Mind Gem
The earth may be the place we all call home, however, there are a few fascinating facts that you probably do not know about your homeland. In a world filled with nature, science and interesting places, it can be a bit cumbersome to catch up on all the latest news. So, just take a few bites at a time, and prepare to be amazed.
1. Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateapokaiwhenuakitanatahu
What the heck? No joke here.
Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateapokaiwhenuakitanatahu is a real place on planet earth belonging to New Zealand. A beautiful and mysterious hill, this scenic place holds the record for the longest word for a geographic location at the present time.
Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateapokaiwhenuakitanatah, known to the locals as simply Taumata, this is a Maori name used for a hill. We are currently using the short version with 85 letters, however the longer version, Taumata-whakatangihanga-koauau-o-Tamatea-haumai-tawhiti-ure-haea-turi-pukaka-piki-maunga-horo-nuku-pokai-whenua-ki-tana-tahu has 105 letters.
2. Earth’s Big, Bad Bodyguard
Our solar system is a fine collection of planets, yet none is so as neighborly as Jupiter when it comes to protecting the Earth. Jupiter’s massive size and pathway to shelter the Earth in the solar system gives Jupiter a type of bodyguard status to block and eject harmful comets from striking the Earth. Without Jupiter\’s defending mechanism, poor old Earth would take a beating from the fierce flying objects cruising through space.
3. Sand Tiger Sharks
The earth has always been a place for the survival of the fittest, and for some creatures, that battle comes sooner rather than later. The sand tiger shark in the womb will fight for its life with rival siblings in a deadly game of who is going to eat who. With few defenses and no where to run, the last surviving sand tiger shark is the one who will be born.
Putting Earth’s life forces in perspective, human disagreements seem a bit innocuous. So the next time you engage in some heated sibling rivalry, remind your little brother that you are not going to eat him.
