10 Unusual Color Names You have Never Heard Of

Although you may know that the primary colors are red, blue and yellow and that they can’t be made from mixing any colors. But still there are few colors that you’ve never heard of or maybe even seen. Following we have collected few colors. Those, you’ve maybe seen few a times but most probably you don’t know their names even are as follows.

Bin Laden told Children 'Live in Peace in the West'

Slain Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden urged his children to go live peacefully in the West and get a university education, his brother-in-law said in an interview published Sunday.

Zakaria al-Sadah, the brother of bin Laden's Yemeni fifth wife Amal, told Britain's Sunday Times newspaper that the Saudi-born extremist believed his children "should not follow him down the road to jihad."

"He told his own children and grandchildren, 'Go to Europe and America and get a good education,'" al-Sadah told the Sunday Times.

Al-Sadah said bin Laden told them: "You have to study, live in peace and don't do what I am doing or what I have done."

Bin Laden was killed in a commando raid in May 2011 by US Navy SEALS at a house in the garrison town of Abbottabad, northwest Pakistan, where he had been living for several years.

Al-Sadah said that in November he had seen his sister for the first time since she was shot in the knee during the raid, and had since been allowed to have a number of meetings with her in the presence of guards.

He said the three wives and nine children who were in the compound -- some are bin Laden's children and others are his grandchildren -- have been held for months in a three-room flat in Islamabad.

They are guarded by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) spy agency, he said.

The Sunday Times published what it said was the first photograph to show some of the young children from the compound: two sons and a daughter, and two grandsons and a granddaughter.

The children were still traumatised after seeing the raid in which bin Laden died, al-Sadah said.

"These children have seen their father killed and they need a caring environment, not a prison -- whatever you think of their father and what he has done," he said.

A Pakistani commission investigating the raid said in October that it had lifted travel restrictions on Bin Laden's family and al-Sadah flew to Islamabad in November to take Amal and her children home.

But he said Pakistani officials had refused to let him take them.

There was no immediate response to the claims from Pakistani officials.

Natural 20-inch Waist

Romanian model Ioana Spangenberg says she has natural 20-inch waist. When you see her thin middlein contrast to her 32-inch hips, it's no wonder tabloids like The Sun are referring to Spangenberg as "the human hourglass." The 30-year-old clocks in around 84 pounds, and says she was average size until her teen years. "When I was 13 my waist was around 15 inches. Someone could put their hands around it, their fingers would touch and they would still have extra room," she told the Sun. 

Spangenberg insists she's tried everything and cannot gain weight around her midsection. "No one seems to believe it, but every day I eat three big meals and I snack on chocolate and crisps all the time. I just have a small stomach. It's a bit like having a natural gastric band - if I eat too much, I feel sick," she told the Sun. "In Romania it is better to be overweight, because that means you are from a wealthy family...so while my friends were going out and dating, I was sitting at home with Mars bars wishing I could fatten up," she told the paper. 

As women all too familiar with trickery like Photoshop and wearing three pairs of Spanx, It's hard for us to believe Spangenberg isn't wearing a corset under her clothing. The legendary Ethel Granger, whose 13-inch waist was documented as the smallest in history, only attained her size with the help of severely pinching corsets. But Spangenberg insists her size and shape are all-natural, and with the encouragement of her German husband Jan, she's turned to the modeling industry to flaunt her skeletal figure. 

"Jan was the first person who saw me as beautiful and encouraged me to celebrate my body. He asked me to pose in some photos for him," she told the Sun. "He was so impressed he put them online and the response was amazing." Spangenberg admits she has struggled with her self-esteem and told the publication she still wishes she could pack on a few pounds. "I would still like to gain weight so I don't look so shocking - and now that I live in Germany I can't get enough pizza or kebabs," she said. "But I'm finally comfortable in my own skin." 

If she really, truly, I not wearing corsets, we're glad Spangenberg has come to terms with her natural appearance and we're glad she's gotten a good response from viewers. We can only hope women won't latch on to her unattainable size. 

Check out the video of Spangenberg below for more shocking images of her exaggerated hourglass figure.

Did You Know Cheetahs Ride Shotgun?

The Cincinnati Zoo has a traveling version of its Cat Ambassador Program where zoo trainers bring a cheetah and several "smaller" cats to local schools. And that means road trips. But not in a cage. Nope. When these cheetahs go out on the town, they ride shotgun.

This is Sara, who became the fastest animal on earth back in 2009, breaking the 100 meter sprint record at 6.13 seconds. To put that in perspective, Usain Bolt's official human record is a languid 9.58 seconds.

World record holders aren't the only ones who get to ride in the zoo's Subaru Forester. Below, find a photo of another cheetah named Nia — who was just a year old when the picture was taken — as she looks out at Cincinnati. Are we the only ones who think it's weird that a program requiring the disclaimer of "Due to the nature of wild cats, students will not be permitted to touch animals" probably shouldn't be running said wild cats around town in the front seat of a car? Sure, we've seen this type of thing before, but that was Dubai — not Ohio.

What if there's an accident? Or what if someone sees the cat in the front seat and, you know, flips the hell out?

So is this legal? Although we know Ohio has pretty lax laws on exotic animals we know that it may be illegal to do so on the Ohio Turnpike thanks to Section 5537-3-01 of the pay-for-use road's rules. The section concerns limitations on use of the turnpike and clearly states: "Vehicles transporting animals or poultry not properly secured or confined." We're assuming that could mean the front seat.

Of course, Cincinnati is nowhere near the turnpike and otherwise it appears Ohio's statutes are silent on the subject. But this is Ohio we're talking about — so we're just impressed they have laws of any sort.

Facts About Year of the Dragon

The Lunar New Year is celebrated in China, Taiwan, Korea, Vietnam, Mongolia, and Tibet, as well is in countries such as Singapore that have large Chinese populations. Christopher Livaccari of the Asia Society explains toYahoo! Shine that it used to be celebrated widely in Japan, but now most Japanese people consider January 1st to be the main New Year's holiday.

Year of the Dragon

This year's Lunar New Year begins on January 23, which is the first day of the first new moon of the year. It ends 15 days later on the full moon. The Chinese calendar is divided into 12 cycles each represented by a special animal. According to Chinese Astrology, this year is the year of the Dragon, the only mythical animal in the zodiac. People born in the year of the Dragon are said to be energetic, charismatic, and natural born leaders. Some famous "Dragons" include Joan of Arc, Vladimir Putin, and John Lennon.

Lunar New Year Traditions

Celebrations of the coming year commence on the eve of the first new moon with a feast and fireworks. Families clean their homes to symbolize a fresh start and buy flowers and plants, which represent rebirth. Often, gifts of new money or money in red and gold envelopes are exchanged to bring good fortune. Livaccari told Shine, "I think some people tend to think of these holidays and celebrations as something very exotic, but most people in contemporary East Asia see this time as an opportunity to take a break from school and work and reconnect with family, much like we would on Thanksgiving or Christmas."

Lucky foods include dumplings and other stuffed delicacies which symbolize little packages of good fortune, oranges which in Chinese sound like the word for "auspicious," and apples which sound like "peace." Fireworks are detonated to ward off evil spirits. Boisterous dragon dances are also performed to scare spirits away.

A tradition that kids will like is that parents aren't supposed to scold their children during the Lunar New Year. Livaccari also points out that, just like in the West, "Your average 14 year-old in Beijing, Shanghai, or Seoul is probably more focused on this as a chance to get some more time to play video games or interact with friends online."

Marriage Proposal Gone Wrong

The most memorable rejection of the UCLA basketball season happened in the stands rather than on the court.

Midway through a 71-63 victory over Richmond Dec. 23 at the Los Angeles Sports Arena, UCLA's "Mistletoe Cam" cut to a couple seated courtside. The man reaches into his pocket, pulls out a ring and says, "I knew that I was going to do this since the first day that I met you, and I figured now was as good a time as any." His girlfriend's response when he gets down on one knee and pops the question? Well, let's just say it involved an awkward pause and running in the other direction.

 

Video of the proposal gone wrong didn't surface on YouTube until Monday evening, but Los Angeles Times reporter Baxter Holmes asked several UCLA players about it following the game. "That's cold," Jerime Anderson said. "Tough break," added David Wear.


Indeed the rejection was cringeworthy to watch because it's every man's nightmare when he prepares to ask for his girlfriend's hand in marriage. Maybe this will be a lesson to men in the future that a college basketball game is not the ideal romantic spot for a proposal, especially when there are cell phone cameras poised to capture your humiliation should something go wrong.

There have been some instances of attention-seeking fake marriage proposals at sporting events in the past, but this doesn't seem like one of them.

The emotions of the couple and the awkwardness of the emcee looked legit, plus a UCLA spokesman told Holmes the proposal wasn't staged. And lastly, if you were going to seek attention this winter in Los Angeles, a sparsely attended game in the midst of UCLA's train wreck of a basketball season definitely wouldn't be the ideal spot.

Worst Fashion of 2011

Top Viral Photos of 2011

The Mayor of Agusan del Sur Province in Philippines poses with a huge crocodile that was captured by residents and crocodile farm staff on Sunday, September 4, 2011. It took a three-week hunt by dozens of villagers and experts to ensnare the 21-foot male creature, one of the largest crocs to be captured alive in the Philippines in recent years. (AP Photo)

This unbelievable (yet real) photo shows a one-eyed albino shark that was found off the coast of Isla Cerralvo near La Paz, Mexico, in June 2011. The image went viral after being posted on the blog of a local sportfishing company, which was forced to defend the photo after skeptics questioned its integrity. The company later published more pictures of the unique albino baby and discovered that a commercial fisherman had extracted it after catching a dead female bull shark with ten pups inside her. (Photo byPisces Fleet Sportfishing)

A young couple chose to make love, not war, as riot police struggled to control the violence that erupted after the Vancouver Canucks lost game seven of the Stanley Cup Finals on June 15, 2011. When the image went viral on the Web, the kissing couple was identified as Scott Jones of Perth, Australia, and Alexandra Thomas, a recent graduate of the University of Guelph in Ontario. Jones later revealed that the couple had been knocked down by riot police and he was merely trying to calm down his girlfriend amid the chaos. (Photo by Rich Lam/Getty Images)

The coolest photo of the space shuttle Atlantis launch wasn't taken by NASA but by high school graduate Ryan Graff, who snapped this pic from his window seat on a flight from Baltimore to Miami on July 8, 2011. The image quickly went viral once Ryan's brother, Chad, uploaded it to his Twitpic account, where it has received over 177,000 views. (Photo by Ryan Graff)

Now better known as the Earthquake Bride, Valeriya Shevchenko was snapped running from a courthouse in lower Manhattan, New York, on August 23, 2011. Clutching her cell phone and a bouquet, the bride-to-be was frantically searching for her fiance after a 5.9 magnitude earthquake rattled Virginia and surrounding regions. Thankfully, the happy couple were reunited and married the same day. (Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images)

Landscape photographer Emmanuel Coupe was named 2011 National Geographic Traveler Photographer of the Year for this photo of a frozen lake in Canada. (Photo by Emmanuel Coupe)

Public outrage emerged when police officers at University of California, Davis, used pepper spray to control Occupy UC Davis protesters who were seated in the school's quad on November 18, 2011. Video and photos of the controversial incident were quickly beamed around the Internet. In a comedic twist on a disturbing event, the man behind the pepper spray trigger, Lieutenant John Pike, became the face of an Internet meme that saw his image pasted into various famous scenes. (AP Photo/The Enterprise, Wayne Tilcock)

This amazing photo, taken from an apartment window in 2010, surfaced this year and won the Office du Tourisme de Paris competition. "I quickly grabbed my camera and put it on a tripod by the window," said the 31-year-old photographer who caught the moment the Eiffel Tower appeared to be struck by lightning. (Photo by Caters News)

President Obama waved himself into ridicule at the Open Government Partnership Event at the United Nations on September 20, 2011, in New York. During a group photograph of several world leaders, President Obama offered a solitary wave that accidentally covered the face of the president of Mongolia. Next time, just say "cheese." (Photo by Allan Tannenbaum-Pool/Getty Images)

This jaw-dropping image shows a diver almost being swallowed by a whale shark during a feeding frenzy (thankfully, only plankton was on the menu). The photo was taken in Isla Mujeres, Mexico, where more than 600 of the 40-foot creatures converged to feed on tuna spawn. (Photo by Mauricio Handler)

Gainesville Woman Tossed Used Condoms at Store Clerk Before Exposing Herself

Jealousy is about as pretty as a bag full of used condoms.

A woman in Gainesville stands accused of verbally assaulting a female store clerk at a Kangaroo convenience store, dumping a bag of used condoms on the counter, slinging one at the clerk, and, for good measure, exposing all of her private business.

The clerk used to date a man the woman was in a sexual relationship with, if that helps you make anymore sense out of this.

The unidentified 23-year-old woman was for some reason irate about the 29-year-old clerk's past with her man, so on Tuesday night she showed up at the Kangaroo armed with the bag of used condoms according to The Gainesville Sun.

She began shouting and cursing at the clerk, and asking her inappropriate, personal questions. The clerk refused to answer, so naturally the woman dumped the pile of used condoms on to the counter.

Then she lifted her shirt up and pulled her shorts down, fully exposing herself to the clerk and the surveillance camera.

The woman left, but decided all of that wasn't quite enough so a short while later she reentered the store and threw a condom at the clerk. Why quite when you're already ahead in the ridiculous department?

The woman has not been arrested yet, but the local Sheriff's office has filed a sworn complaint charging the woman of battery and indecent exposure. That complain will be sent to the State Attorney's office before an arrest is made.

The store had to temporarily close over night to clean up the mess.

10 Richest Head of States in the World

They say that being in the top job of any organization is stressful, but that the pay is worth it. It seems the same is true when it comes to the government — as these super-rich heads of state show. Who says working in the public sector has to pay badly?

10. Sebastián Piñera ($2.4 billion)

The incredibly rich but strangely robotic-looking Sebastián Piñera is the lowest in our set of billionaires, with a “mere” $2.4 billion in his pocket. The head of state was originally involved in managing a number of major companies, such as Apple Chile, broadcaster Chilevisión (which he owned 100%) and Chilean airline LAN — with investment in the latter greatly contributing to his personal fortune. In 2010 he graduated to become the “CEO” of his entire nation after being elected President, and in the same year the country’s economy grew by 5.2% — proof that his money-making abilities carry over into the political arena, as well? The Chilean numero uno also currently ranks at number 488 in Forbes’ list of the world’s billionaires. Now, if only all his money could do something to make him look less like the Terminator.

9. Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani ($2.4 billion)

Sheikh Hamad originally came to the throne after deposing his father in a bloodless palace coup in 1995. The Emir of Qatar represents his country on state visits and is responsible for leading its development of oil and natural gas resources. The results can be seen in his $2.4 billion bank balance. The military-focused emir, who was educated at England’s Sandhurst Military Academy, has also served as his county’s Minister of Defense, and previously brought in an extensive program of modernization to Qatar’s armed forces. He also has three wives and twenty-four children. A good thing he has plenty of money to pay for babysitters!

8. Mohammed VI ($2.5 billion)

The King of Morocco, Mohammed VI, made his billions through inheritance of his family’s vast fortune and his country’s massive reserves of phosphates. As the ruler of his country, he wields vast executive powers, which he has used to undercut the sacredness of the monarchy and increase the power of the prime minister. He has also introduced reforms to make the more corrupt sections of his government more accountable to the public — although some people think these pro-democratic measures have not gone far enough. Mohammed also has a pretty hefty bank balance: he’s reputed to be worth $2.5 billion dollars, and has the sharp suits to prove it. Some people must just be born lucky.

7. Hans-Adam II ($4 billion)

Despite being the head of state of the tiny European country of Liechtenstein, Hans-Adam II is one of the wealthiest rulers in the world and easily the richest in Europe. He beats more famous monarchs like Britain’s Elizabeth II and Beatrix I of the Netherlands hands down, which has got to be pretty embarrassing for them. Despite being royalty with vast inherited wealth, Adam worked hard for his money: not only does he own the LGT banking group; he was put in charge of the family’s finances at the age of just 27, and did such a good job that today their total wealth amounts to over seven billion dollars. As of 2004 he has formally turned over many of his powers to his son, Prince Alois. Let’s hope the kid makes as good a job of it as the old man.

6. Silvio Berlusconi ($9 billion)

There’s a joke that the official unit for measuring political corruption is called a “Berlusconi.” Shady dealings (Berlusconi has been accused of embezzlement, tax fraud and bribery of judges amongst other things) have certainly helped the Italian leader and entrepreneur get ahead in the world: he’s not only officially the fifth richest head of state but the longest-serving leader of a G8 country, the owner of Italian football giants A.C. Milan — not to mention an investment company that controls Italy’s largest private TV stations — and is constantly seen on the arm of women decades younger than him, to boot. If that’s bad behavior, we’re not sure we want to be good. Mind you, with a list of gaffes that includes passing laws solely to slow down prosecutions against him, referring to Obama as “tanned” and comparing a German MEP to a concentration camp guard, maybe being in his shoes wouldn’t be worth the $9 billion.

5. Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum ($12 billion)

Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum is perhaps surprisingly low on our list at number five. In 2009 Forbes put his fortune at $12bn, but the ruler of billionaire playground Dubai used to be even wealthier, with a fortune in excess of $18 billion. When the late-2000s recession struck, however, the Sheikh lost a lot of money and was even forced to ask neighboring Abu Dhabi for a handout when the markets tumbled. Through investment firm Dubai World, Al Maktoum has control of companies such as port operator DP World Ltd and real estate developer Nakheel Properties, and through the latter has helped to craft the landscape of Dubai, including the distinctive fake archipelago, The Palm Jumeirah. His official website summarizes him as a “Leader,” “Equestrian” and “Poet.” We’d add “staggeringly wealthy Sheikh” to that, as well.

4. Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan ($15 billion)

The President of the United Arab Emirates and Emir of Abu Dhabi acquired his considerable wealth from a combination of real estate investment, inheritance and oil. Due to his father’s ill health, he had been forced to be acting president before assuming the post proper in 2004. He is widely regarded as a pro-Western modernizer by the US, although he is also seen as “distant and uncharismatic” (according to communications published on Wikileaks). Mind you, the head of state is also the third wealthiest monarch in the world, with assets totaling over $15 billion. Who needs charisma if you have that?

3. Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud ($18 billion)

The current King of Saudi Arabia isn’t quite the King of this rich list, coming in at number three. Still, with a massive family fortune of $18 billion behind him — built on the back of his country’s unprecedented oil reserves — he isn’t exactly short of a penny either. The former Saudi Arabian National Guard commander has always had a close relationship with the US, making frequent state visits to its presidents and expressing support for George Bush, Jr. on the second anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. He’s also apparently a big fan of America’s current president, saying “Thank God for bringing Obama to the presidency,” according to private communications revealed by Wikileaks.

2. Hassanal Bolkiah ($20 billion)

The Sultan of Brunei comes in second on our list with a personal fortune estimated at $20 billion. With wealth gained from his country’s vast reserves of oil and natural gas, he has a dynasty behind him believed to be one of the oldest still in existence. The absolute monarch has also used his riches to ensure that citizens of his country have no personal income taxes, freeeducation and universal healthcare — making him pretty much a one-man national healthcare service. Imagine if Obama were able to do this in the US.

1. Bhumibol Adulyadej ($30 billion)

With a fortune estimated at $30 billion in 2009, King Bhumibol Adulyadej is the richest head of state on the planet. The King of Thailand is revered as a demigod in his own country — where he is deemed legally “inviolable” and any criticism aimed his way can lead to a lengthy stretch in prison. The king’s personal fortune is massive: he owns large stakes is several private companies — including Sammakorn, SCG and Thai Insurance PLC — and also has vast land holdings (although government suits stress that the latter do not form part of his personal wealth). In 2008, Forbes estimated that Adulyadej was worth $35 billion, but declines in real estate and stocks meant the figure had dipped $5 billion by the following year. Evidence that the king does return some of the love he receives from his people comes in the form of the various donations he has made to Thai development projects, in areas ranging from agriculture and public health to water resources and public welfare. See, it’s not all take.

Landmark Hanoi Hotel Unearths Vietnam War Bunker

 In this photo taken Sept. 27, 2011, technicians of the Metropole Hotel in Hanoi, Vietnam, climb up a Vietnam war underground bunker which was discovered beneath the bar in the hotel's garden. A Vietnamese doctor said that the bunker sheltered American folk singer Joan Baez, American actress Jane Fonda and other foreign war correspondents during the Christmas Bombings in 1972. 

Hotel Floating on the Water

In a world of chain hotels and boutiques so ubiquitous they no longer merit the term, a hotel floating on the water is still a rarity.

A few intrepid hoteliers have set out for the seas, refitting old yachts, retooling old barges and making the most of their host cities' waterfronts. But some boat hotels go beyond just a cruise ship that never sets sail.

In New York City, an art installation in Jamaica Bay could be the coolest hotel in town, floating or otherwise. And in Sweden, a little cabin on the lake gives way to an underwater chamber that gives guests the feeling of sleeping in a fishbowl.

 

 

Reality TV Speech Inspires, Then Terrifies

Reality TV has given us many wonderful things. It’s given us the majesty of ‘The Osbournes.’ It has introduced us to the glorious beauty of Snookie. And now we have it to thank for this emotionally moving speech. This guy lost on this particular reality contest show… and wanted to leave viewers and the other contestants speechless.

Giant one-ton man-eating Crocodile Caught in Philippines

The 21-foot reptile was captured in a remote Philippine village following a spate of attacks on humans and livestock.

A giant saltwater crocodile believed to be the biggest ever caught has been captured in a remote Philippine town.

The 21ft, 2,370lbs reptile may have eaten a farmer who went missing in July, along with several water buffaloes in the southern town of Bunawan, crocodile hunter Rollie Sumiller said.

A crocodile also bit off the head of a 12-year-old girl in Bunawan in 2009, according to the environment ministry.

Josefina de Leon, wildlife division chief at the environment ministry, said that the beast was likely the biggest crocodile ever captured.

"Based on existing records the largest that had been captured previously was 17.9ft long," she said.

Mr Sumiller said he thought the male crocodile was more than 50 years old.

"This is the biggest animal that I've handled in 20 years of trapping," he said.

The Philippine specimen would easily dwarf the largest captive saltwater crocodile on record, which the Guinness World Records website says is Cassius, an 18ft male.

The Australian "salty" has lived in Marineland Melanesia, an Australian nature park near Cairns for 24 years, it said.

Published press reports have also cited a 20.3ft adult male killed on the Fly River in Papua New Guinea in 1982 that was measured after it was skinned.

"The community was relieved," Mr Sumiller said, but added: "We're not really sure if this is the man-eater, because there have been other sightings of other crocodiles in the area."

The team, employed by a government-run crocodile breeding farm, began laying bait using chicken, pork and dog meat on August 15.

But the reptile, which measured three feet across its back, simply bit off both the meat and the line it was skewered on.

An 0.31-inch metal cable finally proved beyond the power of its jaws, and the beast was subdued in a relatively fast 15 minutes at a creek late Saturday with the help of about 30 local men.

Bunawan Mayor Edwin Cox Elorde said the local government had decided against putting down the reptile and will instead build a nature park for it.

"It will be the biggest star of the park," Mr Elorde told reporters.

Mr Sumiller said the plan was the best option available for the reptile in Bunawan, a marshy town of about 30,000 people on the upper reaches of the massive Agusan river basin of Mindanao island.

"He's a problem crocodile that needs to be taken from the wild... [and] used for eco-tourism," Mr Sumiller said.

He said the giant reptile needed a 1,614ft square temporary enclosure, nearly three times the normal size alloted for captive crocodiles.

Crocodylus porosus, or the estuarine crocodile, is the world's largest reptile. It usually grows to 16-19ft in length and can live up to 100 years.

While not considered an endangered species globally, it is "critically endangered" in the Philippines, where it is hunted for its hide which is used in the fashion industry, de Leon said.

"There have been very few sightings of porosus in the wild in the Philippines in recent years," she added.

In July, a smaller saltwater crocodile, measuring almost 14 feet was caught on the western Philippine island of Palawan after it killed a man.

Female Orgasm Remains an Evolutionary Mystery

After baffling biologists for decades, the female orgasm has resisted yet another attempt to explain its elusive evolutionary origins.

A survey of orgasmic function in thousands of twins found none of the statistical patterns expected if female orgasm is just a coincidental byproduct of natural selection on its male counterpart, as has been suggested.

“The evolutionary basis of human female orgasm has been subject to furious scientific debate, which has recently intensified,” wrote University of Queensland geneticist Brendan Zietsch and Pekka Santtila of Finland’s Abo Akedemi University in a Sept. 3 Animal Behavior article. “These results challenge the byproduct theory of female orgasm.”

While the male orgasm is, in evolutionary and practical terms, a fairly straightforward thing — it makes men want to have sex more often, thus continuing their lineage, and is achieved with ease — the female orgasm is a far trickier beast.

Unlike male orgasm, which is found across the primate spectrum, female orgasm has skipped some species. (Lady gibbons, for example, are out of luck.) In humans, men are far more likely to experience orgasm than women, of whom one in 10 don’t ever experience it.

That imbalance runs contrary to traditional explanations of female orgasm: that it strengthens bonds between mates and thus improves the care received by their children, or that the ability to elicit orgasm indicates a male’s virility, or that underlying physiological processes somehow improve reproductive success.

After all, if female orgasms are an important evolutionary adaptation, they should be easier to attain. Also perplexing is that many women require clitoral stimulation to achieve orgasm, not penetrative action. If female orgasms were meant to encourage sex, the opposite ought to be true.

All this has led to an alternative explanation, popularized in Elisabeth Lloyd’s popular 2005 book The Case of the Female Orgasm: That there’s no adaptive purpose. Women simply happen to share biology with men, for whom orgasm is important. It’s an accidental byproduct, like men’s nonlactating nipples.

But while this idea is plausible, it hasn’t yet been rigorously explored. So Zietsch and Santtila devised a test. They surveyed 1,803 pairs of opposite-sex twins and 2,287 pairs of same-sex twins, asking them how often and how easily they reached orgasm. If female orgasm is evolutionarily connected to male, opposite-sex twins should have similar orgasmic function.

But that’s not what they found. Instead, while orgasmic function was genetically shared in same-sex twins — brother tended to share function with brother, or sister with sister — the relationship vanished in opposite-sex twins, though both share the same amount of genetic material. The underlying genetics, and thus the underlying evolutionary pressures, thus appear to differ.

“This does not support the hypothesis that female orgasm is maintained only as a byproduct of selection on the male orgasm,” wrote Zietsch and Santtila.

However, the researchers warn that their findings aren’t yet definitive. Self-reported surveys aren’t methodologically airtight, and a recent Journal of Sexual Medicine study by Zietsch “found near-zero correlations between women’s orgasm rates and 19 other evolutionarily relevant traits.”

Those findings contradict the latest study, and suggest female orgasm might be a byproduct after all. It might also have been evolutionarily important to humanity’s ancestors, but irrelevant now.

“The evolutionary basis of female orgasm is both important and unknown,” wrote Zietsch and Santtila. “Much more work needs to be done.”

You’re Never Too Old

Meet Fauja Singh.  He is a a marathon runner of Indian descent and is currently the world record holder in his age bracket after he ran the 2003 Toronto Waterfront Marathon in 5 hours 40 minutes at the age of 92.  Singh is now 100-years-old, and it doesn’t appear as though he is ready to stop running just yet.  “I won’t stop running until I die. The next target, God willing, is to be the oldest marathon runner ever,” Singh said back in 2009.  As a centenarian, I am fairly certain he has already reached that target.