“Is it a spirit?”

“Is it an angel?”

“Is it dust?”

“What is that?”

The photo has gone viral, raising discussions and arguments about the mysterious figure that is hovering over the crowd surrounding the fallen motorist at the scene of an accident.

Truck driver Saul Vazquez of Mount Sterling, Kentucky, was driving in Powell County on Tuesday, around 5:3o in the evening when he saw the collision. He snapped a picture with his phone, oblivious to the supernatural element he had captured within it. Vazquez took note of the ghostly character only afterward.

He posted the photo on Facebook, writing, “I took this picture just (a) few minutes ago from the cab of my truck it was an accident between Campton and Stanton on the service road just off of the mountain parkway, zoom in and pay attention to the shadow just off the top of the state trooper hat. All I say is I hope everyone involved is okay!!” Continue reading →

How much sleep do you need every night? Chances are, you need at least 6-8  hours of sleep like 98% of the population does. But did you know, there is a group they officially call ‘short sleepers’ who can function perfectly fine with only 4 hours or even less?

Before you go labeling yourself as one, you should know that only about 5% of the people who claim to be short sleepers, actually are.  The rest will eventually start to show signs of chronic sleep deprivation – but not the sleepless elite! That’s because there’s a lot more to the sleepless elite than just their ability to survive without much of it.

They have some rather unique qualities. They are both early birds and night owls simultaneously. They can go to sleep at 2am and be back up with the sun with no problem, and they won’t even need caffeine. In fact, too much caffeine may make them feel jittery since they already have so much energy.

They are usually thin due to their fast metabolism. They may even be accused of being on drugs or having ADHD, simply because most people just can’t understand how someone can have so much energy. They are also outgoing, optimistic and ambitious.

Another key fact is that they do not sleep extra hours, ever. Even when on weekends and vacations. According to the few researchers who have studied them, the pattern sometimes starts in childhood and often runs in families. What complicates things further is that nobody knows how many natural short sleepers are out there. Continue reading →

Leo’s are great people, I know, because I am lucky enough to be dating one myself!

Known for oozing self-confidence with their super fire charged energy, and with their wonderful loyal nature, they make for fantastic friends.

And since it’s the lion’s time to shine this month, what better time to highlight all the awesome traits a Leo possess?

Here are 5 awesome facts about Leos:

Leo’s give good advice

Confident and head strong, a Leo is always a good person to ask for advice, they won’t allow you to wallow in self-pity and will tell you exactly what they think.

Leo’s are cheerful

Optimistic and fun, Leo’s are happy people. They love to make others laugh and they are really good at brightening up even the saddest person’s day. Continue reading →

Pablo Picasso once said, “The artist is a receptacle for emotions that come from all over the place: from the sky, from the earth, from a scrap of paper, from a passing shape, from a spider’s web.”

The artwork produced has something about the subject in it, an energy captured in the stroke of a brush or the click of a camera’s shutter. When we then view artwork, we take on the emotions captured ourselves, begin to feel through the subject and see its spirit.

Norwegian Woods

Andreas Lie is an artist living in Norway who, through the use of digital double exposure, depicts a wide array of animals (a lot of the time, those that live in the landscape surrounding him) beautifully capturing their energy in a unique way.

The technique he uses marries the animal to its habitat, filling their physical body. Photographing both the creature and the landscape separately, he then digitally merges them, looking for similarities between the textures of the animals and the landscape they inhabit. Leaves, bark, and clouds blend with feathers, claws, and fur.

The finished work shows how these animals’ surroundings have become a part of them, just as they are a part of their surroundings. Many of the creatures have a rich history not only in the land but with the people with whom they shared that land. They appear in folklore and fairytales and demand respect from the people that share their habitat.

Here is a small selection of Lie’s collection, each animal’s spirit uniquely captured and displayed.

1. Continue reading →

Kelp commonly flourishes off the Pacific Coast of North America, fast growing and forming forests beneath the ocean’s surface. It is one of the most important parts of the underwater ecosystem.

Kelp is not a plant.

Kelp is actually a species of algae, more specifically part of the Protista Kingdom.

There are no roots.

This organism actually anchors itself to the sea floor, drawing it’s nutrients from the water.

It uses photosynthesis.

Similarly, kelp uses sun to process the nutrients it consumes like plants.

It prefers nutrient rich areas closer to the shoreline 

Rarely growing in waters deeper than 131 feet, it prefers shallow waters with more sunlight.

They may reach lengths of more than 100 feet long.

Once kelp has reached the water’s surface, it keeps growing out, creating floating canopies which keep the environment cool and equally protected. Continue reading →

Listening to music can be a deep and profound experience. It can induce different moods and states of being.

Also, science tells us that music has several benefits like, for example, lowering blood pressure, lowering heart rate and decreasing anxiety.

Listening to music also activates and engages multiple areas of your brain.

When you actually play an instrument that activity becomes more like a full-body workout for the brain.

Both playing and listening to music have a vast amount of positive effects on the mind and body. There are numerous practical applications to change people’s lives, many of which are yet to be applied.

Just like meditation in schools can help children’s development, so can music. Playing music can aid in literacy and improves academic results, and more active participation increases the benefit.

Studies show that students who played instruments in class improved neural processing compared to students who attended the music appreciation class. [1] [2] [3] Continue reading →