Category Fun Facts

What’s driftwood?

They are pieces of dead wood floating down a stream or river, having broken off from a tree that was growing near the water body. These woody remnants embark on a journey across the waters, creating a new future for them.

Ever seen pieces of dead wood drifting down streams or rivers? These pieces of wood are on a journey, sailing across the waters, carried by the currents as they move to embark on a new life. Driftwood refers to pieces of wood that were either the trunk or the branches of a tree that grew next to a river and which eventually broke off and fell into the water, thereby embarking on an odyssey across the river.

The driftwood that starts off on the journey from the forest can have a multitude of “afterlives”. It can either end up on the ocean bed, get washed up on the beach, or even get refashioned into an artefact!

Once a dead log of wood becomes driftwood, it starts off on an adventure, an adventure dictated by the elements, exploring uncharted waters and eventually reaching its final destination. If you have been to the beach you must have come across driftwood.

Sometimes they may just be twigs, lying like debris on the beach or they can appear like an exquisite piece of wooden art sculpted by an artist. The driftwood always enriches the ecosystem it eventually visits. It might even have inspired us to create our first wooden rafts and boats. Dead trees have even been used as small watercraft or carriers. Sometimes the driftwood is in itself a tiny ecosystem. It feeds and even gives shelter to tiny beings such as insects, birds, etc.

On some occasions, these driftwood pieces that get carried by the waters become tangled in large groups called logjams and can sometimes clog a river. We even have logjams that are hundreds of years old. But in most cases, the driftwood keeps flowing downstream, eventually ending up in a new environment like a lakeshore or beach.

They also become a buffer against erosion in erosion-prone ecosystems such as open beaches. They even carry seeds front the forest to the coast which may germinate. Large pieces of wood are used as shelter by beach-dwelling animals. For instance, some shorebirds nest beside driftwood.

Driftwood also has an aesthetic and artistic value. The many forces of nature that have acted on the driftwood lead to the formation of intricate and ornate swirls and whorls and patterns. Driftwood is sought out by artists who turn it into artefacts.

Picture Credit: Google

 

What is cross-dominance?

Most of us are either right or left-handed. But some people may write with their left hand and throw a ball with their right hand. Such a mixed preference for different activities is called cross dominance.

Well, just like we show natural preference to either of the two hands (exceptions being ambidextrous people), our ears, eyes and feet also have one dominant part. The left side of the brain controls the right side of the body and is more dominant in right-handed persons and vice versa. Normally, therefore, a right-handed person would be right-footed, right-eyed and so on. But some right-handed persons may have a more dominant left foot or left eye. This is called mixed laterality and such persons also show traits of cross-dominance.

Hand-eye cross-dominance can be quite problematic for sportspersons especially shooters and athletes. More than 20% people have some cross-dominance or the other and it can be overcome by training oneself to use the non-dominant part more often.

Many well-known people are cross-dominant. Sachin Tendulkar bats, bowls and throws with his right hand but writes with his left. Rafael Nadal plays tennis with his left-hand but uses his right hand to throw and write. The foot you use normally to kick the ball is your dominant foot. The ear you naturally turn toward a soft sound is your dominant ear.

Picture Credit : Google

What is the history of chocolate ?

Chocolate is popular globally and across age groups. No wonder it has its own day! World Chocolate Day is celebrated on July 7 every year to mark the day of its arrival in Europe way back in 1550. Let’s take a bite of chocolate’s history, its benefits, the flip side, and its social and ecological impact.

Born in the Americas

Every bar of chocolate made is bom from cacao trees whose seeds- cacao or cocoa beans-are a primary ingredient in its preparation. The origin story though takes us to the Americas.  To be specific, Mesoamerica,  spanning southern parts of North America and vot parts of Central America. Scientific evidence dates the use of cacao seeds to over 3,600 year ago by Maya Aztec, Olmec and other ancient civilisations of this region. Cacao was venerated as a gift from god and drinks made from it were used especially during rituals and as energuen and medicine. However, research from a few years ago suggests that the Mayo Chinchipe culture in present-day Ecuador of South America used cocoa beans a good 5.000 years ago-pushing back the date of first use of these seeds by about 1,500 years. While it is contested if Ecuador actually domesticated cacao or if that credit goes to the Maya people, an archaeobotanist settles the argument beautifully saying the Maya turned the consumption of cacao into an art form But back then it was consumed as a bitter beverage, tasting nothing like the solid chocolate we know today. And that transformation happened in Europe

Raised in Europe

Though theories abound on how exactly chocolate entered Europe, it appears to have occurred during the 16th Century and inexplicably tied to Spanish colonisation of the Americas Spanish conquistadors (conquerors) are believed to have brought it to Spain. From Spain, its popularity and demand spread to other parts of the continent, where notoriously slaves were used extensively in cocoa plantations. (By 17th and 18th Centuries, it was available in North America too.) For a few centuries, cocoa continued to be enjoyed as a beverage in Europe, enriched  with milk spices, and flavourings, and invariably among the wealthy.  Gradually, cocoa  reached  the masses, took a powder form-known as Dutch cocoa and easy to mix with water, and inevitably, the solid chocolate bar was born. Today, chocolates are available in every corner of the world and in several unimaginable forms and flavours.

Benefits

Many studies have been conducted globally to ascertain the benefits of chocolate consumption. Research shows that chocolate can help in brain function, especially in those aged 50 to 70. Dark chocolate consumption has been linked to lower risk of a heart attack. As cocoa helps increase the flow of blood around the brain, it seems to cut down the chances of a stroke too Apart from this, consuming a tiny chocolate square regularly is believed to help lower blood pressure and the chances of succumbing to cardiovascular diseases. Flavanols, substances found in cocoa, boost the body’s supply of nitric oxide to help lower blood pressure. Dark chocolate is said to bring down oxidative stress – which causes cell and tissue damage and improves platelet function. Among dark, milk, and white chocolate, studies appear PHOTO: PIXABAY to show that dark chocolate (with less sugar) fares better than the other two.

Perils

Since chocolates invariably contain sugar and saturated fat. Unchecked consumption can result in weight gain, putting individuals at risk for cardiovascular diseases. Other concems arising out of chocolate consumption include heartburn, cancer, allergies, and toxic and bacterial contamination during the processing (cacao by itself is not contaminated). Though studies show the benefits of consuming chocolate, recent reports suggest that many such studies could be funded by chocolate manufacturers and hence the findings could be exaggerated or selective in showcasing chocolates in a positive light.

Eco-social impact

While the word chocolate could conjure up happy visuals of this rich and delectable treat for s chocolate lover, its production belies a dark stony Cocoa plantations in West Africa, especially tong Coast and Ghana, are plagued by prevalance of widespread child labour employment, with poor or no wages, and hazardous working conditions. Many reports liken the situation to modern-day slaveny, making chocolates the result of unethical trade practices with little thought for human dignity. On the environmental front since the denund for chocolate is globally high tropical forests are destroyed to make way for cocoa plantations, decimating native wildlife. Not just that since chocolate production also involves ingredients such as milk, sugar, palm oil, etc.. the increased production of these items too affect the environment. As the use of chocolate has crossed, culinary territory to veer into cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries, the demand for it has never been higher Add to this the fairly recent allure of organic and single-origin (grown in a specific region) cacao, the pressure on our environment hasn’t been more severe

IT’S TRIVIA TIME!

A perfect name? The scientific name of the cacao tree is Theobroma cacao. Coined by Swedish botanist Carolus Linnaeus, it seems fitting because it translates to Drink of the gods, from the Greek words theos (god) and broma (beverage).
How versatile! Historic records show that chocolate was used as more than just a drink. It was used as money, face paint, a disguise for poison, and was even fought over!
Culinary experiments if you think chilli-flavoured chocolates are a recent (and fancy) invention, think again During festive times, the Aztecs seem to have had a variety of drinking chocolate, with a dash of maize, chilli, aniseed, and even flowers
Pods of pleasure Cocoa beans are encased in the fruit of the cacao tree. The fruit is in the form of a fleshy pod, and each pod contains a few dozen beans. The pulpy fruit or the seeds themselves apparently do not taste anything like chocolate. The seeds acquire this addictive flavour and smell only after they are dried and roasted
That’s a lot African countries Ivory Coast (Cote d’lvoire) and Ghana are among the largest producers of cocoa in the world, accounting for over 50% of the total global production

Picture Credit :Google

What is the 2000 year old pizza Pompeii?

Even the ancient Romans liked their pizza Archaeologists in Pompeii said Tuesday they had found depicted on an ancient fresco the precursor to the modern-day pizza-but without the cheese and tomatoes.

The 2,000-year-old painting- discovered in the middle of a half-crumbled wall during recent digs at the sprawling archaeological site – depicts a silver platter holding a round flatbread, alongside fresh and dried fruits such as pomegranates and dates and a goblet filled with red wine.

What was depicted on the wall of an ancient Pompeian house could be a distant ancestor of the modern dish,” said experts at the archaeological park in a statement.

Pompeii’s director, Gabriel Zuchtriegel, said the newly uncovered fresco shows the contrast between “a frugal and simple meal, which refers to a sphere between the bucolic and the sacred… and the luxury of silver trays and the refinement of artistic and literary representations.”

How can we fail to think, in this regard, of pizza, also born as a ‘poor dish in southern Italy, which has now conquered the world and is also served in starred restaurants,” Zuchtriegel added. AFP

POMPEII’S PAST

A devastating volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79 buried the Roman city in thick ash, hiding from view its many treasures that archaeologists continue to slowly bring to light.
Archaeologists estimate that 15 to 20 percent of Pompeii’s population died in the eruption, mostly from thermal shock as a giant cloud of gases and ash covered the city.

WHAT THE EXCAVATION REVEALS…

The fresco is believed to refer to the “hospitable gifts” offered to guests, following a Greek tradition dating to the 3rd to 1st centuries BC and described by imperial Roman-era writers including Virgil and Philostratus.
It reveals an atrium of a house that included an annex with a bakery.
In the working areas near the oven, the skeletons of three victims have been found in the past weeks.

Picture Credit : Google 

What is the surprising origin of the word ‘meme’?

In the labyrinth of internet culture, where fad trends dance across screens, .one peculiar term reigns supreme: the “meme.” Surprisingly, the concept of memes did not originate with the internet its roots trace back to the field of evolutionary biology.

And the story goes like this…

English evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkiwns coined the term ‘meme’ in his 1976 book, the Selfish Gene. He proposed a compelling idea in the book: What if ideas behaved akin to living organism, breeding, mutating, and waging a battle for survival within our mind to make a strong impact, imprint or impression? He envisioned these cerebral nations as cultural genes, birthing in the cradle of the mind and traversing far and wide, vying for attention.

He first thought of using the term mimeme, derived from the Greek word denoting “That which is replicated,” intending to describe these replicating ideas. However, he later condensed the term to “meme,” favouring its brevity and its phonetic resemblance to “gene.” He invited a pronunciation similar to “cream,” aiming to unify its sound with the concept of gene.

As language is ever-changing…

Over time, the meaning of “meme” evolved significantly. In today’s context, particularly within the vast realms of the internet, meme refer to pieces of media-images, videos, or phrases- repurposed to convey cultural, social, or political messages, usually employing humour as a tool for expression.

They often convey inside jokes, political satire, social commentary, or simply aim to amuse and entertain audiences worldwide. Moreover, memes operate within a collaborative social framework; their meanings and impact are co-created by multiple users.

Today, memes don’t just exist; they breathe, mutate, and thrive in a collective symphony. Their essence morphs and remixes across digital communities, a collaboration shaping their meaning and impact.

Tardar sauce (pictured here) became an internet celebrity nicknamed grumpy cat after its owner shared its picture on Reddit in 2012. The cat had feline dwarfism and an underbite, which gave her an unusual face. The grumpy cat’s face has become a pop culture staple and spawned many memes and merchandise.

Picture Credit : Google

What is the purpose of earwax?

Earwax which is scientifically referred to as cerumen, protects the ear. How? Read on to find out..

Earwax is vital to the problem-free working of the ears. It is produced by two glands present in the skin of the outer ear canal; the sebaceous glands and apocrine sweat glands. The former exude sebum, an oily substance, which mixes with the secretions of the apocrine glands to make earwax. The scientific name for earwax is cerumen.

Earwax collects the dead skin cells, loose hair follicles and dust that accumulate inside the ear. The ear canal is convoluted, so this waxy debris requires the help of unique migrating cells in the ear to be pushed out. These cells move continuously from the inside of the canal to the outside. They push along the earwax assisted by the natural movements of our jaws when we speak, eat, sneeze and cough. The earwax keeps the canal smooth and prevents harmful microbes from entering the ear. It is also mildly acidic so it holds bacteria and fungi at bay. Earwax discourages small insects from using the ear canal as a suitable dwelling!

Other animals also produce earwax and some, like the blue whale, never throw it out. Scientists discovered a plug of earwax the size of a banana in a blue whale. When it was analysed, it was found to contain 16 different environmental pollutants, such as pesticides.

Picture Credit : Google