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Panamanian Golden Frog

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Panamanian Golden Frog

Don’t pick a fight with Panamanian golden frogs.

  • Panamanian golden frogs are a brightly coloured amphibian species native to Central America’s Panama.
  • ‘Panamanian golden frogs’ are also known as ‘golden arrow poison frogs’, ‘Zetek’s golden frogs’ and ‘golden frogs’, and despite their common name, they are toads, not frogs.
  • The scientific name of the Panamanian golden frog is Atelopus zeteki and it is from the family Bufonidae, the family of true toads.
  • Panamanian golden frogs have a distinctive gold, yellow or yellow-green skin colouration that is generally spotted with black, though the young toads are green in colour.
  • The length of Panamanian golden frogs reach 3.5 to 6.3 centimetres (1.4 to 2.5 inches) and they are typically 3 to 15 grams (0.1 to 0.53 ounces) in weight.
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A Panamanian Golden Frog
Image courtesy of Brian Gratwicke/Flickr
  • The skin of adult Panamanian golden frogs is highly toxic on touch, excreting poisons deadly to rodents and other animals, and they are also potentially hazardous to humans.
  • The diet of Panamanian golden frogs consists of invertebrates like spiders, ants, caterpillars, wasps, and flies, and the wider the variety of its diet, the more poisonous the toad becomes.
  • Along with a noise that sounds like a whistle, Panamanian golden frogs commonly move their hands in a waving motion as a means of communication, signalling to both potential mates and threats.
  • Panamanian golden frogs typically live in mountainous river and stream habitats, and have a lifespan of approximately 12 years, growing from egg to tadpole to adult.
  • Due to fungal diseases and habitat destruction, Panamanian golden frogs are listed as critically endangered, although it is possible that in 2007, they became extinct in the wild.
Bibliography:
Panamanian Golden Frog, 2015, The Animal Facts, http://theanimalfacts.com/reptiles/panamanian-golden-frog/
Panamanian Golden Frog, 2015, San Diego Zoo, http://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/panamanian-golden-frog
Panamanian Golden Frog, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panamanian_golden_frog
Platt J, Sunday Species Snapshot: Panamanian Golden Frog, 2014, Scientific American, http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/extinction-countdown/sunday-species-snapshot-panamanian-golden-frog/

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Toblerone

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Toblerone

Climb the peaks of the Toblerone.

  • Toblerone is an iconic bar of chocolate, notable for its triangular prism shape.
  • Toblerone was invented by confectionery manufacturer Theodor Tobler and cousin, Emil Baumann, in 1908, in Switzerland’s Bern, in Europe.
  • While it is commonly thought that the mountainous Swiss Alps was the inspiration for the triangular shape of Toblerone, it is believed that the chocolate bar shape was inspired by a row of show dancers.
  • Toblerone was patented and trademarked in 1909; was manufactured independently, and later sold to Interfoods in 1970 and Kraft in 1990.
  • The term ‘ Toblerone’ is a combination of the inventor’s surname – ‘Tobler’, and a nougat variant known as ‘torrone’ in Italy.
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  • Toblerone chocolate is arranged in peaks, generally ranging in quantity from three to twelve, depending on the size of the bar, which can weigh up to 4.5 kilograms (9.9 pounds) for a very large one, while single pieces are also available.
  • The Toblerone was patented notably quickly in fear of copying competitors, and it was the earliest chocolate to be registered for its distinct shape.
  • A Toblerone weighing 102 kilograms (225 pounds) was created for the company’s chocolate fest in 2010.
  • The mountain logo of Toblerone includes a hidden bear silhouette, which is the city of Bern’s coat of arms.
  • Toblerone is made of an intricate blend of chocolate, nuts, nougat and honey.
Bibliography:
Tolberone, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toblerone
Tolberone – How It All Began, 2011, Kraft, http://www.toblerone.com/toblerone1/page?locale=usen1&PagecRef=576
Tolberone History, n.d, Mondelēz International, http://www.mwtr.com/brands/toblerone/history

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Fjaðrárgljúfur

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Fjaðrárgljúfur

Fjaðrárgljúfur – try pronouncing that!

  • Fjaðrárgljúfur is a canyon that can be found near the village of Kirkjubaejarklaustur, in the south of Iceland.
  • The depth of Fjaðrárgljúfur is roughly 100 metres (328 feet), while it covers a distance of roughly 2 kilometres (1.25 miles).
  • It is believed that Fjaðrárgljúfur was formed by a melted glacier, which eroded much of the rock seen today.
  • Fjaðrárgljúfur is home to the Fjaðrá River, of which the water is a blue colour, and the area is very picturesque.
  • The primary rock found in Fjaðrárgljúfur is a type of igneous rock and is known as palagonite.
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Fjaðrárgljúfur
Image courtesy of Andrés Nieto Porras/Flickr
  • The term ‘Fjaðrárgljúfur’ roughly means, ‘feather river canyon’, and is a difficult word to pronounce by those unfamiliar with the Icelandic language.
  • Fjaðrárgljúfur is vegetated with significant quantities of moss, resulting in much of the rocks and grassy areas being a lush green colour.
  • Fjaðrárgljúfur is easily reached by vehicle from the Ring Road, and a short walk is required to reach the canyon.
  • Both the canyon tops of Fjaðrárgljúfur and the river below feature trails worthy of hiking.
  • Despite Fjaðrárgljúfur being a noteworthy location and close to a main road, it is not visited by large quantities of visitors.
Bibliography:
Fjađrárgljúfur, n.d, Visit South Iceland, http://www.south.is/en/moya/toy/index/place/fjadrargljufur
Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon, 2015, Breath With Us, http://breathewithus.com/fjadrargljufur-canyon/
Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon, Iceland, 2014, Best Places On Earth, http://bestplacesonearth.net/beautiful-planet/fjaorargljufur-canyon-iceland/
The Majestic Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon of Southern Iceland, 2013, Down the Wrabbit Hole – The Travel Bucket List, http://downthewrabbithole.blogspot.com.au/2013/10/the-majestic-fjarargljufur-canyon-of.html

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Picture Frame

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Picture Frame

I’ve been framed! *points at picture frame*

  • Picture frames are framing borders used primarily on images to protect, exhibit and enhance or complement the image.
  • ‘Picture frames’ are also known as ‘photo frames’, and they generally include some form of hanging system or standing mechanism on the back so that they can be displayed on a shelf or piece of furniture, or a wall.
  • Materials used to make picture frames vary; traditionally wood is used, but plastic, and metal such as aluminium, bronze and silver are sometimes used; and they were commonly gilded, although other cheaper methods of colouring frames are now often employed.
  • Glass may be used in picture frames for further protection of the image, though it is generally excluded for artworks made of acrylic or oil mediums due to their special properties; while most frames will have a type of spacer, like a mount or mat board, between the glass and the picture to separate the two, which is important to protect the picture from condensation, or from being damaged or smudged.
  • Picture frames are generally a rectangular, elliptical or circular shape, while other shaped frames are typically reserved for framing photographs, though modern digital frames are designed specifically to display digital images.
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  • Artworks and photographs are the main two items framed with picture frames, especially those of significant value or personal importance, while mirrors, special documents like certificates, and other items are also often framed.
  • Among the first picture frames known to exist, is a frame made of wood from the 50s to 70s AD, found in an Egyptian grave, and features a portrait of a woman.
  • Picture frames were utilised in European society by the 1100s AD, reaching peak artistic value by the 1500s and 1600s, with many different frame styles emerging.
  • Picture frames may simply have a rounded or square edge, while others are moulded or sculpted, sometimes very ornately, and are sometimes considered works of art themselves.
  • Pictures frames are often custom made and come in unlimited colours and sizes, and they can be very large, covering the most part of a wall, or be as small as a matchbox.
Bibliography:
Framed Portrait of a Woman, with Cord for Suspension, n.d, The British Museum, http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/gr/f/framed_portrait_of_a_woman.aspx
Museums, Frames and Context: Thinking Through The Picture Frame, n.d, Museums of Aotearoa, http://www.museumsaotearoa.org.nz/sites/default/files/te_ara/3212mormulow.pdf
Picture Frame, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Picture_frame

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Monarch Butterfly

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Monarch Butterfly

Be warned when the monarch butterfly displays its bright wings.

  • A monarch butterfly is a species of common and easily recognisable butterfly, native to North America, though they are now found in a number of countries around the world.
  • ‘Monarch butterflies’ are also known as ‘milkweeds’, ‘common tigers’, ‘monarchs’, ‘black veined browns’, ‘King Billies’ and ‘wanderers’.
  • The scientific name of the monarch butterfly is Danaus plexippus and it is from the family Nymphalidae, the family of brush-footed butterflies.
  • The wingspan of monarch butterflies typically extends a distance of 8.6 to 12.4 centimetres (3.4 to 4.9 inches), and they generally travel thousands of kilometres each year, when they migrate to warmer areas in autumn where they overwinter.
  • Monarch butterflies are a distinctive orange and black colour, and sometimes white and black, though this is rare, with white spots decorating the wing borders; a pattern similar to that of the viceroy butterfly.
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Monarch Butterfly
Image courtesy of William Warby/Flickr
  • The diet of the monarch butterfly caterpillar consists of mainly milkweed leaves, from various species in the Asclepias genus, while the butterfly will feed on nectar from various flowers including milkweed.
  • After hatching from an egg, it takes roughly 9 to 14 days for a monarch butterfly caterpillar to moult and form into a chrysalis, while it takes 9 to 15 days for the butterfly to emerge from the chrysalis.
  • Monarch butterfly larvae or caterpillars are generally patterned with yellow, white and black stripes, while the chrysalis is mostly green with the odd yellow speck.
  • The taste of monarch butterfly is particularly putrid and potentially poisonous towards many possible predators as a result of the insect’s milkweed diet.
  • Monarch butterfly caterpillars were taken to the International Space Station in 2009, where the specimens both lived and emerged from their chrysalis under the watchful eye of scientists.
Bibliography:
Danaus plexippus, 1999, Animal Diversity Web, http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Danaus_plexippus/
Monarch Butterfly, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarch_butterfly
Monarch Butterfly (Danaus Plexippus), n.d., Wildscreen Arkive, http://www.arkive.org/monarch-butterfly/danaus-plexippus/

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Pretzel

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Pretzel

Try not to let pretzels get you twisted!

  • A pretzel is a kind of bread that is formed so that it has the appearance of a knot, and it is often coated with salt, chocolate, seeds, sugar, nuts or other flavours.
  • Pretzels are typically twisted into a shape that has three holes and is roughly symmetrical.
  • Though there are many theories regarding the origins of pretzels, it is thought that they were first invented in the earlier centuries AD, possibly made in European monasteries and distributed to those children that prayed.
  • Pretzels are made of dough, commonly containing yeast, and are shaped and sometimes dipped in a lye solution before being baked in an oven.
  • The pretzel knot is traditionally known to represent a person praying with crossed arms, and to form the typical three hole bread shape with one’s arms, cross them over the chest, and place each hand on the opposite shoulder or upper arm.
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Pretzels
Image courtesy of Bryan Ochalla/Flickr
  • Pretzels have been popularised by Europe’s Germany over the centuries, and the first known illustration of the bread in 1185 also hails from Germany.
  • Pretzels can be hard or soft in nature, with textures ranging from crispy, flaky, smooth and rough, and the dough can be plain or sweetened prior to baking.
  • The term ‘pretzel’ comes from the German word ‘prezel’ or ‘brezel’, (other German words include ‘bretzel’, ‘breze’ and so on), which originally came from the Latin word ‘bracchiatus’ which means ‘with arms or branches’.
  • On average, an American will eat 700 grams (1.5 pounds) of pretzels on an annual basis, though if you live in the US state of Pennsylvania where they are very common, consumption is more likely to be 5.4 kg (12 pounds) each year.
  • There are many traditions associated with pretzels, one of which was that they were commonly hidden in the Easter period, in a similar way that eggs are hidden today.
Bibliography:
How Did the Pretzel Get Its Shape?, 2015, Wonderopolis, http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/how-did-the-pretzel-get-its-shape/
Pretzel, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pretzel
Upton E, The History of Pretzels, 2013, Today I Found Out, http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2013/06/the-history-of-pretzels/

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