The following are a list of 10 DARPA inventions that have been listed as some of the greatest projects of the Defence Advance Research Projects Agency (DARPA). While some of these inventions have been a roaring success, some others are those that have to be watched out for.

1. The Internet

One of the greatest DARPA inventions is the internet. The whole world uses the internet which is used to connect with people in all parts of the world. In 1975, DARPA declared the internet project a success and the Defense Communications Agency took over its management. By 1980 most of today’s protocols such as TCP and IP were stable, and applied throughout ARPANET by 1983.

2. GPS

The global positioning system is another great DARPA invention. It is basically a precise positioning and navigation tool. Today the uses of GPS have encompassed both the commercial and the scientific worlds.

3. Speech translation

Real time interpersonal communication via natural spoken language between people who do not have a common language is made possible through this great invention of DARPA. It helped break communication barriers existing among people worldwide.

4. Stealth planes

This is another great invention of DARPA. Stealth aircraft make use of stealth technology to impede with radar detection and employ other methods to reduce visibility in the audio, visual and radio frequency spectrum. The development of this technology evolved in Germany during WWII.

5. Gallium arsenide

It was found that arsenic can be used for other purposes such as even to operate electronic items. However due to its environmental dangers this may not last long.

6. Switchblade

Through its Switchblade program, DARPA has started encouraging the use of unmanned aerial vehicles. The $10.3-million project involves a bizarre design.

7. Exoskeletons

The DARPA is funding a US$50 million project known as “Exoskeletons for Human Performance Augmentation”. This program is expected to encourage the development of actively controlled exoskeletons that help larger weapons to be carried, provide better protection from enemy attacks and allow the wearer to be active for a longer time by carrying more food and supplies for war.

8. Robot Cars

This can become another great creation of DARPA. DARPA is in the process of creating driverless cars or robot cars capable of traversing long distances even through busy traffic and bad road conditions. Some of these vehicles have been produced already thanks to its competitions. The robot cars can be seen with radars, antennas and lasers competing in the races.

9. Z-man

This project by DARPA is expected to enable soldiers to scale walls vertically sans ropes or ladders at high speed. DARPA also has hopes to extend this technology to humans. DARPA drew its inspiration for this program from the technique used by small creatures such as spiders, geckos and other tiny animals to scale vertical surfaces. This program aims at building synthetic versions of these material systems and using them as a new aid for climbing for use by humans.

10. Underwater Express

This program is expected to controlled and stable underwater high speed transport through supercavitation. This occurs when an object moves quickly so that it can vaporize the water around it into a single enveloping bubble. To reach amazing speeds, the vehicle has to use the process of supercavitation by which a bubble of gas is generated around an object which helps to reduce drag and and makes high speed underwater transport possible.

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A serial killer is a murderer of more than three people over a period of time, repeatedly committing the crime and the motivation behind all this being just the sense of satisfaction of elation he gets from the killings. More than not, a feeling of sexual gratification is also experienced by the serial killer while committing these crimes.

The top 10 serial killers in the world are:-

1. Pedro Alonso Lopez

Pedro Alonso Lopez has been one of the most dangerous serial killers ever. With a victim count of more than 300, he was infamously known as the monster of Andes. By 1978, he had killed about 100 tribal women in Peru. The most shocking thing about Lopez was that he was never actually convicted or sentenced to jail despite the number of murders committed by him.

2. Henry Lee Lucas

Henry Lee Lucas was involved in the murder of around 100 people despite his having confessed to about 3000 murders. Lucas had an accomplice by the name of Ottis Toole, with whose help he committed the 100 killings. In 1998, Lucas was finally sentenced to life in prison but, in the year 2001, he died in prison. The causes were said to be natural.

3. Bruno Ludke

Ludke was a German who killed around 85 women. His attacks of strangulation and finally killing the victim came after he had assaulted her sexually. In 1943, Ludke was finally caught and in the year 1944, he was put to death using a chemical injection.

4. Andrei Chikatilo

He was a Russian who killed about 52 women and children between 1978 and 1991. He was executed in 1994 by a shot to the back of his head.

5. Gerald Stanos

Stano killed about 42 people, most of who were found to be prostitutes and hitch hikers. The methods of killing were shooting, stabbing or strangulation. In 1998, he was executed in an electric chair in Florida.

6. Moses Sithole

Moses Sithole was a South African who raped 40 women and killed 38 of them in a span of just two years – 1994 and 1995. He is suffering from AIDS and has been sentenced to 2410 years in prison.

7. Gary Ridgeway

In the 1980s, Gary killed about 50 women in Washington, in the areas of Seattle and Tacoma. He sexually assaulted his victims before strangulating them. He is infamously known as the Green River Killer. In 2003, he was sentenced to 48 life terms.

8. John Wayne Gacy

In 1978, John Wayne Gacy confessed to the molestation and murder of 33 men out of which 28 were buried under his house. Gacy pleaded not guilty by giving reasons of insanity but, these were immediately rejected. After 14 years, in the year 1994, Gacy was executed by a chemical injection.

9. Dean Corll

Dean Corll, along with his accomplices David Brooks and Elmer Henly, killed at least 27 boys between the ages of 9 and 21. The victims had been raped, killed and then buried in Houston, Texas. Dean was shot by his own partner in crime, Elmer Henly. In the year 1976, Henly was sentenced to six 99 year terms and Brooks was sentenced to life in prison.

10. Wayne Williams

Wayne Williams is infamously known as the Atlanta Child Murderer. He killed 29 children in Atlanta, Georgia from 1979 to 1981. He was sentenced to two consecutive life terms even though he claims his innocence till this day.

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Phobia is a very intense and deep fear of some entities such as people, things, circumstances, events etc. The chief symptom of phobia has always been found to be the inane necessity to avoid the object creating the fear.  Phobias are considered to be a kind of anxiety disorder.

The top 10 common phobias in the world today are:-

1. Arachnophobia

This is one of the most specific and common kind of phobias today. An unusual fear caused by spiders and other arachnids like scorpions, triggers this kind of phobia. People who suffer from this phobia are extremely ill at ease in places they believe to be infested with arachnids and even though the fear might seem completely irrational to others, there is a completely different reaction triggered in the phobic.

2. Social Phobia

Social phobia has generically been classified into three types – Specific social phobia, social anxiety and social anxiety disorder. In this case, the person suffering from social phobia is completely uncomfortable when it comes to attending a social event like an outing or a party or even public speaking. The main worry of the sufferer here is the scrutiny and evaluation under which he feels he is being placed once out in the public.

3. Aerophobia

The fear of flying when in a flight or aboard an airplane is called Aerophobia. This has been considered to be a symptom rather than a disease in itself. The most extreme reactions in this case could be vomiting or panic and anxiety attacks.

4. Agoraphobia

This phobia is sent in motion when the sufferer is in a situation from where he feels there is no easy means of escape. These people avoid big open spaces like shopping areas, unfamiliar places, airports etc.

5. Claustrophobia

This is the kind of fear evoked by feeling trapped or restricted in small spaces or when the sufferer gets the feeling of suffocation in an area. These people avoid tunnels, small rooms, elevators, cellars, caves etc.

6. Acrophobia

This is an extreme fear of heights. This type of phobia can be very dangerous since if the sufferer gets a panic attack when he is in a high place, it will not be possible for him to get down from there safely.

7. Emetophobia

This is a very different kind of phobia in the way that the sufferer is not afraid of an external entity here. Emetophobia is the kind of phobia in which the person is afraid of vomiting or vomiting in public.

8. Carcinophobia

This is a fear of cancer – the disease.  Any kind of physical discomfort causes the sufferer to believe that he might have this disease. These people also believe that if they come in contact with any cancer patient, they will contract the disease despite the fact that cancer is not contagious.

9. Brontophobia

This is a fear of thunder storms. The sufferer can get anxiety and panic attacks even though he knows the thunder storm could not possibly hurt him. Their anxiety can go to very high levels if they are outdoors during a thunder storm and if indoors, they might hide under beds or desks, behind sofas or even in cupboards.

10. Necrophobia

This is the phobia or fear of death as such or any dead objects. The sufferer in this case is constantly afraid of the looming shadow of death. Such people may not want to leave the safety of their homes since the probability of death is greater outdoors than indoors.  They might be afraid of violent attacks as well. This kind of phobia may involve some other phobia as well like maybe claustrophobia.

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As most of the canyons have terrible crags and crustal movement it is difficult to visit canyons generally. However, nowadays with great tour packages canyons are not the forbidden areas of visit any longer and occupy a prominent positions in tour destinations.

The following are the top 10 canyons the world over.

1. The Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon is a very deep gorge which can be found in the state of Arizona, USA. Its sheer expanse can make it difficult for people to enjoy this place of visit. Its vastness can make it seem unreal or even flat. You can walk through the Canyon’s trails to enjoy this place. The two main trails that merge with and go into the Grand Canyon are the Bright Angel Trail and the Kaibab Trail.

2. The Bryce Canyon

Within the Bryce canyon National Park is the Bryce Canyon. Bryce is noted for its unique geological land forms called hoodoos. These are formed from water, ice erosion of the river and rock formations.

3. The Black Canyon

The Black Canyon is located on the Colorado River in the United States. In the middle of the Colorado river this canyon looks spectacular and is surrounded by the El Dorado Mountains, which were formed about 15 million years ago. The Black Canyon derives its name from the black volcanic rocks that are found throughout its place of location.

4. Antelope Canyon

The Antelope canyon is a scenic mountain slot canyon which lies in the American SouthWest. It is located near Page, Arizonad on Navajo land. It comprises of two slot canyon sections namely the Crack or the Upper Antelope Canyon and the Corkscrew or the Lower Antelope Canyon.

5. The Kings Canyon

This canyon is a part of Watarrka National Park in Northern Territory, Australia. It is located a few kilometers near Darwin and 323 Km southwest of Alice Springs. Its walls rise over 300 metres high, with Kings Creek at the bottom.

6. The Tara

The biggest canyon in Europe, the river Tara extends to a length of over 100 kilometers. It flows through the famous river through Montenegro. It is very deep descending to around 1000 meters in depth. In some places it reaches 1300 meters and is studded with several cascades, waterfalls and rapids.

7. Urique Canyon

One of the deepest canyons in Mexico and Chihuahua, this canyon is 1,880 meters deep. The most beautiful viewpoints are seen along these canyons. To its bottom is found the Urique River that is vastly surrounded by beautiful and rich vegetation.

8. The Yarlung Zangbo River Canyon
This canyon in China retains its original appearance in spite of its dangerous location. This canyon is the completely perpendicular which makes it very unique. The center of the canyon is also known as the last secret of the world as no body can go through this place. As it offers a natural defence, the Moto plateau has become a secluded place isolated from the world.

9. Taihang Mountain Canyon
This is truly a spectacular canyon in China. The mountains here have different appearances that are really worth a visit. These mountain views are worth investigation and they can compete with other traditional or popular mountains as well. The cliff there extends to 8 Kms and to a rises to a height of 800 meters.

10. Provo Canyon

This is a mountain type canyon located in Wasatch County, Utah. Provo Canyon lies between Mount Timpanogos on the north and Mount Cascade on the south. The canyon extends from Orem on the west end to Heber City on the east. A superb attraction in Provo Canyon is the Vivian Park.

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You can find Geysers in several parts of the world, in various land conditions and different climates. Iceland has several geysers in a barren lava field. Also there are several geysers in New Zealand amidst lush jungles. Yellowstone National Park in the U.S.A. has more than 200 active geysers. “Old Faithful,” the most notable geyser here erupts every 65 minutes for about four minutes, and this natural phenomenon has been happening for nearly eighty years without a miss. Its water can reach up to a height of 120 to 150 feet.

1. Old Faithful

This is a cone geyser which can be found in Wyoming, in Yellowstone National Park in the United States. Old Faithful was named in 1870. This geyser along with the Old Faithful Inn, is part of the Old Faithful Historic District.

2. Steamboat Geyser

This geyser in Yellowstone National Park’s Norris Geyser Basin, is the tallest active geyser in the world. Water may rise up to 300 feet into the air during major eruptions. Steamboat’s major eruptions are followed by powerful jets of steam.

3. Excelsior Geyser

This is basically a hot spring in the Midway Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park in the United States. This geyser discharges 4,000 to 4,500 gallons 93 °C water per minute. It was an active geyser till 1890 which erupted to 300 feet high.

4. Splendid Geyser

This notable geyser is located in the Upper Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park in the United States. This geyser is a part of the Daisy Group and its eruptions are unpredictable and infrequent. During eruptions, it can reach a height of 200 feet.

5. The Great Fountain Geyser

This is a fountain-type geyser situated in the Firehole Lake area of Lower Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. This geyser is the only predicted geyser in the Lower Geyser Basin and erupts every 9 to 15 hours. Its maximum height is about 75 feet to over 220 feet.

6. The Lady Knox Geyser

This geyser can be seen in Taupo Volcanic Zone in New Zealand. The geyser is made to erupt daily at 10:15am by dropping soap into the opening of the vent. Jets of water rise up to 20 m during eruptions which last for over an hour!

7. The Waimangu Geyser

This geyser is situated near Rotorua in New Zealand. It was once very powerful and active between 1900 and 1904. It became extinct after a landslide in November 1904. It is believed to have reached up to 1,500 ft in height during an eruption.

8. Steamboat Springs

Located South of Reno in Western Nevada, USA is a small volcanic field of Rhyolitic lava domes and flows.  Here you can find intense geothermal activity including hot springs, and fumaroles. Though there were many geysers in the area previously, owing to geothermal drilling they do not erupt often nowadays.

9. Strokkur

This is a geyser in the geothermic region near the Hvítá River in Iceland. It is a famous geyser of Iceland and is known to erupt regularly every 4-8 minutes generally.

10. The Black Rock Desert

This is a dry lake bed in northwestern Nevada. The United States Black Rock houses multiple hot springs which attract tourists. However the springs have proven hazardous in the past as there have been many casualties and lawsuits as a result of it.

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There are several exciting water parks around the world which can be visited to have a fun-filled holiday. The following are the top water parks around the world.

1. Water Country

This exciting water park in Virginia will make you remember the Beach Boys. There are several modern features in this popular park ranging from exciting flume rides to river rafting adventures which can keep you relaxed at Water Country.

2. Wet n’ Wild Water World

This waterpark is the biggest water park in Australia. It is open all the year round unlike many parks. There are many new additions that have been added to this park lately. The Tornado is an exciting ride and there is also the Blackhole.

3. Sandcastle Waterpark

You can get to see beautiful castles in UK. Sandcastle is the biggest indoor waterpark in the UK. This waterpark has many attractions suitable for many age groups. The Masterblaster water coaster is the biggest water coaster in the world.

4. Las Cascada Water Park

This is the biggest park in the Caribbean which was built in 1985. The park has several things to offer whether it is speed rides or places of relaxation.

5. Noah’s Ark WaterPark

Noah’s Ark has over 60 water slides and is a notable water park in the world. The park extends to over 70 acres and includes two wave pools, children’s play areas, lagoon pool and two rivers. The notable slide is the Time Warp, which drops to over 70 feet.

6. Schlitterbahn

Schlitterbahn is one of the biggest water parks in Texas which also has several superb water slides which are really worth a try. You can also find a Schlitterbahn at New Braunfels, one at South Padre and the most recent one in beautiful Galveston.

7. World Water Park

This water park in Edmonton, Canada also has many shopping centers in the world. It has one of the most thrilling water parks indoors and is situated inside the Edmonton Mall! The park has several slides and rides such as Tropical Typhoon, Sky Screamer and others.

8. Wet n’ Wild

Orlando is famous for its superb travel attractions. You can go straight to Wet ‘n Wild, where you can enjoy some great water activities by enjoying some of the best rides in North America. In this park you can enjoy many thrill rides apart from other exciting water rides. The Brain Wash is a very famous ride here.

9. Chimelong Water Park

This park in China is the largest water park in the world as it has 1 million square feet of water with several attractions. This park has a superb ride called the Behemoth Bowl. There are other spectacular water rides as well in this park.

10. Sunway Lagoon

The biggest waterpark in Malaysia, Sunway Lagoon is situated near the Kuala Lumpur area. This place is crowded by visitors all the year round. There are a number of unique water rides which can be found in three specific areas. They are Waters of Africa, Wild Wild West and World of Adventure. You can even spend time in the surf area which has many palm trees and lost of sand.

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Cacti are nature’s most exotic and beautiful plants. Most cacti are seen in the arid and desert areas but they can be grown almost anywhere with little care and space. A cacti garden can enliven your yard and give an original look to your home. The following are some of the notable cacti gardens worldwide.

1. Henderson, NV

Spanning 3 acres, Ethel M Botanical Cactus Gardens is situated at the Ethel M Chocolate Factory, Henderson, Nevada. The gardens can be easily be visited by the public. There are over 300 varieties of cacti plants and succulent species and is one of the rarest cacti collections in the United States.

2. Birmingham Botanical Gardens

In the two greenhouses located to the right of the subtropical house, the Mediterranean house contains beautiful plants such as azaleas, tulips and others while the art house is filled with cactus and succulents, all of which thrive in dry climates. Low level heating is undertaken when temperatures are freezing. Otherwise the museum is allowed to follow outdoor temperatures.

3. Timanfaya National Park, Canary Islands

The top attractions of Lanzarote include the dramatic volcanoes of the Timanfaya National Park and its golden hued sands. The Guatiza Cactus Garden is notable here and deserves a visit by travelers to this part of the world. Here you can find cacti in all colors, shapes and sizes.

4. The Stanford Cactus Garden

The Arizona Cactus Garden spanning about 30,000 square feet, also known as the Stanford Cactus Garden, is a botanical garden specializing in cactus and succulents. You can find it in the campus of the Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, USA. It is open for visitors free of charge daily.

5. Cholla cactus garden at Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree National Park is situated in southeastern California. Below 910m, the Colorado Desert encompasses the eastern part of the park and is noted for its natural gardens consisting of ocotillo, creosote bush, and cholla cactus.

6. Bermuda Botanical Gardens, Hamilton

Out of the five slat houses seen in these gardens, two house cacti and other succulent plants. In the lower house cacti are grown and on the top one can see the succulent varieties. You can find at least 1000 cacti varieties but not a large variety of succulents.

7. Arizona Cactus Garden

The Tovrea Castle and Carraro Cactus Gardens also are a must in your itinerary if you are studying about desert life. You can know about Arizona’s past and present by visiting this historic landmark which has undergone complete restoration recently!

8. Cactus Garden, Chandigarh

Cactus Garden in Chandigarh is presently called the National Cactus and Succulent Botanical Garden and Research Centre. Situated in the hub of Panchkula which is called the Satellite town of Chandigarh City, this garden is quite famous. The main aim behind the development of the garden was to conserve and preserve the rare species of succulents and cacti and to serve as a Tourist attraction.

9. The Cactus Garden at Park Hayarkon Tel Aviv

This garden is situated inside the park and is part of The Rocks Garden in Tel Aviv, Israel. It has many rare species of cacti and you can visit the tropical garden easily as admission is free of cost.

10. Kibutz Ma’agan-Michael

This Cactus Park which is a part of a botanical garden has a rare collection of 1,000 species of cactus and desert plants from around the world. Kibbutz Ein Gedi situated in the “Judean desert” also has a cactus garden which has several species such as Mammillaria, Ferocactus and others that can grow to the height of 10-15 feet.

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There are so many rags to riches stories which can inspire us in these times of economic downfall and will goad us to struggle through difficult times. Here are the top ten rags to riches stories of all time.

1. Oprah Winfrey

Born to unwed parents in Mississippi, Oprah was brought up by her grandmother who was poor but she did teach Oprah how taught her to read. Academically she was strong and became a great television host. Today, she has her own channel and television show, as well as a magazine.

2. Andrew Carnegie

Andrew Carnegie was a poor boy from Scotland who became a great person during the industrial age. His family went through great financial crisis and Andrew worked as a telegraph messenger in America. He made investments in the railroad companies, and then proceeded to invest in the steel industry. Finally he started his own steel company.

3. Jim Carrey

Born in Ontario, Canada, Carrey wanted to become a comedian. His family went through troubled times financially. Eventually Jim decided to do what he loved doing most – being a comedian. He dropped out of high school and was able to get a part on a play called The Duck Factory. Today he is one of the most highly paid comedians.

4. H. Wayne Huizenga

Born in Chicago, Illinois, Wayne had a troubled childhood. Wayne went to high school and afterwards dropped out of college. He trained to be a part of the Army reserves. Subsequently he returned to Florida, bought a truck built a highly successful garbage business. He is well known for finding three Fortune 500 Companies.

5. Chris Gardner

Chris did not know who his real father was. He soon became a salesman of medical supplies and worked in that position for some time. Soon he took interest in stock broking. His son was a great motivation for him. After getting through the licensing exam, he received a job at Bear Sterns. In 1987, he started his own brokerage firm called Gardner Rich & Co.

6. Richard Branson

Branson was born in a nice family in Blackheath, London. He did not do well in school and started a mail order business at the age of 16. In 1972, he opened several shops to sell records, which he called Virgin Records. He created the Virgin Atlantic Airwaves and today he is one of the richest persons in the world.

7. J.K. Rowling

Born in Yate, Gloucestershire, England, Rowling had a penchant for writing imaginative stories from a young age. She moved Portugal in 1990 and started teaching English after her mother’s demise. She often thought of committing suicide as she was diagnosed with clinical depression. She was able to complete her first book by working at various cafés. Today, J.K. Rowling has been able to sell more than 400 million books and is worth about $1.1 billion.

8. Ozzy Osbourne

Osbourne was born in Birmingham, U.K. He could not do well in school because he had the problem of dyslexia. At 15, Ozzy discontinued school studies. Eventually, he joined as a singer of a local band, and people recognized his talent immediately. Gradually, he created his own band, Black Sabbath. He has till date produced 3 live albums, many singles and 9 studio albums to top charts.

9. Liz Murray

Murray was born in Bronx, New York. She was the daughter of HIV-infected poor parents Murray found herself living in extreme penury as a child. After her mother’s demise from AIDS, she was left alone at the age of 16. In spite of not having a great education, Murray was able to graduate in just 2 years and went to study at Harvard. Today, she is a great speaker who inspires people to strive hard and continue with their work no matter how great the hurdles.

10. John D. Rockefeller

Born in Richford, New York, Rockefeller was one among six children whose mom tried to bring up by way of her hard work. In 1859, Rockefeller along with a friend named Maurice B. Clark started a company and later built an oil refinery. Soon Rockefeller found the Standard Oil Company following which he became the world’s first billionaire.

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