(September 2011) Quartzite-clad and 104 m high – thus were the specifications of the tower conceived to mark the bicentennial anniversary of the founding of Mexico. Delays and staggering costs are causing some disquiet: insufficient local contribution of material was another point of contention revolving around the „Estela de Luz“ (Pillar of Light). Critics contend that the stone panels were imported from Brazil. The plates are to be lit from within at night. Another thorn in the side is the fact that the lighting is provided by a German company and the steel construction by an Italian producer (1 , Videos).

At the bottom of the Pacific lays a huge basalt plate stemming from a volcanic eruption 120 million years ago. Scientists published in the magazine Nature a theory regarding its origin: Vast reservoirs of stone marked the early age of the earth’s development. The mass was highly radioactive, causing the massive eruptions, according to the theory.

A petrified dinosaur’s nest complete with a newly hatched dino is part of the New York exhibit „The World’s Largest Dinosaurs“ in the American Museum of Natural History which can be seen through January 2nd, 2012. The nest originates from the Argentinean Auca Mahuevo excavation site.

„The Life and Death of Buildings“ is the title of a photo exhibit by the University Art Museums in Princeton, USA through November 6th.