After becoming accustomed to caring for a new baby one of the first questions that comes to the mind of a parent is the subject of sleeping through the night. Most newborn babies will wake a number of times through the night for feeding and comfort and this is perfectly normal. As the child grows parents are often faced with the question “does she/he sleep through the night.” In Western society it is one of the biggest pressures on new parents and it is common for parents to worry about their child’s sleep patterns. It is important to understand that every baby is different and most sleep patterns before 12 months of age are perfectly normal (even if they don’t feel that way). Even the definition of sleeping through the night is quite moderate and if your baby sleeps from midnight to 5 a.m. they are considered to have slept through. Let’s find out when most babies achieve this milestone and when you should be concerned.
Hummingbirds are a number of species of birds that belong to the Trochilidae family. There are over 325 species of hummingbirds and most of these species are just 7.5-13 cm (3-5 in) in size. This makes hummingbirds some of the smallest birds on the planet and the smallest hummingbird measures just 5 cm (2 in). Hummingbirds are best known for their ability to hover in mid-air and they do this by rapidly flapping their wings up to 80 times per second. This rapid flapping creates a humming sound, which led to the naming of these birds. They are also known for being the only birds capable of flying backwards and for their migratory behavior. Let’s find out where these unique birds live.
Aruba is small island country located in the southern Caribbean Sea. It is part of the Lesser Antilles and is home to approximately 102,000 people. The capital city, Oranjestad, is located on the south side of the island. Aruba shares no land borders with any countries and it is located 27 km (17 mi) north of the coast of Venezuela and approximately 130 km (81 mi) east of the Guajira Peninsula, Colombia. Aruba is actually a constituent of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, along with Curaçao and Sint Maarten. The total land area of Aruba is 179 square kilometres (69.1 sq mi) making it slightly larger than Washington D.C.
Rabies is a disease caused by the virus of the same name. This virus can spread between species and is most commonly spread from dogs to humans (97% of human rabies cases) when the animal bites. Other animals such as bats, opossums, skunks, wolves, foxes and monkeys, can also carry the disease. The rabies virus infects the central nervous system and eventually travels to the brain via the peripheral nerves. Once the virus reaches the brain the disease is almost always fatal within days. Early symptoms of the disease begin between 2-12 weeks and may include: headache, fever and fatigue. Soon after the symptoms progress to include strong pain, uncontrolled movements, anxiety, partial paralysis, confusion, paranoia, hallucinations, depression and fear of water. Death usually occurs when the patient is not able to maintain the necessary rate of breathing. Rabies causes 55,000 human deaths per year. Let’s find out how rabies is treated.
The Miss America Pageant is a female beauty pageant that is open to U.S. citizens between the ages of 17 and 24. The process for entry into the national pageant begins with winning a local competition and then the state competition. The state winners go on to compete for the title of Miss America, which they hold for one year until a new winner is announced. Contestants are judged on the results of a personal interview, talent, lifestyle and fitness (swimsuit), evening wear and onstage question. Miss America is known as a scholarship pageant, which means that prizes for the winner and runners-up are college scholarships. The Miss America pageant is one of the best known beauty pageants and it has been televised on network television since 1954. Let’s find out who won the inaugural Miss America beauty pageant.
Beryllium is a lightweight, strong and brittle white-gray metal. It is a chemical element represented by the atomic number 4 and the symbol Be. It is never found in free form on the planet, but is found combined with other elements in various minerals. Isotopes of beryllium are created in stars and are short lived, which means that it is a relatively rare element on Earth and in the Universe. Beryllium is a monoisotopic element, which means that it is one of the 26 elements with only one stable isotope. However, there are a number of other isotopes of beryllium that has been found. Let’s find out how many isotopes of beryllium have been identified.
The revolving door is a specially designed building entrance that features a central shaft with three to four doors (also called wings) attached. These doors, usually made of glass so that people can see each other, revolve in a circular pattern to allow people to enter and exit the building. These doors are popular with large building because they are sealed to the weather. This means that they prevent drafts and reduce the cooling or heating requirements for a building. They are also sometimes used in high security settings to allow only one person to enter/exit at a time. Let’s find out who invented this unique type of door.
Viruses are tiny infectious agents that live inside living cells, which is the only place they can replicate. Viruses can infect any organism, from humans through to single cell bacteria. They are best known as the cause of many human diseases, such as the common cold and influenza. Viruses are usually considered to be a form of life because they carry genetic information, reproduce and evolve. They are made up of genetic material (RNA or DNA) and molecules that carry this material, along with a protein coat to protect the genetic information. Viruses can be many shapes, including complex forms. Viruses are very small, about one hundredth the size of a bacteria, and most are too small to be seen with a common microscope. Let’s find out which virus is the largest ever to be discovered.
Burt Reynolds is a celebrity actor who was began acting professionally in the late 1950’s. He featured in many TV Westerns during the 60’s, but it was the decade that followed that he became a superstar. He became one of the most celebrated Hollywood sex symbols and this led to a string of successful film roles. However, by the late 1980’s his career had waned and the public virtually stopped paying attention. He rejuvenated his career in the mid 90’s with a strong supporting role in the film “Boogie Nights”, which led to his first nomination for an Academy Award. He has now been on screen for more than 50 years and he doesn’t look like slowing down any time soon. The following is a list of movies that Burt Reynolds has acted in during his long career.
Alaska is one of two states (the other is Hawaii) not connected to the remaining 48 states of the United States of America. It is located in the northwest of the North American continent and borders Canada (to the east), as well as the Arctic Ocean and Pacific Ocean. It is separated from Russia via the Bering Strait. Alaska is the largest state in the United States in terms of area, but one of the least populated. This means that is has the lowest population density in the country. The history of Alaska is quite complicated and many claims to the region have existed. Let’s take a brief look at the history of this area and its path to becoming a state.