Crazy Facts You Didn't Know About Animals

The animal kingdom is home to some amazing traits. Cheetahs can run at 70 mph (112 kph) [source: Enoch]. Camelscan survive half a year without a water source [source: California Academy of Sciences]. Frogscan freeze in winter and then thaw, alive, in spring [source: Roach].
As far as superlative animal talents go, these are just a few of the better known. There are plenty that haven't become common knowledge yet, and some of them are exceptionally gross, frightening, awkward, or seemingly impossible. Some are so anthropomorphic you have to laugh.
Here, we've collected 10 of those crazy facts, and we bet even animal-trivia buffs will be surprised by at least a few. You may laugh, you may deny. You'll almost certainly say "awww" more than you'd like. You may even squirm: We human types can be a little squeamish when it comes to, say, a penis with four heads.
And that's only the beginning of that one.

Odd penisesaren't unique in the animal world – and to the animals sporting them, of course, they're not odd at all. Snakeshave two half-penises that join when it's time to mate [source: Medical Dictionary]. Sea-slug penises are disposable [source: Kaplan]. Catpenises are barbed [source: Dell'Amore].
But the echidna, often called a "spiny anteater," tops them all. The Australia-area native sports a single shaft with four heads, each one capable of ejaculation. Only two of the heads function at any given time, though, which makes sense since the female echidna has "only" two vaginas. During copulation, one side of the penis is inactive, its two heads retracted, while the other side is ready to fertilize the female's eggs. After ejaculation, the male echidna activates the other side and repeats the process [source: Cooke].

No one is entirely sure why there are so many darned heads, but experts hypothesize it has something to do with mating competition. Female echidnas might have sex with 10 or more males at mating time, so having four ejaculation sources probably increases the odds of any one echidna passing along his genes [source: cook]. Spontaneous sex changes are rare in the animal world, but they do happen. Clownfish, for example (yes, Nemo) change from male to female as part of the standard mating process. But the hen situation is different: Her sex change is not beneficial to the species [source: Melina].
It starts with hen anatomy. A female chicken has one ovary and one inactive gonad, a remnant of early chicken development when sex genes haven't yet activated. A gonad can become an ovary, a testicle, or a combination of the two (ovotestis), but once those genes go the female route, that other gonad just sits there [source: Melina].
Now enter a cyst or tumor that damages the hen's ovary, and the gonad steps up to fill the sex-anatomy void. A gonad that develops into a testicle or an ovotestis instead of an ovary will start the release of androgens, a male sex hormone, and a sex change can result [source: Melina].
The typical hen-to-rooster transition begins with an end to egg-laying and progresses to behaviors and physical traits. A hen will start strutting and crowing, gain weight and grow the quintessential rooster wattles, dark feathers and cockscomb atop its head [source: Melina].
The result is essentially a sterile rooster. As far as the experts know, this change only happens to females; a rooster-to-hen conversion has never been documented [source: Melina].

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Why does orange juice taste bad after you brush your teeth?

We humans have clearly identified tastes that go great together. The combination of chocolateand peanut butter comes to mind, as does peanut butter and jelly. For many, steak and eggs is a winning combination. Or strawberries and cream. But anyone who has ever taken a gulp of orange juice immediately after brushing his or her teeth knows that the ensuing tastemay be the worst a person can possibly experience.
While the minty flavor of toothpaste is pleasant, and orange juice has a nice, sweet citrus taste, the two combined form a new hybrid that resembles neither, and is universally considered disgusting. But why?
In actuality, scientists don't know for sure why orange juice and toothpaste go so poorly together. This is mostly due to the fact that scientists aren't entirely certain how taste works. Like smell, full understanding of this sense remains elusive. Still, we have a pretty good idea of what takes place in the process of taste, and based on current observation, researchers have come to a general consensus as to what creates the horrific O.J./toothpaste combo.
The tastes your mouth can perceive are divided into five general categories: sweet, salty, bitter, sourand umami(meaty tastes). While each is separate, they all work together to produce different flavors. Flavor is not the same as taste. In fact, taste is an aspect of flavor, along with temperature, consistency, smell and texture. Each of these factors has an effect on our perception of taste. For example, foods taste sweeter when they're warmer than they do when they're colder.
So what's at the root of the problem? Read on to find out about the chemical reaction scientists feel is responsible for the battle between orange juice and toothpaste.

LIVE IN RELATIONSHIP

We all go through ups and down, a few situations can get the back on track...

Grandparents may scowl all they want, parents may wring their hands in despair but live-in relationships are becoming popular among the youth brigade ; more so with the Supreme Court ruling that the with Supreme Court ruling that the law for the protection of women from domestic violence extend equal benefit to women in live-in relationships, as it will to mar ried women, thereby endorsing such arrangements !
But if you're thinking of taking your relationship to the next level without tying the knot, then it'd be wise to consider a few things.
* same commitment level
If you are taking the big move as a stepping stone for marriage while that is the furthest thing on your partners mind, then you are setting yourself up for heart break ! Make sure that you both are ready for the same level of commitment.
* Be ready to adjust
He throws his wet towel on the bed, makes the room look like a pig-sty.... you get exposed to his every little annoying habit---are ready for it? Get you to know him a little better by taking a week-long trip together. But it is important to be more accommodating and tolerant towards your partner.
* share expenses
Money is notorious for souring relationships, so make sure to go Dutch for everything-bills, house rent, groceries ete The other way to do this is to have one joint account where both of you contribute a percentage of your salary every month. But retain a separate bank account for yourself too as a safety valve in case the relationship fails.

* Baby comes along
Pregnancy can be the turn ing point in your relationship. As per the law your child has complete rights to both parents' self acquired property. Consult a legal advisor to be clear about the legal implications.
* relationship come up lemons Then it is better to have some kind of proof in hand, such as a ration card or a joint bank account with the address men- tioned, that shows that you both have lived in .
together<

Lamborghini Shows Off Single-Seat Egoista

For its 50th anniversary, Lamborghini has rolled out wheeled pornography in the shape of a single-seat supercar.

The aptly named Egoista is the embodiment of excess. This V10 powered rocket only has one purpose: to make one lucky person go very, very fast. And, in typical Lamborghini style, it’s absolutely bonkers and totally cool.

The driver – or pilot in this case – is treated to fighter-jet style controls and a tight monopod cockpit in which to operate this 600 hp beast. Everything in this “survival cell” is made of carbon fibre and aluminum, except for the seats which look like they are pulled right out of a burlesque parlour.

And no, even though it does have a targeting reticle, this car does not fire rockets.

Walter De Silva’s homage for Lamborghini’s 50th anniversary.

SANY’AGATA BOLOGNESE, Italy - An emotional moment in Sant’Agata Bolognese yesterday at the culmination of the gala celebrating Lamborghini’s 50th anniversary: Walter De Silva’s incredible vehicle made its entry in front of a thousand invitees, the Head of Design for the Volkswagen Group’s homage to celebrating the House of the Raging Bull’s half century. “I am very attached to this Italian brand, being an Italian myself. I wanted to pay homage to and think up a vehicle to underline the fact that Lamborghinis have always been made with passion, and with the heart more than the head,” said an emotional De Silva.

Indeed the Egoista, as the vehicle has been christened, is a car forged from a passion for innovation and alternative solutions, the same passion which has always set the Lamborghini brand apart. “This is a car made for one person only, to allow them to have fun and express their personality to the maximum. It is designed purely for hyper-sophisticated people who want only the most extreme and special things in the world. It represents hedonism taken to the extreme, it is a car without compromises, in a word: egoista (selfish),” De Silva further explained.

The supercar’s debut was equally spectacular, with a cinematic entry announced by a trailer projected onto the nine big screens in the room. The stage was transformed into a landing strip, with a top model in a flight suit guiding the Egoista’s arrival with ground crew light paddles, and the roar of the V10 engine shaking the 20-meter-tall tensioned event structure: this is the spectacle the VIP guests were treated to when Lamborghini President and CEO Stephan Winkelmann entered at the wheel of the Egoista, before inviting its creator, Walter De Silva, to join him on stage.

Concept and technology

Powered by a 5.2-liter V10 engine supplying it with 600 horsepower, the Lamborghini Egoista is an intentionally extreme and unusual vehicle with absolutely unique characteristics, created by the Volkswagen Group design team – Alessandro Dambrosio responsible for the exterior and Stefan Sielaff for the interior, in particular. De Silva’s team chose to create a single-seater, pushing all the characteristics in Lamborghini’s make-up meaning pure driving pleasure, performance and style beyond their limits. The cockpit, designed like a tailor-made suit for the driver, is a removable section which, once combined with the rest of the vehicle, creates a perfect technical, mechanical and aerodynamic unit. Inspiration, as per Lamborghini tradition, once again comes from the world of aviation, and in particular the Apache helicopter, where the cockpit can be ejected in an emergency.

“The cockpit, made completely of carbon fiber and aluminum, represents a sort of survival cell, allowing the driver to isolate and protect themselves from external elements,” De Silva explained.”We kept an eye on the future when designing the Egoista, with the idea that its cockpit could have been taken from a jet aircraft and integrated into a road vehicle, to provide a different travel option.”

The design

The exterior is characterized by two fundamental aspects: its architecture, and the materials used. The design is determined by a highly muscular structure, in which empty and solid areas fit together with strength and vigor. The bodywork is dominated, on its sides, by the stylized profile of a bull preparing to charge, its horns lowered. The bull is driving towards the front wheels, conferring a futuristic dynamism and lines which are already, in themselves, highly aggressive. Naturally, this is a homage, a bold stylistic citation which can only be a reworking of the Lamborghini brand icon, the well-known raging bull. The challenge of efficiently inserting the Lamborghini symbol as an integral part of the bodywork was met courageously and artistically. The plan view reveals a trimaran profile, where the central hull forms a unique section with the cockpit, underlined by the carbon-fiber cover on the front hood.

The upper part of the vehicle does not have aerodynamic appendages, but rather flaps integrated in the bodywork profile which act automatically depending on the driving conditions. Two rear flaps activate automatically at high speeds to increase stability, while a series of air intakes on the back of the engine hood provides the cooling air flow to the powerful V10 power plant. While the front of the vehicle has a profile intended to increase downforce, the rear is fully open with the mechanics in view, reducing weight but also with the result of creating a more aggressive look. The Lamborghini Egoista’s lights are more like an aircraft’s than a road vehicle’s. It does not have traditional headlights, rather LED clearance lights which determine its position not just on a single plane such as the road, but rather in three dimensions, as is required in airspace. Two white front lights, two red rear lights, a red flashing light in the upper part of the tail, two orange bull’s eyes as side markers, and a further two lights on the roof, red on the left and green on the right, make this four-wheeled UFO unique even in the dark. Finally, hidden behind the front air intakes at the base of the join between the central body and the two side sections, are two powerful xenon headlamps, two eagle’s eyes able to scan the darkness for great distances. As it is made from lightweight materials such as aluminum and carbon-fiber, the vehicle has no-walk zones, duly marked like on airliners. The parallels with the world of aeronautics do not end here, however, as the body is made from a special antiradar material, and the glass is anti-glare with an orange gradation. The rims are also made from antiradar material, flat and rough, embellished with carbon-fiber plates to improve their aerodynamics.

Interior

The cockpit’s interior is extremely rational, its functionality taken to the extreme. There is a racing seat with a four-point seatbelt, each strip a different color, the airbags, and the bare minimum of instruments. The focal point of these is a head-up display, typical of jet fighters. To get out of the vehicle, the driver must remove the steering wheel and rest it on the dashboard, open the dome with an electronic command, stand up in their seat, sit down on a precise point of the left-hand bodywork, then swivel their legs 180 degrees from the inside of the cockpit to the outside of the vehicle. At this point they can set their feet down and stand up. Even in getting out of the vehicle, the Lamborghini Egoista requires a pilot more than a driver, a real top gun.

The philosophy

The Egoista contains, in Walter De Silva’s opinion, all the product criteria which are part of Lamborghini’s make-up. “It’s as if Ferruccio Lamborghini were saying: I’m going to put the engine in the back, I don’t want a passenger. I want it for myself, and I want it as I imagine it to be. It is a fanatical vehicle, Egoista fits it well.”

If Lamborghinis are cars for the few, this one goes further. It is a car for itself, a gift from Lamborghini to Lamborghini, resplendent in its solitude. The Egoista is pure emotion, Never Never Land, which no one can ever possess, and which will always remain a dream, for everyone.

Testing Tracks

Till the electronics really took over in the auto- mobile industry, the real testing ground for cars and bikes manufacturers along with their mul- tiple ancillary units like tyres, lubricants, fuel pumps transmissions, engine manufacturing units and many more were the racing tracks. With the advent of various testing facilities within the manufacturing facilities focus on the actual Motor Sport has now become a second priority only for the media attention and publicity it gathers. In the good old days tough Motor like the African safari, Paris Dakar, the RAC Rally in UK and such other events in the World, were being participated and supported by big car manufacturers like Audi, Toyota, Subaru, Mitsubishi, Jaguar etc. They were known as Factory Entries. Some of these events were so tough for the automobiles and the humans who dared to drive them that they actually required a factory support. Ele one had to be a millionaire tobe able to afford aircrafs and choppers to support your race plus dozens of suspensions, brakes, transmissions, multiple service teams and other supporting units of the car to actually finish a gruesome event that lasted sometimes a week plus of almost nonstop driving In India the lead was taken only by two tyre companies the JK Tyre and the MRF some three decades plus back and were supported by some ancillary parts manufacturers who joined them in the circus Today in India, while they are the major contributors to the motorsports, some cars and bikes manufacturers run their own events, primarily to promote their own brand and create a buzz amongst the motoring fraternity by giving support to upcoming and talented speedsters who will race in International arena like the F-1 and the likes in future. arena like the F-1 and the likes in future. The interest in Motorsports is now limited only to a few automobile companies here in India. These com panies, however blow their own trumpet as nobody wants to face direct competition due to the fear of getting negative publicity Most motoring competitions are now being done as standalone events where some publicity. Most motoring are now being done as standalone events some of them try to sell the idea to the people that they are promoting talent to further participate in the interna- tional arena. They may have big budgets but narrow goals as the real excitement is now missing witness the competition of monsters on the same platform and the winner `Is'!

How to Change Your Attitude at the Workplace

Workplace stress plays a key role in a worker's attitude. But even in relatively low-stress situations, some people have dificulty maintaining a positive atti- tude. It is important for you to realize that you have you the most control over your own attitude, and if you truly desire to change it for. the better you will need to take action on your own. Making the effort to improve your attitude can pay off.

* STEP 1
Act with passion for your career If your work is fun for you, it will help carry you through times when your work is dificult. Passion will make people want to work for and with you.

*  STEP 2
Create your own future, based on your wants and desires. Find item that one you can do to move yourself forward and concentrate on it, rather than wast- ing time complaining which does not accomplish anything long term.

*  STEP 3
Choose your words carefully Do not concentrate on what you cannot do, but instead look for ways to state your goals in a positive way. Find the words that energize you, and use them to lift mood.

*  STEP 4
Take every opportunity that comes your way. While you may look at an appoint ment with a prospective elent as a waste of time, consider this appoint ment, and any other opportunity, as a chance to shine.

*  STEP 5
Adjust your physical environment to match your desired outcome. Make sure that your office lighting and tempera ture are comfortable, Have photographs and paintings around your work space that make you feel good about yourself.

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