DID You Know . . . ? (October 2010)
1. Albinism is fairly common in American robins and can occur in various levels, from complete lack of pigment to just patches of white. 2. Mercury is a potent neurotoxin that effects the central nervous system. Even a spill of a few drops of mercury can produce harmful vapor levels in enclosed spaces. Since mercury vapor is colorless and odorless, you will not know that your indoor air is being contaminated. Common household items containing mercury are flourescent light bulbs, fever thermometers, irons and thermostats. 3. Sugar maple and Black maple trees both yield sap that contains 2-3 percent sugar, a product of photosynthesis in leaves during the previous growing season. This means that 30 to 40 gallons of sap, on average, must be boiled down to make one gallon of syrup. 4. The word "squash" comes from the Narragansett native american word askutasquash, which means "eaten raw or uncooked." 5. In the United States, 34 of the states are using the damaging process called hydro-fracking, which extracts natural gas in gas shale deposits. |