(Photo: Tim Parkinson)

It's a lovely shade of pink, which is not what you might expect from a grasshopper. Though rare, pink grasshoppers are occasionally spotted. Tim Parkinson found this one in Norfolk, UK.

What causes pink grasshoppers? Victoria Hillman, a wildlife biologist and photographer, explained a year ago in National Geographic. It's the result of a genetic mutation similar to albinism:

It is called erythrism an unusual and little-understood genetic mutation caused by a recessive gene similar to that which affects albino animals. This mutation results in one of two things happening or even a combination of the two; a reduce or even absence of the normal pigment and/or the excessive production of other pigments, in this case red which results in pink morphs. Although it was first discovered in 1887 in a katydid species, it is extremely rare to see these pink morphs so you can imagine our delight at finding so many in one area and they probably all have the same parents both carrying the recessive gene. All the individuals we found were nymphs and a couple of things can now happen if they make it to adulthood, they can lose the pink colouring altogether, they may stay pink or even be a variation between the two! We will be checking back on these individuals throughout the coming weeks and months to see what happens.

-via Kotaku

OSO Architecture designed a new office suite in Istanbul for LEGO's Turkey division. 23 people will work in this space decorated in bright colors and images of minifigs. Circles on the walls and ceilings are reminiscent of LEGO blocks, giving workers and visitors the impression that they've jumped into a LEGO universe. There are no blocks on the floor for people to accidentally step on barefoot, but presumably those can be added later.

You can see more photos at Design Boom.

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In the 1996 movie Independence Day, aliens invade the Earth, intent on exterminating the human race and devouring the planet's resources. The aliens slaughter human military forces wherever they encounter resistance. But on July the Fourth, America leads a great worldwide counterattack that ends in victory.

That counterattack begins with President Thomas Whitmore, played by Bill Pullman, giving an impassioned speech to military forces gathered at Area 51. That speech is embedded below. Gilbert Gottfried, a comedian noted for his commanding and stentorian voice, recently read that speech.

In retrospect, it is clear that Gottfried should have played that role, not Pullman.

(Video Link)

-via Uproxx

(Through Time t-shirt now on sale at the NeatoShop)

At Ask Reddit, nepat1248 asks:

What is a completely rational sentence you could speak today, that if you said 20 years ago, people would think you were insane?

This is a fun question! Many people offered references to how technology has changed our daily lives. AI0 writes:

I store my contacts in the cloud.

Saintarium comments on the dystopian horror that we currently live in:

"I can't wait for Disney to finish making the next Avengers and Star Wars movies!"

Who could have predicted that Facebook would exist? Not sp0rk_walker:

All those people from high school you never thought you would see again? Well you still won't talk to them but you will see pictures of their kids every day.

Bkvm96 is ready to lead a cult:

"I have 2000 followers!"

GalaxyAwesome clicked on the wrong button:

Aw man, I accidentally liked her photo.

TheMobHasSpoken points out that, culturally speaking, we've advanced in some ways:

"You know what really transcends the age and gender demographic it was designed for? My Little Pony."

What confusing sentences can you write?

The Instagram profile of Emily Blincoe is filled with gems, but these two are particularly outstanding. At the top, you can see a colorful arrangement of fallen ice cream cones. She writes the caption, "FORECAST: cloudy with a chance of ice cream." Below that you can see dog Eleanor haloed in flowers. Good dogs certainly are.

Blincoe is an Austin native who, if I understand correctly, currently lives in Nashville. She has a real gift for arranging objects in photos. You can see this strongly in her color-coded candy series.

-via Lustik

(Completely Serious Comics)

I read it in a webcomic, so it must be true. Just be sure to exchange all of your compliments before crossing back over the border because American businesses usually won't take them as currency. But I understand that Alex may give a discount at the NeatoShop if you notice after he has had his hair done without him dropping a hint. 

@JohnCFarrier The asylum.

— The Director (@QAHatesYou) August 8, 2014

Artist Phil Postma has a great eye for remixing pop culture. We've previously seen him create Pixar-style superheroes, Pixar versions of classic pulp films, ThunderCats characters from other cultures, and superhero-branded cereals.

For a recent project, Postma returned to his interest in classic kids' cereal brands by creating action figures for mascots and placing them in blister packs. Look, this one is mint on card!

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Megan Bratten of Independence, Missouri walked out of the K-Mart and found that her minivan was gone. She's a single mother of five kids, so money is tight. The loss of the van appeared to be a devastating blow.

Then Bratten remembered that there was a phone in the van. So she sent a text message to it, hoping that the thief would respond. He did and they had a conversation. After she sent a total of five texts, the thief agreed to give up the van. He gave her step-by-step directions to its location. Bratten found the van in good condition.

In fact, it was in even better condition. She had mentioned that the van had a bad transmission. When Bratten found the van, there was an empty bottle of transmission fluid in it. The thief had refilled the reservoir.

-via I Own the World

In June, Robert Burt of Pittsfield, Maine was arrested for drunk driving and driving without a license. He pled guilty and was sentenced to two days in jail. A friend of his printed him a t-shirt with his original mug shot and a caption that included "sponsored by Bud Light and Somerset County Sheriff."

When Burt reported to the jail to serve his time, he wore that shirt. So when deputies took his intake mug shot, he was wearing a shirt showing his previous mug shot.

What should he do next? Perhaps Burt should take this photo, print it on another shirt, and go get arrested again. It's time to take this to the next level.

-via Dave Barry

Laura Jenkinson is a makeup artist in London. She can do a lot more than make you look pretty. She also shapes cartoon characters around her mouth--and presumably yours, too. Which characters would you like to see her make next?

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The sofa is nearly as big as the car. But that doesn't stop this enterprising family from trying to force it in. The Daily Telegraph (warning: auto-start video) describes the incident:

Graeme Longden, 44, was in his upstairs bedroom in Sheffield, Yorkshire, on Sunday when he spotted the amusing scene and filmed it on his phone.

"On Sunday my neighbours put the sofa on their drive and on Monday afternoon I saw these people trying to put it in the car," he explained.

"I thought there is no was they are going to get that in, so I started filming. I had to stifle my laughter as I watched them trying to wedge it in.

Longden reports that they were eventually successful. I'd like to see what the car looked like then.

Of course, it would have been easier if they had just strapped it to the hood--excuse me, bonnet--of the car and then driven wherever they needed in reverse. Probably safer, too.

(Photo: Trees for the Future)

Japanese children as young as 4 ride the subway by themselves. Vietnamese mothers teach their babies to pee on command. These are 2 of 9 parenting practices from around the world that aren't practiced--or at least widely practiced--in the United States. For example, the Kisii people of Kenya avoid eye contact with their babies:

Kisii, or Gussii, moms in Kenya carry their babies everywhere, but they don't indulge a baby's cooing. Rather, when their babies start babbling, moms avert their eyes.

It's likely to sound harsh to a Western sensibility, but within the context of Kisii culture, it makes more sense. Eye contact is an act bestowed with a lot of power. It's like saying, "You're in charge," which isn't the message parents want to send their kids. Researchers say Kisii kids are less attention-seeking as a result.

You can read the entire list at NPR. Do you see any that you think that American parents should adopt?

-via Nag on the Lake

Are you in the market for a gearless thinking device? They're the latest electric wonders from Mr. Edison's laboratory. DeviantART member woodguy 32 is your local distributor. He builds modern computers, phone docks, drawing tables, tablet stands, and speakers using his mastery of woodworking.

He often uses antique furniture as bases for computer equipment, such as this White brand treadle sewing machine. You can view more works in his online gallery.

When he’s not busy destroying cities, Godzilla lets his hair, er, scales down by hanging with friends or chillaxing around the home. Gigablog documents our favorite monster’s off-the-clock moments. As you can see, he’s just like any of us.

-via Nerd Approved

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It’s a non-stop thrill ride of explosions and anger. You can feel the tension rip out of the screen as Carl Fredricksen takes on the world and finds triumph through hardship and grief. Be sure to watch to the end of this great trailer by YouTube user MrStratman7.

-via Pleated Jeans