!Solid Planet: October 2012

Synanceia - Master of Camouflage

Synanceia is a genus of fish of the family Synanceiidae, the Stonefishes, whose members are venomous, dangerous, and even fatal to humans. It is the most venomous fish in the world. They are found in the coastal regions of Indo-Pacific oceans.

Synanceia are primarily marine, though some species are known to live in rivers. Its species have potent neurotoxins secreted from glands at the base of their needle-like dorsal fin spines which stick up when disturbed or threatened. The vernacular name of the species, the stonefish, derives from being able to camouflage and transform itself to a grey and mottled color similar to the color of a stone. Divers have sometimes stepped on them, thinking they are stones. When these fish get stepped on, the pressure of how hard it is stepped on releases a certain amount of venom.

Valley of the pitchers - Laos

Valley of the pitchers – an archaeological site in Laos, in the province of Xiengkhouang. In the Valley of the pitchers are thousands of large stone pots, scattered at the foot of Annam mountain range separating Laos and Vietnam.

Pot size is one-half to three meters, their weight is 6,000 kg, and age is presumably from 1500 to 2000 years. At the moment, solved the issue of assigning the Valley of Jars World Heritage status by UNESCO. The situation is complicated by the fact that the province Xiengkhouang in 70 years, Tide was subjected to massive bombardment by U.S. Air Force during the so-called Secret War. For this reason, a significant part of the Valley is still inaccessible to tourists.

STAR WARS SAMURAI – ILLUSTRATIONS BY CLINTON FELKER

Creative Digital Painting By Shane Devries

Shane Devries is a Artist and well talented in making Digital paitings and illustrations. Devries used to work as a storyboard artist and illustrator for Showpony Advertising. He recently left that job to paint full time and currently has a solo exhibition at Gallery 139 in Adelaide with his series “From Somewhere Else”.