13th September 2016
The ‘limeys’ who conquered the world
The word ‘limey’ refers to a British person, in general, and a British sailor, in particular. It originated in the 19th century and was a derogatory name for sailors in the Royal Navy.
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16th February 2016
Which is the world’s densest wood?
The black ironwood is the wood from the tree Olea laurifolia found in the forests of the South Africa. It is the world’s densest wood with a specific gravity of 1.49. It is also one of the heaviest woods with a weight of 452 kg per square metre. Owing to its specific gravity being higher than water, it sinks in water.
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16th February 2016
Cooler than rainforests, higher than 3,000 feet above sea level
Cloud forests are usually found in the tropical or subtropical regions such as South Africa, Indonesia and South America. They are also found in temperate regions such as Japan and Pakistan. The clouds cover up to the middle level of these forests and persist there. The forests are dark due to low infiltration of light and the vegetation predominantly comprises ferns, orchids and mosses besides trees such as pine and oak. Cloud forests have a high level of biodiversity, most of which is threatened due to unsustainable activities of humans.
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