221 Facts Tell Me What

A shell is the hard outer covering of a living thing. It provides protection to the organism. It is either made by the creature itself or by its parent. Shells are composed of calcium carbonate (lime) and silica or lignin (woody material). Most common shells are eggshells, shells around the body of a crab or […]

The common features of insects are a segmented body which means their bodies are divided into three parts: head, thorax and abdomen, jointed legs which can be six or more. Insects also have an exoskeleton which is the hard covering over their bodies. Insects are both harmful and useful. Harmful insects include beetles, mosquitoes, houseflies,

Zoology is the study of animals. It can be sub-divided into many disciplines, such as ornithology, the study of birds; primatology, the study of primates; ichthyology, the study of fish and entomology, the study of insects, etc. It gives us an in-depth knowledge to understand wildlife, animals, the environment and ourselves. It studies the way

Vegetable oils are oils extracted from plant seeds. Some common sources are corn, mustard, soybean, sunflower and coconut. These oils are extracted by pressing the seeds between rollers or by treating the seeds with chemicals. They can be used for edible or inedible purposes. For example, corn and olive oil are used in salads and

A raisin is a dried grape. It may be eaten raw or can be used in cooking, baking and brewing. Traditionally, grapes are dried in the sun, but they are sometimes also water-dipped and artificially dehydrated. Raisin varieties depend on the kinds of grapes. They can be differentiated on the basis of size, colour and

Stems are the part of a plant that grows above the ground. Certain stems show modifications. These stems are unique as they grow differently and have special functions. There are different kinds of modified stems. Some grow horizontally underground near the soil surface such as potatoes. A strawberry grows horizontally above the ground, along the

Nutmeg is a popular fragrant spice. There are at least 80 types of nutmeg. The most common one grows on a striking evergreen tree which has a 7-metre high straight trunk. The tree bears fruit after 8 years of growth. The fruit is pear-shaped and golden yellow in colour. The fruit opens in halves. The

Moss is a small flowerless green plant. It has no true roots. It absorbs water and minerals from the soil. It forms low green carpets on the surface of the ground in damp habitats such as rainforests and woodlands. It also grows on moist rocks. As the rocks dry, the moss also dries up, but

Mildew is a parasitic fungus. It grows in moist, hot air and is found on cloth, fibre, leather goods, strawberry, etc. For example, if strawberry is left in a warm and moist place for many hours, it gets covered with a net of cobweb like threads and blackish powder-like substance. This is mildew. Mildew can

Osmosis is the passage of water and dissolved substances through a semi-permeable membrane. This membrane allows transfer of selective particles only. In plants, osmosis can be observed between roots and soil where water and nutrients from soil pass into roots through root hair. In animals, osmosis can be observed in the small intestine where nutrients

Eucalyptus is a very unique looking tree. It has leathery leaves which hang downwards and a tall, straight trunk which is mostly white in colour. It is a very fast growing tree which can sometimes grows 4 metres in a year. Some eucalyptus trees grow as tall as 140 metres. These trees are very useful

When a tree-trunk is cut down, several alternating dark and light bands can be seen. A pair of dark and light band is referred as an annual ring. The annual ring is an indicator of the age of a tree. The older tree, the more the number of rings it will have. The bands in

There are certain plants that feed upon insects. These plants are called carnivorous plants. Most of carnivorous plants are found in and around water. Bladderwort, Venus flytrap, Pitcher plant and Cobra lily are the examples of carnivorous plants. These plants grow in soil that lacks nutrients. Due to this reason they have evolved and developed

Cellulose is a type of carbohydrate present in the cell walls of plants. It gives flexibility to the plant. It is found in many foods, like lettuce, celery and bran. Cellulose provides roughage in human diet. However, it cannot be digested by humans. Only herbivores such as horses and cows can digest it. Raw cotton

Water lilies are aquatic plants that are found growing along the sides of ponds, lakes or streams. Lilies can be seen growing near gardens and small pools. They are also found growing in wilderness. They have big rounded leaves or lilypads and white, yellow or pink flowers. Each flower at least has six petals. Water