Great Architecture - World's Tallest Bridge

The 'Millau Viaduct', officially called 'le Viaduc de Millau' in French, is a cable-stayed road-bridge that spans the valley of the River Tarn near Millau in southern France.

Designed by French bridge engineer Michel Virlogeux in collaboration with British architect Norman Foster.

It is the tallest vehicular bridge in the world, with one pier's summit at 343 metres (1,125 ft)—slightly taller than the Eiffel Tower and only 38 m (125 ft) shorter than the Empire State Building.

The Millau Viaduct is currently the longest cable-stayed bridge in the world.

Official name: Le Viaduc de Millau
Location: Millau, France
Crosses: valley of the River Tarn
Design: Cable-Stayed
Carries: 4 lanes>

STATISTICS:

Total length of the roadway: 2,460 m
Number of piers: 7
Height of Pier 7, the shortest: 77 m
Height of Pier 2, the tallest: 343 m (245 m at the roadway's level)
Number of shrouds: 154
Average height of the roadway: 270 m
Thickness of the roadway: 4.20 m
Width of the roadway; 32.05 m
Total volume of concrete used: 85,000 m³
Total weight of the bridge: 290,000 tonnes
Estimated daily traffic: 10,000–25,000 vehicles
Total length: 2,460 metres (8,071 ft)
Width: 32 metres (105 ft)
Opening date: December 14, 2004

Dust Art by Scott Wade

Scott Wade, the creator of DUST ART...

When the dust gets thick on the back window of his Mini Cooper, Scott Wade uses it as a canvas to create temporary works of art. Among his creations was a copy of C.M. Coolidge's 'A Friend in Need,' better known as dogs playing poker.

Wade used his finger and other implements to score this homage to Vincent Van Gogh's 'Starry Night' and Leonardo da Vinci's 'Mona Lisa'.

Albert Einstein, one of the greatest physicists of all time.

A collage of wildlife decorates the Mini Cooper's window.

Brazilian football star Ronaldinho.

Creation of a Christmas scene.

A portrait of Kinky Friedman on the back of the Mazda.

A gimme-capped John Kelso was the subject of one window portrait.

Escape to...The Beach!

Escape to...The Desert!

Escape to...The Mountains!

Besides his finger, Wade uses traditional art tools, such as paintbrushes, and unconventional ones, like a chewed Popsicle stick, to make his drawings.

Wade takes pride in his creations, but he knows that with one good shower, his work will just wash away.

Needle Art by Willard Wigan

Willard Wigan was born in Birmingham, England in 1957 and is the creator of the smallest works of art on earth. He has a learning disability (Dyslexia), but has talented hands.

Wigan uses a tiny surgical blade to carve his microscopic figures out of rice, grains of sand and sugar, which are then mounted on pinheads. Willard can create a masterpiece within the eye of a tiny sewing needle, on the head of a pin, the tip of an eyelash or a grain of sand, spending months meticulously carving his materials into micro-figures.

Statue of Liberty in the eye of a needle

Titanic on the tip of a pin

Snow White & The 7 Dwarfs in the eye of a needle

Girl with balloon is standing on an eyelash

Winston Churchill in the eye of a needle

Elvis on a pin head

Ship on a crystal

Cast of Peter Pan on a fish hook

Six wives of Henry VIII

String Quartet

Marilyn Monroe on diamond

Elephant on a pin head

22 ct gold dragonfly on the tip of a needle

Frankie Dettori riding on a pinhead

Cat on hair

Visitors view exhibits through a microscope