Easy like Sunday morning

A look at some bigly matters

August 26, 2017 04:31 pm | Updated 04:31 pm IST

Rafflesia, the land plant without a gene for chloroplasts.

Rafflesia, the land plant without a gene for chloroplasts.

1. On August 28, 1883, at 10:41 a.m., the loudest ever natural explosion occurred. At 310 dB, it was heard 5,000 km away. Sailors 60 km away from the site had their eardrums punctured and the pressure wave it caused was recorded on barographs all over the world. The pressure was so immense it travelled around the globe three and a half times. What catastrophic event caused this?

2. Thimmamma Marrimanu is in Kadiri, Andhra Pradesh. Legend has it that Thimmamma was the wife of a Bala Veerayya who died in 1434 and she committed sati. Marrimanu is said to have sprung up at that place. It is in the Guinness Book of World Records for covering an area of 4.7 acres. What is Thimmamma Marrimanu?

3. The largest fish in the world can grow up to a whopping 45 feet and weigh 30 tonnes! As huge as this fish is, and however villainous its species is considered to be, this family is actually very gentle and feeds on nothing bigger than plankton. Its misleading name is just a description of its size and not its actual biological description. Found in Gujarat and Lakshwadeep, it is unfortunately in the Endangered list due to the impact of overfishing and vessel strikes. What majestic fish is this?

4. The Rafflesia is a genus of parasitic flowering plants which has no stems, leaves or true roots. The only part of the plant that can be seen outside the host vine is the five-petalled flower which can grow up to three feet across and weigh 10 kg, making it the largest single flower in the world. It is unique as it is also the only land plant without a gene for chloroplasts. One other thing that sets it apart is its smell, which is meant to attract flies for pollination. What smell does it have? (See pic)

5. A canoe is defined as a light, narrow boat with pointed ends and no keel, propelled with a paddle or paddles. In 2008, one particular canoe made it to the Guinness Book of World Records with a crew of 118 rowers, two rhythm men, five helmsmen and 18 singers—measuring a record 143 feet in length. Part of a sport called ‘Vallam Kali’, what type of boat is this and where did it happen?

6. The Great Wall of China is huge, but it cannot be seen from space. There is, however, a natural structure which covers 344,400 sq.km. and pictures have been taken of it from the International Space Station. This huge system though, is formed by marine invertebrates that are hardly an inch across. What magnificent natural wonder is this?

7. Paris japonica is a rare Japanese species of plants which has showy, white, star-like flowers. It is quite valued as an ornamental plant. The plant is about 70 cm high. But it is the current record holder for the largest size of something that is essential to life. Humans, the most highly evolved species (or so people like to think) have three billion of these entities. This unassuming plant has a whopping 150 billion of the same! This interesting phenomenon is known as the C-value paradox. What does the plant have 50 times more of than us?

8. The highest mountain in the world is Mount Everest at 8,848 m. But it is not the tallest mountain in the world! Tallness is measured from base of a mountain to its tip. By that measure, Mt. Mauna Kea at 10,205m is much higher. But most of it is under the Pacific Ocean. The part we see is only 4,200 m tall but that part is the highest point of which island?

9. Covering 70 lakh sq.km. and spreading over nine countries, this ecosystem represents half of the remaining green cover on Earth. Every year it absorbs 2.2 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide. One in 10 known species in the world lives here. This constitutes the largest collection of living plants and animal species in the world. Scientists believe that less than 1% of the flowering plant species there have been studied in detail for their medicinal potential. With it disappearing so rapidly, the continuity of this knowledge for the benefit of future generations is under threat. What is this vital resource which we are destroying at a relentless and foolish pace?

10. The Great Stalacpipe Organ stretches across an area of three acres, and can be heard throughout the 64-acre enclosure. The Inventor used a natural formation found hanging from the ceiling area to produce the musical notes for the instrument. These are struck by rubber mallets controlled by an organ-styled keyboard. Given the wonderfully worded name of this instrument, where would you find this huge musical instrument?

Answers

1. The eruption of the Volcano Krakatoa in Indonesia

2. It’s a Banyan tree. (The world’s largest tree)

3. Whale Shark

4. Rotting Flesh, hence known as the ‘corpse flower’

5. Snake Boat in Kerala

6. The great barrier reef in Australia

7. Amount of DNA in the nucleus.

8. Hawaii

9. The Amazon Rainforest

10. Inside a cave. The formations are stalactites which resound at a particular note.

A molecular biologist from Madurai, our quizmaster enjoys trivia and music, and is working on a rock ballad called ‘Coffee is a Drink, Kaapi is an Emotion’. @bertyashley

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