Guinness World Records

The race is on to nominate seven new wonders of the world. On 1 January 2006, a panel of experts short-listed nominations that had received the most votes throughout 2005, narrowing a list of 77 sites down to 21 finalists. These 21 finalists, listed below, will be the subject of public vote to decide which seven make the history books.

Millions of people have already have already participated in one of the largest global votes that has ever taken place. The result will be released on 7 July 2007 – 07/07/07 – so there's still time to make your voice heard.

Choose from this list of finalists:

The Acropolis of Athens (450 - 330 B.C.) Athens, Greece
Alhambra (12th century) Granada, Spain
Angkor (12th century) Cambodia
The Pyramid at Chichén Itzá (before 800 A.D.) Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico
Christ Redeemer (1931) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
The Roman Colosseum (70 - 82 A.D.) Rome, Italy (top pic)
Statues of Easter Island (10th - 16th Century) Easter Island, Chile
The Eiffel Tower (1887 - 89) Paris, France
The Great Wall of China (220 B.C and 1368 - 1644 A.D.) China
The Hagia Sophia (532 - 537 A.D.) Istanbul, Turkey
Kiyomizu Temple (749 - 1855) Kyoto, Japan
The Kremlin and Red Square (1156 - 1850) Moscow, Russia
Machu Picchu (1460-1470), Peru
Neuschwanstein Castle (1869 -1884) Füssen, Germany
Petra (9 B.C. - 40 A.D.), Jordan
The Pyramids of Giza (2600 - 2500 B.C), Egypt (middle pic)
The Statue of Liberty (1886) New York City, U.S.A.
Stonehenge (3000 B.C. - 1600 B.C.) Amesbury, United Kingdom
Sydney Opera House (1954 - 73) Sydney, Australia (bottom pic)
The Taj Mahal (1630 A.D.) Agra, India
Timbuktu (12th century) Mali

Natural World

LARGEST MONKEY

The male mandrill (Mandrillus sphinx) or man-ape of equatorial West Africa has an average head and body length of 61–76 cm (24-30 in) and a tail length of 5.2–7.6 cm (2-3 in). Adult males weigh an average of 25 kg (55 lb), although specimens weighting up to 54 kg (119 lb) and measuring 50.8 cm (20 in) to the shoulder have been known. The mandrill is also one of the most colourful mammals, recognized by its naked vivid-blue rump, red-striped face and yellow beard.

Science & Technology

LARGEST SHUTTLE CREW

Space shuttle Challenger STS 61A, which was launched on 30 Oct 1985, had a crew of eight.

Most valuable guitar

WHO:
Reach Out To Asia
WHAT:
US$2.7 million (then £1.57 million)
WHERE:
Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Doha, Qatar
WHEN:
November 17, 2005
A Fender Stratocaster guitar signed by a host of music legends fetched US$2.7 million (then £1.57 million) at a charity auction for Reach Out To Asia at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Doha, Qatar, on November 17, 2005. Stars who signed the guitar included Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, Jimmy Page and Brian May (all UK). The Reach Out To Asia campaign seeks to support worthy causes around the world, with particular emphasis on the Asian continent.