February 28, 2016

For my friends in New York and looking forward to this year's Sakura Matsuri...


Did you know that the sakura trees in the Brooklyn Botanical Garden are a type of Yaezakura called Kanzan? One of the most common sakura trees in Japan is called Somei Yoshino. The flowers are pale pink and have five petals. The Yaezakura flowers have more than five petals. The Kanzan can have blossoms with up to 50 petals each AND they're bright pink. So it's no wonder that it rains pink at the Sakura Matsuri.

February 27, 2016

Did you know that snow monkeys (also called Japanese macaques) have learned to use coins to buy food from vending machines? Now there is a rumor going around about these monkeys stealing purses and wallets, so they can obtain the coins. Is this true? I've seen clips of these guys taking hats or snacks...but money too? xD

February 26, 2016

Did you know that there are fireflies in the ocean? The firefly squid (ほたるいか in Japanese) is about three inches long. The animal has photophores that allow it to produce light. This bioluminescence protects the squid from predators. When predators are looking up from the ocean depths, the bright light emitted from the squid allows it to blend in with the light shining from the sun/moon. In other words, there is no shadow from above so the predators think there is no prey. Each year, the firefly squids travel to Toyama Bay for spawning. Since these squid only live for about a year, many wash up on the shores and provide tasty snacks for both the seabirds and locals. Just be sure to eat them cooked.

February 25, 2016

Did you know that trepanning was a Medieval surgical procedure in which a hole is scraped into a person's head? The purpose was to expose the dura mater, which lies underneath the skull, to treat health problems involving the brain. When someone acted funny or complained of a chronic migraine, they had a hole drilled in their head to release evil spirits. However trepanning was also used as an emergency surgery for removing shattered pieces of bone in the head.

February 10, 2016

Did you know that adding salt to an ice and water mixture actually makes it stay cooler longer? At 0°C the rate at which the ice melts equals the rate at which the water freezes. When salt is added, it lowers the freezing point. In other words a lower temperature is required to freeze the water. So it the ice initially melts, but the salt also chills the surrounding water. As the ice melts, all that cold water mixes with the water already present. Thanks to the salt, the water can reach a temperature lower than the original freezing point. Since the specific heat of water is higher than ice, the water can absorb more heat.