Over 62 million tonnes of coconuts are grown worldwide every year and, if you think that sounds like an awful lot of Malibu and Bountys, it just shows how little you must know about them.
Science & nature
National flowers from around the world
Different countries choose different flowers to represent them as a nation. England has the rose, Wales has the daffodil, Scotland has the thistle, and Ireland has the shamrock. I have to admit, that’s pretty much as far as my knowledge goes when it comes to national flowers, so I decided to do a little research and tell you all about my favourites.
5 strange succulents that are worth a look
Succulent plants are described as having fat and fleshy sections that retain water. I’m not sure, but I think I may be a succulent…
Fata Morgana: A wintry optical illusion
No, it’s not the offspring of a celebrity. It’s a pretty cool illusion that takes place when temperatures are also pretty cool – well, actually, very cool. Cold, in fact. Freezing cold.
The Chilean lake that disappeared without a trace
While it’s not unusual for things to go missing, the disappearing items are usually pretty small – not, say, a huge 30-metre-deep lake. However, that’s exactly what disappeared from Chile in 2007.
Murderous mushrooms from around the world
To most of us, mushrooms are just a type of food – a spongy plate-filler to be either gobbled up or brushed aside, according to our personal tastes. However, there are roughly 14,000 species and only a very small number of these are ever chopped up and covered in garlic. Around the world, mushrooms come in a variety of forms, some of which display a shocking disregard for the lives of other species.
5 plants you probably wouldn’t want in your garden
Gardening is seen as a therapeutic hobby – and rightly so too. There’s nothing quite like watching something you put into the ground and watered grow to its full beauty. We tend to buy and pot plants that make our gardens and parks look prettier, but there are some odd plants from different parts of the world that need some, erm, attention too…
Where the objects in your bathroom come from
It seems that just keeping yourself clean requires stuff from all over the world, so join us as we splish splash our way around some familiar bathroom items…
Non-aqueous rain: Strange things that have fallen from the sky
When people say, “Oh, it’s raining cats and dogs,” you know it’s metaphorical. But having done some research, I’ve found some truly peculiar occasions where things other than rain have fallen from the sky. Here’s a list of my favourites:
Pando: The trembling giant
With a nickname like “The Trembling Giant”, you’d expect Pando to be something special… and he is. The tree (if you can call him that) is a serious contender for oldest living organism, as well as being one of the biggest and the heaviest.