Bits & Bobs
Miscellaneous musings
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Babe Didrikson—Trailblazing Athlete
Hello, young sports aficionados and champions in the making! Today, we dive into the extraordinary life of one of history’s most remarkable athletes, Babe Didrikson. She is widely regarded as one of the greatest athletes of the 20th century.
She shattered barriers, defied expectations, and left an indelible mark on the world of sports. Babe Didrikson was a trailblazer who shattered boundaries and redefined what it means to be a champion. Her legacy is one of undeniable talent, grit, determination, and resilience. So, lace up your sneakers, grab your sports gear, and join us as we delve into the life and accomplishments of this extraordinary athlete. Get ready to be inspired by the indomitable spirit of Babe Didrikson, a true icon in the world of sports!
Babe Didrikson was an American athlete who excelled in multiple sports, especially golf, basketball, baseball, and track and field. She was born on June 26, 1911, in Port Arthur, Texas, to Norwegian immigrants. She changed her surname from Didriksen to Didrikson. Although she claimed to have been born in 1914, various sources indicate the correct year was 1911. From a young age, her goal was to be “the greatest athlete ever to live.” A standout baseball player, she claimed that, as a teenager, she acquired the nickname “Babe” in reference to the famed Yankees baseball player Babe Ruth.
She later dropped out of high school to pursue a career in sports. From 1930 through 1932, she was a member of the women’s All-America basketball team. During the same period, she also won eight events and tied in a ninth in national championship competition in track and field. In the 1932 Women’s Amateur Athletic Association (AAU), competing as a team by herself, Babe won six individual events and the team title, outscoring the 20-women runner-up team from the Illinois Athletic Club 30 points to 22. She became known for her competitiveness and brash confidence.
She also competed in the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, where she won two gold medals and one silver medal. She won the gold medals in the 80-metre hurdles and the javelin throw, but was deprived of a third gold medal in the high jump because she had used the unorthodox Western roll to achieve the highest jump. So, she was awarded the silver medal instead. Her Olympic success brought her national attention, not all of which was complimentary. At the time, women were not encouraged to compete in sports, and Babe faced much sexism and claims that she might actually be a man. One sportswriter at that time noted, “It would be much better if she and her ilk stayed at home, got themselves prettied up and waited for the phone to ring.” Such comments failed to deter her, as she also excelled in softball, swimming, figure skating, billiards, and even football.
Babe began playing golf casually in 1932, but from 1934, she played that game exclusively. In 1938, she also became the first woman to compete in a men’s golf event, though she did not make the cut. Also in 1938, she married George Zaharias, a professional wrestler.
Restored to amateur status after some years as a professional, she won the U.S. Women’s Amateur tournament in 1946. The next year she won 17 straight golf championships, including the British Ladies Amateur, of which she was the first American holder. She subsequently became a professional again. She turned to professional golf in 1947 and in 1948 she won the U.S. Women’s Open, a feat she repeated two years later. She went on to become one of the greatest female golfers of all time. She won 10 LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) major championships and 41 LPGA Tour events.
In 1950 she helped found the Ladies Professional Golf Association, and she became the LPGA’s star competitor. She not only attracted interest in the women’s game, but also revolutionized the sport with her powerful drives. Diagnosed with colon cancer, she underwent surgery in 1953. The following year, in one of sport’s greatest comebacks, she captured her third U.S. Open. Although she wore a colostomy bag, Babe dominated the event, winning by 12 strokes. She won four other tournaments in 1954, and the following year she claimed two more victories, which were the last of her career.
Her autobiography, This Life I’ve Led, appeared in 1955. She died on September 27, 1956, in Galveston, Texas, from colon cancer. In 2021, she was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
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Halloween Cupcakes—Unleash Your Inner Pastry Chef!
Hey there, budding bakers! Are you ready to embark on a delightful and delicious adventure in the world of cupcakes? Whether you’re a kitchen novice or an aspiring pastry chef, today is your ticket to cupcake-making mastery. Get ready to roll up your sleeves, don your aprons, and dive into the sweet art of cupcake creation. From choosing the perfect flavors and mixing up the batter to decorating with flair, we’ll guide you through the step-by-step process of crafting delectable treats that will impress friends and family alike. So, grab your measuring cups, gather your ingredients, and let’s whisk our way to perfect Halloween cupcakes!
To begin with—let’s start with making the perfect vanilla cupcakes. It takes 7 minutes to gather and mix the ingredients and 18 minutes to bake them at 350⁰ oven. Let them cool for 10-15 minutes before you frost them.
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 stick butter (1/2 cup), room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 drops yellow food coloring
- 1 drop red food coloring
Mix the sugar and butter together till they form a buttery spread.
Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
Add the sugar and butter mixture and stir together.
Add the vanilla extract and the food coloring to the ½ cup of milk and add it to the dry mixture.
Stir the liquid mixture into the creamed, dry mixture and stir the batter until well mixed.
Place empty cupcake liners into the cupcake tray and fill ½ to ¾ with the batter.
Bake 18 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cupcake comes out clean.
Cool at least 10-15 minutes before frosting.
For the Frosting
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup softened butter (not melted)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (or coconut)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons milk
- 3 drops yellow food coloring
- 1-2 drops red food coloring
Mix the ingredients in a medium size bowl and spread on top of your cooled Halloween cupcakes.
Top each cupcake with a store-bought plastic spider ring.
Serve to your friends. And enjoy!
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The Golden Spice of Health and Flavor!
Hey there, curious taste buds! Prepare for a flavorful journey as we learn about the benefits of turmeric—a vibrant spice with rumored amazing health benefits.
A relative of ginger, this vivid yellow-orange spice is common in Indian, Southeast Asian, and Middle Eastern cooking. Its rhizomes (mass of roots) are used in cooking. Also, for dyeing the robes of Buddhists monks.
Rhizomes are boiled and dried, then ground into a yellow powder used to color and flavor Asian dishes, particularly curries. Turmeric powder has a warm, bitter, black pepper-like flavor and earthy, mustard-like aroma.
Turmeric is one of the key ingredients in many Asian dishes. Many products, such as canned beverages, baked goods, dairy products, and sauces, use it to add a yellow, golden, or brown color. It is a principal ingredient in curry powders. Although typically used in its dried, powdered form, turmeric also is used fresh, like ginger. It has many uses in East Asian recipes.
Find out what turmeric can—and can’t—do for your health.
It has also been used as a medicine in places like India for centuries for various illnesses. Lately, many have been claiming that turmeric is a super food that can fight cancer, ease depression, and more. So far, testing has not backed up many health claims, apart from its anti-microbial properties.
Scientific testing has shown turmeric has potent anti-microbial properties. Many studies have shown turmeric and curcumin as promising anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-viral agents. They have proven their ability to curb the spread of microorganisms that cause illnesses and deadly diseases.
Turmeric is effective against various microbes. Thus, turmeric could assist in the prevention and treatment of several microbial infections.
Does turmeric have any proven health benefits?
Turmeric is a favorite spice around the globe that many believe contains a wide array of health benefits—from its antioxidant contents to its ability to soothe and prevent inflammation.
What is in turmeric that makes it beneficial?
Many believe that curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, has numerous health benefits, such as protecting against heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and cancer. They also believe that it is a potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. And that it may also help improve symptoms of depression and arthritis.
Is it safe to take turmeric every day?
Taking turmeric in low amounts (the levels added in food) generally does not pose any health problems. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is safe to consume 1.4 mg of turmeric per pound of body weight each day. Higher doses of turmeric, however, when consumed for longer periods, may harm the body.
What are the side effects of turmeric?
Turmeric typically has few problem side effects, but it can lead to stomach problems, nausea, dizziness, or diarrhea in some cases.
The next time you’re under the weather, you may want to sip some turmeric tea. Curcumin might help you to fight off a variety of viruses, including herpes and the flu. But most of the research on this was done in a lab, not on people.
Keep in mind that turmeric is only about 3% curcumin, and your body doesn’t absorb curcumin well. So, the occasional cup of tea won’t be a cure-all. But it can’t hurt.
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The Thrilling World of Birdwatching!
Greetings, young nature enthusiasts! Are you ready to embark on an awe-inspiring journey into the enchanting realm of birdwatching? Grab your binoculars and prepare to witness the vibrant feathers, graceful flights, and melodious songs of our feathered friends up close. Today, we’ll discover how this captivating hobby can unveil a whole new dimension of the natural world. From identifying different bird species and learning their unique behaviors to exploring their habitats and becoming stewards of the environment. Birdwatching will ignite your curiosity and nurture a deep appreciation for the amazing avian creatures that grace our skies. So, dust off your field guides, sharpen your observation skills, and let’s embark on a journey of discovery together. Let’s explore where every chirp and flutter bring a new moment of wonder!
To begin with birds can be seen almost anywhere, and you don’t need binoculars or a telescope. Secondly, millions go bird watching every year. So, to make the experience as pleasant as possible birdwatchers developed the Birdwatcher’s Code. It puts the interests of birds first and respects other people, whether or not they are interested in birds.
The Code consists of 4 rules:
- Avoid disturbing birds and their habitats – the birds’ interests should always come first.
- Be an ambassador for birdwatching.
- Be respectful of the bird’s habitat and people’s property that the birds are on. Respect the wishes of the local residents and landowners, and don’t enter private property without permission.
- Think about the interests of wildlife and local people before passing on news of a rare bird, especially during the breeding season.
You don’t need much to enjoy birds—just your eyes and ears. Plus, you don’t need to know anything about birds to enjoy watching them. But if you are really interested in learning about the birds that you are watching. It helps if you have a bird guidebook that will help you identify the different birds you see in nature.
Birds respond to people in many ways, depending on the species, location, and time of year.
Disturbance can keep birds from their nests, leaving chicks hungry or enabling predators to take eggs or young.
During cold weather or when migrants have just made a long flight, repeatedly flushing birds can mean they use up vital energy that they need for feeding.
Whether your particular interest is photography, sound-recording, or birdwatching, remember that the interests of the birds must always come first.
- Avoid going too close to birds or disturbing their habitats – if a bird flies away or makes repeated alarm calls, you’re too close. And if it leaves, you won’t get a good view.
- Stay on roads and paths where they exist and avoid disturbing the habitats used by birds.
- Think about your fieldcraft. Disturbance is not just about going too close – a flock of wading birds on the foreshore can be disturbed from a mile away if you stand on the seawall.
- Repeatedly playing a recording of birdsong or calls to encourage a bird to respond can divert a territorial bird from other important duties, such as feeding or protecting its young. Never use playback to attract a species during its breeding season.
Whether you’re watching small birds in your backyard, or birds of prey soaring hundreds of feet above your head, birds are everywhere. The most important thing to remember is to enjoy watching and listening.
Just remember, contrary to popular belief, you don’t need expensive equipment or expert knowledge. The most important ‘tools’ are your eyes, ears, and brain! All the other things are optional.
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Welcome to the World of Black Holes
Welcome star gazers and future astronauts. Today we are going to explore the world of black holes.
A black hole is a place in space where gravity’s pull is so powerful that even light cannot get out. The gravity is so strong because matter has been squeezed into a tiny space. This can happen when a star is dying.
Because no light can get out, people can’t see black holes. They are invisible. Space telescopes with special tools can help find black holes. The special tools can see how stars that are very close to black holes act differently than other stars. If fact, these tools helped scientists discover that there is a supermassive black hole at the center of our own galaxy.
Black holes can be big or small. Scientists think the smallest black holes are as small as just one atom. These black holes are very tiny but have the mass of a large mountain. Mass is the amount of matter, or “stuff,” in an object.
Another kind of black hole is called “stellar.” Its mass can be up to 20 times more than the mass of the sun. There may be many, many stellar mass black holes in Earth’s galaxy. Earth’s galaxy is called the Milky Way.
The largest black holes are called “supermassive.” These black holes have masses that are more than 1 million suns together. Scientists have found proof that every large galaxy contains a supermassive black hole at its center. The supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy is called Sagittarius A. It has a mass equal to about 4 million suns and would fit inside a very large ball that could hold a few million Earths.
Scientists think supermassive black holes were made at the same time as the galaxy they are in.
But how do black holes form?
Scientists think the smallest black holes formed when the universe began.
Stellar black holes are made when the center of a very big star falls in upon itself, or collapses. When this happens, it causes a supernova. A supernova is an exploding star that blasts part of the star into space.
If black holes are “black,” how do scientists know they are there?
Strong gravity pulls all the light into the middle of the black hole, making the black hole invisible. But scientists can see how the strong gravity affects the stars and gas around the black hole. Scientists can study stars to find out if they are flying around, or orbiting, a black hole.
A black hole and a star make high-energy light when they are close together. This kind of light cannot be seen with human eyes. Scientists use satellites and telescopes in space to see the high-energy light.
Could a black hole destroy earth?
Black holes do not go around in space eating stars, moons, and planets. Earth will not fall into a black hole because no black hole is close enough to the solar system for Earth to do that.
Even if a black hole has the same mass as the sun. And it was to take the place of the sun, Earth still would not fall in. The black hole would have the same gravity as the sun. Earth and the other planets would orbit the black hole as they orbit the sun now.
The sun will never turn into a black hole. The sun is not a big enough star to make a black hole.
Which is a good thing to know—both as a regular kid and as a future scientist or astronaut.
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The Fun and Magic of Writing Poetry!
Hello, young wordsmiths! Are you ready to embark on a poetic journey filled with rhythm, imagery, and the beauty of language? Today we’ll explore poetry’s fascinating world. Whether you’re a budding poet or simply curious about the art of expressing yourself through verse, we’ll explore the power of poetry and discover how it can ignite your imagination and touch hearts. Get ready to unleash your creativity, play with words, and unlock the magic that lies within you. So, grab your pens, open your minds, and let’s venture into the realm of poetic expression together!
Writing poetry is not as hard as you might think it is. Especially if you know a few tips about how to go about writing a poem. Poetry writing challenges you to really think about words and images. Words that you want to use to make the reader think. And the images that you want to create in the reader’s mind.
But where and how do you begin when you don’t know how to write a poem?
Well, you could start out with a clever poem, which is called an acrostic poem. You write a word on a piece of paper—like DOG. Then start each line with one letter in your word. For example, an acrostic poem for “dog” could look like this: Devoted furry buddy / On my bed is sleeping / Greatest of pets.
Once you have had fun with writing acrostic poems, you could then try writing 3-line poems called “haiku.” They are of Japanese origin. The first and final lines have five syllables each, while the second line has seven. Often they describe a concrete object or image, such as this one about a cat: Tired cat sleeps all night. / He needs lots of rest for a / Long day of napping. The very short format requires you to consider your word choices very carefully. But they can create a lot of impact.
Limericks are short, 5-line poems that have a particular rhyme scheme, where the first two lines and the last line rhyme, with a different rhyme sound for the middle two lines: AABBA. For example: A talkative man from Seattle / would spend his days speaking to cattle. / When asked what he said, / one old cow shook her head, / and replied, “Why it’s nothing but prattle! Because of their strong beat and heavy use of rhyming sounds, limericks are a lot of fun for readers to read or recite aloud.
Here are some tips to help you get started writing poetry.
Brainstorming. There are a variety of brainstorming activities you can do to help generate ideas for poems. Try to keep your audience in mind when brainstorming.
Use all your senses when writing. Writers often focus most heavily on sight, but your other senses also provide the type of vivid detail that readers enjoy. Think about taste, smell, hearing, and touch as well.
Write about feelings. Poetry can help readers explore their own feelings and learn about those of others.
Create a “found poem.” Go through a magazine, newspaper, or book and highlight several dozen words you find interesting or appealing. You don’t have to have a particular reason for why you like those words. Once you’ve found between 20-50 words, arrange the words into a poem. You can add in new words where needed.
Take a nature walk. As you explore, note things that interest you, such as the weather or scenery. Write your ideas in a notebook. When you get back home, decide on what notes to use in the poem. The poem can tell a story or just describe a scene or a feeling. Use specific, concrete words to describe what you see and feel.
Be adventurous! You can write about anything you can imagine. Everyday experiences are often excellent subjects for poems. But you could just as easily write a poem about a dragon or a unicorn.
Be patient with yourself. Writing takes a lot of time and practice. You may not like the poems you produce at first, but keep writing. You will get better!
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Riding the Waves—The Thrilling World of Surfing!
Are you ready to embark on an exhilarating journey into the thrilling world of surfing? Grab your boards and prepare to catch the ultimate adventure on the water. Read on as we dive into the art of riding the waves, exploring the excitement and joy that comes with harnessing the power of the ocean. Surfing is a sport that requires skill, courage, and a deep connection with the sea. So, wax up your boards, strap on your leash, and get ready to embrace the endless possibilities that await you on the surf.
Surfing is an ancient sport first described by European explorers of the South Pacific. Just like today, both men and women took part in surfing. Unlike today, they surfed wearing no clothes.
Surfing remained a hobby more than a sport until Olympic athlete Duke Kahanamoku popularized it in the early 1900s. Inexpensive new materials like plastic and fiberglass were introduced to surfboard design in the 1940s, making surfing even more popular and widespread. Today surfing is found around the world.
There are four major types of waves. Rolling waves are the most familiar waves, and the type most surfers prefer because they break in a stable pattern. Dumping waves are more unpredictable and are usually limited to experienced surfers. Surging waves are the most dangerous and are most often present on steep or rocky shores. Standing waves are also called stationary waves because they are constant and do not lose strength.
The concept of surfing may be simple, but the practice is not. Surfers paddle to the surf line, or the area of open water where waves break. There, they sit on their boards and watch waves roll in to shore. When surfers see a wave they can ride, they paddle quickly to catch the rising wave. Just as the wave breaks, the surfers jump from their bellies to their feet, crouching on their boards.
Surfboards are divided into two major categories: longboards and shortboards. Longboards can be slightly wider and thicker, making them more stable and buoyant, or able to stay afloat. Shortboards are much easier to maneuver but more difficult to ride. Besides longboarding and shortboarding, athletes can also specialize in big-wave surfing, wake surfing, and bodysurfing.
The United States isn’t the only place that has surfers. Surfers overpopulate the waves off Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia. Warm beaches like Bondi are not the only places surfers gather, surfers have dusted snow off their surfboards to chase waves off the coast of Antarctica, trekked through jungles to pristine beaches in Southeast Asia, shared the water with great white sharks in South Africa, and even ridden the “silver dragon,” the giant tidal bore of China’s Qiantang River.
Surfers are Ocean Athletes. They must know their physical skills and the environment. All surfers must be aware of weather patterns and topography or surface features of the shore. They must be strong swimmers. Surfers must also have an excellent sense of balance and be able to quickly react to changes in the environment.
If you are lucky enough to live by the ocean, maybe someday you can become a surfer and travel the world looking for the “perfect wave.”
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Life on Mars—A Journey to the Red Planet!
Greetings, future astronauts, and scientists! Are you ready to embark on an out-of-this-world adventure as we delve into the captivating realm of life on Mars? Joint us as we explore the mysteries of the Red Planet, envisioning a future where humans might one day call Mars their home. So, strap on your spacesuits, fasten your seatbelts, and let’s launch into a thrilling exploration of finding life on the mysterious and captivating planet of Mars!
We all know that NASA’s rovers have been searching for signs of ancient life on the Red Planet. They analyze rocks by looking at closeups of tiny segments of rock surfaces that might show evidence of past microbial activity. Early closeups have already yielded a trove of data from Martian rocks—such as a variety of colors, sizes of grains in the sediment, and even the presence of “cement” between the grains. Such details can provide important clues about formation history, water flow, and ancient, potentially habitable Martian environments.
A key objective for the current mission on Mars is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life. The current rovers will characterize the planet’s geology and past climate, pave the way for human exploration of the Red Planet, and be the first missions to collect and cache Martian rock and regolith (broken rock and dust).
Astrobiology is the branch of biology concerned with the study of life on earth and in space.
Subsequent NASA missions, in cooperation with ESA (European Space Agency), would send spacecraft to Mars to collect these sealed samples from the surface and return them to Earth for in-depth analysis.
The possibility of life on Mars is a subject of interest in astrobiology because of the planet’s proximity and similarities to Earth. Scientists have found no proof of past or present life on Mars yet. Cumulative evidence suggests that in the past, the surface environment of Mars had liquid water and may have been habitable for microorganisms, but habitable conditions do not necessarily indicate life.
Mars is of particular interest for the study of the presence of early life because of its similarity to the early Earth. This is especially true since Mars has a cold climate and lacks plate tectonics or continental drift, so it has remained almost unchanged since the end of the Hesperian period. At least two-thirds of Mars’ surface is over 3.5 billion years old, and it could have been habitable since 4.48 billions of years ago, 500 million years before the earliest known Earth lifeforms. Mars may thus hold the best record of the prebiotic conditions leading to life, even if life does not or has never existed there.
The Hesperian is a geologic system and time period on the planet Mars characterized by widespread volcanic activity and catastrophic flooding that carved immense outflow channels across the surface. During the Hesperian, Mars changed from the wetter and perhaps warmer world of the Noachian to the dry, cold, and dusty planet seen today. The Hesperian Period is roughly coincident with the Earth’s early Archean Eon (4,000 to 2,500 million years ago).
The Noachian is a geologic system and early time period on Mars, characterized by high rates of meteorite and asteroid impacts and the possible presence of abundant surface water. The absolute age of the Noachian period is uncertain but probably corresponds to the lunar Pre-Nectarian to Early Imbrian periods of 4100 to 3700 million years ago, during the interval known as the Late Heavy Bombardment.
Many of the large impact basins on the Moon and Mars formed at this time. The Noachian Period is roughly equivalent to the Earth’s Hadean and early Archean eons when the first life forms likely arose. It spans 400 million years, from the end of the Hadean Eon 4 billion years ago.
While we have not found life on Mars so far, that does not mean it did not exist. Who knows? Maybe someday in the future you just might be a scientist or engineer or computer expert who helps solve that mystery.
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Cat Behavior—Decoded
Wish you had a secret decoder that explained strange cat behavior? Get ready to decode their body language, understand their instincts, and discover the hidden messages behind those mesmerizing eyes. So, put on your detective hats, sharpen your observation skills, and let’s embark on a purr-fect journey into the captivating realm of cat behavior!
What is normal cat behavior? Stick with us and we will tell you—beginning with purring. Cats often purr when they’re feeling relaxed, but they may also purr to self-soothe if they are feeling stressed or are injured. When kittens are born, mama cats purr, creating a vibration to guide kittens to mom’s nipple to nurse. Cats will also purr to socialize with other cats and communicate with their owners that they want something.
When cats expose their bellies to us, they are saying they trust us. But when we take them up on this ‘offer’ by rubbing their bellies, they may retract it with a bite or a scratch, as it was only meant as communication.
Wagging its tail doesn’t mean the same thing that when a happy dog wags its tail. With a cat, the thrashing tail means ‘stop what you are doing or I am going to get angry and might bite you.’ Or else your cat is in hunting mode. Then you need to stay out of his way while he zeroes in on his prey.
You might have noticed that your cat loves napping and seemingly sleeps all the time. This trait has developed so that they can conserve energy for hunting.
Besides purring and meowing, another common cat noise is chirping. You might find your cat chirping as it stares out the window from the perch at a bird or when it greets a fellow feline. A cat’s chirp tends to mean one of two things: Its hunting instincts are activated as it spies a bird, bug, mouse, or toy. As it chirps, the cat’s tail twitches back and forth and its pupils dilate. Or, a cat may also chirp when it’s excited to see someone, be it a fellow cat…or you.
If you’ve spent any amount of time with a cat, you’ve likely seen them bat at something on a table until it falls off. This could be because of boredom, attention-seeking, hunting, or playfulness. They respond to the outcomes, too. If something rolls, it may become prey ‘running away’ and they will chase it. When you suddenly stop what you’re doing to run to your cat, your cat receives a reward that it can test over and over and over again.
Scratching—is a deeply ingrained behavior in cats. Cats have scent glands on their paws, and releasing the odor allows them to “mark” objects as their own. Other reasons include releasing energy or excitement, sharpening their claws, and simply because scratching is fun and feels good.
A cat will lick their humans to show care and affection. When your cat licks you, they are creating a special social bond with you. This licking behavior stems from kittenhood when a mama cat licks her kittens to groom and show affection. Along with licking you, cats tend to lick themselves—a lot! This is because they’re self-cleaning creatures, and their grooming habits are quite impressive. This means you don’t need to worry about routine baths and grooming in the same way you do for a dog.
You’re sitting there minding your own business, and here comes your kitty making all sorts of weird noises and carrying an object in her mouth. If you’re lucky, it’s one of her favorite toys, but cats are also known to bring their humans dead bugs, rodents, and birds. Your cat may bring you a prey item—such as a toy or mouse—presenting it to you as a gift. This is your cat saying you are part of their pack and they want to make sure you are well fed. They may also do this to repay you for feeding them, mimic their mother, or give you a gift.
Kittens use meows to communicate with their moms, but grown cats employ them solely to communicate with humans. Some cat breeds are chattier than others, but if your cat goes from not-that-frequent to frequent talking, it could be a sign that something’s off. A vet visit can help you figure out the issue.
Okay cat detective, now that you can decode your cat’s behavior—what is your cat saying to you?
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Volcanoes—Nature’s Fireworks
Hey there, curious minds! Let’s embark on an exciting journey to discover the amazing world of volcanoes. Strap on your adventure boots and get ready to be amazed! Volcanoes are majestic mountains with a fiery secret. Deep beneath the Earth’s surface, molten rock called magma builds up over time. When the pressure becomes too intense, the magma bursts out, creating a volcanic eruption. It’s like a natural firework show!
What is a volcano?
A volcano is an opening in a planet or moon’s crust through which molten rock, volcanic ash, and gases trapped under the surface erupt, often forming a hill or mountain.
Volcanic eruptions are partly driven by pressure from dissolved gases. Beneath a volcano, liquid magma containing dissolved gases rises through cracks in the Earth’s crust. As the magma rises, pressure decreases, allowing the gases to form bubbles. How the magma (lava) behaves when it reaches the surface depends on both its gas content and chemical composition. Lavas with low silica contents have low viscosities and flow freely, allowing any gas bubbles to escape readily. While lavas with high silica contents are more viscous (resistant to flow), so that any trapped gases escape gradually.
What is silica? Think of beach sand.
Silica, also called silicon dioxide, is a compound of the two most abundant elements in Earth’s crust, silicon and oxygen. The mass of Earth’s crust is 59 percent silica, the principal component of over 95 percent of the known rocks. Silica has three main crystalline varieties, with quartz being, by far, the most abundant variety. Silica sand is used in buildings and roads in the form of portland cement, concrete, and mortar. It also forms sandstone. Silica also is used in grinding and polishing glass and stone; and in the manufacture of glass and ceramics.
Volcanic eruptions are violent and can create colorful and dramatic displays. Volcanoes often form a hill or mountain as layers of rock and ash build up from repeated eruptions.
Volcanoes are classified as active, dormant, or extinct. Active volcanoes have a recent history of eruptions—like Hawaii’s volcanoes; they are likely to erupt again. Dormant volcanoes—like the Cascade Mountains in Washington state—have not erupted for a very long time, but may erupt at a future time. Extinct volcanoes are not expected to erupt in the future.
Inside an active volcano is a chamber in which molten rock, called magma, collects. Pressure builds up inside the magma chamber, causing the magma to move through channels in the rock and escape onto the planet’s surface. Once it flows onto the surface, the magma is known as lava.
Some volcanic eruptions are explosive, while others occur as a slow lava flow. Eruptions can occur through a main opening at the top of the volcano or through vents that form on the sides. The rate and intensity of eruptions, as well as the composition of the magma, determine the shape of the volcano.
Volcanoes are found on both land and the ocean floor. When volcanoes erupt on the ocean floor, they often create underwater mountains and mountain ranges as the released lava cools and hardens. Volcanoes on the ocean floor become islands when the mountains become so large they rise above the surface of the ocean. Like the Hawaiian Islands.
Hawaii’s Kilauea (pronounced kil-a-way-ah) volcano, one of the most active on Earth, has been erupting continuously, beginning Jan. 3, 1983. Kilauea erupted 200 years ago, sending speeding lava flows down its peaks and killing over 400 people, including Hawaiian warriors. It was the deadliest volcanic eruption on record in what is now the United States.
Kilauea means “spewing” or “much spreading” in Hawaiian. Which is a perfect name for one of Hawaii’s most awe-inspiring volcanoes.
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