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Instant Coffee

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Instant Coffee

Add the water and add the instant coffee… and voilà!

  • Instant coffee is a substance that is placed into a liquid to instantly make a coffee beverage, and it used for convenience, due to the lack of equipment required and the speed of which one can make a drink.
  • ‘Instant coffee’ is also known as ‘soluble coffee’ and ‘coffee powder’, and while it is convenient, it is often said it has an inferior taste to the equivalent freshly ground beverage.
  • The invention of instant coffee began in the 1770s in Britain, when a soluble compound was made, and the substance was further developed by various people in different countries throughout the 1800s, while David Strang, from New Zealand’s Invercargill, is said to have patented a soluble formula in 1890; and there have been notable improvements since.
  • Generally, instant coffee starts out as roasted and ground coffee beans, then hot water is added and the grounds go through an extracting and filtering process, after which they are dried either by freezing or spraying.
  • Instant coffee is available at supermarkets and other stores, and is most often sold in a airtight bag, tin or jar.

Instant Coffee, Brown, Chunky, Powder, Ten Random Facts, Australia, Nescafe

  • Instant coffee is generally brown in colour, and can be purchased in both finely powdered or slightly chunky forms, and it can also be bought as a liquid.
  • Instant coffee beverages are generally made by adding boiling water to a teaspoon of grounds or powder, and then stirred with a spoon so that the grounds quickly dissolve; and depending on taste, sugar and milk is sometimes added.
  • It is possible that instant coffee can increase the likelihood of bladder cancer developing, and decrease the chance of getting type 2 diabetes.
  • Depending on the water to instant coffee ratio, the drink can be strong or quite a diluted beverage.
  • A typical instant coffee beverage contains small levels of potassium, niacin, manganese and magnesium.
Bibliography:
Instant Coffee, 2015, How Products Are Made, http://www.madehow.com/Volume-3/Instant-Coffee.html
Instant Coffee, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instant_coffee

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Richat Structure

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Richat Structure

Be ‘stared’ into space by the Richat Structure.

  • The Richat Structure is an eroded rock formation spread in a circular format, found in the country of Mauritania in the Western Sahara, in Africa.
  • The ‘Richat Structure’ is also known as the ‘Eye of the Sahara’, ‘Eye of Africa’, ‘blue eye of Africa’, ‘Earth’s bulls-eye’ and the ‘Guelb er Richat’.
  • The Richat Structure has a diameter of approximately 48 kilometres (30 miles), and is best viewed from the sky or space.
  • Both sedimentary rock, like quartzite and sandstone, and igneous rock make up the Richat Structure, while the latter form dykes, sills and rings within the outer rim.
  • It was originally thought that the Richat Structure was created by an asteroid impact, due to the circular shape and mistaken evidence.

Richat Structure, Blue, Aerial, NASA, Wallpaper, Satellite, Ten Random Facts, Flickr

Space Image of Richat Structure
Image courtesy of Calvin Hamilton
  • The Richat Structure is generally blue in colour, although its vividness depends on the angle of the photograph or viewing point.
  • The Richat Structure is believed to have been formed by constant erosion of a volcanic dome over thousands of years.
  • The Richat Structure can be visited by tourists, and one of the most common activities is four-wheel drive tours.
  • Due to its size and features, the Richat Structure has commonly been used as a reference point from space, by astronauts.
  • The Richat Structure has the appearance of an eye, hence some of the common names for the formation; and its appearance has lead to numerous parodic works of the feature.
Bibliography:
Richat Structure, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richat_Structure
Richat Structure, n.d, Atlas Obscura, http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/richat-structure
The Richat Structure: The Eye of the Earth, 2007, Dark Roasted Blend, http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2007/09/richat-structure-eye-of-earth_12.html

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Pademelon

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Pademelon

Have you ever heard of a pademelon?

  • Pademelons are nocturnal marsupials that generally live in bushland habitats in coastal areas, and are native to Australia and some nearby islands, including Papua New Guinea.
  • The scientific name of a pademelon is Thylogale, and it is from the family Macropodidae, the family of kangaroos and wallabies.
  • Pademelons are very similar to their cousins, the kangaroo and wallaby, although they are of a smaller size, and have a comparatively larger diameter tail, that also has a shorter length.
  • Pademelons generally make their home in thick bush, jungle, forests and scrubby habitats, as well as swampy areas, and they usually spend their time alone.
  • There are seven species of pademelon, and the colour of their fur is usually a combination of brown, red, black and grey.

Pademelon, Animal, Ten Random Facts, Mammal, Marsupial, Australia, Flickr

Pademelon
Image courtesy of JJ Harrison/Flickr
  •  Pademelons have a life span of four to eight years, and historically they were hunted by early settlers and indigenous Australians, for both meat and fur.
  • The height of pademelons typically range from 42 to 52 centimetres (16.5 to 20.5 inches) and they weigh 3.5 to 12 kilograms (7.7 to 26 pounds).
  • The diet of pademelons consists primarily of vegetation such as grass, leaves, berries and shoots, and they are preyed on by foxes and dogs.
  • A female pademelon has a pouch that holds its baby once born, and the baby, called a ‘joey’, only leaves the pouch after six months of age.
  • While three species of pademelons are listed as ‘least concern’, four of the species, located in Papua New Guinea, are listed as vulnerable or endangered, and numbers have been declining, mostly due to hunting for food purposes and loss of habitat.
Bibliography:
Pademelon, 2013, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/pademelon/
Pademelon, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pademelon

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Lindheimer’s Beeblossom

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Lindheimer’s Beeblossom

Lindheimer’s beeblossoms must be a bee favourite.

  • Lindheimer’s beeblossoms are perennial plants that produce an abundance of flowers, although in some areas they are grown as annuals.
  • The Lindheimer’s beeblossom plant has the scientific name Oenothera lindheimeri, and it was previously known as Gaura lindheimeri, and it is from the family Onagraceae, the family of evening primroses or willow herbs.
  • ‘Lindheimer’s beeblossoms’ are also known as ‘Leindheimer’s clockweed’, butterfly bush’, ‘clockweed’, ‘gaura’, ‘white gaura’, ‘pink gaura’ and ‘Indian feather’.
  • Lindheimer’s beeblossoms are native to the United State’s southern states of Texas and Louisiana, in North America.
  • The height of Lindheimer’s beeblossom plants range from 50 to 150 centimetres (20 – 59 inches), and they have small green leaves.

Lindheimer's Beeblossom, Plant, Vegetation, Pink, Flowers, Bloom, Ten Random Facts, Australia

  • Lindheimer’s beeblossom plants generally bloom during the months of summer and autumn, and sometimes spring.
  • The flowers of Lindheimer’s beeblossoms are 2 to 3 cm (0.8 to 1.2 inches) in diameter; are generally coloured white or pink, with four petals and long stamens; and they grown on long flexible stems that cause the flowers to ‘flutter’ in the wind.
  • Lindheimer’s beeblossoms are commonly grown for decorative purposes in gardens or pots, and they prefer sunny conditions.
  • Lindheimer’s beeblossoms are hardy plants and have received the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society, however, they are considered a weed in some areas.
  • The common name ‘Lindheimer’s beeblossom’ is derived from the name of the Texan botanist Ferdinand Lindheimer, who was of German descent, and the flowers of the plant attracts bees, as well as butterflies.
Bibliography:
Guara lindheimen, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaura_lindheimeri
Guara lindheimen, 2015, Dave’s Garden, http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/590/#b
\Gaura lindheimeri ‘Whirling Butterflies’, 2015, Perennials.com, http://www.perennials.com/plants/gaura-lindheimeri-whirling-butterflies.html

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Oven

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Oven

What would you do without an oven?

  • An oven is an appliance that is mostly an enclosed compartment that has the primary purpose to cook food using a heat source.
  • An oven made specifically for use in metalwork is known as a ‘furnace’, and one that is used to fire ceramics and other items is called a ‘kiln’.
  • Ovens have been used for thousands of years, and evidence of their ancient use has been found in various locations in Europe.
  • The heat source of ovens can be generated using coal, iron, wood, gas, microwaves, or, most commonly, electricity.
  • Ancient Greeks used ovens mainly to make bread, and they also made small, portable ovens that were used as early as the 1600s BC.

Oven, Black, Ten Random Facts, Invention, Cooking, Digital, Electric,

  • Ovens in modern homes are often situated in a custom-sized space in an open cupboard or wall, around waist height, and the appliance is often a rectangular prism in shape.
  • In medieval Europe, the use of cauldrons and fireplaces were commonplace, while it wasn’t until around the 1700s when more practical and modern ovens became common, although they were often more like a stove.
  • In recent times, there has been a resurgence of wood-fired ovens that are either purchased or made, and they are generally situated in outdoor living areas and are used to cook pizzas and baked goods.
  • Modern style ovens generally feature a door, dials and other buttons to control the heat intensity produced, and sometimes other features are included, like ‘self-cleaning’.
  • Ovens often produce heat from either the base or the top, and commonly feature a fan to spread the heat more evenly.
Bibliography:
Bellis M, History of the Ovens from Cast Iron to Electric, 2015, About Money, http://inventors.about.com/od/ofamousinventions/a/oven.htm
Oven, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oven

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Enchanted Well

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Enchanted Well

Don’t toss a coin into this Enchanted Well!

  • The Enchanted Well is a pool of water located in a limestone cave near Itaetê, in eastern Brazil, in the state of Bahia, in South America.
  • The Enchanted Well is situated outside of, but near the Chapada Diamantina National Park, as well as the Una River.
  • ‘Enchanted Well’ is also known as ‘Poço Encantado’ in Portugese, and it is not to be confused with the waterfall of the same name – Cachoeira Poço Encantado.
  • The Enchanted Well is found in a dolomite cave, and it contains one of the few populations of blind catfish, said to have the scientific name Rhamdiopsis krugi, that are endemic to the area.
  • The Enchanted Well is known primarily for its highly transparent water, enabling people to be able to see through to the cavern floor.
Enchanted Well, Water, Blue, Clear, Transparent, South America, Ten Random Facts, Flickr
Part of the Enchanted Well
Image courtesy of Danielle Pereira/Flickr
  • Depths of the Enchanted Well reach approximately 60 metres (197 feet), and it is up to 110 metres (361 feet) wide and its widest point.
  • Approximately 7000 tourists visit the Enchanted Well each year, and to visit the site, an entrance fee is payable.
  • The cave of the Enchanted Well is home to more than ten species of bats, and is sometimes visited by frogs and snakes.
  • The Enchanted Well was closed to visitors for three years, from 2008 to 2010, and was reopened in early 2011, although due to its fragile ecosystem, numbers of visitors are limited in each group, and swimming in the water has been banned since 1990.
  • The Enchanted Well is best visited during April to September, due to the angle of the sun that lights up the clear blue water.
Bibliography:
Chapada Diamantina: Poço Encantado é reaberto para visitação, 2011, Governo do Estado da Bahia, http://www.setur.ba.gov.br/2011/03/11/chapada-diamantina-poco-encantado-e-reaberto-para-visitacao/
Enchanted Well, 2003, Eco, http://www.eco.tur.br/english/ecoguides/diamantina/ecopoints/caverns/encantado.htm
Karmann, I, 2000, Caverna do Poço Encantado, Chapada Diamantina, Bahia: patrimônio geológico e biológico, SIGEP, http://sigep.cprm.gov.br/sitio091/sitio091.htm

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