Tag Archives: Facts

Leopard

By | |
Leave a comment
Leopard

You will not see the leopard until too late!

  • Leopards are from the family Felidae, which is the family of cats, and are part of the Panthera genus, large cat family, of which they are the smallest.
  • Leopards are, depending on the species, native to the deserts, tropics and cool areas of either Africa or Asia.
  • Leopards grow from o.9 to 1.65 metres (3 feet to 5.4 feet) in length, have small, clustered black blotches, or rosettes as they are known, on a pale yellow to gold coloured skin, and have a lifespan from 12 to 17 years, in the wild.
  • Leopards can run at speeds of 58 kilometres/hour (36 miles/hour), jump at heights of 3 metres (10 feet) and at lengths of 6 metres (20 feet).
  • The scientific name of leopards is ‘Panthera pardus’ and includes nine official sub species, and are often mistaken for cheetahs and jaguars, but can be distinguished by their different rosettes or spots.

female leopard, yellow, black, cat, Kruger National Park, Africa, National Geographic Stock, Ten Random Facts

Leopard
Image courtesy of National Geographic
  • ‘Leopard’ comes from the combination of Greek words ‘leōn’ and ‘pardos,’ meaning ‘lion’ and ‘mail panther’ respectively, since it was originally thought they were a cross between a lion and a panther.
  • Leopards are primarily nocturnal hunters that stalk prey stealthily, usually launching their attack at their victim’s neck, and then often dragging heavy carcasses, which can be twice the cat’s weight, with their mouth, up into high trees for protection.
  • Leopards are carnivores, and their diet is quite varied, consisting of animals like monkeys, warthogs, cheetah cubs and antelope, and smaller mammals, reptiles, birds, insects and amphibians, and while they do not often attack humans, in the early 1900s, two vicious man-eaters are said to have killed 525 people between them.
  • Although leopards have no natural predators, large cats, large primates and hyenas all compete for carcasses, and in large groups, will attack these spotted cats, sometimes fatally, for food.
  • Leopards generally have two to four cubs per litter, which stay with the mother for up to 2 years, who protects them from large predators such as crocodiles, large cats and primates.
Bibliography:
Leopard, 2013, San Diego Zoo Animals, http://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/leopard
Leopard, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leopard

Amazon:     

White Weeping Broom

By | |
1 Comment
White Weeping Broom

White weeping brooms do not sweep or weep!

  • White weeping brooms are perennial woody shrubs from the family Fabaceae, which is the family of legumes.
  • The scientific name for the white weeping broom is Retama raetam, and it is also known as ‘White broom’.
  • White weeping brooms grow up to 3 metres (10 feet) in height and 6 (20 feet) metres in diameter.
  • In winter and spring, white weeping brooms bear numerous, clustered groups of 3 to 15 flowers that are small and coloured white .
  • White weeping brooms have small green seedpods often containing two seeds, and a single plant can produce thousands of seeds during its lifetime.

White weeping broom, white, flowers, drooping, weeping, Australia, weed, pest, Ten Random Facts

  • White weeping brooms have greyish-green foliage of droopy branches and small, mostly insignificant leaves.
  • White weeping brooms survive well during drought, possibly being the most tolerant of the three Retamas in the genus.
  • White weeping brooms are native to North Africa and the southern countries of Europe (Mediterranean countries).
  • White weeping brooms are classified as invasive weeds in some countries, particularly some parts of Australia.
  • White weeping broom seeds are often consumed by hares, who transport them to new locations, and the seeds can be seen in the ground a few years after they drop, and can readily germinate at that stage.
Bibliography:
White Weeping Broom, 2013, Lower Eyre Pest Management Group, http://www.pestandweeds.com/weed-profiles/trees-shrubs-weeds/white-weeping-broom/
White Weeping Broom (Ratama raetam), 2009, The Government of South Australia, http://www.senrm.sa.gov.au/Portals/10/Pest%20Plants%20and%20Pest%20Animals/white%20weeping%20broom%20NY%20fact%20sheet.pdf

Amazon:    

Polyethylene Terephthalate

By | |
1 Comment
Polyethylene Terephthalate

Polyethylene terephthalate – a lengthy compound.

  • ‘Polyethylene terephthalate’ is also known as ‘PET’, ‘PETE’, ‘PETP’, ‘PET-P’ and ‘Dacron’, which is a brand name.
  • Polyethylene terephthalate is a strong, light and safe plastic that is often made into containers to store foodstuff or liquids such as drinks, film – often for the packaging industry, and it is also used significantly in the textile industry.
  • Of all the production of polyethylene terephthalate, approximately 30% is used in plastic bottles and more than 60% is produced as textile fibre.
  • Polyethylene terephthalate is a type of polyester, and is named as such when used in textiles.
  • Polyethylene terephthalate is made of a chemical structure of (C10H8O4)n.

PET, Polyethylene Terephthalate, Bottle, Code, PETE, 1, recycling, Plain, Bottom, Ten Random Facts

  • Polyethylene terephthalate is fully recyclable and has a recycling code of ‘1’, by which PET can be recognised.
  • Polyethylene terephthalate was first patented in 1941 by chemists from England, named John Whinfield and James Dickson, invented for textile purposes.
  • Polyethylene terephthalate is made from two organic compounds, dimethyl terephthalate and ethylene glycol that go through a heating and distilling process.
  • Polyethylene terephthalate has become a very popular recycled material, as it can be recycled a number of times, and is generally converted to flakes or pellets to be further processed into fibres, film or formed in moulds, which are often made into carpets, fabrics, containers and other items.
  • Polyethylene terephthalate is typically transparent when in thin sheets, but can be opaque when thick.
 Bibliography:
PET Basics, n.d, NAPCOR, http://www.napcor.com/pdf/v4-11_NAPCOR_PET_Interactive.pdf
Polyethylene terephthalate, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyethylene_terephthalate

Amazon:   

Paris

By | |
1 Comment
Paris

‘It is tossed by the waves, but does not sink’ – Paris’ motto.

  • Paris is the capital city of France, found in northern France, Europe on River Seine, and is among the leading cities in cuisine, fashion, education as well as other arts.
  • Paris is the largest city in France, and is among the largest in Europe, with over 2.2 million residing in the city in 2013, and over 12 million residents when including the wider Paris area.
  • Paris has one of the top Global Domestic Products (GDPs)  in the world, with a GDP of US$845 billion in 2011.
  • ‘Paris’ is also known as the ‘City of Love’, ‘Paname’, and the ‘La Ville-Lumière’ (City of Light’) and was historically known as ‘Lutetia Parisiorum’ during the Roman times in 0 to 400 AD.
  • The name ‘Paris’ was probably derived from the name of the Gaulish tribe, ‘Parisii’ that settled there.
Paris, Panorama, City, Lights, From Eiffel Tower, France, Ten Random Facts, FlickrPanorama of Paris
Image courtesy of MK B./Flickr
  • Paris has a metropolitan area of approximately 2,850 square kilometres (1,100 square miles).
  • Every year, Paris attracts approximately 28 million tourists who visit its gardens, cathedrals, festivals, arts, museums including the Louvre that houses many famous paintings including the Mona Lisa, and architecture including the Eiffel Tower.
  • Paris was the host of the 1889 World Fair, with the Eiffel Tower among the main attractions.
  • Paris is the home of the Métro, a subway system that is used by 9 million people per day.
  • Soccer (football) is a popular sport in Paris, and the city held the international soccer world cup, FIFA, in 1938 and 1998 as well as hosting the Olympic Games of 1900 and 1924.
Bibliography:
Paris, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris
Paris Facts & Figures, 2013, A View on Cities, http://www.aviewoncities.com/paris/parisfacts.htm

Amazon:  

Asparagus

By | |
Leave a comment
Asparagus

Long asparagus.

  • Asparagus are long, spear-headed, edible vegetables that are popular across the globe.
  • Asparagus can be green, white or purple in colour, and is native to west Asia, north Africa and Europe.
  • The scientific name of asparagus is ‘asparagus officinalis’, which is one of the 300 species in the asparagaceae family, although some other asparagus species are edible.
  • Asparagus are the young shoots of the perennial plant with the same name that grows from 1 to 1.5 metres (3 to 5 feet) in height.
  • Historically, asparagus was commonly eaten in Ancient Egypt, Rome, Greece, Spain and Syria.

Asparagus, Green, Long, Sticks, Multiple, Spears, Lily, Ten Random Facts, Australia, Vegetable

  • Asparagus is is 93% water and very high in vitamin K, and is high in vitamin A, thiamine, riboflavin, folate and iron.
  • In 2010, China was by far the biggest producer of asparagus, harvesting nearly 7 million tonnes (7.6 million tons) of the vegetable.
  • The word ‘Asparagus’ has Latin, Greek and Persian origins, originally meaning ‘shoot’ or ‘sprout’ in Persian,  and was originally termed as ‘sperage’ in English.
  • After consumption, asparagus can cause a foul smell emitted from the consumer’s urine due to the organic chemicals found in the vegetable.
  • Asparagus is served and eaten in stirfries, soup, raw in salad, grilled, and pickled, and when raw or lightly cooked, it has a crunchy texture.
Bibliography:
Asparagus, 2013, The World’s Healthiest Foods, http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=12
Asparagus, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asparagus

Amazon:     

Mother Teresa

By | |
Leave a comment
Mother Teresa

“Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person.” – Mother Teresa

  • ‘Mother Teresa’ is also known as ‘Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, M.C’, MC being for ‘Missionaries of Charity’.
  • Mother Teresa was a Roman-catholic nun, whose real name was ‘Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu’.
  • Mother Teresa started a a charity, named Missionaries of Charity, in 1950, which helped the dejected and ‘poorest of the poor’, and can now be found in numerous countries throughout the world.
  • Mother Teresa was known for her work amongst poverty, receiving over 120 awards including the Noble Peace Prize in 1979.
  • Mother Teresa was born on 26 August, 1910, in what is now called the Republic of Macedonia, Europe, to Albanian parents, but spent most of her life in India.
Mother Teresa, Collage, Holding kid, Nun, White, Old, Pray, Books, Colour, Black and white, Ten Random Facts, FlickrBlessed Teresa
Image courtesy of Peta de Aztlan/Flickr
  • Mother Teresa suffered a number of heart attacks from 1983, before her death, caused by an attack, on 5 September 1997.
  • Mother Teresa left her family home at 18 years of age, and became a nun in 1931, choosing the name ‘Thérèse’, or ‘Teresa’ in Spanish after the patron saint of missionaries, Thérèse de Lisieux and became known as ‘Mother Teresa’ on the 24 May 1937, when she took her final vows.
  • Mother Teresa could clearly and confidently speak five languages, being English, Hindi, Albanian, Bengali and Serbon-Croatian.
  • Mother Teresa has a public holiday in Albania named after herself, celebrated on 19 October and known as ‘Mother Teresa Day’.
  • Mother Teresa was involved in a convent school in Calcutta for nearly 20 years, until 1948, being a teacher and later the principal at the school.
Bibliography:
Mother Teresa, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother_Teresa
Short Biography, n.d, Mother Teresa of Calcutta Center, http://www.motherteresa.org/layout.html

Amazon:      

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...