Six
CrazyCool Facts of the Month
All excerpted
from the LearningKingdom Cool Fact of the Day List
Copyright
(c) 2000, The Learning Kingdom,
Inc.
|
How much energy
does matter contain?
Albert Einstein's most famous formula
is widely known: E=mc^2, which relates mass to energy. It says that
the energy contained in matter is equal to its mass times the speed of
light squared.
Since light travels very fast (300,000
kilometers per second, or 186,000 miles per second), there's a lot of energy
wrapped up in a very small bit of matter. The energy of one gram
(1/28 ounce) of matter would keep a 100-watt light bulb glowing for 28,500
years.
One of the most noticeable examples
of the mass-energy relation is in the sun, where hydrogen is converted
into helium by nuclear fusion. During the reaction, 0.7% of the hydrogen's
mass is released as various forms of energy. A tiny fraction of that
energy keeps the Earth from turning into a ball of ice.
Listen
to Einstein himself explain it
College-level
thought experiments on mass and energy
Mathematical
derivation of Einstein's equation
The
Sun's fusion reactions convert millions of tons per second
|
|
What country's flag is not rectangular?
The flag of Nepal is shaped like two fused triangles, one above the
other. Both triangles have a red background with a blue border.
The top triangle contains a white moon and star, and the bottom one contains
a white sun. Nepal is a small country in the high Himalayas, between
China and India.
The two triangles represent the two rival branches of the Rana dynasty
that once ruled the country. The moon represents the royal house,
while the sun stands for one branch of the Rana family. The pennant
became the official flag in 1962 when the government adopted a constitution.
Other unusual flags include Switzerland's and the Vatican City's, both
of which are square, and the flag of Libya, which is pure green with no
design. Bhutan's flag bears a dragon, Zaire's shows a hand holding
a torch, and the flag of Kenya has a ceremonial shield and crossed spears.
The flag with the most stars is that of the United States of America, with
50.
History of
Nepal's flag and coat of arms
Nepal's official
web site
Another Nepal site
|
|
What was the first identified mutant fruit fly?
Biology students and scientists around the world work with hundreds
of mutant strains of fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster). There
are fruit flies with curly wings, bar-shaped eyes, no eyes, and legs instead
of antennae. These mutant flies have been very useful in
the study of genetics.
The very first mutant strain of Drosphila was the white-eyed mutant,
discovered in 1910 by biologist Thomas Hunt Morgan. Working with
white-eye and other mutations, he and his students began the work of deciphering
the genetics of fruit flies, which continues today.
Another important milestone in fruit fly research was the complete
sequencing of Drosophila's DNA, accomplished in 1999. The sequence
contains between 13,000 and 14,000 genes, most of whose functions are still
unknown. The fruit fly sequence, like those of the many other organisms
now being sequenced, is sure to contain many surprises.
A
gallery of mutant fruit flies
More about Drosophila
Hawaii
has more kinds of fruit flies than any other place
|
Six
CrazyCool Words of the Month
All excerpted
from the LearningKingdom Cool Word of the Day List
Copyright
(c) 2000, The Learning Kingdom,
Inc.
|
netherworld [n.
NETH-ur-wurld]
The netherworld is the world of
the dead, often thought of as a world lying beneath the earth's surface.
Near synonyms include hell and Hades.
A visit to the netherworld could
also be an encounter with society's lower depths, the criminal underworld.
Example: "His thorough knowledge of the netherworld made police suspect
that the author was
somehow connected with a crime family."
Netherworld is a combination of
nether (lying below) and world. While this noun first appeared in
English
in the 1600s, nether had been in use since before 900. The Middle
English nethere developed
from the Old English neothera, which
was derived from nither (further down).
This word is related to beneath
(below) which was formed from the Old English be- and nither.
|
|
salad days [n. SAL-ud dayz]
Salad days are commonly a period of youthful naivete. They are
the years of inexperience and indiscretion, lived with the vigor and recklessness
of youth.
However, salad days can also be an early period of flourishing success
or promise. A near synonym is heyday.
This phrase was first seen in Shakespeare's play, "Antony and Cleopatra"
(1606). When describing a past affair with Julius Caesar, Cleopatra
states, "...my salad days,/When I was green in judgment..."
|
|
bon vivant [n. BAWN vee-VAHN]
A bon vivant is a person who is devoted to the finer things in life,
especially good food and drink. Example: "She enjoyed visiting
her uncle the bon vivant, who always provided fine wine and plenty of rich
foods."
Bon vivant is a French phrase combining bon (good or favorable) and
vivant (living, healthy, animated). Vivant is the present participle
of the French verb vivre (to live).
Near synonyms include epicure and gourmand.
|
|
Where is the greatest diversity of fruit flies?
Of all locations where fruit flies (Drosophila) are known to live, the
largest number of species in one place is in the Hawaiian islands.
There are more than 1,000 different kinds there , about 25% of all species
worldwide.
Ecologists believe Hawaii has so many kinds of fruit flies because
the islands were isolated for millions of years. When the first fruit
flies arrived, they were able to evolve quickly because there were few
competing species of flies. For the same reason, when people first
arrived at the islands centuries ago, they found that there were
thousands of unique species of birds, plants, and other life forms.
However, people have over time brought many new species with them to
the islands, and the competition is driving most of the native species
into extinction. Even the unique Hawaiian fruit flies are disappearing,
replaced by flies from other parts of the world.
How
fruit flies get into your kitchen, and what they actually eat
Crickets
and fruit flies in Hawaii
An
essay on speciation
Why
flies are so good at flying
|
|
Which U.S. state has the least elevation difference?
You might expect that the flattest state in the United States would
be one of the Great Plains states, like Kansas. Actually, the state
with the least elevation difference is Florida, which ranges from sea level
to only 345 feet (105 meters).
Part of the reason for Florida's flatness is its geology. Florida
is mostly made of sedimentary layers that built up when the sea level was
slightly higher than it is today. If global warming raises the planet's
sea level over the next century, much of Florida will be submerged.
The second flattest state is Delaware, at 442 feet of difference (135
m). Like Florida, much of the state is recent sediments. In
the western part of the state there are low, eroded hills, part of an ancient
range that once towered as high as the Alps.
Relief map
of Florida
Geological map of Florida
Notes
on Florida geology
A
Cool Fact about one of Florida's ancient residents |
|
What bird can fly backwards?
The only bird that can fly backwards is the hummingbird, which can
also fly up, down, and sideways, as well as hovering in one place.
These tiny, fast fliers have wing muscles that make up about one third
of their entire mass.
Hummingbirds have evolved a flying style that resembles that of bumblebees
and hawk moths. Like the insects, the motion of their wings resembles
the movement of a helicopter's rotors, but instead of rotating around they
trace a flattened, sideways figure-8. The wings' internal joints
are fused together and the only bending happens at the bird's shoulders.
To fly backwards, sideways, or forward a hummingbird slightly changes
the angle at which the wings are held. When hovering in place the
bird makes extremely tiny adjustments to compensate for changing breezes.
They can also fly straight up or enter a power dive at up to 50 miles per
hour (80 kph).
More about hummingbirds
Even more about hummingbirds
A
Cool Fact about a particular hummingbird
|
blandishment [n. BLAN-dish-munt]
Blandishment means coaxing or persuading through flattery, teasing,
or affection. This noun can be used in the singular or plural.
Example: "His blandishments convinced her that she was much more capable
than
she really was." Near synonyms include compliments, sycophancy,
cajolery, and flattery.
First seen in English in the 1590s, blandishment was likely taken from
the Middle French blandissement. It comes ultimately from the Latin
blandir (to flatter) via the Old French blandiss.
|
|
fantasia [n. fan-TAE-zhuh, fan-TAE-zhee-uh, fan-tuh-ZEE-uh]
A fantasia is a musical composition that is improvised or appears to
abandon traditional forms. Often this free-style piece of music is
meant for an instrumental soloist.
A fantasia can also be a musical composition based on several familiar
tunes. Example: "Her favorite part of the fantasia was when the swing
portion gave way to Swan Lake."
In the Arab world, fantasia can also mean a kind of dance, or a performance
of troops on horses.
The English word fantasia comes from the Italian fantasia (fantasy),
from the Latin phantasia (fantasy).
|
|
modicum [n. MAHD-i-kum]
A modicum is a small or token quantity, usually of something good.
Example: "He wanted her to treat him with at least a modicum of respect."
Near synonyms include bit, little, minimum, smidgen,
particle, grain, and iota.
Modicum first appeared in Middle English in the late 15th century.
It comes from the Latin modicus (a short distance or time), a variant of
modus (measure). The Latin root word modus also gives us the English
words modern (pertaining to the present), mode (method), and modify (to
change somewhat).
|
CrazyCool Holidays & Events of the Month
November 22
Repentance Day, Independence Day
GERMANY / REPENTANCE DAY
Buss und Bettag, a "Day of Repentance and Prayer" in Germany, is observed
on the third Wednesday in November. This was a public holiday until
recently. Now, it is only officially recognized in the state of Saxony
although services still take place in the other
German states as well.
Efforts have
been made to have this day reinstated as a public holiday
|
|
LEBANON / INDEPENDENCE DAY
Today, Lebanon will commemorate its Independence Day with militaryparades
and traditional celebrations. Lebanon gained independencefrom France
between 1941 and 1946. Lebanon's independence was first recognized
in 1941 but in 1943, French President Charles de Gaullesent troops into
Lebanon. The British intervened and in 1946, boththe French and British
pulled out, leaving Lebanon wholly independent.
A profile
of Lebanon
The capital
of Lebanon is Beirut. Learn more about this city A concise history
of Lebanon
|
|
