Golf Gab Stuff you may not know about the ancient sport. ▶ The sport began in Scotland in the mid-1400s. ▶ Early golf balls were made of wood, followed by leather-covered spheres filled with goose feathers. ▶ Golf balls travel farther on hot days. ▶ There’s a 12,500 to 1 chance of making a hole-in-one. ▶ Walking 18 holes burns more than 2,000 calories. ▶ The rubber core golf ball of today was invented in 1898. ▶ There are approximately 39,000 golf courses worldwide. ▶ Tiger Woods made his first hole-in-one at eight years old. ▶ The word “golf” was derived from the old Dutch word “kolf” or “kolve” meaning club. ▶ The average modern golf ball has 336 dimples. ▶ The first golf tee patent was issued in 1889. ▶ Only 5% to 7% of all golfers play left-handed. ▶ Most first golf courses in Scotland were village greens and cattle pastures. Random Trivia ▶ About 700 grapes go into one bottle of wine. ▶ A group of bunnies is called a “fluffle.” ▶ A baby puffin is called a “puffling.” ▶ The speed of a computer mouse is measured in “Mickeys.” ▶ Earlobes have no biological purpose. ▶ About 8-10% of people grind their teeth during sleep. ▶ Most ginger cats are male. ▶ A rainbow on Venus is called a glory. ▶ All mammals get goosebumps. ▶ A lightning bolt is five times hotter than the surface of the Sun. ▶ There’s enough gold inside Earth to coat the planet. ▶ Lemons float, but limes sink. ▶ A cow-bison hybrid is called a beefalo. ▶ There were active volcanoes on the moon when dinosaurs were alive. ▶ Bees can fly higher than Mount Everest. ▶ Penicillin was first called “mould juice.” ▶ Sudan has more ancient pyramids than Egypt. ▶ An ostrich’s eye is bigger than its brain. ▶ “Stewardesses” is the longest English word that is typed with the left hand only. Fast Facts Firefly Fundamentals The lightning bugs of summer are complex little creatures. ▶ Despite their name, they are not true flies. ▶ Fireflies are actually winged beetles. ▶ Special organs in their soft bodies are used to produce cold light. ▶ Purpose of the lightning is to attract mates and deter predators, and to communicate with other members of their species. ▶ There are more than 2,000 species worldwide. ▶ Firefly eggs and larvae glow. ▶ They are primarily carnivorous. ▶ Not all fireflies light up. ▶ Adults typically live for only three to four weeks. ▶ They live on every continent except Antarctica. ▶ Their diet is nectar and pollen. ▶ Firefly lights can be yellow, green or orange. ▶ A chemical reaction within firefly bodies produces their bioluminescent lights. ▶ They need a moist environment to survive. Sunflower Season Here’s the nitty-gritty on these glorious summer bloomers. ▶ The head of a single flower can contain up to 2,000 seeds. ▶ They belong to the daisy family. ▶ There are more than 70 species, including colours other than common yellow. ▶ The largest variety is called The Titan. ▶ Its petals and seeds are used to create natural dyes. ▶ They are native to North America. ▶ Some of them have multiple heads on a single stalk. ▶ They can self-pollinate to reproduce. ▶ They were a favourite subject for painters such as Vincent Van Gogh and Diego Rivera. ▶ The tallest ever recorded grew to a ginormous 30 feet. ▶ They follow the sun’s movement, hence the name. ▶ Their petals are edible. ▶ They have been cultivated for thousands of years. ▶ Their seeds can be processed into flour. ▶ They are used in the cosmetics industry. Answers to Outside the Box puzzles from page 50 1. Down payment 2. Wholesale 3. Part-time job 4. Chicken-out 5. Split-shift 6. The walls have ears 54 | www.snowbirds.org
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MzMzNzMx