Cologne Cathedral
Vienna
Singapore
Oakland
Washington
Moscow
Copenhagen
London
Los Angeles
Chicago
Las Vegas
Cleveland
Toronto
Niagara Falls
Paris
Petersburg
Denver
Brazil
Best Accidental Discoveries
1. Viagra
Men being treated for erectile dysfunction should salute the working stiffs of Merthyr Tydfil, the Welsh hamlet where, in 1992 trials, the gravity-defying side effects of a new angina drug first popped up. Previously, the blue-collar town was known for producing a different kind of iron.
2. LSD
Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann took the world’s first acid hit in 1943, when he touched a smidge of lysergic acid diethylamide, a chemical he had researched for inducing childbirth. He later tried a bigger dose and made another discovery: the bad trip.
3. X-rays
Several 19th-century scientists toyed with the penetrating rays emitted when electrons strike a metal target. But the x-ray wasn’t discovered until 1895, when German egghead Wilhelm R?ntgen tried sticking various objects in front of the radiation - and saw the bones of his hand projected on a wall.
4. Penicillin
Scottish scientist Alexander Fleming was researching the flu in 1928 when he noticed that a blue-green mold had infected one of his petri dishes - and killed the staphylococcus bacteria growing in it. All hail sloppy lab work!
5. Artificial sweeteners
Speaking of botched lab jobs, three leading pseudo-sugars reached human lips only because scientists forgot to wash their hands. Cyclamate (1937) and aspartame (1965) are byproducts of medical research, and saccharin (1879) appeared during a project on coal tar derivatives. Yummy.
6. Microwave ovens
Microwave emitters (or magnetrons) powered Allied radar in WWII. The leap from detecting Nazis to nuking nachos came in 1946, after a magnetron melted a candy bar in Raytheon engineer Percy Spencer’s pocket.
7. Brandy
Medieval wine merchants used to boil the H 2 0 out of wine so their delicate cargo would keep better and take up less space at sea. Before long, some intrepid soul - our money’s on a sailor - decided to bypass the reconstitution stage, and brandy was born. Pass the Courvoisier!
8. Vulcanized rubber
Rubber rots badly and smells worse, unless it’s vulcanized. Ancient Mesoamericans had their own version of the process, but Charles Goodyear rediscovered it in 1839 when he unintentionally (well, at least according to most accounts) dropped a rubber-sulfur compound onto a hot stove.
9. Silly Putty
In the early 1940s, General Electric scientist James Wright was working on artificial rubber for the war effort when he mixed boric acid and silicon oil. V-J Day didn’t come any sooner, but comic strip image-stretching practically became a national pastime.
10. Potato chips
Chef George Crum concocted the perfect sandwich complement in 1853 when - to spite a customer who complained that his fries were cut too thick - he sliced a potato paper-thin and fried it to a crisp.
Men being treated for erectile dysfunction should salute the working stiffs of Merthyr Tydfil, the Welsh hamlet where, in 1992 trials, the gravity-defying side effects of a new angina drug first popped up. Previously, the blue-collar town was known for producing a different kind of iron.
2. LSD
Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann took the world’s first acid hit in 1943, when he touched a smidge of lysergic acid diethylamide, a chemical he had researched for inducing childbirth. He later tried a bigger dose and made another discovery: the bad trip.
3. X-rays
Several 19th-century scientists toyed with the penetrating rays emitted when electrons strike a metal target. But the x-ray wasn’t discovered until 1895, when German egghead Wilhelm R?ntgen tried sticking various objects in front of the radiation - and saw the bones of his hand projected on a wall.
4. Penicillin
Scottish scientist Alexander Fleming was researching the flu in 1928 when he noticed that a blue-green mold had infected one of his petri dishes - and killed the staphylococcus bacteria growing in it. All hail sloppy lab work!
5. Artificial sweeteners
Speaking of botched lab jobs, three leading pseudo-sugars reached human lips only because scientists forgot to wash their hands. Cyclamate (1937) and aspartame (1965) are byproducts of medical research, and saccharin (1879) appeared during a project on coal tar derivatives. Yummy.
6. Microwave ovens
Microwave emitters (or magnetrons) powered Allied radar in WWII. The leap from detecting Nazis to nuking nachos came in 1946, after a magnetron melted a candy bar in Raytheon engineer Percy Spencer’s pocket.
7. Brandy
Medieval wine merchants used to boil the H 2 0 out of wine so their delicate cargo would keep better and take up less space at sea. Before long, some intrepid soul - our money’s on a sailor - decided to bypass the reconstitution stage, and brandy was born. Pass the Courvoisier!
8. Vulcanized rubber
Rubber rots badly and smells worse, unless it’s vulcanized. Ancient Mesoamericans had their own version of the process, but Charles Goodyear rediscovered it in 1839 when he unintentionally (well, at least according to most accounts) dropped a rubber-sulfur compound onto a hot stove.
9. Silly Putty
In the early 1940s, General Electric scientist James Wright was working on artificial rubber for the war effort when he mixed boric acid and silicon oil. V-J Day didn’t come any sooner, but comic strip image-stretching practically became a national pastime.
10. Potato chips
Chef George Crum concocted the perfect sandwich complement in 1853 when - to spite a customer who complained that his fries were cut too thick - he sliced a potato paper-thin and fried it to a crisp.
Future's 9 Most Unique Structures
Below are 9 strange and unique structures which have either been approved or are in the final stages of approval. Some have already been partially constructed.
1. Aqua , USA
From a distance this skyscraper, to be completed in 2009 in Chicago , will seem quite traditional. It’ll only be when you get close and look up that you can appreciate the ripple/jelly effect created by variously sized balconies from top to bottom.
2. Chicago spire, USA
The phenomenal Chicago spire, when completed in 2010, will be the world's tallest residential building and the tallest building of any kind in the western world. Seemingly modeled on the image of a giant drill poking through the ground, the 609m structure will dominate the Chicago skyline.
3. CCTV headquarters, China
At a modest 234m the CCTV building isn't going to stand out from a distance. However the design and shape is a crowd stopper to say the least and will be another incredible addition to Beijing 's skyline in time for the 2008 Olympics. The shape, described as a 'z criss-cross' results in a very high, seemingly unsupported corner at the front. Let’s hope there's a glass floor up there.
4. Regatta hotel, Jakarta
Taking on a nautical theme, the developers say the 10 smaller towers represent sailing boats whilst the larger building is 'the lighthouse'. It’s the lighthouse that steals the show for me, possibly the most incredible looking structure I've seen for a long time. If it ends up looking anything close to these pictures I'll be impressed.
5. Residence Antilia , India (architects' website)
Construction has begun on residence Antilia despite opposition from those who see it as an 'excessive' design in a city where more than 65% of the population live in slums. politics aside and after you recover from the initial shock of seeing a skyscraper that resembles an Ikea CD rack, the building actually looks like it may succeed as a stunning, unique, green piece of architecture.
6. Russia tower, Russia
Topped with an observation deck over the city of Moscow , Russia tower will become the tallest building in Europe when completed in 2012 and twice the height of the Eiffel tower. Construction has already started on this angular beast which was designed by foster & partners, also responsible for the gherkin and spaceport America, currently in development.
7. Penang global city centre, Malaysia
Following months of speculation and sturdy opposition, this humungous project is in the final stages of approval and apparently construction will start very soon. Even so, due to the size of the plan it will take at least 15 years to complete. Resembling a sci-fi city, the area will be crowned by 2 x 200m towers and completely transform the small island of Penang .
8. Gazprom headquarters, Russia (architects' website)
This gigantic, 300m tall glass flame of a building will house the Gazprom headquarters in St. Petersburg , dwarfing all structures in its vicinity. It will apparently change color up to 10 times per day depending on the position of the sun. The building has already been nicknamed 'corn on the cob' by unhappy locals.
9. Burj Dubai, Dubai
This is the big one. When completed next year it will be the tallest man-made structure in the world and the tallest building by a long shot with a predicted height of 818m. Note: currently the tallest building on earth, excluding an antenna, is Taipei 101 in Taiwan which stands at 509m.
1. Aqua , USAFrom a distance this skyscraper, to be completed in 2009 in Chicago , will seem quite traditional. It’ll only be when you get close and look up that you can appreciate the ripple/jelly effect created by variously sized balconies from top to bottom.
2. Chicago spire, USA
The phenomenal Chicago spire, when completed in 2010, will be the world's tallest residential building and the tallest building of any kind in the western world. Seemingly modeled on the image of a giant drill poking through the ground, the 609m structure will dominate the Chicago skyline.
3. CCTV headquarters, ChinaAt a modest 234m the CCTV building isn't going to stand out from a distance. However the design and shape is a crowd stopper to say the least and will be another incredible addition to Beijing 's skyline in time for the 2008 Olympics. The shape, described as a 'z criss-cross' results in a very high, seemingly unsupported corner at the front. Let’s hope there's a glass floor up there.
4. Regatta hotel, Jakarta
Taking on a nautical theme, the developers say the 10 smaller towers represent sailing boats whilst the larger building is 'the lighthouse'. It’s the lighthouse that steals the show for me, possibly the most incredible looking structure I've seen for a long time. If it ends up looking anything close to these pictures I'll be impressed.
5. Residence Antilia , India (architects' website)Construction has begun on residence Antilia despite opposition from those who see it as an 'excessive' design in a city where more than 65% of the population live in slums. politics aside and after you recover from the initial shock of seeing a skyscraper that resembles an Ikea CD rack, the building actually looks like it may succeed as a stunning, unique, green piece of architecture.
6. Russia tower, Russia
Topped with an observation deck over the city of Moscow , Russia tower will become the tallest building in Europe when completed in 2012 and twice the height of the Eiffel tower. Construction has already started on this angular beast which was designed by foster & partners, also responsible for the gherkin and spaceport America, currently in development.
7. Penang global city centre, MalaysiaFollowing months of speculation and sturdy opposition, this humungous project is in the final stages of approval and apparently construction will start very soon. Even so, due to the size of the plan it will take at least 15 years to complete. Resembling a sci-fi city, the area will be crowned by 2 x 200m towers and completely transform the small island of Penang .
8. Gazprom headquarters, Russia (architects' website)
This gigantic, 300m tall glass flame of a building will house the Gazprom headquarters in St. Petersburg , dwarfing all structures in its vicinity. It will apparently change color up to 10 times per day depending on the position of the sun. The building has already been nicknamed 'corn on the cob' by unhappy locals.
9. Burj Dubai, Dubai
This is the big one. When completed next year it will be the tallest man-made structure in the world and the tallest building by a long shot with a predicted height of 818m. Note: currently the tallest building on earth, excluding an antenna, is Taipei 101 in Taiwan which stands at 509m.
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