The discovery of Machu Picchu was actually the unintentional consequence of the search for Vilcabamba - a town established by the rebellious Inca Manco Capac II after Peru was invaded by the Spanish. From this town, the remaining Incas would attack the Spanish settlers in Cusco for the following 36 years. But in 1572, the Spanish invaded the troublesome settlement, and executed Manco Capac's successor ending the Incan dynasty. The location of this legendary settlement was forgotten - living on only in a few vague maps and clues left by future generations.
In 1909, 337 years after the last of the Incas was killed, Doctor Hiram Bingham from Yale University visited Peru and became fascinated by the legendary settlement and vowed to return in search of it. In 1911, he returned with seven others sponsored by Yale University and the National Geographic Society. In July, Bingham and his team set off on their explorative Inca trail trek and very quickly stumbled upon a settlement that they christened Patallacta (and sometimes called Llactapata).

In the early 1080s, William - the one who conquered Harold, with an arrow in his eye - started to construct a huge stone tower at the centre of London. Nothing so grand had ever been seen before. And over time, it grew wven larger, as each succesive king and queen added to it.
William, Duke of Normandy invaded and defeated the English under King Harold at the Battle of Hastings. Realising he must next secure England's most powerful city - London - he did not attack directly but first laid waste to the surrounding countryside. An advance guard went to London to construct a fortress and prepare for his triumphal entry into the city. After his coronation in Westminster Abbey on Christmas Day 1066, the new king withdrew to Barking in Essex, while several strongholds were made ready in the City to safeguard against the fierce population. Historical evidence makes us think that one of William's strongholds was in the south-east corner of the Londinium Roman city walls, on the site where the Tower of London was constructed. These early defences...

Black mambas are one of Africa’s most dangerous and feared snakes. Nothing is truer when you are standing in front of big black mamba hissing loudly, mouth gaping, striking rapidly in your direction. But are all the frightening stories about black mambas true? I don’t think so. On the African continent many myths are told about these wonderful creatures. Stories abound about black mambas chasing people for miles, attacking when they notice you and visiting houses to kill every single person inside. All are exaggerations.
Black mambas live in the savannas and rocky hills of southern and eastern Africa. They are Africa’s longest venomous snake, reaching up to 14 feet (4.5 meters) in length, although 8.2 feet (2.5 meters) is more the average. They are also among the fastest snakes in the world, slithering at speeds of up to 12.5 miles per hour (20 kilometers per hour).
A black mamba family was observed on the banks of the Limpopo River. There were three mambas, each about 2,5 meters long, occupying a heap of large creeper-covered boulders near a river bank. Sugar birds would hover near...