Grapes are a small, juicy fruit that grow in clusters on small woody vines, known as grapevines. They are a very versatile fruit that can be eaten raw and used for making a variety of products such as jelly, juice, wine, raisins, vinegar and much more. The vast majority, 71%, of worldwide grape production is used for making wine. Grapes come in a number of colors, but they are usually categorized as “white grapes” (actually green) and “red grapes” (pink, black and purple). Grapes have been known for thousands of years and are one of the fruits mentioned in the Bible. Let’s find out where grapes come from and where they are grown today.
Bryan Cranston is a celebrity actor best known for his roles as “Hal” in the hit television series “Malcolm in the Middle” and Walter White in the drama series “Breaking Bad.” His on-screen career began in 1982 with a small television role and he continued to land small roles until his big breakthrough with “Malcolm in the Middle.” Although he is mostly recognized from his television performances, he has also worked on a number of movies during his career as well. The following is a list of movies that Bryan Cranston has acted in during his career so far.
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team that compete in the in the Atlantic Division (Eastern Conference) of the National Basketball Association (NBA). They were founded in 1946 as the Syracuse Nationals and since 1963 they have been based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 76ers name was chosen after a contest to choose a new name when the team moved to Philadelphia and is a reference to American independence. The team has won 3 NBA Championships, but recent success has eluded them. Since moving to Philadelphia the team has had 3 home arenas.
We are constantly being told that washing our hands is an important part of personal hygiene. Most of us know that hand washing is very important to minimize the chance of passing germs around and getting sick. Let’s find out the most important times to wash your hands.
Madame Butterfly is a famous opera that tells the tale of Pinkerton (a U.S. Naval officer) and his wife Cio-Cio-San (Madame Butterfly). Pinkerton marries for convenience and soon leaves Cio-Cio-San to marry an American girl, but later discovers he has a son with Cio-Cio-San. He returns to Japan with his new wife, but admits to being a coward and refuses to face his former wife. Cio-Cio-San realizes what has happened and agrees to give the child to Pinkerton and his new wife if he will agree to see her. She prepares her son to leave with his father and commits suicide. Madame Butterfly is one of the most widely acclaimed operas of all time and is ranked 8th in most performed operas in the world. Many adaptations have been made since it was released, including four films. Let’s find out who composed and wrote this opera.
Blue Whales are the largest animal known to have existed on the planet. They can weigh more than 180 metric tonnes (almost 400,000 lbs) and grow to 30 m (98 ft) long! They belong to a family of whales known as baleen whales and all of the 15 species in this family have baleen plates, instead of teeth, that allow them to filter food from the water. Blue whales were once common in virtually all of the oceans on the planet, but there population declined rapidly in the 1900’s. Today, their numbers are slowly increasing, but they are still listed as an endangered species. Let’s find out what caused these magnificent creatures to face extinction.
“Mrs. Robinson” is a popular folk rock song that was recorded and released in 1968. It was an instant hit and reached number 1 spot on the hot 100 chart. The song remains one of the most popular and best known songs from the 1960’s. It has been covered by numerous artists, including a modified version sang by Frank Sinatra. Let’s find out who wrote and performed this hit song.
Thomas Jefferson was a founding father and one of the most important figures in the formation, and early years, of the United States. He achieved many things in his life including; author and signatory of the Declaration of Independence, 2nd Governor of Virginia, 1st Secretary of State, 2nd Vice President, 3rd President and much more. He was born on April 13, 1743 in Shadwell, Virginia in the family home. He began his political career in 1775 when he served as a delegate to the Second Continental Congress. It was at this congress that he met John Adams (founding father and 2nd President) and the two remained friends for the rest of their lives. Let’s take a look at the final days of his life.
A yo-yo is a simple toy that is usually made of two disks connected by a central shaft with a length of string looped around this shaft. The player places one finger in the end of the string and throws or lets the yo-yo drop. At this occurs the string unwinds and the yo-yo spins, which then causes the string to wind back onto the shaft. A number of tricks can be performed with the device. Yo-yo competitions are also popular and a World Yo-Yo Contest is held each year. The yo-yo has been around for thousands of years, but the popularity of this toy exploded in the 1900’s. Let’s find out when they were invented and who made them popular.
Stratosphere is the name given to the second layer of the Earth’s atmosphere. It is located just above the troposphere and below mesosphere. It has a stratified nature meaning that it has warmer layers higher up and cooler layers closer to the earth. The stratosphere is found anywhere between 8 km (5 mi) and 50 km (30 mi) above the earth’s surface. The stratosphere absorbs high energy ultraviolet (UV), specifically UVB and UVC, waves from the sun. The Stratosphere is considered part of the biosphere because some bacterial life and certain species of birds can survive in this layer of atmosphere.