Author Archives: Cris

Cherry

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Cherry

Red as a rose, sweet as love.

  • Cherries are stone fruit since they have one seed in them, and have an outer flesh.
  • Cherries are the fruit of certain species of ‘Prunus’, and most cherries that humans eat come from varieties of the sour cherry (Prunus cerasus), which is mostly used for cooking purposes, or the wild cherry (Prunus avium).
  • The word ‘cherry’ comes from the common Greek word, translated into Latin, ‘Cerasum’.
  • The cherry tree cultivars are mainly native to the Northern Hemisphere.
  • Several caterpillars rely on cherry tree cultivars for food.

 Cherries, Cherry, Sour, Eatable, Many, Lots, Glass, Ten Random Facts

  • The word ‘cherry’ refers to the fruit, tree, similar ornamental trees and strangely enough, sometimes almonds.
  • The cherry tree’s prime season for harvest is Summer.
  • In 2007, cherry trees produced approximately 2 million tonnes of cherries world wide. 40% of this production belonged to Europe and 13% belonged to the United States of America.
  • Turkey was the top producer in 2009, with 417.7 thousand tonnes, followed by  the United States with 390.7 tonnes.
  • Cherries have been proven to decrease pain, swelling and tenderness in rats.
Bibliography:
Cherry 28 December 2012, Wikipedia,
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherry>

Hail

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Hail

Falling, covering and destroying.

  • Hail is frozen, solid water droplets that fall from the sky.  A hailstone is one lump of ice.
  • Normally, the heavier and bigger the hailstone is, the higher in the sky the hailstone falls from.
  • Hailstones have a diameter from at least 5 mm (0.2 inches) and can be as big as 20 cm (7.9 inches) when they reach the ground and can weigh more than 500 grams (1.1 lbs).
  • Hailstones can join together and can be found in weird and interesting shapes.
  • Hail forms at the top of cumulonimbus clouds (thunderclouds), due to the freezing air temperature, as a result of a strong updraught.

Hail, White, Coin, Medium, Small, Ten Random Facts, Wheather, Rain

  • It is much more likely to hail along mountain ranges.
  • Many names are given to sizes of hailstones. These names range from a pea to a bowling ball to a cent coin or a penny size.
  • Hailstones can damage vehicles, street lights, rooves of buildings, crops, and can hurt or potentially kill, both people and animals.
  • In Europe during the Middle Ages, people attempted to prevent hail and its damaging effects by shooting cannons and ringing loud church bells, though these methods were not effective.
  • Although people have tried, nothing has been invented that can stop hail from falling, although the use of hail cannons, specifically designed for the purpose, are said to help prevent it.
Bibliography:
Hail 27 December 2012, Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hail>

Windmill

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Windmill

Round and round it goes.

  • A windmill is a machine that harnesses wind energy via its sails or blades.  The sails are connected to gears and poles which turn using the wind power, to perform a task.
  • The windmill was originally made for milling grain and drawing water, but they have been used for many other purposes including the production of paper, wood sawing and to assist textile production.
  • The windmill is said to have been invented in Persia (Iran) around 8 AD.
  • The first windmills rotated horizontal sails (vanes or blades) on a vertical pole.
  • The blades of a windmill are made from a variety of materials including sail cloth spread over wooden lattice beams, wood and steel.

Windmill,Farm, Southern Cross, Four, shiny, silver, steel, Ten Random Facts

  • In the 1920s, with significant improvements and the use of aeronautical principles, the power output of a windmill could reach 74, 500 watts (100 horsepower).
  • In Europe, during their peak in the 1700-1800s, it is estimated there were around 200,000 windmills.
  • Many windmills found on farms are typically wind pumps to pump water for agricultural purposes.
  • In the mid 1800s, windmills started facing a decline as steam power took over, although there are numerous windmills still in use today.
  • The use of wind energy has seen a renewed popularity, as a new type of windmill, a wind turbine, has been specifically made to create electricity.
Bibliography:
Windmill 24 December 2012, Wikipedia,
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windmill>

Woodlouse

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Woodlouse

One woodlouse, many woodlice.

  • Woodlice are a crustacean and have a long outer skeleton body and fourteen limbs that are jointed.
  • There are at least 3000 species of woodlice and some, Armadillidium, can roll into a spherical shape as a defence, though most woodlice can not do this.
  • Woodlice have many other names, including: armadillo bug, boat-builder, carpenter, cafner, cheeselog, cheesy bug, doodlebug, pill bug, potato bug, roly-poly, sow bug, roll up bug, chuggypig, chucky pig, slater, gramersow, butcher boy, butchy boy and wood bug.  Some of these common names are specific to certain species of woodlice.
  • The fertilised eggs of a female woodlouse are kept in a brood pouch on the underside of its body.
  • Woodlice need lots of moisture to live, though most woodlouse don’t live in water.

Slater, Woodlouse, Black, Bug, Striped, Armadillidiida, Pill Bug, Ten Random Facts,

  • Woodlice breath through ‘lungs’ in their hind legs.
  • Woodlice are nocturnal and live in dark, damp areas.
  • Woodlice are great for compost and the garden as they feed mainly on rotted vegetation and in so doing, recycle nutrients and aerate the soil, though they can be a threat to new grown plants.
  • Woodlice may enter homes in search for moisture, although are considered a minor pest as they do no damage to wood.
  • Woodlice moult, and unlike most arthropods, shed their ‘shell’ (exoskeleton) in two halves over a couple of days.
Bibliography:
Woodlouse 15 December 2012, Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodlouse>

Crepe Myrtle

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Crepe Myrtle

It flowers and makes you gasp.

  • Crepe myrtle are deciduous or evergreen, flowering trees or shrubs and are among the best flowering trees.
  • Crepe myrtle is also known as the crape myrtle, and its scientific name is Lagerstroemia.
  • There are approximately 50 species of crepe myrtle.
  • The crepe myrtle is native to south east Asia and northern parts of Australia and Oceania.
  • The crepe myrtle is part of the Lythracae family, also known as loosestrife.

Crepe Myrtle, Pink and White Flowers, Branches, Tree, Small, Ten Random Facts, Australia

  • Crepe myrtle derives its name from the crepe like look and texture of the flowers.
  • Most crepe myrtles shed their bark during the year.
  • Different species of crepe myrtle can be as little as 30 cm (1 foot) in height and can be as tall as 30 m (100 feet).
  • The colour of crepe myrtle flowers come in almost any shade of purple, pink, red or white.
  • Crepe myrtles are popular due to their long lasting flowers, which bloom in Summer and Autumn.
Bibliography:
Lagerstroemia 7 December 2012, Wikipedia,
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagerstroemia>

Boxing Day

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Boxing Day

The second day of Christmas…

  • Traditionally, Boxing Day is the first day following Christmas, the 26th December.
  • Boxing Day is a public holiday in many countries.
  • The term ‘boxing’ in the word Boxing Day has no particular history but there are many theories.
  • Boxing Day was originally the day when servants and tradesman were given gifts from their masters or employees, also called the Christmas Box.
  • On Boxing Day, South Africa and Australia usually start a separate test cricket match.
Boxing Day, Test Cricket, Australia, Melbourne, Television, Panasonic, NBN 9:::, Herath, Sangakkara, Ten Random Facts
Test Cricket on Boxing Day
  • On Boxing Day there are normally big shop sales, most notably in Britain, Canada New Zealand, and Australia.
  • Stampedes, injuries and sometimes deaths have occurred during Boxing Day sales.
  • Many other sports matches start on Boxing Day, including a famous yacht race, football (soccer in Australia), and ice hockey tournaments.
  • Although fox hunting is banned in the UK, it remains to be a popular sport on boxing day.
  • Boxing Day is celebrated in many of the Commonwealth countries, as well as some not part of the Commonwealth.
Bibliography:
Boxing Day 25 December 2012, Wikipedia,
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boxing_Day>
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