Fat Big News Central

Tiny Puppet Monkeys from the Amazon – Pygmy Marmosets

admin — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 21:17:31 +0000

Here’s a few photos of your favorite monkey from the Amazon. These little dwarfs or pygmies must drink lots of fresh espresso in their native Brazil/Peru because they are very alert, bouncing around on the trees, looking around, chirping and running. Apparently they don’t like people very much. A lot of zoos have a few of these pygmies also known as “little lions” or “pocket monkeys” (I would add “finger puppet monkeys”). They can live 10-12 years in captivity.

Baby Animals in Time for Spring

admin — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Endangered Kittens Produced by In Vitro Fertilization

admin — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 18:31:58 +0000

Scientist hoping to help along endangered species have had luck breeding kittens for African black-footed cats. The sperm was taken from a male in 2003 and then an egg was fertilized in 2005 but then the embryo was kept frozen until just recently when it was placed in a surrogate mother who gave birth successfully in late February. Perhaps this process will be able to help conserve other species and hopefully it might go a little faster than 7 years. The embryo from one species can be placed with a surrogate cat from another species so this may help with very rare species.

The African black-footed cat is one of the smallest of all cats, even smaller than normal house cats. They have not been very successful breeding in captivity and their numbers are very low with perhaps only 50 individuals left and less than 30 in the wild.

Looking for Antarctic Life in Vostok Lake

admin — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 15:36:25 +0000

The Russians are about to conduct some very serious research on an Antarctic sub-glacial lake. At least, they will try and get down to this lake while they have time this year when conditions are good.

It was discovered that there was a freshwater body there 10 years ago and scientists thought it would be a great idea to check for strange ancient microbes and possible historical climate clues, etc. This is not the only lake they know of, there may be more than 150 and some rivers too, but this lake is particularly old, big and deep.

Rivers and Lakes of Antarctica

There are some difficulties getting to the lake however, the ice base is about 4 km and the temperature can be between -60 C to -90 C! But facing challenges is what being a scientist is all about these people live for this. Will there be life down there? There is a decent chance. The heat from the earth’s core is what keeps the water there warm enough to remain liquid under the ice.

Size and Topography

Camps on Antarctica

Animals Coping With The Winter Wonderland

admin — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 04:32:26 +0000

This has been a tough winter for some people already as the storms are just beginning to roll through. Some animals are better suited than others to live in the cold. Some, even though well suited, may still starve when conditions are especially bad.

Snowshoe Hare

Bull Elk

Yunnan Black Snub-nosed Monkey Family

More Snub-nosed Monkeys

The Months the Falls Stood Still

admin — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 19:04:24 +0000

The Niagara falls were once “turned off” or else it was taken down for regularly scheduled maintenance, for six months in 1969! The idea was to clear out a bunch of the loose rocks at the base of the waterfall. This proved to be very expensive so they didn’t complete the job but in the meantime managed to strengthen some of the faults so that it erodes more slowly.

To accomplish this, the army built a dam 600 feet across to block the river. This meant that the 60 thousand gallons of water that flows per second was sent over to the Canadian side. That probably cleared some of those loose rocks at the base for the Canadians.

About 2,600 people gathered to watch the water “turned back on.” And the falls were up again after the first break in activity in 12000 years since the ice age melting setup the whole shebang.

Fotos de Jesus

admin — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 16:19:52 +0000

When I was traveling in Latin America, Peru and Mexico particularly, I noticed a very different representation of Jesus than the one I had more or less been used to. I grew up Methodist and which doesn’t have much at all in the way of graphic images. Other than that what you commonly, casually see around is a Jesus with chestnut hair, white robes with maybe an extra blue or red shawl and a white lamb. I don’t know for sure when western cultures settled on this version. Sure there are some on the cross and some Renaissance looking paintings around. Anyway, in Peru I encountered some mannequin displays with graphic tortured and bleeding bodies. This I imagine is meant to evoke emotion like Mel Gibson’s movie the Passion of Christ. I thought it would be interesting to collect some of the different views of him. I didn’t gather any particularly graphic photos but was just looking for some different styles. It is interesting when the artist can really depict whole different ideas and emotions in them.

First, we have what feels to me like a tranquil, solemn gnostic divinity in soft shades.

A slightly severe, eastern orthodox version.

A realistic, middle eastern appearence.

An uncertain look, looks like Renaissance or Michelangelo.

Looks like an eastern mystic here, glowing serenity.

I can see Jesus as black but his hair doesn’t look right short, got to be long.

A slightly scary open-mouthed gaffaw pictured here.

This one gets points for the crisp art deco folds in his robe.

I like this one. Nice colors, nice robe, nice expression. If I was a hardcore christian kid I would have had this poster on my wall as a kid.

This reminds me of the Jehova’s Witness’ pamplets. Nice, new modern look to it but some overacting is taking place.

Nice colors.

This one could have been really good. The flags ruin it. Did he go backpacking for awhile and collect these flags? Also, his posture suggests he’s about to break out with some hip-hop lyrics, that can’t work.

Don’t like the crown, looks a little holier-than-thou although he naturally would be, but he wouldn’t show it.

Tame the tempest JC. Stop the Apocalypse

Back and ready for action.

Black and white has a whole different feel.

1970 Interview with Rod Serling Narrator of the The Twilight Zone

admin — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 23:33:49 +0000

Interesting interview from the captivating narrator of the sci-fi show who died 5 years later. If only there was a way to bring back quality television programming like The Twilight Zone once again.

Part 1

Part 2

From the Highest Heights to Deepest Depths of the Planet

admin — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 01:42:03 +0000

The largest animal on this earth?The blue whale or perhaps but probably not a colossal squid. Both are animals that might be found at the some of the deepest depths, the squid sometimes fighting it out with the sperm whale.