Tag Archives: Facts

Corn Flakes

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Corn Flakes

Pour a bowl of corn flakes.

  • Corn flakes are a breakfast cereal made primarily of corn and sugar.
  • Corn flakes were invented by the Kellogg brothers, John H Kellogg and Will K Kellogg, and their flaked cereals were first patented on 14 April 1896.
  • In the 1890s, in the United States, the famous Kellogg brothers took stale cooked wheat, rolled them into flakes and recooked them, which was a successful turn of events, and so other grains were experimented with, being cooked in a similar manner, which led to the invention of corn flakes.
  • Corn flakes are typically flakes that are orange-yellow in colour, have a crunchy texture, and soften with milk which is usually served in a bowl with the cereal.
  • The mascot of Kellogg’s corn flakes is commonly a rooster, while Sanitarium’s corn flakes has a kangaroo as a mascot.

Cornflakes, homebrand, Ten Random Facts, Cereal, Corn, Flakes, Australia

  • Corn flakes were first produced by Kellogg’s, but now there are numerous brands of corn flakes, including Sanitarium, generic brands, and gluten free brands.
  • Corn flakes are generally high in iron, vitamin B12, vitamin B6, thiamin, niacin and other vitamins.
  • In the 1920s, corn flakes were introduced to Australia, and became so popular that they have been manufactured there ever since.
  • Corn flakes were first sold publicly in 1906, and in 1909, a booklet was given as a bonus if  two boxes were purchased, with the offer lasting for over two decades.
  • Corn flakes can be found as a component in other packaged cereals, and made into snacks such as bars, cookies, or ‘honey joys’.
Bibliography:
Cornflakes, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corn_flakes
Kellogg’s Cornflakes, 2005, The Great Idea Finder, http://www.ideafinder.com/history/inventions/kelloggcf.htm

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Shovel

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Shovel

Shovel all day long.

  • Shovels are tools that are primarily used to move or dig substances such as dirt or sand.
  • Shovels are basically a long rod, sometimes with a handle, with a somewhat flat scoop on the end.
  • Shovels are commonly used in landscaping, building or farming.
  • Shovels are typically made of steel or tough plastic, with a fibreglass or wooden handle.
  • Throughout history, animal bones, particularly the shoulder blade, have been used like a shovel.

Shovel

  • In the 1900s, advancements in machinery started to replace shovels.
  • In 1967, a wooden shovel from approximately 2000 BC was discovered in Turkey.
  • There are many types of shovels; some are used to pry open items, dig holes, and scoop away snow or coal.
  • Shovels range in size and shape; some are square, while others are small, and some have sharp blades.
  • Some shovels are designed to collapse and be easily stored, and are often used by the military or campers.
Bibliography:
A History of the Shovel, 2009, Landscape and Garden Tools, http://landscapeandgardentools.blogspot.com.au/2009/11/history-of-shovel.html
Shovel, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shovel

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Kendama

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Kendama

Flick up the kendama ball and catch it on the stick.

  • A kendama is a traditional Japanese toy, typically made of wood.
  • Kendama are historically hammer-shaped with a spike, and have a ball attached with string.
  • Kendama have four main parts: ‘ken’ (stick or handle), ‘crosspiece’ (cup body), ‘string’, and ‘ball’ , and the toy usually has three different cup sizes to balance the ball on.
  • The aim of a kendama is to get the ball onto the spike or catch it on one of the sides of the hammer.
  • A ‘kendama’ is also known as ‘ring and pin’, and it is similar to the European cup-and-ball toy.

Kendama, Toy, Japanese, Traditional, Two, Mini, Wooden, Small, Anatomy, Ten Random Facts

  • Kendama are particularly common in Japan, where trick competitions are held.
  • While some people think that the kendama toy originated in Japan, it possibly came to the country by trade in the 1770s from the French, who had a similar toy named a ‘bilboquet’, to which the Japanese made some modifications.
  • The modern kendama was patented by Japanese Hamaji Egusa in 1920 and the official competition design came from the 1970s.
  • The string on a kendama is typically between 35 to 45 centimetres (1.1 to 1.5 feet) in length; a longer string makes it harder to complete the aim.
  • The grip and stance of kendama change the performance, with specific recognised standards of each.

 

Bibliography:
Kendama, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kendama
Kendama, n.d, Kids Web Japan, http://web-japan.org/kidsweb/virtual/kendama/kendama01.html

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Neil Armstrong

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Neil Armstrong

“That’s one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind.” – Neil Armstrong; spoken after the first step on the moon.

  • Neil Armstrong (born ‘Neil Alden Armstrong’) was born on 5 August, 1930 in Ohio, United States, and his parents were Stephen Koenig Armstrong and Viola Louise Engel.
  • Neil Armstrong was a NASA astronaut, who was famous for being the first person to set foot on the moon, where he moved around for approximately two and a half hours, on 21 July, 1969.
  • Neil Armstrong died at 82 years of age on 25 August, 2012, in Ohio, due to cardiovascular surgery complications; and his ashes were scattered at sea.
  • Neil Armstrong journeyed through many careers including engineering, aircraft, test piloting, university education and business.
  • Among other awards and honous, Neil Armstrong was awarded three significant medals: the Presidential Medal of Freedom (1969), Congressional Space Medal of Honour (1978), and Congressional Gold Medal (2009).

Neil Armstrong, Apollo 11, Space, Spacesuit, Moon, Astronaut, Ten Random Facts, Flickr, NASA

Armstrong in Apollo 11
Image courtesy of Recuerdos de Pandora/Flickr
  • Neil Armstrong married Janet Shearon in 1956, whom he met while she was studying, and subsequently had three children (one died at a young age), and then he married Carol Knight in 1994, after he divorced Janet.
  • Neil Armstrong was appointed to aircraft training in the navy, in 1949, performed 78 tasks in the Korean war, and retired in 1960.
  • Neil Armstrong participated in two major space projects of NASA’s: Project Gemini, for advancements in space travel, and Project Apollo, for the first person on the moon.
  • Neil Armstrong was involved in a few legal issues, which included Hallmark’s illegal use of his quotes and other information, and his barber selling his hair for $3,000.
  • In his whole life, Neil Armstrong spent only a little more than eight and a half days in space.
Bibliography:
Bibliography, 2012, NASA, http://www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/about/bios/neilabio.html
Neil Armstrong, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Armstrong

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Hydrangea

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Hydrangea

Hydrangeas may look like mops, but will not work like one.

  • Hydrangeas are generally flowering shrubs that grow from 1 to 3 metres (3 to 10 feet) in height, but some species are trees or climbers, with some climbing up tall trees.
  • Hydrangeas are mostly hardy plants that are also known as ‘hortensia’, and are from the family Hydrangeaceae.
  • There are over 70 species of hydrangeas, that either deciduous or evergreen, with the most commonly grown type, Hydrangea macrophylla, being deciduous.
  • Hydrangeas are native to east and south Asia, as well as north and south America.
  • Hydrangeas have flowers that are either pom-pom shaped or flat-headed, known as ‘Mopheads’ and ‘Lacecaps’ respectively.

Hydrangea, pom-pom, bloom, purple, pink, flower, plant, Australia, Ten Random Facts

  • The flowers of hydrangeas can be white, blue, and pink, purple or red in colour, which are often determined by the soil the plant is planted in, with acidic soils producing blue flowers and alkaline soils bearing flowers in pink or red shades.
  • Hydrangeas are popular decorative and ornamental plants in the garden, and usually bloom in spring and summer.
  • Certain hydrangea species are poisonous, and can cause severe sickness or fatalities if consumed, and despite this, some parts are sometimes smoked.
  • Hydrangeas are mostly hardy plants and prefer semi-shaded areas.
  • Some species of hydrangeas have leaves that are used to make a sweet tea.
Bibliography:
Hydrangea, 2011, Gardening Australia, http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s1866625.htm
Hydrangea, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrangea

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Alligator Snapping Turtle

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Alligator Snapping Turtle

Do not get caught by the alligator snapping turtle!

  • Alligator snapping turtles are the heaviest freshwater turtles, weighing on average 68 to 80 kilograms (150 to 180 pounds).
  • ‘Alligator snapping turtles’ are also known as ‘alligator snappers’ and are from the family Chelydridae, a family of turtles.
  • The scientific name of alligator snapping turtles is Macrochelys temminckii, named after the zoologist Coenraad Temminck.
  • Alligator snapping turtles are native to the United States in the south-eastern areas, and they live in lakes, rivers and other aquatic habitats.
  • Alligator snapping turtles have heads that are large and heavy, and a ridged-scaled shell that grows to between 40 to 80 centimetres (16 to 32 inches).

Alligator Snapping Turtle, Bench, Alive, Wet, Mouth open, Ten Random Facts, United States, Reptile, Flickr

Alligator Snapper
Image courtesy of Gary J. Wood/ Flickr
  • When ‘hunting’ for food, an alligator snapping turtle lies still and camouflages itself with its mouth open, and the worm shaped part on its tongue attracts its prey.
  • Alligator snapping turtles eat fish and other aquatic animals or shore mammals, and they have strong jaws, and can bite a human finger off.
  • Alligator snapping turtles can live from 20 to 70 years while in captive, and some believe that the turtles can live over 100 years in the wild.
  • Alligator snapping turtles are sometimes kept as pets, but must be kept cautiously as well as being fed and held correctly.
  • Alligator snapping turtles are commonly poached for its exotic meat and shell.
Bibliography:
Alligator Snapping Turtle, 2013, National Geographic, http://animals.nationalgeographic.com.au/animals/reptiles/alligator-snapping-turtle/
Alligator Snapping Turtle, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alligator_snapping_turtle

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