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Oyster

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Oyster

Collect the pearls and eat the oyster.

  • Oysters are aquatic animals that are typically found in saltwater habitats around the world, and they can be found attached to rocks, water structures and other objects.
  • The term ‘oyster’ generally refers to a loosely grouped collection of clams, that are from the class Bivalvia, the class of bivalve molluscs, however, Ostreidae, is the family of true ones, of which the edible creatures belong to.
  • The hard shell of an oyster is typically a variety of colours, that can include tan, white, brown, black and yellow, and they range from 3 to 36 centimetres (1.2 to 14 inches) in length.
  • Some oyster species can produce pearls, however pearls are generally cultivated or obtained from the distant relatives in the Pinctada genus, that belong to Pteriidae family, the family of feather oysters.
  • Oysters have a diet that primarily consists of plankton or other microscopic objects in the water, that is collected by filtering water through the mollusc’s gills; and the animal is preyed upon by birds, fish, starfish, turtles and crabs; and have a lifespan of one to three years.

Oyster, Ten Random Facts, Seafood, Animal, Aquatic, Shell, Edible, Cuisine

  • Oysters can produce millions of eggs at one time, which can quickly hatch into larvae, and they permanently establish themselves on a surface after a few weeks.
  • Oysters have been part of the human diet since ancient times and are commonly eaten today, often as part of a seafood dish; and they are usually obtained by boating, diving or wading, and gloved hands or rakes are used to pry the molluscs from their permanent surfaces.
  • The colour of oyster blood is transparent, and large quantities of water can be filtered by a single animal, with an average of 189 litres (50 gallons) a day.
  • Oysters are extremely high in vitamin B12, copper and zinc, and they are high in iron, selenium, and vitamin D, and contain many other vitamins and minerals.
  • Oysters need to be fresh when eaten, and the animal cannot be dead before cooking, as they will be toxic; and while the mollusc can be consumed raw, they are commonly cooked, fried, smoked, roasted, steamed, or boiled.

 

Bibliography:
Oyster, 2013, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/oyster/
Oyster, 2015, National Geographic, http://animals.nationalgeographic.com.au/animals/invertebrates/oyster/
Oyster, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oyster


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Chili Pepper

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Chili Pepper

Try not to kill your tongue with hot chilli peppers.

  • A chili pepper is a red, yellow or green coloured fruit, usually from one of five species of plants that belong to the Capsicum genus, and they are from the family Solanaceae, the family of nightshades.
  • ‘Chili peppers’ are also known as ‘chilli peppers’, ‘chile peppers’, ‘chillies’ and ‘peppers’; and they range in shape and size, and are generally between 2.5 to 15 centimetres (1 to 6 inches) in length.
  • Chili peppers are native to America, where the food has historically been a staple culinary item, particularly in Central America.
  • Chili pepper was named after black pepper, which, according to the Italian explorer, Christopher Columbus who named them, had a similar spicy flavour.
  • Around the 1500s, after Christopher Columbus’ discovery, chili peppers became known and used in Europe; and Portuguese traders brought the food to Asia.

Chili Pepper, Red, Food, Vegetable, Vegetation, Ten Random Facts, Two, Plate, Grown, Australia, Chilli,

  • Chili peppers contain a chemical named capsaicin, which causes the hot, spicy flavour; and the capsaicin quantity is measured using Scoville heat unites (SHU); while the hottest is the Carolina reaper, with 2.2 million SHU.
  • Chili peppers can be eaten dried or fresh; cooked, roasted, ground or pickled, and they are popular in curries, and Mexican and Asian cuisine.
  • Chemicals, including capsaicin, can be derived from chili peppers to create pepper spray, which can be used to temporarily blind people, sometimes used for police control purposes.
  • Chili peppers can be used to combat pain from nerve disfunctions and osteoarthritis, as well as protecting healthy fats.
  • Chili peppers are extremely high in vitamin C, and they are high in vitamin K, vitamin A and fibre.
Bibliography:
Chili pepper, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chili_pepper
Chili pepper, dried, 2015, The World’s Healthiest Foods, http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=29

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Lime Lava

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Lime Lava

Don’t step on living carpets of lime lava.

  • Lime lava plants are evergreen plants native to New Zealand and the eastern states of Australia; and they prefer higher than normal elevations in subtropical habitats.
  • A ‘lime lava’ plant is also known as a ‘two-flowered knawel’, ‘knawel’, ‘cushion-bush’, ‘cushion plant’ and ‘Canberra grass’.
  • The scientific name of the lime lava plant is Scleranthus biflorus, and it is from the family Caryophyllaceae, the family of carnations.
  • Lime lava plants typically grow horizontally as a perennial plant, and they have very small leaves that are between 0.5 to 1 centimetre (0.2 to 0.4 inches) in length.
  • From a distance, a lime lava plant has the appearance of moss, and the plant boasts a colour of vibrant green.

Lime Lava, Green, Ten Random Facts, Carpet, Australia, Vegetation, Plant, Flat

  • Lime lava plants are used most often for decorative purposes, commonly to line garden edges, featured in rockeries, or as a ground cover.
  • Full sunlight is the best condition for growing lime lava plants and they also prefer moist conditions.
  • Lime lava plants have trouble growing in areas where water collects; and they are generally frost resistant.
  • Lime lava can grow to be 15 centimetres (6 inches) in height and 50 to 80 (20 to 32 inches) centimetres in diameter.
  • Lime lava flowers are very small, and green to yellow in colour, and they flower during spring to autumn.
Bibliography:
Canberra Grass, 2014, Burke’s Backyard, http://www.burkesbackyard.com.au/fact-sheets/in-the-garden/grasses-ground-covers-lawns/canberra-grass/#.VK9d-IuUd8E
Hibbs B, A patch of lime green – Scleranthus biflorus, 2012, Garden World, http://gardenworld.com.au/2012/06/13/a-patch-of-lime-green-scleranthus-biflorus/
Scleranthus biflorus, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scleranthus_biflorus
Scleranthus biflorus, 2015, Bushland Flora, http://www.bushlandflora.com.au/individual_plant.php?p=Scleranthus%20biflorus&uid=1677
Hadlow B, Scleranthus biflorus, 1981, Australian National Botanic Gardens http://www.anbg.gov.au/gnp/gnp11/scleranthus-biflorus.html

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Rotorua

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Rotorua

Have a relaxing holiday in Rotorua.

  • Rotorua is a lakeside city located on the North Island of New Zealand, in the Pacific, and it is part of the district with the same name.
  • As of 2014, Rotorua was ranked as the tenth most populous city in New Zealand, with a population of approximately 56,200 people.
  • The Rotorua area is home to numerous hot springs, geysers and mud pools, due to its proximity to the Mount Tarawera volcano, all of which have become popular tourist attractions, although the attraction’s release of rotten egg-smelling hydrogen sulphide can be unpleasant.
  • The term ‘Rotorua’ comes from the words ‘roto’ and ‘rua’, which can be translated from the native Maori language to mean ‘second lake’, while the full name of the place is ‘Te Rotorua-nui-a-Kahumatamomoe’.
  • A Danish trader named Phillip Tapsell, who later married a native, is likely to be the first European to set foot in Rotorua, in the late 1820s.
Rotorua, Place, City, Aerial, New Zealand, Lake, Ten Random Facts, FlickrPart of Rotorua
Image courtesy of Gene Fama/Flickr
  • The notable geographical points of interest in Rotorua, such as hot springs, were visited by tourists in the 1880s, and the features made the town a popular tourist destination, especially after the railway was built, by 1894.
  • The first community to live in the area of Rotorua was the native Te Arawa Maori group; and the city’s first mayor, Member of Parliament Cecil Clinkard, was chosen in 1923; while the town was declared a city in 1962.
  • Rotorua has average temperatures that range from 8.1°C to 17.3°C (46.6°F to 63.1°F); and it is a sister city to Lake Macquarie in Australia, Klamath Falls in the United States, Wuzhong in China, and Beppu in Japan.
  • Rotorua is situated next to a large lake of the same name, 10 other lakes of significant size, and a number of smaller lakes; and the city and surrounding area features popular sporting activities that include sailing, shooting, skydiving, waterskiing, biking and fishing.
  • Rotorua covers an area of almost 90 square kilometres (34.7 square miles), while the surrounding community district covers around 2615 square kilometres (1009.6 square miles).
Bibliography:
Rotorua, n.d, Trip Advisor, http://www.newzealand.com/au/rotorua/
Rotorua, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotorua

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Curtain

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Curtain

Do you live in a house without a single curtain?

  • Curtains are an invention typically used to slightly or fully block light, vision, water, or a specific view.
  • ‘Curtains’ are also known as ‘drapes’, and they are typically used on windows, in doorways, in showers or on a stage.
  • Curtains are usually made of fabric of various thicknesses, and they are generally classified as ‘sheer’, ‘uncoated’ or ‘coated’.
  • Many curtains can be moved open or closed, often using human energy; by a string pulley; or mechanical interaction.
  • ‘Curtain’ comes from the word ‘cortine’, which can be translated from the Old French word for the same meaning, and it has its origins in Latin and Greek.
Curtains, Red, White, Scene, Bedroom, Window, Ten Random Facts, House,
Photo courtesy of Val Laird
  • Curtains have been used for thousands of years, and those called ‘portières’, were commonly draped over doorways in Ancient Greek and Roman culture.
  • Curtain designs became notably exquisite and extravagant during the Victorian era, and they were used to dress windows, as well as doorways.
  • Curtains became increasingly widespread by the 1900s, when nearly every building contained at least one curtain.
  • Colours, materials, shapes and sizes vary greatly among curtains; and different designs, particularly heights and materials, have different purposes.
  • Curtains are generally held to a specific spot using hooks, rings, buttons or rods, or a combination of these.
Bibliography:
Curtain, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtain
Curtain, 2015, Encyclopaedia Britannica, http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/147125/curtain/

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Wolverine

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Wolverine

Any wolverine you come across may be slightly dangerous.

  • Wolverines are mammals found in the northern areas of the Northern Hemisphere, and the largest population can be found in America’s Canada.
  • A ‘wolverine’ is also known as a ‘carcajou’, ‘skunk bear’, ‘glutton’ and ‘quickhatch’, while its scientific name is Gulo gulo, and it is from the family Mustelidae, the family of weasels.
  • Wolverines look somewhat like a bear, and they have notably lengthy claws and a strong jaw; and the fur is significantly water repellant which is mostly coloured brown and black.
  • Wolverine habitats range from alpine tundras to forests of the taiga and subarctic; and they usually live alone.
  • Wolverines range from 65 to 107 centimetres (26 to 42 inches) in length, and generally weigh between 9 to 32 kilograms (20 to 71 pounds),  and they are the largest species in the weasel family that live on land.

Wolverine, Mammal, Ten Random Facts, Animal, Brown, Black, Flickr,

Wolverine
Image courtesy of Tambako the Jaguar/Flickr
  • Mammals make up the primary diet of wolverines, and includes rodents, foxes, weasels, moose and deer, and occasionally vegetation, eggs, insects and birds.
  • Female wolverines give birth every two or three years around spring, to an average of two or three kits; and the typical lifespan of the animal ranges from 8 to 15 years, and they have been kept successfully in zoos.
  • Although classified as least concern, wolverine numbers have been declining, and are threatened from illegal hunting in some areas, as well as loss of habitat.
  • Wolverines are notable in both film and literature, particularly as the concept of the Marvel Comic superhero of the same name.
  • When threatened or trying to repel fellow competitors, wolverines may excrete an unpleasant smell; and the males have a very large territory that can be 620 square kilometres (240 square miles) or more in area.
Bibliography:
Wolverine, 2013, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/wolverine/
Wolverine, 2015, National Geographic, http://animals.nationalgeographic.com.au/animals/mammals/wolverine/
Wolverine, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolverine

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