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Thousands of species of fish and other sea life abound in the Great Barrier Reef that spreads across the northern coast of Australia. The reef, composed of sea creatures from multi-colored fish to the living coral is the habitation of underwater animals and plants. No wonder scuba divers and snorkelers go over the top to marvel at this amazing environment. In the midst of this breathtaking beauty, however, the fiercely poisonous blue ringed octopus hides in the clear waters of the reef.
This octopus is tiny in size and has special glands producing two types of poison that is secreted into its saliva. On scenting danger, this dark yellow creature turns into vivid yellow with a blue ringed pattern and bites the aggressor, secreting venom into the bloodstream of the victim. This venom is extremely lethal - over 10000 times the potency of cyanide. The poison attacks the nervous system and paralysis the victim by stopping the conduction of nerves. Soon paralysis spreads over the entire body and eventually the heart and lungs stop working.
Divers usually are ignorant of the presence of this octopus in their vicinity due to its small size and often even do not feel its bite. The creature has a sharp, beak-like mouth capable of penetrating a wetsuit. The Australian Government has spared no efforts to educate and warn visitors of the dangers posed by the blue ringed octopus. Warning signs are placed over areas where the blue ringed octopus is known to inhabit, to caution the visitors to avoid contact with this creature.
The victim of the blue ringed octopus must seek medical help immediately. The trouble is that many times the victim does not feel the bite or any pain because of it. The symptoms to watch out for are nausea and loss of sensation. Then loss of eyesight indicates the beginning of the failure of organs. There is no antidote and the poison has to be thrown out of the body naturally. For this purpose the patient is put on a ventilator to help with the breathing and functioning of the heart when he is paralysed.
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Following the end of World War II, the people of Norway wished to signify their friendship with Britain and their thanks for protecting King Haakon VII in exile. So, since 1946, they have donated one of their finest specimens of Norwegian Spruce to Britain to become the centrepiece of the Christmas celebrations in Trafalgar Square, London.
Usually on the first Thursday in December, the Lord Mayor of the City of Westminster and the Mayor of Oslo attend a "lighting up" ceremony of 500 or so pure white lights, the traditional way of illuminating a tree in Norway. The lights are
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Many visitors to the UK choose London for their base when visiting the country. If you're planning to stay in the capital, then let's take a look at some other great locations that can easily be reached for a day trip.
The great thing about staying in London is that it truly is a city that never sleeps. With great entertainment, from musicals to plays, it's a place where you will rarely be short of things to do.
In the evenings, you'll find that England's capital city is a great place to enjoy the nightlife, with top quality restaurants, bars
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The Lancashire coastal town of Blackpool became a tourist attraction with the development of the railways, firstly as a place for cotton workers and their families from the mill towns of East Lancashire to spend a day on the golden sands, and later as a place for them to spend a whole week beside the sea.
Nowadays, people flock in their ten of thousands for almost 10 weeks each Autumn to see the dazzling illuminated display of lights and tableaux along the seafront promenade. Blackpool Illuminations are now one of the biggest tourist attractions in the United Kingdom, with coachloads of
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As one of Europe's leading cultural cities Berlin offers many museums, historic sites and other places for a memorable visit. Many landmarks remind us of the long history of Berlin, the remains of the destruction during World War II and its history when it was divided between East and West.
Even though Berlin is a large metropolis, orientating yourself in Berlin isn't hard at all. There are three prominent landmarks: the Church of Remembrance (the Gedächtniskirche), located in the West on the Kurfürstendamm, the Brandenburger Tor in the city district of Mitte, and the Fernsehturm (TV-tower) at Alexanderplatz in the
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The New Year's parade in Hong Kong is an event not to be missed! The city is dressed up with bright decorations and colorful lights for its biggest celebration of the year, and thousands pour into Hong Kong to take part in the festivities.
Winding along Hong Kong's picturesque waterfront, the New Year's parade is filled with colorful, lavishly decorated floats. Representatives from Hong Kong and countries all over the world sing, dance and play music. The songs of marching bands fill the air along the parade's route as performers in bright costumes prance along the streets.
The forthcoming year
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