“If there’s one thing we know, it’s hot women. No greater confluence of experts on pulchritude exists anywhere else on Earth. So when the time came to rank the 99 hottest fictional women of 2012, we were ready. Our loins are girded, our wills are steeled. Let’s do this thing.” w/ photos

“LED lights that respond to bodily movements, choreographed bursts of brightness emerging unexpectedly from a tree, fluorescent tubes arranged into chaotic but beautiful sculptures – these 14 light art installations are like the professional version of your neighbor’s holiday light show.” w/ photos

“It is exhilarating to stand on top of the world admiring the natural beauty of our planet spread beneath us. Bone-chilling ravines, steep cliffs, thundering waterfalls, snow-clad peaks or serene rivers, nature has been very kind to us. You need not be a rock climber or a mountaineer to experience planet Earth in all its glory. We have here, the most amazing viewing platforms that help us do just that. So climb atop one, and take a deep breath as you savor the view.” w/ photos

“From massive illuminated Chinese restaurants to cute little BBQ tables for ten, these 14 floating restaurants make smart use of available space and turn the dining experience into something of an adventure on the sea.” w/ photos

“Football players have to put up with a lot of pain whether it’s overcoming sore muscles from a daily practice or getting clocked by a 400 linebacker in front of 80,000 screaming fans. Despite this life of pain, there are some players who actually use their downtime to let a stranger take a hot needle to their flesh… for fun. These are the best inked bodies in the National Football League.” w/ photos

“While some of the names on this list you’ve probably been hearing since you were little, most of them are not international rock stars or even close to it. They are ordinary people that were placed in extraordinary situations and somehow managed to shake the world. With everything from generals to rappers, from revolutionaries to news reporters, these are the 25 most influential people in the world.” w/ photos

“You know you’ve got a winning architectural design when strikingly similar structures begin popping up around the world. Sometimes, these similarities are just coincidences. Sometimes, they’re due to the same architect repeating a theme. And at other times – well – imitation really is the best form of flattery. These 12 pairs of buildings and interiors are almost identical in many cases, from an intentional copy of Mies van der Rohe’s iconic Farnsworth House to the evidently Zaha Hadid-inspired Liverpool Museum.” w/ photos

“There are many folk and punk bands that, despite having no or few Irish-born members, draw upon Irish influences for their inspiration and musical style. From established bands like The Pogues to lesser known groups like the Brick Top Blaggers, here are some examples of Celtic-inspired musicians you should check out if you like Irish punk or folk.” w/ videos

“Usually when we think of ‘art’, things like sculptures or paintings come to mind; in other words, stuff you can hang on the wall or keep in your atrium to be the envy of your neighborhood’s upper crust… But there is a new form that not only requires skill, it requires science, and likely access to equipment most of us do not have in our homes, or possibly even in our city.” w/ photos

“The ladies of 2012 aren’t just the next pretty faces: They’re smart, strong women who offer the complete package. So, who moved up the ranks from last year? Who didn’t make the cut? Who burst onto the scene and demanded our attention? And, out of all of these, who claimed the No. 1 spot?” w/ photos