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Monstera Deliciosa

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Monstera Deliciosa

A unique flavour, the Monstera deliciosa.

  • Monstera deliciosa is a climbing, flowering plant that grows in tropical rainforests or other humid shady areas, and in the wild the grow up tall trees and send down aerial roots to the ground where they take root.
  • Monstera deliciosa are native to southern Mexico, central America and Columbia and are also known as the ‘Swiss cheese plant’, ‘cheese plant’, ‘fruit salad plant’, ‘monsterio delicio’, ‘monster fruit’, and ‘Mexican breadfruit’ among others.
  • Monstera deliciosa belongs to the genus Monstera, a genus of 40-60 species, and are from the family Araceae, which is the family of arums.
  • Monstera deliciosa can grow up to 20 meters (65 feet) in height, with large dark green leaves that have holes in them, which led to the name ‘Swiss cheese plant’, although young leaves have no holes in them and are small and heart shaped.
  • Monstera deliciosa does not tolerate frost unless sheltered, and will cease growing at temperatures of 10°C (50°F) and under.

Green plant, leaves, large, Monstera Deliciosa, Swiss cheese Plant, Fruit, Big, Australia, Vegetation, Ten Random Facts

  • Monstera deliciosa bear small flowers and a large bract that cloaks the fruit of the plant, and the fruit grow 25cm (9.8 inches) in length and is corn shaped with a green hexagonal tiled covering.
  • Monstera deliciosa fruits are edible but only when ripe, which can take a year, which is when the hexagonal tiles fall off, as an unripe fruit is poisonous with symptoms of throat irritation, swelling and pain.
  •  Monstera deliciosa fruit tastes a bit like a mix of pineapple, banana and mango, or jackfruit, among others, giving it a nickname of the fruit salad plant.
  • Monstera deliciosa grow towards the darkest spot first, until the find a tree to climb up, and then they head for the light.
  • In some native countries, Monstera deliciosa roots are used to make baskets and ropes, treating snakebites and along with the leaves, for treating arthritis, even though the plant is considered poisonous.
Bibliography:
Bruhl J, Monstera Deliciosa, 2002, NSW Department of Agriculture, <http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/119775/monsterosa-deliciosa.pdf>
Monstera Deliciosa, 2013, Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monstera_deliciosa>

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Preikstolen

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Preikstolen

Preikstolen is a high, high cliff.

  • Preikstolen is a flat plateau 25 x 25 m (82 x 82 feet) cliff that is situated 604 meters (1982 feet) above the Lysefjord, ‘light fjord’, in Ryfylke, Norway.
  • Preikstolen is also known as ‘Prekestolen’ in Norwegian and ‘Pulpit Rock’ or ‘Preacher’s Rock’ in English.
  • Preikstolen is the one of the most famous and most visited destinations in Norway.
  • It takes 1 to 3 hours to hike the 3.8 km (2.4 mile) walking distance to Preikstolen from the car park, one way.
  • In 2012, Preikstolen had 150,000 to 200,000 visitors, and this has led to a new path being constructed which should be completed by early 2014.

Preikstolen, Pulpit's Rock, Cliff Hanger, Rock, Grey, Overhang, Water, River, Norway, Ten Random Facts, Landform

Preikstolen
Image courtesy of L.C. Nøttaasen/Flickr
  • Preikstolen is not often visited in winter and spring as the hiking trail becomes frozen and can be dangerously slippery, so the most common time to visit is from April to October.
  • Although Preikstolen is so high up, there have been no accidents, and there has been no safety barrier constructed around the rock so as not to interrupt the amazing views of the surrounding areas and the beauty of the cliff.
  • Although Preikstolen could be regarded as a suicide destination, there have only been a few reported suicides and attempts, although it is believed that many have suicided there even though there has been no media coverage on it so as not to encourage others.
  • There is a large crack between Preikstolen and the mountain, which suggests that one day Preikstolen will fall away, although no-one can see this happening in their lifetime and is deemed safe at this stage.
  • Preikstolen was originally named ‘Hyvlatånnå’, meaning ‘planed tooth’.
Bibliography:
Preikstolen, 2013, Wikipedia, < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preikestolen>
Pulpit Rock – Preikstolen, 2013, Norway, < http://www.visitnorway.com/en/Product/?pid=31157>


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Cashew Nut

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Cashew Nut

Cashew… tree, apple or nut.  NUT!

  • Cashew nuts are native to north east Brazil, South America, although they are now grown in many tropical areas around the world.
  • Cashew nuts grow on 10-15 m (32-50 feet) evergreen trees known as a cashew tree, from the family Anacardiaceae, which is the family of drupe bearing plants.
  • A cashew nut is a seed or kernel, 1.8 – 2.5 cm (0.7 – 1 inch) long, that grows in a kidney shaped fruit called a cashew drupe, which grows at the bottom of an edible accessory fruit called a cashew apple.
  • In 2010, Nigeria was the top producer of cashew nuts, producing 650,000 tonnes (717,000 tons).
  • Whilst in their shell, cashew nuts are surrounded by a toxic oil or resin similar to urushiol called ‘anacardic acid’, which can burn or irritate the skin, and so they are nearly always treated by roasting, boiling or steaming before they are shelled.

Woolworths Select Brand Naturual Cashew Nuts, shelled, kidney shaped, lots, bowl, packet, halve, full, Ten Random Facts, Australia

  • Some people are allergic to cashew nuts as they are to other tree nuts, due to the proteins in the nuts, however others are allergic to them due to the trace irritants similar to ‘urushiol’, which is in poison ivy pistachios and mangos, all of which are related to cashews.
  • Cashew nuts contain many vitamins and minerals, and are a good source of antioxidants and copper, the antioxidants having many great health benefits including decreased likeliness of getting cardiovascular disease.
  • The starch content of cashew nuts is approximately 23%, which is significantly higher than most other nuts, and makes them suitable for thickening sauces.
  • Cashew nuts are eaten ‘raw’ – these have generally been heat treated, roasted, salted and as a spread; added to main meals like salads, stir-fries and curries in the form of a paste, chopped or used whole; and are also used in desserts and cakes.
  • People who have a tendency to get kidney stones or have gallbladder issues may need to avoid or reduce their intake of cashews as they contain oxalates which can make the condition worse.
Bibliography:
Cashew, 2013, Wikipedia, < https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cashew>
Cashews, 2013, The World’s Healthiest Foods, < http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=98>

 

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King Cobra

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King Cobra

Standing tall, flaring its hood… watch out for the king cobra.

  • The longest snake on earth is the king cobra, and its scientific name is ‘Ophiophagus hannah’, being the only snake in the Ophiophagus genus, with most other cobras belonging to the Naja genus.
  • King cobras range from black to dark brown to olive green in colour, grow up to and over five meters (16 feet) in length and can be as heavy as 9kg (20 pounds), although they typically weigh about 6 kg (13lb).
  • King cobras are native to India and southeastern Asia and are a protected species in India, as their numbers have become dangerously low, and it is illegal to kill them.
  • King cobras make a low hissing sound that sounds like a growl.
  • One bite, or 7ml (0.2 ounces) of king cobra venom can kill 20 humans or 1 elephant.

King Cobra, Snake, Up, Alert, Slither, Black, long, reptile, Ten Random Facts, Flickr

King Cobra
Image courtesy of Michael Allen Smith/Flickr
  • If threatened or cornered, king cobras will attack humans although they are more likely to escape and shy away from people where possible.
  • A king cobra’s diet consists mostly of other snakes, although they will sometimes eat lizards, birds, eggs and rodents, and they usually hunt their prey during the day.

  • King cobras are often the choice of snake charmers even though the snakes are deaf, they move instead to the vibrations in the ground.

  • King cobras have good vision and can see things that move from up to 100 meters (330 feet) away.
  • Female king cobras are believed to be the only snakes that construct nests, which they make from leaves and other vegetation on the ground, on which to lay their 20-40 eggs.
Bibliography:
King Cobra, 2013, National Geographic, http://animals.nationalgeographic.com.au/animals/reptiles/king-cobra/
King Cobra, 2010, Reptile Park, http://www.reptilepark.com.au/animalprofile.asp?id=114
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Left-handedness

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Left-handedness

Are you a left-hander?

  • A left handed person is also known as a ‘southpaw’, ‘lefty’, ‘cack-handed person’ or ‘cacky-handed person’, ‘mollydooker’, and many others, and terms used for either ‘left handedness’, or the word ‘left’ in most languages around the world, have a negative connotation associated with them.
  • One tenth of the world’s population is left-handed, and you are more likely to be left-handed if you are a male than if you are a female, or if other family members are left-handed.
  • The concept of left-handedness has been studied for over 150 years, yet the cause of left-handedness it still unknown and there is still little conclusive data about it, even though a number of theories exist.
  • Many left-handed people were or are forced to use their right hand mainly for writing purposes at school, and this practice should be discouraged, as it can cause confusion in the brain and have other negative effects, like learning disorders.
  • It is believed that left-handed people find it easier to multitask and remember events better than facts.

 Left-handness, hand, write, left, hand, hold, paper, Text, scribble, Ten Randm Facts, Boy

  • Left-handers have significant advantages in many sports, including have an element of surprise as many players expect or are used to a right-handed opponent.
  • It has been discovered that left-handed people are more likely to suck their left thumb whilst still in the womb and right handed people, their right thumb.
  • Mechanical and electrical tools can be more dangerous if used by left-handers, as they are often made by right-hand inventors, and are not designed with left handedness in mind, although there are a growing list of products designed specifically for left-handed people, which includes scissors, can openers and vegetable peelers.
  • There are a number of beliefs about left-handers, including that they have a shorter life span; have a higher chance of getting an autoimmune disease; that on average they have a higher IQ; and are more likely to be creative, though in most cases there has not been enough thorough research to prove these beliefs are facts.
  • Left-Handers’ Day is an international event held annually on the 13th August, and promotes the advantages and disadvantages of left-handedness, and raises the awareness of the awkwardness of left-handers living in a right-handed world.
Bibliography: Left-handedness, 2012, Better Health Chanel, <http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Left-handedness>
Understanding those Left-handers, 2013, Body+Soul, <http://www.bodyandsoul.com.au/health/health+news/understanding+those+left+handers,20515>

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Bicycle

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Bicycle

Ring, ring, goes the bell on the bicycle.

  • Bicycles are also known as ‘bikes’, ‘pushbikes’, ‘pedal bikes’, ‘pedal cycles’ and ‘cycles’.
  • Bicycles are vehicles that are pedal powered and typically have a frame, two wheels, two pedals and a chain that connects to the pedals and the wheels.
  • Bicycles are used for transportation, mail delivery, leisure and entertainment and have many other uses as well as advantages, which include convenience, less traffic congestion, and health and economical benefits, with some cities having street bicycle rental stations to encourage tourists and commuters to use less polluting and congesting forms of transport.
  • Bicycles have changed the way we live, giving increased mobility to generations of people, which has helped reduce poverty in some areas, given increased freedom to women in the late 1800s and impacted on the way they dressed, and is an incredibly efficient means of transport, with an estimated one billion bicycles worldwide, half of them in China, and twice as many bicycles than cars in the world.
  • It is believed that the earliest two wheeled human powered vehicle was invented by the German Baron Karl Drais von in 1817, which was known as a ‘Laufmaschine’ (running machine) and also called a ‘dandy horse’ or ‘hobby horse’ and it wasn’t until the 1860s that pedals were added to the bicycle design although who did it first is debated, and there are also unreliable reports of earlier instances of pedals.

Bicycle, black, blue, pink, white, girl, boy, two, double, chain, parts, full, row, Ten Random Facts, Australia

  • Laufmaschines (early bicycles) became known as ‘velocipedes’, meaning ‘fast foot’ in Latin, while the name ‘bicycle’ wasn’t used until the 1870s for the high wheel bicycle, also known as a ‘penny-farthing’.
  • When a cyclist rides a bicycle at 16 to 24 km/h (10 to 15 mph), they use only as much energy as when walking.
  • The fastest unpaced speed record on a bicycle on a flat surface is 133 km/hour (83 miles/hour), a record gained in 2009 by Sam Whittingham, a Canadian.
  • In recent years, 130 million bicycles are sold annually, and China makes two thirds of the world’s bicycles, even though the percentage of Chinese commuters riding bicycles has significantly decreased since 1998.
  • In some countries is illegal to not wear helmets and/or be equipped with bells and/or lights, as a safety precaution for the cyclist and others.
Bibliography:
Bellis M, History of the Bicycle, 2013, About.com, < http://inventors.about.com/od/bstartinventions/a/History-Of-The-Bicycle.htm>
Bicycle, 2013, Wikipedia, < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle>

 

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