Amazing Pictures

Queen Elizabeth II greets High Court judges

2012-01-06T00:30:00.000-08:00

Queen Elizabeth II Opens The Rolls Building At The Royal Courts Of Justice.

Queen Elizabeth II greets High Court judges as she officially opens the Rolls Building, the latest addition to the Royal Courts of Justice, on December 7, 2011 in London, England. (Photo by Adrian Dennis - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

NASA Telescopes Help Find Rare Galaxy

2012-01-06T00:22:00.000-08:00

This image from the Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes shows one of the most distant galaxies known, called GN-108036, dating back to 750 million years after the Big Bang that created our universe. The galaxy's light took 12.9 billion years to reach us. The galaxy's discovery was announced on Dec. 21, 2011.

This image shows one of the most distant galaxies known, called GN-108036, dating back to 750 million years after the Big Bang that created our universe. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/STScI/University of Tokyo

Astronomers using NASA's Spitzer and Hubble space telescopes have discovered that one of the most distant galaxies known is churning out stars at a shockingly high rate. The blob-shaped galaxy, called GN-108036, is the brightest galaxy found to date at such great distances.

The galaxy, which was discovered and confirmed using ground-based telescopes, is 12.9 billion light-years away. Data from Spitzer and Hubble were used to measure the galaxy's high star production rate, equivalent to about 100 suns per year. For reference, our Milky Way galaxy is about five times larger and 100 times more massive than GN-108036, but makes roughly 30 times fewer stars per year.

"The discovery is surprising because previous surveys had not found galaxies this bright so early in the history of the universe," said Mark Dickinson of the National Optical Astronomy Observatory in Tucson, Ariz. "Perhaps those surveys were just too small to find galaxies like GN-108036. It may be a special, rare object that we just happened to catch during an extreme burst of star formation."

The international team of astronomers, led by Masami Ouchi of the University of Tokyo, Japan, first identified the remote galaxy after scanning a large patch of sky with the Subaru Telescope atop Mauna Kea in Hawaii. Its great distance was then carefully confirmed with the W.M. Keck Observatory, also on Mauna Kea.

"We checked our results on three different occasions over two years, and each time confirmed the previous measurement," said Yoshiaki Ono of the University of Tokyo, lead author of a new paper reporting the findings in the Astrophysical Journal.

GN-108036 lies near the very beginning of time itself, a mere 750 million years after our universe was created 13.7 billion years ago in an explosive "Big Bang." Its light has taken 12.9 billion years to reach us, so we are seeing it as it existed in the very distant past.

Astronomers refer to the object's distance by a number called its "redshift," which relates to how much its light has stretched to longer, redder wavelengths due to the expansion of the universe. Objects with larger redshifts are farther away and are seen further back in time. GN-108036 has a redshift of 7.2. Only a handful of galaxies have confirmed redshifts greater than 7, and only two of these have been reported to be more distant than GN-108036.

Infrared observations from Spitzer and Hubble were crucial for measuring the galaxy's star-formation activity. Astronomers were surprised to see such a large burst of star formation because the galaxy is so small and from such an early cosmic era. Back when galaxies were first forming, in the first few hundreds of millions of years after the Big Bang, they were much smaller than they are today, having yet to bulk up in mass.

During this epoch, as the universe expanded and cooled after its explosive start, hydrogen atoms permeating the cosmos formed a thick fog that was opaque to ultraviolet light. This period, before the first stars and galaxies had formed and illuminated the universe, is referred to as the "dark ages." The era came to an end when light from the earliest galaxies burned through, or "ionized," the opaque gas, causing it to become transparent. Galaxies similar to GN-108036 may have played an important role in this event.

"The high rate of star formation found for GN-108036 implies that it was rapidly building up its mass some 750 million years after the Big Bang, when the universe was only about five percent of its present age," said Bahram Mobasher, a team member from the University of California, Riverside. "This was therefore a likely ancestor of massive and evolved galaxies seen today."

Other authors include: Kyle Penner and Benjamin J. Weiner of the University of Arizona, Tucson; Kazuhiro Shimasaku and Kimihiko Nakajima of the University of Tokyo; Jeyhan S. Kartaltepe of the National Optical Astronomy Observatory; Hooshang Nayyeri of the University of California, Riverside; Daniel Stern of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.; Nobunari Kashikawa of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan; and Hyron Spinrad of University of California, Berkeley.

JPL manages the Spitzer Space Telescope mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Science operations are conducted at the Spitzer Science Center at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. Caltech manages JPL for NASA.
Reference: www.nasa.gov/mission_

Statue of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs unveiled

2012-01-06T00:11:00.000-08:00

A seven-foot tall bronze statue of Steve Jobs, the late co-founder of Apple, is unveiled in Hungary. People attend the unveiling ceremony of a new statue of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs in a private business park in Budapest December 21, 2011.

A Hungarian tech company unveiled a seven-foot bronze statue of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, who was dubbed by company officials as "one of the greatest people of the modern age." The bronze work was created by sculptor Erno Toth. It stands in the technology park of the architecture software maker Graphisoft in Budapest.

A company official said at the unveiling on Wednesday (December 21) Jobs helped Graphisoft with cash and computers, allowing it to grow from a tiny firm in the 1980s, to become a global leader in architecture software-making. Graphisoft's Chairman Gabor Bojar described Apple as a religion. He said Jobs ushered-in a technological revolution, which can be compared only to the discovery of writing. Jobs died October 5 of pancreatic cancer at the age of 56.

Check out the youtube video below:

Iconic Image - Osama bin Laden had been killed

2011-12-17T00:03:00.000-08:00

President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and members of the national security team receive an update on the mission against Osama bin Laden in the Situation Room of the White House May 1.

Iconic Image

People gather outside the White House May 1 chanting "U.S.A! U.S.A!" as President Barack Obama announces the news that Osama bin Laden is dead.

An ecstatic crowd gathers outside the White House May 1, energized by the news that the United States had killed Sept. 11 mastermind Osama bin Laden.

Students gather at the fence on the north side of the White House and sing the Star Spangled Banner upon hearing the news May 1 that Osama bin Laden had been killed.

Kate Middleton - Duchess of Cambridge

2011-12-16T23:55:00.000-08:00

Kate Middleton - Duchess of Cambridge

President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama meet Britain's Prince William and his new wife Catherine at Buckingham Palace May 24. The president's visit, however, was shadowed by the tornadoes that ripped across the U.S. Midwest the day before, killing 116 people. He took time out to say he was "heartbroken" over the losses.

Kate Middleton speaks with 6-year-old terminal cancer sufferer, Diamond (whose wish was to meet a princess), at Calgary International Airport in Canada on July 7. It was Day 8 of the royal couple’s whirlwind tour of Canada and North America.

Kate Middleton -- a.k.a. Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge -- meets guests during a reception held by Queen Elizabeth II for members of the media to mark next year's Diamond Jubilee at Buckingham Palace on November 28 in London.

The new Princess Catherine kisses her now-husband Prince William from the balcony of Buckingham Palace on the day of their April 29 wedding.

Ship's Captain Andrew Betton is greeted by his 5-year-old son George

2011-12-16T23:47:00.000-08:00

Ship's Captain Andrew Betton is greeted by his 5-year-old son George.

Ship's Captain Andrew Betton is greeted by his 5-year-old son George as HMS Ocean returns to Plymouth on December 9 in Plymouth, England. Whilst at sea, some of the crew of the Royal Navy warship made a Christmas video using the Mariah Carey song "All I Want for Christmas Is You", to celebrate their homecoming, which has had over 1 million hits online.

Hillary Clinton greets members of the United State Marie Corps

2011-12-16T23:45:00.000-08:00

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton greets members of the United State Marie Corps.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton greets members of the United State Marie Corps on duty at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo March 16.

Hilary Duff Bump

2011-12-16T23:39:00.000-08:00

Miss Hilary Duff in Pregy outfit

Mom-to-be and former Disney actress Hilary Duff made her way to a Pilates class in Los Angeles, California on Wednesday (October 26) wearing an all black outfit which showed off her growing baby bump.

Great Edinburgh Santa Run

2011-12-16T23:31:00.000-08:00

A woman holds a child dressed as Santa Claus as other participants prepare to take part in the Great Edinburgh Santa Run on December 11 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Around a thousand people took part in the annual fundraising event, with all money raised being donated to the charity "When You Wish Upon a Star".

Great Edinburgh Santa Run

The Wallow Fire - lagest wildfire in Arizona

2011-12-16T23:24:00.000-08:00

A horse runs through a field as smoke from the Wallow Fire billows overhead June 9 near Springerville, Ariz. The Wallow Fire, now the lagest wildfire in Arizona's recorded history, is threatening transmission lines that provide power to hundreds of thousads of people across Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.

A firefighter sleeps at the incident command post June 8 in Springerville, Ariz., as wildfires continue to burn hundreds of thousands of acres in eastern Arizona, prompting evacuations by residents and leaving a trail of smoke looming over the area.

The Strike Eagles of Dudette 07

2011-12-16T23:22:00.000-08:00

A view of the Las Vegas strip as seen during Earth Hour March 26. Hotels and casinos turned off marquees and non-essential exterior lighting to participate in the global initiative by the World Wildlife Fund.

The Strike Eagles of Dudette 07 - all-female Airforce team in the U.S.

Natures View

2011-11-28T03:30:00.000-08:00

One of the most enjoyable things in life is to enjoy a sight seeing the wonders of nature. If you don't have the privilege to go to the mountain or any of the nature views, here see the pictures below.

Natures View - I hope you enjoy it!

Beautiful Sunset View

2011-11-28T03:05:00.000-08:00

Sunset is one of the nature's wonderful things you can enjoy especially beside your love ones. You can enjoy watching the incredible view of sunset, one of God's gift to us.

Take a look at these sunset pictures right now and see one of the nature wonders:

Beautiful sunset view is one of the nature wonders.

Home at the Top of a Volcano

2011-11-26T15:01:00.000-08:00

This curvaceous home with 360 degree views, on a Southern Calif. volcano, is yours for $750,000.

A beautifully design home above the volcano located between Vegas and Los Angeles in Newberry Springs, Calif.

Originally commissioned by aircraft-mechanics genius Vard Wallace as a personal retreat, the home was designed by prolific and versatile Southern California architect Harold Bissner, Jr. and completed in 1968. The inspiration? San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, a nuclear plant in northwestern San Diego county.

This home design was inspired by a nuclear power plant.

The property now belongs to local semi-celebrity Huell Howser, who has hosted California's Gold, a travel show on the Los Angeles radio station KCET, for the past 20 years. Howser listed the property in September 2009, at which point Curbed LA described it as a "secret hideout where you watch your dastardly plans unfold on flat screens and cackle at your minions."

Still lingering on the market for its initial ask of $750K, the two-bedroom, two-bathroom main house features a dome formed from concrete and bent-fir beams and grounded by glass walls; inside, a conversation pit keeps things centered around a fireplace.

No word whether the 60s modern furniture comes with the house.

There's also a one-bedroom guest house, a lake, 60 acres of untarnished land, a three-car carport, a rooftop observation deck on top of that dome (360-degree views of the desert, anyone?) and, of course, the best part: brokerbabble that references a "stark, strong almost lunar landscape."

Fun times! Anyway, despite the fact that it's had zero luck selling with nary a price chop, either over the last two years, Howser's clearly holding out for that one special architecture geek who wants a serious story to tell. Or perhaps just some rich kid who wants to live in a spaceship.

Amazing Nature Photos - National Geographic

2011-11-02T21:34:00.000-07:00

Amazing Nature Photos - Stellar images from National Geographic

Taken at Alpine Lakes Wilderness area of Washington at the semi-frozen Cup Lake.
Photograph Courtesy Cynthia Bruner /National Geographic

Fall corn. Photograph courtesy Marian Talbert/National Geographic

Fighting vultures. Photograph courtesy Andres Lopez/National Geographic

“When I was visiting my parents in Utah this summer, I saw this garter snake on the backyard walkway, left warm from the afternoon sun. Its odd configuration led me to believe it was stuck in the crack since my brother had just recently finished putting sealant on the bricks. After taking a few photos of the hapless animal, I prepared to prod it gently to see if it truly was stuck. As I got to within two feet of it, it swiftly left its warm crack and slithered away. Not stuck—relief.” (Photograph Courtesy Alexandria Dixon /National Geographic)

“This shot was taken during our family tour of Iceland. The waterfall is called Seljalandsfoss. During this trip we used a motor home, so we camped about 500 meters from the [beautiful] waterfall. Before our dinner at 10 p.m., I took this image with the sunset colors.” (Photograph Courtesy Amnon Eichelberg / National Geographic)

“With the onset of spring, male western grey kangaroos fight to establish their place in the mob.”
(Photograph Courtesy Robert McLean / National Geographic)

This picture was taken at Mt. Washington, Vancouver Island, British Columbia. It was 3:30 p.m., December 2011. I had a great day skiing and was on my last run. I stayed on top for as long as I could (before the patrollers do their sweep) so I could take some pictures. It was a magical time as I watched the sun slowly dip down below the clouds. This was one of many pictures I took that afternoon. I thought of how many people in the Comox Valley were missing this wonderful scene. I love skiing, boarding and shooting.” (Photograph Courtesy Amy Nygren /National Geographic)

“This is one of several waterfalls in Pagsanjan Laguna, Philippines. This place can be reached by shooting the rapids with the local boatmen and their dugout canoes. The rainy season makes the river swell and will make the current even more powerful and navigating the river even more treacherous.”
(Photograph Courtesy Remedy Medina /National Geographic)

Stamna, Greece. Photograph courtesy Constantin Chajinicolaou/National Geographic

Amazing Nature Photos

2011-11-02T21:23:00.000-07:00

Stellar images from National Geographic

“Beautiful sunset over the wheat fields of Saskatchewan, Canada.” (Photograph Courtesy Mark Duffy / National Geographic)

Tornado in southeast Colorado.

“This was taken at Nairobi Animal Orphanage. This young cheetah managed to get hold of leftover Easter decoration ribbons on its fence and was playing with it and refused the other young cheetahs trying to take it away from him.” (Photograph Courtesy Sonali Nathwani / National Geographic

“As the three cheetah cubs at Phinda Game Reserve (KwaZulu Natal, South Africa) played around their watchful mother, one by one they ran up the tree branch and lined up in a beautiful pose, as if to say "we are ready for primetime!" (Photograph Courtesy Dumith Fernando / National Geographic)

Cordon del Caulle erupts in Chile. (Photograph courtesy Ricardo Mohr/National Geographic)

Taken at Aquria KLCC Malaysia. Photograph Courtesy Mohd Nazrul

Snowstorm Hits Northeast

2011-10-30T03:10:00.000-07:00

The New York City skyline is seen covered after a unseasonable snow storm, Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011, in New York.

A classic nor'easter made its way along the East Coast Saturday and is expected to dump anywhere from a dusting of snow to about 10 inches throughout the region. (AP Photo/Karly Domb Sadof)

Menacing storm clouds - dark thunderstorm clouds from around the world

2011-10-28T17:41:00.000-07:00

Photographs of dark thunderstorm clouds from around the world.

(Photo courtesy of Huck Holz, MD)

Dark clouds move into the Calhoun County area near Port Lavaca, Texas, Thursday, May 12, 2011 as the National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm watch. The storm front extends from Texas to Iowa, bringing much needed rain to south Texas.

Dark skies hang over the Ottawa Bluesfest in Ottawa, Ontario on Sunday July 17, 2011. The main stage at Ottawa Bluesfest collapsed during a severe thunderstorm that sent thousands of people running for cover. Bluesfest said there were no serious injuries. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Leon Switzer)

Taken in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

A thunderstorm builds over a devastated Joplin, Mo. neighborhood Friday, May 27, 2011. An EF-5 tornado tore through much of the city Sunday, damaging a hospital and hundreds of homes and businesses and killing at least 126 people.

Taken in Duncan, Oklahoma.

A windmill is silhouetted against swirling clouds as a severe thunderstorm passes Toulon, Kan. on Saturday, June 11, 2011. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) Yahoo News

Menacing storm clouds

2011-10-28T17:02:00.000-07:00

Menacing storm clouds - Photographs of dark thunderstorm clouds from around the world.

Taken near Veadawoo, Wyoming.

A thunderstorm approaches Bill Snyder Family Stadium during the first quarter of an NCAA college football game between Central Florida and Kansas State Saturday, Sept. 25, 2010 in Manhattan, Kan. Play was suspended in the game due to lightning.

Taken in rural Ohio.

This April 12, 2010 photo provided by Bob Skelding shows thunderstorm clouds in the distance as Skelding travels through Lamy, N.M.

A photographer captures the Los Angeles skyline under a sunset thunderstorm on Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2010, in Los Angeles. Days of historic heat in Southern California are ending with scattered thunderstorms and lightning strikes that raise the risk of wildfires in the region. Light rain fell Wednesday afternoon in downtown Los Angeles, two days after the mercury hit a record high 113 degrees. The high temperature Wednesday was 92.

Taken in Colorado.

(Photo courtesy of Huck Holz, MD)

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA - OCTOBER 30: Ryan Moore of USA plays his 2nd shot on the 13th hole amiss heavy thunderstorm ahead during day three of the CIMB Asia Pacific Classic at The MINES Resort & Golf Club on October 30, 2010 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (Photo by Stanley Chou/Getty Images) Photos courtesy by Yahoo News

Up to 20 million tons of debris from Japan’s tsunami moving toward Hawaii

2011-10-25T00:24:00.000-07:00

Some 5 to 20 million tons of debris--furniture, fishing boats, refrigerators--sucked into the Pacific Ocean in the wake of Japan's March 11 earthquake and tsunami are moving rapidly across the Pacific. Researchers from the University of Hawaii tracking the wreckage estimate it could approach the U.S. West Coast in the next three years, the UK Daily Mail reports.

"We have a rough estimate of 5 to 20 million tons of debris coming from Japan," University of Hawaii researcher Jan Hafner told Hawaii's ABC affiliate KITV.

Crew members from the Russian training ship the STS Pallada "spotted the debris 2,000 miles from Japan," last month after passing the Midway islands, the Mail wrote. "They saw some pieces of furniture, some appliances, anything that can float, and they picked up a fishing boat," said Hafner. The boat was 20-feet long, and was painted with the word "Fukushima." "That's actually our first confirmed report of tsunami debris," Hafner told KITV.

Katherine Heigl best-dressed at the gas station

2011-10-22T14:58:00.000-07:00

Katherine Heigl

Wow! Katherine Heigl was surely voted best-dressed at the gas station on Thursday! The 32-year-old actress filled up her car in L.A. while donning a glamorous look complete with a retro jacket, giant sunglasses, mini skirt, and leopard-print booties. (October 20, 2011)

China's richest village

2011-10-10T22:35:00.000-07:00

Huaxi village, also known as China's richest village, celebrates its 50th anniversary with the inauguration of a massive 1,076 feet high skyscraper that screams for attention from its lowly skyline.

Guests arrive at the inauguration ceremony of the new skyscraper tower of Huaxi village, in Jiangsu province, October 8, 2011. Huaxi village, also known as China's richest village, celebrates its 50th anniversary with the inauguration of a massive 328-meters (1,076 feet) high skyscraper that screams for attention from its lowly skyline.

A solid gold bull weighing a tonne also greets visitors at a viewing area on the 60th-floor of the tower, a testament to the wealth of the village. In Huaxi, those from the original 2,000 residents have at least a house, a car, and $250,000 in the bank and enjoy universal health care and free education. Officials from elsewhere in China tour Huaxi to find out how this once sleepy village, with just 576 residents in the 1950s, is now so rich and why non-local businessmen would donate million-dollar factories to buy the privilege of a local residence permit. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

Women pose for a picture in front of the new skyscraper tower of Huaxi village, Jiangsu province October 8, 2011. Huaxi village, also known as China's richest village, celebrates its 50th anniversary with the inauguration of a massive 328-meters (1,076 feet) high skyscraper that screams for attention from its lowly skyline.

A guest poses for a picture at a painting of Huaxi village during the inauguration ceremony of the village's new skyscraper tower in Huaxi, Jiangsu province, October 8, 2011.

A view of the new skyscraper tower of Huaxi village during a hazy day in Huaxi village, Jiangsu province, October 7, 2011. See more pictures at Yahoo News

Weird Hot Spring

2011-09-30T03:53:00.000-07:00

So weird hot spring. You wanna try?

Dont try at home...hhahahahahahahahah

Things You Should Know About Your Ears.

2011-09-29T21:33:00.000-07:00

Discover interesting facts about the cleaning of the ears, what ear pain really means and more.

Our ears are easy to take for granted: When you are pain free and your hearing is fine, you barely pay attention to them. However, that does not mean that there are not best practices to follow when it comes to your ears. In order to avoid any permanent damage, it is important to be informed about everything from ear candling to the dangers of flying with a head cold. Article reference: yahoo news

The Erupting Volcanoes

2011-09-20T02:05:00.000-07:00

Astounding volcano activity photographed from space

Seen here on on June 12, 2009 in the beginning stages of eruption is Sarychev volcano. This was the sixth eruption since 1946, making it one the busiest volcanoes on Russia's Kuril Islands. (Photo: NASA)

This satellite image taken on Monday Jan. 30, 2006, courtesy of MODIS Rapid Response Project at NASA/GSFC via the Alaska Volcano Observatory / U.S. Geological Survey, a steam and ash cloud from Augustine Volcano near Homer, Alaska, lower left, can be seen drifting toward the Kenai Peninsula, seen in the upper right. An unbroken plume of ash has been spewing from the uninhabited volcanic island 75 miles southwest of Homer, Alaska since Saturday with explosions thrusting particles almost five miles into the skies around south-central Alaska. (AP Photo/NASA, Dave Schneider)

A photo released by NASA is a June 4, 2011, photo of Chile’s Puyehue-Cordón Caulle Volcano was made by the MODI Aqua satellite shortly after the eruption began sahowing the brown plume rising above the clouds. The eruption has forced thousands from their homes, grounded airline flights in southern Argentina and coated ski resorts with a gritty layer of dust instead of snow. (AP Photo/NASA)

Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull volcano erupted explosively on April 14, 2010 and resulting ash fallout disrupted travel across Europe. In this photo taken nearly a month later by the Terra satellite, a massive plume is still visible 530 miles away. (Photo: Jeff Schmaltz / NASA GSFC)

This image provided by NASA's MODIS instrument on board the Terra satellite shows volcanic ash and steam billowing from the Chaiten Volcano in southern Chile, drifting across Argentina and dissipating over the Atlantic Ocean, Saturday, May 3, 2008. The Chaiten Volcano sprung to life Friday for the first time in thousands of years. (AP Photo/NASA)

This image provided by NASA shows an image taken by a NASA MODIS satellite acquired at 1:15 a.m. EDT on May 22, 2011 shows the ash plume from the Grimsvotn volcano casts shadow to the west. The Grimsvotn volcano began erupting on Saturday, May 21 sending clouds of ash high into the air.

Plumes of smoke and ash rise from Sicily's Mount Etna, center, in this satellite image from Monday, Oct. 28, 2002. As rivers of lava poured down its slopes, Mount Etna spewed thick clouds of ash and magma for a third day Tuesday, prompting officials to close some schools. Satellite photos showed the ash was carried as far away as Libya in northern Africa, 350 miles south of Mount Etna. (AP Photo/HO, NASA, Terra Satellite)

This natural-color satellite image provided by NASA and acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard the Terra satellite on July 8, 2011 shows the ash plume of the Puyehue-Cordon Caulle volcano in Chile. The volcano's eruption resulted in grounded flights across the lower third of South America for most of the winter tourist season.

Volcanic ashes from Shinmoedake peak, located between Miyazaki and Kagoshima prefectures, is seen in southern Japan, in this NASA satellite image taken and released February 3, 2011. More than 1,000 people in southern Japan have been urged to evacuate as the volcano picked up its activities, spewing ashes and small rocks into the air and disrupting airline operations, a municipal official said on Monday. Image taken February 3, 2011. (REUTERS/NASA/Handout)

This photo of Shiveluch volcano on the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia was taken on September 7, 2010 by the Earth Observing-1 satellite. Three days earlier, ash plumes had risen as high as 21,300 feet. This is one of the area's largest and most active volcanoes. (Photo: Jesse Allen and Robert Simmon / NASA)

This May 23, 2006, photo released by NASA shows the eruption of Cleveland Volcano, Aleutian Islands, Alaska, as photographed by an Expedition 13 crew member on the International Space Station. The image captures the ash plume of the very short-lived eruption. (AP Photo/Courtesy of Earth Sciences and Image Analysis Laboratory, NASA Johnson Space Center)

In this June 16, 2010 satellite image provided by NASA, Papua New Guinea’s Manam Volcano releases a thin, faint plume, as clouds cluster at the volcano’s summit. The Advanced Land Imager (ALI) on NASA’s Earth Observing-1 (EO-1) satellite took this image. The clouds may result from water vapor from the volcano, but may also have formed independent of volcanic activity. The volcanic plume appears as a thin, blue-gray veil extending toward the northwest over the Bismarck Sea. (AP Photo/NASA)

Reno air race crash

2011-09-18T15:50:00.000-07:00

The death toll in the terrifying crash of a World War II-era plane during a Reno air race has risen to at least nine people, including the pilot and eight spectators, authorities said.

In this Friday, Sept. 16, 2011 photo, a P-51 Mustang airplane approaches the ground right before crashing during an air show in Reno, Nev. The vintage World War II-era fighter plane piloted by Jimmy Leeward plunged into the grandstands during the popular annual air show. (AP Photo/Garret

Surfs Up

2011-09-09T20:21:00.001-07:00

Fans line the beach to watch the Quiksilver Pro New York tournament in Long Beach.

Burning With Rage

2011-09-09T20:19:00.000-07:00

On the outskirts of the West Bank village of Kafr Qaddum, a Palestinian protester jumps past burning tires during a Friday demonstration against the closure of a road by Jewish settlers from the nearby settlement of Kfar Adumim.

Images from life.com

NYC Ramps Up Security Amid Terror Threat

2011-09-09T20:15:00.000-07:00

Officers patrol on Friday inside Grand Central Terminal in New York City, which is beefing up its security amid reports of a possible terror plot aimed at New York City or Washington, D.C., that's timed to the anniversary of 9/11.

September 11, 2001: The Pictures We Remember

2011-09-09T19:48:00.000-07:00

One decade after 9/11, an unsettling number of images from Ground Zero and environs remain seared in our collective memory -- unsurprising, perhaps, given the scope and scale of the destruction. But the fact that the deadliest, most visually arresting attacks occurred in New York City also meant that many of the world's best photographers were, in effect, already on the scene when the terrorists struck.

Here, to mark the tenth anniversary of 9/11, and in hopes of lending coherence to our shared, turbulent recollections, LIFE.com presents the 25 most stirring, visceral photographs from that day, featuring pictures from the likes of James Nachtwey, Joe Raedle, Spencer Platt, Mario Tama, and other celebrated photojournalists (and one intrepid amateur). These are the pictures we remember: wrenching, indelible photographs that tell the tale of a still-resonant late summer day that changed everything. Above: A photo taken on September 11, 2001 by the New York City Police Department as the North Tower collapses, engulfing lower Manhattan in smoke and ash.

The South Tower of the World Trade Center explodes in flames after being hit by the hijacked airliner now universally known as "the second plane," United Airlines Flight 175, September 11, 2001. This photo -- with its black smoke; the shocking, brilliant, colossal flames; the cloudless sky; the beautiful Brooklyn Bridge flying the American flag -- captures so much of the story of the day that, if one were to create a composite picture to illustrate the idea of "9/11," the result might look very much like this astonishing shot. (Photo: STR/Reuters /Landov)

A photo taken on September 11, 2001 by the New York City Police Department as the North Tower collapses, engulfing lower Manhattan in smoke and ash. (Photo: AP Photo/NYPD, Det. Greg Semendinger)

This image, made by Bergen Record photographer Thomas E. Franklin on the day of the attacks, eerily calls to mind one of American history's most iconic pictures: Joe Rosenthal's 1945 photograph of five Marines and a Navy corpsman raising the Stars and Stripes at Iwo Jima. (Photo: 2001 The Record (Bergen County, N.J.) Thomas E. Franklin)

Hijacked United Airlines Flight 175 from Boston crashes into the south tower of the World Trade Center and explodes at 9:03 a.m. on September 11, 2001 in New York City. The crash of two airliners hijacked by terrorists loyal to al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and subsequent collapse of the twin towers killed some 2,800 people. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

An unidentified New York City fireman walks away from Ground Zero after the collapse of the towers. Photographer Anthony Correia told LIFE.com of this picture: "He just looked so exhausted, so beat up." Correia knelt down and took his shot as the man walked by. "I acknowledged him, and he acknowledged me. But he never stopped." The steady gaze, meanwhile, of this lone firefighter allows us a window into the experience of literally thousands of rescue workers and first responders. I was in there, his eyes seem to say. Be thankful that you can't imagine what I saw. (Photo: Anthony Correia/Getty Images)

President George W. Bush was informed by his chief of staff Andrew Card of the attacks on the World Trade Center during a school reading event in Sarasota, Florida. Ten years later, one of the kids who was there in that class, Chantal Guerrero, told Time magazine that to this day she's grateful that Bush -- obviously profoundly upset about something that Card had told him -- maintained his composure and stayed with the students until the book they were reading...

Like a scene from an uneasy dream, Doug Kanter's picture of a man standing amid the seemingly endless World Trade Center rubble, calling out for survivors, brings to mind the sense so many of us shared on 9/11 and in the days and weeks after: What, in the face of such annihilation, can one person do?

This image (another by Stan Honda) is an exemplar of a strange, wrenching sight witnessed by innumerable people in New York on the morning of September 11: A survivor, layered in eerie, white dust, trudging away from the cataclysm. The man, Edward Fine, was an owner of an investment and public relations firm; he was on the 78th floor of 1 World Trade Center when it was hit. (STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images)

Jennifer S. Altman, a freelance photographer, took this picture of the towers ablaze, and far, far below them, one woman wearing an expression of pure horror. Five years later, Altman was invited to the home of the woman in red, Rose Parascandola, who had been working at an online-trading company on the 51st floor of WTC 1 on September 11. "She said that I really captured how she felt. She had seen it in the paper, and that it meant a lot to her." For Altman, it was a meaningful photo, as well...

Stunned, frightened Marcy Borders, 28, is covered in dust as she takes refuge in an office building after one of the World Trade Center towers collapsed. Borders was caught outside on the street as the cloud of smoke and dust enveloped the area, and raced into the building seeking shelter -- a building into which freelance photographer Stan Honda had also fled.

Running for cover (Photo: DOUG KANTER/AFP/Getty Images)

The north tower of New York's World Trade Center collapses after being struck by hijacked American Airlines Flt. 11, Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001. (AP Photo Richard Drew)

In a scene repeated with terrifying frequency as flames engulfed the top of the towers, a man falls (or leaps, as was evidently the case with many victims) to his death from the World Trade Center. On the morning of September 11 photographer Richard Drew, in the midst of another assignment, got the call to drop everything and head to the World Trade Center.

Rescue workers carry mortally injured New York City Fire Department chaplain Mychal Judge from the wreckage after he was killed by falling debris while administering last rites to another victim. A Roman Catholic priest, a recovering alcoholic, a gay man, and -- as an FDNY chaplain a spiritual adviser and trusted friend to countless firefighters through the years -- "Father Mike" was the first recorded victim of the September 11 attacks.

A man covered in dust walks in the street near the site of the World Trade Center towers in New York City, in this file photo taken early September 11, 2001. This year's anniversary of the September 11 attacks in New York and Washington will echo the first one, with silence for the moments the planes struck and when the buildings fell, and the reading of 2,792 victims' names. (REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton-Files HB)

A rescue helicopter surveys damage to the Pentagon as firefighters battle flames after an airplane crashed into the U.S. military Headquarters outside of Washington in an apparent terrorist attack, September 11, 2001. (REUTERS/Larry Downing LSD/HB)

Lilliputian figures -- firefighters stark against the grayish white dust that blanketed so much of lower Manhattan -- walk a path cleared of rubble near the base of the destroyed south tower in the days after the attacks.

Hijacked United Airlines Flight 175 (L) flies toward the World Trade Center twin towers shortly before slamming into the south tower (L) as the north tower burns following an earlier attack by a hijacked airliner in New York City September 11, 2001. The stunning aerial assaults on the huge commercial complex where more than 40,000 people worked on an ordinary day were part of a coordinated attack aimed at the nation's financial heart.

On 9/11, the New York City Police Department lost 23 officers. The Port Authority police lost 37. The FDNY's dead numbered 343. Here, firefighter Tony James cries while attending the funeral service for New York Fire Department chaplain Mychal Judge at New York's St. Francis of Assisi Church, September 15, 2001. Photographer Joe Raedle, who attended and photographed funerals for weeks after September 11, told LIFE.com of this shot.

9/11 - Powerful Photos

2011-09-09T19:21:00.000-07:00

September 11, 2001: The Pictures We Remember

A New York City fireman calls for ten more rescue workers to make their way into the rubble in this evocative photograph by U.S. Navy Photographer's Mate 1st Class Preston Keres.

In an image that reflects the Dantesque surreality of 9/11, witnesses watch flames spew from one of the several buildings -- in addition to the Twin Towers -- damaged or destroyed in lower Manhattan. Mario Tama's photograph has a vertiginous feel that recalls the swirl of emotions that we endured on 9/11 and, in a sense, in the years since. In layer upon layer, the image reflects the ordinariness of the day -- pedestrians, bicyclists, trees, street signs -- jarringly juxtaposed against an inferno. As details emerge (the police in the distance, the masks on people's faces, debris in the street), the image evolves from a portrait of mere disaster to a chronicle of a singular, era-defining cataclysm. (Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Getty photographer Spencer Platt's picture of a crowd in Lower Manhattan watching the twin towers burn captures, in one instant, the profound disbelief that held sway in the city and around the world -- a disbelief that inevitably turned to mingled rage, grief, and fear as the scale and the nature of the attack on the country gradually became clear. Here, in a sense, is a portrait of the terrorists' true target: young and old, men and women, civilians of countless races and, no doubt, countless creeds who were, mysteriously, spared, only to bear witness. (Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

(Photo: Jose Jimenez/Primera Hora/Getty Images)

A satellite image of lower Manhattan shows smoke and ash rising from the site of the World Trade Center at 11:43 AM on September 12, 2001. The fires at Ground Zero continued to burn for 99 days after the attack -- a bleak reminder, day and night, of the thousands who lost their lives, and the countless millions more who lived, but whose lives were forever transformed. (Photo: Getty Images) Photos from life.com

Iconic Elizabeth Taylor jewels

2011-09-09T18:23:00.000-07:00

Christie's auction house is selling 'Elizabeth Taylor' complete jewelry collection, valued at $30 million, in New York on Dec. 13-14.

Elizabeth Taylor's "The Prince of Wales Brooch," estimated at $400,000 - $600,000

Elizabeth Taylor's diamond, emerald and gold "Snake" bracelet watch, by BVLGARI, circa 1961, estimated at $12,000 - $15,000

Elizabeth Taylor's gold and ivory necklace featuring ivory opera passes, circa 18th and 19th centuries, a gift from the estate of Edith Head

Elizabeth Taylor's "The Mike Todd Tiara," estimated at $60,000 - $80,000, is shown in this photograph at Christie's, in New York, Thursday, Sept. 1, 2011.

Elizabeth Taylor's emerald and diamond necklace and pendant, attached at the bottom, part of a suite by BVLGARI, a gift of Richard Burton, are shown in this photograph at Christie's, in New York, Thursday, Sept. 1, 2011.

Elizabeth Taylor's ruby and diamond necklace, a gift of Mike Todd, estimated at $200,000 - $300,000

Part of a Suite of Kunzite, amethyst and diamond “Triphanes” jewelry by Van Cleef & Arpels, from Elizabeth Taylor's estate

Elizabeth Taylor's "The Taj Mahal Diamond," circa 1627 - 1628, on a gold and ruby chain

diamond, emerald and gold "Snake" bracelet watch

The Elizabeth Taylor Diamond" from her estate, a 33.19 carat, D color, VS1 claity, a gift of Richard Burton, estimated at $2,500,000 - $3,500,000

Elizabeth Taylor's diamond and multi-colored sapphire "Ball" ear clips, from JARS, estimated at $100,000 - $150,000

Elizabeth Taylor's "La Peregrina" is an early 16th century pearl, ruby and diamond necklace by Cartier, that was gift from Richard Burton, is estimated at $2,000,000 - $3,000,000.

Elizabeth Taylor's "The Taj Mahal Diamond," circa 1627 - 1628, on a gold and ruby chain by Cartier, was a gift from Richard Burton for her 40th birthday in 1972. It is estimated at $300,000 - $500,000 and is shown in this photograph at Christie's, in New York, Thursday, Sept. 1, 2011.

Elizabeth Taylor Diamond" from her estate, a 33.19 carat, D color, VS1 claity, a gift of Richard Burton, estimated at $2,500,000 - $3,500,000. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

20-foot crocodile captured

2011-09-09T17:55:00.000-07:00

A saltwater crocodile swims in a shallow pond inside its temporary cage at the remote village of Consuelo, in Bunawan township, Agusan Del Sur province in southern Philippines, Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2011. The 6.1-meter (20-foot) saltwater crocodile, now named "Lolong," was captured last Saturday by villagers and veteran hunters in the creeks of the remote region.

The crocodile, weighing 1,075 kilograms (2,370 pounds), was the biggest to be caught alive in the Philippines in recent years. Wildlife officials were trying to confirm whether it was the largest such catch in the world, said Theresa Mundita Lim of the government's Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau.

Residents use their hands to measure a 21-feet (6.4 metres) saltwater crocodile, which is suspected of having attacked several people, after it was caught in Nueva Era in Bunawan town, Agusan del Sur, southern Philippines September 4, 2011. The crocodile captured on Sunday evening weighs 600 kg and is the largest crocodile caught in the country to date, according to the Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center. Picture taken September 4, 2011. (AP Photo)

2012 Audi A6

2011-09-09T17:08:00.000-07:00

Rising oil prices and tougher fuel-economy requirements are the inspiration for the latest wave of fuel-saving vehicles. Prominent among them are more small cars, gas-electric hybrids, and electric cars. However, many larger mainstream vehicles are being tweaked to improve their gas mileage by more conventional means, such as innovations in turbocharging, weight reduction, aerodynamics, and direct fuel injection.

Moreover, even the least expensive cars will have improved safety features, because federal laws now require antilock brakes and electronic stability control as standard equipment on all cars and light trucks. And backup cameras are becoming common, especially on SUVs, where they’re often needed the most.

2012 Audi A6

The A6 redesign features lighter aluminum body panels and a direct-injection 310-hp 3.0-liter V6 mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission to help improve fuel economy. The base engine is a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder good for 211 hp paired with a CVT. The front wheels have been moved farther forward, allowing for more cabin room, and the MMI driver-interaction system is said to be a bit easier to operate. Available gadgets include a color heads-up display, a night-vision display, and LED headlights.

The 2012 A6 is a 4-door, 5-passenger luxury sedan, available in two trims, the 2.0T Premium Sedan FrontTrak

Million Dollar Cars

2011-09-09T16:52:00.000-07:00

When vintage car collectors go to auctions, they’re used to seeing price tags exceeding $1 million. They may not necessarily buy any of the immaculately preserved specimens on display, but they’re happy to have to opportunity to note the technical specifications and observe the details that make each car a piece of living history.

Then there are cars with million-dollar price tags, where that number represents what you have to pay just to drive them off the lot. These are the luxury cars at the highest of price points, produced in limited edition runs of fewer than 100 and purchased only by the wealthiest clients.

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