Really and Truly!
Good morning, and welcome!
Random facts time! Did you know that anatidaephobia is the fictional fear of being watched by a duck? Or that worms have five hearts? Or that avocados are actually a fruit, and watermelons a vegetable?! I could go on and on and on!
This morning, I present to you six of the most unbelievable facts I could find, ideas that made me scoff at first seeing them. However, it turns out that all of these facts are true. Don’t believe me? See for yourself….
When I first read about this, I was sure it was a prank of some sort, but there’s a lot of archeological evidence out there that actually supports this theory! There is a lot of mystery surrounding the origins of these statues, called moai, and the people who built them. Their civilization is known as the Rapa Nui, which is also the name of their island and language. In spite of the 2,000 mile distance from the South American mainland, there is evidence that the Rapa Nui people were successful and even prosperous in establishing their society. Over the course of 500 years (1100–1680 A.D.), a total of 887 documented statues were painstakingly carved, moved, and erected across the island. They were believed to possess supernatural abilities that would assist the Rapa Nui people in their military and agricultural endeavors. Tragically, due to an overuse of the island’s resources, much of the civilization died out, and production of the moai statues ceased as more immediate concerns like hunger and anarchy began emerging in everyday life. As time went on, the soil on the island shifted until it enveloped the bodies of the moai statues. By the time the statues were photographed by explorers from other areas, they appeared to consist of the heads only. Today, some of these statues are being excavated, and archeologists have discovered that underground, the moai statues have proportionate bodies carved in addition to the iconic head shapes.
Read more about Easter Island, or Rapa Nui, on this CultureTrip page: https://theculturetrip.com/south-america/chile/articles/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-easter-island-rapa-nui/
This fact is very true, but I’ll say one thing: it’s not about to happen overnight. The moon has a small amount of gravitational pull on our planet. This gravitational pull is the reason our oceans experience low and high tides. However, it also serves to slow our planet’s rotation (currently clocking in at about 1,000 miles per hour), thus causing each area’s time in front of or away from the sun to last longer. In addition, some of the most destructive earthquakes can also influence the earth’s rotation speed in this way. However, this change occurs in such small increments that our days will not be significantly affected for the next 50,000 years. The difference in day lengths from the time multicellular life began on Earth and the lovely Tuesday morning on which this article will be posted is estimated to be less than an hour. Earth is projected to eventually have significantly longer days, but by the time that will happen, who can say what life on Earth will be like? In all honesty, I’m not even sure where I’ll be in a week, much less the state of humanity as a species tens of thousands of years from now.
The Earth’s rotation speed isn’t the only thing affected by the moon’s gravity! Read more about it in this Treehugger article: https://www.treehugger.com/how-moons-gravity-influences-earth-4863962
Aristotle, who was born over 2,400 years ago, is often known as the Father of Natural Science for his studies and advancements in the ancient Greek civilization. His logical methods of observation and discovery using reason to document and ponder the world around him laid the foundation for approaches to modern science in all fields and careers. Aristotle’s observations of lunar eclipses, during which the earth moves between the sun and moon to cast a shadow upon the latter, and the behavior of constellations as seen from Earth, led him to theorize that Earth was round. At its center was the supposed center of the universe, which pulled everything closer to its core, the basis for what was later understood to be the force of gravity. A few centuries later, a mathematician named Eristothenes successfully calculated Earth’s circumference using an early form of trigonometry and measurements taken from shadows cast by the sun in different areas of the world. By the time of Christopher Columbus, most educated people believed that the earth was spherical, not the other way a-round (ha! Get it?) as is sometimes the misconception. However, human civilization has actually been aware of the earth’s true shape for thousands of years!
This theory wasn’t Aristotle’s only accomplishment, however. Discover more about his life in this Britannica article: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Aristotle
Move over, Nessie. The legend of the unicorn is deeply rooted in Scotland’s history, and some say the lore is symbolic of the Scottish people’s untamable spirit and patriotism. The mythical beast was depicted in the Scottish Royal Arms supporting a shield with the help of the English lion and on early currencies, specifically a gold coin used a-round the 15th century. Historically, the unicorn’s appearance varies with each account of the creature. According to early writings, the unicorn was an intimidating combination of an antelope, an elephant, and a stag. However, by the time the lore arrived in Scotland, the unicorn was rumored to be a horse with a long horn (called an alicorn, I think… unicorn terminology is surprisingly confusing!) extending from the top of its head, near the forelock. One thing that didn’t change? The beast is still believed to be among the strongest and most unshakable creatures. They resent essentially all human contact, and do not make the quietest of captives in the instance that a unicorn hunter manages to trap one. For this reason, the unicorn depicted in chains on one version of the Scottish Royal Arms was symbolic of the monarch’s strength and the willpower of the people.
For more on the history of the unicorn, check out this TIME magazine article: http://content.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1814227,00.html
Aristotle was a really well rounded guy! Along with his spherical earth theory, the early genius claimed that the human body possessed five methods of interpreting the world around us: say it with me now, sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell. Modern scientists actually define perception as a combination of factors such as balance, color, pain, emotional association, and much more. Each of these senses work in tandem: they are not mutually exclusive. For instance, it is often said that food tastes more strongly when your sense of smell is also experiencing the flavor. Proprioception is the understanding of one’s own body and surroundings in relation to one another even when the sense of sight is compromised. It’s imagination and sensual knowledge coming together to properly orient the brain and body. It has roots in deeper workings of the brain, as well as the basic senses of touch and sight. Could this example be summarized by five senses? Modern science doesn’t think so. In addition, the understanding of one’s own actions in relation to the actions of other, uncontrollable factors could also be considered a sense. The lack of this sense results in Alien Hand Syndrome, where those inflicted believe that their body is acting as a separate entity from their own minds and intentions. So, how many senses are there, really? I don’t think there is an answer yet, because we just keep discovering new fascinating things about the human species!
HOW did I not come across this amazing deep sea creature back in June for the Deep Sea Personality Quiz article? The Turritopsis dohrnii has got to be the most mind-boggling of marine creatures! Though it isn’t any larger than your pinky fingernail, this tiny creature has discovered the long sought secret to immortality. After reproduction, when threatened, or even when injured, this species of jellyfish reverts back to a younger and more physically immature stage of development as an alternative to dying by releasing a genetically identical larva from the adult body. Assuming the jellyfish is not killed by external factors (they’ve been known to hitch rides on the dangerous underbellies of various boats in the Mediterranean Sea), this process could occur in cycles over the course of… well, forever. While there is some debate about whether the newly created larva could be considered the same individual as the jellyfish that released it, since all of its cells will eventually be replaced, the moniker “the immortal jellyfish” is now a part of Turritopsis dohrnii’s scientific identity. They say that in life, death and taxes are inevitable for us all, but it appears that the Turritopsis dohrnii has defied even these two ideas!
Yes, Turritopsis dohrnii has an official website: https://immortal-jellyfish.com/
I find it so amazing that such little facts about our world can seem so foreign to us! There will always be something new, shocking, and beautiful to discover in a big place like our earth. The world, and all of its aspects, is ours for the learning. But you’ve heard that from me a million times before. So, this morning I challenge you to remember it! Finding interest in even the most mundane tasks is easy with a fresh perspective.
Take, for instance, the humble orange. Spherical fruit, named after a color (or is it the other way a-round?). Either way, we see these things everywhere. However, did you know that the orange does not occur naturally? That’s right, the fruit is actually a combination of the pomelo and tangerine citrus fruits. In addition, most are only dyed the color orange in grocery stores to give a ripe and fresh appearance, but are naturally a green color instead. Who knew something as ordinary as the fruit on your kitchen counter could be hiding so much? And who knows what else is out there to discover in your everyday life today?
Random facts time! Did you know that anatidaephobia is the fictional fear of being watched by a duck? Or that worms have five hearts? Or that avocados are actually a fruit, and watermelons a vegetable?! I could go on and on and on!
This morning, I present to you six of the most unbelievable facts I could find, ideas that made me scoff at first seeing them. However, it turns out that all of these facts are true. Don’t believe me? See for yourself….
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The Easter Island head statues have bodies buried underground.
(Photo "Easter Island Statues" by TheTerraMarProject is licensed under CC BY 2.0)
Read more about Easter Island, or Rapa Nui, on this CultureTrip page: https://theculturetrip.com/south-america/chile/articles/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-easter-island-rapa-nui/
Earth’s days are getting gradually longer.
(Photo "Sunrise" by FotoArt MB is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0)
The Earth’s rotation speed isn’t the only thing affected by the moon’s gravity! Read more about it in this Treehugger article: https://www.treehugger.com/how-moons-gravity-influences-earth-4863962
Aristotle was the first to propose the idea that the earth is round.
(Photo "globe" by Katey Nicosia is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
This theory wasn’t Aristotle’s only accomplishment, however. Discover more about his life in this Britannica article: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Aristotle
Scotland’s national animal is the unicorn.
(Photo "The Unicorn Tapestries Room: The Unicorn in Captivity (detail)." by peterjr1961 is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0)
For more on the history of the unicorn, check out this TIME magazine article: http://content.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1814227,00.html
Some scientists argue that the human body has over twenty senses.
Want to learn more about the way you interpret your surroundings? Check out this New York Times article for more info: https://www.nytimes.com/1964/03/15/archives/we-have-more-than-five-senses-most-people-take-the-faculties-of.html
One species of jellyfish is considered “immortal”.
(Photo "Turritopsis dohrnii" by Dr. Karen J. Osborn is marked with CC0 1.0)
Yes, Turritopsis dohrnii has an official website: https://immortal-jellyfish.com/
******
I find it so amazing that such little facts about our world can seem so foreign to us! There will always be something new, shocking, and beautiful to discover in a big place like our earth. The world, and all of its aspects, is ours for the learning. But you’ve heard that from me a million times before. So, this morning I challenge you to remember it! Finding interest in even the most mundane tasks is easy with a fresh perspective.
Take, for instance, the humble orange. Spherical fruit, named after a color (or is it the other way a-round?). Either way, we see these things everywhere. However, did you know that the orange does not occur naturally? That’s right, the fruit is actually a combination of the pomelo and tangerine citrus fruits. In addition, most are only dyed the color orange in grocery stores to give a ripe and fresh appearance, but are naturally a green color instead. Who knew something as ordinary as the fruit on your kitchen counter could be hiding so much? And who knows what else is out there to discover in your everyday life today?
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