Octapodi Escape!

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Octapodi Escape!

"Octapodi": Brilliant animation short, featuring a love-struck octopus couple and a "Vespa Ape" mini-truck:

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Today's pictures & links:

Good Advice?

(image via Great Depression)

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Sky Fire!

This stunning pic is from National Geographic's recent set of wallpapers, participants of International Photography Contest - photograph by Bob Douglas:

(image credit: Bob Douglas, National Geographic)

"This was shot at the ocean entry of the Pu`u`O`o vent on the Kilauea Volcano, which is close to Kalapana on the big island of Hawaii in July 2008. The conditions were perfect as the offshore wind blew the smoke, fumes and steam out to sea. The noise was indescribable as the hot lava hit the cold ocean water. At one time, the steam was under so much pressure it resembled a shuttle lift off."

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Polar Bear on Ice

(original unknown)

Perhaps the only solution in the era of global ice shrinkage...

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How Big is Hurricane Ike?

NASA has provided the picture of Ike from the orbit, and it's a little disturbing... It looks like some titanic waves eating up the landscape (but it's only cloud formations, of course):

(image credit: NASA, click to enlarge)

Here is a page with hurricane Ike damage model and a curious complication: Ike is big enough to disrupt traffic in space (link)

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Mixed fresh links for today:

LHC black holes will be tiny (backed by the numbers) - [thought-provoking]
Very cool recycled marine habitats - [design]
Build Your Own Magic Lantern, 1910s - [vintage tech]
Jeff VanderMeer reviews Neal Stephenson's "Anathem" - [books]
Greatest ways to tell time - [geek tech]
Russian impressive bike stunt riding - [wow video]
The Saddest Male Models in the World - [funny]
Slinky Experiments with Sticky Notes - [fun video]
This street drummer is something else - [wow video]
Video Games (PS2, Xbox, etc) For Only One Dollar - [sponsored]

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The Toad & The Venus Fly Trap

This whimsical robo-sculptures are the work of Nemo Gould, whom we featured before, and who recently updated his portfolio:

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Alaskan Pipeline vs. Alaskan Animals

Looks like these animals are enjoying the pipeline (not like they have any choice in the matter) -

(images found via Above Top Secret forum, from CreeWolf - and also via)

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New Chalk Paintings by Julian Beever

We featured his 3D illusions on the urban pavement many times before, but these are his works that we have not seen yet:

(images credit: J. Beever)

And their use in the life insurance ad:

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Dreaming about buying an RV?

Continue dreaming:

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A Hover-Train and a Hover-Bus

Good for "UFO", or "Dr. Who" TV series, for sure - what exactly is this?
UPDATE: That's a hovercraft train, designed in France in 1965 (info). See other "Futuristic Trains" here.