Fast Facts At Random ▶ Australia is wider than the moon. ▶ Allodoxaphobia is the fear of other people’s opinions. ▶ Mellifluous is a sound that is pleasingly smooth and musical to hear. ▶ The Spice Girls were originally a band called Touch. ▶ Nutmeg is a hallucinogen. ▶ Competitive art used to be a competitive sport. ▶ A chef’s hat has 100 pleats. ▶ The Spanish national anthem has no words. ▶ The real name for a hashtag is an octothorpe. ▶ An ultracrepidarian is someone voicing thoughts beyond their expertise. ▶ A jiffy is actually a unit of time – 1/100th of a second. ▶ A crocodile cannot stick its tongue out. ▶ It would take 19 minutes to fall to the centre of the Earth. ▶ Only 10 per cent of the population is left-handed. ▶ Julius Caesar was stabbed 23 times before he died. A Nod to Autumn Bits of information about fall that you may not know. ▶ Spiders get bigger and more active. ▶ Furry animals get thicker fur. ▶ It takes 40 apples to make one gallon of cider. ▶ Superstition says that catching a falling leaf is good luck. ▶ People living near the equator do not have an autumn season. ▶ Pumpkins are botanically classified as fruits. ▶ Men and women have higher levels of testosterone at this time of year. ▶ Early pumpkin pies had pumpkin skins as the crust. ▶ Trick or treating goes back to the Celts. ▶ Bobbing for apples was a British invention. ▶ The autumn equinox is different each year. ▶ Pumpkins are 90 per cent water. ▶ There are 7,500 varieties of fall apples. ▶ The night sky changes in autumn, bringing its own special stars. ▶ Samhainophobia is the fear of Hallowe’en. All About Squirrels There’s much to know about these interesting critters. ▶ They live in almost every habitat, from tropical rainforest to semi-arid desert. ▶ They avoid only high polar regions and the driest of deserts. ▶ Adult squirrels have a lifespan of five to 10 years in the wild. ▶ They mate once or twice a year. ▶ About 285 species of them have been found worldwide. ▶ In Canada, there are 23 species. ▶ The biggest squirrels are seven times larger than the smallest. ▶ Their front teeth never stop growing. ▶ The word “squirrel” comes from the Greek word for “shadow tail.” ▶ Only a few of them hibernate. ▶ Flying varieties don’t technically fly, they actually glide. ▶ They lose 25 per cent of their buried food. ▶ They zigzag to avoid predators. ▶ A newborn is about an inch long. ▶ They are intelligent, acrobatic and adaptable. ▶ Their hind limbs are longer than their front limbs. ▶ They steal food from each other. ▶ At top speed, they can run 20 mph. Walk the Walk The health benefits of regular walking are many. ▶ Strengthens the heart. ▶ Improves circulation and lowers blood pressure. ▶ Burns calories and helps maintain a healthy weight. ▶ Can help manage stress. ▶ Improves sleep. ▶ Boosts the immune system. ▶ Reduces the risk of chronic diseases. ▶ Aids balance and co-ordination. ▶ Can strengthen muscles. ▶ People who regularly walk tend to live longer. ▶ Boosts brain power. ▶ Improves mental health. ▶ Eases joint pain. Answers to Outside the Box puzzles from page 54 1. A little off colour 2. Double bill 3. Up in arms 4. A fool and his money are soon parted 5. A diamond in the rough 6. A dime, a dozen “The heat of autumn is different than the heat of summer. One ripens apples, the other turns them to cider.” - Jane Hirshfield 58 | www.snowbirds.org
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