Summer Extravaganza - Wonders of the World

Today up for grabs is the last set of Wonders in the subseries "Wonders of the World." Today we have a relatively unique list. The list is 'The 7 wonders of the Internet. This unique list produced below is compiled by Network World.com:

Considering that the Internet itself is one of the "Wonders of the World", here is a list of the 7 wonders of the internet:

1. MapQuest (map service just like Google Maps)

2. The Domain Name System (DNS)

3. E-Commerce (colloquial name for Amazon, eBay e.t.c)

4. Electronic Mail (E-Mail)

5. Google

6. Catsinsinks.com

7. The World Wide Web

Sorry readers, but there are no images available for any of the wonder. Tomorrow we begin a new month, new facts a new subseries and continue our "Summer Extravaganza"!!!!

Summer Extravaganza - Wonders of the World

Today is the penultimate day of the subseries - Wonders of the World. Today we will have a look at the 7 wonders of the Industrial World. This list is compiled by BBC who also made a seven-part documentary on the same:

1. SS Great Eastern

2. The Bell Rock Lighthouse

3. Hoover Dam

4. First Transcontinental Railroad

5. London Sewerage System

6. The Panama Canal

7. Brooklyn Bridge

Just click on the numbers to be directed to the respective images. The last set of 7 wonders up for tomorrow....

Summer Extravaganza - Wonders of the World

Today we will have a look at the 7 Wonders of the Underwater World. This unique list is the one compiled by CEDAM International:

1. The Republic of Palau

2. The Great Barrier Reef

3. The Belize Barrier Reef

4. Northern Red Sea

5. Deep Sea Vents

6. Galapagos Islands

7. Lake Baikal

Again, just click on the numbers to be directed to the links of the images. There is no image only for the Deep Sea Vents. More Wonders tomorrow....

Summer Extravaganza - Wonders of the World

Today we will have a list of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World. This list produced here is compiled by CNN:

1. The Great Barrier Reef

2. The Rio de Janeiro Harbour

3. Mount Everest

4. Victoria Falls

5. Paricutin Volcano

6. The Grand Canyon

7. Aurora Borealis (Northen Lights)

Again, just click on the numbers to get directed to the links of the pictures. More wonders coming tomorrow....

Summer Extravaganza - Wonders of the World

Today we will have a look at the 7Wonders of the Modern World. This list is as per the New7Wonders Foundation who announced the results in 2007.

1. The Great Wall of China

2. Taj Mahal

3. Petra

4. Christ the Redeemer

5. Machu Picchu

6. Chechen Itza

7. Colosseum

The list also featured the Pyramids of Giza as an honorary candidate. Just click on the numbers to be directed to the pictures of the respective monuments.

Summer Extravaganza - Wonders of the World

Today we will see about the 7 medieval wonders of the world. These are also sometimes referred to as the Wonders of the Middle Ages. These wonders are common in all sources. They are:

1. Stonehenge

2. Leaning Tower of Pisa

3. Great Wall of China

4. Hagia Sophia

5. Colosseum of Rome

6. Porcelain Tower of Nanjing

7. Catacombs of Komel Shoqafa

If you click on the respective numbers of the structures, you will be directed to the links of the pics of these structures. [porcelain tower of nanjing pic is a depiction].

Summer Extravaganza - Wonders of the World

We have just completed a long series of reference works and now there are only 7 more days left for the end of "The Merry Month of May". As there are 7 days left, we will see about the wonders of the world in different categories.

Here is how it will go: each day, there will be a list of 7 wonders of the world in different categories. To end, we will have 7 lists totaling to 49 wonders in 7 days. The lists of the wonders are as per different sources. As there are many sources, I will taking the wonders from the best reliable source. Today we begin with the "Seven Ancient Wonders of the World".

So we begin with the 7 wonders of the ancient world. As per many sources the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World is a well known list of remarkable constructions of Classical Antiquity. The list of the 7 wonders is the same in different sources and is as follows:

1. The Great Pyramids of Giza [pic]

2. Statue of Zeus at Olympia

3. Lighthouse of Alexandria

4. Hanging Gardens of Babylon

5. Mausoleum of Halicarnassus

6. Temple of Artemis

7. Colossus of Rhodes

As only the Great Pyramids of Giza is intact till date, actual photographs on the other 6 wonders are not available as they were destroyed but there are depictions of the monuments. So only the photograph of the pyramids is linked from the blog. More wonders up tomorrow.....

Big, Bigger, Biggest - The Tallest Statue

Today we will see something that is tall, and thus it fits into our 'Big' category. Today we will see facts on the Tallest Existing Statue. This credit goes to the Spring Temple Buddha. The Criteria to be remembered is that the statue must be still standing and it should include only the height of the Statue itself, ignoring the additional height of the pedestal on which it stands.

The Spring Temple Buddha (photograph on the right) currently holds the world record as the Tallest Existing Statue in the world. Located in Lushan, Henan in the People's Republic of China, this statue is 128m (420 ft.) high, surpassing the previously held record of 116m held by the Laykyun Setkar in Myanmar. The Spring Temple Buddha depicts the Vairocana Buddha. It was completed in 2002 and stands on a 25m high pedestal, thus taking the total monumental height to 153m. The height of the statue includes a 20m Lotus Throne. It is planned that the hill on which the statue stands will be shaped in to 2 further pedestals, taking the total monumental height to 208m.

A Fact A Day # 21

Today we have the last of 'A Fact A Day' Series. Yesterday was our Independence Day (Bewildered, you must be! But hey, I forgot to mention the fact that our Exams got over yesterday!). So let us see something about Examinations today. It includes what an Examination is and its origin.

To examine somebody or something is to inspect it closely; hence, an examination is a detailed inspection or analysis of an object or person. In an academic or professional context, examinations or exams are tests or assessments which aim to determine the ability of a student or a prospective practitioner. There can be Examinations of many types, according to the examiner's objectives.

Ancient China is the first country in the world that implemented the examination system nationwide for the selection of candidates of government officials.The ancient England adopted and modified this system, which later influenced other parts of the world and became the standard way (e.g.: regulations to prevent the markers from knowing the identity of candidates) to deliver examination today.

A Fact A Day # 20

Today we are going to see something about the World Heritage Sites in the world. As of 2009, there are a total of 890 World Heritage Sites located in 148 countries. Of the 890 sites, 689 are cultural, 176 are natural and 25 are mixed properties. The countries have been divided by the World Heritage Committee into five geographic zones: Africa, Arab States, Asia-Pacific, Europe & North America, and Latin America & the Caribbean. The top 10 Countries with the number of World Heritage Sites are:

1. Italy- 44 World Heritage Sites.

2. Spain- 41 World Heritage Sites.

3. China- 38 World Heritage Sites.
4. France- 33 World Heritage Sites.
5. Germany- 33 World Heritage Sites.

6. Mexico- 29 World Heritage Sites.

7. United Kingdom- 28 World Heritage Sites.

8. India- 27 World Heritage Sites.

9. Russia- 23 World Heritage Sites.

10. United States of America- 20 World Heritage Sites.

A Fact A Day # 19

Today we are going to see the World Heritage Sites in India after 1986. They are 14 in number and out of them 2 are natural sites and 12 are cultural sites. They are:

1. Elephanta Caves (1987)
2. Great Living Chola Temples (1987)
3. Group of Monuments at Pattankadal (1987)
4. Sundarbans National Park (1987)
5. Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks (1987)
6. Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi (1989)
7. Humayun's Tomb in Delhi (1993)
8. Qutub Minar and its Monuments (1993)
9. Mountain Railways of India (1999)
10. Mahabodhi Temples Complex at Bodh Gaya (2002)
11. Rock Shelters at Bhimbetka (2003)
12. Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park (2004)
13. Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus at Mumbai (2004)
14. Red Fort at Delhi (2007)

A Fact A Day # 18

As mentioned yesterday, there are 27 UN World Heritage Sites in India with the first ones being in 1983. 22 of these are Cultural Sites and 5 of them are Natural Sites. The Natural Sites in India are Kaziranga National Park, Keoladeo National Park, Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, Sundarbans National Park and Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks and rest all are Cultural Sites. The number of World Heritage sites in India before 1986 are 13. They are:

1. The Agra Fort (1983)
2. Ajanta Caves (1983)
3. Ellora Caves (1983)
4. The Taj Mahal (1983)
5. Group of monuments at Mahabalipuram (1984)
6. Sun Temple (1984)
7. Kaziranga National Park (1985)
8. Keoladeo National Park (1985)
9. Manas Wildlife Sanctuary (1985)
10. Churches and Convents of Goa (1986)
11. Fatehpur Sikri (1986)
12. Group of Monuments at Hampi (1986)
13. Khajurao Group of Monuments (1986)

A Fact A Day # 17

We will see a little about UN World Heritage Sites in India and the world in the next 4 days. First let us see what exactly is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Then the next two days will involve World Heritage sites in India and the fourth one will involve World Hertiage Sites in the World:

A UNESCO World Heritage such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or city that is on the list that is maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 state parties which are elected by their General Assembly for a four-year term. A World Heritage Site is a place of either cultural or physical significance. The program catalogues, names, and conserves sites of outstanding cultural or natural importance to the common heritage of humanity.

There are 27 UN World Heritage Sites in India. The first UN World Heritage sites were The Agra Fort, Ajanta Caves, Ellora Caves and the Taj Mahal which were made World Heritage Sites in 1983. Tomorrow we will see the List of World Heritage Sites in India before 1986.

A Fact A Day # 4

We have all heard of the Great Wall of China. Here are 3 important facts about the Great Wall, which is the only structure that is visible on the Earth from outer space:

1.The most comprehensive archaeological survey, using advanced technologies, has recently concluded that the entire Great Wall, with all of its branches, stretches for 8,851.8 km (5,500.3 mi). This is made up of 6,259.6 km (3,889.5 mi) of sections of actual wall, 359.7 km (223.5 mi) of trenches and 2,232.5 km (1,387.2 mi) of natural defensive barriers such as hills and rivers.

2.Qin Shi Huang conquered all opposing states and unified China in 221 BC, establishing the Qin Dynasty.To protect the empire against intrusions by the Xiongnu people from the north, he ordered the building of a new wall to connect the remaining fortifications along the empire's new northern frontier. Later, the Han, Sui, Northern and Jin dynasties all repaired, rebuilt or expanded sections of the Great Wall at great cost to defend themselves against Northern or Southern invaders.

3. The purpose of the Great Wall of China which is the monumental fortification separating China from Mongolia, was not especially to keep out the Huns from the north. The Huns could easily find places along the stretch that they could scale with ladders. But they couldn't get their horses across. Without their horses, they weren't very effective warriors.

Note: According to me, these are the 3 most important facts since there are hundreds of facts about the Great wall, and the facts posted here cover only the important aspects like the builder, the geography and the purpose of the structure.