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Sugarcane

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Sugarcane

Sugarcane is a sweet success.

  • Sugarcane is a group of grass species from the Saccharum genus, that belongs to Poaceae, the family of true grass; and sugar is extracted from the plants, that are usually grown for commercial purposes.
  • Sugarcane is a perennial plant, native to areas of southern Asia, that grows best in tropical habitats, and reaches heights of between 2 to 6 metres (6.5 to 19.7 feet) and a diameter of roughly 5 centimetres (2 inches).
  • Most commercially grown sugarcane is a hybrid that is generally a cross between the species Saccharum officinarum and Saccharum spontaneum, although there are a small number of other plants in the Saccharum genus that may be used for this purpose.
  • Sugarcane plants takes 9 to 24 months to grow to maturity, depending on the climate, and they are the raw material that produces 80% of the world’s sugar production, while the plants are also used for making ethanol, molasses, bagasse, rum and other products.
  • The majority of a sugarcane stalk is made of water, with up to three quarters possible, while up to 16% can be sugar, and the fibre content can be also be up to 16%.

Sugarcane, Plant, Sugar, Australia, Plants, Plantation,

  • Many sugarcane farms were formed across the world beteween the 1800s and 1900s, and slaves from various locations were used as the primary labour.
  • The fibres of the sugarcane plant can be woven into mats; used for papermaking purposes; and added to other fibres to make fabric.
  • Australia, parts of the United States, Asia’s India and Indonesia, the Pacific Islands and South America – including Peru and Brazil, are popular sugarcane farm locations, while in 2013, Brazil was the largest producer of the crop in the world.
  • The harvesting of sugarcane, which is accomplished by hand with a special tool or the use of a mechanical harvester, is done before the plant sets flower with its feathery tufts; and in many cases the crop is set alight beforehand to eradicate dangerous animals and leaves.
  • Sugar is produced from sugarcane juice located in the stalk of the plant, and is done through a milling process, which involves crushing, heating, cooling and refining.

 

Bibliography:
The story of sugarcane: paddock to plate, 2010, Cane Growers, http://www.canegrowers.com.au/page/Industry_Centre/Schools_module/about-australian-sugarcane/
Sugarcane, 2015, How Stuff Works, http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/botany/sugarcane-info.htm
Sugarcane, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugarcane

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Angkor Wat

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Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat is a list-worthy wonder.

  • Angkor Wat is an extensive building and religious temple located in the Angkor region in Cambodia, in Southeast Asia.
  • Angkor Wat is said to be the largest temple in the world, and it sits on an area of 820,000 square metres (980,712 square yards).
  • The name ‘Angkor Wat’ comes from the native Cambodian Khmer words ‘angkor’ and ‘wat’, meaning ‘city’ and ‘temple grounds’ respectively.
  • Angkor Wat is a prominent symbol of Cambodia, and it appears on the country’s national flag, making it only one of two nations in the world to have a building exist on their flag.
  • The primary part of Angkor Wat was built around the early to mid 1100s by the native Khmers, under orders from ruler Suryavarman II, as a state temple for the king.
Angkor Wat, Ten Random Facts, Cambodia, Temple, Religion
Angkor Wat
Image courtesy of Dennis Jarvis/Flickr
  • Angkor Wat contains large quantities of bas-relief; is rich in Khmer architecture styles; and is made primarily of sandstone and laterite; and the temple features a moat, an outer area and the central area, which consists of various sections.
  • Originally, Angkor Wat was used as a temple for the Hindu religion, but it was adopted by the Theravāda Buddhists from the late 1200s.
  • The UNESCO World Heritage Convention declared Angkor Wat a World Heritage Site as part of the Angkor Archaeological Park in 1992.
  • The temple of Angkor Wat was once part of the capital city originally located there, and over the years, it has undergone various conservation and restoration works, by various groups from around the globe.
  • Angkor Wat is a prominent tourist site, being one of the most popular sites in the country, although the large number of visitors to the site has significantly impacted some local areas nearby.
Bibliography:
Angkor, 2015, UNESCO World Heritage Convention, http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/668
Angkor Wat, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat

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Plum

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Plum

How tiresome, the picking of plums must be.

  • Plums are edible, fleshy fruit with a smooth skin, and contain a single pit or seed in the centre.
  • Plums grow on trees that have the scientific genus name ‘Prunus’, that is from the family Rosaceae, the family of roses, and most commercially available fruit comes from the Japanese ‘Prunus salicina’ and the European ‘Prunus domestica’ species.
  • The typical diameter of a plum reaches 3.5 to 7.6 centimetres (1 to 3 inches) and they are roughly spherical in shape.
  • Plums are generally quite juicy, with flavours that vary from sweet to tart depending on the species and variety.
  • Plums are commonly eaten raw, although they can be dried, juiced, pickled and cooked, the latter often in desserts; and the dried versions are known as ‘prunes’.

Plum, Food, Fruit, Ten Random Facts, Culinary, Half, Purple

  • The skin of plums can be coloured pink, yellow, red, purple, green or almost black, while the flesh can be white, yellow, red or green.
  • The growing of plums for domestic purposes has been evident across Europe and Asia for approximately 2000 years.
  • China produced approximately 6.1 million tonnes (6.7 million tons) in 2013, the most in the world, compared to the worldwide production of 11.5 million tonnes (12.6 million tons).
  • Plums are high in vitamin C, and are good sources of vitamins A and K, as well as fibre.
  • There are more than 2000 varieties of plums in the world, and they are usually individually picked at the best possible time, by hand.
Bibliography:
Plum, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plum
Plums, 2011, Fresh for Kids, http://www.freshforkids.com.au/fruit_pages/plum/plum.html
Plums & Prunes, 2015, World’s Healthiest Foods, http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=35

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Compact Disc

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Compact Disc

Are compact discs compact enough for you?

  • A compact disc is a thin optical disc, used primarily to store digital information, and it is also commonly called a ‘CD’.
  • Compact discs are circular in shape, with a central hole, and are made of plastic, that is usually coated with aluminium or gold for reflecting the laser that ‘reads’ the disc, and then a layer of lacquer is applied for protection.
  • The storage space of compact discs usually has a maximum capacity of 700 MiB – mebibytes (734 MB – megabytes) of data, in the form of programs, media or information, which equates to approximately 80 minutes of audio.
  • The typical size of a compact disc is 12 centimetres (4.7 inches) in diameter, although they can be as small as 6 to 8 centimetres (2.4 to 3.1 inches) in diameter.
  • American James Russell was the inventor of the optical digital recording and playback concept that is used in compact disc technology, which he designed in 1966, and he received a patent for the system in 1970.

Compact Disc, CD, Music, Ten Random Facts, Technology, Laser, Invention

  • In 1979, the companies Philips and Sony, formed an unusual working relationship, using James Russell’s concept, to together develop a compact disc, and in 1982 the first CDs were manufactured, being the ABBA music album The Visitors.
  • A compact disc spins when it is placed in a CD player or drive, and as it does, it is read by a laser that interprets the miniscule indents, called ‘pits’, invisible to the naked eye, found on the plastic layer of the disc.
  • Compact discs were originally designed to emit sound, however, in the 1980s it was realised that the disc could be used for a variety of purposes, including the storage of computer data.
  • Compact discs are usually purchased in a protective sleeve, like a hard plastic case; a paper packet; or a soft plastic envelope.
  • By 2007, world sales of compact discs had reached 200 billion, although sales have decreased significantly in recent years, due to digital technology and streaming; and in the music industry, 2014 marked the first year CDs were outsold by streaming technology.
Bibliography:
Hopewell L, The History of Compact Discs, 2012, Gizmodo, http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2012/08/the-history-of-the-compact-disc/
Compact Disc, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compact_disc

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Apostlebird

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Apostlebird

The apostlebirds are preaching in the mornings.

  • Apostlebirds are birds native to inland eastern and southern woody habitats of Australia.
  • ‘Apostlebirds’ are also known as ‘grey jumpers’, ‘lousy jacks’, ‘family birds’, ‘happy jacks’, and a group of them is sometimes called ‘twelve apostles’ or a ‘happy family’.
  • Typically, apostlebirds have plumage that is mostly grey in colour, with touches of brown and black in various places.
  • The scientific name of an apostlebird is Struthidea cinerea, and it is from the family Corcoracidae, also known as Struthideidae, the family of Australian mudnesters.
  • Apostlebirds coexist helpfully in groups, actively caring for fellow birds, eggs and chicks, and all contributing to nest building.

Apostlebird, Animal, Australia, Ten Random Facts, Look, Single,

  • Female apostlebirds generally lay two to five very light blue to white coloured eggs, that have brown or grey coloured specks, and they are laid in a high, mud and grass nest.
  • The name ‘apostlebird’ is derived from the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ, as the birds usually live in groups that number ten to twelve birds.
  • The diet of apostlebirds consists primarily of insects and vegetation, such as seeds and leaves.
  • Apostlebirds grow to lengths of 29 to 33 centimetres (11.4 to 13 inches), and weigh approximately 128 grams (4.5 ounces).
  • Apostlebirds are often seen foraging on the ground in their family groups, and in winter a number of groups may congregate together.
Bibliography:
Apostlebird, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apostlebird
Apostlebird, n.d, Birds in Backyards, http://www.birdsinbackyards.net/species/Struthidea-cinerea
Apostlebird (Struthidea cinerea), n.d, Oz Animals, http://www.ozanimals.com/Bird/Apostlebird/Struthidea/cinerea.html

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Hay

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Hay

“Hay!” neighs the horse.

  • Hay is a bundle of dried vegetation that is primarily intended for the feeding of farm animals.
  • Animals that are common recipients of hay include horses, goats, sheep and cattle, as well as some pets, including guinea pigs and rabbits.
  • Hay is typically made of grasses, and is sometimes combined with clovers, and legume plants like lucerne.
  • Hay is usually provided to animals when insufficient food or grazing is available; and these circumstances often occur due to droughts, cold temperatures or lack of resources.
  • The colour of hay can be a green, yellow or brown colour, although green is usually superior in quality, while bales that are yellow to brown internally, have lost the majority of their nutrients.

Hay, Food, Agriculture, Ten Random Facts, Australia, Bales, Land, Harvest, Cylindar

  • Hay can be fed to animals all year round, and it can be used as the primary food source for some animals on farms.
  • For the purpose of hay making, paddock grasses are grown to maturity, just before seeds ripen, to allow for the greatest quantity and quality of nutrients, and then they are cut and allowed to dry before baling.
  • Too much moisture in hay can cause bales to build up heat, and they can combust spontaneously.
  • Hay is generally gathered tightly in bales, that are either cylindrical or rectangular prisms in shape, often held together with twine, and they are best stored under cover or partly wrapped in plastic.
  • Historically, hay was cut by hand with a scythe, and stacked in piles, known as ‘haystacks’, however, in modern times, the process of cutting and baling is usually all done by specialised machines.
Bibliography:
Hay, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hay
Murphey S, Making Hay, 2013, ABC, http://www.abc.net.au/landline/content/2013/s3741731.htm


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