garriott officiated at the ceremony.

The couple, both science fiction fans, came up with the idea after deciding they didn’t want a conventional wedding.

Noah, 31, and Erin, 30, from New York, exchanged rings made from precious metal fragments of a meteorite that crashed to Earth in Namibia 30,000 years ago.

Sealed with a kiss: the happy couple tied the knot while their plane executed parabolic flight maneuvers, climbing sharply and descending several times during the one-hour flight.

Erin wore a designer wedding dress with trousers to protect her modesty during weightlessness.

Their flight took off from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. The zero gravity flight, which lasts 90 minutes, made 16 roller coaster type dives, known as parabolic arcs, to create the weightlessness inside the cabin.

Noah 31, said: “It was outstanding, and everything we were hoping for.”

Bride Erin Finnegan and bridegroom Noah Fulmor, both of New York, seal their marriage vows with a kiss during the first weightless wedding.

Nature provides for almost all of our needs and it is as diverse as the stars in the sky. But there is a dark side too. Nature also contains some of the most awful things you can imagine – worse than anything conjured up by Stephen King! This list looks at ten of those things.

Honey Badger – Most Vicious Animal

The honey badger is usually found in Africa and Western and Southern Asia. For a number of years the Guinness Book of Records has named it the “most fearless creature”. This animal (which looks deceptively cute) will attack virtually anything and it is smart enough to know its opponents weak spots. For example, when confronted by a human male, it will attack the testicles. This is also one of the few animals that uses tools – for example making use of logs as ladders. The honey badger loves honey and will dive right into a beehive with no regard to its own safety – which unfortunately often leads to its death. Honey Badgers can kill crocodiles, and are very efficient snake killers. It takes only 15 minutes for the animal to eat a 5 foot snake. The ferocity of these creatures is well known in nature and not even a leopard or lion will attempt to kill one.

Mosquito – Worst Insect

There is no doubt that the mosquito has to be the worst insect in the world. Just as summer starts, the mosquitos come out in force ready to feast upon the pasty white legs of humans that have been locked inside for winter. At night as you lie in bed you can hear them buzzing but you can’t see them – and then next morning a huge welt appears on the tip of your nose because the mosquito chowed down on it. Oh – and it also happens to be the most deadly insect in the world because it spreads malaria – in fact, it is believed that half the human population that has died through history, died because of the female mosquito bite. God must have been pre-occupied the day he was creating the animals, because he didn’t notice Satan making the mosquito.

Fatal Familial Insomnia – Worst Disease Symptoms

Fatal Familial Insomnia is a terrible disease found in only 28 families around the world. The disease prevents you from sleeping and no medication available can help you. When the disease begins, you generally have from 7 to 36 months of sleepless nights until you finally die. Wikipedia describes the stages of the disease thus:

1. The patient suffers increasing insomnia, resulting in panic attacks, paranoia, and phobias. This stage lasts for about four months.
2. Hallucinations and panic attacks become noticeable, continuing for about five months.
3. Complete inability to sleep is followed by rapid loss of weight. This lasts for about three months.
4. Dementia, where the patient becomes unresponsive or mute over the course of six months. This is the final progression of the disease, and the patient will subsequently die.

Bullet Ant – Most Painful Bite

The bullet ant is ranked as having the most painful sting in the world – often likened to the pain of being shot, described thus: “waves of burning, throbbing, all-consuming pain that continues unabated for up to 24 hours”. The ant is found in Nicaragua south to Paraguay and, like other ants, they live in large colonies which are usually situated at the base of trees. The ants are used in an initiation rite for boys in the Satere-Mawe tribe of Brazil. The boys are made to wear a glove with hundreds of these ants attached – they must suffer the stings for 10 minutes and they must perform this ritual multiple times. The boys arm is usually paralyzed temporarily from the poison and their bodies can shake for days. You can watch the rite of passage on youtube – I don’t recommend it for the weak of heart.

Salvinia Molesta – Most Intrusive Weed

Also known as kariba weed, the salvinia molesta plant is an aquatic fern from Brazil. It floats on top of water and doubles in size every few days. This usually results in lakes that become completely covered by a mat of the plant up to 24 inches high. The intrusive weed prevents sunlight from entering the water which, in turn, prevents animal and plant life from surviving. To make matters worse, you can’t kill the plant. If you break it into small pieces, each piece will spawn a new plant. In the US attempts have been made to remove it using cranes, but all it takes is one tiny piece to restart the whole growing process. It is now found around the world and causes havoc everywhere it goes. In the image above, what appears to be a nice lawn is actually an entire lake covered with salvinia molesta.

Corpse Flower – Smelliest Plant

The corpse flower thrives in the grasslands bordering rain forests in Sumatra (though it is now found around the world in display gardens). It grows a single enormous flower which produces a smell that is remarkably similar to a rotting corpse (hence its name). The flower grows to over 10 feet wide and its coloring is designed to mimic the look of rotting meat – to help entice the carrion eating insects that pollinate it. The tip of the corpse flower is nearly the same temperature as the human body which probably helps to spread the stink and adds to the illusion that it is really rotten flesh.

Brazilian Wandering Spider – Worst Spider

It is huge. It has one of the most painful bites in the spider world. It is the most deadly spider; forget the funnel web spider – this thing is dangerous. It has the highest human kill rate in the world. To make things even worse, a bite from this spider causes an erection that lasts for hours. No – this is not a subtle ad for viagra; it really is a side-effect of a wandering spider bite. Emergency room staff are able to immediately recognize a person suffering from a bite. Needless to say, the venom is being studied for possible medical uses for people suffering erectile disfunction.

Candiru – Nastiest Fish

The Candiru is a small parasitic catfish which is found mostly in the Amazon river where it is the most feared fish – even more so than piranhas. The fish can grow to a maximum length of around six inches. Candiru feed on the blood of their host creatures by swimming into the gills and using razor sharp spines on its head to attach itself. It then chews its way through the host until it reaches a major artery and drinks blood until it is satiated. The fish finds its prey by sniffing the water and this is where it starts to get nasty: the smell of human urine appeals to candirus and they can find their way to a human penis or vagina under the water and enter it. When this happens, the fish attaches itself (causing great pain to the poor human) and it can generally only be removed through surgery. This is a very unpleasant situation to be in – so be warned: don’t pee in the Amazon river.

Man – Most Damaging To Its Environment

First of all we need to get one thing clear – I am not a “greenie” or an “environmentalist” – but even a hard-hearted non-recycler like me can see how much damage man causes to nature. We pollute our waterways and air, we tear down whole forests, we flatten mountains, and we bury nuclear waste beneath the earth. Nature has every reason to hate us and perhaps that is in part the reason for the many plagues and pandemics that have struck our kind since time immemorial.

Botulinum Toxin – Deadliest Thing Ever

Botulinum toxin is produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum and it is, beyond a doubt, the deadliest known protein. If the clostridium botulinum spores find their way to food or wounds, they will begin to release the toxin which leads to poisoning if eaten. It is so deadly that a mere two pounds (roughly 1kg) of the stuff is enough to kill the entire human population. It is so deadly that it is potentially useful as a biological weapon. This is the kind of thing we obviously want to keep right away from right? Well, no. Millions of people have this deadly protein injected into their face every year; it is present in minute quantities in Botox which is used to “treat” wrinkle.

Here are some extraordinary places that accommodate joy and inspiration in the world. Just forget about your worries, agonies and troubles, let the yesterday, tomorrow, future and fantasy inspirations in these happiest places fill you with fond and sweet memories.

Hi, I’m M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E. Just call me Mickey, OK? First of all, welcome to Disneyland Park- the happiest land on earth. Today, I’ll become your tourist guide.

Get yourself ready and let’s start our tour now. I hope you enjoy the trip! Here we go…

Disneyland was the first Disney theme park owned by the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts division of The Walt Disney Company, and it was opened on July 17, 1955. Disneyland was the idea of Walt E. Disney, an artist who created the cartoon character of Mickey Mouse. He wanted to establish a park, in which the families could have fun, and there his dream fulfilled when the first Disneyland was built in Anaheim, California in 1955. He hoped to bring Disneyland as a source of joy and inspiration to the entire world. Indeed, Disneyland has become a huge hit for both adults and children!

There is also a plaque at the entrance of Disneyland stated that “Here you leave today and enter the world of yesterday, tomorrow and fantasy.”

Sleeping Beauty Castle

Sleeping Beauty Castle is a building situated in the center of Disneyland Park and Hong Kong Disneyland Park. It’s the oldest and best known building of all Disney castles, with several dioramas depicting the famous fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty.

Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland reaches a height of 23.5m and its pink castle is surrounded by a moat where swans swim. To enter, please follow me to walk across a drawbridge.

Adventureland

Adventureland takes you to far off places like Africa, Asia, South Pacific, Middle East, South America and desert islands. This themed land was opened on July 17, 1955 and it features a theme of the remote jungles of the above mentioned places. In almost one place, you could picture a diverse civilization, which of course makes your adventure here worth a penny. Exotic animal statues, Congo drums, architectural crafts of Pacific, tribal performance mask and non-American totem poles are some of the notable features here. Jungle Cruise, Tarzan’s Treehouse, and Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room are three main attractions in Disneyland, while Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Forbidden Eye is a renowned tourist spot at Tokyo DisneySea theme park in Chiba, Japan. The trips to these places are absolutely enjoyable!

Mickey’s Toontown

Where can you see Mickey Mouse and all your favorite Disney characters? In your PC game, Nintendo game, shows, cinemas, TV screens or newspapers? Where can you meet and enjoy the ride with the character of Mickey? Of course, your dream can be fulfilled by visiting Mickey’s Toontown which was opened to the public in 1993. At Tokyo Disneyland, it’s called Toontown.

Here, it’s a home of mine as it houses the house of Minnie Mouse and Mickey Mouse. The establishment of Mickey’s Toontown, has notably raised my global status as the most popular kid idols as well as the most popular cartoon characters.

Main Street, U.S.A

Main Street, U.S.A. brings you back to a typical Midwest town 100 years ago. At Disneyland, it even has horse-drawn trams.

There is a train station above the entrance for each Main Street, U.S.A. However, this service is not available at Tokyo Disneyland.

Tomorrowland

Do you want to pilot your own spacecraft on a mission to venture into the mystery of the outer space? Then, come to Tomorrowland and have a ride on Buzz Lightyear Astro Blaster. Not enough with this ride? Alright, how about have a wild ride on Astro Orbitor? Come and experience yourself, it’s indeed an exciting ride here as it depicts numerous exciting views of the future. Give yourself a chance to participate in the adventures of Star Tours, I Shrunk the Audience, Disneyland Monorail, Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage, Innoventions, Space Mountain, Tomorrowland Station, and Autopia.

Critter Country

Here, we come to a place called Critter Country which was initially a home to Indian Village. It was opened in 1972. The notable spot to look for here is Splash Mountain. It’s a log-flume journey and the idea of the creation of Splash Mountain was actually inspired by the Uncle Remus stories of Joel Chandler Harris. The mountain ride here is really thrilling and unforgettable! You should never miss it!

New Orleans Square

New Orleans Square which was opened on July 24, 1966, depicts a theme on 19th century New Orleans. Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean are two well-known attractions here. Hey, wanna to meet pirate? Here is the place. Come here and meet Captain Jack Sparrow.

Hello, Captain Jack, shall we have a drink at Club 33?

Fantasyland

Fantasyland is a world of storybook. The characters of the story become “live” here which are served as a source of creative inspiration among the youngsters.

At Fantasyland, you’ll encounter this poor Donald Duck. Hey, listen, he’s calling for HELP…

Donald says, “Hey, who pasted my buttock to the ceiling? Come here and get me down here, and I’ll give you 100 buck, OK?” He continues to yell, “Help, help, help….!”

Have you ever dreamt of flying with Peter Pan to the paradise? Or, how about have a challenging adventure with Alice in the Wonderland? Here, you come to a right place. Yes, Fantasyland at Disneyland. Imagine a sweet moment while swirling in the teacups at Alice in Wonderland’s Mad Tea Party! It must be an unforgettable moment!!! Fantasyland is truly exciting! Now, listen to what Donald is goin’ to say then…

YEEPIE! This is great! So much fun, I really can’t stop spinning!

EPCOT Center

EPCOT Center is part of a family of Disney theme park. It took a shape to show what life might be like in the future.

Disney’s California Adventure

Next to Disneyland in Anaheim, there sits Disney’s California Adventure. The adventure park here takes a theme of the state of California. At night, colored lights will turn this park into a magical place.

Disneyland Paris

Disneyland Paris is in France. Here, Mickey can speak French! Amazing though!

Next to Disneyland Paris is Walt Disney Studios Paris, which is an extraordinary trip to HOLLYWOOD!

Tokyo Disneyland

Konnichiwa! Welcome to Tokyo Disneyland. Located in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan, this Disney Park was the first to be built by Walt Disney Imagineering outside of the United States. It was opened on April 15, 1983.

Next door to Tokyo Disneyland is Tokyo DisneySea. Here, it tells you all about the ocean and the aquatic animals.

At the main entrance to Tokyo DisneySea, there you’ll see another Disney character, Donald Duck. It’s a big hit with kid there. Donald is CUTE, isn’t he?

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