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Stingray

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Stingray

Lightning fast reflex stingrays.

  • Stingrays are from the family Myliobatiformes, which is the family of fish, known as rays with a cartilage structure, and stingrays have no bones but instead have cartilage and are related to sharks.
  • There are more than 60 species of stingray, and they are typically found in warm, coastal waters throughout the world, although they can be seen in some other areas.
  • Stingrays can feel the electrical currents a fish produces when it swims, using its electroreceptors and its sense of smell to catch prey.
  • Stingrays can camouflage themselves by laying their flat body, coloured similar to the seabed, in the sand and partially burying themselves.
  • Stingrays often feed at high tide in reefs with their cousins the sharks, and once they have found their food, they crush their prey of clams, mussels, crabs and shrimps with their super strong teeth.

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Stingray
Image courtesy of National Geographic
  • Stingrays typically have a litter of between 2 and 13 babies per year that are born as mini versions of an adult.
  • Stingrays do not normally attack people unless aggravated by being stepped on or are feeling threatened, although many people are afraid and suspicious of them, particularly since a stingray killed the legendary wildlife protector, Steve Irwin in 2006.
  • Stingrays usually have a barbed stinger, that sometimes contains venom, and if stung, it is not normally fatal unless stung near vital organs, but it can be extremely painful and may cause swelling and muscle cramps.
  • Stingrays are commonly eaten in Malaysia and Singapore served with a sambal sauce, and they have wing like fins that are served as a delicacy in some countries.
  • A stingray swims through the sea by moving side to side or flapping its fins up and down to glide, and they can weigh up to 358 kg (789 pounds) and grow up to 2 meters (6.5 feet) in length although some species grow up to twice that in length.

 

Bibliography:
Hughes C, Stingrays, 2013, National Geographic Kids, <http://kids.nationalgeographic.com.au/kids/animals/creaturefeature/stingray/>
Stingray, 2013, National Geographic, <http://animals.nationalgeographic.com.au/animals/fish/stingray/>
Stingray, 2013, Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stingray>

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Calculator

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Calculator

Do you know 58,675,985 x 73,892,619? The calculator can calculate it for you.

  • Calculators are used to calculate numerals and equations, typically in mathematics or business.
  • The first mechanical calculator was invented by Blaise Pascal, a French mathematician, when he was 19 in 1642, to help is father calculate mathematic sums.
  • Calculators were originally gear driven wheels, but now they use a chip, typically a microchip, and some kind of energy source.
  • The first handheld calculator was invented by Texas Instruments, an American company, in 1967, and were further developed in the early 1970s.
  • School students are common users of calculators, using them to calculate difficult sums, although some say children are too dependent on the devices.

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  • Calculators are often powered with chemical or battery energy, solar energy or electrical energy.
  • Scientific calculators are devices that are able to deal with more complicated calculations, having more mathematical symbols, and can hold more than one number at a time, compared to the original calculator.
  • Abacuses were early types of calculators, aiding the person who was calculating, but in Western countries, electronic calculators are nearly always used.
  • The display of numbers on a calculator are visible on an LCD (liquid-crystal display) screen, and are shown on the screen when a button is pressed.
  • Types of calculators range from small pocket ones to large heavy duty ones that can print the calculations.
Bibliography:
Calculator, 2013, Encylcopedia.com, < http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/calculator.aspx#1>
Calculator, 2013, Wikipedia, < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calculator>

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Hypothermia

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Hypothermia

Brrrrr. Hypothermia is cold.

  • Hypothermia is when the temperature of a human body falls from its usual temperature of around 37°C (98.6°F) to below 35°C (95°F).
  • People are more susceptible to hypothermia if they are quite young or quite old, sick with permanent medical conditions, if they have consumed alcohol or drugs or if they are unusually tired.
  • Hypothermia is due to the body losing heat without being able to replace it, and can be caused by exposure to cold water or cold weather below 10°C (50°F), or not eating or drinking enough in cold conditions.
  • Between 1999 to 2004, an average of 647 people died each year in the United States due to hypothermia.
  • Hypothermia is often caused from not wearing enough warm clothes in cold conditions, and often leads to frostbite due to the brain keeping the vital organs, including the brain, warm.

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Hypothermia
Image courtesy of Asktrekker/Flickr
  • Sleepiness, weakness, pale skin, shivering uncontrollably, confusion, slow breathing, slurred speech and slow heart beating are among the signs of hypothermia.
  • Victims of hypothermia are often found motionless, since the body cannot look after itself properly, often making people think they are dead.
  • After being exposed to hypothermia, victims should not be placed in or near very hot substances such as heat lamps or hot water to warm them up, but rather slow indirect heat like the warmth from another person is helpful.
  • Victims of hypothermia can die if exposed to severe temperatures and have no medical help, and if the person moves around it can cause a heart attack because it will make their body temperature colder.
  • People who are suffering from hypothermia will sometimes remove their layers of clothing, which makes their situation worse, so this urge, known as ‘paradoxical undressing’, needs to be resisted.
Bibliography:
Hypothermia, 2010, Medline Plus, < http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000038.htm>
Hypothermia, 2013, Better Health Channel, < http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Hypothermia>

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Rosemary

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Rosemary

Smell the strong smelling rosemary.

  • The scientific name of rosemary is Rosmarinus officinalis, ‘rosmarinus’ being Latin for ‘dew of the sea’, which is said to be a reference to its little need for water which can be derived from the moisture in the sea air.
  • Rosemary is an evergreen, woody herb with spiky looking green leaves and mauve, purple, blue, white or pink coloured flowers.
  • Rosemary is native to the Mediterranean area and is from the Lamiaceae family, which is the family of mint.
  • Rosemary is also known as ‘anthos’, the Greek word for ‘flower’, and the ‘Rose of Mary’, due to the suggestion that Virgin Mary laid her cloak on the herb.
  • Rosemary leaves are often used as a seasoning for stuffings and meat such as roast lamb, chicken, pork, turkey and in Mediterranean dishes, and the flowers can also be used, sometimes featuring in salads.

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  • Rosemary is quite drought tolerant, can be grown as a hedge plant, and ranges in height from 30 cm – 1.5 meters (1-5 feet) depending on the species.
  • In 2013, it was officially proven that rosemary helps the brain with remembering and clarity due to the smell of the essential oil that is contained in the plant, although the Ancient Greeks and Shakespeare both discovered these memory properties long ago.
  • Rosemary contains vitamin C, vitamin B6, folate, iron, calcium and manganese, and because it contains rosmarinic acid which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, it is often used for medicinal purposes, including the treatment of hair for dandruff and baldness.
  • Rosemary was worn by both the bride and the groom in weddings in the Middle Ages, and a piece was then planted in the hope of good luck for the couple’s marriage.
  • Rosemary is often worn at Australia’s ANZAC Day ceremonies due to the abundance of the herb at the Gallipoli war grounds and its association with remembrance.
Bibliography:
Campbell C, Rosemary, 2011, Gardening Australia, < http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s2046448.htm>
Rosemary, 2013, Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosemary>

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Michael Jackson

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Michael Jackson

“It’s a thriller, thriller night,” – Thriller, Michael Jackson

  • Michael Jackson’s full name was ‘Michael Joseph (Joe) Jackson’ and he was also known as ‘MJ’ or the ‘King of Pop’.
  • Michael Jackson was a vocalist who sang pop, rock, soul, R&B, funk and disco genres as well as becoming a vocal instrument musician, a song-writer and a popular dancer, inventing moves including the ‘moonwalk’ and the ‘robot’.
  • Michael Jackson was born in United States’ Indiana on 29 August 1958 and died at 50 years of age in Los Angeles, California, during a tour, on the 25 June 2009, and is said to have died by involuntary manslaughter by his personal physician, Dr Conrad Murray.
  • Michael Jackson was lead singer of the family band of five, The Jackson 5, which he joined at the age of five and he became a soloist at age 13, releasing ten albums during his life and travelled the world on tour many times.
  • Michael Jackson’s album Thriller is the biggest selling album ever, with estimations ranging from 51 to 65 million.

Michael Jackson, Sing, Spotlight, stage, Black, Real, Madison Sqaure Garden, 2001, Hair, Ten Random Facts, Flickr

Michael Jackson
Image courtesy of Allar Janssen/Flickr

  • Michael Jackson suffered from child abuse, even being whipped, by his father, and Jackson himself was charged with multiple offenses during his lifetime, including child abuse, in mid 1990s and mid 2000s, with both accusations proving false.
  • During the 1980s, Michael Jackson was diagnosed with vitiligo, a disease that lightened his dark skin, although some said that Jackson had purposely bleached it, and even though he had nose surgery, others believed he had facial surgeries that were denied by the vocalist.
  • Approximately 31.1 million US residents viewed the memorial of Michael Jackson, which was not far behind the memorial of Lady Princess Diana’s views of an estimated 33.1 million and 40th US President Ronald Reagan’s memorial views of approximately 35.1 million and many websites including Google, Wikipedia and Twitter crashed due to usage amounts around the time of his death.
  • Michael Jackson divorced both of his wives after two years of being married, firstly to Elvis Presley’s daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, and later his dermatologist nurse, Deborah Rowe with whom he had two children, and later on he had a third child born to a surrogate mother.
  • Michael Jackson is estimated to have earned $750 million and won hundreds of awards in his lifetime, most notably 26 American Music Awards and 13 Grammy Awards (US Music Awards) including the tough Grammy Legend and Grammy Lifetime Awards as well as some Guinness World Records.
Bibliography:
Michael Jackson Bibliography, 2013, Bio.com, < http://www.biography.com/people/michael-jackson-38211>
Michael Jackson, 2013, Wikipedia, < https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Jackson>

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Michael Jackson Albums

St Paul’s Cathedral

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St Paul’s Cathedral

Cathedral of St Paul.

  • St Paul’s Cathedral, an Anglican church, can be found on Ludgate Hill, the highest point in London City, United Kingdom, and is the home of the Bishop of London.
  • St Paul’s Cathedral was based on an English Baroque look and was designed by Sir Christopher Wren who was a well known English architect.
  • St Paul’s Cathedral was constructed between 1675 until 1711, with further work being carried out over the following years.
  • St Paul’s Cathedral at 111 metres (365 feet) in height was London’s tallest building, from 1710 to 1962, and has been popular in art and film, including Harry Potter, Star Trek, Sherlock Holmes and Mary Poppins.
  • St Paul’s Cathedral has held notable funerals, services and the marriage of the Prince and Princess of Wales, as well as Queen Victoria’s and Queen Elizabeth II’s Jubilee celebrations.

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St Paul’s Cathedral, London
Image courtesy of Vichaya Kiatying-Angsulee/Free Digital Photos

  • St Paul’s Cathedral is at least the fourth on the site after a number of blazes destroyed the previous cathedrals, the last being destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666.
  • The total cost of St Paul’s Cathedral was £1.1 million in 1716, and is worth AUD$238 million (£139 million) in 2013.
  • In World War II, St Paul’s Cathedral was the target of a number of German bombs and suffered some damage, although one of the bombs would have completely destroyed the church if it hadn’t have been quickly defused.
  • St Paul’s Cathedral has been the subject of one of the largest ever restorations in the United Kingdom, taking 15 years, from 1996 until 2011.
  • St Paul’s Cathedral is the home of many pieces of art including sculptures, mosaics, painting and a magnificent organ, as well as the tombs of some notable people.
Bibliography:
St. Paul’s Cathedral, 2013, A View on Cities, <http://www.aviewoncities.com/london/stpaulscathedral.htm>
St Paul’s Cathedral, 2013, Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Paul’s_Cathedral>

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