10 Facts About Europe

10 Facts About Europe

Europe is a fascinating continent with a rich history and varied climate and culture. Thus it is no surprise that it is also an area rich with interesting facts. Here we will look at ten facts about Europe – there are many more where these come from and this is just a selection of the fascinating things there are to learn about Europe.
1.    Europe is the second smallest continent in the world and consists of just 4 million square miles.
2.    Europe unlike some continents is designated for political more than geographical reasons.
3.    700 million people live in Europe. However birth rates are relatively stagnant – and has one of the lowest fertility rates in the world.
4.    However despite being low in fertility, Europeans are high in generosity and the ten most generous countries in terms of charities are all European. One of the more positive facts about Europe.

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Top 10 Energy Sources that are Renewable

Top 10 Energy Sources that are Renewable

Energy is an inevitable requirement where we want development to take place. Many naturally occurring phenomenons contribute to producing this energy without damaging the environment. They are called renewable energy sources and they help to avoid pollution; both in urban and inaccessible locations on large and small scales. They form a sort of cycle without the deduction of any resource to generate the energy.

10. Tidal Power

The tidal power is not a very popular energy source, but has immense potential of becoming one in the near future. Tidal stream generators and barrage generation make use of tidal power. It is Eco-friendly and does not harm the environment at all. It follows the same principle as wind turbines, but instead of air, the generators rotate in water. Unlike wind and solar energy, tides can be predicted. Since time immemorial, tide mills have been driven directly from the relative motions of the Earth–Moon system and to a lesser extent from the Earth–Sun system. Lunar Energy, a British company was the first to establish a tidal farm in the coast of Pembrokshire in Wales, providing electricity to thousands of houses.

9. Wave Power

Predicting the direction of ocean and wave is a very difficult job, but is not impossible. Wave power is the transport of energy by ocean surface waves, and the capture of that energy for pumping or desalinating water and generating electricity. In Europe, wave farms have been introduced, using floating Pelamis Wave Energy converters. They use a floating buoyed device and generate energy through a snaking motion, or by mechanical movement from the wave’s peaks and troughs. Wave power is not the same as the diurnal flux of tidal power and the steady gyre of ocean currents, although it is confused to be so often. We have been pursuing this technology since 1890 and the world’s first commercial wave farm is based in Portugal, at the Aguçadora Wave Park, which consists of three 750 kilowatt Pelamis devices.

8. Solar Power

Producing electricity by making use of the sun’s energy and the photovoltaic (PV) cells is called the Solar Technology. Solar cells are becoming more efficient, transportable and even flexible, allowing for easy installation. Let it be a calculator powered by a single solar cell or off-grid homes powered by photovoltaic disarray; PV can power applications of all sizes.  The 1973 oil crisis stimulated a rapid rise in the production of PV during the 1970s and early 1980s. Steadily falling oil prices during the early 1980s, however, led to a reduction in funding for photovoltaic R&D and a discontinuation of the tax credits associated with the Energy Tax Act of 1978. These factors moderated growth to approximately 15% per year from 1984 through 1996. Since the mid-1990s, leadership in the PV sector has shifted from the US to Japan and Germany.

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Famous repers from the period of childhood

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Top 10 Most Beautiful Cars In The World

Top 10 Most Beautiful Cars In The World

These are “Top 10 World’s Most Beautiful Cars” selected by Forbes.

1. Alfa Romeo 8C Spider
MSRP: 301,600 U.S. dollars

2. Aston Martin Rapide
MSRP: 197,850 U.S. dollars

3. Bentley Mulsanne
MSRP: 285,000 U.S. dollars

4. Dodge Challenger SRT8
MSRP: 43,680 U.S. dollars

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The World's Biggest Gold Reserves

The World's Biggest Gold Reserves


With the price of gold reaching an all-time high of over $1,050 per ounce, resourceINTELLIGENCE TV have taken the (not very novel) approach of looking at countries with the largest gold reserves

As of June 2009, world gold holdings are are believed to be approximately 29,634 tonnes. But the numbers vary greatly as a percentage of each country’s reserves. For example, the US holds 8,133.5 tonnes of gold which represents 77.4% of its total reserves. Compare that with China, which has just 1,054 tonnes for 1.9% of reserves – and much of the rest is made up by its more than $2 trillion USD in foreign reserves. With the greenback becoming devalued and gold appreciating in value, we are now seeing China and others divesting of USD and acquiring larger reserves of gold, thus pushing the price to new heights.
The question remains: which individual countries have the most gold?

15. Venezuela

Gold reserves: 356.4 tonnes
Percentage of Reserves: 36.1%

Gold Reserve Value: $13.2 billion



Banco Central de Venezuela manages the 356.4 tonnes of gold in the country’s reserves, which amount to approximately $13.2 billion and represent 36.1% of Venezuela’s foreign reserves. Although Venezuela currently has the fifteenth largest reserve on the list, president Hugo Chavez announced in June 2009 that his government has introduced new policies to promote gold extraction and boost its ranking. His track record for efficiency, however, only excels in nationalizing projects.

14. India

Gold reserves: 357.7 tonnes
Percentage of Reserves: 4.0%
Gold Reserve Value: $13.2 billion


The second most populous nation in the world has the fourteenth largest reserves on the World Gold Council’s. The Reserve Bank of India maintains the country’s 357.7 tonnes of gold, which are valued at $14.2 billion and comprise 4.0% of its foreign reserves. India’s current ranking may improve, however, as the government has asked the Geological Survey of India to mine the previously untapped gold reserves in many of its states.

13. Portugal

Gold reserves: 382.5 tonnes
Percentage of Reserves: 90.9%
Gold Reserve Value: $14.2 billion

The birthplace of the sweet fortified wine known as Porto is home to the thirteenth largest gold reserve in the world. At 382.5 tonnes , Portugal’s holdings are overseen by Banco de Portugal and are worth roughly $14.2 billion, accounting for 90.9 percent of the country’s foreign reserves.

12. Taiwan

Gold reserves: 423.6 tonnes
Percentage of Reserves: 3.9%
Gold Reserve Value: $15.7 billion

Renowned for its technology industry and robust economic growth, Taiwan also boasts the tallest building in the world (The Taipei 101 Tower) and the twelfth largest gold reserve in the world. The island nation’s foreign reserves have been reported at 423.6 tonnes. At today’s prices these holdings are worth $15.7 billion and comprise 3.9 percent of the country’s foreign reserves.

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  Sex and coffee 'trigger stroke'

 

By James Gallagher Health reporter, BBC News

Coffee, sex and blowing your nose could increase the risk of a type of stroke, say researchers in the Netherlands.

The study on 250 patients identified eight risk factors linked to bleeding on the brain.
They all increase blood pressure which could result in blood vessels bursting, according to research published in the journal Stroke.
The Stroke Association said more research was needed to see if the triggers caused the rupture.
More than 150,000 people in the UK have a stroke each year with nearly 29,000 due to bleeding on the brain.
Bleeding can happen when a weakened blood vessel, known as a brain aneurysm, bursts. This can result in brain damage or death.
The researchers at the University Medical Center in Utrecht looked at 250 patients for three years to identify what triggers ruptures.
Caffeine danger They found that coffee was responsible for more than one in 10 burst brain aneurysms.

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Percentage of bursts due to:

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