World’s strongest magnet is 500,000 times stronger than Earth’s magnetic field

The world’s strongest magnet has been created and sits in the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory at Florida State University. According to researchers, it has the potential to revolutionize scientific research. The custom built split magnet took $2.5 million to complete, and operates at 25 Tesla – which is 500,000 times stronger than our planet’s magnetic field. If are ever caught in one of these devices, let’s just say you probably won’t live to tell the tale.

The previous world’s strongest magnet was only 17.5 Tesla and was set in France in 1991. The scientists will be using the magnets to probe the unusual properties of materials under extreme conditions of heat and pressure. The strong magnetic fields should make it easier for researchers to observe atoms or molecules much more easily then if they were under less extreme conditions. I wonder what sort of breakthroughs we’ll get from this device. I guess we’ll find out soon enough.

The tallest buildings in India revealed

Standing tall at 254 metres (833 ft), the 61-floored Imperial Tower (I & II) are the tallest buildings in India. The Imperial is a twin-tower residential skyscraper complex in Mumbai that were the tallest buildings in the country till June 2012 when Palais Royale topped out. The towers are located at the sea front in Tardeo, South Mumbai. Construction was completed and the towers were inaugurated in 2010. (Photo by Krupasindhu Muduli via Wikimedia Commons)





Palais Royale is still under construction – it is a skyscraper located on the land previously owned by Shree Ram Mills Ltd. in Lower Parel, Mumbai. The luxury building has 100 apartments with areas of 8,700 square feet (810 m2) and 14,000 square feet. With a floor plate of 500,000 square feet, the premises will have amenities like a cinema house, spa, cricket pitch, badminton court, football pitch and three swimming pools. It has 88 lakh square feet of total residential space. [Photo by Tejas Itraj (on Panoramio) , via Wikimedia Commons]









Lodha Bellissimo is a tower currently topped out located in Mumbai, India. With a height of 222 meters (728 ft), the expected floor count is 53 floors. The construction is expected to be completed by late 2012. (Company website)







Vivarea (Towers 1, 2 and 3) in Mumbai stand at 200 metres (656 ft) tall and boast 45 floors.The 193m (633 ft) tall Ashok Towers D (pictured) in Mumbai has 49 floors. (Photo by Uniconnect via Wikimedia Commons)

With 40 floors and a height of 191 metres (627 ft) The Ruby in Mumbai comes in next. Orchid Woods (1, 2 and 3) share the next spot with a height of 190 metres (623 ft). The buildings have 55 floors each. Urmi Estate in Mumbai has a height of 182 metres (597 ft) and boasts 45 floors.

Pictured left: Planet Godrej is located in South Mumbai on plot of 9-acre (3.6 ha) at Mahalaxmi, Mumbai. Planet Godrej is one of the tallest towers in India. The tower is 181 m (594 ft) and 51 floors high.

(Photo: Company website)

Three buildings share the same ranking at 15, 16 and 17. Sunshine Tower (40 floors)and Imperial Heights (1 and 2) in Mumbai share the same height of 180 metres (591 ft).

(Photo: Company website)

At Rank 18, is perhaps the most-talked about buildings in recent times. Antilia (pictured) is the 27-floor personal home in South Mumbai belonging to businessman Mukesh Ambani, chairman of Reliance Industries. According to some media reports, a full-time staff of 600 maintains the residence, reportedly the most expensive home in the world. The building is named after the mythical Atlantic island of Antillia.

The Antilia building is situated on an ocean-facing 4,532 square metres (48,780 sq ft) plot at Altamount Road, Cumballa Hill, South Mumbai.

(AFP PHOTO/Indranil MUKHERJEE)

At No 19 is 36-floored Vasant Grandeur (172 metres or 564 ft ) in Mumbai, followed by Raheja Legend (167 metres). It is followed by Springs (160 metres) and the 160-m Rustomjee Elanza (1, 2 & 3) - Pictured).

[Photo: Company website]




With 40 floors and a height of 191 metres (627 ft) The Ruby in Mumbai comes in next. Orchid Woods (1, 2 and 3) share the next spot with a height of 190 metres (623 ft). The buildings have 55 floors each. Urmi Estate in Mumbai has a height of 182 metres (597 ft) and boasts 45 floors.

1. Pictured left: Planet Godrej is located in South Mumbai on plot of 9-acre (3.6 ha) at Mahalaxmi, Mumbai. Planet Godrej is one of the tallest towers in India. The tower is 181 m (594 ft) and 51 floors high.

   (Photo: Company website)less 

2. Three buildings share the same ranking at 15, 16 and 17. Sunshine Tower (40 floors)and Imperial Heights (1 and 2) in Mumbai share the same height of 180 metres (591 ft).

   (Photo: Company website)

3. At Rank 18, is perhaps the most-talked about buildings in recent times. Antilia (pictured) is the 27-floor personal home in South Mumbai belonging to businessman Mukesh Ambani, chairman of Reliance Industries. According to some media reports, a full-time staff of 600 maintains the residence, reportedly the most expensive home in the world. The building is named after the mythical Atlantic island of Antillia.

   The Antilia building is situated on an ocean-facing 4,532 square metres (48,780 sq ft) plot at Altamount Road, Cumballa Hill, South Mumbai.

   (AFP PHOTO/Indranil MUKHERJEE)less 

4. At No 19 is 36-floored Vasant Grandeur (172 metres or 564 ft ) in Mumbai, followed by Raheja Legend (167 metres). It is followed by Springs (160 metres) and the 160-m Rustomjee Elanza (1, 2 & 3) - Pictured).

   [Photo: Company website]

5. At No. 25 is the 158-metre tall RNA Mirage (pictured). (Image: RNA company website)

10 Best Flyovers in India

Transport play an important role in the development of a nation. India has a wide and heavy network of road transport which connects all the major cities. The Expressways, Cloverleaf interchanges, Bridges, Tunnels and Flyovers have make metros of India more sophisticated in nature. To handle the heavy traffic and for uninterrupted connectivity the beautiful flyovers are constructed in all the metro cities of India. All the flyovers have been constructed with new technologies with noise and dust barriers. Delhi and Chennai has maximum number of flyover in India and also known as “The city of flyovers”. Jaipur,Lucknow and Guwahati also has best flyovers to minimize the traffic of the city. Visit to know Newly constructed flyover of Indian cities

Thane Flyovers -Mumbai: Mumbai known as “The City Never Sleep” has 44 existing flyovers and 16 new flyovers has already been proposed to come to reduce traffic at different location of the dream city. These flyovers provide at least some relief to the Mumbaikers. One of the best flyover in Mumbai is thane flyover. Mumbai also has one of the best bridge in India that is bandra-worli sea-link.Hebbal Flyover -Bangalore: Bangalore The ‘Garden city of India‘ has some of the great flyovers. Bangalore electronic city flyover is 2nd biggest flyover in India. Hebbal Flyover is the best one and double road flyover is one of the worst flyover in India, has a signal on it, first of its kind in the world.Visweswarayya  Flyovers -Hyderabad: The twins cities Hyderabad and Secunderabad has recently registered its name in the book of records for having the longest flyover in the nation. It is 11.6 km long and India’s longest flyover and the road will be the India’s longest expressway.Varachha Flyover -Surat: Flyover in Surat have been a great success story in decongesting traffic movement. Varachha flyover was the longest flyover in India.AIIMS Flyover-Delhi: The Capital city of India, Delhi is using State-of-the-art technologies for its flyover projects to minimize construction activity at busyintersections. Commonwealth Games traveler will remember Delhi as the green city of beautiful flyovers.AJC Bose Flyovers -Kolkata: APC Road & AJC Bose road taken together is the longest road in Kolkata. AJC Bose road flyover is 1.8 km in length and one of the most important and longest flyover in Kolkata.Lucas Flyover -Chennai: Chennai is also known as “The city of flyovers”. It has maximum number of flyovers in India, few of them are Anna Flyover, Chennai Airport Flyover and  Lucas Flyover. The famous and grand flyover “kathipara Junction” a cloverleaf shaped flyover is new face of Chennai.Memnagar Junction Flyover  -Ahmedabad: Ahmedabad is one of the beautiful city in Gujarat, it is ready to fly over those congested city roads. After Ahmadabad being developed as science city, its main focus is to improve its infrastructure.Chiriyatand  Flyovers-Patna : Flyovers in Patna are very helpful to reduce the surging traffic pressure on its boring road. Patna is one of the great city in Bihar and  one of the oldest living city in India. Mahatma Gandhi Setu on river Gange is the longest river bridge in India.University Flyovers -Pune: Pune, one of the famous city for its greenery, natural beauty, surrounded mountains and for romantic weather. Pune thegreen city has good diversions to handle the traffic and University circle flyover is the best example.University flyover is the longest and best flyover in pune.

Longest Railway Bridges in India

The Indian infrastructures of bridges are making their way to international market. India has some of the best structure of flyovers, expressway, tunnels,cloverleafs, Dams, Elevated freeway and bridges. These structures and bridges play a very important role to make world’s largest railway network. The longest rail bridge in the country at 4.62km located in the land of attraction state of Kerala known as Vembanad rail bridge. Rail-cum road bridges like Godavari bridge on Godavari river, Naranarayana bridge on Brahmaputra river and Farakka Barrage on holy Ganges river are not include in this article. India’s longest rail-cum-road bridge is under construction on the river Gange in Patna, Bihar.

Vembanad Bridge: The Vembanad Rail Bridge is located in the state of Kerala and connects Edappally and Vallarpadam in Kochi. Vembanad rail bridge is the longest rail bridge in India with the total length of 4.62 km. The railway line bridge is dedicated for only goods trains and traffic is 15 trains per day. Vembanad bridge is build over the backwaters of Vembanad lake and passes through the 3 small islands. Vembanad lake is the longest lake in India and the largest lake of Kerala,also rank in one of the largest Indian lakes, used for traditional sports  of Nehru Trophy Snake Boat Race.Upper Son Bridge : The Upper Son bridge also known as Nehru Setu rail bridge is the second longest railway bridge in India with total length of 3.065 km. Earlier Nehru Setu was the longest railway bridge in India build across the Son River in Bihar state. Nehru Setu connects Dehri-on-Son and Son Nagar open on 27 February 1900. There is a river road bridge Jawahar Setu on National Highway 2 NH-2 running parallel to the long Nehru Setu rail bridge.Havelock Bridge: The Havelock bridge or old Godavari bridge is 2.7 km long decommissioned bridge over the Godavari river in Andhra Pradesh. Godavari arch bridge was built as a replacement for Havelock bridge and now the bridge is used to host civic water supply pipelines. There is another bridge in Holy Godavari river known as Kovvur-Rajahmundry bridge, Asia’s second longest road-cum-rail bridge crossing a water body. Godavari river is the second longest river in India after The Ganges,Originate in Nashik and fall into Bay of Bengal.Godavari Arch Bridge: The New Railway bridge on holy Godavari river is a Arch bridge of total length 2.7 Km at Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh. Godavari arch bridge is a single Railway lane bridge replaces then parallel running old Godavari bridge. The new Godavari bridge is one of the longest span prestressed concrete arch bridge in Asia. Jayakwadi dam near Paithan is one of the largest earthen dam in India build over holy river Godavari in state of Maharashtra.Mahanadi Rail Bridge: The Second Mahanadi Rail bridge is 2.100 km long railway bridge over the great Mahanadi river.Second Mahanadi railway bridge is located near Cuttack in the Indian state of Orissa, First Mahanadi bridge is locatd near Bhootmundei. The second Mahanadi rail bridge is one of the longest Indian Railways bridge and the biggest bridge in Orissa state. Crossing the huge Mahanadi bridge over the Great Mahanadi river by speedy trains must be thrill. The Great River also own one of the biggest dam in India Hirakud Dam at Sambalpur district.Pamban Bridge: The cantilever railway bridge is the second longest sea bridge in India (after Bandra-Worli Sea Link) with a total length of nearly 2.065 km. The Pamban Bridge is India’s first sea bridge and third longest rail bridge in India, build across the Palk strait water body. The Pamban Bridge also known as Rameshwaram bridge is located in Rameshwaram, Tamilnadu and connects Rameswaram island to mainland of India. Pamban Bridge is a bascule bridge that allows ships to pass under the bridge. There is also a 2 lanes Pamban Road bridge runs parallel to the cantilever railway bridge.Sharavathi River Bridge: Sharavathi is the major river of Karnataka state,flows entirely within the state of Karnataka and joins the Arabian Sea at Honnavar of Uttara Kannada district. The 2.060 km long Sharavathi Bridge is Konkan railway longest bridge, situated near to Honnavar. Sharavathi river is originate from Linganamakki dam in the Sagara taluk and flows towards west,one of the westward flowing rivers of India. The river basin lies in the Western Ghats which is home to rare species of flora and fauna and forms the famous Jog waterfalls.Konkan Railway Bridge: Zuari Bridge is build across the Zuari river in Goa state. The 1.319 km long bridge is the longest bridge of Konkan rail network, Konkan rail network is one of the most beautiful train route in India and connects Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka states. Karbude tunnel is the longest rail tunnel in India situated on Konkan Railway route near Ratnagiri in Maharashtra.Jubilee Bridge Hooghly: Jubilee Bridge is the very important rail bridge build over the river Hooghly between Naihati and Bandel at Calcutta. Its acantilever truss bridge and one of the oldest rail bridge in India. It will be replaced by a new rail bridge built adjacent to it to be named as Sampreeti bridge.Balawali Railway Bridge: The new railway bridge was built across the holy river Ganga near Balawali between the Laksar Najibabad Railway route in Uttar Pradesh. Balawali railway bridge is run parallel to Balawali road bridge. There is a longest rail-cum road bridge over the Ganga river in Patna is under construction.Chenab river railway bridge will be the tallest railway bridge in the world is under constructed by Konkan Railway. The Panvalnadi bridge on the Panval river in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra is presently the tallest bridge in India. Please share your comments and information, if i have missed any longest rail bridge in India.

Largest Cities in the World - List One Most Populous Urban Agglomerations

This is a listing of the 26 most populous cities in the world (those having a population over eight million). Data are estimates from late 2005.

All population figures for the world's largest urban areas are simply estimates. There's no way to know the exact population of such a large place. If you don't like this list, you can review Largest Cities in the World - List Two, based on different methodologies. Both lists are valid estimates.

1. Tokyo-Yokohama, Japan - 33,200,000
2. New York, United States - 17,800,000
3. Sao Paulo, Brazil - 17,700,000
4. Seoul-Incheon, South Korea - 17,500,000
5. Mexico City, Mexico - 17,400,000
6. Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto, Japan - 16,425,000
7. Manila, Philippines - 14,750,000
8. Mumbai, India (formerly Bombay) - 14,350,000
9. Jakarta, Indonesia - 14,250,000
10. Lagos, Nigeria - 13,400,000
11. Kolkata, India (formerly Calcutta) - 12,700,000
12. Delhi, India - 12,300,000
13. Cairo, Egypt - 12,200,000
14. Los Angeles, United States - 11,789,000
15. Buenos Aires, Argentina - 11,200,000
16. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - 10,800,000
17. Moscow, Russia - 10,500,000
18. Shanghai, China - 10,000,000
19. Karachi, Pakistan - 9,800,000
20. Paris, France - 9,645,000
21. Nagoya, Japan - 9,000,000 (tie)
21. Istanbul, Turkey - 9,000,000 (tie)
23. Beijing, China - 8,614,000
24. Chicago, United States - 8,308,000
25. London, United Kingdom - 8,278,000
26. Shenzhen, China - 8,000,000

The Amazing Man Made Island of Recycled Materials

Recycled Paradise: Amazing Man-Made Floating Island

Yes, it is real – it not only floats but also has beaches and can be moved as well as docked around the world. Almost like a pirate ship story of old, the tale of this remarkable artificial island that floats on 100,000 recycled plastic bottles is long, strange and does involve tales of adventure and danger. The second of its kind, the newest iteration of Spiral Island is an amazing work in progress.

The first Spiral Island sat upon 250,000 plastic bottles, bundled together in bags and used as the floating base for the bamboo and plywood supporting the entire sand-surfaced area above – over fifty feet in diameter. Remarkably, the original island had a multistory home with a solar oven, self-composting toilet, multiple beaches as well as a variety of lush plants and trees.

Not deterred by the destruction of the original island in a terrible hurricane, Sowa built a second one starting just a few years ago – it was completed last year. Nearly the same size it likewise has beaches, a house but also has a solar-powered waterfall and ponds within the island.

Far from an eccentric individual’s attempt to escape from the world, Spiral Island is a remarkably welcoming place – many people came together to help recreate it when the first one was destroyed. Camera and news crews have also been invited onto the island as it is (naturally) something of an international sensation.

The Country of Totos

The Toto is a primitive and isolated tribal group residing only in a small enclave called Totopara in theJalpaiguri district of West Bengal, India. Totopara is located at the foot of the Himalayas just to the south of the borderline between Bhutan and West Bengal (on the western bank of Torsa river). Geographically the location is 89° 20'E 26° 50'N.

Totos were nearly becoming extinct in the 1950s, but recent measures to safeguard their areas from being swamped with outsiders have helped preserve their unique heritage and also helped the population grow. The total population of Totos according to 1951 census was 321 living in 69 different houses at Totopara. In 1991 census, the Toto population had increased to 926 who lived in 180 different houses. In the 2001 census, their number had increased to 1184 - all living in Totopara.

Anthropologists agree that the Toto culture and language is totally unique to the tribe, and is clearly distinguished from the neighbouring Rajbongshis, Koch, Mech or the Bhutanese Sharchop tribes.

Physical features and ethnic identity

The Totos are considered as Mongoloid people, with flat nose, small eye, broad and square cheeks, thick lips and small eyes and black iris. Their complexion is rather on the darker side, which reflects their nearness to the equator. They are generally endogamous and marry within their own tribe. They are generally divided into 13 exogamous clans or groups of families from which they choose to marry. They do not marry anyone related to them through their paternal uncles or maternal aunts.

Toto language belongs to Tibeto-Burman family of sub-Himalayan group, as classified by Hodgson and Grierson. They do not have any script. Most of the young members can speak Bengali and Nepali, which are the mediums of instruction in the local schools.

Totopara: The Toto village

The area of entire Toto country called Totopara is 1,996.96 acres (8.0814 km²). It lies 22 km from Madarihat, the entrance of the famous Jaldapara National Park. So, we can safely assume that the Totos live near the northern edges of this forest. The Toto localities of the village are sub-divided into six segments - Panchayatgaon, Mandolgaon, Subbagaon, Mitranggaon, Pujagaon and Dumchigaon. Totopara also has a settlement of Nepali-speaking people. A primary school was established in the village in 1990. Later in 1995, a high school with hostel facility was also established there. There is one primary healthcare centre in Totopara.

History

As to the past history of the Totos writes Sailen Debnath, "The Totos are the descendants, most probably, of some fugitive tribe of Bhutan to have been driven out from the mountains by the early Bhutanese-cum-Tibetatans from the period of Sabdrung Nagwang Namgyal. They might have fled that country to take shelter in a cluster in the jungles of the Dooars. The physical appearance and skin colour of the Totos do not anyway confirm their Mongoloid origin; their brown and moderately bright colour tells of their Indian connection or blood-mixture with some people of Australoid origin. From this it can be surmised that the Totos might have been the offspring of some people of Indian origin to have settled in Bhutan and then driven out from that country to the plains of the sub-Himalayan zone of the Dooars. Or the Totos might have some blood mixture with the fugitive slaves of Bhutan whose forefathers had been dragged away to Bhutan from the plains and enslaved.

Society

Toto family is patrilocal in nature dominated by nuclear type. However, joint family is not rare. Monogamy is common form of marriage among the Toto but polygamy is not prohibited. If a man's wife dies, he may marry the deceased wife's younger sister, but a woman cannot marry her deceased husband's brother. On the death of a spouse, the husband or wife must remain single for twelve months before he or she is free to remarry. There are various ways of acquiring mates viz., (1) marriage by negotiation (Thulbehoea), (2) marriage by escape (Chor-behoea), (3) marriage by capture (Sambehoea) and (4) love marriage (Lamalami). There is no custom of divorce among the Totos.

Food habits

Though they make their main food from marua (a kind of millet), the staple food of the Totos now includes rice, chura (parched rice), milk and curd. They also eat meat, generally goat, pork, venison, poultry and fish of all kinds. Women eat the same food as men and there are no restrictions of any kind on the widows.

Totos also drink a fermented liquor called Eu, made from fermented marua, rice powder and malt, which is served warm in Poipa (wooden glasses). Eu is drunk on all occasions.

Houses

A traditional Toto hut at Totopara, West Bengal

Totos live in elevated bamboo huts. These are raised on machas (raised platforms), and have straw thatches. There is a single log placed to get to the hut, and this log is meant to be drawn up at night

Religion

They define themselves as Hindus, but the Totos have two main gods whom they worship:

1. Ishpa - He is supposed to live in the Bhutan hills, and causes sickness when displeased. The Totos offer him animal sacrifices and Eu.
2. Cheima - She keeps the village and its people safe from troubles and sicknesses. She is also offered rice, fowls and Eu.

The Totos have no priests and offer their worship and sacrifices on their own. Ishpa is worshipped in the open outside the house and Cheima inside the house.

Of late, there are a few Christian converts among the tribe, largely attributed to Christian missionary works.

Economic activities

Totos cultivate land. The Totos are not active farmers and hence do not cultivate a particular crop to a great extent. Every home has a kitchen garden surrounded by bamboo fences; in these gardens they grow vegetables, potatoes and bananas, among others. Sometimes they trade with traders from the outside world. Some Totos raise cows and pigs as an occupation.

At different stages of history, the Toto tribe has been moving away from a subsistence economy to market economy. Further, the transformations of the village from community ownership of land to individual land holding and from isolated tribal group to a multi-ethnic habitat have also taken place in the recent past.