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Eshima Ohashi Bridge


The roller coaster-like Eshima Ohashi bridge, located in the Chugoku region of Honshu, Japan, has a gradient of 6.1 percent on one side and 5.1 percent on another. It spans one mile across Lake Nakaumi linking cities of Matsue and Sakaiminato. (The Asahi Shimbun via Getty Images)

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Rare World War II Photos

Hell in the Pacific: Rare World War II photographs show American soldiers' fight for survival in brutal Battle of Saipan
By Lydia Warren
It is the little-known battle that claimed the lives of thousands of Americans during World War II.
But now black-and-white photographs, captured by Life magazine photographer W. Eugene Smith, show the everyday horrors for the U.S. soldiers fighting against Japanese forces on the Mariana Island of Saipan between June 15 and July 9, 1944.
Faces etched with the pain of their experiences, war-weary men are captured transporting their wounded comrades or forcing Japanese civilians from their hiding places.
 (Photo by W. Eugene Smith/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images)

Long journey: U.S. soldiers drive the wounded from the front lines during the fight to take Saipan, Northern Marianas Islands, June 1944. In the first jeep, one soldier drives while a second holds up IV bags attached to two injured men strapped to the vehicle's hood
The photographs were taken during a battle that claimed the lives of 22,000 Japanese civilians - many by suicide - and nearly all 30,000 Japanese troops on the island. Of the 71,000 American troops who landed on Saipan, 3,426 perished, while more than 13,000 were wounded.
The battle was a turning point for the American battle against Japan's forces. The Japanese situation became so desperate that commanders pleaded with civilians to 'pick up their spears' and join the fight.


The destruction of the Pacific island is captured in the Life photographs, with bleak landscapes bearing the detritus of bombings and gunfire.
Many of the men in the photographs are faceless - their backs turned to the camera or faces obscured - highlighting the stark loneliness and anonymity of fighting on the front lines.

Helping hand: An American soldier offers his hand to a woman emerging from a cave where she had hidden with her child during the battle between Japanese and American forces for control of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands in July 1944 

Helping hand: A U.S soldier offers his hand to a woman leaving a cave where she had hidden with her child during the battle between Japanese and American forces
Tenderness: In a July 1944 photograph, an American Marine lifts a nearly dead infant from a cave where native islanders had been hiding during the battle for Saipan, while a second Marine watches from below 
Fight for survival: In a July 1944 photograph, an American Marine lifts a nearly dead infant from a cave where native islanders had been hiding during the battle for Saipan
Desperation: Saipan civilians commit suicide rather than surrendering to American troops. Around 1,000 civilians perished this way 
Desperation: Saipan civilians commit suicide rather than surrendering to American troops. Around 1,000 civilians perished this way
Medics tenderly patch together their wounded comrades as they lay in debris-scattered fields. In one photograph, soldiers show similar touching tenderness towards a wounded dog.
Another casualty of the war in the Pacific lies on a cot in a cathedral on Leyte, in the Philippines, waiting for treatment for the bullet wound in his stomach.
Smith also documents the struggles of the Japanese. A U.S. Marine cradles a near-dead infant he found face down under a rock while moving along Japanese soldiers hiding in caves on Saipan.
In another picture, Japanese civilians are shown jumping to their deaths from cliffs. Around 1,000 civilians killed themselves in this manner, jumping from 'Suicide Cliff' or 'Banzai Cliff' after propaganda led them to fear occupation under Americans.
Brothers in arms: On the Marianas Islands, an American soldier comforts a wounded comrade during the fight to take Saipan from Japanese troops 
Brothers in arms: On the Marianas Islands, an American soldier comforts a wounded comrade during the fight. More than 3,000 U.S. troops perished in the battle
Amer. Army nurse 2nd Lieut. Florence Vehmeier walking past GI w. bullet wound in his stomach & rubber tube taped to his lip which drains his stomach through his nose to bucket on the floor in makeshift hospital in Cens Cathedral, during WWII

American G.I.s treating wounded dog during WWII action on Orote Pennisula 
Wounded: An American soldier, a casualty of the war in the Pacific, lies on a cot in a cathedral on Leyte, the Philippines, waiting for treatment for a bullet wound in his stomach. U.S. medics show tenderness towards a dog harmed in the crossfire
Care: An American medic applies a field dressing to the neck of an injured soldier while another soldier in Tanapag, Saipan in June 1944. In the distance behind them, a soldier is visible in a foxhole 
Care: A U.S medic applies a field dressing to the neck of an injured soldier in Tanapag, Saipan in June 1944. In the distance behind them, a soldier is visible in a foxhole
Back up: While under fire, U.S. Marines advance on occupying Japanese forces in Tanapag, Saipan in June 1944 
Got his back: While under fire, U.S. Marines advance on occupying Japanese forces in Tanapag, Saipan in June 1944
Aircraft wreckage on beach (with American fleet in background) following US Marines' fierce battle against Japanese for Iwo Jima during WWII.

Wreckage on beach as man sleeps (?) in shelter after one of fierce battles against Japanese for Iwo Jima during WWII 
Debris: In another fight against Japanese forces, Smith captures aircraft wreckage on a beach. The photographs, taken following Marines' fierce battle against Japanese for Iwo Jima, capture one man sleeping under the debris, while American forces scour the beach

Hoisted to safety: In a photograph taken in Guam, a wounded American Marine is loaded onto an 'alligator' tracked amphibious vehicle for evacuation during fighting against Japanese troops 

Hoisted to safety: In a photograph taken in a separate battle against Japanese troops in Guam, Smith captures the moment a wounded American Marine is loaded onto an 'alligator' tracked amphibious vehicle for evacuation
Aerial view: A Grumman TBF-1 Avenger flies over fields bombed by U.S. soldiers at Japanese-occupied Tinian Island, Northern Mariana Islands, on June 30, 1944 
Aerial view: A Grumman TBF-1 Avenger flies over fields bombed by U.S. soldiers on the Japanese-occupied island on June 30, 1944
Grizzled, battle-weary, cigarette-smoking Marine PFC T. E. Underwood on Saipan during the fight to wrest the island from Japanese troops, Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, July 1944

Weary American Marine, PFC T. E. Underwood, drinking from canteen while still under fire during the fierce battle for Saipan. (Photo by W. Eugene Smith//Time Life Pictures/Getty Images) 
War-weary: Marine PFC T. E. Underwood, is captured on Saipan during the fight to wrest the island from Japanese troops
Alone: A U.S. Marine, pictured in July 1944, looks at the bodies of dead Japanese soldiers killed during the battle for control of Saipan 
Alone: A Marine, pictured in July 1944, looks at the bodies of Japanese soldiers killed during the battle for control of Saipan. Nearly 30,000 Japanese troops died
American aircraft in flight during battle against Japanese for Iwo Jima during WWII. (Photo by W. Eugene Smith//Time Life Pictures/Getty Images)

Soldiers manning fire hose to pump water onto a burning fuel dump, set ablaze by a Japanese counterattack during the waning days of the struggle for Leyte Island. (Photo by W. Eugene Smith//Time Life Pictures/Getty Images) 
Battle fields: American aircraft in flight during battle against Japanese for Iwo Jima,and during the struggle for Leyte Island.

Incredible Caves Where You Can Swim and Dive

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Brazil's Chapada Diamantina National Park is known for its waterfalls and caverns with colorful pools. One of these pools is Poco Azul (or the Blue Well), a flooded cave where visitors can swim in crystal-clear waters or glide around the remains of old submerged trees, still in excellent condition, according to Atlas Obscura. (Flickr/Otavio Nogueira) 

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 Diver and photographer Liz Rogers observes a fellow diver as she explores the Cathedral and the Chasm, part of Piccaninnie Ponds cave system in the Piccaninnie Ponds Conservation Park in South Australia and one of the country's top diving locations. The water is so clear here that there is a spot where it is possible to look up from 98 feet down and see clouds in the blue sky above. (Liz Rogers/Barcroft Media/Getty Images) 

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Located near the island of Vis in Croatia, the 'Green Cave' is one of two popular 'colorful' cave destinations in the area (the Blue Cave is also worth a visit). The Green Cave, accessible by boat, is known for for the visible green beam of light that penetrates through the opening on its roof and breaks on the sea surface, making it a unique place for swimming and snorkeling. (Flickr/www.yacht-rent.com) 

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With clear waters and an impressive diversity of sea life, Saipan is known for its incredible scuba diving sites. Most famous of these dive spots is The Grotto, a collapsed underwater cave. Divers sometimes encounter turtles, white tip sharks and clown triggerfish on this dive. (Flickr/Tetsuji Sakakibara)   

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One of the most popular attractions in Puerto Vallarta in Mexico is the stunning 'hidden beach' in the Marieta Islands. The site was formed by a collapse of the volcanic rock that makes up the island. Over time, a cave was created by the sea; and visitors have to swim through the tunnel in the cave to access the beach. (Mark D Callanan/Getty Images) 

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The most popular attraction in the island of Kastellorizo, Greece, the Blue Cave is known for its dazzling turquoise color, created by light of the sun, which is refracted through the sea, and reflected in the interior. There cave is accessible by small boats, which take visitors to the site for a swim in the clear waters. (Flickr/Tatsushi Okamoto)

The Mummy Exhibition In Philadelphia..


The Franklin Institute located in Philadelphia invites visitors to attend an exhibition called The Mummies of the World. This is the mummy of a child from Peru who died 6500 years ago at the age of 8-10 months due to a heart disease. It is one of the oldest mummies in the world and is over 3000 years elder than the mummy of Tutu Pharaoh.
Every exhibit here is unique. You can see the remains of a dog buried in the swamps of Germany 500 years ago or bones of a child who lived in Peru 6420 years ago. The Peruvian mummy lived in the 13 century AD.
The exhibits were prepared in collaboration with experts from 15 leading European institutions and taken to many large cities of the USA. The mummy of an ancient Egyptian.
The 10-year-old girl is looking at the the mummy of an adult person found in the caves of Chile.
The woman with children were found in the South America.
The mummy of Michael Orlovits born in Hungary in 1765. The mummies of his family members were found during the reconstruction of a Dominican church. Cold and dry air of that place as well as the pine oil allowed the mummies to be preserved till our days.
The investigations held showed that Veronica Orlovits and her husband suffered from severe tuberculosis. Besides, some other traumas and injuries were found on their bodies.
Another member of the family, Johannes Orlovits.
Computer tomography and other scientific methods help in mummy studying. Using them, we can find out how people lived and died. The method is non-invasive and gives three-dimensional image of a mummy enabling to preserve it for future generations.
Scanning results of the Orlovits mummy obtained in a Californian medical center.
Scan session of the Orlovits mummy.
The mummy of the pre-Columbian era found on the territory of a desert in Chile.
A howler monkey mummy from the South Africa.
The Egyptian lived 400 years B.C.E.
As the day of the exhibition approaches, the employees of the Californian scientific center are sealing the glass cube containing a sarcophagus and Egyptian mummy.

The Five Most Dangerous Cities in THE WORLD.

Many consider Johannesburg to be one of the most dangerous cities in the world but in most recent surveys, Johannesburg is ranked in the top 50. Which leaves the question, what are the most dangerous cities in the world? These are the top 5.

San Pedro Sula, Honduras

 

A Citizen Council study reported that a whopping 1 143 out of 719 447 of San Pedro Sula’s residents were murdered in 2011. That’s 159 people killed for every 100 000 residents. That’s a murder rate 40 times higher than the average US city, and 8 times higher than the most dangerous city in America (New Orleans). Even the US peace corps was forced to withdraw from Honduras after a member of the peace corps was shot in the leg in San Pedro Sula. Like many struggling Latin American countries, San Pedro Sula’s spike in extreme violence is largely a product of the drug trade, mixed with extreme poverty and high levels of corruption.

Maceio, Brazil



Brazil is now the most violent city in Brazil, with a per capita murder rate of 135.26 per 100 000 inhabitants. Known for its white sandy beaches, it is a land where sugarcane farmers settle their scores with machetes and clubs, while the rich rely on paid assassins to get what they want.

Ciudad Juarez Mexico



In the past few years Ciudad Juarez would have easily been in the top spot on this list. Some parts of the city could be mistaken for a warzone thanks to the murderous drug battles they have played host to.
Yet over the last year the murder rate in this border town dropped over 57%. The shift has been drastic - in October 2010 there were 359 murders in the city, while in October 2012 there were “only 30″.
The city is still far from safe as this border town is still controlled by gangsters. Kidnappings and extortion are still very common, and some human rights groups have found that incidents of torture are on the rise.

Acapulco Mexico


For the last few years Acapulco was associated with images of tourism and sandy beaches. It is now known for decapitated bodies. 10 mutilated bodies were found in and around the resort city in a single weekend – the outside world has recognised that this once prosperous tourist resort had fallen victim to the extreme, often sadistic drug violence that has plagues much of Mexico.

Mogadishu, Somalia



A huge contender for most dangerous city in the world, Mogadishu has been continuously been involved in urban warfare for much of the past 2 decades.
While there has been plenty of fighting since August 2011 Somalia has ousted the Islamic extremists that were controlling a large portion of the city. Since then they have been in rebuilding mode. It’s even safe enough now that Turkish Airlines is flying in and out of the city.

Hand Transplant

Life's dealt me a good hand at last: Ex-Marine's miracle transplant means he can finally hold his grandson's hand

Mark Cahill is the first person in Britain to have a hand transplant 
He endured two decades of pain with fingers crippled by gout and infection
8-hour op involved connecting bones, tendons, nerves, arteries and veins

He endured two decades of pain and faced a future in which even the simplest tasks would prove impossible.

Then, at last, life dealt Mark Cahill a good hand. The former Royal Marine became the first person in Britain to have a hand transplant when the pioneering operation was carried out six months ago.
Now, after struggling for so long with fingers crippled by gout and infection, he finally feels confident enough to give the new set a thumbs-up.
Hand in hand: Mark Cahill holding the hand of his Grandson Thomas,4 after becoming the first person in Britain to undergo a hand transplant

Hand in hand: Mark Cahill holding the hand of his Grandson Thomas,4 after becoming the first person in Britain to undergo a hand transplant
Brand new second hand: Mark Cahill shows off his transplanted hand six months after the operation

Brand new second hand: Mark Cahill shows off his transplanted hand six months after the operation
He can already carry tea to his wife – and, triumphantly, he can walk hand in hand with his four-year-old grandson.
It might not sound impressive, but to Mr Cahill – and the team behind the ground-breaking surgery – it is a medical milestone.
At the door of his West Yorkshire home he greets me with a beaming smile and, naturally, a cheery handshake. 
It is an everyday gesture he was unable to perform when he lost use of his right hand five years ago, and one in which he now delights.
Tea's up: Mark Cahil serves a cuppa to wife Sylvia thanks to his new hand

Tea's up: Mark Cahil serves a cuppa to wife Sylvia thanks to his new hand
Simple tasks like dialling a number on his mobile phone had been impossible for Mr Cahill when he suffered from gout and infections

Simple tasks like dialling a number on his mobile phone had been impossible for Mr Cahill when he suffered from gout and infections
Cup of tea? No problem now for Mr Cahill. Turn the TV on? Easy with his new hand on the remote control. 
Ah, but those cursed buttons. For the last years of the 52-year-old’s illness, infection paralysed his right hand as gout crippled his left. 
So his loyal wife Sylvia partly buttoned his shirts, to allow him to slip them over his head; she then fastened the last buttons for him. Soon she expects to be relieved of shirt-button duty. 
They even hold hands like young lovers ‘just because we can’, she said. Yet both know Mrs Cahill, 48, is holding a stranger’s hand. They have no idea who the donor was. 
‘You can’t stop yourself wondering at first but I don’t dwell on it,’ Mr Cahill said. ‘You can think too much about that sort of thing. I still just sit and look at it in amazement. I can’t believe it. But it’s part of me now – my hand, my life.’
Mark Cahill puts his socks on using his new transplanted hand

Mark Cahill puts his socks on using his new transplanted hand
Prescription: Mr Cahill with the huge array of pills he has to take every day

Prescription: Mr Cahill with the huge array of pills he has to take every day
The transplant at Leeds General Infirmary was unique as the original hand was removed in the same procedure. 
In the eight-hour operation a team led by consultant plastic surgeon Professor Simon Kay connected the bones, tendons, nerves, arteries and veins before the skin was stitched shut. 
Result (initially, at least): A bruised, scarred and unfamiliar hand at the  end of his right arm. And fingers that pointed the way to a new lease of life. 
‘When the swelling goes down and the skin becomes the same colour you won’t be able to tell the difference,’ Mr Cahill said. ‘The nails grow and there are hairs growing,’ he adds, wiggling each finger independently. 
‘It will never be totally mine, it’s smaller than my left hand and of course the fingerprints aren’t the same. But the difference it makes is incredible.’
Mark Cahill during his training for the Royal Marines aged 17 in 1978
Mark Cahill with wife Sylvia,48

Mark Cahill during his training for the Royal Marines aged 17 in 1978 and with wife Sylvia today 
Mr Cahill left the Marines before completing full training, and every subsequent career involved using his hands. But gout struck him at the age of 32, causing the joints on his left hand to swell and the fingers to curl. 
Then his right hand became infected and, eventually, paralysed. And when his disability worsened, he was forced to leave the pub he ran locally with his wife.
Mr Cahill was offered a prosthetic hand but opted for the real thing. Professor Kay thinks this was the right choice. 
He told me: ‘The thing that’s remarkable about Mark is the speed of recovery. And his attitude is absolutely fantastic. He just gets on with it. He is a Yorkshireman, after all.’
By Paul Harris

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