Swiss Photographer Caught Sperm Whales Nap Vertically Between 6 to 25 Minutes

Swiss wildlife photographer Franco Banfi and a team of scuba divers were following a pod of sperm whales off the Coast of Dominica Island in the Caribbean Sea, when suddenly the large creatures became motionless and fell into vertical slumber.  The underwater photographer has captured a rare set of photographs which capture a pod of sleeping whales. You’d probably never see before that. But Franco Banfi, caught the superb creatures around 65ft underwater as well as his partner, free diver Sabrina, just off the coast of the Caribbean island Dominica. Almost 40ft long sperm whales, known to be quite social, spend around 7% of their time sleeping and nap vertically for six to 25 minutes in this case it was ten.

Mr Banfi 58, from Cadro, Switzerland, said: This was a group of around ten sperm whales all sleeping together. I don't know why they sleep vertically, perhaps because they can use the sonar they have in their head to sense any danger approaching. I was extremely lucky to see such a memorable moment in nature, and I'm highly thankful the whales trusted me and gave me the opportunity to show up the show. It doesn't happen like that every time you see them. This rare phenomenon was first discovered in 2008, when a team of biologists from the UK and Japan inadvertently drifted into a group of sperm whales floating just below the surface, completely oblivious to their surroundings. The 2008 incident advised that whales might sleep with both sides of the brain turned off.

Chinese Red Eggs

Chinese red eggs are bright pink colored cooked chicken eggs. The eggs are first hard boiled and then a wet red calligraphy paper is wiped over the eggs to create a pink coloring. In the Chinese culture, it is common to hold at the baby´s first-month birthday a red egg and ginger party. For the Chinese, one month is the first huge milestone of a baby’s life, so it is celebrated with Red eggs. They are nutritious, symbols of fertility, rebirth. Red means happiness.

Generally the baby's name is announced to friends and relatives at this party, and one might find a bowl of brightly colored cooked chicken eggs on the guests' buffet or serving tables. The hosts might hand out the red-dyed eggs, symbolizing happiness and renewed life. These days, some people also will give red eggs to their friends and families to celebrate their birthday. Moreover, same to Western Easter eggs, in Chinese culture eggs symbolize birth or a new start. For eggs to be served to invitees during a significant birthday such as the first month or first year is very important. The color red means prosperity and good fortune to the Chinese, while white or beige is considered the color of death.