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The Importance of introducing kids to nature - http://bit.ly/1p80X1T

The Importance of introducing kids to nature

Most children, while growing up, have a sense of adventure that is matched by nothing we experience when we become adults. As kids, we get excited at the prospect of being outside, running around, climbing trees, getting dirty and finding weird looking bugs in our gardens.

While most of the time this kind of activity seems like its just a simple part of growing up, or a part of a child’s life that they will eventually grow out of, it is an incredibly important part of the development in any child’s life that will stick with them long into their adult life.

 

Letting children enjoy and develop their relationship with the natural world will not only be beneficial for them, but for the natural world itself, since it is more likely that they will grow up with a healthy respect for all kinds of life, and will be more aware of how they affect climate change, and how to make a difference than if they are constantly sitting in front of the television.

Any direct access they have to the natural world will also give them some valuable experience and knowledge of how the world works for when they get to learn about biology and nature at school.

Many plants in your garden, as well as the insects and animals that may be living in and around them, will grow and develop over time, and being able to experience and learn about those processes will spark your child’s interest, or even allow them to start thinking about the world in a completely different way than they would if they were constantly indoors.

 

In addition to getting them to be more active physically and mentally, exposure to the natural world (even if it is mostly limited to your garden and the local park) will help them feel more comfortable with the idea of being in nature, and when it comes to their adult life, they will be more likely to be able to handle things like insects, spiders and snakes than they would if they viewed those things as dangerous, freaky and unusual.

 

Being in the garden more often means that they will pick up a few scrapes and nicks along the way, and possibly even a few bee stings. All of this will teach them that nature isn’t the horrible wilderness that it seems like, even though we all know that getting stung by a bee isn’t exactly the most enjoyable experience; at least they will be able to understand both how to handle themselves and to not freak out when they come across a lone spider trapped in their bathtub.

 

Written by: Wesley Geyer

Creative writer 

10 Strangest Natural Wonders

We’re all familiar with those natural wonders of the world that have gotten tons of publicity, being named on official lists, becoming officially protected heritage sites, and being featured in the background of all of our friends Facebook photos from their trips abroad. However, many of the greatest, and admittedly, strangest, natural wonders are still quite unknown by most of us. While there is no list long enough to go through every weird and wonderful natural site on the planet, since almost every country in the world has something that has formed naturally that would be considered out of the ordinary, the following (sourced from information available at traveandleiesure.com) is just a taste of what is out there. It doesn’t get much stranger than the natural world, and some of the things on this list would never have been imagined if they hadn’t been discovered first.

 

The Luray Caverns, Virginia, USA

 

In a 400-million-year-old cave system in rural Virginia you’ll find the world’s largest musical instrument. Visitors have been coming to the Luray Caverns to see limestone columns, stalactites, and stalagmites since the site’s discovery in 1878, and while the natural beauty of the underground world is its own draw, the main attraction is the Great Stalacpipe Organ, built in 1954. When the keys of the organ are pressed, a rubber mallet taps the cluster of nearby stalactites, producing varying tones that echo throughout the site’s sprawling network of caves.

 

Glowworm Cave, New Zealand

 

Quarter-inch-long bioluminescent glowworms that radiate a tiny blue light dangle from the ceiling of these caves deep in the lush, subtropical hills of New Zealand’s North Island. Visitors ride in an inflatable raft along the underground Waitomo River with Spellbound Glowworm & Cave Tours. Slowly adjusting to the darkness, they admire what looks like a turquoise starscape. Glowworms, which dangle sticky, filamentous “fishing lines”to catch insects, are scattered throughout many other caves, but their densely concentrated numbers here make this grotto unique in the world.

Carrera Lake, Chile

Six thousand years of wave erosion created the undulating patterns that give these caves their marbleized effect, enhanced by the reflection of the blue and green water of Carrera Lake, near Chile’s border with Argentina. Although the area is threatened by a plan to build a dam nearby, for now, visitors can kayak throughout the caves on days when the waters are calm.

Lake Retba, Senegal

It looks as if someone poured a giant bottle of Pepto-Bismol into Lake Retba—that’s how deeply pink these waters are. The color is actually caused by a particular kind of algae called Dunaliella salinathat produces a pigment. The salt content is extremely high, reaching 40 percent in some spots and allowing the algae to thrive (and swimmers to float effortlessly on the surface of the 10-foot-deep lake). Blinding white piles of salt line the shores, and locals work several hours a day harvesting salt from the bright pink water.

 

Sailing Stones, Death Valley, USA

No one has ever seen one of the “sailing stones”on Death Valley’s Racetrack Playa move, but evidence of their travels is visible in the long track marks that trail behind them in the dusty ground. Scientists aren’t sure exactly how the rocks—which can weigh hundreds of pounds—make their way across the dry lake bed. The prevailing theory is that when the rocks are wet or icy, they’re pushed along the flat playa by strong winds. The deep groove marks they leave behind indicate they may travel up to 700 feet from their point of origin.

Caño Cristales, Colombia

Folks make the journey into central Colombia’s Serranéa de la Macarena national park to see why Caño Cristales has inspired nicknames like the River of Five Colors, the Liquid Rainbow, and even the Most Beautiful River in the World. It’s important to get the timing right: when the water reaches the perfect levels (usually between July and December), it becomes a kaleidoscope of pink, green, blue, and yellow as a plant called the Macarenia clavigera, which lives on the river floor, gets the sun it needs to bloom into an explosion of colors.

The Eye of the Sahara, Mauritania

 

This enormous depression, circular in shape and stretching 25 miles wide, is like a bull’s-eye mark in the middle of an otherwise flat and featureless area of Mauritania desert. Visible from space, it has been a landmark for astronauts since the earliest missions. The Eye isn’t the result of any target practice by aliens; rather, it formed as winds eroded the different layers of sediment, quartzite, and other rocks at varying depths.

The Stone Forest, China

 

Many of the trees within the forest in China’s remote Yunnan Province are rock hard, literally. The area, which spans nearly 200 square miles, was underwater 270 million years ago, and the sea floor was covered with limestone sediment. Gradually, the seabed rose and the water dried up. As rain and wind eroded the weaker rock, the stronger limestone spires began to take shape. Now they rise skyward, surrounded by leafy trees.

Blood Falls, Antarctica

 

A shockingly macabre shade of what looks like blood cascades down the pale face of Taylor Glacier. When scientists first discovered these falls in the McMurdo Dry Valleys in 1911, they thought algae colored the dark red water that spewed from a crack in the glacier. It turns out the hue comes from high iron levels in the falls’source, a pool buried 1,300 feet below the ice. In a sinister twist, the landscape is so arid that when seals and penguins wander inland and get lost, they never decompose; their remains are left strewn about.

Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, Philippines

 

The five-mile-long Puerto Princesa Subterranean River on the island of Palawan is the world’s longest navigable underground river. It flows to the South China Sea through a nearly 15-mile-long cave that’s lined with stalactites and stalagmites and contains the largest cave chamber in the world. The surrounding park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that’s equally impressive and is home to more than 800 plant species, 165 kinds of birds, 30 mammal species, 19 varieties of reptiles, and nine different species of bats.

Different bird species

Most of us interact with birds on a daily basis, yet a lot of the time we view them as quite a regular part of our lives. Sure, most of the birds we encounter in the city tend to be pigeons or finches, but even those are more extraordinary than they seem if you take a closer look. Apart from these, there are thousands of species of birds, each distinctly coloured and shaped and each behaving in their own unique ways, competing for territory and filling the skies with the sounds we sometimes take for granted. Here are a few examples of the incredible variety you might encounter if you only look to wards the sky:

 

Peregrine Falcon:

 

One of the most common birds in the world, peregrine falcons are found on every continent except Antarctica. In North America, the birds are found along the eastern, western and Gulf of Mexico coastlines, and inland throughout the Rocky Mountain region as well as throughout Alaska and Mexico.

These birds prefer open habitats near water, and they have also adapted to urban environments, largely through repopulation programs. Northern and southern populations will migrate seasonally, and all peregrine falcons are nomadic in search of food.

These birds of prey are powerful, swift flyers. They will soar in search of food, diving at speeds of 175 miles per hour or faster as they attack. Peregrine falcons have large territories and will return to the same breeding and nesting sites for generations.

Common Bronzewing:

In many parts of the world, doves and pigeons are relatively bland birds, but the common bronzewing of Australia has some of the most colorful plumage of any pigeon in the world. One look at its iridescent wings, and no birder will think there's anything "common" about this bird. Males have a gray body with a buff forehead and pink wash on the breast. A thick white line runs beneath the eye and around the cheek.

The dark wings have buff edges and show iridescent tips that may appear green, blue, violet, red, orange or yellow in good light. The blue-gray tail has a dark subterminal band. Legs and feet are red. Females are similar but have a gray forehead, lack the pinkish breast and show less wing iridescence.

Common bronzewings are shy birds and are generally cautious, though not skittish, around humans. They feed on the ground, often scratching through leaf litter in their preferred low scrub habitat, and will freeze if threatened, flushing into rapid flight only when a predator approaches more closely. These birds are frequently solitary but may be found in pairs or small groups near superior water sources and feeding areas.

Baltimore Oriole:

Named for the colorful coat of arms carried by Lord Baltimore in the 17th century, the Baltimore oriole is a brilliantly colored songbird welcome in many backyards. Once combined with its western counterpart as a single species, the northern oriole, the Baltimore oriole today is recognized as a distinct species and is the state bird of Maryland.

These orioles can be very shy, solitary birds for most of the year, though after the nesting season they are likely to appear in pairs or small mixed flocks, particularly while foraging in the fall and winter.

They forage in shrubs, bushes and trees, hunting for insects or picking through flowers. Where the Baltimore oriole’s range overlaps with the Bullock’s oriole, interbreeding and hybridization is common.

Swallow-Tailed Hummingbird:

One of the largest hummingbirds, the swallow-tailed hummingbird is also one of the most beautiful, graceful and distinctive. Because of its large size, the swallow-tailed hummingbird is a dominant bird and can be very aggressive.

Both males and females will dive bomb and chase intruders away from feeders, nectar-rich flowers and nesting areas. In addition to feeding on nectar, they will hawk insects in flight. Swallow-tailed hummingbirds are common year-round residents in southeastern Brazil, southern Bolivia and along the coast of French Guiana.

They can be readily found in urban and suburban open areas such as parks and gardens, where they will feed on flowers or flowering trees. These hummingbirds do not migrate.

American Goldfinch:

With its bright yellow plumage, perky behavior and melodious song, the American goldfinch is one of the most highly sought after backyard birds. Found throughout the United States, this common bird is a welcome guest for many backyard birders.

American goldfinches are one of the most common and widespread backyard birds in North America and can be found in open fields, scrub forest and suburban habitats. Populations in southern Canada and the southern United States migrate seasonally but may linger where food sources are abundant.

Goldfinches may congregate in small or medium mixed flocks during the fall and winter, often with pine siskins or other finches. These birds are mildly aggressive while feeding and become more territorial during breeding season. American goldfinches can easily feed upside down and are often found clinging to seed heads or specialized feeders.

Atlantic Puffin:

Often called the "clown of the sea" or "parrot of the sea," the Atlantic puffin is instantly recognizable for its colorful bill and clown-like eye markings. Unique and engaging, this bird is also the official provincial birdof Newfoundland and Labrador. Aptly named, Atlantic puffins congregate on the Atlantic coast.

They can be found year round on rocky islands from northern Maine to Nova Scotia and Labrador, as well as along the western coast of Greenland. In summer, these birds breed and nest in colonies on rocky coastlines, cliffs and islands from northern Maine and eastern Canada to the United Kingdom and Scandinavia, including suitable locations in large bays.

Atlantic puffins spend the winter at sea, with a range extending from the Arctic Circle to as far south as North Carolina, and in Europe as far south as Spain and Morocco. These are social birds that gather in large summer colonies with other seabirds, where they can become quite tame.

While awkward on land, they are superb swimmers and can dive up to 200 feet deep while fishing, though shallower dives are more typical. They arrange several fish perpendicular to their bills when hunting and transport the food back to the nest with heads and tails dangling out either side of their bills

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Did You Know?

The Ross & Filchner-Ronne ice shelves in the Antartic are the world's largest floating expanses of ice.

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Quote of the day

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Do You Know What A Peninsula is?

A piece of land almost surrounded by water or projecting out into a body of water.

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The World's Strongest Earthquakes

1.Chile (Valdivia) 9.5-1960
2.Alaska (Good Friday Earthquake) 9.2 1964
3.Underearth Earthquake off the coast of Sumatra 9.1 2004
4.Russia (Kamchata) 9.0 1952
5.Off the coast of Ecuador 8.8 1957
6.Alaska (Andereanof Island) 8.8 1957
7. Alaska (Rat Island) 8.7 1965
8.North Sumtra 8.6 2005
9 .India (Assam) 8.6 1950
10.Indonesia (Banda Sea) 8.6 1938

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The Deepest Sea Depths

1.Bellingshausen Sea 4,830 m
2.Dumont d'Urville Sea 4,725m
3.Amundsen Sea 4,460m
4.Ross Sea 4,175m
5.Weddell Sea 4,037m
6.Cooperation Sea 3,500m
7.Davis Sea 3,082m

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The World's Largest Coral Reefs

1.Great Barrier Reef ,Australia 348 700sq.km
2.New Caledonia Barrier Reef,New Caledonia 15,743sq.km
3.Andros ,Bahamas 6000sq.km
4.Belize Barrier Reef,Belize 963sq.km
5.East Rennell,Solomon Islands 370sq.km
6.Tubbataha Reef, Philipines 332sq.km

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The Largest Meteorite Finds:

Mass in tonnes

1.Hoba,Namibia (60 tonnes)
2.Campo-del-Cielo ,Argentina (37 tonnes)
3.Cape York, Greenland (31tonnes)
4.Armanty,China (28 tonnes)
5.Bacubirito ,Mexico (22tonnes)
6.Cape York ,Greenland (20.1 tonnes)
7.Mbosi,Tanzinia (16tonnes)
8.Campo-del-Cielo,Argentina (14,9 tonnes)

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Did You Know?

The Great Rift Valley runs southward from Syria to Mozambique for 6,000km.

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