This is the September 2023 edition of the fascinating facts Newsletter, which includes a broad range of interesting topics. This includes information about Millenium Development goals, modern communication and the fabulous bee..
Fascinating Facts September 2023 Contents
You can download the full newsletter to read HERE, however some snippets are listed below.
Millennium Development Goals – Food
In 2000, world leaders gathered at the United Nations to shape a broad vision to fight poverty. They translated this into eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) an overarching development framework for the world. The MDG target of reducing by half the proportion of people living in extreme poverty was achieved in 2010, well ahead of the 2015 deadline. The proportion of undernourished people in the developing regions fell by almost half. But a lot of work still needs to be done, work now the focus of the Sustainable Development Goals. (SDGs). FIND OUT MORE…
Food is at the core of the SDGs, the UN’s development agenda for the 21st century. The second of the UN’s 7 SDGs is to “End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.” Achieving this goal by 2030 will still require a profound change in the global food and agriculture system. FIND OUT MORE…
THE GLOBAL VILLAGE A WORLD OF 100 PEOPLE
Initially, a messenger would take days or weeks to carry information to the intended audience. Later, newspapers, televisions, and radios were invented, shortening the time taken to spread information across the world. Modern technologies have led to instant communication through social media platforms, such as Facebook and WhatsApp. FIND OUT MORE…
FABULOUS BEE
We are all familiar with the benefits of honey and the work of the honeybee. We take it all for granted, but what are the facts? How do they do it? Here are some interesting facts—some may amaze you!
It is estimated that there are at least 2 trillion bees worldwide, divided into about 20,000 species. But the honeybee, known as Apis melliera is the best known. Its Latin name Apis probably has Egyptian roots, but is also related to the Greek word for ‘swarm’, and Mellifera means honey-bearing. FIND OUT MORE…
HYBRID ANIMALS
Hybrid animals are not as common as purebred animals. Occurring naturally in the wild a hybrid animal is the result of breeding between two different species of animals. Zoos can also create hybrid animals and breeding facilities for conservation and preservation purposes. However, the hybrid offspring may not breed hybrid animals, also known as crossbreeds. They were originally developed to create a desired physical trait or behaviour in the hybrid animal. But combining two different species has been around for centuries.
There are potential benefits of hybrid animals over purebreds. One is they tend to be healthier due to increased genetic diversity, by possessing certain beneficial traits from both parents. Such as greater intelligence or athleticism compared to their purebred counterparts. Additionally, they may need less maintenance than purebreds as they are hardier and do not need specialised treatments or diets. FIND OUT MORE…
THE PLAIN OF JARS
The unusual scattering of thousands of megalithic jars across nearly one hundred sites deep in the mountains of northern Laos has fascinated archaeologists and scientists since their discovery in the 1930s. The site on the Xieng Khouang plain is one of the most enigmatic archaeological areas of interest on Earth. FIND OUT MORE…
MONSTER HAUL TRUCKS
As Editor of Construction Plant and Equipment in the 1980s, I visited many construction sites and factories where these monster machines are made and used. I drove some and, forgetting their size, was impressed how easy it was. But the big difference was special. One of the largest was a Caterpillar with 9 gears controlled by a 3 gear manual box linked to a 3 gear automatic gear box. In the first manual gear, one had 3 automatic gears, repeated in each gear change. Here are the largest dump trucks. FIND OUT MORE…
NORWAY’S SVALBARD GLOBAL SEED VAULT
Like a huge bank deposit box, set deep inside an icy mountain on an island between Norway and the Artic circle is a resource of critical importance for the future of humankind. It’s not precious minerals, but valueless seeds from more than 930,000 varieties of food sources. Millions of these tiny brown specks,
From crops worldwide, are stored in the Global Seed Vault on Spitsbergen, part of Norway’s Svalbard archipelago. The farthest north flight on a commercial airline, in the vast white expanse of frozen emptiness. FIND OUT MORE…
