The Rhinoceros, Albrecht Dürer, 1515, Cleveland Museum of Art: Prints

In May 1515, the first rhinoceros since antiquity to reach Europe alive arrived in Lisbon, Portugal. The ruler of Gujarat, Sultan Muzafar II, presented the exotic beast to the governor of Portuguese India, Alfonso d’Albuquerque, who then sent it to King Manuel I. Later that year, the king sent the animal as a political gift to Pope Leo X. Sadly, the ship sank on its way to Italy, and the rhinoceros drowned. Dürer and his contemporaries were fascinated with discoveries of the natural world, and as the rhinoceros made its journey, reports of the animal spread across Europe. Although he never saw the rhinoceros himself, Dürer based his woodcut of the animal on a description and a sketch that was sent to Nuremberg. The Latin text at the top of the print describes the rhinoceros to be the color of a speckled tortoise, covered in thick plates, and so well armed that even an elephant could not fend it off. Size: Image: 23.8 x 30.1 cm (9 3/8 x 11 7/8 in.) Medium: woodcut

Pygmy Falcon

Great Hornbill

Wallcreeper

and

Cedar Waxwing

Red Crowned Crane

Brahminy Kite

Green Tree Swallow (I mean seriously - those are metallic teal feathers against stark white. Damn.) 

Bali Mynah

And, last but certainly not least, the cutest fucking puffball on this planet earth:

Hooded Pitta (or as like to call them little olives)

Coua

Mot-Mot

the Golden Pheasant,

and the Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher.

Introducing the Purple-crested Turaco (the rest of the Turaco family all.have similarly striking red wingtips in flight, although their bodies are much greener and they have white eyestripes)

Sticking with the purple theme, and similar to some of the birds above, the iridescent Violet-backed Starling is next!

Amazing camouflage and a hauntingly beautiful call, the Diederiks Cuckoo is one of the prettiest patchwork birds out there.

Proudly representing Angola, the Angola Pitta is a rare and elusive bird. It is however worth the search!

Next up, we have the beautiful (and tiny) Violet-eared Waxbill.

And my personal favourite (and national board of Kenya!): The Lilac-breasted Roller.

Look! Aren’t they so beautiful?

I love them so much!!!

Das Frühstück = literally „early piece“, as in breakfast.

Daily News’ ‘Final’ Edition on July 21, 1969

Commander Neil Armstrong and lunar module pilot Buzz Aldrin formed the American crew that landed the Apollo Lunar Module Eagle on July 20, 1969, at 20:17 UTC. 

Armstrong became the first person to step onto the lunar surface six hours 39 minutes later on July 21 at 02:56 UTC; Aldrin joined him 19 minutes later.

Landing mass: 10,873 pounds (4,932 kg

Mission duration: 8 days, 3 hours, 18 minutes, 35 seconds

“That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”

Neil Armstrong

“Here men from the planet Earth first set foot upon the Moon July 1969 AD. We came in peace for all mankind.”

After filming their experience with a portable television camera the astronauts received a message from the US President, President Nixon, in the White House, spoke of the pride of the American people and said: 

Elizabeth, Clematis Montana

I wasn’t sure if I had enough pictures for a Terrible Helmet Masterpost, but boy did 16th century Germany deliver. So, may I present

The Terrible Helmet Masterpost

Germany, 1620

Savoy, 17th century

Henry VIII’s terrible helmet, gifted by Emperor Maximilian in 1514

Milan, 1540

James I of Aragon’s terrible helmet, 13th century

Germany, 1550

Charles V’s terrible helmet, 1540

Germany, 1530

Italy, 1550

Germany, 1515

This has been

OH LAWD

“Our Snow Leopard’s reaction to the new camera trap in her enclosure.”