At Treehut, we're adventure seekers, time keepers, and above all else, nature lovers. Nature's amazing qualities and capabilities can be so surprising, you wouldn't believe some things are possible. Like these 5 unbelievable facts.
1. Diamonds Can Be Compressed from Peanut Butter
Although, it's possible to press peanut butter into a diamond, it's not practical according to the BBC article, How to make a diamond from scratch - from peanut butter. Scientist Dan Frost explains, "If we wanted a two-or-three-millimeter Diamond, we would need to leave it for weeks." You will also need a cooking furnace and piston up to 280,000 times the atmospheric pressure to simulate the Earth's mantle.
2. Plastic-eating Plant Found in the Amazon
Found deep in the Amazon, this fungus is rumored by the media to be an environmental savior. With non decomposable plastic piling up in our landfills and oceans and creating toxic gases when they do break down, pestalotiopis microspora might be nature's cure. The mushroom can survive in an oxygen-free environment, like a landfill, and feeds on plastic.
Read the full article:PLASTIC EATING PLANTS: WILL THEY SAVE OUR ENVIRONMENT?
3. Prehistoric Goblin Shark Survives Today
The Goblin Shark (Mitsukurina owstoni) is a prehistoric creature that's survives today. It has been called a "living fossil" as it's lineage is connected to the family Mitsukurinidae, a lineage some 125 million years old. His jaw extends out of his mouth when hunting prey and slides back inside his mouth after catching his meal according to Kids National Geographic.
4. The Boiling River
Perhaps you caught Andrès Ruzo's Ted Talk on the boiling river posted this year in February. If you missed it, you probably won't believe that a boiling river could be found in the central Peruvian Amazon, being 435 miles from the nearest volcano center. You wouldn't be alone, Ruzo's own Professors thought the idea was idiotic; of course, they were wrong. When Ruzo pondered what could cause a boiling river, he feared it had something to do with the nearby oil refinery and a potential spill. However, his fears were put to bed, when the Purvian River was determined to be a "natural feature: a non-volcanic, geothermal feature flowing at anomalously high rates," according to National Geographic. The river runs from about 80 degrees Fahrenheit to 201 degrees Fahrenheit at it's hottest. If you can believe it, Ruzo's grandmother swam in this river, though his grandfather adds that it was only possible after a heavy rain.
5. The Largest Tree Takes More Space Than Walmart
Can you believe that the widest tree in the world, the Brayan tree, is larger than the average Walmart. The Great Banyan Tree (Ficus Benghalensis) of Indian Botanic Garden might appear like a forest of trees, but the tree actually holds the Guinness Book of World Records for being the widest. Nearly 300 years old, the tree has undergone cyclone attacks both in 1884 and 1886, that ripped apart the trunk and exposed the tree to fungal attacks. The trunk no longer exists, yet the tree survives according to the Times of India.
Related article: Why Each Wood Is Unique: The Art of Finding The Perfect Wood
Related article: 5 Healthy & Fun Bamboo Facts
Love trees? Check out our wooden watch collection. Amazed by nature? Let us know which fact surprised you the most in the comments below.
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