Nature has always been a source of inspiration for designers to look at things differently.
We all know that a tree doesn’t always have green leaves, water is not blue and clouds are certainly not always white and puffy. As designers, we need to know to look beyond the obvious when looking at things.
Cloud formations such as mammatus or lenticular among others, are perfect examples of how intricate and different nature can be. There are even so called ‘ufo clouds’, which truly resemble the shape of a UFO.
In this post, we take a look at some amazing photographs of the weirdest cloud formations that you’ll ever see, that are destined to inspire your design work and surely blow your mind.
Unbelievable supercell storm cloud over neighborhood. Photo by: Pat Kavanagh
Mammatus clouds over Quebec, Canada. Mammatus, also known as mammatocumulus, is a meteorological term applied to a cellular pattern of pouches hanging underneath the base of a cloud. Photo by: Michel Filion
Purple sky during thunderstorm over Nebraska. Photo by: Anne Goforth
Lenticular clouds over Hawaii. A stationary lens-shaped clouds that form in the troposphere, normally in perpendicular alignment to the wind. Photo by: Jolly Sailor
Beautiful red clouds over long reef, Australia. Photo by: Glenn Crouch
Strange shape of asperatus clouds over New Zealand. The clouds are most closely related to undulatus clouds. Although they appear dark and storm-like, they tend to dissipate without a storm forming. Photo by: Witta Priester
As a way to seek refuge and withdraw from public life, Ludwig II of Bavaria built this extravagant castle in 1868. Seven weeks after his death in 1886, the structure was opened to the paying public and has since become one of the most visited castles in Europe.Neuschwanstein is also the inspiration for the Sleeping Beauty castle in Disneyland, so it’s clearly magical!
This specific spot in the Waitomo Caves is known as the Glowworm Grotto, a place where glowworms ignite a starry scenery on the ceilings and walls. This species is exclusively found in New Zealand and is around the size of a mosquito.
One of the most enchanting towns of France, Colmar is reminiscent of the provincial town of Beauty and the Beast, but better. In addition to being a quaint, charming place to visit, Colmar is also home to Musée Animé du Jouet et des Petits Trains, the Animated Museum of Toys and Modeled Trains.
The Batu Caves are a series of chambers beneath limestone hills and date back to as many as 400 million years ago. At the base of the caves lies a giant 140-foot golden statue of Lord Murugan, the Hindu god of war, victory, wisdom, and love. Visitors reach the caves by stairs, a total of 272 steps, and enter an area filled with Hindu shrines where worshippers pay their respects.
The Cathedral of Vasily the Blessed, located in Moscow, was formally a church but is now a museum. The spectacular range of bright colors and quirky architecture make it a whimsical must-see spot.
This breathtaking scenery of gorgeous flowers can be found at the Kawachi Fuji Garden in Kitakyushu, Japan. The best time to walk through the tunnel is late April to mid-May. If a stroll through here doesn’t make you feel like you’re in a Disney movie, nothing will.
Known as the Tiger’s Nest, Taktsang Palphug Monastery is a prominent Himalayan Buddhist sacred site perched upon the cliffside of the Upper Paro Valley. Its unique location is alarming but captivating, making it worthy of a visit.
8. Cave of the Crystals, Mexico
CARSTEN PETER / SPELEORESEARCH & FILMS / National Geographic Creative / Via quora.com
Located 980 feet below the Chihuahua Desert, this giant cave of crystals is home to the largest crystals discovered on Earth, the biggest being 39 feet long and 55 tons in weight. The cave is relatively unexplored, since the conditions of the atmosphere are tolerable for only 10 minutes or so (without proper equipment and protection).
Angkor Wat, or “City of Temples,” is a significant religious center in Southeast Asia and is often thought of as a symbol of Cambodia. Beyond its architecture, the mossy residue and overgrown vines give it an ancient appeal, hiding centuries of historical memories.
Falls streams from the tabletop mountain called Auyantepui. The site was named after Jimmy Angel, a U.S. aviator who was the first known person to fly over the falls. His ashes were scattered there in 1960. In addition to its undeniable beauty, you may notice that the area is similar to Paradise Falls from Disney’s Up, a clear inspiration for the movie.
More than 2,000 years ago, the Nabataeans built the town of Petra into the mountains, now the most-visited tourist attraction of Jordan. Petra is also known as the Rose City due to the color of the stone from which it was carved. This significant example of ancient civilization shows just how astonishing the world can be.
12. Zhangye Danxia Landform, China
MelindaChan / Getty Images via Flickr / Via quora.com
What looks like a canvas of extraordinary color is a range of mountains in China. The rainbow formation is the result of red sandstone and mineral deposits being laid down for over 24 million years.
An island commune in Normandy, France, Mont Saint-Michel is known as the “Wonder of the West” and attracts 3 million visitors per year. The Kingdom of Corona from Disney’s Tangled was modeled after Mont Saint-Michel and is just as magical as the real thing.
Pamukkale, or “Cotton Castle,” is a natural site in southwestern Turkey that is home to hot springs and travertines, terraces of carbonate minerals left by the flowing water. People can relax in the small turquoise pools of bliss, but the terraces themselves are restricted to preserve the site.
This 21-arch single-track viaduct is a railway in Scotland that was built in 1898. Harry Potter fans may recognize the structure, as it was used in three HP films when the Hogwarts Express carried wizards and witches to Hogwarts.
Also known as “Descending Dragon Bay,” Hạ Long is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and popular tourist destination in Quảng Ninh, Vietnam. This natural wonder features turquoise waters, limestone karts, and isles of all shapes and sizes.
Built between 1916 and 1949, this wondrous basilica church stands on a canyon in southern Colombia. This gorgeous structure surrounded by a pool of green is both striking and mystical.
18. Sea of Stars on Vaadhoo Island, Maldives
DOUG PERRINE / Barcroft Media / Landov
What appears as a mirror image of the stars above, the bioluminescence in the water is actually due to marine microbes called phytoplankton. The effect it has on the shore is absolutely breathtaking and it encapsulates everything you’d imagine to be in a fairy tale. You can also experience this magical effect in Vieques, Puerto Rico.
The charming town of Sintra is often recognized for its 19th-century Romantic architecture and the royal estates and castles. The Pena National Palace (pictured on the right) sits on top of a hill above the city and can be seen from Lisbon on a clear day.
This alley of towering baobab trees lines the dirt road in the Menabe region of Madagascar and has become one of the most popular spots for tourists in the area.
This Neo-Renaissance castle is located in the Carpathian Mountains, built between 1873 and 1914. The Peleş Castle was built at the initiative of King Charles I, with the purpose of serving as a summer home. The outside of the castle has a charming feel to it, but the inside is very royal-esque.
In ancient times, this forest was deemed remote and inaccessible, but it has since become a must-see destination in Hunan, China. The unique mountains are often compared to the floating mountains of Pandora from the movie Avatar.
This white marble mausoleum of Agra, India, is considered the jewel of Muslim art and was also the inspiration for the Sultan’s Palace in Disney’s Aladdin. The Taj Mahal was built between 1632–1653 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, and has since become a universally admired masterpiece of the world’s heritage.
A fantasy-like avenue of beech trees, the Dark Hedges was planted in the 18th century by the Stuart family to impress visitors upon the entrance of their home. The road is known to be haunted by the Grey Lady, who appears at dusk. The HBO show Game of Thrones has also made a special appearance here.
This royal château in France has a whopping 2,300 rooms, 67 staircases, and 5,210 pieces of furniture. The palace is famous for its hall of mirrors and the gardens, the latter of which took 40 years to complete.
Located in Washington state, the fields are visited by hundreds of thousands who come here between April 1–30 to see these gorgeous flowers in bloom. The festival is designed as a driving tour since there is no one designated “site.”
Today we have decided to feature some of the world’s top inspirational life quotes for you to love, share and remember. Quotes are those little reminders that we all need now and then and some are powerful enough to inspire us for the whole week.
Hard times and tough choices are inevitable. I’m bookmarking this video so I can hear this message again (and again) when I really need it.
I found this video by stalking the amazing Shane Koyczan on the Internet. The spoken-word poem “Instructions for a Bad Day” is by Shane. The original video was compiled by Jon Goodgion, with footage from the documentary “Life in a Day” by Kevin Macdonald.
Please consider sharing with your friends — you never know who might need to hear this!
With millions in the bank, the retired former Myspace founder travels the world taking insanely ridiculous pictures. It’ll make you wish you were still friends.
Ah, the great outdoors, how I loathe thee. What with all that sunshine, fresh air, and hordes of ravenous apex predators lurking around every trail bend. But if you do insist on communing with Mother Nature, here’s what you need to know to keep from becoming a part of the food chain.
Surviving a Cougar Encounter
Since 1890, only 20 people have fallen prey to mountain lion (aka cougars or pumas) predation in the whole of the U.S. and Canada. However, as urban sprawl pushes human homes further and further into big cat habitat, encounters with them have risen dramatically since 1986. And while you’re still more likely to die from bee stings and lightning strikes than from a cougar bite, knowing what to do if you find yourself face to face with a mountain lion could very well save your life:
Don’t run, maintain eye contact. Mountain lions, like many big cats, are ambush predators. Seeing that you see them is often enough to dissuade a cougar from attacking, however, turning your back on it and attempting to run will only entice it further.
Pick Up Your Kids and Pets. Cougars are not dumb, they’ll gladly go for the smaller, weaker target (ie your children or your pets) rather than tussle with a full-grown adult human, especially if the little ones panic and suddenly bolt. So pick up your kid and pet—or at least have them crowd close with you between them and the cat—if you stumble upon a cougar.
Get Big, Get Loud. Unlike bears, cougars prefer not to engage in prolonged fights with equally-sized opponents. It’s therefore your job to convince the cat that you are not one to be messed with. Throw your arms over your head (if you’re wearing a jacket, hold the coat tails above your head like a frilled lizard to look even bigger), start yelling obscenities in a loud but calm voice, bare your teeth, chuck rocks and sticks at it, basically anything to dissuade the cat from considering you an easy meal. But remember, you just want to drive it away. If the cat feels cornered or overtly threatened by your actions, it is likely to attack with everything it’s got because, really, that cougar wants to be dead about as much as you do.
Back Away Slowly: Put some distance and obstacles between yourself and the mountain lion. Slowly retreat from the cat while maintaining eye contact and fighting the overwhelming urge to run. Get inside a building or car if they’re available or just get to higher ground.
Be Ready to Fight: If you notice that the cat’s crouching with its tail twitching and ears erect, that’s not good—the cougar readying to pounce. Now is the time to go on the offensive. And you gotta get straight mad dog up in this sucker if you want to survive: throw rocks (bigger ones than before—aim for the head), grab the biggest tree branch, stick, or ax handle you can reach and start swinging it like a goddamn whirling dervish as you bluff rush towards the cat. If you have a gun, then, seriously, the fuck have you been waiting for? Use it. If not, employ anything at your disposal—cameras, binoculars, fishing poles, even your bare hands—to inflict as much pain as possible before the cat’s claws and canines rip you to shreds. Aim for the eyes, nose, ears, and throat for maximum effectiveness and don’t let up until it’s dead or decides to retreat.
Surviving a Bear Encounter
Bears, much like the Wu Tang Clan, ain’t nothin’ ta fuck wit. The North American Black bear averages about 700 pounds while Grizzlies top out around 1,400 pounds. Both species can sprint at 20-30 mph and are strong enough to overturn 300-pound-plus objects with a single paw swipe. Their claws are more than 3 inches long, their canines can chomp through your femur like butter. You will not win in a match against a bear. The old adage about not climbing trees when running from bears, because black bears will climb up after you and grizzlies will simply knock the tree down, is not hyperbole—you might as well be tangling with a Wookie. Bears will ruin your week like none other, so the best defense is to simply stay out of their way.
Let Them Know You’re Coming: Bears generally have little interest in humans as food and will go out of their way to avoid people, so long as they know that you’re there. A large majority of recorded bear attacks over the last century have been due to hikers and campers unwittingly stumbling upon a bear feeding or stepping between a mother and its cub. Therefore, you should avoid traveling through bear country alone. Move in groups of two or more and make noise as you travel by singing or talking loudly.
Appease, Appease, Appease: If you do somehow manage to stumble upon a bear while it’s feeding, you’re going to have to play the situation very carefully to get out with all of your limbs intact. Bears will often display a number of defensive warnings before attacking, including popping its jaws or swatting the ground while blowing and snorting at you. If that doesn’t work, it may “bluff charge” you (rushing forward but stopping short of your reach) in an attempt to drive you off. This is the bear’s way of saying, “bad kitty, that’s my pot pie.”
Your response needs to be, “Oh hey cool, my bad. Pay me no heed, I’m leaving.” Do this by making yourself look as non-treatening as possible. Avert your eyes (bears, like their canine cousins, consider eye contact a challenge), slump your shoulders, get quiet, calm, and still. Slowly pull out your can of bear spray (whaddya mean you’re hiking in bear country without bear spray, are you stupid or something?) and keep it at the ready as you slowly back away. Once you’re clear of immediate danger, hightail it out of the area the same way you came in.
When to Use the Spray: If your appeasement strategy fails as hard as the Munich Pact did in ’38 and the bear continues its advance, it’s time to use your bear spray. Address the animal in a firm voice then, when it gets within 20-30 feet, aim the spray nozzle just above its head and give the trigger a long pull. Aim to get as much of the aerosol in its eyes and nose as you can. That should be enough to dissuade the bear. Now, if the bear keeps attacking (a sign that it’s not simply being defensive but now views you as a meal), use whatever strength you have left to inflict as much damage as you can to its eyes, nose and ears with the hardest, heaviest, and sharpest items at your disposal.
When to Play Dead: If your spray did nothing but piss the bear off further and it makes physical contact with you, play dead. Don’t bother running, these animals can outpace Usain Bolt over short distances. Lay on your stomach with your hands over the back of your neck, keep your elbows and knees wide to avoid getting flipped onto your back, and just wait. Wait for the bear to stop attacking, wait for it to leave. Do not move until you’re sure the bear has left the area, even if that means laying there for a half hour or more.
Surviving a Wolf Encounter
Unlike solitary cougars and bears, wolves pose a difficult challenge given that they’re pack hunters. If you see one wolf, you can be sure there are at least few more already circling behind you. Still, wolf attacks are exceedingly rare in the U.S., with less than 50 attacks reported since 1942.
Show Your Dominance: Use their pack mentality to your advantage. If you find yourself face to face with a wolf, make yourself look as big, as tall, and as menacing as possible. Yell, throw rocks, and be aggressive to show the wolf you are not one to be taken lightly. But, again, don’t make eye contact—that will only make the wolf angry. Use your bear spray or gun if you have one, otherwise the whirling dervish method described above can be quite effective as well.
Get High: Thankfully, wolves can’t climb trees. If you find yourself cornered by a pack of snarling beasts, hightail it up the nearest tree. Just don’t run—wolves will instinctively give chase as they would any other fleeing prey. If you are in a group, stay on the ground and put the kids in the center of the defensive ring with armed adults positioned around them.
And remember, dogs are the borked versions of wolves. Even the biggest Rottweiler’s bite force pales in comparison to the 400-plus psi that a wolf’s jaws can produce, so don’t go thinking you can pull some Liam Neeson The Grey bullshit and fight a pack off with some broken single-serving liquor bottles.
Surviving a Shark Encounter
Despite what films like Jaws and Sharknado suggest, shark attacks on humans are also exceedingly rare. The year 2000 saw the most shark attacks in recorded history with only 79 incidents—that’s all shark species, worldwide. And as with bears, the best way to avoid being bitten by a shark is to stay the hell away from sharks.
Know When It’s Safe to Go Into the Water: Don’t ignore posted warnings that sharks have been spotted offshore of your favorite beach. Also, use the buddy system and ever don’t swim alone, especially when sharks are most active in the twilight hours and just after sunset. Stay close to shore, avoiding steep the drop-offs of sand bars where sharks prefer to lurk.
Don’t Be a Target: Don’t go swimming if you’re menstruating or have open wounds, and don’t pee in the water—these are all homing beacons for hungry sharks. Sharks are attracted by both scent and the minute electrical pulses your muscles generate. And like many fish, they instinctively snap at shiny, sparkly objects. So if you’d like to keep your fingers, leave the flashy jewelry and bright clothing on the beach.
Show that Leopard Shark Who’s Boss: If, despite your best efforts, you are attacked by a shark, first back yourself up against a reef or other barrier so that the fish can’t circle around behind you. Next, aim as the shark closes in, and punch that fucker as hard as you can right on the point of its nose. Shark’s noses are packed with sensitive sensory organs and four or five short, sharp jabs are often enough to convince it that you aren’t worth the effort. If that doesn’t work, aim for the eyes and gills. If that doesn’t work, get the dynamite.
Surviving a Cassowary Encounter
While few people would consider Australia’s largest flightless bird to be any particular threat, Cassowaries come armed with 3-inch-long Velociraptor-style dew claws which they can use to great effect to disembowel anything they view as a threat. These birds can grow up to 150 pounds, stand 5 feet high, and apparently all know kung fu because they will readily charge, kick, push, peck, jump on, and head-butt in defense of their chicks and territory. As such, don’t ever attempt to approach or feed these birds and keep both your kids and your pets on a short leash when hiking through the Australian and New Guinean outback.
Edward Burtynsky is Canada’s most respected photographers known for his remarkable photographic depictions of global industrial landscapes and its consequences on the environment. His most recent installment is called “Water”.
Water tells us the story of where water comes from, how we use it, distribute and waste it. Often using a bird’s-eye perspective, the photographer shows us its remote sources, remarkable ancient step-wells and mass bathing rituals, the transformation of desert into cities with waterfronts on each doorstep, the compromised landscapes of the American Southwest. Furthermore, Burtynsky explores the infrastructure of water management: the gigantic hydroelectric dams and terraced rice fields in the heart of China, the vast irrigation systems of America’s bread basket and the use of aquaculture. The colour photographs in this book are poetic and at the same time highly relevant: they reveal another vital component of our life on earth that drives the bloom of civilization, and foreshadow the extent to which our future depends on our everyday behaviour in dealing with this increasingly scarce resource.
Markarfljót River, Iceland 2012.
Salinas, Cá‡diz, Spain 2013.
San Joaquin Valley, California 2009.
Submerged Pipeline, Gulf of Mexico, June 24, 2010
Stepwell, Nahargarh Cistern, Jiapur, India 2010.
Shasta Lake Reservoir, Northern California, USA 2009.
Oil Spill, Discoverer Enterprise, Gulf of Mexico, USA 2010.
Xiaolangdi Dam, Yellow River, Henan Province, China 2011.
Cerro Prieto Geothermal Power StationBaja, Mexico, 2012
VeronaWalk, Naples, Florida, USA 2012.
Marine aquaculture, Luoyuan bay, Fujian province, China, 2012
Thjorsa river, Iceland, 2012
Colorado River Delta, Sonora, Mexico, 2012
Rice terraces in western Yunnan province, China, 2012.
Sagar Kund Baori step well in Bundi, Rajasthan, India, 2010.
Dryland Farming, Monegros County, Aragon, Spain 2010.
Dryland Farming, Monegros County, Aragon, Spain 2010.
Polders, GrootschermerThe Netherlands, 2011
Benidorm, Spain 2010. See aerial photos of beaches by Gray Malin
Benidorm, Spain 2010.
Glacial Runoff
Colorado River Delta, Near San Felipe, Baja, Mexico 2011.
Mount Edziza Provincial Park, Northern British Columbia, Canada 2012.
Glacier Catchment, Scud River, Northern British Columbia, Canada 2012.
Container Port, Maasulakte, Rotterdam, The Netherlands 2011.