Millions of mummified dogs beneath the Egyptian desert

Photo by Scott Williams, Cardiff University

An elaborate labyrinth of sacred tunnels, containing the mummified remains of millions of dogs, has been excavated under the Egyptian desert.

The Catacombs of Anubis project, led by Paul Nicholson of the School of History, Archaeology and Religion, is examining a labyrinth of tunnels beneath the desert at Saqqara in Egypt. The tunnels make up the catacomb for the burial of animals sacred to the dog or jackal-headed god Anubis.

The Dog Catacomb has been known since the 19th Century but has never been properly excavated before. The excavation team’s latest estimate is that some 8,000,000 animals – most of them dogs or jackals - were buried there. Work on the animal bones suggests that they were only hours or days old when they were killed and mummified. It is likely the dogs were bred in their thousands in special puppy farms around the ancient Egyptian capital of Memphis.

Dr Nicholson said: "Our findings indicate a rather different view of the relationship between people and the animals they worshipped than that normally associated with the ancient Egyptians, since many animals were killed and mummified when only a matter of hours or days old. These animals were not strictly ‘sacrificial’. Rather, the dedication of an animal mummy was regarded as a pious act, with the animal acting as intermediary between the donor and the gods."

Anubis

The project has just won the Andante Travels Archaeological Award for 2011 for a work which has both archaeological significance and public appeal. Andante Travels is a British company specialising in archaeological tourism and the £2000 award will support further work, including radiocarbon dating of the construction phases of the catacomb.

The team is hoping that the geological work on the catacomb will help the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities, who have generously permitted the work, in monitoring the site for its long term preservation.

The work has been funded in part by the School of History, Archaeology and Religion and by National Geographic.

Source - Cardiff University

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Swiss scientists create Flying Ping Pong robots

Scientists from Switzerland have created floating robots called quadrocopters that are able to keep a ball in the air by bouncing it between them.

The robot were created by researchers at the Swiss Control of Distributed, Autonomous Systems (CDAS) laboratory in their Flying Machine Arena in Zurich. They are capable of synchronized choreography, acrobatic tricks, and extremely precise movements.

Equipped with a tennis racket on top of them, the duo bounces the ball around a netted-off section of a Swiss building. Both units are controlled by humans (for now), but could theoretically be programmed as well.

Do they look like a robot in Transformers movie? :)

Via - Tom Chivers , Telegraph.co.uk and CBS News

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Sawah padi di kampung Tualang, Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu

Gambar sunset kering dengan tanah merekah

Sawah padi ini terletak di dalam kampung Tualang, Manir, Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu. Lebih kurang 9 km dari bandaraya Kuala Terengganu, jika mengambil jalanraya utama ke Kota Bharu. Untuk masuk ke sini mesti melalui simpang 3 di kampung Manir, kemudian ambil jalan ke pasar Manir dan terus menuju ke sini dalam 1km sahaja dari pasar Manir.

Gambar foto sunset dan pondok buruk di tepi sawah

Gambar sunset dan lopak air besar di dalam sawah

Sudah semakin kurang sawah padi yang aktif di Terengganu ini, mujur lah sawah di kampung Tualang ini masih giat diusahakan. Kebanyakan yang lain semakin terbiar dan ada yang dijadikan sebagai tapak perumahan.

Gambar rumput tebal di tepi sawah dan sunset

Gambar kabus pagi tebal di padang tepi sawah di kampung Tualang

 Gambar waktu pagi yang berkabus tebal

Gambar baju tergantung di tengah sawah, bertindak sebagai orang-orang untuk menghalau burung dan seumpamanya

Gambar foto sun sparkle dan silhouette daun di tepi sawah

Alhamdulillah, terima kasih padamu semua wahai kaum petani, dengan usahamu membanting tulang di tengah panas, bergelut dengan pacat dan lintah, mengharung risiko bertemu ular dan sebagainya itu lah maka kami dapat makan nasi :-)

Gambar sawah, Foto kabus, Mari melawat Terengganu, Cuti-cuti Malaysia

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French spiderman to climb world's tallest tower

After scaling the Eiffel Tower in Paris and Sydney Opera House, the "French Spiderman" now has his sights set on the world's tallest tower, Burj Khalifa in the cosmopolitan Gulf emirate of Dubai.

Alain Robert, 48, is due Monday to climb the exterior of the skyscraper which stands 828-metres (2,717-feet) tall, as part of an "Education Without Borders" conference for which it is being used as a venue, organisers said.

The climber, whose nickname comes from wearing the outfit of the fictional superhero while scaling the tallest of the tall around the globe, usually works without a safety harness, relying on bare hands and sturdy footing.

In Dubai, however, he will resort to a rope and harness, organisers said.

"The problem in Dubai is the hot weather (of) up to 40 degrees (Celsius, 104 Fahrenheit)," he said back in January 2010 when he announced his ambition to step up to the challenge.

"My biggest fear is to waste my time on earth. For me, climbing is as important as eating and breathing. Climbing skyscrapers is my lifetime love and passion," he said.

Robert has climbed more than 100 of the world's tallest buildings, including the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Sears Tower in the US city of Chicago and the 88-storey Jin Mao Building in Shanghai, China.

A Malaysian court fined Robert after he scrambled up the Petronas Twin Towers, which also has 88 floors, in September 2009 with his bare hands in less than two hours.

Source - AFP

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Pyramids and desert in Giza, Egypt

Giza Pyramid and Sphynx

These are not my shots, but from my friend Ustaz Muhammad Zamri bin Nik. From his tour to Egypt months ago.

Pyramids in Giza

A lone house on a hill

Gorgeous hill in Egypt

Maqam Nabi Saleh

Boats in Egypt

Sunset and dates tree

Thanks to my friend Ustaz Muhammad Zamri bin Nik  @  JelawiePic  for giving me permission to post his photos here  .......

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Brown white Grasshopper (Katydid)

Brown white Grasshopper (Katydid) is eating Senduduk flower

Brown white Grasshopper (Katydid) 

Shot this Katydid in kampong Tualang, Manir, Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia.

Grasshopper pictures, Gambar belalang

Photos, images, pictures, graphics and wallpapers , By : NeeZhom PhotoMalaya

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Pantai Pulau Kerengga, Marang, Terengganu

Gambar jambatan klasik Pulau Kerengga pada waktu siang

Pantai di kampung Pulau Kerengga , Marang, Terengganu ini letaknya kira-kira 11km dari bandar Marang, dan 35km dari pusat bandaraya Kuala Terengganu. Berhampiran juga dengan penjara Marang dan rumah anak-anak yatim (PERKAYA).Di sini ada keunikannya yang tersendiri, antaranya ialah jambatan kayu lama / klasik, bangsal-bangsal nelayan lama, dan pantainya pula bersebelahan dengan sungai.

Gambar sungai di tepi pantai Pulau Kerengga

Gambar bangsal rehat di pantai Pulau Kerengga

Gambar jejaka duduk atas bangku di pantai Pulau Kerengga

Gambar buah kelapa tua dan muda di tepi pantai

Gambar foto buah kelapa melayang

Foto sepasang buah kelapa melayang (gambar-gambar buah kelapa melayang ni BUKAN Photoshop ya, tetapi sahabat saya iaitu Ada Azaha yang lambungkan. Idea dia ni, terima kasih bro.)


Exif gambar buah kelapa melayang di atas:
Aperture = f/9
Shutter speed = 1/2000
ISO = 640
Focal length = 70mm

Gambar foto jambatan klasik Pulau Kerengga pada waktu malam - Night shot

Lokasi gambar night shot di atas, jika kita datang dari arah Kuala Terengganu, ianya sebelum sampai ke kawasan penjara tersebut. Di sebelah kanan jalan ada sebuah surau, dan jalan masuk ke sini adalah di sebelah kirinya. Ada satu jalan kecil masuk ke situ, dan jalan tersebut betul-betul di tepi pagar sebuah tanah perkuburan.

Mari melawat Terengganu, Cuti-cuti Malaysia, Gambar pantai, Foto landskap, Blog pelancongan

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Sungai di kampung Pulau Rusa, Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu

Sudah jatuh ditimpa batang kayu pula

Sungai di kampung Pulau Rusa, Kuala Terengganu ini ialah sebahagian dari Sungai Terengganu yang mengunjur dari muara sungai di bandar Kuala Terengganu hinggalah ke daerah Hulu Terengganu dan seterusnya saya pun tidak tahu ntah ke mana.  Kampung Pulau Rusa letaknya kira-kira 7km dari bandar Kuala Terengganu. 

Gambar sunset di kampung Pulau Rusa dengan batu granit dan besi kerawat

Di seberang sana ialah kampung Manir. Jambatan di sebelah kanan gambar dikenali sebagai Jambatan Manir. Saya juga ada menembak gambar-gambar di tepi sungai di kampung Manir.

Gambar sunset di tepi sungai sebelah masjid Pulau Rusa

Gambar sunset sulung di kampung Pulau Rusa

Gambar sunset dengan batang pokok besar terbalik di kampung Pulau Rusa

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Pantai Bukit Keluang, Besut, Terengganu

Gambar pantai Bukit Keluang, bahagian depan tepi bukit berbatu

Pantai Bukit Keluang terletak di kampung Bukit Keluang, Besut, Terengganu. Jaraknya dari Kuala Besut kira-kira 3km dan jaraknya dari pusat bandaraya Kuala Terengganu kira-kira 140km, iaitu ke bahagian utara Terengganu dekat dengan Kelantan. 

Banyak bebatu kecil dan besar di pantai ini, dan ada yang membentuk seperti gua di pinggir bukitnya. Bukitnya juga boleh didaki, tetapi dinasihatkan agar mendapat bimbingan dari mereka-mereka yang berpengalaman di situ. Pantai ini memang sangat popular dan pelbagai aktiviti rekreasi dilakukan di sini seperti main luncur air, jet ski, mandi-manda dan sebagainya. Memang ramai orang bertumpu ke sini untuk berkelah dan berekreasi terutamanya pada hari minggu.

Beberapa buah pulau dapat dilihat dari pantai ini dan yang paling jelas dan besar kelihatan ialah Pulau Rhu Hentian. 

Foto antara batu-batu besar yang membentuk seperti gua

Gambar ombak menghempas ke batu di pantai Bukit Keluang

Gambar jambatan kayu yang dah mula reput dan rosak di pantai Bukit Keluang - black and white

Tempat penginapan banyak disediakan di sekitar sini seperti chalet, hotel dan resort.  Antara kemudahan-kemudahan asas di sini ialah tandas awam, tempat rehat, gerai makan minum dan restoran. 

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Pantai Telipot, Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu

Gambar kayu menongkat awan di pantai Telipot - Night shot

Pantai Telipot terletak di kampung Mengabang Telipot, Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, dalam 1km lebih sahaja dari Unisza dan UMT. Kawasan yang saya shoot ini letaknya dekat dengan mengabang. Dan seperti biasa, kawasan mengabang akan membentuk pelbagai tekstur pasir kesan dari hakisan angin dan air.

Gambar light trails di pantai Telipot - Night shot

Gambar pancaran sunray / sinar matahari penuh dengan sebuah bot

Gambar sunrise beserta hujan renyai-renyai di pantai Telipot

Antara kesan hakisan angin dan air yang berlaku di kawasan mengabang dapat dilihat contohnya seperti dalam gambar di atas. Pada hari yang lain, akan muncul tekstur yang lain pula kerana air pasang akan datang mengubah yang sedia ada, dan apabila air laut surut, akan kelihatan lah pelbagai tekstur yang akan berlaku, subhanAllah.

Gambar foto sunrise dengan bayang mini pondok rehat

Gambar foto bayang jurukamera dan bulan di pantai Telipot

Gambar sunrise dan sekuntum bunga di tepi pantai

Gambar landskap ala padang pasir dan wadi di pantai Telipot

Gambar seorang pakcik tua sedang ambil angin pagi di tepi pantai

Gambar orang tolak bot beramai-ramai turun ke laut

Kawasan ini boleh dikatakan juga sebagai perkampungan nelayan, kerana ramai nelayan yang tinggal di sini.  Bot-bot nelayan banyak terdapat di tepi pantai ini. 

Jika anda mahu makan makanan-makanan laut yang segar seperti sotong, udang, kerang dan sebagainya, datang lah ke kampung Mengabang Telipot, kerana banyak gerai makanan laut yang ada di situ.

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