The Incredible Ruby Falls of Chattanooga, Tennessee

Ruby Falls is an underground waterfall in Tennessee, USA. It is part of the Lookout Mountains in Chattanooga. Ruby Falls is one of the most famous underground waterfalls in the world. The beauty of Ruby Falls makes anyone go 'WOW'.

Ruby Falls: History

Ruby Falls was discovered by Leo Lambert

Ruby Falls remained unnoticed till the 20th century. It seems really surprising how such an amazing place  was undiscovered for such a long time. It finally came to the public eye when Leo Lambert, a chemist and cave enthusiast who accidentally discovered the cave, got the idea of turning the place into a tourist attraction. Although his primary motive was entirely commercial, I think that we all should be thankful to the man for finding such an amazing place. Thus Leo Lambert started work to turn the place more tourist friendly and named it Ruby Falls, after his wife.

Ruby Falls: Formation

An Amazing View of Ruby Falls

About 200 million years ago, the area around Tennessee was covered by a shallow sea. The sea disappeared with time and sediments turned into the limestone rocks that are found in the area today. The ground water gradually carved caverns into the limestone including Ruby Fall Cavern that houses the Ruby Falls.

Lookout Mountain which houses the Ruby Falls

At the top of Lookout Mountain

The Ruby Falls is situated in the heart of the Lookout Mountain. An elevator takes visitors, 26 stories below the surface. The cave path is full of beautiful stalactites and stalagmites which makes the little journey more amazing.

Inside Ruby Cave

Ruby Cave lit up

The Ruby Falls is 145ft high. The rocks around the falls are cut to provide the tourists a better view of the waterfall. The lighting show adds immensely to the breathtaking beauty of the falls and fills the entire cavern with gentle hues. The stream from the fall drops in a pool on the floor. Don't try to drink the water of the spring, because although it is filtered through the rock, the large Magnesium content has made it a natural laxative. So, avoid ruining your further trip by a drink. ;)

Ruby Falls Photos

Ruby Falls Entrance

Ruby Falls illuminated

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World's Spookiest Haunted Houses

From White House to London Castle, this is our list of the world's most iconic places that are actually real haunted houses.

The Tower of London

The Tower of London is one of the most important highlights of the city. Throughout its illustrious age of more than a thousand years, the Tower of London has played a prominent role in English history.

She has been home to beheading  murders, torture and hangings, as well as being a prison to Nobles. During its peak years, it even housed Elizabeth I, before she became the Queen, within its walls.

The Tower of London is also one of the most haunted places in Britain. Dozens of ghost sightings have been reported. One of the most famous ghosts of the Tower is that of the spirit of Ann Boleyn, one of the wives of Henry VIII and the mother of Queen Elizabeth I, who was beheaded and buried here. Other noble spirits who roam the tower include Henry VI, Lady Jane Grey, Margaret Paul, Thomas A Becket and Sir Walter Raleigh.

White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue - the address not only houses the current President of the country but also the spirits of many more who once dwelt the building but now occupy their graves. The White house, probably the most important building of America, is also the most famous haunted house of the country.

On many occasions Presidents, first ladies, guests and staff, have experienced paranormal activities in the building. The attic seems to be the most favorite part for the ghosts. Several presidents have reportedly heard unexplained noises coming from the attic above the Oval Office.
While White House hosts spirits of several presidents like President Harrison and President Andrew Jackson, but the most famous of all is that of Abraham Lincoln.
Abe Lincoln is frequently sighted by the dwellers. One incident took place with Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands who was awakened by a knock on the bedroom door. Answering it, she faced the ghost of Lincoln staring at her from the hallway. Reports say that even President Obama has himself confronted Lincoln's ghost.

The Queen Mary

RMS Queen Mary sailed the waters of North Atlantic Ocean from 1936 to 1967. It was used in World War II both as a transport ship and a luxury liner.
During its 31 years of service, Queen Mary has witnessed dozens of deaths. These deaths haunts the grand ship till date.
RMS Queen Mary which was once known as a luxury liner, now has a reputation of a sailing haunted house. People have reported several incidents of paranormal activities in different sections of the ship. The most popular being the engine room where a 17-year old sailor was crushed to death while trying to escape a fire. The spirit of the young sailor now haunts the engine room.
Another famous haunted spot is Cabin B340 which is haunted by an 8-year old girl who was killed here. Screaming of men and crushing of metal have also been reported below the deck.

Winchester Mystery House

The Winchester Mystery House is a well-known mansion in Northern California. The grand state costed a woppin' $5.5 million, which is equivalent to today's $71 million. It now serves as a tourist destination.
The Winchester Mystery House was once dwelled by Sarah Winchester, the wife of gun magnate William Wirt Winchester. She was left in shock after the death of her infant daughter followed by her husband's. According to a legend, Sarah believed that her family had been victim of ghosts of people who were killed by the Winchester rifles. So she visited a medium where she confronted the spirit of her dead husband who told her to build a house but never finish it as it would allow her to live forever. So she moved West where she started the construction of the Winchester House.
The construction took place continuously for 38 years from 1884 to Sarah's death in 1922.

Edinburgh Castle

The Edinburgh Castle not only possesses a prominent place in the history of Edinburgh, but also its landscape. But it also bears the unusual distinction of being one of the most haunted spots in Edinburgh. Edinburgh itself is one of the most haunted cities in Europe.
Visitors frequently report odd happenings in the castle. Paranormal sightings include those of a phantom piper, a headless drummer, the spirits of French prisoners from the Seven Years War and colonial prisoners from the American Revolutionary War - even the ghost of a dog wandering in the grounds' dog cemetery.

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My Top 11 Strange Yet Awesome USB Drives

I have always felt that there's no easier way to spice up life than to add some spice to your everyday tasks and equipments. I love USB - it's simple, it's straightforward, it's useful and it's AWESOME. Here is my gallery of the world's top 10 strange but awesome USBs.

 Star Wars Fever

 Monster Inc. incorporated in USB

 

Syringe USB Drive

Condom USB Drive

Emily's Strange USB Drive

The Swiss Army USB Drive

Teddy Bear USB

Probably the most irresistible: Doughnut USB

The Zombie Inspired Finger USB

Kitty Crystal USB

The Most Killing Of All

Top 5 Strange Exhibitions Around the World

Take a break from your stressful everyday life and fascinate yourself at one of these strange exhibitions which amaze millions of people around the world.

Body Worlds Exhibit

This is my most favourite and probably the most bizarre in this list of the strange exhibitions. Body worlds exhibit involves real human corpses, preserved by a process called plastination and presented in unique lifelike poses. It was founded by the German anatomist Gunther von Hagens who first presented his strange exhibition in Tokyo in 1995. Gunther's 'Skinless Wonders', as he likes to call them, are a source of great criticism chiefly from religious backgrounds as they are regarded as a disrespect to human remains.

Sublah International Museum of Toilets

Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak is the biggest toilet lover in the world. He is so obsessed with toilets that he even has his own toilet exhibition. The Sublah International Toilet Museum the one-of-a-kind toilet museum in the world which features every aspect of toilets. It covers the evolution of toilets with real life models and various toilet designs from around the world. He aims to educate people about the historical trends in the development of toilets and to understand and solve problems related to sanitation.

Museum of Eroticism

Paris is the first choice of exhibitionists from around the world given to its rich history and vibrant culture but no place puts on a show quite like the Musee de l’Erotisme (French for: Museum of Eroticism), the $ex museum showcasing the art and artefacts describing the evolution of $exual awakening. There are five floors and each floor portrays a  unique theme. Not surprisingly, only adults are allowed to enter.

Carsten Holler's Test Site

Carsten Höller’s largely well known sculpture is made up of five different slides that run from the upper floors of the gallery to ground level. The tallest of them being more than 52ft. Carsten Holler describes his work as a platform of interaction. Holler says that sliding down, especially from the higher levels, was an experience that helps combat stress and depression.

Museum of Medieval Torture Instruments

In the middle ages, torture was a common punishment for all kinds of crimes from raping to murder and above all heresy. The museum of Medieval Torture Instruments is dedicated to showcasing the means by which confessions were extracted from alleged criminals in the European criminal justice system 500 years ago. The museum features more than 60 terrible torture devices in a 45 minute tour which is also loaded with tutorials on how to operate each device.

Body Worlds Exhibit: Gunther Von Hagens Turns Dead into Art

The infamous German anatomist Gunther von Hagens is the man who has earned himself a rather weird reputation of 'Mr. Death' by turning corpses alive. He is the developer and promoter of the Body Worlds exhibit. Body Worlds features dead people engaged in a variety of everyday activities from playing chess to dancing. The skin and several layers of body tissues are peeled in order to give the audience a closer look at the secrets of human life and death.


Body Worlds Exhibit gained a huge global gaze through the 2006, James Bond movie 'Casino Royale'. 
First started in 1995, the Body World has received more than 32 million visitors making it the most popular travelling exhibit in the world. Most of the people who have ever witnessed a Body World exhibit end up asking questions about where the heck they get so many human bodies? If you're troubling with the same question then let me tell you that all the bodies at the Body Worlds come from body donors who authorise their bodies to Body World with their own consent.

The bodies at Body Worlds are prepared and preserved by a special process called plastination which was also invented by Gunther von Hagens. Plastination involves the replacement of muscle water and fat by certain plastics yielding specimens which are odourless, decay-proof and rigid allowing them to be posed in lifelike positions. While people around the world are fascinated by Gunther's unusual art, he's not famous among all of them. The Body Worlds is banned in many parts of the world including Paris and Poland. Gunther von Hagens has faced serious criticism especially from religious groups who object the display of human remains. For many religious groups, the practice is like disrespecting a human corpse.

While religious groups object Gunther's display of human forms, some organisations express their concerns over the source of the bodies. But Gunther has put down all such claims, stating that the bodies come entirely from donors. Gunther von Hagens states that the objective of the Body Worlds is to educate common man about the body leading to better health awareness. But whatever the aim be, Gunther's 'Skinless Wonders' continues to fascinate thousands of eyeballs around the world by bridging the taboos of life and death, making it one of the most strange exhibitions in the world.

Further Reading:

A complete catalog of the Body Worlds. Includes articles by Dr. Gunther von Hagens, Dr. Angelina Whalley, Charleen M. Moor & C. Mackenzie Brown, Dr. Franz Josef Wetz, and Bazon Brock. This is a comprehensive book written by people from Body Worlds itself.

Buy it now on Amazon: Body Worlds - The original exhibition of real human bodies