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Petronas Towers

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Petronas Towers

They don’t get twins taller than the Petronas Towers.

  • The Petronas Towers are a set of two, very tall, identical skyscrapers found in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with a design that resembles Islamic religious geometric patterns.
  • The ‘Petronas Towers’ are also called ‘Petronas Twin Towers’, and ‘Menara Berkembar Petronas’ and ‘Menara Patronas’ in Malay; and the towers were designed by architect César Pelli, an Argentine American.
  • At 451.9 metres (1483 feet) in height, the Petronas Towers were the tallest buildings on earth from 1996 to 2004, and as of 2015, they were still the tallest twin towers in the world.
  • The construction of the Petronas Towers began on 1 March 1993 after a year of planning, and the spires were added exactly three years later, in 1996, with the buildings being completed in 1998; and the towers were officially opened six years after construction, in August 1999, by Mahathir Mohamad, Malaysia’s Prime Minister at the time.
  • Two different construction consortiums were contracted to build the Petronas Towers to meet set deadlines and therefore, budgets, with Tower 1 headed by the Hazama Corporation from Japan and Tower 2 by the Samsung C&T Corporation from South Korea.
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The Petronas Towers
Image courtesy of Rusticus/Flickr
  • The two construction companies building the Petronas Towers, competed against each other to complete their tower the fastest, with Tower 2 becoming the first to be completed, and as a result, the first to become the tallest tower in the world.
  • The Petronas Towers feature a two-story skybridge that was constructed separately, that connects the twin towers at levels 41 and 42, and it is the most elevated of its kind on earth.
  • It is believed that when one of the Petronas Towers reached a substantial height, it was discovered that the tower had been built slanted 2.5 centimetres (1 inch) from the vertical, meaning all subsequent floors had to be built slanted inwards to remedy this.
  • The Petronas Towers cost a total of roughly 1.6 billion USD to construct; and each tower has 88 floors above ground and five below, and 40 lifts per tower.
  • During the foundation stage of construction of the Petronas Towers, 13,200 cubic metres (466,154 cubic feet) of concrete was poured in 54 hours, without a break, and up until that time, it was the largest concrete pour of its kind in Malaysia.
Bibliography:
About, 2015, Petronas Twin Towers, http://www.petronastwintowers.com.my/about#history
Petronas Towers, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petronas_Towers
Petronas Twin Towers, 2016, Encyclopaedia Britannica, http://www.britannica.com/topic/Petronas-Twin-Towers

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Mamey Sapote

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Mamey Sapote

Mamey sapote is an exotic name for an exotic fruit.

  • Mamey sapote is a variety of tropical fruit, native to parts of Central America, and Mexico in North America.
  • ‘Mamey sapote’ is also known as ‘marmalade plum’, ‘mamee sapote’, ‘marmalade fruit’, ‘zapotillo’, ‘zapote’, ‘sapote’, and ‘mammee apple’, among other names.
  • The scientific name of the mamey sapote tree is Pouteria sapota and it is from the family Sapotaceae, a family of flowering trees and shrubs.
  • Mamey sapote can be ovoid or almost spherical in shape, and the fruit is usually between 7.5 and 23 centimetres (3 to 9 inches) long.
  • The skin of Mamey sapote fruit is generally somewhat rough to touch and brown in colour, while the flesh is soft when ripe, and pink, orange or red in colour.
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Mamey Sapote
Image courtesy of I Like Plants/Flickr
  • The taste of mamey sapote is reminiscent of sweet potatoes, peaches, pumpkins and apricots.
  • Mamey sapote can be eaten fresh or frozen, used to flavour dairy-based products such as ice-cream or milkshakes, and can be made into jams and preserves.
  • A single mamey sapote fruit can weigh from 0.4 to 2.3 kilograms (0.9 to 5 pounds) in weight.
  • Despite its large size, mamey sapote is botanically considered a berry, and the fruit usually contains one large brown seed, though some varieties may have up to four.
  • Mamey sapote fruit are high in vitamin B6 and vitamin C, and contain many other vitamins and minerals.
Bibliography:
Carle A, Cultivation of Mamey Sapote and Green Sapote, 1989, The Acrhives of The Rare Fruit Council of Australia, http://rfcarchives.org.au/Next/Fruits/MameySapote/MameyGreenSapote1-89.htm
 Mamey Sapote, n.d, Australian Tropical Foods, http://www.australiantropicalfoods.com/index.php/exotic-fruits/mamey-sapote/
Pouteria sapota, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pouteria_sapota
Sapote, 2016, Purdue University, https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/sapote_ars.html

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Slacklining

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Slacklining

Slacking off while slacklining is not the way to go.

  • Slacklining is the sport of moving from one end of a slightly loose textile band situated above the ground, to the other, usually by walking, and it requires significant balancing skills, typically with arm movements to help keep balance.
  • The band or webbing used for slacklining is typically long, thin and narrow, usually with a width of 2.5 to 3.5 centimetres (1 to 1.4 inches), though sometimes it is wider.
  • The material used to make slackline webbing, or ‘belts’ as they are also called, is generally polyester, nylon, polypropylene or polyamide.
  • While slacklining has its history in tightrope walking, which it is very much alike, the modern sport evokes an entirely new set of skills and balance techniques.
  • In slacklining, the less tension in the slackline, the more difficult it is to keep balance on, due to sway and greater sagging under the weight of a person.
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Slacklining
Image courtesy of Stanton Cady/Flickr
  • Modern slacklining was invented in 1979 by Adam Grosowsky and Jeff Ellington, in the Yosemite Valley of the United States.
  • Trees are commonly used to tie a slackline between, especially for casual slacklining, and the webbing sits off the ground, while the height from the ground can vary, as long as it does not touch it when a person’s weight is applied.
  • There are four main types of slacklining variations: waterlining – over water, highlining – over a significant height off the ground, longlining –  over a long distance, and tricklining – doing tricks on the slackline, though other variations also exist.
  • As of 2016, the longest slackline walk was 1020 metres (3346 feet), the record set on 19 April 2016 in Aiglun, France by Nathan Paulin from France, and Danny Menšík from the Czech Republic.
  • Slacklining has grown to be a relatively popular sport, especially in Europe, and it has garnered enough interest now, that professional competitions are held annually.
Bibliography:
Bryant A, Above the Lawn, Walking the Line, 2006, The New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/08/travel/escapes/08slack.html?_r=2&pagewanted=all&
First Steps, 2014, Landcruising, http://www.landcruising-slacklines.com/en/knowledge/first-steps
The History of Slacklining, 2014, Landcruising, http://www.landcruising-slacklines.com/en/knowledge/history
Know How – History, 2015, Slackline Tools, http://www.slackline-tools.com/know-how/history/
Slacklining, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slacklining

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Starfish Flower

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Starfish Flower

Starfish flowers really want to let you know when they are around.

  • Starfish flowers are a species of succulent, rather than a cactus, and they are flowering perennial plants, native to South Africa.
  • ‘Starfish flowers’ are also known as ‘giant toad plants’, ‘carrion plants’, ‘carrion flowers’, ‘giant zulus, and ‘starfish cacti’.
  • The scientific name of the starfish flower is Stapelia grandiflora and it is from the family Apocynaceae, the family of dogbanes, and is in the subfamily Asclepiadoideae.
  • Starfish flower plants produce large flowers with five petals, mostly in summer months, and the flowers resemble a starfish and grow to be 5 to 15 centimetres (2 to 6 inches) in diameter.
  • The blooms of starfish flowers tend to be purple, red, or brown in colour, sometimes with a tinge of orange, and they are covered with hairs that are coloured white, purple and/or red.
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A Starfish Flower
Image courtesy of Steve L Martin/Flickr
  • Starfish flowers generally release a stench that is likened to that of a dead animal, intended to attract insects such as flies to pollinate the flowers.
  • Warm climates are best for growing starfish flowers, and they prefer sunny to partly shady conditions.
  • Starfish flower plants are often used for ornamental purposes, however they can also be used to attract irritating insects away from living areas.
  • The green vegetation of starfish flower plants is multi-stemmed, and typically grows to 10 cm (4 inches) tall, while the plant can grow to a diameter of 50 cm (20 inches).
  • The centre of starfish flowers can be a breeding site for insects, such as flies, where their eggs are sometimes deposited.
Bibliography:
Carrion Plant, Starfish Flower, Starfish Cactus, 2016, Dave’s Garden, http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/59151/#b
Grant B, Starfish Flower Cactus: Tips For Growing Starfish Flowers Indoors, 2016, Gardening Know How, http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/cacti-succulents/starfish-flower/growing-starfish-flowers.htm
Stapelia grandiflora, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stapelia_grandiflora
Stapelia grandiflora, n.d, Cactus Art, http://www.cactus-art.biz/schede/STAPELIA/Stapelia_grandiflora/Stapelia_grandiflora/stapelia_grandiflora.htm

Brazilian Wandering Spider

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Brazilian Wandering Spider

Does the venomous nature of the Brazilian wandering spider scare you?

  • Brazilian wandering spiders are a genus of arachnids, native to South America and Central America, and in particular, Brazil, where all species are present.
  • ‘Brazilian wandering spiders’ are also known as ‘armed spiders’ and, along with some other spider species, ‘banana spiders’.
  • The scientific name of the Brazilian wandering spider is Phoneutria and it is from the family Ctenidae, the family of wandering spiders.
  • There are eight species of Brazilian wandering spiders, some of which are known for their high venom toxicity.
  • Brazilian wandering spiders can grow to be 1.7 to 5 centimetres (0.7 to 2 inches) long, with a leg span of 10 to 18 centimetres (4 to 7 inches).

Brazilian Wandering Spider, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Arachnid, Venomous, Dangerous, Toxic, Banana

A Brazilian Wandering Spider
Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
  • Hairs are evident on Brazilian wandering spiders, and the spider tends to be a mostly brown colour, sometimes with red near the fangs.
  • For some years, the Brazilian wandering spider was listed as the spider being the most venomous on earth, by the Guinness World Records.
  • Brazilian wandering spiders do not spin webs, instead they find dark locations to hide in, and when it is night time, they come out hunting for crickets and other insects, along with lizards and frogs.
  • The venom of Brazilian wandering spiders can cause immense pain, the blocking of calcium absorption, inflammation, breathing issues, paralysis and muscle spasms, and even death if left untreated.
  • Brazilian wandering spiders may reside on banana plants, and sometimes the fruit has been exported across the globe with a spider accompanying it.
Bibliography:
Brazilian Wandering Spider, 2016, Animal Corner, https://animalcorner.co.uk/animals/brazilian-wandering-spider/
Brazilian Wandering Spider, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazilian_wandering_spider
Phoneutria – introduction, 2013, Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Karlsruhe, http://www.wandering-spiders.net/phoneutria/introduction/
Szalay J, Brazilian Wandering Spiders: Bites & Other Facts, 2014, Live Science, http://www.livescience.com/41591-brazilian-wandering-spiders.html

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Santol

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Santol

Will you brave the exoticness of the santol?

  • Santols are a species of exotic fruit native to Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Malaya, of Southeast Asia.
  • The scientific name of the santol tree is Sandoricum koetjape and it is from the family Meliaceae, the family of mahogany.
  • ‘Santols’ are also called ‘lolly fruits’, ‘cottonfruits’, and ‘ wild mangosteens’, and they are also known under a variety of local names.
  • Santols generally have a peachy orange coloured skin, that has a somewhat furry texture, sometimes with a slight red or yellow appearance, with flesh that is typically coloured white, while the rind surrounding the flesh is usually an orange colour.
  • The rind of santols can be thick or thin, depending on the variety, and the fruit has a fleshy, juicy centre that surrounds the seeds; and both the pulp and the rind are usually edible.
Santols, Fruit, Orange, Vegetation, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Stalk, Whole, Unpeeled
Santols
Image courtesy of whologwhy/Flickr
  • Santols can have a sour or sweet taste, often depending on whether it is the red leaf variety or the yellow leaf variety, with the red leaf generally having a sour taste and a thicker rind, while the yellow leaf will typically have a sweet flavour and a thinner rind.
  • Santols can be eaten raw, preserved, made into a jam, candied, spiced, cooked in curries or alongside meat, or used to make a beverage.
  • The relatively large brown seeds of santols are not edible, and they should be avoided as they can get stuck in or even puncture the intestines.
  • Santol fruit range from 4 to 7.5 centimetres (1.6 to 3 inches) in diameter, and a single tree is said to be able to bear thousands of individual fruit in a single year.
  • Santols contain pectin, and are a good source of phosphorus and calcium, and they contain other vitamins and minerals.
Bibliography:
Morton J, Santol, 1987, Purdue Agriculture, https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/santol.html
Santol, 2016, Fruits Info, http://www.fruitsinfo.com/Santol-Exotic-fruits.php
Snadoricum koetjape, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandoricum_koetjape

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