Peaches are a juicy, sweet fruit with white or yellow flesh that grow on a tree of the same name. A similar fruit known as nectarines are also members of the same species. Peaches and nectarines are members of the stone fruit family and are related to plums, cherries, apricots and almonds. The peach tree can reach 10 m (33 ft) tall and 15 cm (6 in) in diameter. The botanical name for the peach is Prunus persica, which comes from Persia. This might give us a clue where peaches come from.
Yttrium is a transition metal with the atomic number of 39 and the chemical symbol Y. It is a rare earth element and is never found in nature as a free element. Yttrium has only one stable, naturally occurring isotope 2Y and 19 unstable isotopes. Yttrium was discovered in 1787 by Carl Axel Arrhenius and first isolated in 1828 by Friedrich Wöhler. Yttrium has no known biological function, but it has some important commercial applications. Let’s find out how yttrium is used in the world today.
The Home Insurance Building was a ten storey building located in Chicago that was completed in 1884. It is considered by many to be the first skyscraper ever constructed. This wasn’t because it was the tallest building in the world, it was only 42 m (138 ft) tall, but because of the unique architecture and steel weight bearing frame (known as skeleton construction). The architecture used on the building paved the way for further skyscrapers and other architects and engineers began using the ideas from this design. The building was demolished in 1931 to make way for the Field Building, but it remains a very important step in architecture. Let’s find out who designed this building.
Iguanas are lizards best known for their distinct appearance which features a series of spines that run down their back. The iguana name is sometimes used for a number of related species in the same family, but there are actually only 2 species of true iguanas. The Green Iguana, also called common iguana, are found throughout the northern and eastern portions of South America. as well as throughout Central America and into Mexico. The Lesser Antillean Iguana is only found in the Lesser Antilles, which is a group of volcanic islands in the Caribbean Sea. Let’s find out what these lizards eat and what makes them different from other species commonly called iguanas.
Paul Rudd is a celebrity actor and comedian best known for his appearances in many comedies. His professional acting career began in the early 90’s and his breakthrough performance came in 1995 with the film “Clueless.” He continued to gain recognition with a recurring guest role on the hit television series “Friends.” However, it wasn’t until the mid 2000’s that he landed the roles that truly launched his career. Since this time he has gone on to take many leading roles and looks to have a bright future ahead of him. The following is a list of movies that Paul Rudd has acted in during his career so far.
Emphysema is a long term degenerative disease of the lungs that causes shortness of breath. It is part of a group of diseases classified as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD. It is one of the most common lung diseases along with chronic bronchitis. Emphysema is commonly diagnosed by pulmonary function tests such as spirometry or body plethysmography. X-ray can also be used to identify emphysema. Emphysema can be managed, but due to its degenerative nature is irreversible and cannot be cured.
“Joy to the World” is a popular Christmas carol that was originally written about the return of Jesus, rather than a song to celebrate his birth as we know it today. In fact, only half of the original song is used today during Christmas celebrations. Despite this, the song is extremely popular and remains one of the most-published Christmas carols in North America. It has been performed by many popular artists and is widely used in church carol services. Let’s find out who wrote and composed this famous carol.
Christmas songs are songs written about and/or sung during Christmas. Many thousands of Christmas songs have been written over the years and there are literally hundreds of popular songs dedicated to this time of year. The oldest Christmas song is probably “Jesus refulsit omnium” (Jesus, Light of the Nations), which was written in 368 by Saint Hilary of Poitiers. However, Christmas songs didn’t become popular until many years later. While many old Christmas carols are still enjoyed during Christmas, there are also many modern Christmas songs that are extremely popular. Let’s find out which of these is the best selling Christmas song of all time.
“O Little Town of Bethlehem” is a popular Christmas carol written about the birth of Jesus in the town of Bethlehem. The song usually features four verses, but it was originally a five verse song and the fourth is usually left out at was the songwriters request. It is quite unique among Christmas hymns because the first verses of the song address the town of Bethlehem itself rather than offer praise or prayer to God. Let’s find out who wrote and composed this famous carol.
Holly, also called Ilex, is the name given to a family of about 600 species of flowing plants. Holly comes in varieties, from large trees to small shrubs and climbers. Most species are relatively slow growing and some species can reach 25 m (82 ft) tall. The best known variety is European holly, which is often used at Christmas as a decoration, especially on Christmas wreaths. This species features green leaves with red berries, which fits nicely with the colors of Christmas. Let’s find out where holly comes from and where it grows today.