There are over twenty Ironman competitions held around the world. However none compares to the original one that takes place in Kona on Hawaii's Big Island during the second weekend of October. Now in its 36th-year, this grueling event that is dubbed the "World Championships", is considered the most prestigious Ironman race. That's because while the Hawaiian event is no different from any other Ironman challenge in terms of distance, the natural environment makes it the toughest of them all....

In 1993, 17-year-old He Rongfeng and his two friends left their village and made their way to in China's Zheijang Province, to look for work to help support their struggling families. Unfortunately, jobs were not easy to come by, and the trio were forced to resort to begging....

In September 2013, the government of Spain increased taxes on cultural events from 8% to 21%, making the cost of live theater performances prohibitive for most people. Within four months, venues reported a 30% decline in audience. While most theater owners sat around fuming at the officials, Barcelona-based Teatreneu, decided to tackle the challenge with an innovative approach to attract audience....

On September 23rd, 2014, Dutch airline KLM released a YouTube video that made everyone who saw it, wish they could travel on the airline, and forget a possession or two. That's because the short clip depicted a cute beagle aptly named "Sherlock" as the newest and most efficient member of the airline's lost and found service....

As the world becomes more aware of the risks of climate change and the importance of sustainable energy sources, individuals and communities are increasingly taking measures to reduce their carbon footprint. Some are building "passive homes", to take advantage of natural sun and wind patterns, while others are installing solar panels or windmills, to power their homes. But never before has there been an entire "green" city - one that relies solely on renewable energy sources and smart design elements, to eliminate its carbon footprint....

First there was the invisibility cloak created by scientists from the University of Rochester and now, this levitation of a section of Covent Garden's historic Market Building in London! And though it may appear to be the work of wizard extraordinaire Hermione Granger, this is no magic spell - just a clever illusion, created by 30-year-old British artist and designer, Alex Chinneck....

The kids that live at the Morro da Mineira slum in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro love to play soccer on the nearby community field. However, thanks to constant power shortages, they could rarely extend their games beyond sunset. Now, thanks to some innovative thinking and extraordinary technology, the young players will be able to use the field all night long if they wish, provided . . . they keep running!...

A Russian fisherman out on a routine fishing trip on the Northern Dvina River is making headlines across the world, thanks to his unusual catch - a fish with a full set of teeth that eerily resemble ours. 50-year-old Aleks Korbov who revealed his find on September 29th, said that when he first pulled the fish up, he thought it was a common bream, a freshwater fish that is prevalent in the river....

While most of us are just resigned to the fact that potato chip bags contain more air than snack, some South Korean college students decided it was time to show manufacturers that consumers were well aware of the fact, and were not too thrilled about it....

Hong Kong is known for many things - Its thriving economy, its stellar reputation in the financial markets, unique currency, and most importantly, its ability to remain detached from all politics. However all that changed on September 28th, 2014, when tens of thousands of residents took to the streets calling for "true democracy", marking the start of what is being called the "Umbrella Revolution" thanks to the images of protestors using the parasols to shield themselves against the police pepper spray....

For the residents of Manhattan's surrounding boroughs that commute to the island, congestion is a way of life, especially during work hours when subways and bridges are jammed with people. That is the reason New York-based developer City Realty, is proposing the construction of high-speed aerial gondolas as alternate transportation between Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens....

Most people don't manage to visit 19 countries in twenty-four years, leave aside 24 hours! But three young Norwegian men have proven that where there is a will, there is a way especially, when the motivation is to shatter a Guinness World Record....

It's October, which means that millions of Americans will head to the closest pumpkin patch to select a gourd that they will then attempt to carve into a scary monster. While some artistic ones will succeed, most will end up with a cheerful jack o'-lantern. That is probably why a Southern California farmer came up with the brilliant idea of growing pumpkins that naturally resemble Frankenstein....

When J. K. Rowling conjured up the invisibility cloak to help her star wizard Harry Potter escape from sticky situations, she would have never guessed that scientists all over the world, would start scrambling to create a real one. Over the years, there have been numerous attempts. However, they all entail the use of super expensive materials and involve complicated methods, which means they are of no practical use....

They may not be able to leap to great heights or perform summersaults like their human counterparts, but the Murata cheerleading robots that made their debut in Japan on Thursday, September 25th, were pretty impressive with the synchronized routine they showcased, while perched over wobbly balls....

During the early hours of Wednesday, October 8th, North American residents will experience the second of the four total lunar eclipses that are scheduled to occur before the end of 2015. The 'tetrad' lunar eclipses are a rare phenomenon - one that has been encountered only a handful of times during this century. NASA experts say that thanks to the time of occurrence, the stunning sight of the bright full moon turning a lovely shade of celestial red, will be visible in even the most light-polluted cities....

Love to sink into your chairs and relax when you get to school? Then you will not be thrilled to hear that schools all over the world are seriously considering swapping out conventional desks for ones with no seats at all - Yes, that means you will be encouraged to stand through those already excruciatingly long, math and science sessions! But before you get all nervous, there will be movable stools available for those that are unable or unwilling to stay on their feet for the entire school day....

If you like to showcase your superior diving skills you may want to check out Italy's Y-40 Deep Joy. As the name indicates, the depth of this newly opened pool extends down 40 meters (131-feet) - the height of a 12-story building or nine double-decker buses stacked atop each other!...

Many of Marvel's superheroes know how it feels to be bullied. Hence it is not surprising to hear that this October, the biggest and bravest of them are coming together to commemorate National Bullying Prevention Month, with a series of variant covers on their comic books....

Your average fish has probably never been thought of as the smartest of creatures, but new research from UK's Cambridge University suggests that underwater dwellers like the coral trout, could probably teach humans a thing or two about clever alliances and teamwork....

On September 18th, 2014, Scottish residents over the age of 16 went to the polls to answer a simple question - "Should Scotland be an independent country?" If the majority answered yes, Scotland would break off its 307-year-old union with the United Kingdom, which includes England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and become an independent nation....

This is a big year for Kitty White or as she is popularly known, Hello Kitty. That's because on November 1st, 2014, the perpetual 3rd grader will celebrate her 40th birthday! And while she is not shy about revealing her age, Ms. White sure has been keeping a big secret from the world - she is NOT a cat!...

In the 1800's the Rocky Mountain West area of the USA that now includes Yellowstone National Park, was teeming with gray wolves. However they were considered nuisance predators who killed livestock and therefore, actively hunted down. By the time the National Park was established in 1827, the number of gray wolves had diminished substantially, a trend that continued thanks to a government predator control program that ensured that by 1926, there were none left....

When toddlers have bad dreams, they usually run to snuggle up with their parents. Not Thea Helena Robertsen! This four-year-old Norwegian toddler decided to deal with her nightmare by sleepwalking, not just to the kitchen or the neighbor's home, but an astounding 5km (3-miles) - all the way to the next town!...