OCEA Yachts has unveiled its 72-metre OCEA Grand Explorer concept in advance of the model’s debut at the Monaco Yacht Show this year.
The yacht, which is based on the OCEA OPV 230 patrol vessel, benefits from calculations, simulations, and measurements performed on the OPV range.
Vincent Guilbault, head of the OCEA R&D department, explained, “We require these vessels to be quick, seaworthy in any weather, and comfortable for long missions.” “They must also be stable in order to deploy resources such as tenders or a helicopter with ease. The yacht faces the same issue.” It was also designed with OCEA’s patented Arch Bows structural tanks, which reinforce the structure from above and allow for the incorporation of massive openings.
Philippe Briand’s London firm Vitruvius is responsible for the unconventional lines of the explorer. Again, the studio has made an effort to preserve the patrol vessel’s silhouette, especially the high Mission Bay on the side (which has been converted into a glazed area on the yacht) and the wheelhouse, which provides 360-degree visibility. With an emphasis on creating a “private atmosphere,” OCEA Grand Explorer features an enclosed aft that can be unfurled in port to reveal a platform flush with the water, providing access to the lazaretto.
While complete specs have yet to be disclosed, the OCEA Grand Explorer will offer the choice between conventional, electric or hybrid propulsion systems, and will be available in lengths from 58 to 84 metres.
The announcement follows the July launch of Araok II, the fourth vessel in the Commuter 108 series from OCEA Yachts, which is scheduled for delivery later this year.
LeBron James couldn’t help but compare Austin Reaves’ performance in the Lakers’ in-season tournament title win to Michael Jordan’s flu game.
Anthony Davis played one of the most dominant games you’ll ever see with the NBA Cup on the line, and LeBron James was an extremely deserving in-season tournament MVP.
The Los Angeles Lakers were awesome defensively against Tyrese Haliburton, too, dogging him at the point of attack and disrupting passing lanes away from the ball.
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The newly minted in-season tournament champions may not beat the Indiana Pacers on Saturday night in Las Vegas, though, absent a superlative off-bench effort from Austin Reaves.
What made his night all the more impressive? The third-year guard reportedly took the floor despite being “under the weather” and “bedridden” prior to tipoff, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
In the postgame locker room, a giddy James playfully compared Reaves’ performance to that of Michael Jordan’s in the iconic “flu game,” when the Chicago Bulls legend battled through food poisoning to lead his team to a pivotal Game 5 road victory over the Utah Jazz in the 1997 NBA Finals with 38 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals.
“Who had the better flu game, AR or MJ? Debate!” James can be heard yelling in the background of Reaves’ interview at his locker.
Austin Reaves emerging as Sixth Man of the Year frontrunner
Reaves finished with 28 points on 9-of-13 shooting in 27 minutes against the Pacers, doing all of his damage from inside the arc and at the free throw line.
He scored 22 points during a scintillating first half, getting wherever and whatever he wanted off the bounce for crafty finishes at the rim and tough floaters and mid-rangers.
Despite James’ light-hearted mockery, Reaves really was sick, too, admitting that he felt cold, fatigued and “short of breath” both before and after tipoff. None of that stopped him from putting on a show when Los Angeles needed him most, a hardly surprising development to his teammates and coaches.
“What he did tonight, but what he’s been doing this entire season has been unbelievable,” Davis said of Reaves, per Broderick Turner of the LA Times. “He actually takes a lot of pressure off us too. We draw so much attention and he’s able to go one-on-one or play-make for himself or for the other guys.
He’s meant a lot to our organization and to our team. There’s nothing that he can’t do on the offensive end, and he’s locking in defensively. He means a lot to our ballclub, and it just shows every time he steps on the floor.”
Austin Reaves has rebounded after a slow start to 2023-24 in wake of a busy summer spent with USA Basketball at the FIBA World Cup.
Coming off the bench since November 10th to better balance the Lakers’ rotations, Reaves has emerged as a frontrunner for Sixth Man of the Year, averaging 14.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game on 62.9 percent true shooting since being shifted into a reserve role.
Reaves has also hit several big shots in crunch-time early this season, including a game-sealing triple in Los Angeles’ thrilling in-season tournament quarterfinal win over the Phoenix Suns.
“He’s a competitor, man. You watch him work on his game. You watch him try to go make plays for his team, watch him make plays on both sides of the ball,” Darvin Ham said of Reaves after the game.
“He’s just a highly, highly elite, intelligent basketball thinker and worker, and it shows once we get in these moments when we need him.”
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt were the ‘it’ couple ever since they started dating.
Pitt was still married to Jennifer Aniston when the Brangelina affair began on the sets of the 2005 film Mr. and Mrs. Smith and that is something etched in people’s memory.
But only a few really recall that Jolie had also been a bride twice before she met her third and most popular husband.
Now their relationship has long been over but reminiscences of the power couple remain.
While, we know that the former spouses are not on good terms with each other, it is the Maleficent star’s relationship with her first two ex-husbands that is actually confusing for her fans.
Angelina Jolie’s relationship with first husband Jonny Lee Miller
Jonny Lee Miller and Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie met her first husband Jonny Lee Miller on the sets of the 1994 film Hackers. The two played romantic interests in the film, and soon started dating in real life as well.
They got hitched in 1996 and were a young and pretty Hollywood couple. However, it didn’t last long and they filed for divorce 18 months later, which was officially finalized in 1999.
Miller starred in the sequel of his hit 1996 project Trainspotting – T2 Trainspotting in 2017. During a promotional interview for the film, the 50-year-old was asked about his relationship with his ex-wife, Jolie. Although nervous about answering the question, he replied,
“Yeah – we’re still friends. That’s all you’re getting.”
It did come as a surprise for the fans to find out that the Lara Croft: Tomb Raider star was friends with her ex-husband after almost 20 years of their marriage ending.
Angelina Jolie and Billy Bob Thornton – the OG MGK and Megan Fox
Angelina Jolie and Billy Bob Thornton
Soon after the 47-year-old’s first marriage ended, she met Billy Bob Thornton on the sets of the 1999 film Pushing Tin.
Thornton was 20 years older than Jolie but the two hit it off and soon tied the knot in 2000. However, they were very much like the MGK and Megan Fox of their era.
Their marriage was laden with infamous headlines, the creepiest of them being that the two wore necklaces with a vial containing each other’s blood.
PDA was also very much their thing, and they really looked passionately in love before the camera. However, even this marriage was slated to end and the two went their separate ways in 2002 their divorce was finalized in 2003.
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie
The Bad Santa actor opened up about his bond with the Salt actor at the Tribeca TV Festival almost 19 years of their divorce. He claimed,
“We’re good friends. We’ve been friends for years and years and years. So we keep up with each other. She’s not in town a lot, so we don’t see each other much, but we talk.”
It seems clear that the mother of six is on good terms with two of her ex-husbands. And some fans believe it to be a testament to the fact that her and Pitt’s strained relationships are a fault on his part only.
Other fans can’t help but question what ended her early marriages if she continues to be on good terms with almost all her ex-husbands. Additionally, the real reason for ending those marriages was never shared and it is only a long-standing mystery for all her fans.
Dynaмiq has introduced the GloƄal 550, a cutting-edge explorer yacht that seamlessly merges adventure with refined luxury. The external design of the GloƄal 550 is credited to Monaco-based studio Dobroserdoʋ Design, with Vripack Design, a long-term partner of Dynaмiq, also contributing to the design.
This yacht sets a new standard for efficiency, featuring a robust yet lightweight all-aluмinuм hull powered by two highly efficient 625 kW Volʋo Penta heavy-duty engines. This powerful setup enables an extended transatlantic range, exceeding 5,000 nautical miles on a single tank, establishing it as a true explorer with remarkable autonomy. The vessel boasts substantial freshwater tanks totaling 21,000 liters and ample storage spaces throughout.
Equipped with four stabilizer fins, double the industry norm, and a Hull Vane, it offers exceptional pitch and roll minimization, ensuring a smooth cruising experience in all sea conditions. Furthermore, the yacht places a strong emphasis on environmental sustainability, featuring smaller IMO Tier III engines, a battery system, and advanced exhaust gas filtration and water treatment solutions.
One standout feature is the dedication to nature observation, featuring panoramic lounges on each deck, including a crow’s nest, underwater drones, and a telescope. The yacht also features a fully certified helipad, a luxurious spa area with a hammam and sauna, and a spacious owner’s office that doubles as an observation lounge, all within the 500 GT limit.
This project introduces ZroƄiм architects, known for their residential designs, to the world of superyacht interiors. They have embraced the concept of “quiet luxury,” aligning with the shift toward eco-conscious and sustainable living. The interior design embraces “natural minimalism,” incorporating elements like American oak, wenge, and dark Shiмo ash to create a warm, tactile, and inviting atmosphere, especially crucial for extended journeys in cold waters.
The interior design draws inspiration from glaciers and remote mountain ranges, evident in details like illuminated Golden Queen onyx wash basins that resemble submerged glaciers. Various textured stones, including Araƒescato Oroƒico Grigio and Spider green marbles, enhance the aesthetic.
The interior’s individuality is defined by art objects crafted from aged wood and textured wooden panels, serving both aesthetic and zoning functions. The full-height windows and expansive outdoor terraces seamlessly blend the interior and exterior, creating a modern and technologically advanced vessel for sea travel.
The construction time for the GloƄal 550 is 30 months from contract signing, and it is listed at EUR27,900,000, a price valid until the end of 2023. The world premiere of this project will take place at Dynaмiq’s stand during the upcoming Monaco Yacht Show. Dynaмiq was founded in 2014 by experienced yacht broker and designer Sergei Dobroserdoʋ. Dynaмiq is the first company in the superyacht industry to introduce an online configurator, allowing the yacht to be easily and transparently customized down to the last detail. Dynaмiq unveiled its first launch, the 39м Spring (formerly Jetsetter), at the 2016 Monaco Yacht Show, receiving widespread acclaim. The subsequent project, the GTT 115 M/Y JaaƄer, was developed in conjunction with the renowned Studio F.A. Porsche design firm and successfully unveiled at the 2017 MYS. The latest addition to the Dynaмiq fleet is the GTM 90 Beach CluƄ and the new GloƄal series of long-range explorer yachts.
When it comes to high-end yachts, the 60-meter super boat “COME TOGETHER” is the height of luxury and style. This beautiful boat, which was delivered in 2022 by @amelsyachting, is the ultimate in luxury at sea.
With room for up to 12 guests and a team of 14, “COME TOGETHER” makes sure that each passenger has a unique and personalized trip. The inside of the yacht is a haven of luxury, a perfect mix of modern design and plush comfort that captures the essence of high-class life on the open seas.
“COME TOGETHER” easily blends performance and style, with a top speed of 15 knots and a cruising speed of 13 knots. Whether you want to experience the thrill of the open ocean or take it easy on a cruise, this ship will make your trip magical.
The chance to hire “COME TOGETHER” has come up, and the price is now around $500,000 per week for people with high standards. With this investment, you can enter a world of unmatched luxury, where every moment is planned to go above and beyond your hopes.
If you swipe right, you’ll see the luxurious insides of “COME TOGETHER.” From the luxurious cabins to the large lounges, every place on the yacht has been carefully thought out to make the experience better. The result is an atmosphere that exudes class and refinement.
As “COME TOGETHER” travels the seas, it’s not just a ship; it’s also a sign of classic luxury and sophistication. This super yacht is a tribute to craftsmanship and design. It asks a select few lucky people to go on a trip where luxury has no limits.
In June this year, information about an unusual method of mine detection rapidly spread on social media. According to the reports, after sunset, for 30-60 minutes, a drone with a thermal imager can be used at an altitude of 60-70 meters to detect even those mines that are hidden in the grass.
This possibility is explained by the thermal radiation of mines, which accumulates during the day and is further emitted in the form of a thermal signature during the evening hours. The information quickly spread and was widely publicized first in the circles of the UAV community, subsequently reaching other military sectors and civilians.
Finding additional safe ways to detect mines is an urgent issue, so any methods that involve remote (safe) detection of mines are often perceived with high enthusiasm.
Analysis
The analytical department of the Boryviter military school consulted with EOD experts and aerial reconnaissance, as well as researched into the use of this method in other military conflicts.
Communication with the expert showed that this method can only be an integral part of the complex process, as it can provide results only for a limited list of mines and under certain weather conditions and time of day.
Moreover, this method can lead to a false negative result (any sun-heated metal objects, debris, rocks in a desert area, etc.) and is not effective against explosive devices that do not have sufficient thermal contrast.
In addition to the specifics of the natural environment, the experts emphasized the importance of taking into account all possible sources of information, such as intelligence reports, communications intercept, track tracks, sappers’ notes, testimonies of local residents, and data exchange with friendly units.
Despite the fact that the existing method has signs of innovation, its effectiveness and reproducibility are questionable. Since it regards extremely dangerous activities, the errors come at a high cost.
The following disadvantages of the method of searching mines with the help of a thermal imager do not allow us to consider such practice the most efficient:
The thermal imager does not define IED and non-metallic mines.
Dug-in mines.
The ability to find equipment and mines is possible only under certain weather conditions, at high temperatures in summer in our latitudes and in winter frosts.
Incorrect mines detection. A thermal imager from a drone detects all heated metal objects or other objects with a different thermal contrast from the environment, but it is very difficult to confirm whether it is a mine or other metal object.
The enemy can use the knowledge of this method of searching for mines, scattering various metal objects on the territory or mixing metal objects and real mines to interfere with the demining process.
Conclusion
The available method, although innovative, is nevertheless considered dubious due to its risky nature. The thermal imager does not respond to stretching and non-metallic mines. It is not suitable for dug-in mines. The use of such a method is limited under the influence of weather conditions and temperatures. Detection of mines by a thermal imager is not accurate (stones, other metal objects), and can lead to the illusion of safety.
The enemy, knowing about this method, can scatter various metal objects on the territory/mix with real mines to interfere with the demining process. It is also noted that it is necessary to involve mine safety specialists in the search and demining of explosive objects.
Taking into account these risks, the Analytical Department does not recommend the use of this method as an independent method of detecting mines.
Boryviter Center of Excellence is a non-profit NGO uses the Lessons Learned methodology to study and implement the experience of participants in the defense of Ukraine. You can join the improvement of analytical materials by recording your observations in our form.
Ukraine Defense Forces Hit Two Russian Buk Air Defense Systems
Air Defense Occupants elimination SAM Ukraine War with Russia
The Ukrainian military managed to hit two Russian Buk SAM launchers.
The South Joint Defence Forces showed the destruction of the installation in the Kherson region.
The fire on the installation was adjusted by a reconnaissance drone, which the Russian air defense system could not detect.
Only one hit was enough to destroy the Buk; probably it was launched by the American HIMARS system.
As a result of the strike, the Russian 9А317М transporter erector launcher and radar of the 9К317М Buk-M3 system were destroyed.
Another hit of the Buk system was shown by the military in the ‘Inquisition 59 Legion’ Telegram group.
At that time, the installation was not completely destroyed but seriously damaged.
The hitten unit was probably completely disabled and would not be able to return to service due to serious damage.
“The case when Buk was very lucky, because all this hail of debris did not cause the detonation of missiles. But it won’t shoot anymore, for sure. Minus another air defense system,” the military said.
In this case, the Ukrainian reconnaissance drone managed to avoid detection by the Russian air defense and adjust the fire.
With the outbreak of a full-scale war, Russian air defense lost quite a lot of Buk air defense systems.
In September alone the Defense Forces of Ukraine hit five vehicles of the Russian Buk SAM battalion in Zaporizhzhia with precision strikes.
This is the World’s largest pyramid, and it’s hidden inside a mountain
Although Giza’s Great Pyramid in Egypt is by far the world’s most widely debated pyramid, it isn’t the biggest by a long shot. That title goes to the Great Pyramid of Cholula – an ancient Aztec temple in Puebla, Mexico with a base four times larger than Giza’s, and nearly twice the volume.
Why is the world’s biggest pyramid so often overlooked? It could be because that gigantic structure is actually hidden beneath layers of dirt, making it look more like a natural mountain than a place of worship.
In fact, it looks so much like a mountain, that famed Spanish explorer Hernán Cortés completely missed it, and unwittingly built a church right on top of it, as you can see in the image below.
To understand how awesome the Great Pyramid of Cholula is, we must jump back to well before Cortés and his army planted a symbol of Christianity on its peak.
Known as Tlachihualtepetl (meaning “man-made mountain”), the origins of the pyramid are a little sketchy, though the general consensus is that it was built in around 300 BC by many different communities to honour the ancient god Quetzalcoatl.
The pyramid was built to appease the “feathered serpent” god
As Zaria Gorvett reports for the BBC, the pyramid was likely constructed with adobe – a type of brick made of out of baked mud – and features six layers built on top of each over many generations. Each time a layer was completed, construction was picked back up by a new group of workers.
This incremental growth is what allowed the Great Pyramid of Cholula to get so big. With a base of 450 by 450 metres (1,480 by 1,480 feet), it’s four times the size of the Great Pyramid of Giza.
In fact, at roughly 66 metres (217 feet) tall, the pyramid’s total volume is about 4.45 million cubic metres (157 million cubic feet), while the Great Pyramid of Giza’s volume is just 2.5 million cubic metres (88.2 million cubic feet).
The Great Pyramid of Giza is taller, though, at 146 metres (481 feet) high. The ancient Aztecs most likely used the Great Pyramid of Cholula as a place of worship for around 1,000 years before moving to a new, smaller location nearby.
Before it was replaced by newer structures, it was painstakingly decorated in red, black, and yellow insects. But without maintenance, the mud bricks were left to do what mud does in humid climates – provide nutrients to all kinds of tropical greenery.
“It was abandoned sometime in the 7th or 8th Century CE,” archaeologist David Carballo from Boston University told Gorvett at the BBC. “The Choluteca had a newer pyramid-temple located nearby, which the Spaniards destroyed.”
When Cortés and his men arrived in Cholula in October 1519, some 1,800 years after the pyramid was constructed, they massacred around 3,000 people in a single hour – 10 per cent of entire city’s population – and levelled many of their religious structures.
But they never touched the pyramid, because they never found it. In 1594, after settling in the city and claiming it for their own, they built a church – La Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Los Remedios (Our Lady of Remedies Church), on top of the hidden pyramid mountain.
It’s unclear if the Aztecs knew the mud bricks would encourage things to grow all over it and eventually bury the entire structure, but the fact that it looks more like a hill than a pyramid is probably the only reason it still survives today.
And just as well, because according to the BBC, not only is it the world’s largest pyramid, it retains the title of the largest monument ever constructed anywhere on Earth, by any civilisation, to this day.
The pyramid wasn’t discovered until the early 1900s when locals started to build a psychiatric ward nearby. By the 1930s, archaeologists started to uncover it, creating a series of tunnels stretching 8 kilometres (5 miles) in length to give them access.
This view of the pyramid was taken in the early 20th century
Now, over 2,300 years after its initial construction, the site has become a tourist destination.
Hopefully, as our ability to study important sites using non-invasive tools continues to improve, archaeologists will gain a better understanding of how the structure was built, by whom, and how it came to look so much like a mountain.
Jan Bartek – AncientPages.com – A team of researchers can now show that early humans of the Middle Paleolithic had a more varied diet than previously assumed.
The analysis of a site in the Zagros Mountains in Iran reveals that about 81,000 to 45,000 years ago, the local hominins hunted ungulates as well as tortoises and carnivores. Birds may also have been on the menu.
The findings from the Ghar-e Boof site reveal that the diet of the local hominins included carnivores and tortoises, among others. Credit: N. Conard
As early as the Upper Paleolithic, the earliest period of the Paleolithic, the ancestors of modern humans effectively hunted small and large mammals.
“According to various studies, the hominins of the subsequent Middle Paleolithic—the period between 300,000 and 45,000 years ago—fed primarily on ungulates. However, there is increasing evidence that, at least occasionally, tortoises, birds, hares, fish, and carnivorous mammals were also on the menu of Neanderthals and their relatives,” explains Mario Mata-González, first author of the new study and a doctoral student at Senckenberg Center for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment (SHEP) at the University of Tübingen
“Reconstructing the dietary habits of early hominins is one of the main objectives of archeozoological studies, which shed light on the way our ancestors adapted to and interacted with different environments,” he states.
Together with other SHEP researchers, Mata-González has carried out the first comprehensive and systematic dietary analysis at a Late Pleistocene site in the southern Zagros Mountains with an age around 81,000 to 45,000 years.
“Not only are the Zagros Mountains the largest mountain range in Iran, but they are also considered a key geographical region for the study of human evolution in Southwest Asia during the Middle Paleolithic, in particular due to their heterogeneous topography and great environmental diversity,” he adds.
To date, archeozoological finds from the mountains have been almost exclusively limited to ungulates. However, the results from the Ghar-e Boof site show that the diet of the local hominins also included carnivorous mammals and turtles.
“More than 75% of the fauna at Ghar-e Boof consists of ungulates—from small to very large species. We mainly found remains of wild goats (Capra aegagrus) and gazelles (Gazella sp.). But we were also able to document smaller numbers of wild boar (Sus scrofa), red deer (Cervus elaphus), horses (Equus sp.), and wild cattle (Bos primigenius),” explains Mata-González.
“In addition to ungulates, tortoises (Testudo sp.) are the most frequent species whose fossils we were able to recover from the approximately 18-square-meter large excavation area.”
The roughly 81,000 to 45,000 year-old excavation site in the southern Zagros Mountains. Credit: TISARP
The research team was also able to identify bones of various bird species and a few remains of carnivores, such as a red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and a large predatory cat—probably a leopard (Panthera cf. pardus). Cuts and traces of processing on some of the fossil bones point to early humans as the originators. According to the study, the tortoises were roasted in their shells before being eaten—this is how the researchers interpret the scorch marks on the external surfaces of the fossil tortoise shells.
See also: More Archaeology News
The study’s last author, Prof. Nicholas J. Conard of SHEP, concludes, “The faunal remains from Ghar-e Boof are the first evidence that small game animals such as tortoises and birds as well as carnivores were utilized by hominins in the southern Zagros Mountains.
Even if some of these species were consumed only sporadically, our findings show that the hominins of the Zagros region in the Middle Paleolithic had a more varied diet than previously assumed. This is consistent with findings in other parts of Eurasia.”
The study was published in the journal Scientific Reports
Written by Jan Bartek – AncientPages.com Staff Writer
Prepare to be amazed as we unveil a truly extraordinary moment in the animal kingdom. We are thrilled to present you with unprecedented video footage capturing an event you’ve likely never had the privilege to witness before – the miraculous birth of an elephant.
This awe-inspiring footage takes you deep into the heart of the wilderness, where a mother elephant, in all her majesty, brings new life into the world. It’s a rare and intimate view of nature’s most profound journey – the birth of a baby elephant.
Our team of dedicated wildlife experts spent countless hours in the wild, patiently waiting for this extraordinary moment. With great care and respect for the animals, they managed to capture this breathtaking event up close, providing us with a never-before-seen perspective on the miracle of life.
This unique video offers an opportunity to marvel at the strength and tenderness of a mother elephant as she guides her newborn into the world. Witness the remarkable bond between the mother and her calf from the very first moments of existence.
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