Yeah yeah, so CES 2007 is like, so last week and hey it wasn’t really all *that* great, especially after Apple completely took the wind out of it with the announcement of their iPhone. There were some standouts however, most notably (at least to me) iRiver and their new lineup, which is not only super sexy, but also approaching Apple in industry design quality, though bordering on Sony-influenced lines and glossy black plastic, which starts to worry us a touch. But eh, enough of that, here’s some highlights:

See more after the jump..

Read more of ”Gearlust: iRiver’s CES 2007 product lineup“

The Tailrace Tunnel running behind Niagara Falls was a work of engineering art when it was laid (brick by brick) in 1906, becoming at the time, the largest tunnel of its type in the world. Part of a hydroelectric station, the Tailrace Tunnel expels water back into Niagara Falls which has been used to generate electricity. For the time, few have entered the tunnels, save a few engineers and construction workers. But urban explorers can never resist a challenge and the Tailrace Tunnels proved to be too much for 3 daring travelers. Late one evening, the three seasoned explorers descended upon the facility, stocked with bags of gear, radio communications, drills, lights and everything else one could think of when descending into the belly of a hydroelectric tunnel. Thankfully, they documented each part of the trip, both in pictures and words, creating an extraordinary tale of risk, adventure and some pretty damn spooky experiences.

See more: Explorers document trip through Tailrace Tunnel under Niagra Falls

The quest for renewable energy has created some interesting and beautiful feats of engineering. Wind power, though classically accepted as a viable alternative to fossil fuels, has gone through a major evolution, especially in Europe, where wind power is widely being deployed and accepted. One of the most beautiful installations of wind turbines is in and around Northern Europe, where engineers are tackling the tricky way to harness the heavy winds present along the coastal areas, by deploying farms of wind turbines well out to sea, where choppy waters, high winds and sometimes deadly electrical storms can easily destroy a giant metal apparatus standing high into the sky. The wonderful bloggers over at Thrilling Wonder have collected a beautiful photo gallery of everything from standing wind turbines, to photos documenting the build process as well as destroyed wind turbines who were on the receiving end of a nasty lightening strike.

See more: Wind turbines in the stormy waters of Northern Europe

Well, what would you do if your daily activities involved being chased around by wild animals, eating grass (when you can find it) or butting heads with your family (literally)? I for one would start climbing trees! Which is exactly what these little critters starting doing in Morocco, where goats hang out in the extremely endangered Argan tree which can reach heights of 25-30 feet and a trunk that twisted in a way which allows goats to easily climb. The fruit of the tree is what is believed to attract goats, as, in desert areas, grass isn’t exactly plentiful.

Read more: Goats in trees? @ Science Buzz | Goats in trees @ Flickr

French photobugs have been hard at work, taking pictures of the heavens, from moon phases to the Aurora Borealis, and posting them on celestial hobby photos page Photo Astronomique. One such project is a collection of pretty-good quality photos of every full moon since May 2005, compiled into a nifty little flash animation. Something about good quality photos of the moon is just so perfectly relaxing.

See more: 20 consecutive full moon slideshow

What a blog and a Flickr account can produce. A (somewhat) anonymous blogger has started an interesting photo project where he sets up his camera timer, then proceeds to run as far (and as fast) as he can in the opposite direction.

The rules are simple: I put the self-timer on 2 seconds, push the button and try to get as far from the camera as I can.

See more: Running from Camera

Sunday, December 7th, 1941 will always be a day remembered in the US. On that morning at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, the Japanese forces staged an extremely successful (and terribly mistaken) surprise attack on the US Navy forces which docked in the harbor. Needless to say the US never imagined such an attack coming, which attributed to the success of the Japanese mission. When all was said and done over 2,400 people were dead, several ships were total losses and over 188 aircraft were completely destroyed. These photos recently surfaced, taken shortly after the attack by someone who’s obviously kept them for all this time (or maybe someone going through a family members possessions found them), are extremely crisp and clear, giving us an incredibly clear look at the damage that resulted from the sneak attack.

See more: Photos from after the attack on Pearl Harbor

Actress and artist Eve Plumb, whom you may remember as Jan Brady, has been an avid artist for over 20 years now, creating sometimes haunting paintings of everyday use items. Ever the realist, Eve’s artwork can been seen at galleries along the west coast and via her personal site.

See more: The art of Eve Plumb

Thankfully it’s cold enough in most parts of Russia for this house to naturally exist, so it seems mr. snowman is doing alright for himself. Some Russian artists and architects recently constructed a model home completely out of ice, including everything from ice-encased appliances to the kitchen sink. I think the oven and washer/dryer carved in ice added a nice touch to the kitchen.

See more: Interior of a snowman’s house

All I should have to say about this is, photos by and of Hunter S. Thompson, on the road, with The Hell’s Angels, heading to Tijuana, Mexico. (!!!!) Pre-order here I come. Thompson had quite the talent, both behind the typewriter and the camera, which is apparent in the upcoming book of photographs, Gonzo, featuring pages of family portraits, candid snapshots and press photos taken by Thompson throughout his years traveling the land and destroying American culture at every stop. Though his death was untimely, it’s good to know that works by Thompson are still being produced by his estate, benefiting fans and future generations alike.

See more: Stills from Hunter S. Thompson’s upcoming photography book, Gonzo