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Brazil Nut

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Brazil Nut

A nut case…

  • Brazil nuts are the edible nut of Bertholletia excelsa, a tree also known as a ‘Brazil nut tree’ or ‘Castanheiro do Para’ (Brazil), that are native to the South American Amazon forests.
  • Brazil nuts grow on the largest tree in the Amazon forest, that can grow up to 50 meters (160 feet) in height and has a tree trunk diameter of 1 to 2 meters (3.3 to 6.6 feet) and can live from 500 to 1000 years.
  • Brazil nut fruit grow in a large, round wooden pod, that are between 10 to 15 cm (3.9 to 5.9 inches) in diameter, almost the size of a coconut, and weigh up to 2.2 kg (5 pounds).
  • Brazil nut pods contains 10 to 25 seeds that have a hard, triangular shaped exterior that protect the edible Brazil nut inside, which are arranged like orange segments, and are usually 4 to 5 cm (1.6 to 2 inches) in length, with the nut being slightly smaller, 3 to 4 cm (1.2 – 1.6 inches) in length.
  • Falling Brazil nut tree pods can travel at speeds of 80 km/h (50 mph), and as a result can be fatal to humans, or can easily damage things like vehicles, although the act of cutting down the trees is illegal because they are becoming endangered, even though trees are found on household properties.

Brazil Nuts

  • Up to 113 kg (250 pounds) of Brazil nuts are produced each year from one Brazil nut tree, and each tree produces between 60 and 215 pods that take approximately 15 months to develop to maturity, which are harvested once they have fallen to the ground.
  • Brazil nuts are generally eaten raw and are a good source of magnesium, phosphorous, manganese, copper, thiamin and Vitamin E, and are a very rich source of selenium, an important antioxidant beneficial to the immune system and health of the heart, which is also said to hep prevent breast and prostrate cancer, with two Brazil nuts per day being sufficient to provide a human’s daily need of selenium.
  • It is believed that agoutis, a type of small rodent, are the only animal in the Amazon able to penetrate the 8–12 mm (0.31–0.47 in) thick Brazil nut pod to access the nuts, which they eat, or bury in the ground for later use, although if the seed is forgotten about and the conditions are right, a new Brazil nut tree will sprout from it.
  • Purchased Brazil nuts generally come from undisturbed wild trees rather than cultivated ones, as there are very few Brazil nut plantations and they generally have a low production rate compared to wild trees.
  • It is possible to eat too many Brazil nuts, so eating no more than 2-3 per day is recommended, otherwise you may suffer from selenium poisoning, which can include, nausea, hair loss and fingernail damage and loss.
Bibligraphy:
Brazil Nut Tree (Bertholletia excelsa), 2013, Rainforest Alliance, <http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/kids/species-profiles/brazil-nut-tree>
Brazil Nut, 2013, Wikipedia, <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazil_nut>

Chilblains

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Chilblains

Itchy pains…

  • Chilblains are also known as ‘pernio’ or ‘perniosis’.
  • Chilblains are an abnormal reaction caused from being cold, or lack of blood circulation, or both, and usually occur on the extremities of the body, especially on toes and fingers, and sometimes on the nose and ears, due to the body using its warmth to keep vital organs functioning properly.
  • Blood vessels contract when you are exposed to cold, and then they expand back to normal when you are exposed to heat, and if, during this contracting and expanding process, the blood vessels leak blood, the result is a chilblain.
  • Chilblain symptoms include red, blue or purple swollen skin, blisters, itching, tenderness and pain.
  • Chilblains usually heal after one to two weeks, depending on whether the body is kept warm and there is no further exposure to the cold.

Chilblains, One, Red, Swell, Finger, Lady, Pinky, Hand, Medical, Blister, Ten Random Facts

  • In medieval times, an egg, wine and fennel root mixture would be applied to help cure chilblains.
  • Females are more likely to get chilblains than males, and some groups of people are more susceptible to chilblains including elderly people, smokers (due to nicotine that causes poor blood circulation), those with a family history of chilblains, people that are underweight, or those that have circulation or blood vessel problems.
  • Chilblains can cause the skin to dry and crack, or can cause ulceration, both of which can be very painful and can become infected.
  • There is no satisfactory cure for chilblains, and it is better to prevent them in the first place, by having good blood circulation which can be improved with extra exercise, no smoking, and a healthy diet, and keeping one’s body temperature warm, with warm socks, gloves and other warm clothing, and keeping away from cold weather or temperatures.
  • Then are many suggested remedies for treating chilblains, including topical steroid cream (which is not advisable) and a medicine called nifedipine which dilates the blood vessels, however most of them do not work or not very satisfactorily, so if you are affected by chilblains, it is recommended that you keep your body temperature warm and resist the urge to itch the chilblains (as this leads to cracking and infection).
Bibliography:
Chilblains, 2012, Better Health Channel, <http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Chilblains>
Chilblains, 2013, Body+Soul, <http://www.bodyandsoul.com.au/health/health+az/chilblains,23250>

Camera

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Camera

Click… Beep Beep BeepBeepBeep… FLASH!

  • Cameras are used to capture a real life image, that could be still or moving, and they have been used for hundreds of years, however their form has changed many times, to what we see commonly today, the digital camera.
  • The principal of cameras was first recorded in the 400s BC by Mo Ti, who was a Chinese philosopher; the principal being a projected, inverted image that comes from the captured light of an object through a tiny hole in a dark place, which is known as the pinhole principal.
  • The first camera that was transportable was designed by Johann Zahn in 1685, although more less practical cameras had been designed.
  • Olden day cameras were boxes with a lens and a glass screen, and used light sensitive material to capture the image, which could be damaged if exposed to too much light.
  • Different types of cameras have different advantages, such as some cameras take better quality images while other cameras have a better focus.

Camera, FujiFilm, Canon, Black,Silver, Expensive, Three, Small, Big, Quality, Strap, Ten Random Facts

  • An early camera, known as ‘camera obscura’, Latin for ‘dark chamber’ or ‘dark room’, was only used to project a copy of the real life image so artists would be able to copy from the projected image with precision.
  • Cameras originally captured images on light sensitive material, later known as film, in a black and white format, but in the late 1800s a chemical process involving dyes was invented so cameras could capture coloured images, although it wasn’t until many decades later that amateur photographers used coloured film.
  • Cameras can be found in many places and are used for many things such as checking a moving vehicle’s speed, monitoring shops in case of robberies and capturing images or movies, and are now included on most mobile phones.
  • Cameras often come with artificial lighting, known as a ‘flash’, so objects appear clearer.
  • Modern digital cameras, which are the most common cameras in use today, use an electronic image sensor to capture the image, which is then stored in its memory until it is downloaded to an electronic device like a computer or printer.
Bibliography:
Bellis, M 2013, History of Photography, About.com, <http://inventors.about.com/od/pstartinventions/a/stilphotography.htm>
Camera, 2013, Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camera>

Camellia

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Camellia

Beautiful flowers.

  • Camellias are flowering small trees or shrubs that are evergreen and are from the family Theaceae, the tea family.
  • Camellias are native to Eastern and Southern Asia, most notably China, Japan, Korea, India and Indonesia, and China’s native name for camellias means ‘tea flower’.
  • Camellia sinensis is usually called ‘tea plant’, as it is the most common plant in the world to be used to make tea, usually from young leaves that can be made into green tea, black tea, white tea, oolong tea and other types of tea.
  • Depending on the species, camellias generally grow no more than 6 metres (20 feet) in height and some species, especially sasanqua, can be grown as hedges, topiaries and espaliers.
  • Camellia flowers can be white, cream, pink, red, purple, yellow or variegated, and come in a variety of forms like single, double, rose, peony and so on.

Red Pink, Camellia, Two, Bloom, Bud, Lots, Leaves, Bush, Australia, Flower, Ten Random Facts, Tea Flower

  • The most popular type of camellias are sasanqua, japonica and reticulata, although their are approximately 300 species, as well as 3,000 cultivars and hybrids.
  • Rain and winter frost can often damage camellia flowers, and sometimes bud drop occurs, often due to the bush producing too many buds, and this is usually nothing to be concerned about.
  • Camellia flowers range in size from 1 – 13 cm (0.4 – 5 inches) and they bloom in autumn, winter and spring.
  • Camellia bushes can live up to 100 to 200 years, although the oldest living camellia, planted in 1347, can be found in China’s Panlong Monastry.
  • Camellias have dark, glossy leaves that can be attacked by red spider mites, which are nearly invisible to the naked eye.
Bibliography:
Camellia, 2013, Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camellia>
Camellia Care & Culture Notes, 2013, Camellia Glen, <4rewwww

Moai Statues

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Moai Statues

Nearly a thousand of them!

  • The Moai statues are located on Easter Island, or ‘Rapa Nui’ as the indigenous call it, a remote island in the Pacific Ocean, governed by Chile.
  • The Moai statues are also known as ‘moai’, ‘Easter Island heads’ and ‘Easter Island statues’, and are believed to have been carved between 1250 to 1500 AD.
  • The Moai statues, many of which are partly buried, have large heads and bodies with sharp noses and chins, and nearly all are carved from volcanic stone called ‘tuff’.
  • There are 887 known Moai statues, the tallest being 21 meters (72 feet) high, weighing over 160 tonnes (176 tons), and the average height is 4 metres (13.2 feet).
  • The Moai statues were made by the natives that lived on Easter Island, the Rapa Nui people, in a quarry on the island that still contains numerous tools made of stone, as well as 45% of the Moai statues, many of which remain incomplete.

Moai Statues, Easter Island Heads, Slope, Hill, Top, Straight, Look, Day, Flickr, Ten Random Facts

Moai Statues
Image courtesy of Emil Eklund/Flickr 
  • It is believed that the native people created the Moai statues in honour of significant male ancestors, and most of the Moai statues face the original clan settlements and so it is suggested, that the Moai statues were protectors of the clans and ceremonial areas.
  • There have been many theories to suggest how the Moai statues were moved from the quarry to their existing location, however, the most likely scenario is that they were ‘walked’ into place by the use of ropes with the statue leaning slightly forward and the use of a rocking motion from side to side, which required approximately 18 people.
  • Ten full Moai statues have been transported to other parts of the world and can be seen in museums.
  • The Moai statues are part of the Rapa Nui National Park, which was made a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1995.
  • The preservation of the Moai statues proves to be difficult due to the nature of their original material, and is not helped by people who can’t keep their hands and bodies away, as can be seen in the case when the ear of a Moai statue was chipped off by a thieving tourist from Finland in 2008, who was then fined $17,000 and incurred banishment from Easter Island for three years.
Bibliography:
Moai, 2013, Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moai>
Stone Giants, 2000, NOVA, <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/easter/civilization/giants.html>

Crosswords

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Crosswords

Think… Think… and think again…

  • Crosswords are word puzzles that generally have a numbered black and white rectangular or square grid with a list of clues, the answer of which get written in the appropriate squares on the grid.
  • Crosswords have different appearances and variations depending on the country and language system, with Hebrew crosswords only using consonants, and Japanese crosswords using one syllable per square, instead of one letter.
  • Crosswords can range in difficulty from easy to hard, and are often set in a square and have 125 (15 by 15) to 425 (25 by 25) squares, to be filled in.
  • The first true crossword is attributed to journalist Arthur Wynne, which was published in the “New York World”, in December 1913, and prior to this, similar word puzzles had been created, most notably, Italian Giuseppe Airoldi’s puzzle published in an Italian magazine in 1890, which had a square grid.
  • There are two main types of clues for crossword puzzles, clues that have answers as simple definitions, known as ‘straight crosswords, ‘quick crosswords’ or simply ‘crosswords’, and clues which are ambiguous and a puzzle themselves, known as ‘cryptic crosswords’.

Crosswords, Two, Old, Empty, Fresh, Grid, Book, Puzzle, word, Ten Random Facts

  • In 1924 in America, the newly formed company Simon & Schuster, started by Richard Simon and Lincoln Schuster, published the first crossword puzzle book, which proved very popular, and the company still holds a prominent place in the United States for the publishing of crossword books.
  • Roger Squires, of the United Kingdom, has designed the most crossword puzzles, starting in the 1960s, having is 66,666th puzzle on May 14, 2007.
  • The longest word ever set in a crossword was Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, which is a Welsh town of 58 letters, and was the answer to one of Roger Squire’s clues.
  • Arthur Wynne’s crossword was originally known as ‘word-cross’, and this quickly changed to ‘cross-word’, and after a while the hyphen was removed.
  • Someone who creates crosswords is a ‘cruciverbalist’, although crossword puzzle enthusiasts are also called ‘cruciverbalists’, although the term is not often used, and the creator is more commonly referred to as a ‘setter’, ‘constructor’ or ‘compiler’.
Bibliography:
Crossword, 2013, Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossword>
The World’s First Crossword, 2010, Thinks.com, <http://thinks.com/crosswords/first1.htm>
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