Laos, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south, and Thailand to the west. Its population was estimated to be around 6.5 million in 2012. A third (33%) of the country's population lives below the international poverty line which means living on less than U.S. $1.25 per day.

A stunning variety selected by Carl Barnes, a part-Cherokee farmer and breeder, from several traditional corn varieties. Given to NS/S by one of his students, Greg Schoen. Produces a diversity of gorgeous translucent, jewel-colored ears, each one unique. A popcorn, the kernels may be ground into cornmeal or popped. This corn became an Internet sensation in 2012.

Models prepare for the Glasgow School of Art Fashion show on March 13, 2012 in Glasgow, Scotland. Third year textiles and fashion students unveil their striking new collections, inspired by the idea of movement. The Glasgow School of Art has produced some of the most celebrated designers of recent years, notably Jonathan Saunders. (Photo by Jeff J. Mitchell/Getty Images)

A baby Asian elephant, born only two days before, stands next to his mother Nova in its enclosure at Tierpark Berlin Zoo on May 10, 2012 in Berlin, Germany. The male elephant calf, who does not have a name yet, weighs 102kg and is 91cm tall. (Photo by Timur Emek/dapd/Sean Gallup)

Actress Arta Dobroshi poses at the “Trois Mondes” photocall during the 65th Annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 25, 2012 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker)

The Apple l, the first Apple computer made by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak in 1976, is seen on display at Sotheby's on June 8, 2012 in New York City. Sotheby's called the computer “an exceptionally rare, working example with original Apple cassette interface, operation manuals and a rare BASIC Users' Manual”. (Photo by Andrew Burton/AFP)

Water gushes out from the Xiaolangdi Reservoir on the Yellow River during a sand-washing operation on June 20, 2012 in Luoyang, China. The sand-washing operation, which started on June 19 and will last for about 20 days, is conducted to clear out the silt deposits at the dam. (Photo by China Foto Press)

“The last known individual of the subspecies was a male named Lonesome George (Spanish: El Solitario Jorge/George), who died on 24 June 2012. In his last years, he was known as the rarest creature in the world. George served as a potent symbol for conservation efforts in the Galápagos and internationally”. – Wikipedia. (Photo by Rodrigo Buendia/AFP)