#antelope miraculous

[kari-go]

Not related to the zoological classification, but: you told earlier that the Dragonfly can change speed of things, so it can do everything that the Spider and the Anthelope can do?

Only the antelope since the spider drains someone's energy. The spider only works on a human but if you really want to be technical the dragonfly can do what the bear can (to an extent). If the dragonfly manages to slow something so much that it appears to stop moving then you could say that it can do what the bear can. It also takes experience to slow down(or speed up) a person, since beginners can only speed up objects.

[glitterpensupremacy]

So I figured out what animals I want for my Savannah Miracle box. Decided to keep this box smaller and have it be a single tier box with 12 miraculous. The animals are a white lion (for Lady Lion), zebra, African wild dog, secretary bird, giraffe, gazelle, cheetah (though I might swap this with a hippo), spider (which I've based around Anansi and stories/storytelling), antelope, elephant, rhino, and vulture.

Oooh! Those are so cool!

[georgi-girl]

Fanart for Miraculous Team Volume 1: Origins.

Available to read in Fanfiction.net, AO3, and Deviantart.

an ancient evil is reawakened, and fourteen teenagers are chosen to become superheroes! This was written long before the Zodiac Miraculous were revealed, so for most of the kids, SP created his own Miraculous, and made some changes to the ones in canon. I figure the best cover art would be all the Miraculous symbols surrounding Hawk Moth’s symbol. Partway through drawing, I realized it was reminiscent of the Cipher Wheel from Gravity Falls; which is fine since both SP and I love that series. Anyway, clockwise from top right the symbols are:

The Cat Miraculous: a ring. Kwami: Plagg. Special Power: Cataclysm (and unlike canon, they can use their powers more than once) Special Tool: collapsible metal staff. Holder: Adrien, alias Chat Noir

The Turtle Miraculous: a jade bracelet. Kwami: Wayzz. Special Powers: Force Fields and minor healing. Special Tool: shield shaped like a turtle shell and a pair of tonfas. Holder: Nino, alias Carapace.

The Bee Miraculous: a hair comb. Kwami: Pollen. Special Power: Shrinking (which I like better than Venom) Special Tool: spinning trombo that creates whirlwinds. Holder: Chloe (who has more character development in one chapter, than she has in the entire canon) alias Queen Bee.

The Spider Miraculous: a wrist watch. Kwami: Arri. Special Power: Sticking to Walls. Special Tool: an extendible lasso. Holder: Max, alias Arachnid.

The Dragonfly Miraculous: a necklace. Kwami: Daria. Special Powers: Flight and Super Speed. Special Tool: Discus. Holder: Alix, alias Dragonfly.

The Deer Miraculous: a pin. Kwami: Pinn. Special Power: Turning Invisible. Special Tools: bow and an an endless supply of arrows. Holder: Mylan, alias Forest Doe.

The Raven Miraculous: a belt buckle. Kwami: Tammura. Special Power: Manipulating Shadows. Special Tool: obsidian mirror. Holder: Juleka, alias Corbie Noir.

The Flamingo Miraculous: a hair clip. Kwami: Flintt. Special Power: Self-Multiplying. Special Tool: walking stick shaped like a flamingo’s head. Holder: Rose, alias The Flamingo.

The Bear Miraculous: a spiked wristband. Kwami: Murria. Special Power: EarthShaking (causing earthquakes). Special Tools: knuckledusters. Holder: Ivan, alias Grizzly Bear.

The Antelope Miraculous: a leather bracelet. Kwami: Impp. Special Power: Incredible Leaps. Special Tool: wooden bat. Holder: Kim, alias Antelope.

The Red Panda Miraculous: an artists’ glove. Kwami: Mullan. Special Power: Bringing drawings to life. Special Tool: a spear that turns into a pen. Holder: Nathaniel, alias Panda Roux.

The Wolf Miraculous: brooch. Kwami: Mikka. Special Power: Ice Breath. Special Tools: bladed fans. Holder: Sabrina, alias Louve Gris.

The Fox Miraculous: pendant. Kwami: Trixx. Special Powers: Mirages (and levitation!) Special Tool: Flute. Holder: Alya, alias Rena Rouge.

The Ladybug Miraculous: earrings. Kwami: Tikki. Special Power: No Lucky Charm, but she still has that sixth-sense special sight that helps her come up with a plan. Special Tool: yo-yo. Holder: Marinette, alias Ladybug.

[ml-bot-art]

Draw Kagami Tsurugi with the Antelope Miraculous

[stephsyearinreview]

Steph’s Year in Review – 2022 Edition

2022 was a year of celebration and it was a hoot! It felt like our first “real” year of retirement as in 2021 Craig was so involved with closing his parents’ estate. The freedom this gave us, combined with celebrating my 60th birthday all year long, had me/us seeing many friends and family around the country/world

I started the year in the Tucson area for pickleball with Joan Hanson, Dave Brown, Johnny Stutsman, and Heidi Thorsen (SEA pickleball peeps) and a visit with Marilyn Byrne (MSFT friend).  In February, Craig and I took a quick ski trip to Sun River/Mt Bachelor as a trial run for our road trip “ski safari”.  The three-week safari took us through Idaho, where we visited with Bob and Ann Arnold (MSFT friends) and down to Salt Lake City (SLC).  In UT, we had great fun skiing Snowbird, Alta, Deer Valley, and Solitude.  We also had dinner with Colleen Daly (MSFT friend).  After SLC, we went over to Steamboat Springs where we visited with Brandon and Scott Jones (cousins).  Guy Michaelsen (SEA neighbor) joined us in Steamboat and we had fun hanging with him. Driving home from CO, we stopped in Jackson Hole for some snow mobiling, and Montana for one last ski mountain, Big Sky. I was wondering if I’d get tired of all that skiing and I never did!  

April 11th marked my 60th birthday and my pickleball peeps helped me celebrate, at the local SEA bowling alley, which was a blast.  Craig surprised me with a 10-day trip to Palm Springs to mark the official milestone. While there, I was doubly surprised when Jan and Gray Crary (Univ of CO friends) showed up from LA to help celebrate. In addition, Heather Pollock (childhood friend), came over from Santa Monica for a visit.

In early May, my girlfriend Susan Landahl (MSFT friend) and I went to Phoenix for a long weekend.  And in mid-May, Peggy O’Connor (Univ of CO friend) and Suzanne Coupe (Pat Kirkland Leadership friend) met me in Tulsa for a weekend of reading and girl-time.  Unfortunately, when I got home, I came down with Covid. While Craig got it from me, miraculously neither Peggy nor Suzanne did!

At the end of June, Craig and I headed to the Midwest. The ultimate impetus was a joint birthday party in Bloomington, IN.  My sister, Jan, turned 80 in September and I turned 60 in April so we had a joint birthday party over the 4th of July weekend.  It was fun to see the whole fam damnly (as well as Bea Travis, Ellen Campbell, and Gary Hafner & Jane Clay -  all old friends from Bloomington).  Leading up to the visit to my hometown, Craig and I spent some time in Cleveland checking out the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and going to the water park at Cedar Point. While in Cleveland we saw my Portland friend, Cathy Wilcox.  On this Midwest junket, we also went to Detroit where we toured the Ford museum and did some fun bike riding.  We also had a lovely dinner with my Booking.com friend, Amy Accetura.

It was great spending the majority of the summer in the Seattle area.  Craig talked about a perfect week including hiking, biking, and stand up paddleboarding and we had several of those trifecta weeks!  

In September, Craig and I headed to the desert and did some great site seeing & hiking in Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, and Zion before ending up in Vegas.  In sin city, we met up with my niece, Melanie Schwandt, and “the Scots” Jules and Dougal.  The five of us headed for Lees Ferry and took an amazing two-week rafting trip the Colorado.

In late September, Craig and I took what Craig called Secret Squirrel “The Fall Tour” (the second part of my surprise birthday trip/celebration).  We went down to the WA/OR border and slept in a tree house (!) for three nights before heading to the beach and spending three more at Cannon Beach.  

In October, we headed to North Carolina for my niece, Clare Cady’s wedding to Austin Tepsic.  After our time in Raleigh, we did some exploring of the Outer Banks and the Southern Banks.  When we got home, I was so excited to be home for two whole months.  Who would think I’d get a bit burnt out on traveling.  

On November 16th, I had a small accident with my 2017 Fusion Hybrid.  “Füshy B” as I call her has less than 30k miles on her and will be paid off Feb 9! Fortunately, no one was hurt. While technically I hit the other person, it was her fault as she pulled out in front of me.  Amazing how much damage can be done to cars even going at a relatively slow speed.  As of January 14th, Progressive hadn’t decided yet whether to fix it or consider it a complete loss.  

In mid-December, we caught the travel bug again and were very excited to fly to Iceland and Sweden for our arctic adventure. While the crazy weather in Iceland curtailed some of our activities, the time in Sweden was perfect.  I spent time with my step mother, Eva, as well as my Swedish family Margareta & Bengt, and Chatarina, Lief, and Elisabet. Christmas day, Craig and I flew up to The Ice Hotel -  200k above the Arctic Circle.  We spent one night in an ice room and two nights in a warm room.  Activities there included dog sledding (where we were mushers), snow mobiling, Nordic skiing, and eating lots of yummy food.  

In between all these great trips, when home, I play pickleball three times a week and continue to be honored to volunteer for End of Life Washington.  

As I wrap up this missive, I love the fact that this year I did so many fun things and saw so many of my friends and family in person. I love this quote from Carol Zizzo (Henley Leadership Group) in response to one of our blog posts:  I imagine you on your deathbed saying "Yep, been there, did that, as I said I would, and it was fantastic!”

On that note, I’ll sign off and continue planning our 2023 adventures.  

Love & Kisses - Steph 

[miraculousninja-345]

Miraculous Redesigns concepts pt2

So I thought purple tigress would be my favorite but that's gonna have to go to Pegasus and snake noir. I hate the goat though, like the other heroes in pennalteam that didn't really get more time to focus on them. I'm gonna experiment more with him in the future.

I will say pegasus and king monkey turned out pretty well, I might go back to Pegasus and make his hero suit more like tech wear.

[cap360]

Thanks to my Aunt and the beloved Wheelofnames for the creation of this wonderful oc.

Name: Yuri Gordon

Hero Name: Captain Beast

Age: 21

Kwami: Oreeo the Antelope

Kwami Food: Pepperoni

Kwami of: Hope

Miraculous: Earring

Activation Phrase: Oreeo, yes I am a pirate.

Special Power: “False” He can give people false hope that they have their goal in reach.

Extras: Likes Jimmy Buffett, Castle (tv show). He wants to visit all the baseball parks in America but doesn’t like baseball

[havg02]

DITOEFTV headcanons with Og Penelope and Ivonne

-Penelope is super fickle, especially coming to food and taking care of her skin. Hates the sun so she constantly carries around a parasol and sun cream to keep in the shade. Is mostly vegetarian, only eating fish, vegetables, fruits and yogurt (blueberry yoghurt icecream is her favourite), making her skin constantly glowing and healthy. If you serve her any food thats heavy or salty she'll get offended.

-She's very beautiful but is pretty voluptuous for her age. Despite being the same age and a bit younger than Ivonne, Penelope grows up to have a super curvy body and larger breasts which is why she wears a lot of clothes for adults, to define it better and look mature/alluring as if it's an attractive thing for people's attention--so she's kind of hot compared to Ivonne who just has a normal body for a girl her age and is kind of cute.

-Has doe-like eyes lined with cat eye liner like audrey hepburn, a dolly face that's very fair than Ivonne's, slim pretty antelope legs, natural pink cheeks, eye lids and lips that's pink. I like to think Penelope would adore ballet and ice skating because it makes her feel graceful and light instead of feeling heavy, being stuck in her room all day and facing people's torments. And I also think if she were to play an instrument, it would be a flute, piano, violin or harp to express her feelings through music.

-Is very chic/feminine so she mostly wears lots of lace, tulles, flowers, stockings, heels, silk, coats, fur, handbags/purses and wears mostly in her favourite colours; turquoise, white, black, coral pink, pompadour pink. Always wears turquoise or pale lavender eyeshadow with cat eyeliner, or leaves her eyelids alone since they're naturally pink.

-Is addicted to perfumes and has so many strict beauty secrets which she found out herself to make herself look more beautiful--eg) She takes milk baths like marie antoinette, uses sweet almond oil as a body lotion after baths, wears wax lined gloves full of sweet almond oil and rose water when sleeping, and sleeps on silk pillows for her hair. For perfumes, she loves floral, sweet, fruity and powdery perfumes that especially have notes of orange blossom and violets.

-Is literally a mix of Elsa from Frozen, Marinette Dupain Cheng, Chloe Bourgeois from Miraculous Ladybug and maybe even Aria Roscent from The Villainess Reverses The Hourglass. If Aria and Penelope met, they would definitely be best friends and I'm sure Aria would give her advice on how to act around people.

-She adores flowers so she wears them as the main notes in her perfumes and potpourri which she always has it made in her bedroom for her smell them. Has a very detailed bath and skincare routine with products specially made for only, her scared beauty secret that she can tell no one bc she always wants to look her best as a lady. Is known to leave the room smelling like spring.

-Swears to never look at Reynold and Derrick as her brother and calls them young masters in secret and uses the mean words they said to her/their hateful feelings for her to not be any near them or ever talk to them due to the promise to never be family they made her to make. Reynold regrets it and still tries to talk to her while Derrick finds it burdening to his pride and want her to leave it so he could be near her.

-Ivonne is actually a 'stubborn but cute, good girl' and a 'younger twin-sisterly' type of girl who is kind of weak and super empathetic yet has very strong enthusiasm. She's kind to everyone and is willing to help anyone if they ask her for it (If Derrick or Reynold would even allow her to help anyone, but if Ivonne begs then they'll take care of it instead of her).

-She likes to take care of the garden that her mother who passed away in the past grew, which was precious to her and used to cry a lot if she ever saw one flower die like it was the end of the world since it was the only thing left of her mother. Mostly in her day she would just be hanging out with Penelope or Derrick and Reynold, taking care of the garden herself and just do anything simple that would come up to her mind, but she likes to be around her family the most.

-Ivonne and Penelope have a really good relationship; Ivonne loves to be around Penelope as she's mostly hanging out with her the most while Penelope just goes along with whatever Ivonne wants to do but is a bit concerned for her since Ivonne's clumsy and can hardly protect herself so she would scare anyone off if they're acting really strange.

-Ivonne is always on Penelope's side, especially if Derrick and Reynold are being dicks because Penelope hardly ever attacks anyone first. When Derrick and Reynold are trying to talk to Penelope who doesn't want to be around them like Reynold trying to pick a fight with her to get her to talk to him or Derrick trying to say something about what she's doing, Ivonne would call them out and roast them for Penelope even if they don't mean it.

-It's sometimes funny and sometimes it also hits right in the nerves but because of Penelope appearing more attractive in a mature way and being a bit taller, people often mistake Penelope as her older sister or mom which secretly brings down Ivonne's pride as a grown lady like her sister and get her all wary about how her body looks more childish, though she never tells anyone or Penelope about it because she just positively brightens up about it at the end.

-As much as she loves her brothers she is really livid and upset towards them for how they treat Penelope, and can't believe they're like this when they were so kind in her memories. And lord save her when she finds out Derrick's feelings for Penelope and why he's so random towards her, her whole perspective on him changes and the poor cinnamon roll just dies inside that her brother is actually in love with their step sister, feeling more sorry for Penelope to deal with him.

-Cue Ivonne 'ferociously' giving Derrick an earful and protecting Penelope from Derrick from now on and allow Reynold to help as well because I mean, I'm pretty sure Reynold would also be in half disbelief-half disturbed and think his brother is crazy as well if he first hears of it. Lucky Penelope is just loving the show as Derrick is forced to face the reality and his reponsibilites he always denies.

[luciusmalfoysimp]

Angst Imagine: Imagine Lucius Being Forced to Watch You Be Tortured After You Take The Blame For His Actions

WARNING: this is not gonna be a pretty imagine. there is a good amount of physical torture besides the cruciatus curse

this doesn’t take place during a particular school year from the books btw

reader info: reader has medium to long hair that can be pulled (no, not in the kinky way lmao)

•

You sat on your knees, a wand pointed at the back of your neck. Bellatrix and the Snatchers had stormed the Malfoy Manor, and you found yourself and Lucius terrified as the two of you kneeled before the deranged witch.

She walked back and forth, her dark eyes scanning the both of you as she paced. You felt completely helpless, like nothing but mere prey to her, like an antelope to a lion, and by the look on her face, she felt the same way and was enjoying it.

“Lucius, darling, I got word from a little birdie that you betrayed us.” Her cold voice swept through the room, and you felt a shiver go down your spine. She approached your partner and bent at the waist to meet his eyes. “You stole and destroyed my grandfather’s pocket watch.” Bellatrix stared at Lucius, who’s eyes were fixed on the floor. “You know I was going to give it to the Dark Lord. He was going to use it for another horcrux.”

Without warning, she took her knife from it’s holster and brought the blade to his face. You bit your tongue, trying not to show any fear, but your heart was pounding.

“It would be a shame to carve up such a pretty face.” Bellatrix’s voice was quiet and deadly. “My sister always had a good taste in men... but apparently, looks don’t make up for your betrayal.” She spoke the last part in a mocking tone, running the blade across his cheek and opening a shallow wound. You saw Lucius tense. In another sudden move, she grasped a fistful of his hair and brought the blade to his throat.

“You know what happens to traitors-” Bellatrix snarled, and without thinking, you stood up quickly.

“He didn’t steal it.” You spoke in a firm voice. The two of them instantly turned towards you. Lucius’s eyes filled with more horror as he realized what you were about to do.

“Is that so?” Bellatrix let go of your partner and stalked towards you. Her eyes met yours, and she stepped uncomfortably close to you.

“I stole it.” You spoke quietly, standing your ground and refusing to break eye contact. “It’s nothing but ash now.” A smirk crossed the witch’s face.

“Really...” Her eyes glinted with evil, and you shuddered. You could tell she knew you were full of it. She turned to Lucius. “Would be a shame for her if she were lying, you know.”

“I’m telling the truth, Bellatrix.” Her head snapped towards you as you said her name. “You know where I stand about the Dark Lord. I would never let him get a chance to become immortal.” The smirk quickly dropped off of her face, and you knew you hit a nerve. “I take full responsibility.” Your voice faltered. “Just... don’t hurt Lucius.”

“(Y/n), drop the act, now.” Lucius pleaded. You could hear the fear in his voice.

“Do whatever to me. Anything.” Your voice broke. “Just don’t hurt him...” Bellatrix nodded, and took a step back. To your dismay, she started to quietly laugh to herself. Her head whipped back towards Lucius.

“You’ve got yourself quite a partner, Lucius.” She returned her attention to you, and she began to circle you. “Saying she’s take anything you were supposed to get...” Your eyes watched her as she went to your left side and immediately looked to your right once she was in your blind spot. Your heart was pounding and you felt your breathing become more ragged.

Bellatrix stopped when she was right in front of you, her dark eyes gliding over to Lucius, who was absolutely still with fear. “I think I know how to punish dear Lucius without laying a finger on him...”

And with that, Bellatrix grabbed a fistful of your hair and yanked you to the center of the room. Her grip was like iron, and you had no choice but to go with her, giving small yelps now and then. You needed to stay strong. You can’t show any fear. She’ll enjoy herself more if she knows how scared you are.

She dropped the hair from her hand and stood over you while you doubled over. All it took was her pulling out her wand, and you instantly knew what the next word would come out of her mouth. You closed your eyes, mentally preparing yourself.

“CRUCIO!” Your assumption was correct, and you couldn’t even process it before the blinding pain hit you. Instantly, you let out the most blood-curdling scream, one that would permanently stick in Lucius’s mind.

You’d never felt pain like this before. Every cell in your body felt like like it was made of molten lead. You could’ve sworn you were bleeding from the pain, but miraculously, you weren’t. You writhed in agony on the floor, your voice having a mind of its own as you non-stop shrieked, not allowing yourself to stop at any point.

“STOP!” You could barely hear Lucius’s voice, but the sheer hurt in his voice only added to the pain. The sound of impact rang through the room and the torture abruptly stopped. Shaking, you looked to see Scabior delivering kicks to shut him up. You cried out at the sight and attempted to crawl towards him, but Bellatrix’s high-heeled foot came down on the middle of your spine and pushed you back down.

“That’s enough.” Her voice was completely nonchalant. The Snatcher stopped, and gave her a grimace. The heel of Bellatrix’s shoe ground into your vertebrae and you groaned quietly. “I have a brilliant idea. Scabior, darling. Come here. Fenir, make sure the Malfoy traitor stays put.”

You looked up and saw Fenir approach Lucius, who had a significant amount of blood pouring from his nose. Just by the look of it, you could tell it was broken. Tears filled your eyes, and you didn’t even notice Bellatrix whisper something to Scabior, who nodded and returned to Lucius.

“I think... I’ll have some fun with this.” Bellatrix ran her tongue over her grotesque teeth as she stared at your partner. “As much as I’d love to torture both you with the curse, I think it would be better for you to endure the pain of someone you love instead...” She gave a low chuckle and you shuddered.

“Bellatrix, I beg of you, don’t harm-” Before you could say a word, Scabior interrupted Lucius with a sudden roar of the Imperius curse. Malfoy went quiet and stared at you, eyes pooling with even more tears.

“Thank you.” Bellatrix snickered. “Now, you’ll be forced to watch miss (y/n)’s pain. All because of you.” Her foot left your back and she pulled your head from the ground by your hair. You could feel her breath against your face. “It’s a shame, really. You’re the one who has to suffer.” She gave an ominous chuckle. You squeezed your eyes shut, a lump forming in your throat. With a deep inhale, you let your eyes open and stared at Lucius, tears going down your face.

“CRUCIO!” Bellatrix’s voice exploded through the room, and this time, you felt as though each bone in your body had snapped. Your screams once again filled the hall, your throat starting to burn as you cried out. You didn’t even realize it, but you started convulsing from the agony. Each of your limbs jerked and twitched terribly as you howled from the absolute torment.

Lucius could feel himself start to hyperventilate. Under the curse, Scabior was forcing him to watch you as you were tortured, not allowed to say a word. Tears started to fall, partially from not even being able blink under the curse, but the majority of it was the heart shattering sight of you in pain. He was so angry at himself. He started to taste blood as he bit harshly into his tongue. His eyes met yours, and the tears fell quicker.

The pain stopped, and you took a few deep breaths. Your head turned towards Bellatrix, and you didn’t get a word out before the toe of her boot crashed against your jaw. Your head began to ring as you fell. You weakly spit out a bit of blood, noticing white fragments in the small stream.

“CRUCIO!” Your fingernails dug into the hardwood floor enough to leave marks. Every part of you was absolutely on fire, and all you could do was shriek and sob. You couldn’t see it above you, but Bellatrix stared down at you, a deranged grin across her face. This time, she held the curse for what seemed like hours before she stopped.

You began to shake as you laid face down, your head feeling as though it were about to explode. The feeling only worsened as the deranged witch took a fistful of your hair and yanked your head up. Her weight bore down on your aching back as you sat on you, making sure you wouldn’t move. The tip of her knife landed against your cheek.

“Look at your lover.” She commanded. You closed your eyes instead, just wanting everything to end. “LOOK AT HIM!” Your eyes met his, and you shuddered. His eyes were completely bloodshot as he stared you down. Bellatrix dug the knife into your face and began to slide it down, opening a cut in your face. You cringed, your lips pulling back into a pained expression as the burn across your face worsened.

With that wound opened, she took the knife and sliced open your bottom lip. You quietly cried, once again trying not to show fear.

“My, my, your hair really is lovely.” To your surprise, Bellatrix began to stroke your hair. “So soft and smooth... and long.” She gave a quiet, throaty laugh, before pushing your face against the floor. Your breathing picked up quickly as you felt her pull your hair, then the noise of light sawing filled the air. “YOU WON’T BE PRETTY ANYMORE FOR DEAR LUCIUS!” You began to weep, knowing that she was doing this to you to humiliate you. Your cries were drowned out by Bellatrix’s cackling.

A small swish beside your head caused you to look to the side. A good sized lock of your hair fluttered beside you, then a second, a third, a fourth...

The pile beside you only grew, and at last, she let go of your hair. Through your tears, you looked and thought you saw a glimpse of two huge green eyes staring at you. You blinked once, and they were gone. You sniffled quietly, and you were turned onto your back, where she pinned you down. Bellatrix stuck her bottom lip out at you, a fake sorrow flickering in her eyes.

“Aw, are you crying?” She mocked you. This quickly turned your embarrassment to anger and fueled it terribly. Gathering up a bit of saliva and blood from the kick from earlier and her cuts, you spat directly in her face.

A short, high pitched exclaim of disgust left her mouth as she recoiled. You forced your torso up, trying to see if you could get the upper hand and get her off of you, but unfortunately, the witch was too quick. With a force you didn’t even know she had, she slapped you so hard across the face you saw stars for a few seconds.

“YOU SNIVELING LITTLE BITCH!” She shrieked. Her hand went around your throat and forced you back against the ground, the thud against the floor only making your head spin more. With a quick movement of her arm, she sliced the other side of your face, causing you to cry out. She gave another, this time across your eyebrow. With pure fury in her eyes, she opened a long, deep cut going along your hairline, causing you to screech. Instantly, blood began to go down your face and the side of your head, reddening your hair and your eyesight.

Bellatrix stood up, delivering a kick to the ribs that produced a noticeable crack. She must’ve noticed your fingers splay out from pain, as she walked over and raised her foot, driving the heel directly into the center of your left hand. Your right hand formed a fist and pounded against the ground from the agony. Lifting her foot again, the Death Eater landed her blow onto your fingers, filling the air with the sickening sound of your bones snapping. You gave an angered and pain filled shout through your gritted teeth, angry at yourself for not being quick enough to apprehend her. She gave a swift kick to the back of the head, not to knock you out, but to make sure you wouldn’t get up. The sadistic witch wanted you awake for this. Raising her wand, she inhaled deeply.

“CRUCIOOOOOO!” It was almost silly how angry she was, but this seemed to fuel the pain of her curse. You felt as though you were being skinned alive onlynto have lemon juice thrown on you, and you screamed and cried terribly, noticeably more intense than previously. You then looked over at Lucius, and with your face covered in blood, your hair an uneven mess of different lengths, you pleaded to him.

“LET HER KILL ME!” You wailed. “PLEASE! IT HURTS TOO MUCH! LET HER KILL ME!”

These words haunted Lucius for years. He’d hear them when there was silence. He’d hear them in his nightmares. He’d hear them when the wind blew harshly outside. He’d hear them when he’d try to focus on his work. He’d hear them as you would wake up from your own nightmares. He’d hear them when he saw the Daily Prophet articles about the incident, especially when the damage pictures appeared on the front page.

Just as Bellatrix was about to go through with your desperate request, the room was filled with shouting of the stupefy spell, heavy footsteps, and flashes of light across the room. This went on for about twenty seconds, then there was silence. Utter silence.

“Lucius...” You recognized the person’s voice in an instant: Arthur Weasley. Your breath hitched, and you felt a hand on your shoulder. You jumped, but looked up to see the comforting sight of lilac hair.

“(Y/n)...” Tonks stared down at you, her eyes filling with tears. She went to touch your face, and you curled in on yourself, not wanting to be hurt. Voices muttered around you, and the voices faded as you at last slipped out of consciousness, having only been awake from pure adrenaline for the past few hours.

•

You weren’t out for long, perhaps fifteen minutes at most. You were woken up with a start, your head in Tonks’ lap as she wiped away some of the dried blood from your hair and face. You noticed some fresh blood smeared on her knuckles. Lupin sat beside her, his wand a few inches from your face, a noticeable bruise on his cheek.

“You should’ve let her rest, Remus...” Tonks’ voice broke as she scolded her partner. “We don’t know what she’s been through. Being out for a while could be good for her.” You could tell he agreed with her, but you knew you needed to be awake.

“We should fill you in.” He said. “Dobby, Malfoy’s old house elf, had come back to the manor on instinct. He knew something was wrong. His intuition saved your life.” You briefly remembered seeing his eyes at one point. “He contacted the Aurors, and, to everyone’s surprise, Arthur Weasley came along.” You looked and saw him quietly speaking to Kingsley. “Everyone apparated, a bit too late unfortunately. The Snatchers and Lestrange are already on their way to their Azkaban cells. You’re alright now, I promise-”

“Where...” You went to interrupt him, but your voice was completely gone. Your screaming had taken a toll on your vocal chords, and you could barely produce any words. You swallowed, then looked at the two. “Where’s Lucius?”

“Mad-Eye had to restrain him.” Lupin replied. “He was so desperate to get to you. That’s how I got this.” He pointed to the bruise. “Was scared he’d cracked my jaw for a second, he was so desperate. It would’ve been too overwhelming for you with the state he was in.”

You looked down and saw your hand, which was wrapped in bandages, then back at Tonks. “Can I sit up?”

“If that’s what you need, then of course.” She wrapped an arm around your waist and helped you sit up. You instantly gritted your teeth and hissed, your ribs on fire. Bellatrix had broken them, alright. But, you managed to sit up. Footsteps approached you, and your neck cracked slightly as you craned to see Arthur and Kingsley coming to you, a glass of water in Arthur’s hand.

“Here.” Arthur put the glass to your lips, allowing you to hastily gulp down the water. “I bet you think it’s odd seeing me here. Believe me, Lucius thought he was hallucinating when I tried to calm him down after he was taken away by Mad-Eye. When the elf told us that Bellatrix was torturing you with him being forced to watch...” His voice trailed off for a second, and you swear you saw tears in his eyes. “...I couldn’t imagine what was going through his head. We’ve... despised each other for years, but just the thought of anyone having to see their loved one in so much pain...” He made a fist and swallowed, his eyes going to the floor. “We actually talked like civil human beings back in his room. No tension. No obvious hatred. Nothing. He actually apologized for the way he’d treated me for so long. I’d never seen him cry before.” He looked back at you. “He loves you terribly, you know. He went against the Dark Lord to save you. He told me he’d never forgive himself for what you went through today.”

You were completely taken aback by Arthur’s words. You’d seen the two interact before, with their backhanded comments and the looks of pure disgust thrown at each other. Right then and there, you realized how much respect you had for him. Your eyes went to the blood on Tonks’ knuckles, and she followed your gaze.

“Oh, that.” She scrubbed at it, a grimace on her face. “A reporter of the Daily Prophet decided to show up. Tried to take a picture of you while you were out. I’m just glad my fist met his face just before he had the brains to apparate.”

“That’s my girl.” Lupin smiled playfully and slid an arm around her waist. You allowed the corners of your mouth to turn up slightly. You then looked to Arthur.

“Thank you.” Was all you could say before your eyes filled with tears. Arthur patted your non-bandaged hand with a warm smile.

“You’re going to be alright.” Kingsley said, and you turned to him. “Do you want to see Lucius?” You hesitated for a second. Do you really want to see him after all of this damage you’d taken? Would he find you ugly, like how Bellatrix had intended to make you?

“I think she doesn’t have much of a choice.” Tonks nodded in the other direction, and you turned to see your partner, sheepishly walking into the main foyer. Even from a distance, you could see the purple bruising around his right eye and across the bridge of his nose, which was slightly crooked. Mad-Eye walked beside him, a hand on Lucius’s shoulder. 

Your eyes met, and you felt your chest heave with a sob. You’d thought you had no more tears left, but more fell as Lucius quickly approached you. He fell to his knees once he reached you and threw his arms around you. His body shook as he held you, and you instantly could tell he was crying. You returned his embrace, your arms sliding around his waist. His hands slid up and down your back, an action he always did to soothe you. The two of you just sat, enjoying the warmth of the other person. You snuggled your face into his neck, taking in his comforting scent for a few seconds before pulling away. Lucius went to pull you back into his embrace but the second your eyes met his, he grabbed the sides of your face and brought you into a sweet and sincere kiss.

You hadn’t noticed, but Tonks had rested her head against Lupin’s shoulder, quietly crying at the two of you. Lupin grasped her hand, running his thumb over her knuckles. Arthur felt his heart warm, especially after knowing Lucius for so long as a cold hearted man. 

The two of you held the kiss until you were out of breath. Once you pulled away, Lucius put his forehead against yours, your faces both stained with tears. He cupped your cheek, his breathing staggered.

“(Y/N)...” He whispered. A fresh wave of tears filled his eyes. “I’m so sorry...” He pulled you back into his chest, kissing the top of your head. Standing you up, he brought you to the couch, where you rested your head on his lap, and eventually slipped into a surprisingly peaceful slumber.

[princess-of-the-corner]

Okay, I am going to admit to giving Nath the Goat/Ram/Sheep Miraculous in some of my story concepts but that's only because he's the most compatible for the two different abilities I have in mind for that Miraculous (since we don't have any canon confirmation on what it can do).

Plus I have a more sheep/ram/goat-like costume design for Nath than whatever is going on in the "canon" (seriously that "canon design" either has Blackbuck deer horns or Antelope horns, neither are even close to being goats/sheep/rams).

I'll admit, it's like. One of those things where on it's own I'd give the side-eye but be fine as long as it's not blatantly awful(lean it into 'unfortunate implications' rather than 'malicious intent'). But the writers have had other issues before so the red flag is a little more :/ ya know?

It's not a one and done system and honestly I don't have much right to speak on it as it's not something that affects me personally so I just err on the side of caution.

[kari-go]

OK, so just so we're on the same page

The antelope's power is super speed. The miraculous is a hairclip. Movement box.

The hippo's is a bubble that puts the target to sleep. Movement box.

The llama's is the spit tracker. The weapon is not a water gun but it is something like that. Movement box.

The firefly has heat vision. The miraculous is the headpiece. Sense box.

The pigeon can spy with their feathers. The weapon is a feather duster. Sense box.

The giraffe makes someone extremely happy. Emotion box.

The zebra confuses someone. The miraculous is a bolo tie, it could change maybe I'll give it to the giraffe. Emotion box.

The red panda is a second layer who can manipulate luck. The weapon is a letter opener. Identity box.

The koala gives a boost to the holder depending on the emotional support of those who are looking at the holder. Identity box.

The rhino spawns a candle that has a healing effect. The weapon is a lighter/matches and the miraculous is a spiked headpiece. Identity box

The kangaroo makes someone act without mental restriction, like the show's eagle. Identity box.

The sloth has something to do with slowing down time. Timekeeper box.

The beaver makes a dome made of the objects around the holder. Potency box.

I'm not doing the rest.

I think for Koala the idea of converting emotional support to boost is good because for me koalas kind of fit the idea of emotional support? Through probably instead of gaining any power it could be boost to the existing powers or to the physical/mental state.

Kinda like the rooster/frog? I don't know I'm still not sure on this one.

[justanotherpersonsuniverse]

The idea of the designers unknowingly giving Nathaniel antelope horns is hilarious to me but his design actually looked really familiar.

Chances are the miraculous team was going for a version of Girgentana since their horns are a much prettier than the classic goat horns. Antelope horns tend to be more circular, and although it's difficult to tell from Nathaniel's picture, his appear to have that sort of flat curvature found in goats.

I've never seen a black and white goat with spiral horns but I guess the miraculous are magical and the suit still rocks.

Ahhh I see

[georgi-girl]

Fanart for Miraculous Team Volume 2: Haute Couture.

Available to read in Fanfiction.net, AO3, and Deviantart.

Haute Couture. Second volume of the series. It’s Paris Fasion Week, and Hawk Moth creates a deadly akuma to go with it. At first, I thought about drawing the bad guys in the runway, but decided the heroes would be more fitting. I arranged them by species; mammal-themed heroes in front (with Chat Noir leading) bug bird and reptilian-themed heroes in back (with Ladybug in the center!)

From left to right we have: Arachnid (Max) Dragonfly (Alix) Carapace (Nino) Ladybug (Marinette) Queen Bee (Chloe) Flamingo (Rose) and Corbie Noir (Juleka)

From the bottom up we have: Chat Noir (Adrien) Rena Rough (Alya) Louve Gris (Sabrina) Antelope (Kim) Forest Doe (Mylene) Grizzly Bear (Ivan) and Panda Roux (Nathaniel)

And fyi, I drew them in the prototypes for their costumes, not their official costumes. Some of their designs have changed a lot over the years.

[nutty1005]

Xiao Zhan: Extraordinary Journey, Starting from This

Translator’s Note: This article comes from Harper’s Bazaar Oct 2019 Side Issue.

To Xiao Zhan, the Summer of 2019 was destined to belong to “The Untamed”. The drama’s popularity and high viewership garnered Xiao Zhan, who was the lead role in “The Untamed” as “Wei Wuxian”, the most attention of this summer. Our extraordinary journey shall stop its time in the summer. The Abu Dhabi Emirates Palace Hotel glistens under the brilliant sunlight. This grand palace, costing 3 billion USD, carries with it the lovely dreams of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with hopes that it will become a local landmark building. Whereas for us, this is where we will start our extraordinary journey.

This summer was very hot, and there was not a single shower that was memorable.

We strolled on the Sir Bani Yas Island, the “Noah’s Ark” of Abu Dhabi, the capital of UAE, measuring 5,963km away from Beijing, with ground temperatures at 45°C.

If there were really a “Noah’s Ark”, it probably looked like Sir Bani Yas Island. It carried the hopes of the founding father of UAE – in its history, the clan family of UAE used their enormous wealth on this desert island and created the biggest wild animal reserve; they grew more than 3.5m fruit trees on this arid land and carefully cultivated them everyday; they brought in more than 30 different endangered species onto this island for release.

Xiao Zhan was just 20 meters away from a 4 day old giraffe calf. The young calf stumbled ahead, learning its steps. This was the first time Xiao Zhan was up close to a wild giraffe. Everyone was bending low and looking down, moving carefully and silently, so that we would not provoke the alert mother giraffe. The guide informed us that these seemingly gentle animals actually have a irritable temper, and an angry giraffe could easily kill a grown lion with their kicks. As our jeep got closer to them, the hidden giraffes became clearer, and we saw 5 to 6 adult giraffes surrounding the trees, quietly eating the leaves. Under the sunlight, Xiao Zhan slowly moved closer, until he was standing next to them, quietly observing them, and enjoying the rare peace and serenity of this summer.

“Packing my bags for an unknown journey”

The Summer of 2019 was destined to belong to “The Untamed”. This web drama, adapted from “The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation”, became one of the hottest topic online after a few days of broadcast. Xiao Zhan, who starred as “Wei Wuxian” in the drama, also became one of the hottest names of this summer.

The first time Xiao Zhan performed on stage was on X-Fire, a talent search show, as an amateur contestant. Thereafter, the first real big performance was when he was part of the performance for Zhejiang New Year Eve broadcast. After multiple rehearsals, as he stood onstage and the spotlights came on with a “pa” sound. Instantly, his mind went blank, and he said that his movements were entirely based on survival instincts.

“I remembered I was especially nervous, and when I was backstage, I was so nervous that I was shaking nonstop, I could not say a word. When the spotlights came onto us, there was one or two seconds of memory loss, as in my mind went blank. After that I had no choice, I saw that my teammates got into their positions, so I quickly walked to mine.”

To the amateur Xiao Zhan then, the entertainment business was all glitz and glory – an interesting world filled with the unknown. Only after he really entered the business, he realized that everyone had to put in a lot of effort in order to gain a little bit of attention. After entering an idol group, Xiao Zhan spent a great deal of effort practicing singing and dancing, wanting to use hard work to catch up with the others’ professional training – once he practiced until his toe nail came off, but even then, he never stopped. His character is warm but tenacious, when he encounters difficulties he rarely speaks of them, instead he will learn to cope, he always says “it will be fine after a night’s rest”, and continue to fight the next day. In 2017, he joined the production of two dramas consecutively, “Battle Through the Heavens” 《斗破苍穹》 and “The Wolf” 《狼殿下》. These two dramas opened the doors to an actor’s world to him. From the first scene until the last, from the winters of Shangri-La to the hot summers of the Elephant Mountains, his exhausted body could not contain his itching desire to become an actor. He was deeply fascinated by the roles and lives of the people in the scripts.

When he first received the script for “The Untamed”, Xiao Zhan felt that he was totally different from “Wei Wuxian”. Xiao Zhan is not a talkative person, instead, he is a very quiet person. When they were script reading for the first time, the producer was there as well, and Xiao Zhan had to continuously remind himself that “I am Wei Wuxian, Wei Wuxian is me, I am WeiWuxian, I am now a very lively talkative person, I have to make everyone adore me”. After establishing this belief, he blended into his character, and allowed the character’s emotions and his merge into one. After the broadcast of the drama, he himself would read reviews online – “It seemed like his smiles are different every time, possibly even his cries are different as well, did he design it as such?”

However, it is precisely that Xiao Zhan does not know all these techniques, but instead he blended into the role, and allowed the story to direct the character’s emotions, and used that character’s status and feelings in his acting.

Xiao Zhan said “The role is really very big, and the span is really long. Because when we shoot dramas, it is according to scenes, for example, the final scenes were shot like 2 days into the start of the shoot, and I needed to quickly get into the situation. And then the next day could be another different scene, switching back and forth, I would get into a confused state. I remembered the most anxious period was in Heng Dian, I would be drowsily doing my make up in the morning, after which I got pushed onto the bus by my assistant, dragged to the studio, start shooting, after that was done my assistant would say ‘We are OK with this side, let’s go to B group’. At that moment made me feel like ‘Am I alright? Is it alright performing this way?’, it was a very concerning period for me.”

But when it was time to shoot, another actor told Xiao Zhan that no matter what happened behind the scenes, as long as the director shouted “Action”, you need to adjust yourself to your best status, you need to give your greatest passion, because the audience will only see what is done after “Action”. Even if you are in low spirits that day, you might be going through the darkest days of your life, but once you are at the studio, standing in front of a camera, the director yelled to start shooting, from that moment on you are no longer yourself.

Xiao Zhan smiled as he said, “That’s cruel, but that’s an actor’s job.”

“I am not a brave person, but I need to become a brave person”

In the winds, a herd of antelopes and deer ran past us, Xiao Zhan grasped the dagger that signified strength and bravery, as he stood on the red rocks on the side of the cliff. The scenery before us are a rarity – it took billions of years of tectonic movements to create this miraculous sight. On an island in the Gulf of Arab, there actually exists such an alien sight. In order to get to this cliff, you need professional guides and you need to climb up and down for half an hour or so. The usually quiet Xiao Zhan also exclaimed “So beautiful!” in spite of himself. We could use an unknown adventure to describe life – the more mysterious it is, the more you want to explore.

Xiao Zhan said that he is not a brave person, but it is life required him to become braver – only the brave can face all of the unknown and mysteries in an unknown adventure. Previously, he had to face the transition from an amateur to an artist, the adjustment from a commoner’s life to a life under the bright spotlights of the stage; now he faced the tight scrutiny of his life under the spotlight.

After the end of shooting of “The Untamed”, many felt that Xiao Zhan became more lively than before, and he spoke more often. In the past, he was always uncomfortable facing strangers, but now he will use a very active attitude to communicate with others, in hopes of receiving more information from that. The role not only gave him more attention, it also gave him strength and growth.

For his future planning, he laughed as he said that he had not decided. He was just passionate about acting and hoped that he could move ahead in the path of becoming a good actor, one problem at a time, and become braver and stronger. He felt that this is not just about himself, many of his friends and young people are the same – undaunted by the difficulties in life, and become stronger as a result. This is like the antelopes who are almost being baked under the intense heat of the desert, unafraid of the sun, sprinting ahead, never looking back.

“No one will like you for no reason”

Xiao Zhan’s father once said this “No one will like you for no reason, if someone likes you, you have to cherish that person’s feelings.” Xiao Zhan truly believes in this.

In his youth, Xiao Zhan liked Stefanie Sun, and went to her concerts and album sales events. He hoped that he could catch a glimpse of her from afar, watch her shine onstage, immerse himself in her voice, and learn from her, become a better person, become a star who could shine for another person. He said that that was how the youth of his era fan an idol. The idol is a truly an idol, the motivation to encourage himself forward. Now, he cherishes all of his fans’ love for him, and he does not reject the term “traffic” – this is a term that many would avoid. (TN: Traffic is a term that is used in China to describe idols with a lot of fan following.)

“You might feel that traffic is not good, right? Feel that traffic is another derogatory term? Actually I feel that traffic is quite fine, of course the term to me means that a lot of people know you, like you, I feel that’s a good thing. At least I feel that no one can be high traffic forever, what’s most important is how you handle it, how you face the traffic, and let this traffic become a motivation to move forward, I think this is very important.”

He hopes that he can translate the love from his fans to become his motivation to move forward. An actor could depend on a popular drama to quickly accumulate fame and attention, but the art of performance requires professional training and experience accumulation. Xiao Zhan’s favorite actress is Zhou Xun. When he spoke of her, his tone utterly reveals him as a fanboy, “I don’t know how she evolved to this.” Our answer was simple, time and talent, both of which you cannot do without. Talent will help your potential in the domain of acting, and if fate ordinates, help you grasp the opportunities that knock on your door. Whereas time is the sharpening stone, every minute and second spent on the acting career will show itself in the performances thereafter.

“There are no small roles, only small actors.” Staying true to his original intentions and initial thoughts, doing his best in his own profession, seriously working hard in the acting domain, he will eventually find his own place.

Xiao Zhan said, “In this era where traffic comes and goes, staying true to myself, staying real, I feel this is the eventual goal. But it is so difficult to do this.”

Wish him well.

Q&A

Q: Before you came to Abu Dhabi, what you did imagine it to be? A: The image I had was that, endless deserts and wilderness, soaring majestic buildings.

Q: When you knew that our journey is somewhat similar to an adventure, being with animals, what did you imagine it to be? A: I thought about it. Something like African savanna, sort of like animal migration, herds of animals moving past you, especially spectacular. However, the animals on the African savanna are wilder, over here, the wild animals are mostly the gentler antelopes, giraffes.

Q: In your personal life, are you a person who also likes adventures? A: Yes, I can be considered as such.

Q: When there are many things that the results are unknown, does that excite you? A: If there are many things in my life that I already know the results, my interest in the new and unknown will wane. I prefer not knowing the results, there are many paths to take, and the destinations could all be different, this makes me feel more excited.

Q: So in your imagination, Abu Dhabi suits your sense of unknown? A: Yes. It is just very mysterious, a feeling of an unknown land, to be explored, and full of endless treasures.

Q: There are so many animals on the island of Sir Bani Yas, which do you want to contact or wish to take a picture with? A: The giraffes. To be able to take a picture with them, to get up close with them, I just feel this is very exciting. I have never had the opportunity, I used to only go to the zoo. Being able to contact animals in the wild is very rare.

Q: This time you were able to look into a giraffe in the eye, how did you felt? A: Just that I am able to look at it in the eye.

Q: Aren’t you afraid of giraffes? A: I am not afraid, I feel that giraffes are quite cute, why do I need to be afraid of it?

Q: They are quite strong. A: The giraffes?

Q: Did you know that in the culture of Abu Dhabi, daggers signify strength. In the ancient times, the Emirates used them as a self-defense accessory. Their founding father, Sheikh Zayed, almost wore one for half his lifetime, and daggers are found in many of his portraits. Even now, the young Emirates frequently wore them in public. A: The sign of bravery and strength. Actually, when I saw this dagger, I felt that it gave me bravery and strength, the start of an adventurous journey.

Q: Holding the dagger and walking along the cliffs, how did it feel like? A: Wow, every inch of this land is mine, I felt that I could jump down that cliff, there was nothing to fear. Especially when the wind came and blew open my windbreaker, it was especially refreshing.

Q: What did is the biggest feeling this journey gave you? A: Actually, not many people understood Abu Dhabi, after I came here, I was surprised to find that there were many beautiful scenery and interesting cultural traditions, and the underlying adventurous spirit within. It is like a pair of eyes, showing us new discoveries. Actually, the interesting discoveries that we don’t usually find in our daily lives, and this journey is tinted with the colors of adventure and mystery, makes me feel very excited. This city, it has its own cultural background, the collision with new things, is a very wondrous feeling.

Q: If your friend wants to go to Abu Dhabi for an adventure, what recommendations do you have? A: Actually there are plenty. I feel that if the friends around me were to come to Abu Dhabi, they have to experience the unique Arabic culture, the buildings here and their totems, I feel that these have special meanings. Those of my friends who loves art can go to Abu Dhabi Louvre. And there’s one more thing that cannot be missed, that is the adventurous journey to get in touch with nature, I feel this is especially great. Abu Dhabi’s deserts and islands, will really satisfy your adventurous desires to explore the world, you can look up and see the flying saker falcons, then look down to see the running antelopes and cheetahs, and turn around to see the giraffes standing behind you.

[ml-bot-art]

Draw Barbara Keynes with the Antelope Miraculous

[wisdomrays]

TAFAKKUR: Part 143

The Customized Temperature Regulator

Thermostats are devices that keep temperature at the desired level. They are used in refrigerators, dishwashers, electric ovens, water heaters, washing machines, and central heating. Without a properly functioning thermostat, the devices or machines are likely to break down.

Did you know that there is also a thermostat in our body that comes with a lifelong guarantee? How about the fact that each is customized for each body? The thermostat in our body is so durable and dependable that it continues to regulate our body temperature for a life time, through illness and health, and good and bad weather.

Hypothermia and hyperthermia

When you are alive and kicking, your thermostat works within a temperature range of one degree (36.5 °C–37.5 °C). If your body temperature taken in your mouth is above or below this range, it means that your body is signaling certain problems. Temperatures below 35°C lead to hypothermia, while those above 39°C cause an opposite problem called hyperthermia.

Hypothermia is a drop in body temperature, generally due to such factors as rain, wind, snow, or cold water. Prolonged hypothermia first causes shivering and blackout, then death. People who fall into water in shipwrecks die more of hypothermia than of drowning.

Hyperthermia, on the other hand, is a condition in which the body temperature rises to high levels because of factors such as inflammatory diseases and prolonged exposure to sunlight. If it continues for long, hyperthermia causes fatigue, dizziness, nausea and problems in blood pressure. It may lead to seizures or death, especially in children, unless immediate aid is provided.

Where is our thermostat?

Whether you inhabit Siberian taigas or African deserts, your body temperature is kept within the normal range. Our thermostat, called the thermoregulation center, takes up a small place in the hypothalamus of our brain. Assigned the task of balancing our body temperature, the center activates the system to decrease the temperature when it rises and to increase it when it drops. The center is composed of two parts, one in the front of the hypothalamus and the other in the middle. The former is in charge of decreasing our temperature, while the latter of increasing it.

It is the receptors beneath our skin that activate the center. The receptors have two types of heat sensors, one for warmth and the other for cold. A change in temperature, even in an extremity like the toes, is immediately reported to the center, which switches the system on. If the body temperature needs to fall, then the perspiration mechanism is switched on. To do this, the temperature inside the body is first transferred to the skin. The most important process at this point is the expansion of blood vessels, which induces a heat transfer. If the body temperature needs to be raised, the vessels are contracted and shivering is induced.

Adjusted for all conditions

Our thermostat is programmed to make maximum use of our body temperature and make adjustments depending on our age, whether we are asleep, hungry, ill, and according to weather. The required amount of energy is different for babies, children, teenagers, and the elderly. The human body needs energy less during sleep and more during an illness.

No one’s body temperature remains at the same level at all times. Our body temperature is unique to us, just like our fingerprints, and it can be measured through precise measurements. The factors that affect our body temperature may be as diverse as what we eat, what we do, what we wear, our mood, our hormones, and the environment. The increase in an adult’s body temperature due to activity is less than that of babies and children.

Our body has a temperature cycle which changes throughout the day. When we wake up in the morning, for example, our body temperature is 0.5 degrees lower than it is during the day. It is at its lowest in the second half of the night. It is highest between 16:00-18:00. We have greater heat exchange in cold weather than in hot weather. The heat regulation center adjusts temperature in response to all these changes, and thus saves energy.

Our temperature changes according to our gender, too. Body temperatures obtained from mouth measurements have shown that they may change by ±1.4 degrees in women and by ±1.2 in men. Hormones also play a role in this difference. For example, women have unique body temperatures during their period and pregnancy.

The temperature of the organs

Some parts of our body and some of our organs require different temperatures. The warmest organs are at the inside: the liver is 41.3 degrees on average, for example. Our skin is 33 degrees, and the parts near the skin have relatively lower temperatures. The temperature of the inside of our mouth, for example, is lower than that of our skin. The temperatures in the armpit and in the ears are likewise different. The thermoregulation center also has an impact on the rates of the chemical reactions taking place at the cellular level, as it keeps every one of the organs working at optimum temperatures.

There is incredible wisdom in how our body is heated (or not). Body parts that interact with the outside world have lower temperatures. One of the advantages of this is that it maintains optimum energy consumption. The higher the temperature difference between two objects, the easier the heat exchange. If our skin were as warm as our average temperature, i.e. 37°C, we would lose more heat at higher rates.

Furthermore, our eyes are granted a very special mechanism. The eyes, almost 90% of which are water and whose surface must be kept moist, are in constant contact with the outside world. However, the eyes of people who live in cold climates, where the temperature can reach -50°C, do not freeze because the eyes are placed in a protective shelter and wrapped in muscles, lipid layers, and eyelids. What’s more, capillaries, which are extensions of the ophthalmic arteries that encircle the eyes like a web, carry warm blood to the eyes regularly. Additionally, the fact that tears are salty lowers their freezing point.

Temperature balance in other living things

Animals also have body temperatures ideally programmed for their functions. The hedgehog, for example, has a body temperature of 36°C, but it is dropped to 6°C during hibernation. The body temperatures of most mammals are kept at about 37°C.

Animals are similarly endowed with systems of temperature cycles as required by the climatic and environmental conditions in which they live. For example, the body temperature of the oryx, an African antelope, can rise to 45°C when it is on the run. It can withstand such a deadly temperature thanks to the perfect system that protects its brain. The oryx has a peculiar network of vessels at the lower side of the brain which decreases the body temperature due to heat loss caused by evaporation. The carotid artery separates into smaller veins in the sinus cavity before it carries the blood to the brain, which causes the blood to lose heat. When the blood reaches the brain, it is already cool enough for the brain to function properly.

The creation of such systems certainly are miraculous, and yet we never think about them. All of our needs are met without our knowing about it.