Working LEGO V8 Engine

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Working LEGO V8 Engine

Electric-powered but amazingly detailed piece - made from completely custom, self-made set. Now all is left is to make the car around it.

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More images here.See other incredible LEGO creations in this DRB article.

Today's pictures & links:

Clockwork Fetus in Chamber

Yes, this is just what it says - "clockwork fetus in brass chamber", A Mechanical Womb. Could anything be more steampunk-ish than this? Described as "Anachrotechnofetishism", more works of such top-notch quality can be viewed in this gallery by Molly Friedrich.

(images credit: Molly Friedrich)

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Gravitational Lensing

I'm sure you've heard about this effect, but new Hubble picture shows it with such clarity that we simply had to publish it.

Gravity of Galaxy Cluster Abell 2218 Creates Giant "Lens", image via

"Einstein predicted in his Theory of General Relativity that massive objects will deform the fabric of space itself. When light passes one of these objects, such as a cluster of galaxies, its path is changed slightly."

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The cutest thing to hit the internet this week

(image via Cute Overload)

Read the heart-breaking story of Rupert here.

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Cool Shot of the Day
(in cooperation with National Geographic magazine)

Dallol Volcano in Ethiopia

This volcano last exploded in 1926 (more info) consists of a whoe set of craters - these craters are the "lowest known subaerial volcanic vents in the world, at over 45 m (150 ft) below sea level".

(Photo by Carsten Peter, National Geographic)

Here is the bigger version and a lot of other pictures, some of them are simply unbelievable:

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Mixed fresh links for today:

Quiet Before the Storm? (no sunspots on the Sun) - [interesting]
Telescopes of the future, and in history - [science]
Artistic Interpretations of Lady Liberty - [weird art]
Very cute opening for a site - [funny]
Spectacular & destructive re-entry of space probe - [wow video, wait for it]
Neat Hollywood-style preview for fonts - [fun video]
The best pingpong girls of Norway - [wow video]
Human-powered ferris wheel - [fun video]
Severed Snake's Head Can Still Bite You - [wow video]
Working LEGO V8 Engine - [wow video]
UseNeXT - Next Generation Downloading - [sponsored]

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This t-shirt caused me to stop in my tracks - and stop chewing on my steak.

Oh my... (on the right is some grandma being abducted by an alien)

See this t-shirt and more at the Code Creations - the first eco-apparel design website.

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Epic Landscape Formations

Great image collection at WebEcoist - here is an example:

(image credit: mromeijin)

Brandberg Massif, Namibia, Africa -
"Over 120 million years ago, a single mass of granite punched through the Earth’s crust and intruded into the heart of the Namib Desert in what is now northern Namibia. A ring of dark, steep-sided rocks forced upward during the mountain’s arrival encircles the granite intruder. The locals call it Dâures—the burning mountain. Its volcanism has long since stilled, but the granite core left behind apparently glows red in the light of the setting sun. The mountain influences the local climate, drawing more rain to its flanks than the desert below receives. The rain filters into the mountain’s deep crevices and slowly seeps out through springs. Unique plant and animal communities thrive in its high-altitude environment, and prehistoric cave paintings decorate walls hidden in the steep cliffs that gouge the mountain. To the southwest of Brandberg Massif, an older and more-eroded granite intrusion blends in subtly with the desert landscape, while along the Ugab River at upper left, cracks line the brown face of an ancient plain of rock transformed into gneiss by heat, pressure, and time. "

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Winged Things & Improbable Machines

Clockwork Fairy Automata, and more - by Brigid Ashwood:

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Stunt Tank Drivers

Looking at this picture, something tells me that this tank will not make it over this car...

(original unknown)

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Robot Supply & Repair Shop

Andy sends us this tip:
"I was in Ann Arbor, Michigan a couple of weeks... I got a peek into the window of this Robot Supply & Repair Shop and spied some unusual robot sculptures, some robot toys, jars with "Loose Screws" & "Robot Tears" on them and a glass checkout counter with a case of WD-40 and a few gallons of Prestone on display. I couldn't figure out if this was actually a retail store or some kind of performance art. After some research online I found out it was basically both...and more. Watch the video about it here.

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Mystery Photo

What are these crazy plants / moss formations?

UPDATE: That parasitic plant is Hydnora Africana - "it emits an odor of feces to attract its natural pollinators, dung beetles".

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The Real Face of Politics

photo by REUTERS/Kacper Pempel

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Most Amazing Cloud Formation of the Week

(original unknown)

Noctilucent clouds? - the highest clouds in the Earth's atmosphere, located 85km high. The other explanation: "the after affect of an early morning launch at the White Sands Missile Range, as seen from the Phoenix Metro area."

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World WarHammer HQ

What is this place? is this real?