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Eating the Liver of a Polar Bear will kill you

October 16, 2019 By admin 2 Comments

Polar bears are huge carnivores weighing 350-700kg. They can grow up to 10 feet in length. And most of us would dread coming face to face with the huge mammal. But let’s say you were starving on an ice cap in the Arctic and you needed to eat. You spot a polar bear some distance away and because you need to eat to survive, you decide to hunt.

Polar bear near Kaktovik, Barter Island, Alaska.
Image: Alan Wilson / (CC BY-SA 3.0)

So, you somehow manage to fight and kill it (with your bare hands or some sort of weapon, a gun maybe) and start to feast on it’s meat. Let’s assume you’ve always been a fan of eating chicken liver, lamb liver, cod liver e.t.c. Given your love for eating livers you decide to have a bite of the polar bear’s liver that you just killed.

As soon as you have a bite of the meaty liver of the polar bear you’d be poisoning yourself. This is because because a Polar bear’s liver has a high concentration of Vitamin A. The Vitamin A concentration in the bear’s liver is so high that it becomes lethal to human beings.

Vitamin A is essential to the human body. The average recommended daily allowance (RDA) of Vitamin A for humans is 0.9mg. However if consumed in excess amounts it can cause Hypervitaminosis A, a potentially life threatening condition caused by overdosing on Vitamin A. It can cause headaches, vomiting, hair loss, skin peeling, bone damage birth defects, liver problems and in extreme cases even death.

On average an adult healthy polar bear has enough Vitamin A in its liver to kill 52 humans.

The amount of Vitamin A in a polar bear’s liver can fulfill the Vitamin A requirements of an adult human for 143 years.

Polar Bear Liver = Poison for us Humans

Keep this in mind.

Facts About Volgograd, Russia

July 26, 2019 By admin Leave a Comment

Volgograd is a city located in the eastern part of Russia. The city is more famously known as Stalingrad because it was home to one of the greatest and most intense battles of the World War II. The city was almost completely destroyed and reduced after the war ended. It was rebuilt from scratch in the years following the war. Today Volgograd serves as an important industrial city, and its rich history can be found in the various war memorials, monuments and museums in the city.

Volgograd’s skyline at night
Photo: Michael Pagliaro / (CC BY 2.0)

Volgograd is located on the western bank of the Volga River in south eastern Russia. It’s part of the Volgograd Oblast(district).

The city has an approximate area of 565km² and is about 90km in length, making it the longest city in Russia.

Because of the heroism and bravery of the soldiers who fought in the city during the battle of Stalingrad, it is also sometimes called the Hero-City.

The city was formed in 1589 as a military fortress and was named Tsaritsyn at the time. It soon became an important trading settlement and military outpost.

For the next few centuries the city suffered several rebellions and enemy raids. At the start of the 20th century the city underwent rapid industrialization.

A painting showing Tsaritsyn under attack

During the Russian Civil War(1917-1922), the White Army(Pro-Communists) and the Red Army (Anti-Communists) fought for the city’s control because of its industrial wealth.

The Red Army eventually defeated the Whites and took control of the city. The city was renamed to Stalingrad in 1925 in honor of Joseph Stalin who played an important part in defeating the White Armies in the civil war.

Leaders of the White movement at a parade in Tsaritsyn(Volgograd) after capturing it in 1919. The city was captured later by the Red Army in 1920.

In August 1942 during World War II, The Germans invaded Russia and attacked the city in what became known as the Battle of Stalingrad. The battle lasted for more than 5 months. It is remembered for being one of the greatest battles in history and also the turning point of the World War II which eventually led to allied nations winning the war.

During the battle, the saw city saw intense and bloody fighting in its streets and buildings. Strategic points across the city were captured and recaptured several times by Russians and Germans. The city’s railway station changed hands 13 times.

Soviet soldiers of the 62nd Army in action in the ruins of Stalingrad.

At one time the Nazis took control of over 90% of the city. Eventually the Red Army launched its counteroffensive after receiving reinforcements and encircled the German 6th Army division which was in control of the city. The Germans eventually surrendered after their commander Field Marshal Friedrich Paulus was captured by the Russian Army in February 1943.

The battle is regarded as the most bloodiest in history. More than 2 million lost their lives including German and Russian soldiers and civilians as well.

More than 1 million bombs were dropped on the city during the war. The battle reduced most of the city to debris and rubble. At the end of the war the city’s population was reduced from half a million to only 35000.

After the war, the city was completely rebuilt. Most of the city’s older buildings were destroyed and much of the present architecture in the city is post World War II era.

A partially destroyed mill from the Battle of Stalingrad.
Photo: Anna Novikova / (CC BY 2.0)

In 1961, Nikita Khrushchev(Soviet Premier at the time) renamed the city to its present name, Volgograd. He did it as part of his de-Stalinization reforms to remove Stalin’s ideology from Russian politics.

Volgograd has a population of over 1 million people. The city’s economy is mainly driven by its industrial sector. Industries in the city include ship building, oil refining, aluminium, steel production and automobile manufacturing.

Photo: **justphotos.ru** / (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Volgograd has a slightly cold weather. The city’s average annual temperature is about 8.3 °C. The warmest month is July when the temperature is an approximate 24.3°C , while the coldest month is January when temperature drops to an average low of about -7.5°C.

Average rainfall in the city is about 380mm per year and average snow received is 27.1 inches per year. Snowy season starts from October and ends in April.

Volgograd has a lot of memorials and monuments including an 86m tall statue named “The Motherhood Calls”. The statue is built over Mamayev Kurgan, a hill that was one of the main battle grounds during the Battle of Stalingrad.

The Motherhood Calls
Photo: Alexxx Malev / (CC BY-SA 2.0)

The statue was built to commemorate the Stalingrad Battle and Russian Victory. 35000 soldiers are buried in the monument’s grounds including the famous Russian sniper Vasily Zaitsev who killed 225 enemy soldiers during World War II.

The Motherhood Calls at night
Photo: Alexxx Malev / (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Some buildings survived the destruction partially or completely and are now considered part of the city’s heritage.

The city also has a number of museums that have stories about the Battle of Stalingrad and other remnants from the battle, paintings and also a lot of stuff from the Russian Civil War.

Another memorial, Rossoshka Memorial Cemetery holds the graves of more than 80000 soldiers. 60000 Germans, 20000 Russian and 2000 Romanian soldiers who died in the Battle of Stalingrad are buried in this cemetery.

Monument dedicated to Soviet war hero pilot Viсtor Holzunov

Square of Grief: Shows a mother holding her dead soldier son.
Author: Кривошеина Мария / (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Square of Heroes: A statue of a nurse taking a wounded soldier from the battlefield.

Facts About Gabon Nuts

July 22, 2019 By admin Leave a Comment

Gabon nuts are tropical fruits grown on Gabon tree, scientifically known as Coula edulis which belongs to the Olacaceae plant family. These nuts are found natively in the tropical regions of western Africa. Gabon nuts have good nutritional value and a lot of health benefits. They are much similar to walnuts in shape and size but are not related. Because of the similar physical characteristics they share with walnuts, Gabon nuts are also sometimes called African walnuts or Black Walnuts owing to their dark color.

Gabon nuts are much rare then other nut species. They have thick shells which makes germination difficult and as such these nuts are not so commonly found outside their native habitat.

They are usually found in the tropical rainforests of Western Africa, typically in Gabon, Sierra Leone, Angola, Congo, Cameroon and Nigeria.

Each nut is about 3-4 cm in length and 0.5-0.6 cm in width. Gabon nuts have a taste similar to chestnuts and hazelnuts.

The nuts grow on the trees from August to January. During this period the nuts are plucked off for consumption by humans and animals like chimpanzees.

Gabon nuts are either eaten raw, cooked or boiled. Though it’s better to not boil them as they lose some nutritional and health value when boiled. Cooking them or eating them raw is more healthy.

They are also used as a flavoring especially in desserts and meat dishes. The nuts are also sometimes ground into flour.

Gabon nuts are also very rich in oil which is extracted and used in making cooking oil.

A Gabon nut contains 50% oil of which 87% is the fatty oleic acid. Protein content of the nut ranges between 8.96 and 21.80 percent. Raw nuts have the highest protein concentration. Boiling or cooking can result in some protein loss, hence it’s better to consume them raw to gain maximum protein energy.

These nuts have a lot of health benefits. The nuts are rich in proteins, vitamins, healthy fatty acids, anti-oxidants and fiber. Each nut has an abundance of vitamins such as Vitamins E, B1, B6, B7 ,B9.

Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids present in the nut can improve heart health by reducing bad cholesterol, blood pressure. They also promote mental health, decrease memory loss and help in reducing liver fat.

Phytosterols and Omega-3 fatty acids present in the nuts can reduce the risk of getting cancer.

Research shows that the nuts also exhibit anti-inflammatory properties and can reduce the risk of chronic inflammation.

They also have a high fiber content which helps aid digestion.

Vitamin E present in Gabon nuts helps fight infections. Other Vitamins present like Vitamin B1 promotes healthy growth, Vitamin B6 keep the immune system strong, Vitamin B7 is important for strong hair and nerve health, Vitamin B9 helps in reducing the risk of birth defects.

Gabon nuts are also believed to increase male fertility by increasing the sperm count in males.

Facts About Biafo Glacier

June 18, 2019 By admin Leave a Comment

Biafo Glacier is the third largest glacier outside the world’s polar regions. This large river of ice is located in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan. The glacier lies inside the Karakoram mountain range. Biafo glacier meets the Hispar glacier at a height of 5128m.

Biafo Glacier
Author: BlackZero_007 / (CC BY 2.0)

Biafo was explored for the first time in 1892 by Sir Martin Conway, a British mountaineer.

The glacier has a total length of about 67km.

The area of the glacier is about 853km². More than 70% of the glacier’s total area is made up of snow and ice.

Together with the Hispar glacier which is 49km long, the two glaciers form a long highway of ice more than 100km long.

Author: Yousaf Feroz Gill / (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Unlike, other glaciers of the Karakoram the Biafo’s main source of ice is from snowfall rather than avalanches.

The glacier collects a lot of snow each year. However, due to global warming and climate change, more snow and ice is melted and lost than is collected by the glacier.

The Biafo-Hispar highway has significant historical importance too. In ancient times the route served as an important path for traders as well as invading armies who used the path to attack adversaries located at the other end of the highway. In ancient times warriors from Nagar in the west used to cross this route to attack the Baltitstan Kingdom in the east.

The area also has some wild animals. These include the Himalayan Bear, Siberian Ibex, Mountain Goat(Markhor) and Snow Leopards.

Snow Lake, located at Biafo-Hispar junction
Author: Dave Hancock, Fieldtouring.com / (CC BY-SA 2.5)

At the Hispar Pass, the place where Biafo ends and Hispar glacier starts, there’s a large body of ice called the snow lake.

Snow Lake is about 16m wide and has a total area of about 77km². The ice in the lake has a depth of more than 1.6km, and is considered one of the largest ice caps in the non-polar regions of the world.

Some people claim to have seen footprints of the cryptid Yeti, on the sufrace of the Snow Lake.

Biafo glacier is covered in moraines, boulders and has a lot of crevasses which makes trekking very difficult.

Facts About Arafura Sea

June 11, 2019 By admin Leave a Comment

The Arafura Sea is in a continental shelf area located between western New Guinea and the northern part of Australia. Arafura Shelf appears to have been a low-relief land surface that had an used to have a desert like climate.To the north, it is bordered by the Tertiary collision zone between the Australian craton and the northern island arc. To the south the sea adjoins the stable Australian craton. The sea is also a host for numerous Indonesian islands in the region. Towards the east of the Arafura Sea forms a stable continental shelf which has suffered a little from some intense compressional events. Episodes of rifting and basin formation for the Arafura sea are recorded to be in Paleozoic and Mesozoic sequences.

The following are a few facts about the Arafura sea:

Sea levels were so low during the last glacial maximum that the Arafura Shelf, the Gulf of Carpentaria, and the Torres Strait formed a large land bridge that connected Australia and New Guinea.
During the time of that land bridge themigration of humans from Asia into Australia had a noticeable increase.
The Arafura Sea is a generally shallow sea in the western Pacific Ocean that occupies about 250,000 square miles between the north coast of Australia, also known as the Gulf of Carpentaria, and the south coast of New Guinea.
According to the IHO, or theInternational Hydrographic Organization, the Arafura Sea is defined as being one of the waters of the East Indian Archipelago.
The Arafura sea has various depths with the more shallow of those depths being between 165 to 260 feet, deepening as is goes towards the western edge, this is the point where coral reefs have grown at depths close to 2,000 feet.
The oceans depth of the Arafura Shelf exhibits depths of between 160 and 260 ft, but the deeper parts which can go down as far as 1,970 ft can occur at the edges.
The saltiness of the Arafura Sea annually ranges from 34.2-34.8 in the deeper parts to the north to 34.2 to 35.0 on the Arafura Shelf.
The Arafura Sea yields a little under 4 million metric tons of seafood annually.
With marine ecosystems and fish stocks in a steady decline, the Arafura Sea stands out as one of the most abundant places to fish in the world.

An island in the Arafura Sea
Author: SuWiRe / (CC BY-SA 4.0)

The Arafura Sea holds many mysteries and there are still issues with illegal fishing going on. If this illegal trend continues, the numerous local communities who surround and depend on the Arafura Sea will face a number of obstacles in order to sustain their livelihoods and quality of life. Increasing their economic growth while maintaining an optimum environment quality are the primary challenges that need to be overcome for this region to grow economically. Along with the illegal fishing in the area there are threats of pollution being dumped into the sea from nearby areas. Luckily there is already a controversy from the local people trying to save their economy and to prevent the pollution of the Arafura sea.

History of Tea Bags

June 2, 2019 By admin 1 Comment

If you’re a tea person you would know how important tea bags are and how they’ve made our lives so much easier. Whether we are at work or hanging out or at home, us tea lovers just can’t live without tea. Tea bags make the task of brewing tea a lot easier. Instead of boiling the tea in a pot all we do is just dip the tea bag in a cup of hot water(add a little milk too if we like it that way) and we’re good to go. But of course it wasn’t always like this. Tea bags were just invented over a 100 years ago and that too by accident.

Different types of tea in teabags.
Author: André Karwath / (CC BY-SA 2.5)

The story of how tea bags were invented goes like this:

In 1904, Thomas Sullivan a tea merchant from New York sent some samples to his clients. The samples Thomas sent were wrapped in pouches of silk. His clients instead of opening them up just dipped the pouches directly into hot water and brewed the tea. And this is how tea bags were born.

Seeing the popularity of his tea bags and customer feedback, Sullivan developed sachets made out of gauze, the first purpose-made tea bags. Commercial production of tea bags started in the 1920s, and soon the bags became popular all over the United States.

Up until the early 1940s tea bags resembled small round sacks. The modern day rectangular tea bags that we use today were not invented until 1944.

Evolution of Lipton’s Tea Bags
Image: Unilever

Some Facts About Tea Bags:

Each Tea Bag contains about 3g of tea.

In each teabag of Litpon’s Black Tea, the tea contains about 25mg of Potassium.

Teabags were adopted by the British much later than the Americans. Tetley was the first company to introduce tea bags in UK.

Tetley started commercial production of teabags in Britain in 1953, about 30 years later than the Americans did.

Tea bags are made up of either filter-paper,nylon or food grade PVC(plastic).

Some artists use on teabag papers to create different shapes of art. This practice has become known as teabag folding or teabag origami.

Because Teabags are not airtight, the tea loses flavor over time. So it’s best to use them as quickly as possible once the packing containing the teabags is opened.