Quokkas are a small marsupials (mammals that carry their young in a pouch) that belong to the same family as kangaroos and wallabies. They are about the size of a house cat and reach about 5kg (11 lb) in weight and a maximum of 90 cm (35 in) long. They also have a tail which reaches about 30 cm (12 in) long. They have a similar appearance to a small kangaroo or wallaby crossed with a rat. They are capable of climbing trees and are most active at night (nocturnal). The quokka is listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation. Let’s find out where this unique species lives.
Typhoid fever, usually simply known as typhoid, is a highly contagious infectious disease caused by the bacteria Salmonella typhi. It is passed between people by food or water contaminated by feces (poop) of someone who is infected with the disease. Typhoid fever is a serious condition and causes a number of symptoms if left untreated. Initially it causes fever, fatigue and cough, with occasional bloody noses and/or abdominal pain. The symptoms of this condition worsen to include delirium, rash and heavier cough, along with possible diarrhea or constipation and swelling of the liver and spleen. If diarrhea is present it can lead to life threatening dehydration. If it remains untreated the third week of the condition can include intestinal bleeding or perforation, inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) or heart, and further delirium. If left untreated it can lead to death and of the 16-33 million cases each year about 215,000 are fatal. It is estimated that death occurs in 10-30% of untreated cases. Let’s find out how typhoid fever is treated.
Silicon is a chemical element with the atomic number 14 and represented by the chemical symbol Si. It is a nonmetal element and is similar to the elements carbon and boron. Silicon is extremely common on Earth (it is the 2nd most common in the crust of the Earth) and in the universe (6th most common element by mass). It is very rarely found in free form and is usually found as a part of minerals with other elements. All naturally occurring is made up of one of three stable isotopes. However, a number of other isotopes of silicon have also been found. Let’s find out how many have been identified.
Arizona is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States of America. It is one of the largest states in terms of area (6th largest) and has a population of about 6.5 million (15th largest). It shares a border with Mexico as well as the U.S. states of California, Nevada, Utah and New Mexico. Arizona was long inhabited by Native American tribes and the European history of this state didn’t begin until the 16th century. Let’s take a brief look at the history of this area and find out when it became a state.
Lizards are a large group of reptiles with more than 5,600 species that can be found throughout most of the world (apart from the oceans, some small islands, the Arctic and Antarctic). The typical appearance of a lizard is generally considered to be a long body and tail, four legs and skin that it usually rough and/or scaly. However, lizards come in many shapes, colors and sizes, although the average size of these animals is about 15-30 cm (6-12 in). Let’s find out which species of lizards is the largest in the world.
Dates are the sweet, edible fruit produced by the date palm (Phoenix dactylifera). This tree grows to about 23 m (75 ft) in height with leaves that can reach 6 m (20 ft) long. The fruit is relatively small (about 5 cm long and 3 cm in diameter) and grow in large groups of more than 100 dates. Date palms can be either male or female and the female plant must be pollinated by the male to grow fruit. In commercial crops this is usually done manually and in this way one male date palm can pollinate 100 female plants. Dates can be eaten straight from the tree, but are also commonly used in many sweet and savoury recipes. Let’s find out where this plant originated and where it is grown today.
The Miami Heat are a professional basketball team that compete in the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball League (NBA). The team was founded in 1988 as an expansion franchise and a survey was held to choose the name (Vice and Heat were both popular). The team initially struggled in the league, but turned their fortunes around in the mid 90’s to become an extremely strong side. They have achieved ultimate success twice and took home the NBA Championship in 2006 and 2012. The Heat are now one of the most valuable and well supported teams in the NBA. Let’s find out where the Miami Heat play their home games.
Terbium is a soft, silvery-white metal that is never found in free form in nature. However, it is found naturally in a number of minerals, along with other rare earth elements, and it is estimated that about 1.2 mg of terbium per kilogram is found in the crust of the Earth. Terbium is a chemical element and is represented by the chemical symbol Tb and the atomic number 65. Terbium has few uses, but is mined in small amounts each year. The largest reserves of the metal are found in Southern China and the most important mineral for the commercial extraction of terbium is bastnäsite (bastnaesite). Let’s find out who discovered this element.
Russell Brand is a British comedian and actor who became a household name with the films “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” and “Get Him to the Greek” and due to his former relationship with pop sensation Katy Perry. His career before this time was mostly restricted to the United Kingdom where he had a relatively successful acting, presenting, comedy and radio career. Brand is also well known for his off screen indiscretions, which include a battle with heroin and alcohol, along with more than 10 arrests. He is a perfect example of a celebrity that polarizes opinion and he has a very strong fan base. This means that it is very likely that many more projects will feature Brand in the future. The following is a list of movies that Russell Brand has acted in during his career so far.
The Bahamas is a country that is made up of a number of islands located in the Atlantic Ocean southeast of the State of Florida and east of the Florida Keys. There are a total of 3000 islands, cays and inlets, as well as 180,000 square miles of ocean, that are recognized as the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. It is part of the chain of islands that make up the West Indies and Caribbean Islands along with the Greater Antilles and The Lesser Antilles. The Bahamas are home to approximately 360,000 people with 250,000 people living in the capital city of Nassau on the island of New Providence.