Art genius: Nine-year-old painter tipped for greatness after buyers from across the world snap up his work. Only started painting lessons in 2008Work bought by international collectors for tens of thousands of poundsPaints three pictures a weekProud mum has written book about his prodigal success By Daily Mail Reporter Published: 13:59 GMT, 12 July 2012 | Updated: 20:04 GMT, 12 July 2012 Nine-year-old Kieron Williamson's latest set of paintings sold within minutes fetching £250,000. A nine-year-old art genius nicknamed 'Mini Monet' is about to become a millionaire after selling his latest collection of 24 paintings for £250,000. Kieron Williamson, from Norfolk, had his landscape pictures snapped up by telephone and internet buyers from around the world in just 15 minutes during a recent sale. The youngster only started painting during a family trip to Devon and Cornwall in 2008 - before then he had just coloured in dinosaurs his parents had drawn for him.
But since then he has become an international art sensation with some of his pieces being bought for tens of thousands of pounds. French demand Crown Jewels from the Queen for 1499 murder of Edward Plantagenet. French city of Angers in Loire Valley provided some of the greatest monarchs in British historyWhen Edward Plantagenet was murdered in Tower of London in 1499 house's legitimate male line came to an endCity believes it is owed an apology – and 513 years' worth of compensationSum would amount to billions in today's currency, but city is prepared to accept the coronation jewels By Peter Allen Published: 12:10 GMT, 15 July 2012 | Updated: 06:42 GMT, 16 July 2012 A French city which produced 14 English kings is demanding the Crown Jewels as compensation from the Queen for the murder of its last pretender to the throne.
Angers, which is in the Loire Valley west of Paris, was once the capital of the Anjou province and the House of Plantagenet. It ruled England from 1154 until 1485, providing some of the greatest monarchs in British history, including Richard the Lionheart and Henry V. Enlarge They have claimed that the Crown Jewels would be a sufficient payment for the death of the Earl of Warwick. Scientists puzzled as HUNDREDS of healthy-looking penguins wash up dead in Brazil. By Daily Mail Reporter Published: 13:02 GMT, 15 July 2012 | Updated: 13:05 GMT, 15 July 2012 The bodies of more than 500 penguins have washed up on beaches in southern Brazil in the past week.
Marine biologists and veterinarians are investigating what killed the birds, which appeared well-fed, unhurt and without oil stains. The Center of Coastal and Marine Studies said it should get results from autopsies being conducted on some of the penguins within the next month, which will reveal the cause of death. Dead: The bodies of more than 500 penguins, pictured, have washed up on beaches in southern Brazil in the past week Scientists counted 512 penguins washed up dead on beaches of the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, between the towns of Tramandai and Cidreira, some 60 miles from the state capital, Porto Alegre. The birds - known as Magellanic Penguins - were migrating north from Argentina in search of food in warmer waters, they said. Chimp adopted by bull mastiff. By Daily Mail Reporter Published: 13:59 GMT, 12 July 2012 | Updated: 16:48 GMT, 12 July 2012 When this little chimp was abandoned by his mother his future looked grim. But thanks to the unlikely intervention of a huge bull mastiff and her adorable litter of four puppies, his life was soon a lot happier.
The chimpanzee was born at a Russian zoo and was taken home by one of the staff after it became clear he had not bonded with his mother. Chimp's best friend: This huge bull mastiff accepted the baby as one of her own litter after his mother abandoned him Give us a cuddle: Her puppies also seemed perfectly happy to be playmates to the little chimp who loves cuddles Identity crisis!
By chance, her 100lb bull mastiff had just given birth and the dog was soon treating the new addition as one of the family. Endearingly, the chimp soon seemed to think he was a puppy himself, bending double to eat from food bowls with his adoptive siblings. Come here! Where's he gone? Red sky at night: Space Station astronauts capture amazing photo of 'red sprite' electrical flash 50 miles up in the air during storm. By Daily Mail Reporter Published: 04:13 GMT, 13 July 2012 | Updated: 08:10 GMT, 13 July 2012 This amazing photograph shows the moment astronauts saw a dazzling but mysterious 'red sprite' leap high into the atmospheric above a lightning flash. Occupants of the International Space Station managed to capture the phenomenon even though it last no longer than 10 milliseconds - or one per cent of a second. They took the picture during a thunderstorm over Burma on April 30, according to Discovery News. Spectacular: This extraordinary photograph, showing a 'red sprite' electrical charge above a lightning flash, was taken by astronauts on the International Space Station Red sprites are electrical discharges which extend up to 55 miles above a flash of lightning.
The natural phenomenon cannot be seen from the ground and so was largely unknown until the advent of flight in the 20th century. California dreaming? Waves at popular surfer beach glow bright blue at midnight. Chemical reaction, called bioluminescence, occurs when micro-organism in sea is disturbed by oxygen in waves By Rob Waugh Published: 10:38 GMT, 12 July 2012 | Updated: 11:06 GMT, 12 July 2012 At midnight, all around was dark, but each crash of the waves at a famous surfing beach created an eerie blue flash - caught on camera by a photographer who had a camera ready to capture the strange phenomenon.
Steve Skinner visited the beach especially for the sight, caused by algae in the water at Swami's. When the waves crash it causes the algae to give off a flash of blue light - called bioluminescence - as the millions of organisms are disturbed. The amazing images were snapped at midnight by photographer Steve Skinner who visited the beach especially for the sight Part of the sea was illuminated a stunning shade of blue due to a natural phenonemon called algae bloom The glow - called 'bioluminescence' - occurs when a micro-organism in the water is disturbed by oxygen. The man who gave the world his number - and it called: Jilted lover posts cellphone digits on fliers across New York - and gets 70,000 responses.
By Rachel Quigley Published: 21:22 GMT, 12 July 2012 | Updated: 11:16 GMT, 13 July 2012 Breaking up with his girlfriend forced one lonely guy to take drastic action - and he ended up reaching out to thousands of people all over the world. When a devastated Jeff Ragsdale, a stand-up comedian and actor from New York, was left 'near suicidal' after breaking up with his girlfriend, he realized he felt like the loneliest man in the world in a city of more than eight million. So Jeff decided to do something drastic - he put fliers up all over New York saying: 'If anyone wants to talk about anything, call me (347) 469-3173. Jeff, one lonely guy.' The response he got was overwhelming. Scroll down for video Alone in New York: After being dumped by his girlfriend, Jeff Ragsdale was lonely in a big city, so he decided to take drastic action He posted fliers all over town which said: 'If anyone wants to talk about anything, call me (347) 469-3173.
In the first day he got 100 calls and texts. Editta Sherman: Old Hollywood made new again: Photographer to the stars celebrates 100th birthday with dazzling images of days gone by. By Emily Anne Epstein Published: 22:50 GMT, 12 July 2012 | Updated: 19:15 GMT, 13 July 2012 Covered in sequins and surrounded by her family and friends, famed celebrity photographer Editta Sherman celebrated her 100th birthday this week with an exhibition of her life's greatest work. Joe DiMaggio, Charlton Heston, Christopher Plummer, Henry Fonda and dozens of other stars sat before her in the Manhattan studio where she was known as the 'Duchess of Carnegie Hall.' The flamboyant centenarian spoke eloquently about the trials and tribulations that brought her thus far, happy to share her photographs with a new audience - since the world last laid its eyes on her images in 1967.
Fright: Covered in sequins and surrounded by her family and friends, famed celebrity photographer Editta Sherman celebrated her 100th birthday this week with an exhibition of her life's greatest work. Captured in time: Ms Sherman snapped some of the biggest stars of her time. Success didn't come easy. To the bat cave! Photographer captures rare and stunning images of hibernating species under threat of extinction. By Daily Mail Reporter Published: 12:29 GMT, 11 July 2012 | Updated: 13:59 GMT, 11 July 2012 At first glance the wall of this cave looks a little strange... caked with mud or adorned with a thick-growing fungus.
But, on closer inspection, it is actually covered by hundreds of thousands of slumbering bats. The stunning photographs are the work of American photographer Stephen Alvarez, who has photographed caves and wildlife for Time and National Geographic magazines. Despite the mind-boggling numbers of the bats in this cave alone, Mr Alverez explains that the entire species is threatened with extinction because of a fungus that has already claimed the lives of millions. Fast asleep: Members of Nature Conservancy examine hibernating grey bats in Hubbard Cave, Tennessee. Don't interrupt me, I'm counting: Part of the work of Bat Conservation International and Nature Conservancy is to estimate the remaining numbers of the bat population. Treasure of the Crusaders' last stand: Pot of gold worth £300,000 found in fortress where it was buried by doomed Christian knights. Pot of gold 'Dinals' were buried by Crusaders as enemy forces closed in100 coins worth up to $5000 eachRemained hidden in fortress since 1265Hidden inside broken jug to prevent conquerors taking treasure By Rob Waugh Published: 08:50 GMT, 11 July 2012 | Updated: 13:17 GMT, 11 July 2012 Last stand: The coins were buried by Christian soldiers of the order of the Knights Hospitalier as the Crusaders faced an unstoppable attack by a huge Muslim army A pot of gold from the Crusades worth up to $500,000 has been found buried in an ancient Roman fortress in Israel.
The coins were buried by Christian soldiers of the order of the Knights Hospitalier as the Crusaders faced an unstoppable attack by a huge Muslim army. The knights were annihilated in April 1265. The coins - worth a fortune even in 1265 when they were thought to have been buried - were deliberately hidden inside a broken jug to prevent them being discovered. The coins were minted in Tripoli and Alexandria - and are extremely valuable. Husband denies claims he 'kept wife enslaved in chains for ten years forcing her to give birth twice while shackled and brutally. Peter Lizon kicked his wife Stephanie in the stomach causing her to miscarry a baby, it is allegedForced her to give birth to other baby while shackledPolice believe he ran over her feet with a tractor Allegedly called her his slave and made her kneel to himLawyer says Lizon's wife is standing by him and will deny the claims By Daily Mail Reporter Published: 17:17 GMT, 12 July 2012 | Updated: 19:22 GMT, 12 July 2012 'Horrific': Peter Lizon allegedly tortured his wife and made her kneel in front of him, claims he denies The attorney of the husband accused of enslaving his wife for ten years, chaining her up and beating her in a brutal catalogue of abuse has claimed that someone made up the allegations.
Employees at a rental store said that 43-year-old Stephanie Lizon, from West Virginia, hid from her husband, Peter Lizon, 37, while he returned a rototiller attachment. 'The alleged victim didn't make these accusations. Scroll down for video Nobody answered the door at a neighbor's home. Husband 'kept enslaved wife hostage in chains and brutally beat her for TEN YEARS' He delivered their baby while she remained chained up, it was alleged Police believe he ran over her feet with a tractor and broke her fingers Allegedly called her his slave and made her kneel to him By Emma Reynolds PUBLISHED: 10:14 GMT, 11 July 2012 | UPDATED: 16:09 GMT, 12 July 2012 'Horrific': Peter Lizon allegedly tortured his wife and made her kneel in front of him A husband is accused of enslaving his wife for 10 years, chaining her up and beating her in a brutal catalogue of abuse.
Peter Lizon, of West Virginia, US, is charged with malicious wounding after his wife allegedly told a woman staying at the same crisis centre about her violent ordeal. The 'gaunt and filthy' victim had scar tissue on her hands and ankles, which police believe is from chains tearing into her flesh. Her husband had kept her tied up with metal padlocks and chains for around 10 years, she is said to have told the horrified woman. Scroll down for video Lizon may face further charges as the investigation unfolds. Mysterious 200-mile-high 'vortex' boils up over Saturn's moon Titan - and could offer insight into what lies beneath icy moon's clouds. By Rob Waugh PUBLISHED: 10:33 GMT, 11 July 2012 | UPDATED: 10:36 GMT, 11 July 2012 A 200-mile high pillar of cloud has boiled up out of the foggy atmosphere of Saturn's moon Titan.
Nasa scientists are puzzling over the orbiting Cassini probe's images of the 'vortex' at the moon's south pole. The find could offer an insight into the moon's mysterious atmosphere, where seasons last for seven years, and 300-foot dunes of frozen chemicals roll across the surface of the planet. The formation seen at the pole is similar to ones seen over Earth's oceans, say Nasa team members. Titan's colorful south polar vortex captured by NASA's Cassini spacecraft before a distant flyby of Saturn's moon Titan on June 27, 2012, shows a south polar vortex, or a mass of swirling gas, around the pole in the atmosphere Nasa's Cassini probe has found that the dunes on the surface of Saturn's moon Titan vary in shape just like dunes on Earth - and even look similar to deserts on our planet.
The sun's solar flares keep on getting stronger - with latest hot spot the size of 15 Earths strung together. By Eddie Wrenn Published: 16:08 GMT, 9 July 2012 | Updated: 06:52 GMT, 10 July 2012 The sun is a tempestuous mistress - and her outbursts are becoming more and more violent as the weeks go on. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory spotted the summer's first 'X' solar flare on Friday - a huge outburst from the sun right at the top of the scale. This came on the back of 12 'M' flares in just six days, with a M6.1 flare knocking out radio signals across the planet on Thursday - hinting at the destruction the sun could reign on our technology if Earth takes a full blast across its blow. The sunspot group behind the flares - named as AR1515 - stretches across 118,681 miles (191,000km) of the sun's surface. This makes it's width more than 15 Earths set end to end, said NASA solar astrophysicist C.
Scroll down for video NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory saw an active region on the sun, labeled AR1515, sent out an M5.3 class solar flare that peaked on Independence Day July 4th, 2012 to impact Earth. How? Woman driver cheats death in bizarre road accident after she impales her car on dozens of TIPI poles. By Daily Mail Reporter Published: 11:00 GMT, 11 July 2012 | Updated: 13:53 GMT, 11 July 2012 Highway patrol officers in Washington say a female driver is lucky to be alive after ramming her car into a trailer filled with long wooden teepee poles.
The poles smashed through the front windscreen, completely pierced through the car and smashed through the rear windscreen as well. No details have been released about the driver involved, other than the fact that she was taken to hospital with a number of injuries. Miraculously, though, none of the injuries were considered life-threatening.
A report in the Komo News said a couple driving a station wagon was transporting the teepee poles - used to make the classic American Indian conical tents - when they slowed down because a truck was turning off the Mount Baker Highway into Everson Goshen Road near Deming around 10am yesterday. Objects may appear larger: The wooden teepee poles skewered through the Toyota Camry on the Mount Baker Highway. Hair-raising pictures show the world's top base jumpers throwing themselves off huge mountain. Workmen destroy more than 20,000 rare turtle eggs after bulldozers hit beach. German seaplane recovered from depths of fjord 70 years after it sank raising hopes it could fly again. Bet they run like clockwork! Artist creates detailed model motorbikes made entirely from discarded watch parts.
Inventing the first bows and arrows took early humans TWO MILLION years. Spain's ghost airport: The ¿1BILLION transport hub closed after just three years that's now falling into rack and ruin. Paris commuter train has carriages transformed to resemble rooms from the Palace of Versailles. Nun sparks unholy row over plans to build 24ft shining cross in her front garden which will offer ¿spiritual protection¿ to neighbours.