If you've been thrilled (despite suspension of disbelief) by indestructible Indiana Jones hurtling down three spectacular CG waterfalls in a row, you might have wondered if our planet has REAL places with similarly enormous waterfalls in a jungle setting. Well, here is a place with a full 800 meter vertical drop - this should appear lethal even to Indiana Jones screenwriters.
Angel Falls, Venezuela (also called Salto Angel) is the Earth's highest uninterrupted waterfall. It is 979 metres (3,230 feet) tall - think of it as 2.5 times as tall as the Empire State Building and full 15 times higher than Niagara Falls!
Located in the Canaima National Park, in southeastern Venezuela, the falls start from the nameless creek that meanders through the series of highly-fractured crevices and gorges on top of a "Tepuy", or table-top mountain. The water then bursts into the void and plunges uninterrupted 2,421 feet to the river and more cascades below.
You can actually kayak to the base of the falls (imagine how wet you'll be there - though the waterfall is of such a great height that most water is turned into mist before it reaches the ground).
In a season of highest water, the single waterfall splits into three streams - sometimes even more, which together become a giant veil of water.
How to get to the Angel Falls?
Not so easy. You would need to hook up with a flight from Caracas or Ciudad Bolivar to get to the Canaima camp, from where you'd start your trip along the river to the base of the falls. This page lists the complete directions. The travel guide even says that on cloudy days you can not see the falls (must be a real let-downer after all this trouble to get there!)
This is the most accessible viewpoint to photograph the falls:
The view from the top is fantastic enough to inspire a multitude of "Lost World" legends (including the famous Conan Doyle book), not to mention the table-top mountain itself - a wonder-world of vegetation and species found nowhere else on Earth.
A True Island in Time
It is truly an Island in Time, discovered by the civilized world only a hundred years ago - an ancient landscape shrouded in mystery.
The fascinating world around the waterfall is a perfect combination of magic and reality. The highly-eroded terrain of table-top mountain, the spectacular maze of gorges which leads to the waterfall can be clearly seen and enjoyed in this video:
url Video from David Attenborough's BBC series "Planet Earth"
Rainbows seem to dwell at the foot of it (a boon to photographers). Some people are making breathtaking BASE jumps from its top. See the incredible video of Eric Jones's base jump here.
Stranded with wife and a gardener, looking for gold
Angel Falls were named after Jimmy Angel, a larger-than-life character, an experienced bush pilot and gold prospector, who accidentally discovered it in 1933.
Ironically, he also ended up stranded on top of this waterfall - on the enormous and isolated mesa mountain Auyan-tepui (which means "Devil Mountain"). He and his wife Marie (and their gardener) were on reconnaissance flight to look for gold - but damaged the plane at the landing and had to find the way down the mountain on foot. It took them eleven days - but they survived the ordeal (proving that cooperating - not arguing - with your wife can be beneficial in extreme circumstances)
The full story of Jimmy Angel adventures on top and around Auyan-tepui can be found on this excellent page - would make for a great adventure movie script.
Interestingly, there are some other mysterious wrecks in a savanna fields nearby (DC-3, no less):
A newest research facility in Salt Lake City, Utah, is developing a robotic suit for the soldier of tomorrow. Japanese Cyberdine's Robo Suit "HAL-5" is another wearable robotic system.
Any background info about this is appreciated. Update: "The photograph is from 1946, in which U.S. Navy Admirals Blandy and Lowery, as well as Blandy's wife, slice an "Bikini Atoll Atomic cake" in the Pentagon." info
We wrote about fiery creations of Lance Greathouse before (second part of this article). This time he almost upped himself with the wicked fire-breathing... wheelchair:
"This chair started as parts from several different machines. It is constructed out of a Marine rescue Helicopter seat and an electric golf cart parts. It is all electric and has a top speed of 22MPH. It has several forms of steering and can climb just about any terrain easily.
It was made for the disabled person looking for something a little different, why drive something that looks like a medical device when you can drive something lethal?"
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I hope this is 'shopped -
(original unknown)
Well, there are people who can do fun tricks with their tongues - see video
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Space Challenge: A Broken Toilet
You've probably read already NY Times hair-raising account of a broken toilet on international Space Station and the consequences for the crew.
Here are some responses from a Russian site, which seems to be eager to help:
UPDATE: This is a Blue Jeans Testing Device (1956) (more info)
"Blue jeans are tested for resistance to tearing. The wedge-shaped part with the numbered scales of this device is released, and then drops and tears the blue-jean fabric."
Number Two:
Number Three:
Update The last picture is a a Bod Pod (more info) which estimates you body/fat ratio by measuring your air displacement.
