Think Cardboard Doesn't Do Well In Water? These Guys Are Here To Prove You Wrong

♠ Posted by Unknown in ,,,
One of the most important steps in any DIY project is making sure you have the right materials — without the right materials, your project is doomed from the start.
A couple friends wanted to make their own boat modeled after Viking rowboats. That's a pretty cool project, right? There's just one thing...they decided to build it using cardboard. That's right, these guys wanted to make a boat out of cardboard -- that material that wilts and gets all soggy when it gets wet.
Why did they do it? Who knows. It's how they did it that's much more interesting...

This boat wasn't just going to be a couple pieces of cardboard glued together. This would be the real deal.

Imgur / rdeans

They had to go around to different supermarkets in their town to get the amount of cardboard they needed for the project.

Imgur / rdeans

They started by constructing the keel beam and building ribs that would help make the boat's structure more stable.

Imgur / rdeans

As they went along, they continually reinforced the boat with structural supports made from cardboard and tape.

Imgur / rdeans
(That doesn't sound like good structural support...)

Once the hull was finished, they installed the deck and the seats.

Imgur / rdeans

This was very important because without the proper weight distribution and supports, the boat would sink as soon as they got in.

Imgur / rdeans

They added a few more layers of cardboard, tape, and varnish to the hull of the boat.

Imgur / rdeans

Then it was judgement day.

Imgur / rdeans

They placed their boat in the water. At least it floats. So far so good!

Imgur / rdeans

Next, one of them got in the boat, and it stayed afloat!

Imgur / rdeans

Another friend got in the boat as well and the boat didn't sink, proving that this truly was a success.

Imgur / rdeans

But the ending of this story is bittersweet...

Imgur / rdeans

The hull had sustained too much damage to repair, so they decided to give it a true Viking funeral.

Imgur / rdeans
(source Reddit)
It must've been sad to see their cardboard boat go. But this is still an awesome example of the amazing things people can do when they put their heads together -- and go hunting for cardboard boxes.
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You Don't Know These 15 Things About The Ocean (It's Actually Terrifying)

♠ Posted by Unknown in ,,,,,
Sci-fi writer H.P. Lovecraft once said that the ocean "is more ancient than the mountains, and freighted with the memories and the dreams of Time." We land-dwellers can sometimes take the ocean for granted, but we really shouldn't, since the Earth's surface is 70% water. When you think of it that way, this is the ocean's planet, and we're just guests.
Here are some crazy facts about oceans that will instill upon you a healthy fear of water.

1. Spanning an astonishing 1,600 miles, the Great Barrier Reef is the largest living structure on the planet. It can even be seen from space.

wikipedia

2. The Rockall --- a 30-meter-wide rock protruding from the ocean 290 miles off the coast of Great Britain --- has had less than 20 humans stand upon it throughout history.

wikipedia

3. Sea monsters might really exist! With so much of the ocean still left unexplored, it's estimated that 86% of Earth's species have yet to be discovered.

pinterest

4. The giant squid was thought to be something of legend until 2001, when one was finally captured on camera.

wikipedia

5. 50% of all United States territory lies below the ocean.

wikipedia

6. So far, we've only explored 5--7% of the ocean floor, and only 1% of the ocean itself.

deviantart

7. There's a spot in the Pacific Ocean called the "White Shark Cafe." This is where great white sharks congregate to mate.

impactlab

8. 99% of all shark species have been eradicated.

neatorama

9. The longest mountain range on the planet is actually below the ocean. The Mid-Ocean Ridge, which cuts down the center of the Atlantic ocean, is 23,000 miles long, with peaks far higher than those of the Alps. It takes up 23% of the Earth's total surface.

bbc

10. Most of the oxygen on this planet comes from microscopic, ocean-dwelling animals called phytoplankton.

wikipedia

11. The average depth of the ocean is 12,400 feet. Light can only penetrate about 330 feet, therefore most of our planet is in constant darkness.

earthtimes

12. Jellyfish have claimed 15--30 times more lives than sharks have.

wikipedia

13. Experts estimate that there are 20 million tons of gold still under the ocean.

cbsnews

14. One milliliter of ocean water contains one million bacteria and ten million viruses. Most of them are harmless. Most of them...

foxnews

15. There are more artifacts from human history at the bottom of the ocean than there are in all the museums on the planet combined.

world-mysteries
We've been completely obsessed with space lately for some reason, even though we still know very little about the planet we currently inhabit. Maybe one day we'll find all the answers to life hidden away in our oceans. We may also come to find that the ocean is a creepy, hellish landscape full of monsters that we should just stay away from.
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Are You Using Your Attic For Storage? These 16 Ideas Will Make You Think Twice

♠ Posted by Unknown in ,,,,,
In most homes, the attic is an afterthought. It's a place to store extra furniture and old things you no longer use. But with their angled ceilings and interesting layouts, attics can be just as homey as any other part of your house. With the 16 ideas below, it's easy to upgrade your attic to something beautiful. Check out the inspirational photos below and get designing.

1. Do you need another bathroom in your house? Turn your attic into a unique bathing space.

Velux

2. Make it a home theatre with a few love seats.

The Patriotic Peacock

3. Install skylights for a cool view.

Imgur / IamSkeletor

4. Make it fun by adding a swing to the rafters.

Lloyd Hotel & Cultural Embassy

5. If you're particularly athletic, you can turn your attic into a rock climbing gym.

Thoughts About Rocks / Alli Rainey

6. An attic makes a great play area for kids.

Katie Grace Designs

7. Attics make great kids' bedrooms, too, because of their low ceilings.

House To Home

8. If you like photography, turn your attic into a studio.

Newborn Photography

9. If music is more your thing, turn your attic into a recording and mixing studio.

Reddit / NatahanStudios

10. Is crafting your creative hobby? Attics are perfect workshops, too.

Frivole

11. An attic makes a great office space, quietly above the hustle and bustle of the house.

Style At Home / Michael Graydon

12. No space for a living room downstairs? Move it up to the attic.

Elle Decor

13. A few bookcases and some shelves can turn an attic into your own personal library.

Quinn Cooper Style

14. If you have a big extended family with many kids, turn the attic into a guest room just for them.

Something Blue Living

15. Add a foosball table or a pool table to turn it into a game room.

Deep Dale House LLC

16. If you're low on space, turn your attic into a walk-in closet.

Houzz / Kasey Buick
I love the idea of turning your attic into a library. It'd be so nice to have a quiet area to read. But I also need a space to do craft projects. Now I have to decide which one of these ideas I'll take advantage of! It's going to be hard to figure out how I'll remodel my attic after seeing all of these inspirational ideas. Which one struck your fancy?
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This Special Bleeding Glacier Is A Rare Phenomenon In Nature - You Have To See It

♠ Posted by Unknown in ,,
If you ever find yourself in Antarctica, you might see a truly amazing — and slightly unsettling — sight. It's a five-story waterfall that gushes from a fissure in the Taylor Glacier, spilling down the rocky shore and into Antarctica's Lake Bonney. Sounds picturesque, no?
Well, it's certainly memorable...
Wikimedia Commons, Peter Rejcek
Uh, you okay, Antarctica?
Aptly named Blood Falls, this waterfall pours bright red water right out of the stark, white glacier. Its shocking color and gory appearance are frightening, but of course, this isn't really blood. Like blood, though, its red color does come from iron.
The liquid at Blood Falls is actually iron-rich, hypersaline water that leaks out from a salt lake underneath the glacier. The salt lake is actually ancient seawater left over from the Miocene Period.
Wikimedia Commons
Taylor Glacier covers ancient seawater that got trapped there as the icy mass formed about two million years ago. The ice of the glacier and the water of the subglacial lake are not the same water, and have drastically different properties.
Redditfun
The falls were first discovered in 1911 by explorer Griffith Taylor, for whom the glacier is named.
When the iron in the water hits the air, it oxidizes and essentially rusts. This is what lends the water the blood-red color you see spilling down the glacier. The fact that it does spill over occasionally is great for researchers (despite looking a bit ominous), because it lets them study the ancient water without having to drill into the glacier to get to it.
Over the years, they've found that the super-salty, super-cold lake is home to about 17 different types of microorganisms, which have lived there for millennia without light or oxygen. This gives scientists an idea of how life originated on this planet, and how it might survive on others.
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What She Did With A Boring Thrift Store Find Left Me Totally Speechless

♠ Posted by Unknown in ,,
Filling your dream home with brand-new furniture can cost an arm and a leg...and maybe even your firstborn child.
Now I ask you: what's the point of spending your hard-earned cash on overpriced furniture when you can find the perfect pieces at a thrift store? Sure, the idea of decorating your home with old, sometimes damaged furniture may not sound that all that appealing, but with a little work, thrift store finds can take on a whole new life.
For proof, check out this amazing project. You won't be shopping for brand-new furniture anytime soon.

This was the old wooden hutch one DIYer found at a Habitat for Humanity ReStore.

Imgur / craftcrib

She started out by sanding down the top and bottom halves of the hutch.

Imgur / craftcrib
Imgur / craftcrib

She then painted the top half of the hutch a bright white.

Imgur / craftcrib

She decided not to paint the counter of the bottom half white, and instead stained it a dark walnut hue.

Imgur / craftcrib
For extra shine, she added layers of polyurethane.

She then removed the drawers and doors and began painting them white.

Imgur / craftcrib

Painter's tape came in handy.

Imgur / craftcrib

Once all the painting was completed, it was time for the finishing touches.

Imgur / craftcrib

She spray-painted the hardware that came with the hutch a nickel color to match the rest of the kitchen's hardware.

Imgur / craftcrib

It was finally time to reassemble everything!

Imgur / craftcrib

She stocked the shelves...

Imgur / craftcrib
Imgur / craftcrib

And once she'd added all the necessary supplies...

Imgur / craftcrib

Her hutch makeover was complete!

Imgur / craftcrib
(source Reddit)
That hutch is barely recognizable! The next time you see that perfect piece of furniture in the thrift store, don't pass it by just because it's a little damaged. Get in the DIY spirit and make it your own!
If you loved this project, head over to Grier's website -- she's the crafter behind this DIY!
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