Bugs Life in a Garden

Bugs are wonderful inhabitants in every garden. The number of insect species could vary from 1.5 million to 30 million and are probably one of the most populous groups of organisms in the world.

Bionic Tower the Vertical City of Future

Vertical cities are the new trend in creating new buildings for 21st century with ecological aspects inside. The main idea is to satisfy population grow in big cities. One of them is Bionic Tower that meant to be built around 2015-2020 in China’s economic center Shanghai. The tower should be housing over 100 000 people and will reach a height of 1 200 meters (4 000 feet) or 300 floors. The structure is inspired by shapes found in nature. The tower would be constructed on a 0.4 square mile artificial island connected to the mainland to allow the 100 000 inhabitants access. The total cost for construction should be about $15 billion.

Credit: mc2000.arch.hku.hk

Top 10 New Species of the Year 2010

Here is the top 10 list of new species found in this year 2010. We are looking forward on the list for 2011.

Nepenthes attenboroughii

Images courtesy of Alastair S. Robinson

Swima bombiviridis

© 2005 K. J. Osborn

Dioscorea orangeana

Image courtesy of Claude Marcel Hladik (tuber) and Richard Randrianaivo (male flowering plant)

Aiteng ater

Images courtesy of Cornelis Swennen.

Histiophryne psychedelica

© David Hall/seaphotos.com

Nephila komaci

Image courtesy of Matjaž Kuntner

Phallus drewesii

Image courtesy of Brian A. Perry, University of Hawai’i at Hilo

Danionella dracula

Images courtesy of Ralf Britz, The Natural History Museum

Gymnotus omarorum

Image courtesy of James Albert

Chondrocladia (Meliiderma) turbiformis

Image courtesy of Jean Vacelet