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BBC: Planet 'seen' around distant sun
Scientists say they have photographed a planet outside the Solar System for the first time.
The European Southern Observatory group said the red image is the first direct shot of a planet around another star.
The parent star and planet are more than 200 light-years away near the southern constellation of Hydra.
"Your mission is to keep your student happy, fed, watered, studious and solvent for a week of 'in-game-time'." [via]
The Times: Britain's most remote voter makes his mark
Much of Britain may be gripped by election apathy but on a storm-tossed, rocky archipelago in the Atlantic the nation’s most remote constituent has cast his postal vote.
The unnamed man, who works at a missile-tracking station 112 miles off the northwest coast of Scotland on St Kilda, has voted in the highly marginal Western Isles constituency where Labour is struggling to hold off a strong Scottish National Party challenge.
St Kilda is a Unesco world heritage site because of its wildlife and its million-strong seabird population. Over 70 years ago its last permanent residents were evacuated to the mainland.
PeterboroughToday: Are you sure you're my dad?
It might seem quackers, but this odd couple are living proof of animal attraction.
Only a few days old, this orphaned duckling has found the most unusual of foster dads.
He has been taken under the wing of Snoop, a huge Doberman dog – and appears to think he is a dogling.
Snoop's owner, Stuart Wright, who lives in Fletton, was walking his pet along the banks of the River Nene, close to Railworld, in Peterborough yesterday afternoon.
Stuart said: "I was walking Snoop and saw him up ahead playing with something.
"He had a little duckling in his mouth. He put it down and was nuzzling it playfully.
"I was very surprised. If Snoop had got hold of a rabbit or something I would expect him to rip it to shreds."
Introducing the Goatse t-shirt. If you don't know, don't ask. [via]
Stuff On My Cat is an idea very similar to cat buckaroo. [via]
Those that thought that the picture I posted of an island airstrip was a fake should take a look at this site, this site and this site. Thanks to Nicholas Roussos for emailing me to let me know that the island is called Tern Island, which is part of the French Frigate Shoals, and can be found to the west of Hawaii.
Like a scene out of a Hollywood movie, this 80 mile wide sand storm approaches the Iraqi town of Al Asad. The 5,000ft high dust cloud was probably caused by heavy lorries breaking up the surface of the desert. [via]
Yahoo! Zebra Gives Birth to Foal Sired by Donkey
It's male. But what is it? A zonkey? A deebra? That's the debate in Barbados since a zebra gave birth to a foal sired by a donkey.
Alex was born April 21, a milk-chocolate brown creature with the black stripes of a zebra on his ears and legs. His face looks more like a horse, with a distinctive black "V" patch on the forehead.
While zebra hybrids are not uncommon, most Barbadians have never seen anything like Alex.
Picture via.
Pick your party and snowball the opposition. [via]
BBC: Car lands in home's upper floor
Two people have been injured - one seriously - after a car "took off" and smashed into the top floor of a house.
The injured people, who were in the car, were taken to hospital after the crash just before midnight on Wednesday, in Basingstoke, Hampshire.
A police spokeswoman said that one man was found in a passenger seat and the other man, who they believe could be the driver, was found under the front wheels.
Buy your very own mind-reading machine. [via a commenter]
A top model brought a Sydney street to a standstill when she had a bubble bath in a shop window.
Megan Gale was at David Jones in Sydney to promote her new range of beauty products.
Crowds of shoppers and office workers - most of them male - flocked to the store window after curtains parted to reveal her in a white tub. - Ananova
Why can't we have shops like that here? Wait, I know, it's because we would probably have some Newport slapper sitting in a bath rather than a good looking model.
A pretty bad rally crash. Not sure what the outcome was. 
ish
A major wipeout for a downhill skier. It makes you wonder why they put those barriers up. Probably NSFW due to adverts. [via]
