Hare are some really interesting facts about horses. These facts are quite useful (not useless) and informative...
Emerging 60 million years ago, the first horse was called Eohippus (The Dawn Horse) and was tiny, weighing only 12 pounds and standing just 14 inches high. In contrast to the modern one-toed horse, the Eohippus had four toes on its front feet and three on its hind feet.
The term “horse” is derived from the Old English hors, which is related to the Proto-Indo-European (PIE) kurs, which is the source of the Latin currere, “to run.” This replaced the original PIE root ekwo from which the Greek hippos and Latin equus derived, both meaning “horse.” This dual etymology is perhaps due to the reluctance of ancient cultures to utter the actual root or name of an animal held sacred for the Indo-European religion.
Horses that seem wild today (such as Mustangs) are actually feral horses, usually descendants of horses that were imported to America from Spain in the sixteenth century. The only true wild horse is the Asian Wild Horse.
No horses existed in Australia until settlers brought them during the eighteenth century, and no early horse fossils have ever been found in Australia.
Before being domesticated in the Middle and Far East around 4000 B.., horses were hunted for their skin and meat, usually by being clubbed or driven over a cliff.
After horses became domesticated around 4000 B.., many Indo-European cultures regarded horses as a supreme sacrifice to their gods and often ritually entombed horses. People in the Caucasus practiced horse sacrifice as late as the 1800s.
Famous owner/horse partnerships that helped change world history include Alexander the Great and his horse Bucephalus (“ox head”), El Cid and Babieca (“stupid”), and Napoleon and Marengo (named after a battle) who after its death, had its skeleton displayed in London.
A horse’s teeth are a good indicator ofits age. Hence, St. Jerome (A.. 400), who never accepted payment for his writings, penned the famous adage “Never inspect the teeth of a gift horse,”b which became the more familiar “Never look a gift horse in the mouth.”
Though most horses live for 25-30 years, the oldest horse on record is “Old Billy,” who was a barge horse born in England and lived to the age of 62. The first year of a horse’s life is roughly comparable to 12 human years, the second year is comparable to 7 human years, the next 3 years are comparable to 4 human years a piece, and subsequent years are comparable 2.5 human years. That means Old Billy was roughly 173.5 horse years.
Horses have five highly developed senses: taste, touch, hearing, smell, and sight. They also have an enigmatic sixth sense, heightened perception, which is very rare in humans.
The eyes of a horse are larger than most other animals', and they can move independently, giving the horse a shallow panoramic vision. Because its lenses are inflexible, a horse will focus on an image by moving its head to direct light rays to the central part of the retina. Horses can also see in color.
A horse has an acute sense of smell that allows it to detect nervousness in a handler, and old-time horsemen would smear aromatic fluid on their hands when dealing with a difficult horse. Horses also become nervous around the smell of blood.
There are nearly 160 distinctive breeds and types of horses around the world, but the Arabian horse is unique in that it is the purest of all of the breeds.
Persians were excellent horsemen and their dominance in the east was largely due to the Nisean horse, the “superhorse” of antiquity. The horse was a status symbol in the Persian Empire, and only aristocrats could own them. Horses were also used to play early forms of polo.
Islam is said to have been “founded on the hoof prints of the Arabian horse,”b and horse care was even incorporated into the sacred Hadith. The Prophet Mohammed is reportedly to have ascended to heaven in a halo of fire on a horse-like creature.
The goddess Demeter (the goddess of fertility, grain, and the pure) had as her image a black mare’s head, and her priestesses were considered her “foals.”b
White horses were sometimes drowned in honor of Poseidon, the god of the sea and creator of horses.
The Hindus associate the horse with the cosmos, and a white horse was considered the last incarnation of Vishnu.
In literature, art, and dream theory, the horse is often a symbol imbued with various meanings, ranging from power to beauty and even sexual prowess. The coloring of a horse is also often symbolic (black: mystery, danger; white: messenger of birth), and the Bible specifically lists the colors of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (White, Red, Black, and Pale).
Some horses are able to figure out how to undo the doors of other horses and let them out.
Horses can differentiate between emotions in the human voice.
Horses experience two kinds of sleep, SWS (short wave sleep) and REM (rapid eye movement), and they most likely dream. They need about four hours of sleep out of every 24 and can sleep standing up by a special arrangement of locking joints.
Horses like music but are selective in their taste. They prefer calming or cheerful instrumental music, but are agitated by loud music such as rock.
A horse’s hoof is extremely complex and sensitive. When a horse puts pressure on its hoof, the blood is squeezed up the leg into the veins, thus acting as a type of pump.
While the mare primarily cares for her newborn, occasionally a sibling, the sire, or other mares will shelter and protect youngsters.
In a herd, one gender is not always dominant of another; for example, a female may rank higher than a male in some cases, and a male may rank higher than a female in other cases.
Any marking on a horse's head is called a star, even if it is not shaped like a star.
Horses have a strong band of muscles around their esophagus. This band is so strong that a horse’s stomach would typically burst before it would vomit.
The Pony Express (1860-1861) didn’t just use ponies; it also used many horses. The differences between ponies and horses are often blurred, but generally, ponies are smaller than horses and can be smarter and more stubborn.
Though the word “hippopotamus” means “river horse,” a hippo is actually more closely related to the pig than the horse.
There are many crazy horse laws, including one in Bluff, Utah, where an unmarried woman could be jailed for riding a horse on Sunday. And in several cities throughout the United States, newly married men were not allowed to ride alone, unless he had been married longer than 12 months.
Source: facts.randomhistory.com , Interesting Facts
Friday, June 5, 2009
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Amphibian Facts Especially Frogs
Here are some really interesting and fun facts about amphibians, especially frogs...
Because frogs swallow their food whole, the size of their meal is only limited by the size of their mouth and their stomach.
Tree frogs have adhesive pads on their toes for clinging to smooth surfaces.
Frogs cannot live in the sea or any salt water.
The eyes and nose of a frog are on top of its head so it can breathe and see when most of its body is under the water.
Certain frogs can jump up to 20 times their own body length in a single leap.
Some say that you will get warts from touching frogs and toads, but that is a myth. You get warts from human viruses, not from frogs and toads!
In Japan frogs are symbols of good luck.
Amphibians have been around for nearly 400 million years.
In ancient Egypt, frogs were symbols of resurrection and were even mummified with the dead.
Frogs don't drink water but absorb it through their skin.
Some frogs and salamanders have tongues 10x the length of their body.
The red-eyed tree frog lays its eggs on leaves over water so the tadpoles can drop right in.
Most frogs can change their color somewhat to match their surroundings.
Salamanders can re-grow their toes and tails.
Many frogs and salamanders take care of their young, either by guarding their eggs, transporting their young or feeding their tadpoles.
The paradoxical frog of South America has tadpoles up to 10 in. long while the mature adults are only 3 in. long. They get smaller as they age!
In most species of frogs only the male croaks. Croaking attracts female frogs during mating season and lets other males know that this is HIS territory and others should back off!
Bullfrogs stay tadpoles for about 2 years before they become frogs. Some frogs remain tadpoles for only 8 days.
The Bullfrog is the largest frog native to North America. It can grow to 18 in. and weigh 1.2 pounds!
Source: clemetzoo , Interesting Facts
Because frogs swallow their food whole, the size of their meal is only limited by the size of their mouth and their stomach.
Tree frogs have adhesive pads on their toes for clinging to smooth surfaces.
Frogs cannot live in the sea or any salt water.
The eyes and nose of a frog are on top of its head so it can breathe and see when most of its body is under the water.
Certain frogs can jump up to 20 times their own body length in a single leap.
Some say that you will get warts from touching frogs and toads, but that is a myth. You get warts from human viruses, not from frogs and toads!
In Japan frogs are symbols of good luck.
Amphibians have been around for nearly 400 million years.
In ancient Egypt, frogs were symbols of resurrection and were even mummified with the dead.
Frogs don't drink water but absorb it through their skin.
Some frogs and salamanders have tongues 10x the length of their body.
The red-eyed tree frog lays its eggs on leaves over water so the tadpoles can drop right in.
Most frogs can change their color somewhat to match their surroundings.
Salamanders can re-grow their toes and tails.
Many frogs and salamanders take care of their young, either by guarding their eggs, transporting their young or feeding their tadpoles.
The paradoxical frog of South America has tadpoles up to 10 in. long while the mature adults are only 3 in. long. They get smaller as they age!
In most species of frogs only the male croaks. Croaking attracts female frogs during mating season and lets other males know that this is HIS territory and others should back off!
Bullfrogs stay tadpoles for about 2 years before they become frogs. Some frogs remain tadpoles for only 8 days.
The Bullfrog is the largest frog native to North America. It can grow to 18 in. and weigh 1.2 pounds!
Source: clemetzoo , Interesting Facts
Interesting Diamond Facts
These are some really interesting facts about diamonds...
Diamonds are the hardest substance on earth.
Diamonds are carbon.
Only 20% of the world’s diamonds are suitable for use in jewelry.
The largest diamond ever found to date was the Cullinan at an astounding 3,106 carats!
Diamonds are formed from extreme temperatures and pressure in the earth’s crust.
Mother Nature is only capable of making diamonds. Man has yet to find a way to reproduce extreme heat and pressure like that found in the earth’s crust.
Most of the diamonds found in nature are anywhere from one to three billion years old.
The first recorded use of a diamond used for the purpose of a marriage proposal happened in 1477 when Archduke Maximillian of Austria offered Mary of Burgundy a diamond as a betrothal gift.
Diamond engagement rings are worn on the third finger of the left hand because the Egyptians believed the vein in that finger ran straight to the heart.
Source: Aviva Directory , Interesting Facts
Interesting Gold Facts
Here are some really interesting facts about gold...
Gold may have been the first metal to be used by humans, probably in ceremony and for decoration.
The Latin word for gold, aurum means “shining dawn.”
An Egyptian king from 2600 bce described gold as “common as dust.”
Some historians believe that the exploration of the Americas was in part to confirm reports that native peoples had large amounts of gold.
75% of the gold ever extracted from the earth has been since 1910.
Estimates put all the gold ever extracted into a cube just 66 feet wide on each side.
Alchemy, or the archaic “science” which sought to turn ordinary objects into gold, was the forerunner of modern chemistry.
Most of the gold already mined is still in circulation.
Large deposits of gold were discovered during the 19th Century, which resulted in gold rushes to Klondike, California, Colorado, and Australia.
Source: Aviva Directory , Interesting Facts , Interesting Facts
Gold may have been the first metal to be used by humans, probably in ceremony and for decoration.
The Latin word for gold, aurum means “shining dawn.”
An Egyptian king from 2600 bce described gold as “common as dust.”
Some historians believe that the exploration of the Americas was in part to confirm reports that native peoples had large amounts of gold.
75% of the gold ever extracted from the earth has been since 1910.
Estimates put all the gold ever extracted into a cube just 66 feet wide on each side.
Alchemy, or the archaic “science” which sought to turn ordinary objects into gold, was the forerunner of modern chemistry.
Most of the gold already mined is still in circulation.
Large deposits of gold were discovered during the 19th Century, which resulted in gold rushes to Klondike, California, Colorado, and Australia.
Source: Aviva Directory , Interesting Facts , Interesting Facts
Coffee & Espresso Facts
Some more really interesting facts about coffee...
When Coffee first arrived in Europe it was called “Arabian Wine.”
The first people to brew coffee were the Arabs. The word “coffee” originates from the Arabic word qahwa which is pronounced as either “Qahweh,” Kahwe” and “Ahwi.”
In the 1680’s a French physician recommended that Cafe au Lait be used for medicinal purposes. This is when adding milk to coffee began to become popular.
In 1689 Cafe Procope was the first Parisian cafe to serve coffee.
In 1732 Bach wrote a coffee cantata. The coffee cantata was considered a satirical comedy with the amusing story of coffee addiction. At the time coffee addiction was considered a social problem in the eighteenth century.You can watch this YouTube video to hear the Bach Coffee Cantata
In the year 1763, Venice, Italy had over 200 coffee shops.
In 1773 the heavy tea tax imposed on the American colonies caused the “Boston Tea Party.” This resulted in America switching from tea to coffee. Drinking coffee was seen as an statement of freedom.
During the American Revolutuon the founding fathers of the U.S. developed their national strategies in local coffeehouses.
In early America, coffee was drunk between meals and after dinner. It was not part of the meal as is customary today.
In 1790, there were two coffee firsts that happened in the United States: 1) the first wholesale coffee roasting company began business, and the first newspaper advertisement featuring coffee.
In 1822 France created the first espresso machine prototype.
By 1850, the manual coffee grinder was found iin most upper-middle class kitchens in the United States.
During the Civil War in the United States soldiers went to battle with coffee beans as part of their rations. This elevated the popularity of coffee to new heights.
In 1900, horse and wagon delivered coffee door-to-door in the United States.
In 1906 Italy Pavoni manufactured the first commercial espresso machine.
In Italy, coffee and espresso are synonymous as they are so much part of the culture. Drip coffee is not as popular in Italy as it is in the rest of the Western world.
The average age of an Italian barista is 48 years old. In Italy being a “Barista” is a respected job title. The average age requirement for a Starbuck barista is 17.
It is not common for Italians to drink espresso during meals. It is considered to be a separate event and is given its own time.
In Italy the government regulates the price of espresso as it is deemed an essential element of daily life.
A recent “census” shared that Italy now has over 200,000 coffee bars/cafes and this number is still growing.
In Greece and Turkey, the oldest person is generally served coffee first.
In the ancient Arab world coffee was a staple in family life. One of the reasons allowed for marital separation was a husband’s refusal to make coffee for his wife.
In parts of Africa raw coffee beans are soaked in water and spices. These are then chewed like candy.
During the last three centuries, it is estimated that 90% of people in the Western world have switched from drinking tea to coffee.
In the United States coffee represents 75% of all the caffeine consumed.
Source: Aviva Directory , Interesting Facts , Interesting Facts
When Coffee first arrived in Europe it was called “Arabian Wine.”
The first people to brew coffee were the Arabs. The word “coffee” originates from the Arabic word qahwa which is pronounced as either “Qahweh,” Kahwe” and “Ahwi.”
In the 1680’s a French physician recommended that Cafe au Lait be used for medicinal purposes. This is when adding milk to coffee began to become popular.
In 1689 Cafe Procope was the first Parisian cafe to serve coffee.
In 1732 Bach wrote a coffee cantata. The coffee cantata was considered a satirical comedy with the amusing story of coffee addiction. At the time coffee addiction was considered a social problem in the eighteenth century.You can watch this YouTube video to hear the Bach Coffee Cantata
In the year 1763, Venice, Italy had over 200 coffee shops.
In 1773 the heavy tea tax imposed on the American colonies caused the “Boston Tea Party.” This resulted in America switching from tea to coffee. Drinking coffee was seen as an statement of freedom.
During the American Revolutuon the founding fathers of the U.S. developed their national strategies in local coffeehouses.
In early America, coffee was drunk between meals and after dinner. It was not part of the meal as is customary today.
In 1790, there were two coffee firsts that happened in the United States: 1) the first wholesale coffee roasting company began business, and the first newspaper advertisement featuring coffee.
In 1822 France created the first espresso machine prototype.
By 1850, the manual coffee grinder was found iin most upper-middle class kitchens in the United States.
During the Civil War in the United States soldiers went to battle with coffee beans as part of their rations. This elevated the popularity of coffee to new heights.
In 1900, horse and wagon delivered coffee door-to-door in the United States.
In 1906 Italy Pavoni manufactured the first commercial espresso machine.
In Italy, coffee and espresso are synonymous as they are so much part of the culture. Drip coffee is not as popular in Italy as it is in the rest of the Western world.
The average age of an Italian barista is 48 years old. In Italy being a “Barista” is a respected job title. The average age requirement for a Starbuck barista is 17.
It is not common for Italians to drink espresso during meals. It is considered to be a separate event and is given its own time.
In Italy the government regulates the price of espresso as it is deemed an essential element of daily life.
A recent “census” shared that Italy now has over 200,000 coffee bars/cafes and this number is still growing.
In Greece and Turkey, the oldest person is generally served coffee first.
In the ancient Arab world coffee was a staple in family life. One of the reasons allowed for marital separation was a husband’s refusal to make coffee for his wife.
In parts of Africa raw coffee beans are soaked in water and spices. These are then chewed like candy.
During the last three centuries, it is estimated that 90% of people in the Western world have switched from drinking tea to coffee.
In the United States coffee represents 75% of all the caffeine consumed.
Source: Aviva Directory , Interesting Facts , Interesting Facts
Interesting Facts about Frogs
Here are some interesting and little known facts about frogs...
A frog’s eye can see in almost any direction.
A frog’s tongue is attached at the front of the mouth instead of the rear, and is covered with a sticky substance to catch and trap its prey.
When a frog eats food that is too large to swallow, it will leave it sticking out of its mouth and ingest it gradually. The frog may even choke or regurgitate it.
Frogs have something similar to teeth. They have small cone like teeth around the upper edge of the jaw and roof of their mouth.
Frogs do not have any teeth on their lower jaw.
A frog can launch itself over 20 times its own body length.
The common frog (native to mainland Britain) can breathe through its skin.
Frogs legs are a culinary delicacy in France.
The worlds biggest frog, the Goliath can be found in Cameroon in Africa.
The Goliath frog can grow up to one foot long and weigh more than seven pounds.
The poison dart frog secretes from its skin one of the most poisonous substances known to man.
Frog fossils as old as 190 million years have been found.
Frogs shed their skin regularly and then eat the skin carcass.
A group of frogs is called an army of frogs.
The Gastric Brooding Frog, incubates its’ young inside its stomach. When the baby frog develops past the tadpole stage, it hops out of its mother’s mouth.
Frogs absorb water and air through their skin.
If you suffer from Ranidaphobia, you have a fear of frogs.
Frogs are a symbol of good luck in Japan.
Source: Aviva Directory , Interesting Facts , Interesting Facts
Friday, May 29, 2009
Interesting Facts about Mars
Here are some extremely interesting facts about the planet Mars. Read these and I am sure that our dear planet Mars is certainly going to impress you.
Mars is the fourth planet from the sun.
Mars is the seventh largest planet in our solar system.
Mars is referred to as the Red Planet, due to its red soil made up of iron oxide, more commonly known as rust.
Mars is named after the Roman god of war.
The equatorial radius of Mars is 3,397 km.
The diameter of Mars measures 6,794 km.
The mass of Mars is 641,850,000,000,000,000,000,000 kg.
Surface temperature on Mars can range from the maximum of 310 K to a minimum of 150 K.
Atmospheric components on Mars consists of 95% carbon dioxide, 3% nitrogen, 1.6% argon
Recently, scientists discovered enough water ice just under the surface of Mars to fill lake Michigan twice.
Due to its dry and dusty surface, dust storms have been known to cover the whole planet at times.
Mars is home to Olympus Mons, perhaps one of the largest volcanoes in our solar system. Olympus Mons is three times taller than Mount Everest and as wide as the state of New Mexico.
Valles Marineris is a canyon on Mars that is about as long as the United States of America is wide.
Mars has two moons. Both were discovered by Asaph Hall in 1877 after a long and frustrating search for Martian moons. The two moons are Deimos and Phobos.
It is possible that the two moons may actually be asteroids caught in Mars’ gravity.
After a close examination by NASA’s Mariner 9 spacecraft, it was found that Phobos had a crater about 10 km (about 6 miles) wide. The crater was named after Hall’s wife’s maiden name, Stickney.
According to NASA, “Mars' moons are among the smallest in the solar system. Phobos is a bit larger than Deimos, and orbits only 6,000 km (3,700 miles) above the Martian surface. No known moon orbits closer to its planet. It whips around Mars three times a day, while the more distant Deimos takes 30 hours for each orbit. Phobos is gradually spiraling inward, drawing about 1.8 meters closer to the planet each century. Within 50 million years, it will either crash into Mars or break up and form a ring around the planet.”
Mars is further away from the sun than Earth. Mars’ average distance from the sun is 142 million miles while Earth’s average distance from the sun is only 93 million miles.
Mars is slower to orbit the sun, traveling at a speed of 14.5 miles per second versus Earth’s 18.5 miles per second.
The temperature on Mars is much colder than Earth. The average Mars temperature is –87 degrees F with Earth’s average temperature being 57 degrees F.
A year on Mars (i.e. how long it takes for Mars to orbit around the sun) is 687 Earth days, versus Earth’s 365 days per year while a day on Mars is equivalent to 1.026 Earth days.
Source: newsdial.com
Mars is the fourth planet from the sun.
Mars is the seventh largest planet in our solar system.
Mars is referred to as the Red Planet, due to its red soil made up of iron oxide, more commonly known as rust.
Mars is named after the Roman god of war.
The equatorial radius of Mars is 3,397 km.
The diameter of Mars measures 6,794 km.
The mass of Mars is 641,850,000,000,000,000,000,000 kg.
Surface temperature on Mars can range from the maximum of 310 K to a minimum of 150 K.
Atmospheric components on Mars consists of 95% carbon dioxide, 3% nitrogen, 1.6% argon
Recently, scientists discovered enough water ice just under the surface of Mars to fill lake Michigan twice.
Due to its dry and dusty surface, dust storms have been known to cover the whole planet at times.
Mars is home to Olympus Mons, perhaps one of the largest volcanoes in our solar system. Olympus Mons is three times taller than Mount Everest and as wide as the state of New Mexico.
Valles Marineris is a canyon on Mars that is about as long as the United States of America is wide.
Mars has two moons. Both were discovered by Asaph Hall in 1877 after a long and frustrating search for Martian moons. The two moons are Deimos and Phobos.
It is possible that the two moons may actually be asteroids caught in Mars’ gravity.
After a close examination by NASA’s Mariner 9 spacecraft, it was found that Phobos had a crater about 10 km (about 6 miles) wide. The crater was named after Hall’s wife’s maiden name, Stickney.
According to NASA, “Mars' moons are among the smallest in the solar system. Phobos is a bit larger than Deimos, and orbits only 6,000 km (3,700 miles) above the Martian surface. No known moon orbits closer to its planet. It whips around Mars three times a day, while the more distant Deimos takes 30 hours for each orbit. Phobos is gradually spiraling inward, drawing about 1.8 meters closer to the planet each century. Within 50 million years, it will either crash into Mars or break up and form a ring around the planet.”
Mars is further away from the sun than Earth. Mars’ average distance from the sun is 142 million miles while Earth’s average distance from the sun is only 93 million miles.
Mars is slower to orbit the sun, traveling at a speed of 14.5 miles per second versus Earth’s 18.5 miles per second.
The temperature on Mars is much colder than Earth. The average Mars temperature is –87 degrees F with Earth’s average temperature being 57 degrees F.
A year on Mars (i.e. how long it takes for Mars to orbit around the sun) is 687 Earth days, versus Earth’s 365 days per year while a day on Mars is equivalent to 1.026 Earth days.
Source: newsdial.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)