The What is It Game.

What's this?

(Hint, they come in a wide variety of sizes)

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<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Greenkeeper @ Aug 18 2007, 08:05 PM) [snapback]498527[/snapback]</div>

A species of mammal known as Homo Sapiens, of which these are female, and they do come in a great variety of sizes and shapes, most of them attractive!

Whattsat?

Oh, that thing they're standing next to? Ahem - didn't see that at first.

That's a species of "Ye Olde Waterwheel," for driving an electric generator in a hydroelectric dam somewhere. Those buckets are precisely shaped to extract virtually every erg of energy the flowing water gives up - no splash, no slop.

MB

 

Looks like Kow is right - it's the drive wheel from a pelton turbine. You're up, Kow!

 

Bravo!

Pelton wheels are to "Ye Olde Water Wheel" what the Prius is to the Chevy Suburban... a high tech-super efficient twist on old technology. They also scale very well, from hydroelectric power plant down to backyard generator a home with decent flow can generate considerable power with only three feet of head. (Vertical Drop)

 

Ok, after a couple of days, here's one to keep it alive:

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<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mad Hatter @ Aug 22 2007, 10:10 PM) [snapback]500831[/snapback]</div>

Hmm... would that be a Southeast Asian fruit called the Durian (also the slang nickname of the Singapore Opera House)?

How about this one? What is it's name, where is it, and what is it?
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And for a bonus point, what is it's famous cousin?

 

Reminds me of the movie "Close Encounters""

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(danoday @ Aug 22 2007, 10:20 PM) [snapback]500834[/snapback]</div>

The mesa is Mt Conner in Australia; its cousin therefore must be Ayers Rock. The Wikipedia entry states that Mt Conner is often confused with Devil's Tower in Wyoming, reproduced as a mashed potato sculpture in Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind.

Here's the view from above: Mt Conner

I haven't got any handy interesting gadgets to show --- field is open ---

MB

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(airportkid @ Aug 23 2007, 10:40 AM) [snapback]501081[/snapback]</div>

Answer is correct! I've got nothing, though... someone want to take a turn?

 

Sure, I'll have a turn. The question for this image is more like 'what did it used to be?' Bonus points for identifying the location and historical significance.
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<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hyo silver @ Aug 23 2007, 02:44 PM) [snapback]501128[/snapback]</div>

Ill guess a mine or a water mill of some kind..

Judging from the graffiti, was also used as a gang hang-out spot..

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Greenkeeper @ Aug 21 2007, 11:55 PM) [snapback]500105[/snapback]</div>

Sorry to sound like a teenager but I couldn't help but laugh at the term three feet of head. I had no idea that was a technical term.

 

No gangs here, though it has been a party spot for many years.
Not a water mill, and not exactly a mine.

 

My thinking on the current image is that it was some kind of chute for transporting coal? It's in "the sticks."

 

a log flume?

_____________________________________
PS: as for the bonus points on offer,
location guess -- pacific northwest of N.Am.?
significance guess -- made of brick & stone?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Greenkeeper @ Aug 23 2007, 07:21 PM) [snapback]501255[/snapback]</div>

Or some kind of aquaduct, also coal mining related?

PA P

 

Yes, it's "in the sticks", and made of bricks (or used to be), but something you can see that's black is not coal. Aqueduct and flume are getting warmer.

 

hydraulic mining sluice?

Hmmm,

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hyo silver @ Aug 23 2007, 07:59 PM) [snapback]501272[/snapback]</div>

Flume..., getting warmer.... Olympic ski jump in Innsbruck in the year 2090 after global warming has restructured the Alps?

PA P

 

Well, I don't know what or where it is, but I see that Doc Berman got there before us...