“Though she be but little, she is fierce.” -William Shakespeare

Don’t be fooled by the diminutive proportions of this unassuming pepper. Though it’s barely the size of a man’s fingertip, it packs a serious punch – so serious it could actually kill you if you eat it.

A Welsh horticulturist by the name of Mike Smith is the evil genius behind this devilish new pepper, dubbed the Dragon’s Breath chili. The pepper measures 2.48m on the Scoville scale, making it the new world’s hottest chili. A single drop of the capsicum oil in the Dragon’s Breath would be detectable in 2.48 million drops of water. The pepper is so potent that ingesting one could potentially send the eater into fatal anaphylactic shock after burning their airways so badly they closed up.

The Dragon’s Breath claims the title of world’s hottest chili from the previous record holder, the Carolina Reaper, which clocks in around 2.2m heat units. The average jalapeño pepper, for reference, only manages between 2,500 and 10,000 on the Scoville scale – practically a vacation for your tastebuds by comparison.

So what good is a pepper you can’t even eat? Believe it or not, there is a potential positive use for the Dragon’s Breath that isn’t smiting your enemies at a dinner party.

Because the oil from it is capable of numbing the skin, the chili was developed to be used as an alternative to anaesthetic in countries that do not have access to or money for the drug. It could also be used for patients who are allergic to standard anaesthetic.

The Dragon’s Breath chili is so potent that must be kept in a specially sealed container. It will be on display at the Chelsea Flower Show in London between May 23 and 27. This is definitely a “look but don’t touch” situation.

The post The New World's Hottest Chili Could Literally Kill You appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

A fully-equipped ski room, helipads, an outdoor cinema, and even a nightclub – when it comes to superyachts, less is definitely not more. The world’s 1% happily splash out millions for the privilege of sunbathing in style and popping bottles with supermodels.

As for the rest of us… we’ll be sticking to afternoons on friends’ decrepit fishing boats and gawking at the big-ticket vessels from afar.

Our latest ogling comes courtesy of Boat International Media’s World Superyacht Awards. Now in their 12th year, the awards honour the year’s most remarkable and innovative superyachts. The winners of the 2017 awards were decided by a panel of 23 serial superyacht owners (imagine having ‘serial superyacht owner’ on your resume) who collectively possess “hundreds of years of experience owning, running and managing superyachts.”

Stewart Campbell, editor at Boat International Media, said:

“The World Superyacht Awards celebrate the best of the best. We’re very proud that we have built such a well-renowned platform that rewards truly exceptional yacht owners and shipyards from around the globe. Each year we see a staggering number of outstanding entries, making the panel’s job even harder. 2017 was no different. The unrivalled quality and creativity of this year’s winners is proof that the prestigious Neptune trophy is the definitive exemplar of yachting excellence.””

This year’s big winner is the US$600-million Dilbar, which was deemed “quite superb” by the panel of verbally-restrained judges. Dilbar clocks in at 157m in length and is the largest superyacht ever built in terms of gross tonnage. It has 20 cabins, two helipads, and is manned by 80 crew members.

The vessel also boasts the biggest swimming pool on any yacht (180 cubic metres) and a record-breaking 30,000kw diesel electric power plant. Russian-born business magnate Alisher Usmanov (net worth: US$14.6 billion) is the lucky owner.

The post Meet The Luxe Winners Of The World Superyacht Awards 2017 appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Ah, the humble station wagon. Where would a many family man be without the practicality of cramming in a lovely partner and a few ankle biters whose legitimacy you question on a daily basis.

Jaguar XFR-S Sportbrake

The XFR-S Sportbrake slots nicely as a halfway between the sedan version and the British brand’s bigger F-Pace SUV. It’s quite the menacing looker too which combines a very capable supercharged 5.0-litre V8 with 404kW of power and 680Nm of torque. This is enough to get the practical to 100km/h in kist 4.8 seconds. For the record the sedan version is just 0.2 seconds faster than its bigger bodied brother. Need to haul the family somewhere fast? 300km/h is the rated top speed though we’re sure you’ll lose your license and custody of the children well before that. On the flip side there’s 1,675 litres of storage space if the seats are folded down.

Golf R Wolfsburg Edition

It may be subtle in appearance but don’t be fooled by this wolf in sheep’s clothing. The Volkswagen Golf R Wolfsburg Edition wears a special badge which sees a host of aesthetic and creature comfort upgrades both inside and out. It comes with the practicality of a wagon body whilst boasting some serious performance credentials derived from the Golf R’s 2.0-litre TSI four-cylinder turbo engine which affords 205kW of power and 380Nm of torque. Paired with a rapid shifting dual clutch DSG and VW’s 4Motion all-wheel-drive and you have a serious sleeper fast wagon which can dispatch the 0-100km/h in just 5.2 seconds.

Mercedes-AMG E63 S

When AMG deliver a fast wagon it’s a thing of beauty, rarity and sheer exhilaration. Simply take a peak at the gaping front fascia and you’ll soon realise that this family get around packs a serious punch. That’s thanks in part to the AMG upgrades to the E63 which receives a twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 pumping out 450kW of power and 850Nm of torque. Putting the power to the ground is Benz’s AWD system paired with a nine-speed auto for you know, those comfy family cruising duties. If said family cruises required the 0-100km/h sprint to be dispatched in 3.4 seconds.

Ferrari GTC4 Lusso T

The GTC4 Lusso T is the prancing horse’s grown-ups car. Sort of. It has four seats. The engine is up front and the boot is good enough for golf bags and some weekend luggage. But wearing the Ferrari badge means it also has to do Ferrari things. Enter the 3.9-litre twin turbo that lurks beneath this shooting brake’s svelte lines. The Lusso T affords 449kW of power and 760Nm of torque in order to demolish the 0-100km/h sprint in just 3.4 seconds. Helping the car move is the omission of the V12 version’s AWD system which allows the Lusso T to behave more like a front-engined rear-wheel-drive sports car – filled with life’s daily haul.

Audi RS6 Avant

Ballistic performance is the only way to describe Audi’s most capable people mover which easily rivals the performance of a Porsche 911 R. With power figures like 445kW and 700Nm of torque (750Nm with the overboost function), the RS6 can demolish the 0-100km/h sprint in just 3.7 seconds. This is a fully loaded station wagon, people. Helping to get that power down is Audi’s legendary Quattro all-wheel-drive system which will have you and your passengers pinned to the seat upon take off. But does it drift? Technically, yes. The term for controlled sliding doesn’t usually cross paths with ‘wagon’ but in the case of 700Nm, the RS6 has no issues frying some tyres in the name of some old fashioned tail wagging. Stopping is a non-issue too with the RS6 coming with massive carbon ceramic brakes.

Porsche Panamera

Taking the iconic 911 lines to a bigger and more practical body is never an easy feat but the Stuttgart engineers have seemingly pulled it off with the Panamera Turbo. The luxury car gets the driver and its four occupants moving with the help of a twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 which puts down 410kW of power and 769Nm of torque. It also comes with four different drive modes to suit your mood.

BMW M5 Touring

The M5 Touring is definitely a rare sight to behold. That’s because it only ever existed in two models – the E34 and the E61 pictured above. As a legitimate M car, it also had to be fast too and the wagon does this rather well with well over 370kW derived from its big 5.0-litre V10 engine which revs out all the way to 9,000rpm. The 0-100km/h sprint is dispatched in around 4 seconds whilst drivers had the option of a proper six-speed manual transmission. We think someone forgot to tell the Bavarians that this car was designed to lug around five adults including luggage, not destroy Nurburgring lap times.

Subaru Levorg GT-S Spec B

As the only Japanese entrant to the fast wagon game, Subaru can be proud of their latest Levorg Spec-B. Yes it has a ridiculous name but for an affordable wagon which looks the part of a rally car and can get around rather swiftly, the Levorg is rather potent. Practicality aside, the WRX wagon Levorg is powered by the same WRX engine in the turbo-charged 2.0-litre four cylinder. This means 197kW and 350Nm sent through Subraru’s constant AWD system via (sadly) an automatic-only CVT which takes away the potential for real fun. 0-100km/h is seen in 6.6 seconds which is respectable for the price range it’s playing in.

Bentley Flying Star

Wait, what? Believe it. The Bentley Flying Star was a special project created by Italian coachbuilder, Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera. Taking the Continental GTC as its base, the Flying Spur was masterfully crafted to ensure the lines of Bentley weren’t lost in this very special project for a “discerning enthusiast”. More surprisingly though, the car only featured two doors which made it even more unique as that kind of goes against the point of a wagon. Nonetheless a shooting brake design is still a shooting brake and this particular one came with Bentley’s big 6.0-litre V12 which could reach 100km/h in just 5.1 seconds – luxury trimmings included.

The post 10 Fast Wagons For Fun-Loving Adults appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

There’s a lot to love about concrete floors. Minimalist, masculine and sleek, they aren’t just for the construction site anymore.

Who would have thought that a slab of concrete would look so good in a domestic setting? Turns out, loads of people are discovering the benefits of concrete. It’s clean and sharp, and easily softened with the right furnishing.

In fact, concrete is the most versatile flooring option on the market right now. From a grungy man cave to a sophisticated pad, this type of flooring will suit almost any home.

Advantages Of Concrete

To be frank, it just looks awesome. The stark nature of concrete is genius at making small spaces look bigger. This is thanks to a lack of grout lines (tiles) and joining seams (floorboards). With a dose of sunshine, the floor also lightens up the room.

Given that there are no cracks and crevices, concrete is super easy to keep clean which makes maintenance an absolute treat for the man with little time (and spades of laziness). Concrete is also allergy-friendly meaning asthma sufferers and allergy-prone bros can breath a deep sigh of relief because dust and dirt have trouble sticking to concrete.

And if concrete were a dude, he’d be a tough son-of-a-bitch. Concrete floors will stand up to the harshest treatments from spills to smashed iPhones. Unlike wood or carpet, high traffic areas will not fade or become discoloured. Again, win-win.

On the aesthetic front concrete can also be personalised to your choosing from a wide range of colours, finishes and aggregates to achieve your desired result.

Disadvantages Of Concrete

There aren’t many but they do exist. What most will notice first is the comfort. Concrete is not as comfortable underfoot as carpet, wood and even tiles.

On top of that they’re also chilly during winter so socks or slippers are usually a must. Most significantly though, cracks can occur if the concrete isn’t laid properly. They also appear over time as your house ‘settles’.

Other than that the price of concrete might seem like a cheap option, but due to the prep work involved (you’ll need a professional) it can end up being one of the most expensive flooring options, especially if you want stencilling or other decorative add-ons.

Cool Concrete Flooring Methods

There’s more than one way to get concrete flooring which doesn’t involve a cement truck backing into your lounge room with great prejudice. Here are the three methods you need to know.

Steel Trowelled: Perfect for your basic, run-of-the-mill concrete floor. Depending on how good your trowel man is, there may be some marks left in the finished floor.

Burnished: Burnishing takes the steel trowel method and kicks it up a notch. After the concrete has set, a topcoat is added to give the floor a shiny appearance. Wax, resin coatings or liquid polishes are generally used.

Honed: Honed floors are smooth as a baby’s bottom. To achieve the durable results, floors are sanded with industrial-strength abrasives. This grinds the concrete down to a smooth, matte finish.

Concrete Finishes

If you’ve decided to go ahead the harder route then make sure you know your options before laying down some serious coin. These are the types of concrete finishes that are available on the market today.

Paste polish: This will ensure the aggregate is invisible and the colour is consistent.

Deep polish: Perfect for modern industrial spaces, deep polish exposes aggregate.

Salt and pepper finish: Get this look by erasing a top layer of concrete to expose large pieces of sand aggregate.

Stained Concrete: Much like stained wood, this option is available in all the colours of the rainbow.

Coloured concrete: Coloured and polished floors are the newest design trend to emerge in 2017. Concrete dyes are still pretty expensive, so seriously consider this option before you lay down a red floor that seemed like a good idea at the pub on Friday night.

Unlike a simple surface stain, the colour penetration in a dyed concrete floor makes for more VIVID and striking floors.

Distressed concrete floors: A popular alternative to floorboards. An artificial ageing process makes distressed concrete ideal for industrial and contemporary homes. Raw and rugged, this is one of our favourite finishes.

Decorative Work

Want to feel like a king? Why not have your initials stencilled into the concrete? Logos and stencils of all shapes, sizes and intricacies can be achieved. The only downside is that you can’t alter decorative work.

Whereas with a wooden floor can be sanded back and re-stained, decorative concrete work is permanent, and expensive, so sleep on it before making any big decisions.

Decorative options come in the form of plastic moulds, polyurethane lace stencils, and stamps (to achieve the look of stone, brick or wood).

The post Easy Ways To Add Masculinity With Polished Concrete Floors appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Porsche is the maker of some of the world’s most iconic sports cars so when they finally decided to lend a helping hand to the world of yachting it was bound to get some heads turning.

Teaming up with superyacht builder Dynamiq, design house F.A. Porsche have created the GTT 115 Hybrid which will allow owners to take to the seas in luxury and class with a hint of German exhilaration.

Compared to other superyachts out there, the GTT 115 Hybrid also isn’t as expensive with a humble pricetag of (just) €11.9 million – or about AUD$18 million. What well-heeled punters are getting for that humble figure is twin 1213kW MAN engines paired with a hybrid power system boasting twin 45kW Fischer Panda variable-speed generators located in the bow.

RELATED: What It’s Like To Work At Porsche

This should be enough to see the craft reach considerable speeds on the water but what most are keen to experience is the finer touches of Porsche design both inside and out. And they won’t be disappointed. The deck cushions wear the same houndstooth design from the heralded 911 R whilst the rear end mimics the rear hatch of a modern 911 complete with the signature sweeping tail light.

Another design element worth noting is the windows which stand at a generous two-metres in height both above deck and in the lower cabins.

Those who want one to accompany their Stuttgart companion on four wheels will need to move quick. Only seven GTT 115 Hybrids will be produced. You can find out more on how the craft was created in the video below.

The post Here's The Porsche Superyacht You've Been Waiting For appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Swiss watchmaker Breitling have teamed up with luxury retailer Watches of Switzerland to celebrate the latter’s 20th anniversary in style.

To mark two decades in business the collaboration revamped the Avenger Hurricane with a host of advanced features to make it one of the most masculine pieces to ever come out from the watchmaker. The standout feature here includes a case which retains the same XXL 50mm dimension but replaces the original material with a high-tech composite called Breitlight which is 3.3 times lighter than titanium and 5.8 times lighter than steel whilst still being harder than the latter.

RELATED: Places To Buy Fine Luxury Watches In Sydney

Set in a beautiful volcano black with a natural matte composite finish, the watch is complemented with bright orange highlights both on the dial and the military strap stitching which should make it highly appealing to the active and adventure crowds.

The watch is powered by Breitling’s Calibre B01 movement which is certified by COSC (Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute) for superior timing precision and features chronograph counters at the 9 o’clock, 6 o’clock and 3 o’clock markers.

Flipping the watch around will reveal a specially engraved caseback which wears the Watches of Switzerland logo along with the limited edition number out of a total of 20 exclusive units.

Definitely a cool way to commemorate twenty year’s since Eric van der Griend founded the first Watches of Switzerland boutique in Perth in 1997. Those keen can reserve their piece at Watches of Switzerland now.

The post Breitling Introduces An Advanced Avenger Hurricane 20th Anniversary Edition appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Banksy isn’t the only artist nabbing headlines for creating politically outspoken pieces. Lorenzo Quinn, a celebrated sculptor who has produced works for the United Nations and the Vatican, has unveiled a monumental sculpture in Venice that’s become one of the most talked-about pieces of the Venice Biennale 2017.The installation, called “Support”, depicts two larger-than-life hands rising from a canal to support the Ca’ Sagredo Hotel. The sculpture literally gives Venice a helping hand, symbolising both humanity’s capacity to destroy the world and its capacity to save it.On one hand, the gesture to protect the historic building is gallant. But on the other, the sculpture creates a sense of fear by highlighting the fragility of the building surrounded by water and the ebbing tide.“I wanted to sculpt what is considered the hardest and most technically challenging part of the human body. The hand holds so much power – the power to love, to hate, to create, to destroy,” said Quinn.The installation’s location in Venice, a city scientists predict will vanish underwater within a century if global warming is not stalled, adds an additional level of meaning to the piece. There is an immediate understanding of the environmental impact of climate change on places like Venice, and the hands symbolise the role people must play in supporting the location’s unique world heritage.“Venice is a floating art city that has inspired cultures for centuries,” Quinn said, “but to continue to do so it needs the support of our generation and future ones, because it is threatened by climate change and time decay.”The artists hopes the piece will draw attention to the effects of climate change on World Heritage Sites. “It evokes a powerful message which is that united we can make a stand to curb the climate change that affects us all,” he said on Instagram. “We must all collectively think of how we can protect our planet and by doing that we can protect our national heritage sites.”Support is part of the Venice Biennale, an annual art exhibition that attracts half a million people to the city each year, and will be available to see outside the Ca’ Sagredo Hotel until 26 November.

The post Two Mammoth Hands In Venice Highlight The Threat Of Climate Change appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Virtually reality has come a long way since its campier portrayals during the 80s and 90s. With the arrival of Oculus and other emerging technologies broadening its application in the modern world, virtual reality has once again flourished in everything from real estate house tours to interactive porn.

Today VR can mark yet another one off the milestone list with the arrival of Navitaire, a low-cost carrier reservation platform which allows users to to take on the role of a travel agent in the comfort of their own room. It sounds insane but doubters should see this more as a glimpse into the future of holidaying since the company behind it is travel-tech giant, Amadeus.

RELATED: Airbnb Unveils New Booking Tool For Business Travellers

What Navitaire does is essentially take away the scattered paperwork and logistical nightmare of holiday planning. Think stuff like picking your flight seats, paying for upgrades and even hiring a car upon your arrival. It’s all done with the swipe of a few hand gestures on a platform linked to your credit card so the entire transaction is conducted and witnessed by you.

Of course some hardware is required to use Navitaire. The standard headset comes paired with electronic ‘smart gloves’ so that you can play Tom Cruise in Minority Report with ease. It might not be consumer-ready just yet with bugs to be ironed out and security to be tested but it does make for an intriguing insight into the future.

The post Booking Your Holiday Will Soon Be Done In Virtual Reality appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Bienvenue à Paris – a city that receives more than 30 million visitors each year, yet never loses its eternal appeal for tourists.Paris is home to a seemingly infinite number of attractions, from the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe, to the Notre-Dame cathedral and the Basilique du Sacré-Cœur, to the windmill of the Moulin Rouge and the colourful Centre Pompidou.In the City of Lights, travellers can experience the planet’s finest art and one of its most famous shopping meccas. Chic hotels, charming apartments, and lush urban gardens dot the map, intermixed with Michelin-starred restaurants and endless quaint cafes. History seeps from every street corner and building facade.The real character of Paris is discovered in its nooks and crannies, in the secret alleyways and courtyards tucked away from the tourist spots and removed from the city’s abundant swank-but-sterile accommodations. If you’re lucky, you have a Parisian paramour who can show you the City of Love like a local. If not, there’s Airbnb.A recent study found that Paris hosts more Airbnb listings than anywhere else in the world. There are 78,000 properties dotted around the city’s twenty arrondissements – approximately one Airbnb property per every 30 residents. In 2015, you could even score a stay in the spooky Paris Catacombs.Though the underground ossuary is no longer on offer, there are still thousands of covetable spaces available for your next French adventure. Above you’ll find our picks for the best Airbnbs in Paris. Bon voyage.

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