Last Word Archive New Scientist. November 2. 01. 7. Walking in Halswell Quarry Park in Christchurch, New Zealand, we found these geometric objects by the path (pictured).

They look human- made, but are apparently natural. Can anyone identify them? November 2. 01. 7. People have been measuring the speed of light for a few hundred years, but the universe is nearly 1. If the speed of light changes very slowly – say a small percentage every 1. November 2. 01. 7. Is there a physical limit to the wind speed of a hurricane?

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If so, what is it? November 2. 01. 7. All astronomical bodies, from moons and planets up to galaxies, spin and have orbits. Spin is also a key characteristic of subatomic particles. Yet in our human world, we are relatively static. Why is spin unimportant for us, but at other levels it is all- pervasive?

On the radio I heard complex birdsong that had been recorded at midnight in summer in Finland. The Last Word has discussed what life is like for humans in polar.

This is a list of television programmes that are currently being broadcast or have been broadcast on ABC Television's ABC (formerly ABC1), ABC2, ABC Kids (formerly. The Content Warnings trope as used in popular culture. Sometimes, producers or distributors feel the need to warn the viewers of what they are about to see. The Texarkana Gazette is the premier source for local news and sports in Texarkana and the surrounding Arklatex areas. HOTEL REVIEW. Just one night in Bangkok? Plan on longer. The red carpet is out as hotels renovate and new brands launch from luxe to casual. A Bangkok business hotels.

How do the laws of physics make our biosphere so special? October 2. 01. 7.

People seem to come in all shapes and sizes. Do any other animals display the same amount of variation in size as humans among healthy adults? Why is there this variety, and what are its consequences for the future?

October 2. 01. 7. It seems ubiquitous at beaches for children to build sandcastles. Is this behaviour global?

Is it innate or learned? Did the children of nomadic, hunter- gatherer groups also build mounds in the sand? October 2. 01. 7. On the radio I heard complex birdsong that had been recorded at midnight in summer in Finland.

The Last Word has discussed what life is like for humans in polar regions, but how does wildlife cope with 2. October 2. 01. 7. Given that athletics races can be won or lost by a margin as small as a hundredth of a second, do athletes risk a gold medal by wearing gold chains? October 2. 01. 7.

During the recent total solar eclipse in the US, I overlapped my hands, using the gaps between my fingers to form "pinholes". Just before the start of totality, someone noticed that the shadows formed through this "pinhole camera" onto a white board were so sharp that the individual hairs on my arms were visible.

How thin must the solar crescent be for the shadows to be this sharp, and how soon before totality would this occur? October 2. 01. 7. Recently, my wife's silver car became covered by a swarm of flying ants. This was odd because none of the other cars parked nearby had any on at all. A friend mentioned it had happened to his silver car too and after searching online it seems it's a known phenomenon.

Why is it that the swarm seems to be attracted to something silver?

A Bangkok business hotels review, top conference and MICE hotels, ballrooms, and small corporate meetings venues. HOTEL REVIEWPlan on longer.

The red carpet is out as hotels renovate and new brands launch from luxe to casual. A Bangkok business hotels review. From boutique stays to corporate meetings, snazzy ballrooms and top MICE venues. Vijay Verghese. SEE ALSOBangkok shopping Phuket resorts review Koh Samui resorts Chiang Mai guide Thai spas Singapore hotel guide Luang Prabang guide Hong Kong hotels Kuala Lumpur hotels Jakarta business hotels Hua Hin guide Isan, Khao Yai Small meetings in Asia Krabi resorts Pattaya fun guide. The Athenee Hotel, A Luxury Collection Hotel, Bangkok JUMP TOSukhumvit Hotels Central Bangkok Silom and Sathorn Road Bangkok River Hotels Chatuchak, Lad Prao, Chaengwattana, Don Muang, Chinatown, Suvarnabhumi Airport Hotel Contacts. Verdant Lumpini Park views from So Sofitel's many vantage points. The green is disappearing though pleasant strolls can still be undertaken in parks like this/ photo: Vijay Verghese BANGKOK continues to pull in the crowds.

It's a tremendous highwire act for a city that has teetered on the edge for years, buffeted by perverse politics, insurance- crimping travel advisories, conference cancellations, and highwayman taxi drivers. The August 2. 01. Erawan Brahma statue – which escaped almost entirely unscathed – was put down as a miracle and further evidence of its protective powers. Bangkok, the 'City of Angels', epitomises the old adage – in picking a hotel, what matters is “location, location, location”. The city is every traveller’s dream – and nightmare. Daytime gridlock and the occasional Red exuberance ensures that despite all the khop khun kraps that you can muster, chasing appointments around this city can be a white- knuckle affair.

The Athenee Hotel, rebranded 6 October 2. Watch Sunshine Download Full more. The Sky. Train, or BTS, as it is known, has changed all that. Along its snaking corridors, foreign businessmen and trendy tourists now travel with aplomb and speed, in comfort and airconditioning, high above the madding crowd. It costs Bt. 14. 0 for a one- day BTS pass. Underground, the whisper- smooth comforts, and speed, of the Metro await.

The enormous space- age Suvarnabhumi Airport (www. Pattaya highway 3. Bangkok has launched itself firmly into the new millennium albeit with snaking security queues and occasional taxi trauma. Still, its a bright Thai welcome with a huge amount of duty- free shopping. Bangkok's airport rail link (August 2. Bt. 15. 0 for the 1.

City Terminal (Makkasan) in town. The city line trains with multiple stops to the airport offer tickets from Bt. Bt. 14. 5. Both run 6am to midnight at 1. Bear in mind that from the City Terminal it may still be a long taxi ride to anywhere. Taxis to or from downtown to the airport (if not too much traffic) are roughly Bt. Bt. 30. 0 on the meter plus Bt.

On the way to town from the airport there is an additional Bt. Package' rates from town may be offered at Bt. Try and stick with the meter where possible though I have had one fantastic meter readout at Bt. I laughed. The cabbie laughed and he accepted Bt. E- mail Page. Print. Hotel Contacts. The city offers top conference and MICE facilities.

Bangkok alone houses the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre, the Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre or BITEC (with 5. MICE and convention space in Bang Na) and the large Impact Arena Exhibition Centre not too far from Don Mueang Airport in the north. The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) runs a very competent and informative site with details on Thailand MICE destinations including Bangkok, Pattaya, Chiang Mai and Phuket.

Sukhumvit Hotels, Asoke, Rachadapisek. Sukhumvit Road is home to a clutch of fine properties. The Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Bangkok, is quite a mouthful but it does serve up some jaw- dropping service and attention to detail with the added convenience of covered step- in access to the BTS Asoke station. This is an underground Metro station interchange stop too.

Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit new Luxury Room/ photo: Vijay Verghese. This is a plush address that has set the bar high since inception. A two- and- a- half- year refurbishment programme saw a new line- up of rooms complete by November 2. Gone are the bright blond woods and ship- cabin feel of the old rooms. A new Luxury room is decked out in goldy hues with dark- wood trim and cabinets. Thoughtful touches include an elevated mini- bar that eliminates the need to crouch low on the carpet at 2am fumbling around for a can of Singha (Bt.

A plump starched white bed sits against the pale gold head wall facing a 5. TV with DVD player. Lamps at either side of the bed have easy- to- reach individual switches and room control switches are tactile and finger- friendly. Best of all are the two USB ports at either side of the bed for fast charging of multiple gadgets. Expect a digital clock, a white marble- top desk with data- port and two three- pin universal electric sockets, large mirrors that create a roomy feel, a small walk- in closet with the old vertical monster safe - big enough for your mother- in- law - iron and ironing board and more. The bathroom features Thann amenities with the old turquoise tiles in place with a soaking tub, one wash basin, a hairdryer, and a power- shower cubicle. Grand Suites offer 7.

The only evidence of the old blond wood is in the lobby and public areas where it is matched with beige marble and hints of polished brass to create an airy and bright welcome for guests. Like fine wine, the public spaces have aged well and a series of restaurant revamps have set the place abuzz. Check out the late 2. Dine in the Dark' for a touchie- feelie experience in total darkness served by blind staff as part of an interesting CSR initiative. Autopsy Full Movie In English more. Expect a four course Bt.

Asian, vegetarian, Western, or just a 'surprise'). This is right behind street- level Barsu with its retro music and wine. Pop into the chic, Basil restaurant for Thai, now with just four- region nine- course set meals for lunch and dinner for a minimum of two. Sample Italian at Rossini's, or pop up to The Sala, poolside for light menus and alfresco breezes. Westin Deluxe/ photo: hotel.

The Grande Spa & Fitness Club continues to offer its sophisticated arsenal of wellness menus and massage. Try the two- hour herbal compress 'Luk Pra Kob'.

All in, this is a fine address for small corporate meetings in Bangkok and business travellers on the go, as well as for luxe leisure trippers - with the Terminal 2. Send us your Feedback / Letter to the Editor. Bang next to the BTS and MRTA stations is the Westin Grande Sukhumvit with its signature "heavenly bed". You'll be queueing up to purchase it after just one "heavenly" night in Bangkok enveloped in quality down and feathers. Not a bad investment if a good night's sleep is top of your priority list.

The Westin has done a complete makeover of the property with some stylish touches and expansive mood lighting that blends from hot oranges to cool purples in the blink of an eyelash. Disconcertingly, the lobby is on the seventh floor, but that little niggle aside, it is a crisp executive choice. Rooms offer high- speed Internet access (Bt. TV. Executive Club Floor guests at the Westin Grande Sukhumvit enjoy complimentary breakfast, cocktails and tea. The latest addition to the Westin armoury are the Westin. WORKOUT Rooms that come with indoor cycle, treadmill, dumbells and health DVDs.

The inroom safe won't hold a laptop but a steam iron and ironing board are handy extras after the airport scrum. Wind- down options include the Vareena Spa where facials, exfoliations, scrubs and wraps await.

Of an evening, the Zest Bar is a relaxing watering hole with views of the Sky. Train whooshing past. There are a few outdoor seats too, weather permitting.