This is the last Top5 of 2014! I hope you enjoy. See you next year.
1. WIKIPEDIA PAGES of the week
1. Joyce Vincent
upload.wikimedia.org
Vincent sat dead in her apartment for three years with the TV on before she was discovered. Three years.
2. The Flatwoods Monster
Via ufoevidence.org
Three boys witness something crash down to Earth, track it, and find a creature surrounded by a cloud of mist and “emit[ting] a shrill hissing noise.” The boys who breathed in the mist later experienced “vomiting and convulsions” for several weeks.
3. Taman Shud Case
resources1.news.com.au
On Dec. 1, 1948, a dead body was found on a beach in Adelaide, Australia. No one has been able to identity who the man was or how he died, and hidden inside his pants was a piece of paper that read “tamam shud,” which means “finished” in Persian. And that’s not even the craziest part.
4. Scaphism
Scaphism is the worst way to die. Seriously. The victim was trapped between two boats, force fed milk and honey (and covered in it), and laid out in the sun to be literally eaten alive by insects. Yup.
5. Rat King
upload.wikimedia.org
A phenomenon that happens when any number of rats “become stuck together with blood, dirt, ice, or feces — or simply knotted.” I mean, look at that. It’s terrifying.
6. Cotard Delusion
Via united-academics.org
A very rare illness in which the person who has it is convinced they are dead or do not exist.
7. Dyatlov Pass Incident
upload.wikimedia.org
In February 1959, nine hikers disappeared in Dyatlov Pass, Russia. Their campsite was discovered with the tent ripped open and their bodies found barefoot bearing “no signs of struggle.” The theories on what happen range from “paranormal activity to secret weapon tests,” and, least exciting of all, an avalanche.
8. Premature Burial
upload.wikimedia.org
Is there anything more terrifying than the idea of being buried alive? No, but reading about it is a close second.
9. June and Jennifer Gibbons
An inseparable set of twins from Wales who lived their entire lives essentially mute, only speaking with each other and their other sister. Eventually they decided that in order for one of them to live a normal life, the other must sacrifice herself. The entire backstory and what happens after they decide to go through with the sacrifice is fascinating.
10. Hinterkaifeck Murders
upload.wikimedia.org
An article about the unsolved murder of an entire German family and their maid with an axe. Again, completely unsolved and completely terrifying.
11. Black Eyed Children
Via paranormalhaze.com
Black Eyed Children “are supposed paranormal creatures who resemble children between the ages of 6 and 16 with pale white skin and black eyes who are reportedly seen hitchhiking or panhandling, or are encountered on doorsteps of residential homes.” I never thought I could hate kids more.
12. Tarrare
upload.wikimedia.org
A French man who lived in the 18th century who had an appetite that, no matter what he ate, could never be fulfilled. Tarrare could eat “a meal intended for 15 people in one sitting … live cats … puppies,” and even once ate “an eel whole without chewing.” Oh, and he also ate corpses and was once accused of eating a toddler.
13. UVB-76
upload.wikimedia.org
A radio station that broadcasts “short, monotonous” tones all day long and “on very rare occasions” has the tones replaced with “a voice transmission in Russian.” No one is entirely sure of its purpose.
14. Pope Lick Monster
Via home.earthlink.net
A “human-goat hybrid with a grotesquely deformed body of a man” that is said to live underneath an old railway trestle in Kentucky. Urban legends say the beast uses a blood-stained axe to kill his victims or “hypnosis to lure trespassers onto the trestle to meet their death before an oncoming train.”
15. Benjamin Kyle
Via connect.westheights.org
Benjamin Kyle is a 69-year-old man who was discovered in Georgia in 2004. No one, not even Kyle himself, knows who he is and investigators have been unable to find any family or any way for him to identify himself. Kyle is “the only American citizen officially listed as missing despite his whereabouts being known.”
16. Locked-In Syndrome
upload.wikimedia.org
A condition “in which a patient is aware but cannot move or communicate verbally due to complete paralysis of nearly all voluntary muscles in the body except for the eyes.” Basically, you’re trapped in your own body.
17. List of Reported UFO Sightings
upload.wikimedia.org
I mean, the holy grail for anyone terrified by UFOs.
18. Shadow Person
upload.wikimedia.org
An entire article about “shadow people” who come to visit you in the middle of the night. Fun!
19. Clinton Road
upload.wikimedia.org
The most terrifying road in the United States, home to “many legends of paranormal occurrences such as sightings of ghosts, strange creatures and gatherings of witches, Satanists,” and “the country’s longest traffic light wait.” Perfect.
20. Coffin Birth
Via mindfreakburiedalive.deviantart.com
Essentially, what it’s called when the gasses inside a deceased pregnant woman cause a post-mortum “coffin birth,” pushing the dead fetus inside out. Yiiiiiikes.
21. The Euthanasia Coaster
A roller coaster designed to kill every person who rides it with “elegance and euphoria.” It’s like Roller Coaster Tycoon come to life!
2. CHRISTMAS VIDEO of the week (Krampus – The Other Christmas)
3. RAPPER FACE SWAPS of the week
#1 Nicki Minaj LIL WAYNE
#2 LIL JON CAGE
#3 Macklemore and Morgan Freeman
#4 Pharrell and Gnarls Barkley
#5 Will Smith and Jaden Smith
#7 Drake and Nicki Minaj
#9 Lil Wayne and Justin Bieber
4. PHOTOS OF 2014 of the week
Grand Prize – “The Independence Day” by Marko Korošec
“While on stormchasing expeditions in the Tornado Alley in the USA, I have encountered many photogenic supercell storms. This photograph was taken while we were approaching the storm near Julesburg, Colorado, on May 28, 2013. The storm was tornado-warned for more than one hour, but stayed an LP [low precipitation] storm through all its cycles and never produced a tornado, just occasional brief funnels, large hail, and some rain.” –Marko Korošec Marko Korošec / National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest / Via travel.nationalgeographic.com
Second place – “First Time” by Agnieszka Traczewska
“Mea Shearim, ultra-Orthodox district of Jerusalem. Newly married, Aaron and Rivkeh after the wedding ceremony are to stay together for the very first time, alone. Their marriage was arranged by families. Eighteen years old, the candidates confirmed the choice in result of one meeting only. Since then, until the wedding day, they were prohibited to meet or even talk.” –Agnieszka Traczewska Agnieszka Traczewska / National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest / Via travel.nationalgeographic.com
Third place – “Diver in Magic Kingdom” by Marc Henauer
“Green Lake (Grüner See) is located Tragöss, Austria. In spring, snowmelt raises the lake level about 10 metres. This phenomenon lasts only a few weeks, covering the hiking trails, meadows, trees. The result is magical-to-watch diving landscapes.” –Marc Henauer Marc Henauer / National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest / Via travel.nationalgeographic.com
Merit – “Foggy Small Town” by Duowen Chen
“This photo was captured at noon, 25 December 2013, from the castle, which is located on the edge of the small town and is the perfect viewpoint for the panorama of the almost intact historical town. The fog and mist suffused and gave the town a sense of mystery.” –Duowen Chen. Location: Český Krumlov, South Bohemian, Czech Republic Duowen Chen / National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest / Via travel.nationalgeographic.com
Merit – “End of the World” by Sean Hacker Teper
“This photo, taken at the ‘end of the world’ swing in Banos, Ecuador, captures a man on the swing overlooking an erupting Mt Tungurahua. The eruption took place on 1 February, 2014. Minutes after the photo was taken, we had to evacuate the area because of an incoming ash cloud.” –Sean Hacker Teper. Location: Banos, Ecuador Sean Hacker Teper / National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest / Via travel.nationalgeographic.com
Merit – “Ladies in Waiting” by Susie Stern
“While exploring Borough Market in London, I was delighted to come across four lovely young women dressed in vintage white dresses, eating ice cream as the local shopkeeper looked on. Are they brides? Or bridesmaids? I don’t know, but they are obviously enjoying a very special day.” –Susie Stern. Location: Borough Market, London, EnglandSusie Stern / National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest / Via travel.nationalgeographic.com
Merit – “A Well Earned Rest in the Sahara” by Evan Cole
“This photo, of Moussa Macher, our Touareg guide, was taken at the summit of Tin-Merzouga, the largest dune (or erg) in the Tadrat region of the Sahara desert in southern Algeria. Moussa rested while waiting for us to finish our 45-minute struggle to the top. It only took 10 minutes of rolling, running, and jumping to get to get back down. The Tadrat is part of the Tassili N’Ajjer National Park World Heritage Area, famous for its red sand and engravings and rock paintings of cattle, elephants, giraffes and rhinos that lived there when the climate was milder.” –Evan Cole. Location: Summit of Tin-Merzouga, Tadrat, Tassili N’Ajjer National Park, Algeria Evan Cole / National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest / Via travel.nationalgeographic.com
Merit – “Divine Makeover” by Mahesh Balasubramanian
“Taken during the Mayana Soora Thiruvizha festival, which takes place every March in the small village of Kaveripattinam, the day after Mahashivarathiri (the great night of Shiva). The festival is devoted to Angalamman, a fierce guardian deity worshipped widely in southern India.” –Mahesh Balasubramanian. Location: Kaveripattinam, Tamilnadu, India Mahesh Balasubramanian / National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest / Via travel.nationalgeographic.com
Merit – “Light Source” by Marcelo Castro
“[A] young monk finds a perfect light source to read his book inside of his pagoda.” –Marcelo Castro. Location: Old Bagan, Burma Marcelo Castro / National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest / Via travel.nationalgeographic.com
Merit – “Khotso Peace at Devil’s Knuckles” by Byron Inggs
“On arrival at Jonathan’s Lodge, our horses took to celebrating liberation from their heavy burdens. With the backdrop of the Devil’s Knuckles and the afternoon’s glow, how could I not take advantage of these magnificent creatures rejoicing in the afternoons glow. This was the end of the first of a three-day horseback ride through Bushman’s Nek, up the Drakensberg escarpment, and into Lesothos’ Sehlabathebe National Park.” –Byron Inggs. Location: Jonathans Lodge, Qachas Nek, Sehlabathebe National Park, Lesotho Byron Inggs / National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest / Viatravel.nationalgeographic.com
Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2014
Two and a half thousand photos from amateurs and professional photographers were entered into this year’s astronomy photography contest, run by the Royal Observatory Greenwich.
A luminescent aurora photographed in Iceland’s Vatnajokull National Park was the overall winner, showing a vivid reflection of the green lights in the waters of the Jokulsrlon Glacier lagoon.
Overall winner – “Aurora Over a Glacier Lagoon” by James Woodend
“A vivid green overhead aurora pictured in Iceland’s Vatnajokull National Park reflected almost symmetrically in Jokulsrlon Glacier lagoon. A complete lack of wind and current combine in this sheltered lagoon scene to create an arresting mirror effect giving the image a sensation of utter stillness. Despite this, there is motion on a surprising scale, as the loops and arcs of the aurora are shaped by the shifting forces of the Earth’s magnetic field.” –James Woodend James Woodend / Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2014
Winner, Deep Space – “Horsehead Nebula (IC 434)” by Bill Snyder
Bill Snyder / Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2014
Winner, Our Solar System – “Ripples in a Pond” by Alexandra Hart
“The sun’s boiling surface curves away beneath us in this evocative shot that conveys the scale and violence of our star. The region of solar activity on the left could engulf the Earth several times over with room to spare. The sun’s outer layers behave as a fluid, as alluded to in the image’s title, and are constantly twisted and warped by intense magnetic forces.” –Alexandra Hart Alexandra Hart / Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2014
Royal Horticultural Society Photographic Competition 2014
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) sought out the best garden photographer of the year with its annual contest, awarding first place to Alain Jouno for his atmospheric photo of a foggy winter’s morning in the Parc Botanique de Haute Bretagne, Brittany, France.
RHS Photographer of the Year winner – “The Parc Botanique de Haute Bretagne, Brittany” by Alain Jouno
Alain Jouno / RHS Photographer of the Year 2014
“The View” by Christine Fitzgerald
Christine Fitzgerald / RHS Photographer of the Year 2014
Highly commended – “Roe Deer in a Bluebell Wood” by Don Hooper
Don Hooper / RHS Photographer of the Year 2014
Third place, Seasons – “Bluebell Wood” by David Shandley
Dave Shandley / RHS Photographer of the Year 2014
Second place, Under 11 – “My Wildlife Picture” by Sara Hussain
Sara Hussain / RHS Photographer of the Year 2014
Highly commended, Seasons – “Island Mist” by Robert Fulton
Robert Fulton / RHS Photographer of the Year 2014
CBRE Urban Photographer of the Year 2014
The CBRE photo contest set out to find the most arresting urban images of the year, to “enhance its understanding of the built environment on a global scale by seeing urban areas through different eyes”.
German photographer Marius Veith beat off 11,500 entries from 79 countries to claim first prize with his photo of a jeweller arranging her stock.
Overall winner – “Mask of Society” by Marius Veith
Marius Vieth / CBRE Urban Photographer of the Year 2014
Winner, Asia-Pacific – “Net Mending” by Ly Hoang Long
Ly Hoang Long / CBRE Photographer of the Year 2014
Winner, Age 13–15 – “A Distant Silhouette” by Sarah Scarborough
Sarah Scarborough / CBRE Photographer of the Year 2014
Winner, Age 16–25 – “Christmas Tram” by Szabolcs Simo
“Christmas tram on the riverside of Danube in Budapest.” –Szabolcs Simo Szabolcs Simo / CBRE Photographer of the Year 2014
“Morning Massage” by Arunava Bhowmik
Arunava Bhowmik / CBRE Photographer of the Year 2014
“An Exhibition” by Manuel Paz-Castanal
“The opening of a photography expo at the Casa do Cabildo exhibition hall in Santiago de Compostela.” –Manuel Paz-Castanal Manuel Paz-Castanal / CBRE Photographer of the Year 2014
“Sewage Worker” by Sujan Sarkar
Sujan Sarkar / CBRE Photographer of the Year 2014
Velux Lovers of Light Photography Competition 2014
Roof windows manufacturer Velux set out to celebrate the beauty of daylight in all seasons with this year’s instalment of its annual contest. Graham Colling from Bloxwich, West Midlands, UK, won first place with his photo “Early Light” (below), taken while on a morning woodland walk.
Overall winner – “Early Light” by Graham Colling
“Well, it promised to be a great day and it was here in the West Midlands. I headed for a small Forestry Comission plantation just north of Cannock. The colours were great, but the depth of the wood prevented the low sun from penetrating too far. I walked eastwards to get closer to the edge of the wood and suddenly came across this scene. I used the trunk of the tree to reduce the strength of the sun’s rays but actually preferred this shot when it had moved from behind the trunk.” –Graham Colling Graham Colling / Velux Lovers of Light
Second place – “Carousel in the Myst” by Marko Stamatovic
Marko Stamatovic / VELUX Lovers of Light 2014
Third place – “Winter Sunrise Over” by Stephen Banks
Stephen Banks / VELUX Lovers of Light 2014
Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2014
Now in its 50th year, the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition is run by two UK institutions: the Natural History Museum and BBC Worldwide.
Michael Nichols claimed first prize this year with his photo of the Vumbi lion pride in Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park. Nichols’ image shows five females resting with their cubs, after he’d been following them for nearly six months.
The 51st Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition is now open for entries.
Overall winner – “The Last Great Picture” by Michael Nichols
Michael Nichols / Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2014
Winner, Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year – “Stinger in the Sun” by Carlos Perez Naval
“Aware of Carlos’s presence, the common yellow scorpion is flourishing its sting as a warning. Carlos had found it basking on a flat stone in a rocky area near his home in Torralba de los Sisones, northeast Spain – also a place that he goes to look for reptiles. The late afternoon sun was casting such a lovely glow over the scene that Carlos decided to experiment with a double exposure (his first ever) so he could include the sun. He started with the background, using a fast speed so as not to overexpose the sun, and then shot the scorpion, using a low flash. But he had to change lenses (he used his zoom for the sun), which is when the scorpion noticed the movement and raised its tail. Carlos then had to wait for it to settle before taking his close-up, with the last rays of the sun lighting up its body.” –Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2014 Carlos Perez Naval / Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2014
Winner, Earth’s Environments – “Apocalypse” by Francisco Negroni
“As the Puyehue-Cordón Caulle volcanic complex began erupting, Francisco travelled to Puyehue National Park in southern Chile, anticipating a spectacular light show. But what he witnessed was more like an apocalypse. He watched, awestruck, from a hill quite a distance to the west of the volcano. Flashes of lightning lacerated the sky, while the glow from the molten lava lit up the smoke billowing upwards, illuminating the landscape. ‘It was the most incredible thing I’ve seen in my life,’ Francisco says.” –Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2014. Francisco Negroni / Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2014
Winner, World in Our Hands – “The Price They Pay” by Bruno D’Amicis
“Bruno found a teenager selling a 3-month-old fennec fox in a village in southern Tunisia. The pup was from a litter that he had dug out of a den in the Sahara Desert. Catching or killing wild fennec foxes is illegal in Tunisia, but it is still widespread.” –Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2014 Bruno D’Amicis / Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2014
Finalist, Birds – “Feral Spirits” by Sam Hobson
“Just before dusk fell over London, the birds would start to appear. Sam says there were ‘swarms of them coming in low across the cemetery, heading for their roost in the trees just behind me. I’d keep having to duck.’ Ring-necked parakeets, an Afro-Asian species, are now well established in the wild in Britain – the result of escapes and deliberate releases from captivity – and they are thriving in London.” –Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2014 Sam Hobson / Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2014
Finalist, Underwater Species – “Jelly Fireworks” by Geo Cloete
“Geo never forgot the vast swarm of box jellyfish he encountered when diving in Hout Bay off Cape Town, South Africa. He had no camera then, but the experience sparked a passion for jellyfish. He fantasised about creating a picture of a huge mass of them, moving ‘like a firework display in slow motion’, their tentacles like star trails. Though Geo occasionally found small groups of box jellyfish around South Africa’s Cape Peninsula, it was seven years before he came across another mass gathering.” –Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2014 Geo Cloete / Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2014
Finalist, Earth’s Environments – “Magic Mountain” by David Clapp
“David had travelled to Iceland partly to photograph the auroras, choosing to visit the Snaefellsnes peninsula because of its spectacular scenery. He had first set up by the frozen river below Mt Kirkjufell, but when the show intensified he scrambled up the bank to a pre-planned viewpoint with the mountain as the focus. At 2am, the intensity of the aurora light suddenly changed and a great burst pulsed across the sky in a totally unexpected formation.” –Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2014 David Clapp / Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2014
Finalist, Birds – “Touché