MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Do Camels Really Store Water In Their Humps?
Anyone who’s ever watched a cartoon knows that camels store water in their humps…right? Or do they?
Water isn’t the only scarce desert resource; food is, too. And because of that scarcity, camels consume as much food as they possibly can (when it’s available), storing the excess fat in their humps & drawing from that reserve whenever there’s no food available. Camels can actually survive for several months without eating, sometimes losing up to 40% of their body weight in the process.
So, while a camel’s hump doesn’t actually store water, their humps may help them preserve some of the precious water from elsewhere in their bodies. By confining fat to that one spot (the hump), rather than storing it throughout the body like other mammals, most of a camel’s surface area doesn’t provide insulating heat, which helps keep its body temperature low during the day, as it doesn’t need to sweat. Then, when night falls and the desert gets cold, the heat that’s been insulated in their humps gets dispersed, keeping the camel warm.
As far as staying hydrated, camels don’t so much lock water away in storage but rather they use it as efficiently as possible. Some camels, like Arabian or dromedary camels (which have one hump), as well as Bactrian camels (which have two humps) can guzzle around 30 gallons of water in 13 minutes, thanks in part to their elliptical blood cells, which are optimal for water absorption and blood flow. And because they urinate so infrequently, as well as create feces so dry you can actually burn them, and since their body temperature can rise as high as 106°F before needing to disseminate some of that heat by sweating, camels are genuinely naturally built as water-retaining, dehydration-withstanding beasts.
Got a Mundane Mysteries you’d like solved? Send me a message via Twitter (@AndyWebbRadio), or by email at [email protected]!
BROUGHT TO YOU BY: Airtron Heating & Air Conditioning
Wake Up Crew Highlights: December 29, 2021
MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Is There A Difference Between Pancakes & Flapjacks?
What do you call those fluffy, circular batter cakes, which are pan-fried to a light golden brown & served with syrup (or fruit, Cool Whip, or any number of other scrumptious add-ons)? Are they pancakes..or are they flapjacks? Is there even a difference?
Here in the US, “flapjack” & “pancake” are basically just synonyms for the same exact thing. The same goes for Canada, too. But “flapjack” means something altogether different across the pond, over in the UK. A British flapjack is more of a dessert-style granola bar, comprised of rolled oats, butter, and brown sugar, and sometimes containing syrup, dried fruit, chocolate, and/or nuts. And an English flapjack gets baked in an oven (as opposed to being fried on a griddle), before typically being served in squares or rectangles (versus the round cakes we know & love).
Ever since the word “pancake” first showed up in the 1400s, it’s meant pretty much the same thing that it means today: flat, pan-fried batter. Flapjack, however, evolved a bit over time. It first came about in the 1600s, as some folks started using it as an alternative word for pancake. There were several others, though, who used “flapjack” to refer to a kind of apple turnover or flat tart, and that’s what’s led to the modern-day English version of the baked oat bar. (Flapjack didn’t even show up in print until the 1930s).
Now, while the word “pancake” refers to pan-fried batter both here in North America and over in Britain, English pancakes, themselves, are a tad different. Here in the US, our pancake recipes usually consist of some raising agent (like baking powder), which produces a thicker, fluffier cake. British pancakes, however, don’t have a raising agent, so they’re a lot flatter (more like crêpes).
Either way, whenever you order them you’re going to end up with arguably the best part of breakfast, regardless of where you are & whatever you call them.
Got a Mundane Mystery you’d like solved? Send me a message via Twitter (@AndyWebbRadio), or shoot me an email at [email protected]!
BROUGHT TO YOU BY: Airtron Heating & Air Conditioning
MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Sledding Vs. Sleighing…What’s The Difference?
Whenever you see a snow-covered hillside, that means one thing: it’s sledding time! Or is it sleighing time? Or maybe tobogganing time? Or what about bobsledding time? Which is it? What’s the difference between them all?
Originally a Dutch word, a sled (or “sledge” as British folks refer to it) is any equipment used to navigate ice or snow while moving downhill. Sled bottoms usually have runners, but they could also have smooth bottoms.
The Dutch word “sleigh”, however, is different: a sleigh is simply a sled on runners that’s pulled by either horses or reindeer (like Santa’s preferred method of transportation). The key is that you aren’t using a sleigh unless you’re being pulled by some sort of animal.
Then there’s the French-Canadian word toboggan, which is a narrow sled made of lightweight wood that has a curved-up front which makes it easier to traverse difficult landscapes. Oh, and toboggans don’t usually have bottom runners.
But then, what about a bobsled? Isn’t that related? Actually, yes it sort of is. A bobsled is a sled with added steering capabilities (such as a steering wheel). Unlike sledding or sleighing, however, bobsledding is actually an Olympic sport.
Now’s the time to start prepping your cold weather transportation needs, before we get the first real snow of the winter. May I recommend starting & sticking with the humble sled? The simplest method is usually the best method.
Got a Mundane Mystery you’d like solved? Send me a message via Twitter (@AndyWebbRadio), or shoot me an email ([email protected])!
BROUGHT TO YOU BY: Airtron Heating & Air Conditioning
Wake Up Crew Highlights: December 27, 2021
MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Why Do We Hang A Pickle On The Christmas Tree?
Everyone has their own Christmas traditions, but not everyone’s are the same. Some folks open presents after breakfast, some people hang stockings up for their dog, some display homemade decorations…and then there are some folks who hide a Christmas pickle ornament in their tree. What is that all about?
The tradition, which is believed by many to have originated in Germany, surrounds placing a glossy green pickle ornament somewhere on the tree. Then, the first child who finds the pickle on Christmas morning not only gets a year of good luck, but also a special gift. The problem is that the vast majority of Germans have never heard of this tradition. A 2016 survey by a German newspaper found that 91% of German households had no idea about Christmas pickles or what they were intended to represent.
The culprit for this misplaced tradition turned out to be…clever marketing by the retail chain Woolworths. When they began importing German ornaments in the 1890s, some happened to be in the shape of a pickle. So, they created a legend behind it. This was no ordinary ornament, they said, it was a pickle steeped in the customs of an exotic land. 100 years later, in the 1990s, ornament artisans began re-sharing the pickle story, touting its green color as blending so well with the tree that a reward should be given to the child who finds it, in honor of their keen observation. And we Americans, who love ourselves a good legend, ended up embracing the tale.
It was only in the mid-1990s that an actual prominent German ornament manufacturer called Lauscha Glass Center started making the ornaments, and only after one of their workers came back from a trip to Michigan where they saw Christmas pickles adorning trees there. So, if you’re looking for something different to do this season, consider hiding the Christmas pickle. Because, whether you consider it a German tradition that few Germans have actually ever heard of, or the pinnacle of a successful American marketing ploy, it’s still fun.
Got a Mundane Mystery you’d like solved? Send me a message via social media (@AndyWebbRadioVoice), or shoot me an email at [email protected]!