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Wrench

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Wrench

Tighten your brain with these wrench facts.

  • Wrenches are gripping tools used to tighten or loosen objects by rotating them, particularly nuts and bolts.
  • ‘Wrench’, the typical American term, is also known as a ‘spanner’, especially in British English or a ‘spanner wrench’.
  • Wrenches have a long history and have been used for various purposes including the straightening of spear shafts and similar, and the term was used before 1790, while the word ‘spanner’ has been used from as early as 1630.
  • Special alloy steel is typically used to make high quality wrenches and are typically plated with chrome for corrosion prevention.
  • The first patent of a wrench is commonly attributed to Solymon Merrick in the United States in 1834, however, an earlier patent of a similar one was granted in 1832 to Henry King from Springfield, Massachusetts, in the United States, and King’s wrench was an ‘improvement in the rack wrench’.

Wrench, Silver, Monkey, Box End, Open End, Combination, Silver, Small, Big, Chrome, 14mm, 15mm, Kinchrome, ten Random Facts

  • Wrenches commonly have an end with either a c or u shaped opening and/or a notched hole, which is used to grip the nut or bolt.
  • Popular wrenches include box-end, combination, open-end, flare nut and adjustable, with the latter having a movable clamp.
  • Wrenches can cause injury, particularly by slipping, if used incorrectly such as by using on a incorrect angle or a different nut size.
  • Wrenches come in a range of sizes that have the size usually stamped on the tool, with imperial tools numbered in fractions of inches and metric tools in millimetres.
  • Wrenches with nut-shaped sockets can have 6, 8, 12 or 16 sided holes for gripping.

 

Bibliography:
Crawford P, Spanner Jaw Sizes, 2013, Dundee Satellite Receiving Station, http://www.sat.dundee.ac.uk/~psc/spanner_jaw.html
Wrench, 2014, Encyclopaedia Britannica, http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/649432/wrench
Wrench, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrench

 

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Prune

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Prune

Soft and squishy prunes.

  • Prunes are the dried fruit of primarily the European plum species, although other species of plum are sometimes used, and they have a dark, sweet flavour, are sticky and a little chewy.
  • The scientific name of the fresh fruit, referred to as ‘fresh prunes’ or ‘plums’ is Prunus domestica, that belong to the family rosaceae, the family of roses.
  • Prunes generally come from fruits with easily removable pits and are sold either with or without the seed.
  • ‘Prunes’ are also known as ‘dried plums’, and this has become the more favoured term in recent years to avoid the stigma associated with the term ‘prune’.
  • There are over 1000 different varieties of plum fruit that are dried and packaged as prunes.

Prune, Black, Juicy, Sticky, Fruit, Plum, Dried, Ten Random Facts. Food, Angas Park

  • Prunes are popularly eaten in desserts, cooked in main meal dishes, eaten as a snack or as a fresh fruit, and can be made into juice or an alcohol beverage.
  • Prunes contain laxatives and sorbitol, which can be used to treat digestive related problems, and have been historically used to treat constipation.
  • Prunes are very high in vitamin K, and have a significant amount of potassium, copper, manganese, vitamin A and fibre.
  • Prunes have a high quantity of phenols that have significant antioxidant properties, that are beneficial to one’s health.
  • The process of drying plums to make prunes is said to be thousands of years old, and possibly began in the Caspian Sea area, in Europe, where the European plums are native.

 

Bibliography:
Prune, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prune
Prunes, 2014, The World’s Healthiest Foods, http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?dbid=103&tname=foodspice

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Universal Studios

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Universal Studios

“A Comcast Company” – Universal Studios slogan.

  • The Universal Studios is a major film studio that produces motion picture films, and the main production studios are located in Universal City, California in the United States.
  • ‘Universal Studios’ has also been known as ‘Universal Pictures’ and is officially known as ‘Universal Studios Incorporation’, and its parent company is ‘NBCUniversal Incorporated’.
  • Universal Studios was founded in 1912 as the ‘Universal Film Manufacturing Company’, which was a merger of a number of other studios, making it the oldest United States film studio, and it ranks fourth oldest among the studios of the world that are still producing.
  • The Universal Studios has released three films during its history that have been the top grossing film at the time: ‘Jaws’ in 1975; ‘E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial’ in 1982; and ‘Jurassic Park’ in 1993.
  • The Universal Studios was originally founded by 8 people, with Carl Laemmle as the first company president, who later bought out his partners.

Universal Studios, Earth, Blue, Logo, 100th Anniversary, 2012, Despicable Me 2, Ten Random Facts, White, Gold, New

Universal Logo from 2012
Image Courtesy of Universal Studios
  • During its hundred years, Universal Studios has been owned by or merged with many organisations, including International Pictures, Music Cooperation of America, Matsushita (now Panasonic), Seagram, Vivendi and in 2004, the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) which is now owned by Comcast Corporation.
  • The Universal Studios have studios and theme parks in California’s Hollywood and Florida’s Orlando in the United States, and Japan and Singapore in Asia, and have more planned for the future in other locations around the world.
  • In 2011, the Universal Studios had a revenue of US$4.239 billion, and its 100th anniversary was celebrated in 2012 with a new improved logo and a project of restoring and reviving thirteen of its films.
  • According to legend, the Universal Studios original name was named by the original president based on a wagon he saw with the printed words on it, ‘Universal Pipe Fittings’.
  • The Universal Studio logo in 1914 originally resembled the planet Saturn, and its concept is still used today, with the planet being Earth and the text wrapping around it.
Bibliography:
Gallagher B, Universal Pictures Celebrates 100th Anniversary with Restoration of 13 Classic Films, 2012, Movieweb, http://www.movieweb.com/news/universal-pictures-celebrates-100th-anniversary-with-restoration-of-13-classic-films
The Story Behind… The Universal Pictures Logo, n.d, My Film Views, http://www.myfilmviews.com/2012/02/16/the-story-behind-the-universal-pictures-logo/
Universal Studios, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Studios

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Universal Studios Films 

Elephant Rocks

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Elephant Rocks

Go visit the elephants at Australia’s Elephant Rocks.

  • Elephant Rocks is a group of very large boulders found on the south coast of the Australia state, Western Australia.
  • Elephant Rocks are situated in Elephant Cove, a beach and cove area that is a popular swimming spot, that is part of the southern coast known as the ‘Rainbow Coast’.
  • The rocks at Elephant Rocks are large and typically grey and brown, and at some angles, can be seen as elephants.
  • Elephant Rocks are located in the William Bay National Park, that was named after explorer and admiral Sir William Edward Parry in the 1830s.
  • The elephant resemblance at Elephant Rocks is best seen on land, up and behind them where there is a vantage point on a walking trail.

Elephant Rock, Grey, Brown, Blue, Bay, Ten Random Facts, Western Australia, William Bay National park

Elephant Rocks
Image courtesy of Fvanrenterghem/Flickr
  • The Elephant Rocks are made of granite, suggesting formation via volcanic activity.
  • The Elephant Cove, where the Elephant Rocks are situated, is rectangular in shape and often has strong waves from the Southern Ocean.
  • Elephant Rocks is the home of rich vegetation and aquatic animals such as crabs.
  • Elephant Rocks is 15 km from the nearest town; the Australian town of Denmark.
  • Elephant Rocks is accessed via a short walk from a nearby car park, and the base of the rocks and Elephant Cove can be reached via a staircase.
Bibliography:
Wells B, Elephant Cove, n.d, Wild Western Australia, http://www.westernaustralia-travellersguide.com/elephant-cove.html
Wells B, Elephant Rocks, n.d, Wild Western Australia, http://www.westernaustralia-travellersguide.com/elephant-rocks.html

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Plague Soldier Beetle

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Plague Soldier Beetle

Harmless plague soldier beetles can recolour your garden!

  • Plague soldier beetles are flying beetles native to Australia, particularly the south eastern and south western parts of the country.
  • Plague soldier beetles have a mostly orange yellow body, that is covered with metallic forewings of a dark olive green colour, that almost look black, and the rest of the beetle is mostly black.
  • Plague soldier beetles have the scientific name ‘Chauliognathus lugubris, although they are sometimes known as ‘Chauliognathus pulchellus’.
  • Plague soldier beetles are named after their characteristic of plaguing during mating season, that occurs generally in summer.
  • ‘Plague soldier beetles’ are also known as ‘green soldier beetles’ and they are from the family Cantharidae, the family of soldier beetles.

Plague Soldier Beetles, Line, Washing, Orange, Black, Yellow, Ten Random Facts, Bug, Adult, Many

Plague Soldier Beetles
Image Courtesy of B Being Cool
  • Plague soldier beetle larvae live underground, eating insects, and transform into adults during spring.
  • Plague soldier beetles have colours that warn other creatures that they are poisonous, in that they excrete toxins, which is also used to prevent their eggs being contaminated.
  • At mating time, plague soldier beetles can be found swarming in their thousands, often totally covering plants and other areas, although they are said to leave little damage to the plants.
  • Plague soldier beetle adults are believed to have a diet of mainly nectar and pollen, although they also eat small insects and their eggs, and sometimes other parts of plants.
  • Plague soldier beetles live in habitats with significant numbers of trees like forests, and are often found in urban environments especially during the mating season.
Bibliography:
Plague Soldier Beetles, 2012, Museum Victoria, http://museumvictoria.com.au/about/mv-blog/?tag=chauliognathus%20lugubris
Plague Soldier Beetle, n.d, AustralianMuseum, http://australianmuseum.net.au/Plague-Soldier-Beetle
Pullen K, Insect of the week: The Plague Soldier Beetle isn’t nearly as bad as it sound, 2012, CSIRO, http://csironewsblog.com/2012/11/08/insect-of-the-week-the-plague-soldier-beetle-isnt-nearly-as-bad-as-it-sounds/

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White Poplar

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White Poplar

White poplars are very popular.

  • White poplars are deciduous trees from the poplar species and are native to central Europe and Asia.
  • White poplars were originally known as ‘abeles’ and are also known as ‘silverleaf poplars’ and ‘silver poplars’.
  • The scientific name for white poplars is ‘Populus alba’ and is from the family Salicaceae, the family of willows.
  • White poplars are quick growing trees and grow best in sunny areas and in moist soil.
  • White poplars grow to be a height of 16 to 27 metres (52.5 to 88.6 feet) and have leaves that are green on the top side, and are white and furry underneath, making it an eye-catching tree.

White poplar, plant, tree, Australia, Drive, Road, Park, Grass, Ten Random Facts

  • White poplars have greenish, greyish and whitish trunks that can have a notable pattern of dark coloured diamonds, although as the tree ages, the trunk can be quite rough and dark coloured.
  • White poplar flowers are up to 8 cm (3 inch) long cylindrical clusters known as ‘catkins’, with the female flowers being a yellow green colour, and the males are grey boasting a red stigma, and each tree only grows one gender of flower.
  • White poplars have been introduced into North America, South Africa and Australia, and in some states and countries have become invasive.
  • White poplar bark contains a chemical called salicylate, that can be used in aspirin medicine, and the bark can have yellow die extracted from it.
  • The inner bark and leaves of white poplars can be eaten, either made into a flour for bread or eaten raw, but they are not commonly used.

 

Bibliography:
Populus Alba – L, 2012, Plants for a Future, http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Populus+alba
Populus Alba, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Populus_alba

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