Some things, science just can’t explain. How could an explosion 1000 times the size of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima not take any human lives? How did the fumes emitted by a living human cause more than twenty people to become ill? And why is there a bridge in Scotland that compels dogs to throw themselves off it?We look into some of the strangest mysteries ever to be documented on this Earth.

The Tunguska Event

In the early morning of June 30, 1908, a huge explosion 1,000 times more powerful than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima flattened 2000 square kilometres of forest in the sparsely populated Siberian Taiga. Astoundingly, there were no known human casualties from the event.Evenki natives and Russian settlers played witness to an intense blue light, almost as bright as the sun, moving across the sky. It was almost ten minutes later that there was a flash and a huge sound, accompanied by a shock wave that broke windows and knocked people off their feet even hundreds of kilometres away.The explosion was registered across Eurasia, but even more astoundingly, the event caused the skies to glow over the next few nights — a phenomenon visible from across Europe and Asia. Interestingly, a very similar glowing-sky event was reproduced later in the century by space shuttle launches. The following comes from an eyewitness account of the event:At breakfast time I was sitting by the house at Vanavara Trading Post, facing north…I suddenly saw that directly to the north…the sky split in two and fire appeared high and wide over the forest. The split in the sky grew larger, and the entire northern side was covered with fire. At that moment I became so hot that I couldn’t bear it, as if my shirt was on fire; from the northern side, where the fire was, came strong heat. I wanted to tear off my shirt and throw it down, but then the sky shut closed, and a strong thump sounded, and I was thrown a few metres. I lost my senses for a moment, but then my wife ran out and led me to the house. After that such noise came, as if rocks were falling or cannons were firing.While the Tunguska event is technically classified as an impact event, no trace of meteoric impact has ever been found. No object was ever detected approaching the Earth, either. Other theories propose that the object could have been a comet — composed of ice rather than rock — that disintegrated as it entered the atmosphere.The most scientifically accepted explanation is that of an air burst from an asteroid or comet, or even an explosion caused by the ignition of natural gas from within the earth’s crust. However no one has ever been able to confirm the cause of the huge explosion. With an event like this, conspiracies are bound to crop up.Alternate explanations range from alien visitors to supernatural events — some have even hypothesised that a miniature black hole impacted the earth. Considering the similarities between Tunguska and much later space shuttle launches, the UFO theory is the most popular alternate explanation.Also unusual is the extreme remoteness of the occurrence. The Tunguska area is essentially uninhabitable for humans, and the huge explosion caused no known casualties – though charred reindeer corpses were found in their hundreds. If this had occurred over a highly populated metropolitan area, it could have razed an entire city and wiped out literally millions of people.Was the location of the explosion just divine good luck, or is it evidence that the event was planned by intelligent beings, whether human or otherwise?

The Toxic Lady

One night in February 1994, a woman was admitted to the emergency room of Riverside General Hospital suffering the effects of advanced cervical cancer. Something else was wrong, however. The woman had an oily sheen covering her skin, and she had a fruity, garlic-like odor about her. When her blood was drawn, the tube had a vaguely ammonia-like smell.At this point, attending nurses and medical professionals began to pass out. The first was Susan Kane, the nurse who had drawn blood from the woman. Once she was removed from the room, the medical resident Julie Gorchynski began to feel lightheaded, and she also passed out after leaving the trauma room. A respiratory therapist named Maureen Welch was the third to pass out, at which point the emergency room was evacuated aside from a skeleton crew who remained to look after the toxic woman.The woman, a housewife named Gloria Ramirez, died after 45 minutes of treatment, but her unusually potent toxicity will live on as one of medicine’s most enduring mysteries. Overall 23 people became ill and 5 were hospitalised, with those who had worked within two feet of Ramirez being at the highest risk.Symptoms included loss of consciousness, shortness of breath and muscle spasms, though all affected appeared to have normal blood tests after the exposure. An initial investigation blamed the phenomena on mass hysteria.But some people aren’t convinced. No one has ever been able to reproduce the chemical reaction that supposedly occurred within Ramirez’s body, and others have pointed out that the symptoms of those in the trauma room do not align with the symptoms of exposure to dimethyl sulfate, which reacts more like tear gas. To make the case even more questionable, the body was not released for an independent autopsy until it was badly decomposed and largely contaminated. Her heart was also missing when it was handed over. Could they have been trying to cover something up? Some believe so.An article in the now defunct New Times Los Angeles called the DMSO conclusion ridiculous, and put forth their own theory – that Riverside General was harbouring a hidden drug lab.It’s sensational, yes, but not entirely unlikely. Hospital staff could easily order the chemicals needed without suspicion, and the building is already equipped with legitimate labs. Beyond this, Riverside was even known as the “methamphetamine capital of the world” in the years surrounding this case. A similar operation was uncovered in a hospital in Denver in 1990.If this was the case, then Riverside likely would have been producing chemical ‘precursors’ that could then be turned into meth, rather than the finished product itself. Some of these chemicals are known to release dangerous chemical fumes like those encountered in the trauma room on the night of Ramirez’s death.Charles Cox, a Cal/OSHA district manager postulates that hospital staff could have been storing these chemicals in IV bags to be sent out on the black market, at which point one had accidentally been hooked up to Gloria Ramirez. Most of the staff who were strongly affected by the fumes were those who directly handled the woman’s IV lines.It’s a plausible theory, and even more likely when you consider the secrecy that followed. Ramirez’s body was kept hidden away, the syringe used to draw her blood was lost, the bedding materials thrown away and the IV bag never tested. Her heart was never returned with the body.Coverup, medical anomaly or something else entirely, someone has gone to lengths to make sure the truth about Riverside’s Toxic Lady is never discovered.

Dyatlov Pass

Everything weird seems to happen in Russia. In the early days of February 1959, a group of nine hikers failed to return from a challenging trek they had undertaken through the northern Ural mountains.It wasn’t until they were more than a week overdue that the first search and rescue groups were sent — at first consisting of fellow teachers and students at the Ural Polytechnical Institute and later of military including search planes and helicopters. It took searchers almost a week to find the battered and slashed remains of the group’s tent — which was empty.The tent was only the beginning of the Dyatlov Pass mystery, but it baffled the searchers. All the groups belongings and shoes had been left behind, and the tent was cut open from the inside as if they had fled in panic. Many different sets of footprints left by people wearing socks, a single shoe or even barefoot, led down towards the edge of the forest. Down here, the searchers found the remains of a fire — and the first two bodies.These two hikers were dressed only in their underwear, and were shoeless. Branches on the tree they were under were broken at heights that suggested that the men were trying to climb up, or had climbed up before their death. In the stretch between this tree and the tent the searchers found three more bodies buried in the snow, their poses looking like they were attempting to return to the tent.It was more than four months before the remaining four hikers were found in a ravine under four meters of snow, almost 100 meters further into the woods from the forest’s edge. These four were better dressed, as though the others had relinquished their clothing to them.While some of these events are consistent with hypothermia and a phenomenon called ‘paradoxical undressing’ — where hypothermia sufferers will undress as they begin to feel unexpectedly hot as their nerves and mental faculties fail — there were still elements that didn’t make sense. Three of the hikers had fatal internal injuries, with one doctor comparing the force required for such trauma to be comparable to that of a car crash. Some sources even claimed that there were high doses of radioactive contamination on some of the bodies, while one witness claimed that the corpses had a “deep brown tan”.While theories on what happened to the hikers range from cryptozoological to extra-terrestrial to the standard secret Russian weapons testing, it’s unlikely we’ll ever know what really happened on Dyatlov Pass.

Isdal Woman

If you’ve devoured all the details of the mysterious demise of the Somerton man — the so-called Tamam Shud case — then you’ll want to know about the eerily similar case of the Isdal Woman. With a burned body, a glamorous woman, multiple identities and mysterious men in black, the case strongly suggests that the Isdal Woman was involved in something beyond most people’s understanding.On November 29, 1970, a man and his two young daughters came across the charred remains of a naked woman, hidden among rocks on a remote hiking trail of Norway’s Isdalen Valley. What remained of the woman’s neck was bruised from some sort of blunt force trauma. Near the body were a handful of pink sleeping pills, a packed lunch, an empty bottle of liqueur and two plastic bottles that had held gasoline.Police called to the scene later found a burned out passport in the area. The autopsy showed that she had died from a combination of burns and carbon monoxide poisoning, while traces of at least 50 sleeping pills remained in her body. Her fingerprints were also found to have been sanded away.22 years after the Somerton Man was found dead in South Australia, this case in Norway seemed to repeat those strange happenings all over again. In an odd reflection of the earlier event, two suitcases belonging to the woman were found checked in to a train station in Bergen. When searching through the possessions inside, police found that the labels had also been removed from every piece of clothing she owned. Also inside was a prescription for a lotion, on which the doctor’s name and date had been removed.In the trunk was a small notebook in which the woman had jotted down several coded entries, though there was no key to the code. When police eventually cracked her code, it was found to detail dates and places of the woman’s previous travels.Investigators were able to find out much more about the Isdal Woman than has ever been evident about the Somerton Man. She had dental work that was distinctive to Latin America. She spoke French, German, English and Dutch. She was fond of porridge and milk. She often changed rooms after checking in at various hotels.She had a provocative style of dress. She wore a number of different wigs, and one was found in her possessions along with several pairs of non-prescription glasses. She called herself an antiques collector from South Africa. She went by nine different identities when travelling around Europe: Jenevive Lancia, Claudia Tjelt, Vera Schlosseneck, Claudia Nielsen, Alexia Zarna-Merchez, Vera Jarle, Finella Lorck and Elizabeth Leen Hoywfer. None of them were her own.The various sketches of her that exist are evocative — conjuring the perfect image of a glamorous Bond girl or Hollywood spy — though it should be noted that one photograph commonly connected with the Isdal Woman is actually that of another unknown decedent, the Ophelia of the Seine.An account of her last days comes from the Doe Network:

•March 20, 1970 – she travels from Geneva to Oslo•March 21-24, 1970 – she lives at Hotel Viking in Oslo using the name “Genevieve Lancier”.•March 24 – flies from Oslo to Stavanger, takes the boat to Bergen, stays the night at Hotel Bristol using the name “Claudia Tielt”.•March 25 – April 1- stays at hotel Scandia in Bergen, still as “C. Tielt”•April 1 – travels from Bergen to Stavanger, and on to Kristiansand, Hirtshals, Hamburg and Basel. Thats the last trace of her in Norway until she returns six months later.•October 3 – travels from Stockholm to Oslo, and on to Oppdal, stays the night at the hotel there together with Italian photographer Giovanni Trimboli•October 22 – stays at hotel Altona in Paris•October 23 – 29 – stays at Hotel de Calais in Paris•October 29 – 30 – goes from Paris to Stavanger and on to Bergen•October 30 – November 5 – checks in to hotel Neptun using the name “Alexia Zerner-Merches”; she meets an unknown man at the hotel.•November 6 – 9 – she travels to Trondheim, lives at hotel Bristol using the name “Vera Jarle”.•November 9 – goes to Oslo and on to Stavanger where she stays at Hotel St. Svitun using the name “Fenella Lorch”.•November 18 – goes with the boat Vingtor to Bergen where she stays at hotel Rosenkrantz using the name “Elisabeth Leenhower” from Belgium.•November 19- 23 – stays at hotel Hordaheimen, stays in the room a lot and seems watchful.•November 23 – leaves the hotel in the morning, pays in cash and goes to the railway station where she places 2 pieces of luggage in a depository box.•November 29 – she is located dead in Isdalen.

The Italian photographer she had met up with was tracked down through a postcard she had of one of his photos. He had given her a lift and had dinner with her some time before her death. He told police that she had told him she was from South Africa, and that she had six months to see the most beautiful places in Norway. Ultimately, this line of investigation didn’t turn up any new information as to the woman’s identity or mysterious demise.Other witnesses came forward with their testimony, with one woman claiming that she had overheard the woman talking to a man in a hotel in Bergen. The woman had allegedly said to him “Ich komme bald” — “I am coming soon” in German.On November 23, the Isdal Woman was seen for the last time as she checked out of her hotel. She paid in cash, then asked for a taxi to be called for her. While at the hotel, staff said she seemed like she was on guard all the time. The taxi took her to the railway station, where she left two pieces of luggage — and the trail ends there.Further information was revealed only a few years ago in the early 2000s, when a hiker came forward to reveal that he had encountered the woman on a hike on November 24, 1970 — five days before her body was found. It was nearing dusk when he saw the woman hurrying along the trail towards her, dressed for the town rather than the mountains. Her face was distorted by fear, and she seemed to want to say something to the hiker, though appeared intimidated by two black-coated men who followed. He described the two men as being of foreign appearance.As soon as the hiker heard of the body that was found in the mountains, he contacted police to tell what he had seen, though was met with a puzzling response. The policeman he talked to told him: “Forget her, she was dispatched. The case will never be solved”. The man kept his silence for 32 years, only recently speaking out about what he had seen.The police eventually ruled the death a suicide, but in light of the evidence that’s been unearthed, that conclusion has always been highly controversial.

Overtoun Bridge

There’s nothing particularly special about the Overtoun Bridge in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland. It was built in 1895 for ease of access to Overtoun house, and while it is quite a nice looking bridge, it isn’t anything special compared to most historical sites in Scotland. Except for the fact that dogs crossing the bridge feel compelled to throw themselves from the bridge to their inevitable demise.This phenomenon has been occurring since the 1950s or 60s, with the bridge claiming the lives of dogs at an average rate of one per year. At this stage, it has claimed more than 50 dogs’ lives. Some dogs will even leap off the bridge a second time if they happen to survive the first.There are some similarities in most cases of dog suicides at Overtoun. Most of the incidents seem to happen at the same place — between the final two parapets of the bridge on the right hand side. It mostly happens in clear weather, and it also tends to happen with breeds with long snouts such as labs, collies and retrievers.The mystery has been studied in depth, and the best answer anyone could come up with was that dogs were being lured to their death by a potent odor of male mink urine. This is despite a local hunter swearing that there were no mink nearby. Even if there were, mink are not confined to that one corner of Scotland, and this phenomenon doesn’t seem to happen anywhere else.The Overtoun Bridge mystery opens up a lot of questions about domesticated animals and whether they would deliberately commit suicide. Considering it only happens at that one spot, there seems to be something else at play here, however.Local legend claims the bridge is haunted, and at least one human victim has experienced its effects. In October 1994, a man named Kevin Moy threw his two week old son from the bridge, condemning the infant to death as he believed the child was the Anti-Christ. Moy then attempted to end his own life in the same way, though was unsuccessful.A sign has been erected in recent years at Overtoun Bridge, warning dog owners to keep their pets on a lead.Gizmodo explores the smart design, breakthrough science and awe-inspiring tech shaping your future.Follow Gizmodo on Facebook and Twitter.By Hayley Williams – Gizmodo

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If you’ve got a Facebook or Twitter feed, or the internet in general, you’ll be familiar with the constant influx of news infiltrating our minds and allocated procrastination time on a day-to-day basis. So, how does one sort the newsworthy from the clickworthy?

Well, we’ve made life a little easier for you by hand-selecting 5 trending news topics you need to know about today. Whether you’re keen on having an opinion at after-work drinks tonight, or you just want to get clued-up on the world’s issues, read on for a quick digital download of news guaranteed to keep you up-to-date.

#1 Pokémon Go Goes Too Far

We get it, Pokémon Go is a thing and it’s sweeping the nation, but it may have just gone one step too far. A 19-year-old Australian man crashed his car into a school in Melbourne’s South-East last night while trying to catch a Pokemon. Apparently, he overshot a roundabout and smashed through a fence before hitting an empty portable classroom at Xavier College.

“The 19-year-old did not level up nor collect any stardust or candies, only debris from the crash,” police spokeswoman Julie-Anne Newman said. “Any ‘Poke balls’, eggs or potions the driver may have had remaining only attracted police, leaving the wild Pokemon for another day,” she added. Good to see even the police are seeing the lighter side of the situation. Fortunately no one was injured, by c’mon guys! When will the madness end?

#2 Hillary Clinton Makes History

Today, Hillary Clinton took the stage at the Democratic National Convention to become the first woman ever to accept a major U.S. party’s presidential nomination.

“It is with humility, determination and boundless confidence in America’s promise that I accept your nomination for President of the United States,” Clinton said to a huge crowd at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.

Clinton was supported by her daughter Chelsea, who introduced her as the next President of the United States, as well as President Barack Obama who congratulated Clinton on her speech.

One thing from Clinton’s address is clear, and that is she has no time for Trump. “A man you can bait with a tweet is not a man we can trust with nuclear weapons.” Well said, Hillary.

#3 Froome Takes Out 2016 Tour De France

Britain’s Chris Froome won his third Tour de France last Sunday, confirming his status as one of the all-time greats on the world’s most gruelling race.

Froome beat Frenchman Romain Bardet with an almost 3-minute advantage. “It’s an absolutely amazing feeling. It feels like a privilege to be in this position,” said Froome. “I’ve always had my team-mates around me. This race was even tougher (than previous victories). We haven’t won the team competition but by far we’ve had the strongest team here – I’m incredibly grateful for that.”

Final Results:

1. Chris Froome
2. Romain Bardet, at +2.52
3. Nairo Quintana, at +3.08
4. Adam Yates, at +3.29
5. Richie Porte, at +4.04

#4 PM Turnbull Rejects Kevin Rudd’s UN Bid

Today, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull thwarted former PM Kevin Rudd’s bid to become UN secretary-general, overruling his deputy Julie Bishop to side with a majority of cabinet ministers who regard Rudd as unfit for the role.

This clearly hasn’t gone down well with the Labor party, whose frontbencher Richard Marles has some strong words for Coalition’s resistance. “What we’ve got is a government which is harking back to a small-time partisanship and denying the opportunity for Australia to have a genuinely serious candidate for the most senior job in the UN, which would be a moment of history for our country.”

Kevin Rudd, right for the UN or not?

#5 The Internet Celebrates Its 10,000th Day

Did you know that the World Wide Web has been in existence for a whopping 10,000 days? Well, today marks the internet’s birthday, and how far we’ve come.

10,000 days ago, Sir Timothy Berners-Lee, widely regarded as the inventor of the web, made his proposal for an information management system on March 12, 1989. Since then, the web has transformed the way we communicate, learn and connect.

The post Weekly Download: 5 Trending Topics You Need To Know Today appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Officine Panerai are taking functionality told bold new levels with the unveiling of two striking Luminor 1950 Equation of Time 8 Days GMT models.

Firstly, the differences. The watches come in two distinct dial colours of brown sun-brushed sandwich (PAM00656) and Blue sun-brushed sandwich (PAM00670) with beige Super-LumiNova accents. The pair also comes accompanied with a dark brown alligator strap bearing beige stitching whilst the blue version receives a dark blue alligator strap.

RELATED: 10 Best Places To Buy Watches In Sydney

Inside the iconic Paneria designed 47mm titanium case of both models resides the hand-wound P.2002/E 8 Days Equation of Time movement.

This provides the watches with a host of functions including hours, minutes, small seconds, date, month, Equation of Time, GMT, 24h indicator on the 9 o’clock, 6 o’clock and 3 o’clock markers. On the reverse side of the watch is a power reserve indicator and seconds reset function.

Both timepieces boast an impressive 192-hour power reserve as well as a 100 metre water resistance rating.

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In today’s world of fast fashion and fleeting trends, authenticity is something craved and coveted by many. When authentic product design is the result of a clever and creative collaboration? Well, you’re onto a winner.

Enter G-Star RAW Research with Aitor Throup. Last month, for the first time ever, Dutch denim brand G-Star RAW took to Paris Men’s Fashion Week to showcase its latest and most directional capsule collection ever, crafted in collaboration with progressive artist, designer and creative director Aitor Throup.

Buenos Aires-born Throup has lead a captivating career, first as a Creative Consultant for British football brand Umbro, followed by Creative Direction for musical acts Kasabian and Blur’s Damon Albarn, leading him to present his very own product line ‘New Object Research’ in 2013.

A year, and multiple accolades later, Throup was appointed as Creative Consultant at G-Star. After approaching Aitor a few years ago, the designer flew to G-Star’s Amsterdam HQ to discover an instant creative connection with the brand. “I just saw some real deep interest in product design both through their garments but also through their product collaborations,” Throup told D’Marge. “They work beyond just fashion and more into product design, but they also work more artistically in an expressive way…surpassing the value of fashion by investigating deeper into product design and into art itself.”

G-Star RAW Research was born from G-Star’s internal innovation laboratory, a space focused on experimenting with new design by clashing tradition and innovation. “We just wanted to create a place where we were able to imagine, research and develop products that were not necessarily commercially driven or briefed by the company or the brand…a place where we were able to take risks,” Throup said.

This process of exploration, curiosity and experimentation with denim resulted in two polar opposite states in the life of denim.

On one extreme: rigid, untreated, raw denim, and on the other: bleached-white denim where only a hint of indigo remains.

Aitor’s work with G-Star was originally intended to form only part of a larger collection, integrated and sold through normal distribution, but a different direction was taken. “When we first presented, the collection of prototypes were so clean, in the same fabrics and it just looked really beautiful.” It was only then that Aitor and G-Star decided to allow the prototypes to form the entire collection.

The 20-piece collection is visually quite striking and includes bleached versions of G-Star’s iconic 3D tapered jeans and bomber, a jacket that can be taken off yet remain attached to the body through an innovative strapping system.

“I think the collection is awesome when you wear it all together, making a really clear statement,” he said. “I’ve also been wearing the dark denim with black and then the light denim with white. But then again I’ve also worn all-black outfits with just a pop of white denim – it just works.”

G-Star has garnered a reputation over the years for this pared back and fuss-free look.

It helps that the Dutch brand were among the first to propose raw denim as a style statement, introducing the concept into their collection when other denim labels were focusing solely on a multitude of washes and curated materials. “If you have interesting and unique developments, forms and objects that you’ve designed with denim in mind, then the ultimate, cleanest, purest way of showcasing them is without any treatment – in the raw state – so it can age and grow with you,” says Aitor.

So does Throup consider G-Star’s determination to stray from the status quo a form of innovation? “Innovation is a very charged word that can be associated with improving something and making it better than what came before, but we are more interested in research, in exploration, in dreaming and in imagining what is new, what can be done differently, and through that you stumble on innovation.”

What is clearly important to the 36-year-old creative is the concept of collaborative creation. “Working collaboratively has allowed me to express myself to the maximum, whether it’s working with different companies, or within my own studio, that’s what allows me to think bigger, achieve bigger and get to a more exciting place than you normally would. Learning to work with people is crucial to this evolution.”

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The following article has been sponsored by HP

When the humble laptop grows up, goes on a diet and dons a flashy new suit which doesn’t impede performance, it’s time to put those tablets on probation.

Inside The Design

The HP Spectre holds the impressive record as the world’s thinnest laptop today, coming in at a ridiculously svelte 10.4mm thick. What makes this feat even more impressive though is the fact that the HP boffins didn’t allow the shrunken-down unit to compromise any of its processing power in pursuit of good looks.

Built around a stringent design criteria, HP’s latest laptop is destined for the hands of the modern discerning man who prioritises aesthetic appeal alongside seamless functionality in both work and play.

This is a striking feature which can be seen in the laptop’s luxe appointment of copper accents against a full satin black finish. Even the HP logo scores a slick new copper makeover to ensure that users stand out for all the right reasons.

Of course good looks is only secondary to what a true laptop is designed to do: Perform anytime, anywhere.

Technical Specifications

The HP Spectre is a high achiever in its class boasting Intel’s sixth generation Core i5 and i7 technology to ensure the most advanced processing power available at one’s fingertips. To keep up with the speed, the Spectre comes with storage options in either 256GB or 512GB alongside 8GB of RAM.

The result is stunning visuals and seamless operation projected onto the FHD 13.3-inch LED display. The Spectre even manages to promise 9 hours of battery life whilst weighing in at a barely noticeable 1.11kg.

Finishing Touches

For us the beauty of the HP Spectre lies in its exacting detail and execution of a compact performer. Running this machine for a few days proved how seamlessly the software kicks to life on the go whilst any lingering fear of a lack of processing power was quickly diminished.

The post HP Spectre: The World's Most Ridiculously Handsome Laptop appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Does the mention of wallpaper transport you back to grandma’s house in the 1980s and 90s, where chintz wallpaper reigned, cheeks were perpetually pinched and the smell of mothballs overwhelmed the senses?Thankfully, wallpaper has come a long way since it was a hit with the elderly and it’s no longer synonymous with daggy feminine décor. In fact, wallpaper is cool again. Read on to see how easy it is to incorporate a splash of wallpaper into your pad.

#1 Perfect Patterns

Forget florals and pretty pastels, there are mountains of modern (masculine) wallpaper designs available. Striped wallpaper is effective at opening up and elongating rooms with low ceilings, while geometric prints are particularly effective at making a bold statement. However, care must be taken when furnishing the rest of the room. For example, a wallpapered bedroom should forgo a fancy or elaborate bedhead.Regardless of the pattern you decide on, decorate the rest of the room in colours featured in the wallpaper. Pick two or three shades that appeal to you and stick with these when furnishing and decorating.

#2 Off The Wall

Wallpaper is versatile and doesn’t need to be relegated to walls alone. A popular trend sees wallpaper splashbacks in the kitchen. Covered with Plexiglas, a wallpaper splashback is an interesting and cost effective way to update your kitchen.Ceilings are another place wallpaper has been cropping up. Think like Michelangelo and create your own Sistine chapel at home. Resist the urge to wallpaper the ceiling of every room in your house, as it will be too busy and counterproductive in some rooms (particularly living or media rooms where there is a lot going on already). The bedroom ceiling is a good place to start, as it will enjoy more attention than any other ceiling in your pad (we can only hope), and make an interesting focal point for yourself or any horizontal companions. Keep surrounding walls stark and plain to draw the eye up and create an intimate atmosphere.Doors also work well when wallpapered, as do stairs (the underside, not the surface you walk over every day) or even furniture like desks, bookshelves and chests of drawers.

#3 Trompe L’oeil

Tromp l’oeil is the French phrase for ‘deceive the eye’ and the printing techniques available today have made these optical illusions more realistic than ever. Perfect for murals or on doors, tromp l’oeil wallpaper is a fun way to inject some personality into your home.

#4 Feature Wall

If wallpapering an entire room sounds too much like hard work (and it can be tedious and fiddly), consider a feature wall in the living room or bedroom. Bold, bright prints work best when applied to a single wall, so don’t be afraid to go loud. Incorporate pillow covers and blankets with similar patterns or colours for a sleek and cohesive finish.Tip: Always paint the walls surrounding a feature wall white or with a solid colour found in the wallpaper (lighter hues are preferable and allow the feature wall to enjoy the limelight).

#5 Size Matters

For those going down the feature wall path, it’s always advisable to wallpaper smaller walls. Vast, sweeping walls will be overwhelming and overshadow anything else in the room. 

#6 Go With Grasscloth

Grasscloth wallpaper is making waves in the design world, and is produced using arrowroot, jute and reed fibres. The natural and raw appeal of this type of wallpaper combines perfectly with modern interiors. It looks great paired with wooden floorboards for a classic look, or concrete floors for a striking result.

#7 Metallic Wallpaper

Metallic wallpaper is another D’Marge favourite thanks to its decedent masculinity. Deep bronze hues with pops of gold and silver are lush and stylish without looking feminine. Plus, they transform low-light rooms into fresh spaces that reflect light.

#8 Paintable Textured Wallpaper (Anaglypta)

Paintable and customisable wallpapers are growing in popularity. Choose any colour and texture you desire, or paint directly onto the wallpaper yourself for a personalised product that will act as a focal point and conversation starter. Tip: Unless you’re a Mr. Handyman DIY god, employ a professional to install wallpaper. The extra cost is worth avoiding the expense and annoyance of poorly prepared and laid wallpaper.

The post 8 Masculine Ways To Incorporate Wallpaper Into Your Home appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

It’s a soul-destroying moment, when you’re waiting on an important text message or stuck deep down an Instagram rabbit hole and your iPhone decides it wants to run out of battery. Unless you’re keen on carrying around a chunky portable charger, zero battery means you’re stranded until you find a nearby powerpoint.

However, there are ways to be clever about how you use your iPhone to avoid it going flat. Not all of your apps are built equally – some start draining your battery as soon as you’ve tapped them open, while others require less power. Get clued-up and check out the 4 apps that are killing your battery the most, from AVG’s Android App Performance and Trend Report.

#1 Facebook

Catching up on your old high school mate’s lives and scrolling through an endless newsfeed of cat videos and memes is going to have a serious impact on your phone’s battery life. This is largely thanks to Facebook‘s constant background notification checks, which run when the app isn’t even in-use.

#2 Google Maps

You’ve woken up with a sore head and 10% battery in the middle of nowhere, desperate to haul arse home. Think you can trust Google Maps? Sure, but prepare for your phone to die. It’s a heavy piece of software that uses a significant amounts of data, processing power and battery. It’s always rendering new maps, grabbing business information, looking for your location and more.

#3 Facebook Messenger

Using Facebook Messenger to chat to friends has today become just as acceptable as text messaging, but most don’t realise how much battery the app chews through. Earlier this year, media reports found that Facebook Messenger was slowing smartphones by a whopping 15%, mostly due to processes that secretly run in the background, even when you’re not chatting on the app.

#4 Instagram

As we mentioned earlier, there’s nothing quite like finding yourself deep in an Instagram rabbit hole, perusing the feed of a friend’s ex-girlfriends’s sister. It’s all fun and games, but it’s secretly draining your phone of it’s precious power. Again, Instagram runs processes in the background that chew through your power and leave you on a low percentage for the rest of the day.

[via ShortList]

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Donald Trump may have a lot of supporters in the U.S. Presidential election, but he’s also made a lot of enemies, particularly in Hollywood. 100 celebrities took to Twitter earlier this week to sign a pledge which could stop the Republican nominee from ever gracing the White House with his charming presence.

The list of Hollywood heavyweights who have been speaking out against Trump includes everyone from Mark Ruffalo to Kerry Washington, Lena Dunham, Adam McKay, Olivia Wilde, Neil Patrick Harris, Russell Simmons and many more.

“We are a coalition of artists who, today, are joining millions of Americans in our commitment to defeat the presumptive Republican nominee for president, Donald Trump. We believe it is our responsibility to use our platforms to bring attention to the dangers of a Trump presidency, and to the real and present threats of his candidacy,” the pledge, in part, reads.

It also goes on to say Trump’s words have negatively affected most marginalised groups in the U.S. including immigrants, the LGBTQ community, black people, Mexican people, women, Asian people and more.

Calling themselves United Against Hate (through MoveOn.org) these celebrities are using the pledge to articulate their dedication to “use the power of our voice and the power of our voice and the power of our vote to defeat Donald Trump and the hateful ideology he represents.”

The post 100 Celebrities Have Just Pledged To Stop Trump appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

One of the world’s rarest Lotus rides is heading to the auction block – and it only has two wheels. The high-powered Lotus C-01 motorcycle was designed in 2014 by Daniel Simon, the man behind the light cycles of the Tron Legacy film.

With a limited production run of just 100 units, this particular C-01 has never been ridden and features a 200hp KTM 1,195cc V-twin engine complete with six-speed transmission, massive 320mm Brembo brakes and Ohlins suspension.

The bike’s fairings is where things really get wild though with throwback British green adorning the futuristic cafe racer body. Mandatory yellow accents are evident on the gaping intake which makes for an even bolder design statement. To complement a bike of this calibre, all of the panels are crafted from carbon fibre as well as the wheels.

The post Ultra Rare Lotus C-01 Is Heading To The Auctions appeared first on DMARGE Australia.